I met Rob Bell today. Beat that!
Cindi spotted him on the side of the conference room as he was getting ready to speak. There was a line of people waiting to shake his hand. Cindi said, "THERE HE IS!" Of course, I acted like 
I had just seen a celebrity. Well, he is a celebrity in my mind. I ran to my seat and grabbed my camera. Should we go up? Should we wait until he's done talking? "He won't be around when he's done talking, Amber!" Cindi reminded me. Really? He's just going to dart out of town? It was now or never. We both joined the line of people. Rob Bell book and camera in hand. Would we meet him? The line got shorter and shorter. We were almost to Rob Bell! All of a sudden, the announcer started talking and the lights went out. NO!!! The guy in front of us stepped out of the way just in time.
I had just seen a celebrity. Well, he is a celebrity in my mind. I ran to my seat and grabbed my camera. Should we go up? Should we wait until he's done talking? "He won't be around when he's done talking, Amber!" Cindi reminded me. Really? He's just going to dart out of town? It was now or never. We both joined the line of people. Rob Bell book and camera in hand. Would we meet him? The line got shorter and shorter. We were almost to Rob Bell! All of a sudden, the announcer started talking and the lights went out. NO!!! The guy in front of us stepped out of the way just in time.Me: Hi Rob, my name is Amber, the young adult group I lead uses your Nooma videos every time we meet and they have been such an awesome tool for people new and old in their faith!
Rob: Thank you, I'm so happy to hear that.
Me: Oh, sorry, this is Cindi.
Cindi: I'm just the photographer.
Me: Would you mind signing my book?
Rob: Sure.
Me: I hand him the book and a green sharpie...he signs "robell." How cute. Would you mind taking a picture with me as well?
Rob: Whoa. Look at the size of that camera. He puts his arm around me and smiled for a lovely photo.
Me: Are you ready to speak today?
Rob: Yeah, they keep telling me I need to get back there.
Me: Well, good luck. So great to meet you.
Rob: You too. Wanna marry me? :)
I went back to my chair and could hardly sit still. I was sooo excited. The guy sitting next to us 
even asked me, "Are you going to be ok?" I'm a groupie, what can I say? And for good reason. Rob gave the most amazing message today. He came out from backstage pushing a shopping cart, and began talking about how it feels when you bump into someone in the grocery store who you're in conflict with. That nasty, gross, hurtful feeling inside. IT HURTS. That's the phrase he kept using over and over. IT HURTS. We all have relationships like this. Someone who has wronged us or someone who we've hurt. When you see them randomly, your stomach begins to hurt. This still happens to me when I think about people in my past who I loved and who in return hurt me. Some of the hurts are little. A 
mini paper cut. Some of them are larger. A deep paper cut. Either way, if we don't confront the issue behind those little bitty cuts, they eventually add up to a being consumed in pain. Thousands of paper cuts can sink us in the end. As a church leader, I've noticed that the staff and I are often subject of much ridicule and critique. I don't really like the way you do your hair it'd be cuter if it was short. Little cut. I didn't like the event you planned, my way would've been better! Medium cut. That's a bad personality trait. You need to work on that. Big cut. For me, the big ones are the most important to heal, so I tend to them. But really, the little ones hurt too. They all need to be dealt with.
even asked me, "Are you going to be ok?" I'm a groupie, what can I say? And for good reason. Rob gave the most amazing message today. He came out from backstage pushing a shopping cart, and began talking about how it feels when you bump into someone in the grocery store who you're in conflict with. That nasty, gross, hurtful feeling inside. IT HURTS. That's the phrase he kept using over and over. IT HURTS. We all have relationships like this. Someone who has wronged us or someone who we've hurt. When you see them randomly, your stomach begins to hurt. This still happens to me when I think about people in my past who I loved and who in return hurt me. Some of the hurts are little. A 
mini paper cut. Some of them are larger. A deep paper cut. Either way, if we don't confront the issue behind those little bitty cuts, they eventually add up to a being consumed in pain. Thousands of paper cuts can sink us in the end. As a church leader, I've noticed that the staff and I are often subject of much ridicule and critique. I don't really like the way you do your hair it'd be cuter if it was short. Little cut. I didn't like the event you planned, my way would've been better! Medium cut. That's a bad personality trait. You need to work on that. Big cut. For me, the big ones are the most important to heal, so I tend to them. But really, the little ones hurt too. They all need to be dealt with. Pastors are not punching bags. If we get beat up, what good are we going to be to anybody? I do 
not intend to experience a death by paper cuts. In the end, he pushed the shopping cart out into the middle of the room and asked people to write down the name of the person(s) who cut them but who needed to be forgiven and moved on from. I had no trouble writing down multiple names. I'm not alone in my hurt. Nearly 3,000 pastors got up and threw their names into the shopping cart...slowly it filled. Slowly the cuts are starting to heal.
not intend to experience a death by paper cuts. In the end, he pushed the shopping cart out into the middle of the room and asked people to write down the name of the person(s) who cut them but who needed to be forgiven and moved on from. I had no trouble writing down multiple names. I'm not alone in my hurt. Nearly 3,000 pastors got up and threw their names into the shopping cart...slowly it filled. Slowly the cuts are starting to heal.Really, there was no way to top my morning. Rob inspires me in every way. To be a better preacher, to stick up for myself, to forgive.
Shannyn and I shared lunch today at the mall. Honestly, talking to other interns only helps me to appreciate Good Shepherd more and more. Not that she had bad things to say about her site, but I was just so proud to share the healthy critique, support, and friendships I've received in this place. We took the light rail down to 'Old Town' San Diego. I ate some shrimp cocktail at a Mexican restaurant, and prayed that I wouldn't get sick. So far, so good.
After a wonderful day, I made a terrible mistake tonight. The LCGS crew decided to go to a 
movie, and (even though I was tired and at first said "no") I agreed to go. At first, Cindi and I were the only two people in the theater. Why was that? Within 5 minutes I knew why there were so few people there, and I could tell I wasn't going to like the movie. But, I paid $11 for the ticket and wasn't about to go sit in the lobby, so I kept watching. The movie "Taken" was about two friends in their late teens who flew to Paris and got kidnapped and tricked by some guy at the airport, drugged and used for prostitution. I think I now understand why my mom was so frightened when I first moved to LA. An unfamiliar place, far from her protection, and strangers everywhere. When the movie was over, I went into the bathroom and bawled. This is the reason I don't watch many movies or television shows. When Bill and 
Jane are watching scary shows on television, I grab my food and eat in my room, because even hearing the dialogue of the characters can really scare me. My brain has a hard time telling my heart that it's just a movie. I couldn't stop shaking. Mainly because I knew that although it was a movie, it really does happen all the time. It was rated PG-13 for for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language. What does it take these days for a movie to be rated R?
movie, and (even though I was tired and at first said "no") I agreed to go. At first, Cindi and I were the only two people in the theater. Why was that? Within 5 minutes I knew why there were so few people there, and I could tell I wasn't going to like the movie. But, I paid $11 for the ticket and wasn't about to go sit in the lobby, so I kept watching. The movie "Taken" was about two friends in their late teens who flew to Paris and got kidnapped and tricked by some guy at the airport, drugged and used for prostitution. I think I now understand why my mom was so frightened when I first moved to LA. An unfamiliar place, far from her protection, and strangers everywhere. When the movie was over, I went into the bathroom and bawled. This is the reason I don't watch many movies or television shows. When Bill and 
Jane are watching scary shows on television, I grab my food and eat in my room, because even hearing the dialogue of the characters can really scare me. My brain has a hard time telling my heart that it's just a movie. I couldn't stop shaking. Mainly because I knew that although it was a movie, it really does happen all the time. It was rated PG-13 for for intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language. What does it take these days for a movie to be rated R?
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