This morning I shared a half hour of material during the chapel service at Maine's Veteran's hospital.  Since my wife, Sue, teaches a class in our church on Sundays, and Rose is part of that class, and our oldest girls had commitments, I went alone.  Augusta is about an hour and 45 minute drive from home, so I had time to myself to pray and process just what I wanted to say to the people who'd be at the service.

I built the show around two contrasting stories from the Gospels.  The first was the story of the rich young ruler who Jesus told needed to give all of his possessions to the poor and follow Him.  He didn't, and 'went away sad'.

The second was the story of the little boy at one of Jesus' sermons who was asked to give up his meal of fish and bread.  Unlike the ruler, the boy gave what he had, Jesus multiplied it, and the boy went away full and blessed, and so did everyone else in the crowd.  I weaved in a variety of other illusions and juggling routines to reinforce the point that all things are God's anyway, so we have no right not to share, or at times even give up, what we 'own'.

The feedback was very good after the service, and one patient noticed that I have added a lot of new material.  It makes me happy when people notice and comment on that aspect, because the creative part of the show is every bit as challenging and important as the showmanship component.