Thanks to a generous gift from Chic-fil-a, I attended Catalyst Dallas on Thursday and Friday afternoons. The event ran all day, but I had to teach in the mornings, so I got there as soon as possible.

Speaking of teaching, yesterday we got to meet in the library courtyard. Though airplanes and lawn mowers interrupted us, nothing beats the sun and a breeze. Temps in the mid-seventies with no humidity made for some serious basking. But I digress…

Back to Catalyst. The event site describes it as “a gathering of young influencers who see things differently and feel a burden for our generation. We seek to learn, worship, and create together with momentous energy while passionately pursuing God. We are Catalyst—the kingdom ambassadors, change agents, and cultural architects who have the influence to change our churches, communities, and cultures for good.”

Okay, so I read the word “young” and assumed Catalyst wasn’t for me. I know young is relative, but I also know that when I check my age bracket, I fall in the upper end. (I do find it amusing that we often group according to decades in the first half of the American age span, but after that we lump 50-year-olds raising teens with 102-year-old great, great grandparents. But again, I digress.)

Since somebody paid my way, I thought, “What the heck.”

Catalyst speakers include some well-known names in Christendom, like Matt Chandler, Donald Miller, and Andy Stanley. But who’s speaking during what time slot remains a mystery. Attendees have to show up at every session and get surprised. This serves as a welcome deterrent to celebrity-followings.

I was impressed that they didn’t list Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in the advertisements. Romo’s appearance in the middle of a skit yesterday came as a complete surprise to the audience, which went wild. He threw a football into the crowd that landed on the floor right behind where I was sitting, but I was not about to reach into the tonnage of testosterone going after it. That is why I am alive today to tell about it.

At Catalyst I talked with friends at the DTS booth and met new friends at the Art House Dallas booth. I heard creativity expert (one of Fast Company’s Top 100) Scott Belsky on creativity; Donald Miller on the life of Joseph; Christine Caine on human trafficking and justice; Matt Chandler on keeping the main thing the main thing (from Galatians); and Andy Stanley on developing leaders. Some truly fab messages.

I also laughed my heart out watching videos by Tripp and Tyler (http://www.trippandtyler.tv/) and listening to comedian Michael Jr. (http://www.michaeljr.com/).

Also yesterday I had coffee with a friend from Arkansas, who brought from her women’s Bible study group a planter-sized ceramic coffee cup. (They had just completed two of my Coffee Cup books.) I’ve wanted an herb garden for a long time, and I think this container will do the trick. They also sent me a stack of notes telling what they learned. What a gift! Authors so rarely get to hear from readers.

Last night I sat out in the breeze with a student who treated me to dinner at Cheesecake Factory. Together we plotted her academic future. She sent me home with a fat slice of peanut butter chocolate cheesecake for my family. We sat around savoring it and talking about our week.

Today my girl goes shopping with her cousin for an orchestra banquet dress.

If you are on FB, check out the photos my hubby posted of the mother mallard who hatched eleven ducklings (one died) in our back yard yesterday.