We responded that we would.
Bob the member that is usually the Santa for our area had just received notice of a job in North Dakota and would probably not be available to do the job.
I having always wanted to be Santa and have fantasized about it waited for someone to volunteer. NO ONE DID.
I smiled real big and said "I will do it! I have always wanted to do it!" Since I am a woman I figured it would get shot down but everyone agreed I could do it if Bob was not available.
So fall turns into winter and I am practicing my HO HO Ho's and working out my deeper voice. Even taking voice lessons to reach a new lower tone.
It is now 3 days before the big appearance of Santa and Vickie the wife of the regular Santa asks me, "Did you find a beard and wig?"
I respond with a wale and a cry "OH POOP"
She says, "Call the local theater."
I frustratedly respond, "I will see what the Lord can do."
BACKTRACK:
April 9, 2010.
I am at the local theater helping organize for a rummage sale and auction.
Jenifer the nice woman who was hired to run the theater comes down to see me. She says "Mary the theater board has decided that you need to remove the overt faith based language from your add in the theater programs."
I start to get very mad and take it out on her and my friend Rosemary say "Mary!.... Don't!"
I back tracked and said "No. If I let them do this to me it is only a matter of time before they stop letting the kids wear t-shirts proclaiming their faith on them or just ban Christians altogether from the theater. Tell the board they can consider that I am no longer a member of this theater and will not longer be volunteering or performing for them. I will also no longer come to any performances."
I WALKED OUT.
I went home and talked to the family about this situation and my son who was 11 said, "Mommy if we do not stand up for Jesus now HE will not stand up for us in-front of God."
So as a family we decided to pull all our support from the local theater if they were going to treat their neighbors, friends and volunteers this way.
We sent the following letter:
4/9/2010 2:22 PM
Dear Theater Board, Theater Staff, Theater Patrons and Members,
We will not compromise.
We the Cates family and owners of Boundary Tours are UNANIMOUSLY REJECTING your change of wording for our add and do so immediately renege our offer of bartering our Guided Kayak Tour for four people in trade for the full page add that we were continuing from last year.
We know many people noticed the add because we received as logged 57 calls from total strangers thanking us from proclaiming our faith in our add. We were also told by many local people in person how much they loved seeing the add in the program.
No calls were ever received for a paying tour from our add with you.
Please do not ask us to participate in any form with the Theater in the future if you are going to censor your faith based advertisers.
Please remove us from your volunteer rolls, including train robbing, art-scape, all plays, dinner theater, cleanup, meal service, kitchen cleanup, talent shows, open mic nights, and ballyhoo, concessions, and ticket booth.
Please know I will not speak on this subject again for fear of saying something unkind. So I ask that you do not speak to us about either.
Thank for all the fun and memories.
Looking forward to seeing you all as neighbors and friends.
Mary Kay Hodges-Cates
Boundary Guided Kayak Tours
P O BOX 436
Metaline Falls WA 99153
One board member was appalled when he saw the letter and said he would take care of this because he was directing the next play and knew I had been working on my singing skills so I could be in the play.
Sadly they listened to him, told him what he wanted to hear and never ever did follow through on anything they said to him regarding the matter.
FAST FORWARD TO Wednesday 12 15 10
After talking to Vickie I prayed.
Thank you Lord for everything and for getting to be Santa this year.
Only you know how much I have wanted to do this.
I blew it Lord I need a beard and a wig to do the job.
If this is my blessing from you Lord please please provide them.
You know my history with the theater and that I stood up for you against their decision.
I have to stay true to you Lord on that and not run to them for help.
Thank you in advance Lord.
AMEN
The next morning Vicki calls and says, "When can you come pick up the suit? Oh and their is a beard and wig too! Someone dropped them off today."
I said, "I will be right over."
Well as it turns out someone who used to play Santa a very long time ago had passed away a while back.
Others were cleaning out some boxes and found the beard and wig.
Someone else suggested they donate it to the local chamber.
The man just happened to drop it off the exact day I needed it.
Vickie is a hairdresser and know exactly how I should clean and dry it.
Do you see it?
The Lord put the fix into motion even before I knew I had a problem.
HE is there when you pray. HE is here when you need him and when you don't.
But let me tell you if you let HIM have control of your life HE will take you on a journey you will never forget and you will not be able to keep quiet about it.
I tried it on today with Bob's suit and did not look to bad.
I am going to adjust some things but I am sure looking forward to my most difficult acting job ever tomorrow!
Sometimes we have to look a little harder to see the miracle but its there. I can attest to over 100 of them since I was diagnosed with cancer in 2008.
Please pray with me that the Lord would open people eyes to see HIS miracles today.
Please post the ones you saw today.
God's peace and blessings on you.
Merry CHRISTmas.
Santa Clause aka Chris Kringle aka Mary Kay Hodges-Cates
(NOTE I removed the name of the theater from the letter in hope of not causing problems for them. Since no one I know of locally reads this blog I am sure it will not be a bother to the theater.)
(NOTE I removed the name of the theater from the letter in hope of not causing problems for them. Since no one I know of locally reads this blog I am sure it will not be a bother to the theater.)
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