Connie and Serendipity

And then there was tonight. This one will take some explanation.

If you have been reading my blog, you know I am using Marty Stuart's life and a special story he tells as the devotion at the charge conferences this year. Marty is a hillbilly rocker who has not left that behind but has brought it with him to his gospel work, especially the Soul's Chapel album from 2005. Some of you may even be getting sick of my Marty Stuart stuff, but here comes some more so get ready.

Nick Kindred, our pastor at Oak Grove who had heard my Marty Stuart story last Sunday (which includes Connie Smith) emailed me yesterday to tell me that Connie, one of the queens of country music and wife (yes, an older woman) of Marty Stuart, was giving a concert at the newly refurbished Palazzo Theater in Oak Grove (it was the Sundowner before) tonight. I reserved a ticket and showed up for the second show and it was great. But before I left home, I typed out a letter that I thought if I got bold enough, I would try to get to Connie to give to Marty that described how much his story has meant to folks and how I have received so much from it as well.

There was a slim crowd at the second show, probably no more than 100. The show was just great; she sang many Bill Anderson songs, some more recent recordings, and asked for requests from the audience. This is a picture I took tonight at the concert. Connie has that deep-down-throaty-catch-in-your-voice-style that is pure country and so very strong even at 67. And so pretty. And such a cool jacket.

After the show, she did come to the back of the theater to autograph cds and pictures and say a word to folks as she signed. I hung back, knowing now that I could probably get the letter to her. I was the last through and she sat on a stool across from me at a small narrow table. I looked at her intently and said, "I need to talk to you." She wanted to hear what it was. And I briefly told her her who I was, that I was using Marty as an example in the charge conference devotions along with Souls Chapel. Well, that's great she said...or something similar. And then I told her which story I was telling about him, a moving story of a Godly redemptive gift he had received, and when I told her that (I just said the Pops Staples guitar story and she knew what I meant) she got tears in eyes, and I handed her the letter...She took it patted it and told me, obviously moved, "I'll give it to him justas soon as I see him...but it'll be a few days..he'll be in off the road in a week." It's not at all that I want reaction from him, really, I just want him to know how his sharing of a personal story with hurt and shame in it, as this one is, has made a difference in others' lives. (Sorry to be so secretive about more detail of the story--I am not being cute, I just want to tell it at the charge conferences and they are not over yet.)

I have been wanting to find a way to let Marty know about this, but could only locate a fan-based myspace that he has and a booking contact. And here Connie shows up in a town in my district, and I am able to go to the concert and hand her this letter. This serendipity stuff is just happening everywhere to me lately...Anne Lamott gives her definition of coincidence as "God working anonymously." Only thing is, all of the things that have been happening "coninkadinkally" as my kids still say, have the Unseen Hand of God written all over them. Another mixed metaphor but you know what I mean. Wow.