DISPATCHES FROM THE FIELD-PART 3

September 28, 2009

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…” Philippians 2:5-7

Something for everyone—that’s what the national parks provide. Since I’ve been here at Homestead, I’ve participated in or watched a variety of goings-on, including the Traditions Festival, with singing and dancing from many different cultures; a poetry workshop for high schoolers; the monologue I mentioned in my previous blog post; and traipsing all over the 100-acre restored tall grass prairie in the park.

And I’ve learned how to make candles. The rangers were behind in their preparations for the deluge of kids expected for this week’s Pioneer Days, and I was asked to help out last Thursday. I called upon my Girl Scout skills and built a fire (it only took me an hour and a half—hey, my scouting days were a long time ago, plus there was no kindling, just newspapers and big logs). Then I melted beeswax and beef tallow, cut string for the wicks, and began to dip, dip, dip. Do you know how many layers it takes to make a decent sized candle?? Waaay too many. But I persevered and cranked out 120 of those babies.

Standing near a steady fire (needed to keep the wax liquefied) and leaning over a huge iron kettle, constantly dunking pieces of string in steaming fluid for several hours is a painstaking and messy job. It’s hot. Smoke stings your eyes. Wax drips all over you. Shoulders and lower back stiffen up.

Remember the book title I mentioned last week, The Good Old Days—They Were Terrible!? Let’s just say I’m extremely glad for these modern times when I can buy candles in a store. Making them the old fashioned way is, in my opinion, a highly overrated activity.

And you know, I just made it worse for myself. Here’s some of the gracious thoughts coursing through my head as a I coaxed tiny flames to take hold, then plunged string after string into the pot—I came here to write, not do grunt work! This is a real waste of my skills. I bet other artists in residence in other parks don’t spend their days like this!—and on and on.

The truth is that I’ve had time for writing and even two days to make a trip to Topeka, Kansas (my monologue is set there so I especially wanted to go). My taking over the candle-making duties freed up another ranger to do some other necessary, more immediate work. Pioneer Days is a big event, requiring all hands on deck and many volunteers to make it a success.

I could have said no when I was first asked to help with the candles, but that wouldn’t have been the homesteading spirit, now would it?

Nor would it have been of the Holy Spirit, I realized when I flipped open my Bible to Philippians later. “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (2:4). Gulp.

But there were still more candles to make. So when I was asked to do it again, I said (cue the inward sigh) yes.

Guess what? God graciously took my still-reluctant obedience and turned it around. On Saturday I had been invited by my housemate, Sarah, who’s the same age as my daughter, to accompany her and a ranger who’s a little older to an evening church service in Lincoln (about an hour away). I was thrilled that I’d found two young Christians, especially ones who didn’t mind hanging out with someone old enough to be their mother!

So on Sunday, when Sarah said she planned to spend time making candles, I offered (!) to join in. The work went by quickly with two pairs of hands, and we chatted away as we filled the candle quota. And we had such a great fire that we celebrated our completed task with a weenie roast and s’mores!

This Thursday and Friday, I’ll be building a fire each day and melting more wax and tallow so all the school children coming for Pioneer Days can learn the art of candle dipping for themselves. What’s more, I’ll be doing it in period costume.

I should be real good at all this by the end of the week. And hopefully I’ll also be a step closer to learning how to serve with the attitude of Jesus.

P.S. Get a load of this: I can’t watch the Ken Burns’ series on the television we have in the house I’m staying in here in the park, because the signal is too weak! Oh, the irony…Joe is taping it at home for me, thank goodness!

8 comments

  1. Cousin Beth says:

    Hi Penny—-What a sweet lesson you learned—-one we can each learn when we are willing put off our selfish desires. I thought of you while watching the national park series (I saw Yellowstone and Yosemite). The beauty of these parks is something we take for granted without realizing how they came to be. Great history lessons for all. It sounds as though you are enjoying your experience. Thanks for sharing your time with us.

  2. Elise says:

    Hey Penny!
    God really does reward our obedience…even when we obey begrudgingly. And then He goes on to give us more than we can ask or imagine. Many more blessings to you out there in the glory of nature…
    Elise

  3. Juliette says:

    God loves a willing spirit, even if a little reluctant 🙂 – what a wonderful way to give to others and learn at the sand time-Hey it may come in handy if we have an arts and crafts at Bethany as well~

  4. Your Good Big Brother says:

    Bring me home a candle on your way back!

    BTW, Sara and I have been meaning to send you some brown socks so you’ll fit in with the rangers.

  5. Amy says:

    Hi, Penny: Your Father and I must have done something right in raising you to be such a good daughter. Keep up your wonderful work. MOM

  6. Helen says:

    Hi, Penny – I look forward to your blogs – a great way to start my week. I applaud your spirit of adventure/pioneering/serving and thank you for your honesty – God knows our hearts and hesitancies but how many of us are willing to share those shortcomings with others?

  7. Penny says:

    Thanks for your encouraging comments, all of you. And yeah, Mom and Dad did do a great job raising us three young’uns. The only reason I even know how to build a fire is thanks to Mom, my Girl Scout leader. She was always the best fire-maker. BTW, today’s Pioneer Days sessions went well. True fact: in a group of fourth graders, when asked where wax comes from, a least one kid (usually a boy) will say “ears.”

  8. April Lorier says:

    Boy do I know how hard it is to make candles! Did that years ago when I was in my ‘artistic’ frame of mind. But you’re right about exhibiting the servant spirit. Like Christ, we must display the servant spirit if we are to be valid testimonies for Christ. Good post, Penny!

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