The Smelker Seven

And I Left My Camera Behind!!!

About nine months ago I was approached by the founder of Faithwriters and asked to speak at the first annual conference. The venue for this conference was Livonia, Michigan. Livonia was picked because it so happens that is where the founder lives!

I accepted the invitation to speak and I am really glad I did. I flew in on Thursday afternoon and on Friday morning hooked up with so many of my old friends. And man, how I wished I had brought my camera! It was so great to see Christy (who confessed she reads my blog but NEVER comments!), Darlene, Heather, and Cheri. Then on Sunday I spent the afternoon with Shanita and her family.

I drove by the last house we lived in before we left, drove past all the lakes we'd swum in. I realised that although I miss my friends, and that even though I felt nostalgic when driving, I am right where God wants me - here in San Antonio.

The conference began on Friday night with a dinner and an informal get-to-know you time. The real work began on Saturday morning with the first conference speaker, Sally Stuart. It was good to hear the voice of experience give a nuts and bolts talk on publishing and its world. Faithwriters is an online community of writers and one instrumental person in the community is Australian Deb Porter. She has made great inroads in the Australian Christian community and even has a radio show 'down under'. There were many other speakers (including moi!) to entertain and educate. Seeing this was the first conference, it was only one day, but the talk is next year the conference will span two days with break out workshops and the like.


Sunday morning was a real highlight for me as I took a trip down memory lane and attended the church I called home for my 10 years in Michigan. Brightmoor will always hold a special place in my heart as will the friends I made there. When Terry and I attended there we were involved in so many different areas and we were well-known in the church. So when I walked in on Sunday it was not unusual to have a person walk past me, wave say, "Hi Cori" walk on for 2 or 3 paces, spin around and yell "CORI!" It has been four years since I was last there, but in many ways it felt like I had never left.

I flew back to San Antonio early on Monday morning in almost record time. I had a stop in Dallas and I literally walked off one plane and boarded the next and we took off.

Life now goes on as usual, with editorial deadlines, kids to entertain and keep busy until school starts again. I appreciated my four days away, I loved visiting my friends, but it is good to be home.

Labels: Deb Porter, Faithwriters, Livonia, Sally Stuart

posted by The Smelker Seven @ 12:07 PM