Clowing at a memorial service

[saphireSue]

I'm with ya there, I'm on time now [barely] but used to be at least 3-5 min late no matter how hard I tried. I'v told all my family I'm serious and I'll haunt them if they don't to it, but I want my casket in another room for viewing, and to wait until they start the service and about 10 min into roll me down the aisle so they can tease me about being late for my own funneral. I told mom every would get a good laugh, beleive me I'm not in any hurry to get there but I know were I'm going and it should be a celebration as much as it can be.

[Granny Grace]

Dear Saphire Sue,
I applaud you for the hard work you do-for going in when others would rather go out. I was a direct volunteer for our local hospice for 5 years and then took my skills to a funeral home. I was there for 14 years working with kids of all ages and their families at the time of death. It was hard on me but my dear Papa God was always there just when I needed him most. I have an article on my web page called Heart Hugs from Jesus. If you like it, I would give your permission to use it as the Lord leads. My October article is called What to Say (and not say) I also chose my favorite bereavement books for kids and some for adults that are in my bookstore in case you are browsing. I always get questions about how to help kids and these are the books I used. God bless you for letting your heart hurt just like Jesus.

[saphireSue]

Thank you for allowing me to use your "Heart Hugs from Jesus".

Carecamp is just around the cornor, Scheduled for Oct 4th this year. I/we [if my ministry group can attend they will] always open the festivities and we plan to do the Memory box skit. It deals with the stages of grief through a kids perspective in hopefully funny way and lets them know it's ok to have the feelings they have and that it normal. It end with the two charatures leaving the stage to make a memory box for their loved on, and this will lead the kids off into that activity, in small groups with kids near their own ages.

[Finito]

I clowned at a funeral once, complete with New Orleans-style Jazz parade! Quite a lot of fun, actually. Probably the best funeral I've ever attended if I had to be honest.

[Bumbles]

I posted an article on how to conduct a last walkabout service that I found, it's in the Articles section if anyone is interested.

[smirky]

Hi all,
Rosebud and myself will be doing a small childerns chat today at church. This will be are first time to do anything like this. Rosebud got started this year at mosecamp.Please keep us in mind this morning.
thanks

[Scruffy]

Smirky,
Well, How did it go?

[Morning Glory]

hey saphire what kind of supplies did you provide for the kids to make the memory boxes. i had been a clown for only a few months and did balloons for a program similar to this one. that was 2 years ago- although it was an exhausting day -it was rewarding as my nephew ( who had lost an older brother) partipated in the program. i work with people with disabilities -and have thought about how to put such a program together for them

[saphireSue]

I didn't get the supplies, the Social worker over the camp gets everything. I think the last time they colected shoes boxes ahead of time, then had all kinds of stickers, mag. kids could cut pictures out of, paper,markers, stick glue, and asked family members to brings some pictures for the project/or copies of pic.s. If any one get "the cross and the clown it's in the Jan/07 issues. in the skits and bits section.

[Bumbles]

Morning Glory
I also work for a company that helps people with disabilities. We have a program called Kids On The Block that we put on in local area schools.

It is puppets and each one has a different disability, the show lets kids see that even though people have disabilities they are just like they are, the same hopes, dreams ect.