Playing the Part - Pig #3
Stupid alliteration. I love it. 😃
Okay, we're jumping ahead quite a lot from the call story. The best part of the story doesn't happen in the middle of telling it, after all.
I am honored, blessed, and stressed to be the mom to my little Amelia Pond redhead baby girl (shout out to my fellow Whovians.) In 2017 when she was 2, I had virtually no social life. One of the things that people don't talk about is how your friends without kids tend to disappear after you have kids. No faulting them - I get it, I really do! But it still happens. So I was a lonely, struggling first-time mom. I had postpartum depression AND anxiety (what a mess when both show up together), yes even 2 years after she was born. I still have depression and anxiety, but my coping skills have grown a lot and I mostly do okay now. But back then, I was still relatively new to my role in my job. I had been in the building for 6 months or so, but we were so busy during that time that there wasn't much time for socializing during work hours. So one of my friends at work mentioned that auditions for Shrek the Musical were coming up, and knowing I'm a theatre kid, she thought it would be fun to do together. I jumped on the chance to do something that didn't cost a lot of money, that got me out of my routine. And I looked forward to doing this sans family. But then the mom guilt set in. I met my husband in a theatre class in high school. He has a degree in theatre and is a skilled actor. I couldn't not tell him about the auditions - if nothing else he would eventually have to know because I wouldn't be around as much. But the guilt was heavy because I knew that if I told him, he would want to audition, too. And far be it from me to prevent him from doing one of his passions because of a selfish (even if valid) need for community and social activity. I knew that he would probably get a better part than I did, even.
And of course he did. He was cast as Shrek, and I got the part of Pig #3 of the Three Little Pigs. We found out while we were on a family staycation around the 4th of July. I had the week to think it over and figure out how I could make it work for our family. I immediately wanted to drop out. It was too hard to figure out how to make rehearsals work with a 2 year old. I couldn't afford a babysitter 4-5 days a week, even for a few hours. Toddlers get into everything, and she'd be in the way. I didn't know how I could do it.
Then God happened. My friend that told me about the show changed jobs and wanted a free schedule for her hopeful employers, so she never auditioned. She offered to be at rehearsals and help out with Amelia Pond. I went to rehearsals, and everything was FINE. With a combination of cast and crew, friends, and YouTube, we made it through rehearsals. And it was the best thing I had done since my daughter was born.
The performance was put on by Centenary United Methodist Church in Mankato. Their social justice theatre program offers free theatre shows as part of their ministry. A free-will offering is taken for a different non-profit with each show. This show raised funds for the Fallenstein Playground. We got to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony, and Amelia Pond helped cut the ribbon as the playground was opened. It was a glorious day.
What happened after Shrek is even better than the show itself. Amelia Pond and I were going down the stairs to go to daycare.
It took some time to realize she was talking about Centenary. She had developed a routine that included Centenary, and she was missing that in her life. We started attending regularly shortly after that because we figured that if our daughter wanted to be there, we would make an effort. And we joined officially as members on April 29, 2018. Which just happens to be the 12th anniversary of our engagement.
Positively Pig
Sometimes the obstacles we face are bigger in our minds than they are in actuality. The hurdles seem bigger than you can handle. While I don't agree with the saying "God doesn't give you more than you can handle", there is still encouragement to be found. I believe that God is the answer to making the obstacles easier. And I know that finding community and getting help is the answer in my case, and in many other opportunities as well.
I am still marveled by the things that come into my life through my daughter's lead. Take time to listen to the littlest of voices. We are all teachers, and we are all students. Be ready to take risks and try new things. They might just be the best thing you've ever done.
God of the big and small, help us to listen today. Help us hear the voices directing us in the ways we should go. Guide us and provide for us. Lead us to your abundance in a life full of rich experiences, of love and community. Give us courage for the journey ahead. Amen.
Peace,
Positively Pastoral Jessica
Okay, we're jumping ahead quite a lot from the call story. The best part of the story doesn't happen in the middle of telling it, after all.
I am honored, blessed, and stressed to be the mom to my little Amelia Pond redhead baby girl (shout out to my fellow Whovians.) In 2017 when she was 2, I had virtually no social life. One of the things that people don't talk about is how your friends without kids tend to disappear after you have kids. No faulting them - I get it, I really do! But it still happens. So I was a lonely, struggling first-time mom. I had postpartum depression AND anxiety (what a mess when both show up together), yes even 2 years after she was born. I still have depression and anxiety, but my coping skills have grown a lot and I mostly do okay now. But back then, I was still relatively new to my role in my job. I had been in the building for 6 months or so, but we were so busy during that time that there wasn't much time for socializing during work hours. So one of my friends at work mentioned that auditions for Shrek the Musical were coming up, and knowing I'm a theatre kid, she thought it would be fun to do together. I jumped on the chance to do something that didn't cost a lot of money, that got me out of my routine. And I looked forward to doing this sans family. But then the mom guilt set in. I met my husband in a theatre class in high school. He has a degree in theatre and is a skilled actor. I couldn't not tell him about the auditions - if nothing else he would eventually have to know because I wouldn't be around as much. But the guilt was heavy because I knew that if I told him, he would want to audition, too. And far be it from me to prevent him from doing one of his passions because of a selfish (even if valid) need for community and social activity. I knew that he would probably get a better part than I did, even.
And of course he did. He was cast as Shrek, and I got the part of Pig #3 of the Three Little Pigs. We found out while we were on a family staycation around the 4th of July. I had the week to think it over and figure out how I could make it work for our family. I immediately wanted to drop out. It was too hard to figure out how to make rehearsals work with a 2 year old. I couldn't afford a babysitter 4-5 days a week, even for a few hours. Toddlers get into everything, and she'd be in the way. I didn't know how I could do it.
Then God happened. My friend that told me about the show changed jobs and wanted a free schedule for her hopeful employers, so she never auditioned. She offered to be at rehearsals and help out with Amelia Pond. I went to rehearsals, and everything was FINE. With a combination of cast and crew, friends, and YouTube, we made it through rehearsals. And it was the best thing I had done since my daughter was born.
The performance was put on by Centenary United Methodist Church in Mankato. Their social justice theatre program offers free theatre shows as part of their ministry. A free-will offering is taken for a different non-profit with each show. This show raised funds for the Fallenstein Playground. We got to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony, and Amelia Pond helped cut the ribbon as the playground was opened. It was a glorious day.
What happened after Shrek is even better than the show itself. Amelia Pond and I were going down the stairs to go to daycare.
"I want to go home."
"Home? We're at home, we're in our apartment going down the stairs to daycare. We're at home."
"No, my HOME. MYYYYYYYYYY HOOOOOOOOOME."
It took some time to realize she was talking about Centenary. She had developed a routine that included Centenary, and she was missing that in her life. We started attending regularly shortly after that because we figured that if our daughter wanted to be there, we would make an effort. And we joined officially as members on April 29, 2018. Which just happens to be the 12th anniversary of our engagement.
Positively Pig
Sometimes the obstacles we face are bigger in our minds than they are in actuality. The hurdles seem bigger than you can handle. While I don't agree with the saying "God doesn't give you more than you can handle", there is still encouragement to be found. I believe that God is the answer to making the obstacles easier. And I know that finding community and getting help is the answer in my case, and in many other opportunities as well.
I am still marveled by the things that come into my life through my daughter's lead. Take time to listen to the littlest of voices. We are all teachers, and we are all students. Be ready to take risks and try new things. They might just be the best thing you've ever done.
God of the big and small, help us to listen today. Help us hear the voices directing us in the ways we should go. Guide us and provide for us. Lead us to your abundance in a life full of rich experiences, of love and community. Give us courage for the journey ahead. Amen.
Peace,
Positively Pastoral Jessica
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