Babylonian Dream Team

Recently I was asked to chair the decorating committee for our church’s annual Vacation Bible School. Saying no has never come easily for me, but this time, I was not quick in responding.  My job, if I said yes, would mean transforming our ordinary fellowship hall and several cinderblock classrooms into Babylon.  This has not been my best spring and early summer health wise, and I was hesitant to take on the task, but the Lord continued to nudge me toward this commitment.  I’m so thankful He did, as I would have missed out on so many blessings had I not listened to His leading and said “yes”.

(Our church steeple at sunset on opening day of Babylon Bible Camp)


                   (Our Dir. of C M, Dawn in the green below)

                 

First order of business was to meet with our new Director of Children’s Ministries, Dawn.  Having held this position myself for four years at Atonement, I was anxious to get to know Dawn better.  Children’s Ministries holds a special place in my heart as I have served on staff, full time in this capacity at two different churches.  It’s a job that requires a lot of energy, a lot of creativity, flexibility, ability to work with and encourage a large volunteer staff and a million and one other gifts and talents.  Dawn more than meets these criteria (thankfully God equipped me and saw me through my years on the job) and I was delighted to get to know her better.  That “working” lunch was blessing number one I received as committee chair.

                                                                                                            ( Below "Daniel's House")                              
                                                                                           

Having developed a plan, it was time to meet with the committee members.  Interestingly, the committee ended up all women, powerhouses all of them.  I was awed and amazed by their creativity, willingness to serve, self-motivation and joyful spirits as they used their gifts and talents to meet the goals of our team.  Despite working full time outside of the home, Robin, with some help from her husband Mike, built and installed an amazing “city gate” to greet the participants.  Jeri, who also works outside of the home, knowing my energy hasn’t been 100%, took the “shopping list” I had made and purchased everything we needed for the big transformation. Julia spent hours making beautiful stars to lead the Bible campers from the city courtyard area to the craft stalls.   Marta, Debbie and Lynn, all willingly pitched in to make build day happen more smoothly and quickly.   Thankfully, Mike, Chuck, Bob, and Ron lent some extra muscle and reminded me that sometimes being there at the last minute can be a crucial blessing.  And that leads me to blessing two, how inspired I was by working with such a remarkable group of people, it made me want to serve more joyfully and enthusiastically when asked to help or lend a hand in the future.  The work these people did was fantastic, but the attitude in which they served was outstanding.

                          (Below, Daniel, Luke Link, and the Palace Official, Fred Carr)

Finally, with all the decorations in place the doors were opened and the Bible Campers arrived for the first of five evenings in “Babylon”.  As I walked through the “city gate” I was greeted by musicians, chefs and crafters, story tellers,shopkeepers and “tribe leaders” all in Babylonian garb (testimony to another fantastic effort by the seamstresses in the church who made over 40 costumes for the event).  There were happy children making tiny hanging gardens, beading beautiful creations, singing, and listening to the story of Daniel as told by “Daniel” and the “palace official” in “Daniel’s house”.  Blessing three was seeing the fruit of our labor come to life!  All the hard work paid off, once again, when God called he also equipped and inspired, and what a wonderful, delightful outcome occurred.

I love the way God reminds me so often that I am always more blessed when I give, than I am a blessing.  I’m so glad I said yes to being the Decorating Committee Chairperson, I loved the journey to Babylon.  Hope you enjoy some of the pictures from this event.  Hoping also that you are called to be blessed soon in your corner of the world, don’t be afraid to say YES!

                         (Our star maker, Julia and me, below)

Finding Calm on the Porch

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life that you don’t need to escape from.” --Seth Godin.

I recently saw this quote and loved it.  What a difference it would make if everyone could create a daily retreat, time away from the stress and the frantic pace so many endure day after day.  Now that summer has arrived I am enjoying more and more time on the screen porch.  It’s here on the porch that I find myself letting go of the ever present worries and anxieties that weigh me down.  Surrounded by trees, flowers, fresh air and lots of wildlife, I’m able to let go.   So for this entry, I thought maybe I’d share some free floating thoughts and word pictures of life as seen from the porch just off my kitchen.  Hoping you can kick back, close your eyes and lose yourself for just a few minutes too.  I’ve snapped a few views from the porch as well . . . enjoy!

Hummingbirds flitting quickly and quietly to sip the ruby nectar in the feeder, they seem almost magical in their approach and quick retreat.  Tiny wings, moving in a blur of neon green and purple.  Can’t help stopping to gaze at them with each one’s visit to dip tiny beaks into the sweetness, which fills them till they next return.

Hydrangea’s, bursting with puffs of color.  Pink, fuchsia, purple, and white, brightening the garden path they line.

Squirrels chasing and frolicking on the fence.  Leaping from branches and performing acrobatics that make me want to applaud.  One minute racing around and around the pine tree trunk, heads and tails bobbing. They are always chattering as they spend themselves in play.  Then, sleeping flattened on the fence top, funny little faces resting, while tiny arms and legs hang sleepily motionless.

White impatiens gleam brightly day and evening and even in the moonlit garden.  Like tiny white stars scattered among the rocks around the pond.  I love to see them glowing under the stars. A night garden is so lovely.

Besides the hummingbirds, robins, doves, cardinals, sparrows, black-capped chick-a-dees, catbirds, cow birds and yellow finches provide entertainment. They love the fountain and wait in line to send the water flying as they dive and dip and bath in the cooling shower.  Then they preen, sitting in the branches above the garden and as the sunsets they sing and perform duets and trios until dusk descends and all becomes very still.

The water from the fountain makes a tiny tinkling sound, gentle, soothing.

Latter in the summer the cicadas will complete the evening choruses with their humming song, high in the trees, calling to mind my childhood in Tennessee and memories of falling asleep with windows open on cool summer nights.

Finally, the fireflies begin to twinkle in the twilight and like the others work their magic.  The day’s cares, the hustle and bustle of life fades and calm comes and soothes.

If you think this was a little dramatic, maybe even boring, a little over done and too poetic, I apologize.  I love the respite I receive on the porch, made even better when shared with Bob.  I hope that you have a gentle place full of wonderful soul soothers where you can find refreshment each day. . . and to think, summer has only just begun.