I know it's taken forever for me to get this posted but I got back from Creation Festival West on Monday of this week. Let me tell you, it rocked my world. There was so much to do and so much to see, and so much Love in the amphitheatre. I mean seriously, I went to the venue alone and then left with three phone numbers of people as close as Spokane and as far as Tennessee. You just don't do that on the streets. Anyways... Let me break it down for you, day by day.
Tuesday, July 24-
So, I went a day earlier than the festival actually started to do some scenic stuff on the road to my hotel room. From where I live, to Ellensburg, where I had my room at is about a one and a half hour drive. Beyond that, the Gorge Amphitheatre is about another hour. Anyways, the drive to Ellensburg, which shouldn't take very long ended up taking me almost four hours. I stopped at random exits, took a few random roads here and there just to see where they might go. I didn't go too far off of I-90 because I didn't accidentally want to get lost, but it was still a cool thing to do. I got to my hotel room at around 6, took a shower, turned on the television and proceeded to make myself sleep the entire night through. Which I did.
Wednesday, July 25-
I got up and out of the room at about noon in seek of Creation. However I got a phone call from a friend who I wanted to see quite badly. So instead, of heading to what I feared would be a terrible game of waiting, we met at the local Buzz-in for a late lunch or early dinner, however you look at it. We enjoyed a lovely dinner, filled with great conversation. I'm glad we got to catch up. I then made my way out to the Gorge, hoping upon hope I'd get on-site in time to see Jars of Clay and Relient K. I did make it in for Relient K. They were amazing, simply and utterly amazing. I went back to my hotel room as quickly as I could so I could rest up for the first 8 am - 11 pm day on-site.
Thursday, July 26-
I woke myself up at what I could only deem at the time as "too early" for normal people. I proceeded to take advantage of the pastries in the lobby and I got into my car. Now, I don't know what about driving does it for me, but as soon as I get into my car, I am awake and ready for the day. I just love driving I guess. So, I got parked and was in the amphitheatre at around 9, just an hour after gates opened and got my lawn seating set up. I knew I wouldn't stay, but the beauty of being with 20,000 family members is that you can trust them. I had everything in the backpack I had brought and left it there for whoever I wanted to go down closer to the Main Stage. I even left it when I went to the Fringe Stage. Back to what I was saying, I got set up and I was led in worship by a new name to me, Phil Wickham, who has made me a quick fan. And then I heard a beautiful talk by Phil Lookadoo. I got tired and then proceeded to fall asleep. I mean, I heard Story Side B in my sleep, but I totally didn't give them the attention they probably should have deserved. It finally started heating up at this time and it got hot. At the peak of the day it got to be 97 according to my little thermometer, which I lost somewhere. After the lunch break a group named Group 1 Crew woke me up, and from that point on, I was awake the rest of the day. Now, I haven't mentioned any water consumption as of this point, because, well, I hadn't consumed any. Which, I believe, led me to the events that would unfold that night. I decided to make my way up to the Fringe Stage for Everyday Sunday and MxPx, needless to say, I'm glad I was there. Because they are both amazing live acts. I then bought my only water bottle of the day, a small 16.9 fluid ounce bottle of water, for an entire day in 97 degree heat. Yeah, I was brilliant, and I was starting to feel my brilliance. I got really tired just as Ron Luce spoke in the evening. This is when the bigger names in Christian music come out to play and tonights line up was amazing. Chris Tomlin and Switchfoot. Honestly, it doesn't really get a whole lot better than that. So I went down into the pit for them and though I was dead, I was praising at the top of my lungs in some foolish mindset that maybe if my voice was loudest that God would love me most. That's not how I feel at all, but it makes for a good laugh. It's amazing I actually made it back to my hotel room actually. I got back to my room and made myself take a long shower. Notice, I still didn't consume anymore water. Then I wrapped myself up in my comfortable pajamas and crawled into that bed and wrapped up and fell asleep with intentions of doing it all over again tomorrow.
Friday, July 27-
I got up at the same un-holy hour as the day before and immediately felt horrible. My head hurt more than it had in quite a while, my muscles were screaming, and my stomach was crying. It took me quite a while to get ready because of all of that. I got myself out and to the Gorge at 10 am, a little later than I wanted to be. I still felt really horrible, and me being me, I couldn't understand why. I then decided to go get another water bottle and I took one sip and I proceeded to throw it up. Brilliant. So I didn't drink another sip until around the time that Red took the Fringe Stage. A big reason why I came to this festival was for them, and they did an amazing job, followed by a great talk by Zoro and Day of Fire. Let me tell you, Day of Fire, rocks it, and rocks it hard. Anyways, by this time, I seriously wasn't feeling well at all. I had this huge dilemma on my hands as well. Do I stay for the rest of the day or miss the one of the two acts I'd really came for? I decided I'd catch as much of Downhere as I could and then go back to the room. Who are great and greatly under-the-radar. I love Kutless and the Newsboys, but my health needed me. So I chose to get out and I was back to the room at around 7. Where I made myself drink water, not all at once, but sip by sip. As soon as my body realized that what it was getting was the greatest-thirst quencher, I stopped throwing up. Then it occured to me, I was extremely dehydrated. So between the hours of 7 pm to 11 pm I finally had consumed enough water that seemingly I could have drowned in. But I didn't, heck, I didn't even expell any of it. My body needed that. During those four hours before I feel asleep, all my symptoms virtually disappeared. I wasn't nauesous, I was no longer suffering from dizziness, I could walk straight, I wasn't throwing up anymore, and I wasn't having the worst headache of my life. I also immediately decided to get "water smart" for tomorrow. Funny thing, I didn't suffer alone. I had a friend who had told me they were going a couple months ago call me up just around the time I was almost asleep and she was begging for somewhere comfortable to sleep for the night. She was suffering the exact same thing I was. So I said if she could find a ride into town I'd be happy to have her. She got in and settled and we were both asleep before 1 am. I'd also decided I'd take it easy tomorrow. For safety's sake.
Saturday, July 28-
I woke up at around 10 in the morning and my friend was sound asleep. I woke her up and we slowly got ready. We got to Creation at about 2pm. We separated ways at the gate, and I told her to call if she needed to get back to the room. I proceeded to buy all the merchandise that I had been looking at, and was lead by Leeland in an amazing set of songs. I didn't hear from her, and I was getting excited. David Crowder and his amazing Band were getting closer and closer. Then, just as they were about to go on, she calls me, she's at the hotel and I'm not there, and she doesn't understand why? Well, me being me, I sacrifice David Crowder for this friend who isn't quite as bright as me, and I truck my way back into town. She was grateful. Under the surface I was upset, but I put on a great front. It was actually probably a good thing in retrospect that I left when I did, because I pretty much crashed as soon as I got in. I was a lot more tired than I thought that I was.
Sunday, July 29-
My friend was gone before I woke up, but left a sweet little note and a Starbucks gift card. I had another friend I was meeting up with anyways. I met up with that friend and had an amazing conversation. I was deathly tired though. So much sun in so little time really took my energy level for a ride. So we ended our coffee date and I went back to the room for what I thought would be a nap. I'd originally intended on taking pictures around town in the sunset, but when I feel asleep I woke up at midnight and then proceeded to go from that nap, to a shower, to sleep again. I then woke up and checked out of the hotel on...
Monday, July 30-
Where I made my way home. And boy, home felt good. But Creation was a blast and a great experience. I met amazing people. I sang songs of God. I gave my tribute to my Creator and it was in a gorgeous setting. God is Good. Never doubt that. I loved every minute of it.
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