Water Balloons for Jesus

So, last Sunday, our precious preschool director Laura, asked me if I would volunteer my family to serve during Soakfest; our church's outreach thingy for the Brighton area. Sure, love to help out I told her. "Great!" she replied, "Would you be willing to blow up this 100 count pack of water balloons?"

"Anything for you Mrs. Laura," I answered, "But I can do more than one pack."

"Thanks a bunch. Here's two," she said.

I took them thinking, "I could have taken more but whatever!"

I go about my week.

Then Friday night it hit me. I've got Soakfest tomorrow and I haven't blown up a SINGLE water balloon. OHMYGOSH!!!

So, I begin blowing up balloons. I got very wet and so did my kitchen. And my living room. I got about half of the balloons done.

Got up Saturday. Blew up another 60 or so before lunch.

After lunch I filled up the rest.

All this time I am putting the balloons in a rolling laundry basket with a trash bag inside. Wasn't that smart? I thought so.

So when I am finished filling the laundry basket I roll it out to my van. It is heavy but I figure..."it's only water, right?"

Water is very heavy I discovered!

I couldn't lift the balloons into my car. Kurtis had gone on an impromptu camping trip with Grant and my neighbor wasn't home either. So, Paige and I took each balloon from the rolling laundry basket and put it in a Rubbermaid tub so that I could lift the rolling laundry basket into the car and safely transport them to this outreach event.

When we got enough of the balloons out of the basket so that we could lift the rolling laundry basket into the car we went for it.

We decided we would just lift the other Rubbermaid tub in the car and move them once we got to the Mill Pond in Brighton.

As I drove I seemed to hit every speed bump and pothole and had to make a couple of quick stops. I kept hearing little "pops" in the back of the van.

My precious little balloons were being assaulted by the Michigan roads. I blame the governor. We need better roads in Michigan. But I don't want construction when I have to go somewhere. That's another rant I guess.

Anyway, I get to Soakfest. We had to park a couple of blocks away but at least I had my balloons in a rolling laundry basket right? I lift the balloons out of the car and head toward downtown Brighton.

Paige and I are walking to the Mill Pond and crossing Grand River. (Okies, this is like crossing Robinson or Lindsay in Norman) All of a sudden in the middle of the crosswalk I loose a wheel and it goes rolling down Grand River. Stunned and confused as to what to do, (I mean do I leave it? Do I grab it and cause all traffic to stop on this busy street and leave my almost 9 year old standing in the middle of the crosswalk?)

Thank you Lord, I car drove by and bumped in my direction. I grab it and off I went now dragging the rolling laundry basket through the fair part of Summerfest looking for my 242 Soakfest crew.

When I located them and delivered my precious balloons I was thankful my duty was over. I had filled my balloons. I had delivered them.

And then I watched as my 200 (well more like 150 by the time I got there!) balloons were destroyed in under 2 minutes. It took me two days and I lost a laundry basket in the process but I was ever so thankful that Mrs. Laura didn't give me more balloons to fill and was hopeful that a little life was touched, even though briefly, with my water balloons.