Touring and conferencing

I just returned home to Huntsville Alabama from a 9-week visit to Wisconsin and Minnesota. I enjoyed almost winter-like weather for the first 3 weeks or so, and by the time I left the midwest was solidly into summer. My (new to me) motor home performed like a champ. It is a 1976 over-the-road passenger bus made into an RV and it tows my van around on a tow dolly. I generally park in church parking lots, but also occasionally at a friend's home. It's a real treat to live in my own "home" but I do miss the social aspects of staying with church members as I have for many years.
There were many high points on this trip and it was great to cap it off with the WELS Worship Conference at Carthage University in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I'm so glad I volunteered to sing in one of the worship choirs. One thing I found out is that even though I'm a pretty good singer doing my own music, choral singing is quite a different skill. I was certainly one of the weaker singers. But it was so fun to learn the music and our director Lisa Uttech was an amazingly talented communicator, singer, musician and leader. I also really enjoyed the workshops I attended, especially the new hymnal presentations and Professor Paustian's talk on how to communicate Christ in this secular society. Wow, what a mind and voice he has. I just wanted to spend the rest of the time at the conference listening to him. My thinking about worship changed in some ways and I was also encouraged to continue telling my story and singing my songs. I enjoyed some great quality time with many friends at the conference also.
I'm so grateful to our churches, pastors, teachers, brother and sister believers who welcome and support me in my travels. I am so amazingly blessed by God to be given the grace to do what I get to do!