When I Showed up at the Door

Two weeks ago at 1:00 am in the morning, I booked a last minute ticket to Las Vegas. Only I didn't just easily hit "purchase' on the website and that was it - Oh no, I agonized over it and for the twenty-first time I asked my all too patient husband, "should I go, should I do this?" needing his last-minute reinforcement that it was okay to just GO (because the first twenty times apparently just wasn't enough).


One week later I sat in a crowed little terminal waiting for my plane - I was on my way to WPPI. Only the BIGGEST photography convention and trade show of the year! And let me tell you, being more shy than not, I headed out to a huge venue knowing only two people (that would be very busy themselves).

But I was determined to do this, to take this journey to the next level, the door of opportunity had been set before me and all I had to do was show up. Isn't that how it is with our faith. Sometimes God is just asking us to show up.

So I made lists of classes and events and even parties to attend. (Yeah, Parties By. My. Self.) Not my strong suit. Which also translates into walking up to total strangers, introducing myself and saying something totally awkward, dorky or lame...or maybe (just maybe) hit it off with someone.

Oh but I owned it all, even those awkward, lame moments that did indeed happen (that I chose not to cringe over...)!

I dived in, I filled half a legal pad with notes from incredible speakers, met new friends and learned so much my head is still spinning. My suitcase came home stuffed with brochures and product information (felt bad for the airport people who did an random inspection of it down in the baggage area, I'm pretty darn sure that someone had to sit on it to get it closed again). I signed up for a new two-day conference coming up in May that I couldn't turn down, I even bought software to streamline my photo editing work flow.

Before I knew it, ideas were rolling wildly around in my head. Creativity began to flow again and after almost a week of constant classes, overwhelming trade show floors, an evening of room service (because I really do hate it that much eating alone at a sit-down restaurant in a strange city) and swallowing hard as I walk into parties where I knew NO ONE, I started meeting people. (without blurting out awkward things like a dork that left the other person smiling with one of those "that's nice" looks in their eyes.)

Who knew that I would have an opportunity to meet people like Dane Sanders, David J, Jasmine Star, Kevin Kubota,  Hanson Fong, Scott Bourne...just to name a few.

Who knew that I would get rejuvenated, re-inspired, recharged, refreshed.
Then again, I hadn't realized how far down the rabbit hole I had fallen in the first place.


I had forgotten a very important fact in the last few months:
"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

Thanks to my dear friends at Madcamp Backgrounds for inviting me. (I'll see you guys in July - if not before!) and thank you, Judi, for always pushing me to show up at the door and being proactive with my gifts and talents.


What did I learn at WPPI? this year?

Simple.

I can.

I will.