Benjamin Franklin

It might not have been Benjamin Franklin who coined the phrase "Learn something new every day," but since he is on the hundred dollar bill I thought I would give him credit. It made for a better title, curious (like a cat) and heck, "a penny saved..." will eventually add up to a hundred dollars, and perhaps you will fell like you have earned it!

I learned a lot today. But I was also reminded of the total sufficiency of God. Especially when we are totally dependent on Him.

This was the first full day of jammed packed fun. We had breakfast on the rooftop overlooking the ocean. The kids went off to their morning sessions while the adults listened to the event's motivational speaker Clebe McClary. An ex-Marine wounded in Vietnam (lost one arm, part of his leg, and his eye).

He and his wife Deanna are from South Carolina. Let me put the emphasis on "soooouth carolinuh." They were motivational, inspirational and down right funny sharing their wit and wisdom with these young Marines and their spouses. Clebe broke the age and disability barrier down immediately by tossing a rubber eyeball he had in his pocket at one of the wives. He had a catchy one-liner to go with it, but for the life of me all I can remember is seeing an eyeball fly through the air!

"You can't judge a book by its cover"

Old Benny boy probably came up with that one too. Next time I start to judge someone, I think I just might have to picture a flying eyeball.

I learned it's good to have something in your pocket that will catch people off guard.

After lunch there was a carnival, complete with rock climbing wall, bouncy house, popcorn and CARE EE the clown. Except, for the first time in her illustrious (notorious) global career, Care EE was mute. Notice I did not say mime.

I learned a clown costume and stickers come in handy when you can't say a word.

Dinner was a Hawaiian Luau and my character "Hawaii 5-0" showed up with her Bo Derek wig on. I learned if you were born later than oh, say 1975, you have little chance of knowing there was a TV show called Hawaii 50 and Bo Derek? Who's that?

I learned even if you can't sing but you can dance - well, you can get people to have a good time even when they don't get your "get-up."

We closed the evening with the comedian Michael Jr. I suggest you check him out on YouTube. A pretty funny (clean) guy.

And from him, I learned the best thing. He was describing the documentary he just completed (Laughter, the Road Less Traveled). He explained life as a comic is to "get" laughs from an audience. But one night before a show he saw a homeless man outside the club. God told him comedy was "giving people an opportunity to laugh." He went over and shared with the guy, down on his luck - the guy laughed. The documentary is on 4 locations where laughter is seldom "given" or "gotten."

Many times through my years in ministry I have been blessed with "entertaining" while sharing the Good News. Tonight I learned a good description of the gift God has given me.

I get to "give" people an opportunity to laugh. Until tonight I never could quite explain why a soldier wounded in battle would don a silly hat and walk around all day with a purple wig on. This evening, once again I had an opportunity to look at an unlikely group (Marines Special Operations) wearing wild Hawaiian shirts and leis at a luau and smile in His service. I turned to the director and said, "That's a whole lot of happy."

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine."

Learning
Leaning
And smiling silently