For years our family has travelled with the Supreme Court Jesters, and I have always been amazed at the blessings our daughters have received from growing up as part of what we do. There have been shows that have given us free weekends of camping, free nights in hotels, pony rides, and many other unexpected fringe benefits. Recently, the tables have turned a little, and my wife and I have received blessings as we've partnered with our daughter Naomi recently.

First there was the show for the youth group in Spanish Harlem where she is doing her internship. (See blog entitles "There is a Rose in Spanish Harlem"). Then yesterday we were the chapel speakers at Nyack College, where Naomi is a senior. Nyack is the oldest of the Christian Missionary Alliance colleges / seminaries. It is also now the most ethnically diverse college in the country and perhaps the world (It was always in the top five in recent years.)

After spending the night in a beautiful hotel - paid for by the college - we got up early to pick up Naomi and Rose, our 13 year old who spent the night at her sister's apartment. We arrived at the college at 9:00 AM for a 10 o'clock service. Perfect timing. While setting up, I changed the plans for the show multiple times, and finally settled into a program. Many times our best shows come after such cognitive dissonance, and that was true yesterday.

Rose opened the show with two illusions that addressed Jesus' admonition not to worry. "Look at the fields of grass; doesn't God dress them in beautiful wildflowers. And look at the birds of the air; God feeds them every day." She produced flower boxes from an empty bag and a live dove from a flaming pan. We had won the audience over already. In fact, they were probably the most enthusiastic audience we've had all year.

The next routine was a variation of my cigar box juggling routine. Instead of the usual music, I juggled to Paul Simon's "Father and Daughter". This is Naomi's and my song. At the end, I flipped three of the boxes around and they had an "I" a heart and a "U". It was a special moment that made her mother cry.

In the next routine Naomi joined Rose and I on stage as we did a machete routine that brought the house of literally hundreds of students down. After that, I led up to my theme of "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain". Through illusions and speaking I challenged those who see Christianity as living the way we've always wanted to with a little Jesus sprinkled in to have a more mature view of true faith while encouraging others with the converse statement "If the Lord is building the house, it is not in vain. I was encouraged with a lot of 'amens' and 'that's rights'.

After the service there was a lot of good feedback from faculty and students alike. Naomi introduced us to countless friends. Then came the best part of all. Nyack's Thanksgiving break began, so Naomi got in our van and we all headed over the Tappan Zee Bridge for our home in Maine. She has to go back to work on Thanksgiving, so she'll be leaving here Tuesday. We will be celebrating Thanksgiving early this year.