Being a teacher at a Christian school, and also being a juggler, I have many opportunities to use my craft at work.  I have trained my students to juggle, and they perform at least once a month throughout the school year.  I also get to do chapel services form time to time for high school, middle school and elementary services.  This morning I was the speaker (juggler) for the elementary school.

Performing at work is an odd combination of 'home field advantage' and 'a prophet is not welcome in his home town'.  On the one hand, they are a loving appreciative audience who I can try out new material on without fear of embarrassment, but on the other hand, they are quick to point out when the figure out how a trick is done or when I make a drop.  Fortunately for my ego, this morning's show had very few errors.

Being Holy Week, obviously I focused on Easter.  More specifically, I focused on events from Palm Sunday through the resurrection.  I told the story of Zaccheaus using the signed bill in popped balloon illusion (Yes, Zaccheaus is part of the story.  Jesus spent the night before heading to Jerusalem at his house.)  This trick had been inconsistent for a while until I brainstormed a very simple but effective adjustment, and it has worked perfectly ever since.

I also used the home made illusion based on the story of  Lazarus being raised from the dead.  It was made for me by my best friend, Gene, and it is one of a kind.  Lately, there have been some technical problems with this effect, including a total failure of the effect yesterday in church.  Then Sue and I brainstormed another simple but brilliant adjustment, and the effect worked perfectly today.  Oh, by the way, Lazarus was part of the Palm Sunday story too.  When the Jesus and his disciples were too late to enter Jerusalem on Saturday night, they went back to Bethany and stayed at Lazarus' house until the next day; the day of Jesus' triumphal entry.

So, all in all, it was a good morning of teaching and worship at work and I hope the elementary students enjoyed it as much as I did.