Theater Interlude

I'm here at Panera, for my few hours a week by myself, and I'm planning to get to Part Six...

But last night, we went to see the opening night performance of the musical our old theater group is performing, The Legend of Pocahontas (a musical, but not the Disney version). It was fabulous, and afterwards, we joined all the cast families at a restaurant for the traditional Opening Night party/fundraiser there.

It was so good to be with all our DuPage County friends again, and now the four kids who went (all but oldest and youngest) and I are all suffering from homesickness!

A friend asked, "Is it sad because it seems like everybody just went on without you?"

I thought about it and replied, "No, it feels like WE went on without all of you. We've been so busy making new friends and getting involved in new activities...and now all of a sudden we realize what we've been missing here, with you guys!"

I knew before we moved that the thing the kids and I would miss most would be our theater group and our friends there. It meets such a need in our family, for Christian fellowship for all ages and having FUN together with Christian friends.

We are temporarily getting involved with the Lake County chapter of the organization, but it's not the same. For one thing, we're only taking classes this session. We are planning to audition for the winter show, and then we'll be seeing those families three times a week--but it's still only temporary, because ultimately, we are planning to start a Kenosha County group.

The proposal has been approved by the Chicago board, and we are just waiting for the national board to give the go-ahead. If that comes (any day now), we'll plan on an informational meeting in the spring, a week-long day camp next summer, and classes and our first production in the fall--just a year from now!

I've been so excited...but in my current homesick state, I fear that it will still just never be the same. The Kenosha group will probably have its own feel, and maybe it will never be the same kind of community for us.

But when I look into the future, with the eyes of faith...I see my own children, given personalities by God that many find so winsome, attracting other kids and families that are equally fun-loving, talented, capable and committed to the Lord.

I see how God has grown our church, person by person, family by family. As one of our friends who visited remarked, "What neat people, every one of them!" And I trust that He will do the same with this theater group.

I feel a bit like Abraham, believing "the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were."

I miss our theater group so much. Their next show starts in ten minutes, and I wish we were there in the Green Room with the cast!

But it is possible that a year from now, Kenosha County will be praying together before the Opening Night of its very first production. We'll be starting our own traditions of celebration and hilarity. We'll be laying the foundation of a new Christian community that will shape and encourage many kids and families in their faith.

As the handsome young stunt/fight choreographer told me last night, when I was talking to him about keeping my boys interested in theater, "I wish that I could have been involved in something like this when I was in high school. It would have kept me out of so much trouble."

Lord, bring it about. Call it forth into being. May it bless many...and be a comfort to my own family. Amen.