06/28/08 Busy, Not Bad
Last week-end was the Divide County Fair here in Crosby. This meant a ride down Main Street for Bert and I in Saturday's parade, with Mayor Bert playing the role of Grand Marshall. It was fun to see the citizens of our county lining both sides of the street, with lots of kids waiting for the candy to be thrown from the parade entrants. Our church had a float which featured the logo for our Vacation Bible School, “Power Lab”. The week long event coming up in August will feature lessons, songs and activities based around a science lab theme. Our pastor and the children from our church dressed up in white lab coats and goggles and turned their hair a variety of colors to carry out the theme for their part in the parade. Following the parade several of us stepped up to the plate and did our part manning our church's fair booth, which featured the same theme for a bake sale, earning over $200.00 toward the expenses of our Vacation Bible School.
On Sunday afternoon the children who participate in our church's Wednesday night activities during the school year gathered for an appearance at the free stage entertainment provided by the fair. They did such a good job singing six of the action songs we've learned over the course of the past several years. From the youngest to the oldest they sang their hearts out with a message of God's love to those in the audience. Following their performance I joined eight other ladies in presenting another six gospel songs in three part harmony. From the reviews, they were all well received by those who took time to listen.
As we were singing, three very special people arrived to listen: our daughter, Rebekah, and grandsons, Jeremiah and Benjamin. Together we enjoyed walking around the fairgrounds, taking in a ride on the little train, playing “pick three ducks for a price”, and cooling down with wonderful smoothies from the Girl Scout stand. The fair we experienced was a far cry from the ones I remember as a youth. Back then there were rides covering the entire fairground property. The first ride you came to was the merry-go-round with horses taking you on an up and down, round and round ride. Next there was a helicopter ride that went higher and lower as you moved the handle bar back and forth. More rides for the little ones included cars, trains, boats in real water and cute little whales that took you on a rolling adventure coordinated to carnival music.
The next section of the fair had rides for those who had become more adventurous. . .the Ferris Wheel, Tilt-A-Whirl, Scrambler and Octopus. Friends would pile in together and squeal with delight as the rides went through their motions. The middle area was usually home to the bumper cars and at the far end were the rides reserved for the bravest of the brave. . .the Bullet, the Star and the Zipper. On either side of the rides were rows of vendors selling their wares and carnival workers trying to entice you into playing their game. . .pop a balloon, hit the target, make a basket, ring a bottle. . .with the prospect of winning a prize. There were also scary haunted houses and fun houses with silly mirrors that made you look first short and squat and then tall and skinny. And who could resist the little cranes operated by a crank on the outside of a glassed in space full of interesting prizes!
Even though we no longer can afford a carnival with rides, the Divide County Fair Board did their best to provide family friendly fun for those in attendance. As we walked with our grandchildren, I realized the important thing was not what we did, but that we were together. The bonus came when Jeremiah, who is 2 ½, succeeded in doing something I always wanted to do growing up. . .he won one of the bike giveaways! I'm not sure he fully understood why it was he got to take the nice green bike home, but it will serve both him and his younger brother well in the years to come.
As we entered the new week, we found ourselves on the road quite often. Monday took us an hour to the west of us to see our nephew play baseball and also to get in a visit with another nephew who was visiting from Denver. After a break on Tuesday we headed to Bismarck on Wednesday (a four hour drive one way) for doctor appointments. We squeezed in a meal with my sister and visited with a niece before driving home the same day. On Thursday the lawn needed mowing and Friday found us driving in a southerly direction to Williston for a haircut and supper with Rebekah and family. Afterward we drove to their new home which is currently under construction by her husband, Wes. It's fun to see the progress each time we stop by. Later we played with the kids and helped one year old Benjamin as he started taking his first cautious steps. If he didn't want to go so fast right away, I think he'd be walking more! (That could be a lesson for us in our walk with God, too!)
It seems our lives are filled with busyness. Seldom is there time to simply sit back and relax. Somehow I think satan may have a hand in keeping us that way. . .even when it's all for good reasons. . .so we aren't as effective in doing God's work. There is a verse to help us make time for everything. Matthew 6:33 tells us, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” What will be at the top of your list this week? Why not put God there and then focus on good things. You may still be busy, but definitely not bad!
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