Learning A Valuable Lesson At A Music Festival

Festival season is upon us and it’s unquestionably my favorite time of year. To kick things off, this past weekend we drove 13 hours to Indiana for the boys to play the Kingdom Come Festival in Greentown for the second time. It’s an uplifting three day music festival that is always a blast, but as the date grew closer, I found myself really stressing out about it. I kept thinking about the bad timing of it, so that overshadowed my usual excitement. The boys had just completed eight full days in the studio, my husband still had two weeks of school left and the first day of our 7 week summer tour would be less than a week after we get home.

Panic began to settle in as I questioned whether it was a smart decision. I scrubbed the mouse droppings out of the RV, grocery shopped for the weekend, organized all of the band merch, made arrangements for the dog, plus a million other smaller tasks that threatened to overwhelm me. Once I started thinking about stress, it seemed as if more and more cons presented themselves and I quickly lost sight of all of the reasons why we chose to go in the first place.

Thursday night as we pulled our 50 foot rig out of the driveway and started our trek across Pennsylvania and into Ohio, I sensed the excitement deep down wanting to accompany us for the ride.

We slept in a rest area the first night after five hours on the road and woke up early Friday morning to finish the trip. As we drove down the completely flat and perfectly straight roads of Indiana through the cornfields, I knew that all of the hard work would be worth it so I allowed myself to welcome the excitement.

Upon arrival we were immediately greeted by friends that we had met on tour last summer and right away it turned into a family reunion. It was awesome to spend time with three other band dads who were also tasked with the same job as my husband of driving their sons’ tour buses. Catching up on each other’s lives while exchanging tips, passing on lessons that we’ve learned and sharing laughter and encouragement was a much needed remedy for my stress. I was reminded of how blessed we are to be able to travel together.

While hanging out at the merch table, watching the other bands, spending time in the artist hospitality building, and walking around the festival grounds, we had the opportunity to interact with so many wonderful people. There’s nothing more inspiring, and humbling than hearing people’s stories. These moments reminded us to be grateful for our blessings. Not to mention the amazing people who served us food all weekend with smiles and enthusiasm. They were truly a blessing!

We had the opportunity to visit with an incredible couple who had hosted us in their home for a few days while we were touring last year. It was so encouraging and heartwarming to spend time together catching up. People that we had only communicated with online introduced themselves and bonds were strengthened.

By the end of the first day, God made it clear to me that my worries had been needless. He reminded me of how easily I let negative thoughts and stress overwhelm me. Instead of spending the time leading up to the festival getting excited and being grateful for the opportunity, I allowed myself to be annoyed. It was crystal clear that the timing of the festival was actually perfect.

Now as we prepare to leave for tour in just a few days, my lists are probably five times longer. Seven weeks on the road is more daunting than one weekend. When the panic threatens to overtake me as I endlessly prepare, all I have to do is reflect on these moments and decide if I want to be miserable and swept away by stress, or excited and grateful for the opportunity.  Being at KCF reminded us of the reason why we travel around the country in the first place. The festival energized our spirits. Hearing messages of hope and encouragement from bands who have been at it much longer than us,  centered us and reminded us of our purpose. 

I was also reminded of how truly lucky I am to be able to do this with my kids as a family. How cool is it that I get to witness my kids doing what they love with all their hearts! Watching them interact with fans and seeing the impact they have on others is something that I will always cherish. What a valuable reminder to me that I have an important job to do as well. The lists and hours spent organizing and preparing are well worth it, because it supports them as they use their gifts to pursue their dreams. I should be thanking God for every task I am privileged to do for my family.

To me, they will always be precious cargo. I want to do whatever I can to help them succeed. I’m so grateful for the lessons I learned this weekend. I hope I can carry them with me throughout the summer and always remain grateful. 

Deuteronomy 31:8 – The Lord himself will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forget you. Don’t be afraid and don’t worry.