God & The Muppet Show

Today I went and performed a ventriloquist sketch for the "Mom Time" group at our church. It's a group of woman with children who are free during the day. Each week they get together to have fun, eat lunch, and most importantly, study God's word.

Originally I was supposed to go to the meeting on the 2nd of March. Because of other things I had to move it to today. It took me about a month to decide on what kind of performance I was going to do. I really didn't have a puppet that was "perfect" for the occasion. I decided to use Sherman, my old man puppet, so he could talk about being married a long time and do some jokes too.

I also came up with the idea of singing a funny song. I decided to use the song "YMCA" by the village people so I could get someone from the audience to help me move the puppets arms so he could do the dance while he sang.

While looking around on Facebook one night a couple of weeks ago I saw that one of my FB friends wrote on her page that she likes the song "What A Wonderful World." I knew that she was one of the Moms who go to Mom Time regularly. I figured she'd be there the day I was to perform. I decided that Sherman would sing one of her favorite songs.

I was a little hesitant to do a "serious" song with a puppet. I worried that it would be too corny or the Moms wouldn't "buy into it." Nevertheless in a moment of, what I am seriously going to recognize as, divine inspiration; I committed to Sherman singing the sentimental ballad.

As I rehearsed the week before I pictured myself as part of an old Muppet Show. Many times during the course of that series run Kermit the Frog would sit with that show's guest star and together they'd sing a ballad. No comedy just musical drama. Here's a link to what's the prime example of what I mean. It's Kermit and Blondie singer, Debra Harry, singing "Rainbow Connection" together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRvhRhWWE44&feature=related

So I took the plunge and put the song close to the beginning of the show. I was very happy with the way I performed it. But I was so concentrated on Sherman and getting the song right I didn't notice how the Moms and kids, who made up the audience, reacted to the song. Oh they clapped when I encouraged them to but I didn't look at their faces during the song at all.

After the sketch was over and I was packing up to leave the young mom who is the leader of the group came over to me and told me that my choice of "What A Wonderful World" and the spirit of thanksgiving and sentimental appreciation for God's creations I presented it with was the perfect thing for the group today. She told me that some of the moms were a little emotional during the song. She said it was a "God thing."

Now I tell you all of this for one reason and it's not to pat myself on the back. I want to give all the glory to God for leading me in the way he did with my performance. I didn't know the reason I chose that song and I wasn't quite sure it was right. But I did it anyway because I felt God leading me that way. As it turned out it helped some of the Moms and I didn't even know it would. I guess that's the definition of "Ministry". So with some inspiration from God and a little bit of encouragement from The Muppet Show my performance has helped me to realize that when you follow The Lord's leading it truly is "A Wonderful World."