Dinner with Smitty

Well technically I didn't eat with Michael W Smith, but he did eat just 8 or so feet away from my table!  Last night, Jason and I had the unique opportunity to attend a private (only 100 people) Michael W Smith mini-concert at a local Dallas area restaurant.    

We arrived at the restaurant and were seated right in FRONT of the stage!  So cool!  Soon after we were seated, another couple came in and were seated at our table.  They were a really nice, friendly couple, Zach & Jen.  We spent a lovely dinner getting to know them.  Turns out, Zach is one of the worship pastors at Gateway Church in Southlake.  Gateway Church is just across the highway from our church, Countryside Bible.  So we had much to talk about and found several other similarities...more about this couple later.

So, we got to know our table-mates over a wonderful dinner.  Jason had the prime rib, I had the prime sirloin.  Delectable!

About the time dinner was over, Michael took the stage to start the mini-concert.  This was my view the entire show (no zoom lens needed or used ;-):

Michael performed a variety of songs -old and new.  So much fun to hear the songs that have really been a soundtrack to my life - sung live by Michael himself!  Interspersed between groupings of songs, there was a question & answer time.  Guests could write questions on little index cards and Tony Lopez of KLTY (the radio station that sponsored this event) read some and Michael answered!

Towards the end of the concert, Michael started off a song stating this was one of his new favorites and the first time he heard it, he just wept through the whole song because it so perfectly expressed how he felt towards the Lord.  And then he played this song (the video below wasn't taken last night (obviously) but sounds pretty close to what it was like and similar comments he made)

You could tell it meant a lot to him personally and it is a beautiful song.  The evening ended shortly thereafter, (Michael gave some closing comments)...

...and then he started to go around the room from table to table, meeting and greeting, signing autographs, talking with the guests, etc.  When he came to our table, we found out something pretty cool and amazing!  Zach, our "tablemate" wrote the last song, "The More I Seek You" (this song was actually recorded by Kari Jobe originally - Michael hasn't recorded it yet). Jen told Michael that Zach would never tell this to him, but she wanted him to know - so we got to listen in on a huge singer/songwriter profusely thank and commend the songwriter for a song that has touched him!  Pretty cool and I can't imagine how that felt for Zach to hear Michael say that from the stage, then sing HIS song!  Amazing!  We felt like we had 'celebrities' at the table with us all of a sudden because we know and love that song as well (I think we've even sung that at church!).  

So then, we had our little chat with Michael and got a picture with him too.  I had Michael sign the picture I took with him when I first met him back in 1997 on his Christmas Tour with Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Faith Hill & Gary Chapman.  I had won another contest then and was flown to Nashville to attend the first concert of the tour/season and passes to the VIP reception afterwards.  Great memories!  And don't be shocked by my blonde hair - it was a short phase, believe me!

Here's the current shot...I guess we both look a little older (although Michael has fared better - did you know he turned 53 today, has 3 grandchildren and 2 more on the way!?) My little bit of 'news' from the night though is that Michael and Amy are planning to tour again together either late 2011 or 2012.  This has not been announced yet but you heard it first here, folks!  Who knows, maybe I'll have another opportunity to have Michael sign the picture taken last night!

Until next time...