A Great Trailer
The first part of the presentation was Peggy and Friend Helen (who came to my wedding years ago in NY!) acting out various scenes from Quaker history:
George Fox and Friend hiking, huffing and puffing, up Pendle Hill. At the top, George says, "I see a great people to be gathered!" Friend says, "Fine, George, but do you think we could gather them at the bottom of the hill?"
Susan B. Anthony being interviewed by a newspaper reporter. The reporter says, "Too bad you Quakers aren't betting folks. What are the chances this woman's suffrage thing will take hold?" Susan says, "Failure is not an option." Reporter says, "I bet it never happens."
I'm paraphrasing here, but if you want to know word-for-word what they said, you could ask my son Henry. He corrected me the other day when I was trying to tell this story to someone, and he quoted the lines exactly. Who knew he was paying such close attention?
One more scene I'd especially like to thank Peggy for.
John Woolman is finishing dinner at the home of a slaveowner. He informed the owner that he appreciated the fine hospitality but he felt obliged to pay the good people who had prepared the meal and his room. As the slaveowner sputtered, "John" got up and opened his drawsting pouch and proceed to give a coin to several people in the audience, thanking the "slaves" for their service. This was perhaps the moment I was most glad to have made my kids sit in the front row. Peggy/John gave each of them one of the coins: a real Susan B. Anthony dollar. The children were awestruck. They are still showing their coins to everyone who comes to our house, and it has provided multiple opportunities to discuss who Susan B. Anthony was, why she's on money, and what "vote" means. Four year old Silas is still a little fuzzy on this, but we're getting there.
That first half hour alone was worth the price of admission. But wait! There's more to come.
George Fox and Friend hiking, huffing and puffing, up Pendle Hill. At the top, George says, "I see a great people to be gathered!" Friend says, "Fine, George, but do you think we could gather them at the bottom of the hill?"
Susan B. Anthony being interviewed by a newspaper reporter. The reporter says, "Too bad you Quakers aren't betting folks. What are the chances this woman's suffrage thing will take hold?" Susan says, "Failure is not an option." Reporter says, "I bet it never happens."
I'm paraphrasing here, but if you want to know word-for-word what they said, you could ask my son Henry. He corrected me the other day when I was trying to tell this story to someone, and he quoted the lines exactly. Who knew he was paying such close attention?
One more scene I'd especially like to thank Peggy for.
John Woolman is finishing dinner at the home of a slaveowner. He informed the owner that he appreciated the fine hospitality but he felt obliged to pay the good people who had prepared the meal and his room. As the slaveowner sputtered, "John" got up and opened his drawsting pouch and proceed to give a coin to several people in the audience, thanking the "slaves" for their service. This was perhaps the moment I was most glad to have made my kids sit in the front row. Peggy/John gave each of them one of the coins: a real Susan B. Anthony dollar. The children were awestruck. They are still showing their coins to everyone who comes to our house, and it has provided multiple opportunities to discuss who Susan B. Anthony was, why she's on money, and what "vote" means. Four year old Silas is still a little fuzzy on this, but we're getting there.
That first half hour alone was worth the price of admission. But wait! There's more to come.
Labels: QHD
posted by Robin M. at 6:23 PM
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5 Comments:
Robin
thanks for the tip on Amylovesbooks--it's a great read!
it sounds like your past week and a half has been awfully busy. I'm interested to see where God is taking your life as you move out of this job...
Hey, me too!
Just before we started the morning - I was hiding out downstairs and told the child care giver, I think, that the kids might enjoy the first few minutes and to feel free to walk out when it got boring.
Having Henry and Silas to 'compensate' was a great thing. Other friends tried to give me back the dollars after meeting or just left them at my seat. I knew your kids were too smart for that!
KNowing that Henry remembered enough to quote us later is humbling and exciting. Marge and I felt that the room was a little too 'grey'. We never know the results of our work. The impression on Henry, could have been a big chunk of God's agenda for the day. I hope to see Henry again.
Peggy
What a great "trailer," Robin. Wish I could have been there... Glad YOU were, anyway!
Blessings,
Liz, The Good Raised Up
One of the insights for me during the day was that I have to work at believing that old and grey haired people can be on fire and transformed and vibrant too. I seem to come across this revelation every couple of years or so. Maybe by the time I have grey hair, I'll not forget anymore.
However, I wondered how many people came to QHD because they always come, and whether it was quite what they expected, and if they liked it much or not. See? I have to work at talking to grey haired people so that I could find these things out, instead of wanting to always hang with the young folk.
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