Saturday Was A GREAT Day!

Saturday, 3/15/2008, was a really great day for me! It began fairly early at my oldest daughter’s home. I spent Friday night with her after her Dad and I met with her for supper. (He and I have a standing “date night” on Fridays.) Since I had a play to present Saturday for our Church (which is very close to her residence) on Saturday, and she was the Asst. Director and one of the cast members, it was practical that I spend the night with her. (I live about 75 miles away.)

We arrived at the Church at about quarter to eight Sat. morning to set up for our final rehearsal with all 10 cast members. Since it was a Reader’s Theater performance, the biggest thing we had to worry with was making sure everyone practiced using the 3 microphones. Yes. Three. Only three. We were borrowing them from another member of the Church, and he thought he could lend us six—which would have been great—but he had another obligation and so 3 was all he could spare. So. We used 3. And it did work. Not flawlessly, but it worked. Oh, and the other biggest thing we had to worry with was that all the cast members showed up. One of them I’d never met before. Seriously.

It was kinda crazy, I admit. But it was lots of fun. Oh, and all these cast members were recruited. We had a casting call . . . There were several women who were “interested” but well, I brought one with me—conscripted as she was—but she loves being involved in plays, etc. We were pulling members from congregations all over central Louisiana to a central location for this production—and you know how busy everyone is these days with 47 different directions to head at any given point in time, right? Well, of the 10 cast members, the ONLY TIME all 10 met together was on the day of the performance! I’m not lyin’!

Okay. So you know this was NOT any kind of professional kind of deal, right? (Or even semi-professional.) Anyway, it went very well! Everyone did a fantastic job on their parts, the microphone issue went fine and we got several compliments. Most of these ladies had done little to no acting before this endeavor. They didn’t feel competent, but, because I begged them to get involved, they did. I think only three of them had done any serious kind of acting before. (Actually, my daughter and one of the other cast members had acted in a couple of earlier Church road shows I’d written back when they were teenagers, too.) So, I really had to work with those who didn’t feel comfortable with acting. (I’m NOT a director by choice, either.) I like to write—obviously—but I have no training in college or by having been in any plays myself that I haven’t written. I’m in the dark as to so many issues with regard to good directing! Thankfully, my daughter has had some theater classes and helped me a great deal. And, I asked for help from the cast members, so it was a “community” project. (Yes, I did have the final say, I’m strong-willed enough to have things my way, once I figure out what MY WAY is! Ha, ha.)

After the performance, I was presented with a lovely basket of tulips (in pots) which, unbeknownst to the lovely sister who bought them for me, I had longed for some potted tulips just a couple of days prior! What can I say: God knows the desires of our hearts—even if they’re only simple little things like beautiful flowers!

So, after the play, we had a little activity to help everyone who attended that day get to know each other better. We had people come from Mississippi and all over central Louisiana. Not an especially large crowd, but coming at least an hour-and-a-half drive for several of us. After that activity, we had a delightful luncheon and further visited with ladies from a variety of walks of life.

Our “CAST PARTY” followed at Dairy Queen, so we ate MORE. (Ice cream treats…it was a very warm day—in the 80s.)

An hour later I had another Church meeting—training for Seminary and Institute teachers. It was GREAT! Those meetings are always so enlightening to me! I simply LOVE teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ! And learning about it! And how to be a better teacher!

After that, I went back to my daughter’s apartment where we ate left-overs from the night before while watching August Rush, a great movie. I was on such a “high” from the day’s activities that I sang for a good portion on the hour-and-a-half trip home. The sky was absolutely gorgeous! I was headed kind of northwest and the sun had just set. There were NO clouds in the sky. The deep orangy-rosey glow on the horizon blended upward to the yellowy almost green before seamlessly turning to a peacock blue that deepened as I looked toward the apex of the sky! I just LOVE those colors! It was stunning and exhilarating! I love the sky at that time of the evening. And before. And with clouds in the daytime, and well. I love the sky. Nature. God! His goodness. Saturday was a GREAT day!