A WHERE DO I BEGIN HOMECOMING - 9-98

I just have one word to say...WOW! Ok, so maybe not one word. It was one of THE most awesome experiences of my life. I clapped, sang, cried, laughed, screamed, and it wasn't only when Mark came out either! :) LOL Ok, there's going to be A LOT here, so please bear with me, it's well worth it. I'm a VERY detailed person, so forgive me if I wrote too much. I do that a lot. PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE LETTER, MARK!! I really want you to know how much I enjoyed it. I know the others will read it. I don't know how you are with your ADD and long letters, but this is worth it.OH, MARK....I want to put this in the beginning, in case you don't read this...I gave Candy Christmas a picture of the Chia Person hair. I meant to give it to you, but forgot. I didn't put a note with it, so you were probably wondering, what the heck is this? I don't know if she gave it to you, probably not, but if she did, I thought you could tell Bill you figured out how he grows his hair. hee hee. Just kidding. I hope you got it. 

ANYWAY, I met Jake Hess, Candy Christmas,  Bob Cain, Anthony Burger, Jessy Dixon, Janet Paschal, Guy Penrod, Gloria Gaither, and last, but never least, Mark Lowry. I got all of their autographs too! I brought my Ann Geddes address book and had them all sign it. The first few I met at their tables before the concert: Jake Hess, Candy Christmas, Jessy Dixon, Anthony Burger, and Bob Cain. The others I met after.

I first met Jake Hess, and let me tell you, I wanted to take him home with me!! Both my grandpas are gone, I want Jake Hess!! He was THE nicest person I've ever met, and what a rip!!!!!! I go up to him and ask, "Can you sign my book, please?" You know what he says? NO!! I was laughing. He has this little smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. I said, "Please." and he said, "Sure." and laughed. Then I came back again, because I wanted a picture. I asked him if I could and he said no again!!! So, when he let me, he put both arms around me and gave me the best hug. I can't wait to get my pictures developed to see it! What a sweet, sweet man. I told him too, "Jake, I love you on the videos. You are the sweetest person. I love you." 

Then I met Candy Christmas. She was sooo pretty and very sweet! 

Then Jessy, Anthony and Bob Cain signed my book. Let me tell you, Bob Cain was another one I wanted to take home!! What a sweet man. He talked with me and was so appreciative of our coming. Then, when he opened my book, he saw my name at the top and said, "Is this you? Are you Elisa?" (he even said it right. Most people pronounce it wrong)

I said, "Yes." So he wrote. "To Elisa, God bless you. Bob Cain." I was so touched. What wonderful people. Then, the concert started......Well, I don't think I've ever clapped or sang so much then at this concert. I was sooo into it. It's so uplifing. I clapped during every fast song, sang along with them, I even raised my hand a few times, and that was something I USED to be embarrassed of, but NOT anymore. I let everyone know I love Jesus and I'm proud of it! Let's see...Kevin Williams, the guitar player, played a few songs . He was very good, and pretty cute too :) Then they had all the different homecoming friends come out...First Bill came out and he looked great! I was so upset I didn't get to meet him after. I wanted to tell him that. Then he announced The Hoppers, who were amazing, the Ruppes, Bob Cain, Jessy, Anthony, Janet Paschal, whose song about the soldier made me cry (you have to hear this song if you never have). It was about her grandfather whom she loved very much and who died recently. It was about another soldier coming home. I was hysterical. She had this music video playing, with herself in it, of a person, who I believe was representing the loss of her grandfather. Since I lost my grandfather 4 yrs ago, then my two grandmothers, then my dad's best friend, our chiropractor, and my aunt last year, I completely lost it. The song was incredible and it made me long to see them again. She did a really nice job singing. Let's see, who else? OH, The Goodmans!!!! The crowd went wild when they came out!! They rocked the house!!! Vestal was just THE cutest thing. What a heart for God she has. She has such a sparkle in her eye and you can see how much she loves Jesus by the way she acts. She's always looking up and blowing kisses. I was so dissapointed I couldn't meet her after. I wanted to ask her for a hug and tell her how much she reminds me of my mother's mother. My mother was dying to meet her too. I guess it's too much for them. What sweet people. I think I would have cried if I met her. Then, after the Goodmans, Vestal announced the Gaither Vocal Band!! I went wild!! They came out and sang, "Singing with the Saints". I waved at Mark AND HE WAVED BACK!!!! I was clapping and singing. Then Bill started talking after, and guess who piped in! Yep, good ol' Marky! I tell you, I laughed so hard! Next time, I'm going to be prepared with a pen and paper to write down ALL that he says because I forget it!! He just kept throwing those one-liners out!! Ok, the next part is probably not in order, but I'll just write them as they come to me. Bill was talking about hyperboles (sp?) and Mark was like, "What does that mean?" Bill said, "It's an overexaggeration of something." Of course, Mark went off on that. Some things Bill said, Mark would chime in, "Now that's a hyperbole!" He had the crowd in stitches at one point. I wish I could remember it all. He told Bill not to scratch his head, because it might come off. When Anthony Burger was playing, amazing as usual, at the fast part, smoke came out of the stage. Mark jumps up, runs over to Bill and into Bill's arms, like he was scared. We roared! Then he took a towel, went over to the piano and started fanning it, as if to put out a fire. Then, when they sang an accapela song, Mark asked, "What's that?" Bill said, "We don't use any music, just voices." Mark said, "Oh, like the Christ Church Choir." What else? After Mark sang, "Mary Did you Know?", someone in the audience shouted, "You still rock!" I think it was ACTome. Was it you, Andrew??? Mark went over to the piano with Bill and they put a few CDs on the piano and Mark would hold them up and Bill would say who they were. Of course, Mark had to put HIS book up and HIS CD up and HIS 4 pack of videos in front of the ones Bill was talking about. :) Bill slapped him at one point, because Mark was slowly trying to sneak his CD in front of another CD by someone else. We were hysterical. Mark would stand up his 4 pack of videos, Bill would knock em down and put Gloria's book there. Mark would put his book up in front of it. 

Then Mark goes, "I feel like Vanna White" then proceeds to do an impression of her. I'm telling you, we didn't stop laughing until they sang a song. OH!!!! Bill goes, "We're going to do our drawing later. Whoever wins gets to take Mark home with them!" I stood up, clapped, and screamed, "Yeah!!!!"

Then Jake Hess came out and they sang with him. Then we took an intermission. 

Let me tell you, I had NO clue the concert was 4 hours!! It was the shortest four hours of my life!!! It ended TOO quickly!!! We came back and ALL of the homecoming friends sat on stage. I passed by Jake Hess, when I came back. I gave him a huge smile and waved. He did the same back. I just love that man!! 

They all sang a few songs. The Hoppers gave me goosebumps when they sang a song called, "I see the King" or "When I see the King" I can't recall the exact title, but it was incredible!! That was one song I raised my hand.  The rest of them sang, Mark sang, "Mary Did You Know?" Jake Hess sang the cutest song called, "Wore Out". Mark laid his head on Janet's shoulder and pretended to sleep. Janet had tears in her eyes she was laughing so hard. I did too!!

Oh, and Bill says, at the end of the concert, he was talking about Elijah and how he prayed, "When he prayed, fire came down from Heaven" You hear Mark in the background (He was sitting on the other side of the stage and I couldn't see him, what a bum!), "He must have been a Pentecostal!" Then Bill goes, "Then he prayed again and nothing happened." Mark says, "He became a Baptist." Bill said, "Come on Mark!" He was a riot! Then Bill had the audience sing. We stood up, clapped, sang, and then it was over!!! :( I wanted to cry! So, we waited around to meet everyone. First I met Gloria, and I gave her my poetry and my hymn. She was VERY nice. I hope she reads it!! My mother told her about how her children's music is what got me saved at three.

I put that in a letter I wrote to her and Bill. Hopefully she'll read it. I'm praying for an open door there too. Then I met Mark. He signed my book, his book, "Mary Did You Know?" and I took a picture with him. He met my parents too. He was in such a rush, that after he met me, he just ran off. He didn't say much either. I talked to him more at the solo concert. I totally understand though. I mean, after a four hour concert, you don't want to be meeting hundreds of people, and they do this all the time. It's amazing! I feel bad for them! I was just glad I got to see him again. Thanks Mark for staying after!! I don't think he remembered me either. I told him I had met him in Maine, but it didn't click. I should have said IBIJC, that would have gotten security over fast! LOL Some girl was coming up behind me going, "Mark, wait!!" He didn't hear her and you had to see the look of disappointment on her face. I felt so bad. I would feel the same way if I missed Mark by two seconds!! :)

Then I met Guy Penrod. He was soooooooo nice to his fans. He talked with EVERYONE!!! He was the last one left, the poor guy!! I told him Jesse is THE cutest baby I've ever seen. He said, "Really? Thank you so much!" I wanted to say to him, "And, Guy, you wouldn't be Guy Penrod without your long hair, so DON'T CUT IT!" I also wanted to tell him what a great voice he has and how much I LOVE the Gaither Vocal Band, but I guess I was so excited I forgot, and there were a few people left on line and he probably wanted to leave! Oh, well. Maybe next time, if there ever is.

Then I met Janet. She signed my book and I told her her song made me cry and she has a beautiful voice. And, folks, that was it. It was over. The fat lady had sung. There was no fat lady, of course, but it seemed to fit. :) We went home and arrived at 4 in the morning. I'm up early because I was too excited to sleep anymore. I thought about the concert too much. I was depressed too, because I won't be seeing them again for a really long time. I really hope to get on the cruise next year.

Well, I guess that's it. If there's anymore I remember, I'll send it to you.

If you got to this part, Mark, I give you a lot of credit for reading it all!!! Thank you!!! PLEASE COME TO NY WITH THE VOCAL BAND!!!!!!! I love you guys, and please bring Jake with ya too!!! I just might steal him! :)

Love you! Elisa.