Friday, July 6, 2007

Dear God,

Hilarity was the name of the game. We had all gone to St. Ann's front lawn for a picnic dinner and fireworks. It was very chilly and the wind nearly blew us away. We were cold, but determined as we wrapped ourselves in afghans. But then it began to drizzle. We remained as long as we could. When we became wetter, we decided to return to the car quickly. We had a cooler, two sacks of food, a backpack and six chairs, assorted books and bubbles, a stroller and a baby. By the time we crawled inside the car, the rain broke loose. Not knowing whether the fireworks would happen or not, we decided to remain parked outside St. Ann's by the tall reeds. The car windows instantly fogged. The kids were restless so my family begged me to make up a story. I was pretty tired at the time but they kept pushing so I agreed.

"Once upon a time there were two teenage princesses named Vanessa and Alissa (Gabrielle gave me the names) who threw a party at their palace. Hundreds of people attended. But they were tired of palace living so they ran away in their MG cars. When they got to a little village their tires went flat. They got out of their cars and walked down a little path to a village hut. A worn out middle-aged lady opened the door to the princesses who pretended they were poor girls. Although poor herself Nellie was a kindly lady who offered them a meal and a bed for the night. They met Sally, Nellie's daughter, a young girl with a limp. By the next day the princesses loved Nellie and Sally. They wanted to help Sally who suffered acne and asthma as well as the limp. So they took them back to the palace to Dr. Bo Peep, the royal physician with a withered hand.

The king and queen were happy to see their girls and delighted to meet sweet Sally and Nellie. They saw right away Sally infirmities. Within a few days a miracle occurred. Dr. Bo Peep had cured Sally's ailments. To celebrate, Nellie made her famous soup, the simple soup she had made for the princesses when they came to stay. That's when it happened. A terrible tragedy. Nellie tried to scoot Lilly the cat from the kitchen counter. But instead she knocked over the family crock that belonged to the queen's great great great great great great great great grandmother. Smashed it to smitherines! When the queen saw what happened, she shrieked and wailed. Inconsolable she went completely crazy. The king had to redesign the royal bedroom into a place for tea parties because all the queen wanted to do was pour tea and offer cookies.

One day Dr. Bo Peep was climbing the stairs to aid the queen when he fell and his other arm withered right on the spot. A second tragedy. But there was good news. When Nellie fed Dr. Bo (a kindly name for the doctor who moved in without a job) her famous simple soup, their eyes connected and they found love. They were soon married. Sally, Vanessa and Alissa were the singers. The lambs belonging to Dr. Bo were the ring bearers and flower girls. And the best news of all, they didn't have to pay extra for a reception. The queen fixed tea and cookies."

All throughout the story while the rain came down and we tried to stay warm, we laughed and laughed and laughed. Of course, the story was more colorful and detailed. Little Lucy kept saying, "Dr. Bo, Dr. Bo, Dr. Bo."

Imagination, creativity can inspire a trapped dull moment into an adventure. We can enter a fantasy world filled with fun and laughter. A gift from you, we can spin a yarn that goes on and on. We can entertain ourselves in ways that toys, videos, books and other contraptions cannot do. We interacted with one another, all becoming part of the story.

This is how you designed the world to be, people interacting with one another. You have made us for each other. And more often than not, we fail to truly interact with one another, therefore, breaking our promise to live out your plan.

Lord, thank you for this night that we will remember for a long time. In the days ahead any one of us can say Dr. Bo or Sally or the queen and we will all burst into laughter, a memory of a vacation in Maine. A time to remember our togetherness. A time we shared love.

Grand Designer,
when all things
are lived out
in your light,
we are more content,
more joy filled,
more at peace.
Forgive us
when we grab hold
of something less.
We are capable
of so much more.
Thank you
for my family
whose delight
gives me joy.
I love you.

Love, Andrea