Traveling to the Shows

Once the shows are planned, it is time for actually getting to our shows. There are a few different things to consider here. 

The first thing is how to actually get all of our materials into the vehicle. We have to get a stage, all of our puppets, all of the props, any lights we are using (blacklight or others), stage curtains, whatever we are using for sound, any luggage we may need if it is an overnight trip, as well as any other things we may need for a particular show. Sometimes, fitting all of that into our minivan can be challenging (however, it is easier to fit it all their than when we tried to fit everything into a car!). While we have all tried to help some, my mom is the main one involved in packing. Actually, she has a certain way of packing everything, so if we put something in differently, she typically unpacks it to put it in how she knows it fits. Nursing home shows are typically easier to pack for simply because there is less that goes into them. Obviously, the picture below is not for a nursing home show.

After everything is packed, we get to get on the road. While traveling, we sometimes listen to the show(s) that we will be performing. This gives us extra time to hear the music and to practice. Well, practice as well as we can while in the van. Practicing is fun in a vehicle though. It is fun to see if you get looks from other vehicles if you are practicing lip sync where they can see. With props, all you can really do is lift your hand up. So, it isn't the same as practicing with the props, but it is better than nothing. Whenever we aren't listening to music to practice, we are typically listening to either Christian music or Adventures in Odyssey. 
Some people, when traveling, make stops every couple of hours. We, on the other hand, are not very frequent stoppers. If someone needs to make a stop, they need to mention it to the driver, and we will stop. But if no one mentions anything, we typically keep on driving. 

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Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

⁹ In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but the Lord establishes their steps.

Whether you are traveling or you are just going through life, the above verse is important to remember. You may plan how you want things to go, but it is God who really decides where He wants you to go. If the Lord doesn't want you to do something, then He more than likely won't make it easy, if even possible, for you to do. 

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To see the rest of the posts from this series please click here