Three Days, and Goats

I didn't stop to smell the roses, but I did stop to look at the goats. I'll get to that part, but first....

Today was different from the previous days of preparing for VBS. Until today, I've been working on the props alone. I drove to another church this morning to talk about our mutual plans, and soon found myself working with them on their props.

You see, we're going to share our VBS props, which includes the desert scene panels I painted, the tunnel I'm building, the fabric I've bought to use to create various story environments, and the props they made or are making: the styrofoam 8 foot cactii, a colorful seven foot styrofoam direction sign, and various styrofoam pottery to decorate as needed. Also, they loaned me some store bought decorations.

Since our VBS is the 16th, and theirs begins on the 23rd, well, it made common sense to help each other, then share with each other. What a brilliant idea! Several churches did that this year, and I much prefer doing it this way then working on it alone.

I didn't know I'd be helping them paint when I set out in my non-air conditioned van for their church. It happened quite by surprise, because I was only planning on showing them a few things they could use, give them some idea of where to put them, how big they were, etc.

When I got there, three ladies stood outside painting props made of styrofoam (so much lighter than plywood).

They were thrilled to see what I had brought (one finished desert panel and piece of tunnel frame), and we talked about how they could use the props I had made. Then they showed me what they were doing. I was pretty excited about what I saw, indeed.

When it's all put together, I'll take pictures, then you'll know why I've spent so much time preparing.

I offered to help them finish the painting. Two hours later, my old Chevy van was loaded with two painted styrofoam giant cactii, the tall styrofoam sign, a plywood burro (very heavy, recycled from last year's zebra for Serengeti VBS), and the beautifully detailed Mexican "pottery."

I made a quick run into town to another church which is finished with their VBS, and borrowed some flagpoles their folks had made out of PVC to hold up our Daily Challenge flags. Then I drove around the corner to the hardware store, bought four mousetraps, drove back to my church and dropped everything (except the mouse traps) off.

Now the goat story:

On the way home at last, I drove past a familiar sight: goats in a wooded lot, fenced in of course. I'd always thought about stopping and taking their picture, and every time I think of it, I don't do it. Usually I don't have the camera with me, or I don't have the time, or it's just not on my mind because I'm distracted and don't notice them.

But I had noticed them, I did have the camera, and amazingly, the time to stop. I pulled into a (coincidence) church parking lot just across the street from the fenced in goats, and walked slowly toward them. I didn't want to startle them from their mid-day siesta and grazing.

I took several pictures, but not as many as I'd like. The Big Daddy Goat stood up when he saw me (I took his picture), he snorted (which I took as a warning), and when I turned away from the little billy goat to see what Daddy Goat was doing, I backed away.

Despite the four-foot high barbed wire fence that separated us, I did not hesitate to leave. The male goat had lowered his head and was staring at me. I did not wait for a second snort. I thanked him very much and said good-bye.

There was an uneventful trip to the landfill, and by the time I got home, answered a few phone calls, made a few of my own, it was almost 5:30 pm... it had been a productive day.

Any goat experts out there who can tell me what kind of goats they are? They're quite a handsome herd.

Four Days until...

VBS.

It's 12:30, and I'm taking a break. The heat is heavy, especially if you are outside in it. I managed to find a shady place to work, though, so it wasn't too bad. Still, I had to quit when the sweat kept dripping down my glasses and stinging my eyes. A shower is all I can think about.

But first, an update on VBS progress....

 I've been spray-painting the PVC pipes that will become the framework for the tunnel, which will be used for next Wednesday's story. I also spray painted, with browns, orange, and black, a 13 foot length of fabric that is 5 1/2 feet wide. It sort of looks like desert camouflage, which is perfect for the tunnel. I have two panels that length, and I'm thinking it's enough to cover the outside of the tunnel.

VBS starts Sunday evening, and everything seems to be falling into place. The ad has been placed in the paper, folks have made house to house visits inviting the children, the Crafts Leader is preparing her materials, the Games Leader is preparing her games, the Sing and Play Leaders are working on their songs, The Hot Bible Adventure story tellers are memorizing their scripts, and the Cantina Leader is planning the snacks for each night.

Our Pastor and Duke Intern are working on the Finale for each evening, which is the wrap up where the kids take home a Fiesta Buddy (etched with Bible verse) and a Daily Challenge to do at home. The Daily Challenge is an application of what they have learned related to the Bible verse. 

And you already know what I'm doing if you've been following this journal for the past few days.

I hear water running.... gotta go!

PS I haven't heard from Siennastarr at Waiting To Exhale... in fact, when I tried to visit her journal, the message said that there are no journals for siennastarr... I am concerned. I last heard from her on June 28th.

Five days and counting...

The painted panels are complete. Here are the photos I promised, in the aol pictures window to the left.

I didn't think to take pictures of every step in the process, however, I took a few along the way.

If it wasn't for Ted, I wouldn't have gotten this far. He is a friend and member of our church family who is always at the ready to do whatever has to be done, and when it has to be done, in our community. I didn't have to ask him if he would do the job, because I knew he would. He beat me to the question, though. As soon as he heard we were working on VBS, his words were, "Bea, what do you want me to build for you this year?"

I love that man!

Yesterday, I wrote about the saguaro cactus. I couldn't add the photo then because I had not received permission from the photographer. Today I received his email and his blessings to include the photos.

This one is the Giant Saguaro Cactus in Saguaro National Park, Arizona, complements of Terragalleria.com, an online gallery of travel photographs by Quang-Tuan Luong. They are free for personal use, but absoutely, he wants you to ask for permission to use them.

Tuan's photographs from places all around the world are not only aesthetically appealing and beautiful, but spiritual and poetic. When I see his photos of the landscape in Arizona, I see with understanding.

Here's another one taken at sunset in Arizona on the Hugh Norris Trail. Again, I did not take this photo. It's from Terragalleria.com, with permission.

Click here for interesting facts about the Saguaro. It's where I found the facts included in this entry.

Ooh, these pictures are so big! This one shows the detail of the arms of a saguaro, which usually start growing after the plant is about fifteen feet tall!  Slow growing, the average saguaro has about five arms and is 30 feet tall. The bigger they are, the older they are (generally), and the more arms they will have.

Now if you'll take a look at my interpretation of the Saguaro cactus, you will see mine are very young, having only two arms, which tells you they are at least fifteen years old!

Ted is going to make 'feet' for the painted panels so they will stand freely, and then I'll add some other objects and scenery to further create a Mexican desert feel for our Fiesta.

Six Days...

I love progress, the kind you can see.

Today I completed the four-panel desert scene, but had forgotten to bring the camera with me to church, so although they are finished and standing up at the front of our Sanctuary, I do not have pictures to show you. Tomorrow for sure.

As I was painting the cactus on the panels (each panel has its own cactus, and each one is a different size), I came to a place where I knew I needed to add something, like a detail or a texture.

I was imagining the saguaro cactus, the one in the American Southwest that stands tall and straight, with arm-like projections reaching up to the sky. I didn't know that the plant is about 75 years old when it starts growing its arms!

Since I have never seen a saguaro cactus in person, having never been to the southwestern deserts of this land, I had to rely on photos and movie images of this amazing and stately plant.

The saguaro doesn't have exterior spines, but interior ones which catch and hold water for the plant. Saguaro fact: it can hold nearly a ton of water in those spines.

The green paint was still wet on the cactus image, and I needed to indicate the grooves of the cactus somehow. Suddenly, it occurred to me put down the brush and use my finger... I dragged my index finger down the length of the cactus, and sure enough, the vertical groove I needed appeared, looking very groovy!

I continued finger painting the rest of the cactus, and in less than an hour I had all four panels completed. Tomorrow I will show you the pictures.

I also bought all the PVC parts I'll need to build a framework for our tunnel and cave system. Yeah, I know, cardboard boxes would have served here, but I'm looking at something bigger and sturdier, and something that can be taken apart and put back together again into some other arrangement next year. Besides, the person taking part in the story cannot crawl on his knees, so I had promised to build the tunnel so he'd only have to stoop over, so the tunnel is going to be about 4 1/2 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and maybe-possibly 12 feet long. Making it longer makes it more exciting for the kids having to walk through it in the dark.

You see why going to DisneyWorld a few weeks ago was good for me? It was like going on a weeklong Artist Date, like Julia Cameron writes about in her book The Artist's Way.

http://www.amazon.com/

When I see PVC pipe and joiners and elbows, I see giant tinker toys! Think of all the things you can build with them... yes, it's fun playing this way.

VBS has never been so exciting!

Seven Days Until VBS...Countdown begins.

This may only interest other VBS volunteers and directors, which means most of you might want to give a cursory glance and move on. But it's something I would have written about in my paper journal, and I don't want to not write about it because I think it won't interest readers. That would mean I write for other readers, and not for myself.

The truth is, I do write for myself (who else, but me, would be interested in a space-age blue gel ant habitat, slugs, a moth emerging from its cocoon, or a surgical procedure?) with an awareness of other readers.

I'd be lying if I said VBS (Vacation Bible School) wasn't one of the most exciting events of the year for me.

For weeks prior to the event, I get depressed, worried, and anxious. It's those few weeks where I'm waiting to hear from others who have volunteered, but have not talked with me about their plans, and the time during which I am waiting to gather all the necessary materials and supplies I will need. I wait on phone calls to be returned, and I wait on UPS to deliver the VBS materials I have ordered.

This is why, I suppose, the issue of waiting was recently on my mind at the Wendy's restaurant.

Before the Wendy's incident, over a week ago, another waiting experience occurred. My car had broken down right at a busy intersection at 5:30 pm, rush hour traffic. I was pulled over enough to allow other cars to get around me easily enough, but I wanted to be off the road. The gas station was just fifty feet away. I knew many people would be pulling in behind me, and they'd be fuming and cursing me until they realized I had a car that wouldn't start. I didn't want to be the cause of their delay getting home from work, but there I was. Causing it.

I called my husband at work to let him know, and he talked me through several things I could do, but the car would not start. I waited several minutes, hoping that would help, but still, no turn-over. I called AAA road service on my cell phone, and waited while the operator took my information. As cars pulled up behind me, and then around and by me, I waited for the tow truck to come.

Finally, a gentleman wearing blue work clothes and county employee I.D. stepped up to my window and asked me if he could help. I told him I was waiting for a tow truck, and thank you for asking. He stayed by the car while I waited, and then I turned the key one more time. It started! I pulled over immediately into the gas station at the corner. At least I was off the road. I dared not drive the car home lest it should quit running at the next intersection.

So I waited for the tow truck, which amazingly showed up within fifteen minutes! To make this story short, the car got towed, and I had a ride home.

I was grateful that I'd had the cell phone with me, and for the man who stepped up to the window for staying by the car. I was relieved that the gas station was so close by. The tow truck arrived quickly, and I ended up at home, safe and undisturbed. It was quite a peaceful waiting time for me, and considering how it could have played out (my car could have been rammed from behind; someone could have yelled at me as they drove by; had I not had the phone, I would have had to leave the car in the road and walk to the gas station to make the call. etc.).

During that time of waiting, I was thinking about the phone calls I had made, and the people who responded. It didn't matter to me that two were paid to help me (AAA operator and tow truck guy) and the other wasn't. I called, and they came. The one man showed up that I hadn't called for. He just knew I needed help.

The thought occurred to me (and here is where I tie this in with VBS) that I didn't need to worry about VBS as much as I did, that I shouldn't get so anxious about something that ultimately brings me joy. Just like when my car broke down, the people I needed to help me with VBS were just a phone call away.

Don't wait for them to call you, Bea, you call them!

The next day, I made several phone calls to people who might be able to help, people who had said four months ago that they  could, or would help with VBS, but had not confirmed it with me in recent weeks. Many folks were on vacation, some would be going on vacation, and others confirmed their willingness to participate.

This week is the last week before our VBS begins. Everyone has met with me in person, and I'm feeling confident that all will go well. There is a charge of enthusiasm... I felt it this morning as I spoke briefly with several people who are involved.

While some folks memorize their story scripts, one ponders the mechanics of the props I need, and others gather their materials and supplies, I will be creating the props to transform the Sunday School classroom into various Biblical scenes and locals. My favorite scene is going to be the tunnel and cave scene, where the kids hear the Resurrection story. Tomorrow I build the tunnel out of PVC pipes.

Despite the worries of two and three weeks ago, I'm feeling pretty good today that all the volunteers will show up and do their part, and share their love for Christ, leaving God's fingerprints all over everyone and everything!

Possibly tomorrow I'll have some pictures of the Southwestern desert scene I'm painting on canvas panels. They'll be the backdrop for the VBS Fiesta! I have some final touches to make on the panels, then I'll build the tunnel.

Well, first I have to buy the PVC to build the tunnel frame.

Lots to do tomorrow. Good thing I have the summer off from teaching!

The countdown begins.... .

Blogging power!

Hmmm, I'm trying to figure out what aol journal readers seem to appreciate more:

Do they like my pet stories more? The bug stories? The reflective stories with a Christian slant? the stories about what I've done, what I'm doing, and what I want to do? or where I've been, where I'm at, and where I want to be?

As I browse through my blog entries, it seems I get more comments when I include photos of my dogs. And I'm thinking that when I start adding the larger pictures without the aol picture frame, even more people will be happy.

Also, I notice more comments accompanying the thoughtful, reflective entries about God, people in general, or things I've learned from day to day. I find these types of entries in other people's journals most interesting as well.

Often, many of you share a profound thought or story here and there that inspires and transforms my thinking. Some humorous, some painful, but always meaningful.

It never ceases to amaze me: the power of blogging!

I was all set to give an example or two, but I see that it is time for me to get the Sunday dinner started. My husband will be home from work soon, and I want to share a nice evening meal with him tonight. I hope you have a good week. Thank you for visiting today. Bea

Waiting to fly

Do you think we should be compensated for waiting?

Should there be some kind of reward for showing patience?

I wondered about this today after leaving a Wendy's restaurant. I had ordered a chicken sandwich combo. I don't know what took them so long, but I didn't feel a rush, so I waited. ... and waited. Five more customers passed by me. The manager twice appeared and apologized that I was having to wait. The lady putting my order together also apologized for my wait.

I didn't keep track of the time, I was not in a hurry. I was hungry, but a few minutes wouldn't kill me. Finally, I was given my carry-out order, with another apology from the kind lady working behind the counter.

Then she said the strangest thing, I thought.

She said "Can I give you a Frosty, or some other dessert since you had to wait?"

"Oh...no, no, no thank you," I said as I turned to leave.

"Are you sure. We're sorry you had to wait," she replied.

"No, it's not a problem. Thank you... bye," I smiled, and I left.

That's when I started thinking about the reward for being patient.

When did we start having to reward people because they waited?

This makes it appear that waiting is a hardship at its worst, and inconvenience at its best.

When did we think that waiting was a negative action instead of a positive action?

It might have something to do with the place being a Fast Food Restaurant. We expect to walk in or drive in, place an order, and get it within seconds if not a minute or two, and most of the time it does work that way.

But often, there are new people who are being trained, which slows down service, or they may be short on staff on any particular day, which will slow down service, or the computers may not be working properly, or an employee isn't doing their job properly... any number of events can take place to make us have to wait a little longer.

I think we need practice waiting, and not just waiting and fuming and complaining to the person standing behind us or in front of us that service is slow, or the cashier is slow, or they need to open more lines... or whatever the probem is.

We need to practice waiting with peace in our hearts. And look around us at the other people, and notice who they are, what they are wearing, what kind of work they do.

Look out the window and notice the weather, the time of day, and while thinking about all the things we have to do with the rest of the day or the week, think also about how lucky and blessed we are to be standing in line in the first place.

How can I wait on the Lord if I cannot even wait a few minutes in a restaurant line or a grocery store line?

I want to fly and soar with the wings of an eagle... I look forward to that. I have done it before, I want to do it again.

But first, I have to learn how to wait with patience, love, and joy.