Atlanta Top 5

So it’s been almost a week since I came back from the Catalyst conference and I haven’t followed through on my promise of sweet blogs coming from my experiences there. So instead of continuing to think about all the entries I could write I thought I would give my top five things from my time in Atlanta. Make sure you give yourself time to process everything I’m about to throw down!

5. The Greedy Cabbie: Cory and I took a taxi to go out on the town Wednesday after the conference (I also rolled my ankle in a hole on the way to get the taxi, but that wasn’t one of my favorite things) and our cabbie was crazy greedy. First, he pretended he didn’t know where he was going so he took a route that added about 3 or 4 miles to our route (which is about $7 in a cab). Then he kept slowing down, as we would come to lights so that they would turn red, or even yellow, before we could get through them. Cory was making evil faces behind his back and somehow he saw him and said, “Oh I see how you are. Well guess what little man, you’re not ever going to make it out of this taxi.” Okay, he didn’t, but he seriously could have. (By the way our taxi ride home was about half the price.)

4. Willow Creek then and now: The emcee did a little intro thing with Bill Hybles where he talked about being at Willow on its first Sunday, and he said, “On that first Sunday, here’s what it was like.” Then they dropped about 20 massive balloons into the arena, put a disco ball on the screen and started playing “Love Train.” Then the emcee said, “Well, I wanted to make sure you hadn’t gotten stuck on ‘Love Train,’ so I went back this past Sunday and here’s what I saw.” A little kid came up dressed like Usher and then did some tight hip hop dancing to an Usher song.

3. The Whoopee Cushion Record: I’m going to be in the Guinness Book of World Records! They gave everyone a whoopee cushion (about 9000) and the emcee came out dressed as a whoopee cushion, and when someone sat on him all 9000 people sat on theirs at one time. We actually had to print and sign our name saying we did it, so it might be legit. Look for that in the next edition of the record book.

2. Speakers: Okay, this is the most boring one for you to read (I know, you think they’re all boring, whatever) but the speakers really were great. My favorites were Donald Miller, Erwin McManus, Louie Giglio, and Len Sweet.

1. Life Goal Accomplished: For the first time in my life I took a set off my college tennis coach, Mr. Gleghorn. I can pretty much die a happy man now. (Also had a great time seeing him and his wife and meeting their three and a half year old son for the first time!)

So that’s it. Hotlanta was great!