Having  show at the Bridgton Health Care, our local nursing home, feels a lot like an Old Home Days celebration.  This time was no different.  Linda, the activities director, is someone Sue and I have known since our first month as husband and wife.  Erlyne Proctor, one of the residents, has been a friend for years, and used to go to our home church faithfully.  Profoundly deaf since birth, Erlyne always hounds me about practicing my sign language more frequently.  This visit was the same story.  I did meet her son this time, and he is a very amiable guy, who, like all of Erlyne's kids is fully hearing.  Another friend from church's mom lives there, and every time I come she asks if I know him.  The answer is always yes, of course, but lately I've feigned surprise that she is his mom.  Why not let her enjoy the, "It's a small world" experience over and over again.  The receptionist is the mom of a former student who, at age 30, is also on staff there.  Another friend, who is a physical therapist, was on duty that day as well.  My neighbor's entire family work there as well.  Forget doing a show, just showing up there is like a block party.

But of course, I did a show when I was there earlier this month.  Instead of my standard set that I do in most nursing homes, I decided to mix it up a bit.  I constructed the show around "God's word goes on forever".  Then I did routines about a variety of things in scripture that will never change: God's providence, his care, and, his grace and forgiveness through the cross.  All the while we had a lot of fun and laughter.  One of the doves did escape and circled the room, after which he came back up front and landed on the prop table.  It looked rehearsed that way, and I didn't tell the audience any differently.  After closing with my machete juggling routine, I packed my bags and said good-bye to all the friends and neighbors who were there that morning before heading the three miles back to my house.