I was a Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young fan to be sure. They weren't at the top of the list - that spot is reserved always for The Eagles, but CSNY was a contender. Now they tour without Young and I've seen them before at the Bowl and they weren't all that good. After all, they are older than I am. Still, as I debated about going, I realized that I rarely do anything apart from my job or my family. I always was a bit of a homebody to be sure. But since Paul left, I've taken shelter in what I know. That isn't a bad thing. Praise God, I have a job I enjoy and a family I love that has stood by me through this whole process. But here was an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and I immediately had a sense that it might be good for me. If you don't suffer from irrational fears occasionally then I'm sure you're thinking, "How crazy is this woman? Free tickets!" But I am a person who hates crowds, avoids unknown places, hesitates when confronted with strangers, and generally am anti-social. Don't judge. Anyway, I found myself saying to Heather, "Sure. Why not?"
We left town the next day with me driving. Heather said she had a tendency to fall asleep at the wheel later in the evening so I thought it prudent to take my car. We arrived at her cousin's house. Paula and her boyfriend were very nice and Paula had graciously fixed a salad and pizza for all of us. She also served pomegranate margaritas. I have never had one before but I'm telling you...they were awesome! I left with the recipe. Heather conveniently had another cousin who lives right across the street from the Bowl and had an extra parking place. Score! We arrived during the first song and really had to bust it up the hill to the concert. If you've been to the Bowl you know it's a beautiful venue but for an out-of-shape person such as myself, the hike up the side of the mountain was breath taking, if you know what I mean. Anyway, after a short breather, I was able to continue on to our seats. They were actually really good seats and as I sat down I realized, GOD GAVE ME AN AISLE SEAT!! Only some of you will realize the magnitude of that fact. For someone like me, crowds are threatening. Even on the aisle, I had to fight my way through a panic attack early on. But I gradually relaxed and began to enjoy the concert. I was struck by the beauty of the surroundings but mostly, I was amazed that I was there and I HAD AN AISLE SEAT! I knew God had provided that for me. I really did.
As it turned out, the concert wasn't very good. If you knew what they used to sound like you could sort of overlay that sound in your mind. For Heather, who didn't know how they used to harmonize, it was a bit harder. Graham Nash can still sing but he is really the only one. They all still play a mean guitar and I certainly appreciated that but the vocals? Let's just say you might want to stick with their C.D.s. But that isn't the point of this blog.
The point is that God is intimately involved in every aspect of our insignificant little lives. I doubt that it would have mattered if I went to that concert or not. It wasn't "life changing." But I was proud of myself for branching out just a little, I met some nice people, and Heather and I enjoyed the trip. Most importantly, I was reassured. If God cares enough to give me an aisle seat at a concert, why do I ever doubt that He will care for me during the trials of my life? He knows me intimately and loves me unconditionally. He blesses me just because He wants to and He is able. I have no idea what the future holds for me or for those I love. I certainly never expected to be single, for example. But nothing happens to us that is outside of God's sovereign will and I can count on that. I've got an aisle seat and God's on stage!!
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