Conference (Monday)

By Sunday, I was a little daunted about going to the conference. Part of me wanted to be there and then part of me didn’t want to be there. CJ woke me up Monday morning and just before he woke me up I was dreaming about what I was doing at work and that I’d fallen asleep at my desk. CJ then woke me up as it was time to get up and for a split moment as I came to I was convinced that I was late for work. Thankfully I wasn’t, it was time to get up to get ready to leave but it wasn’t because I was late lol.

We finished packing the car and headed for Mr C’s house. CJ was getting tense even before we got to the end of the street because of one thing or another. It got worse when I took a corner and bit too quick and his books that he’d put in the shelf fell off and landed in the foot well. (Fiat made the Seicento’s with like a hole cut out of the dashboard as a shelf rather than a solid dashboard with a glove compartment like most cars.)

We got to Mr C’s and Princess Nat peeked out of her bedroom window. A few minutes later her, Mr and Mrs C appeared and we loaded the car. Princess Nat was so excited to see me and CJ but I think also because she was getting rid of her Dad for a few days. While we were loading the car CJ made some harsh comments to me about my driving which were really hurtful. I tried to ignore it but it really did hurt and made me nearly cry.

The journey wasn’t too bad minus CJ trying to tell me how to drive; We drove passed the Weetabix factory at Burton Latimer and there was an interesting smell in the air – just before or just after the factory there was a field of about 10 wind turbines. Now I think wind power turbines are really graceful but some people really don’t like them. There was heavier traffic towards Nottingham as there is a lot of road works on the M1 (I think there is improvements to the junction structures) but other than that and some comments from CJ over all the journey was good.

We arrived at the Conference Centre and I asked CJ where I should park and CJ wasn’t being very helpful so I was getting annoyed at him and he was getting even more and more tense with me. I got out the car and lent against the bonnet and once CJ and Mr C were out of the car, I shut myself back in the car (then locked myself in too) and had a good cry. I really wanted to turn round and go home, or on the other hand go for a wander round Mansfield and then go to Kewey’s house and wait for her to get in from work. It didn’t get any better. I sat went and got a drink then sat outside on a bench as I didn’t particularly want to be sociable with anyone. Mr C came and joined me and we chatted about various different bits – mainly about my driving – he said there was only one major bit that could have been better but other than that he felt safe with me driving.

We went to the first meeting (imaginatively entitled “Keynote 1”) which was good. I was there for some of the worship but then decided to leave as I couldn’t concentrate and I just kept getting upset. When I came back in the preach had started, a guy called Jack Groblewski spoke (He’s the Senior Pastor at a church in the United States called New Covenant Community Church or NC4 for short.) The message was on Revelation 3:7 and for what I was there for it was good.

Following the meeting we all headed for lunch. I walked in, and was “encouraged” to sit with CJ, and I didn’t. I made a point of sitting on a different table, I ended up sat with The Gibb, Mrs Gibb, Q, and some other people including Mr C.

After lunch we had our rooms assigned. Although we were under impression we might be in single rooms me and CJ ended up in the same room. The room was nice. Between then and going to the next meeting me and CJ chatted about everything that had happened on the way. He’d been under the impression that I was annoyed at him which is why he was being mean to me on purpose. (Kinda like why should I be nice to you when you’re annoyed at me?)

We made up and then went to Keynote 2. This time the guy speaking was Francois Van Niekerk – he’s from South Africa and is Pastor at Hatfield Christian Church in Pretoria – I think I’ve heard him speak at Grapevine (usually over the radio from my tent rather than in the Big Top). After Keynote 2, there were seminars – I wasn’t really in the mood for the seminars. They are all mainly about leadership but there is only one about youthwork and no kinda ones about childrens work and stuff like that.

While the seminars were going on I stayed in the bar area and started writing a review of Marley and Me by hand – I guess I really should post it as I spent most of the afternoon writing it but I always seem to run out of time.

After the seminars everyone congregated in the bar area before tea then we joined the queue for tea. We sat trying to guess what it was for tea before it arrived. I was sat with Mr C, CJ and Pastor Mow Mow. Pastor Mow Mow and Mr C got it correct as it was lasagne. It was really nice but I was so hungry I ate seconds and more chips – what is going on!!! Hello!!!

After tea there was a little break but then we headed to the evening meeting – it was good worship time and there were some lively songs so lots of clapping! I’ve looked through my notes to try and remember who spoke Monday evening but I can’t remember! (I just asked Chris and it said it was Stuart Bell – he’s the Senior Pastor or something like that at New Life Lincoln). It was a good talk and it was about the different mentalities we can have in church – I know that Pastor Mow Mow spoke on a similar track a little while ago at church.

Following the meeting we all headed back to the bar to have a drink and chill out – it was good but somehow I ended up in the queue trying to sort out a round even when I got to the front of the queue people from our group were still adding their drinks to the list.

(I’m writing this post on Sunday but I’ve posted it back as Monday so that I don’t get too confused lol)