One year ago, my son and I put the finishing touches on our joint book project, Puppet Ministry Pizzazz, with an acknowledgments page. The first person Jeff wanted to mention was the late Millie Jones, an elderly member of our church family. As Jeff wrote, Millie was “a light of love and positivity that shone brightly despite her small size.” What a wonderful legacy!
Jeff & Clyde in “Clyde Is Unique”
Jeff & Clyde rehearse for “Clyde Is Unique”
Last night I ran across a letter Millie wrote to twelve-year-old Jeff after he and Clyde performed at a worship service. Their skit, titled “Clyde Is Unique,” featured a song that contrasted Jeff’s talents and interests with those of his sister. For one thing, as you see from his sweatshirt, Jeff was a Dallas Cowboys fan, while Theresa rooted for the 49ers. The takeaway was that each of us is special, a one-of-a-kind creation by God. (An updated version of “Clyde Is Unique” is one of the fourteen sample scripts in Chapter 4 of Puppet Ministry Pizzazz.)
Here’s what Millie’s letter had to say about Jeff and Clyde’s message:
Sunday morning’s conversation with Clyde was a special event to all who were at church—and I could see that the visiting choristers were enjoying it every bit as much as those of us who have become better acquainted with your fuzzy friend. I was excited to know Clyde can sing—how does he do that?!!
Keep up the good work, Jeff. There’s a real ministry in what you’re doing. You’ve made us love Clyde, for he reminds us of our own shortcomings, and his willingness to listen to good advice is an inspiration.
God bless you and your talent.
I hope Millie Jones’s words will encourage you in your creative ministry, whatever it may be. Let Millie also serve as an example for us to reach out and encourage others who step out of their comfort zone for God’s good purposes.
Jeff & Clyde in “Customs”
While we’re strolling down Memory Lane with Jeff and Clyde, let me share a fun video clip of their appearance in a musical comedy revue with a local theater group. In this sketch, Jeff plays a traveler detained by customs officials for stashing forbidden critters (including a chimpanzee played by Clyde) in his clothing and luggage.
Clyde doesn’t say a word, but watch his body language while Jeff sings. It’s a nice demonstration of communicating your puppet’s personality and emotions with gestures and appropriate reactions, as described in Chapter 3 of Puppet Ministry Pizzazz. In barely three minutes onstage, without any dialogue between the pair, Jeff manages to give the audience a glimpse of his pal’s personality and set them up for an “aww…” moment at the end. Enjoy!
Back to the present
Meanwhile, I’m doing my best to follow my own advice as I perform with my pal Moochacha. I’m no Jeff (Olin or Dunham), but I gain a little more confidence and skill with every outing.
“Outing” might not be the right word, of course. With pandemic safety protocols keeping us at home, we’re recording messages for YouTube instead of appearing in person at church. Our Thanksgiving upload, “Moochacha Learns about the Pilgrim Church,” was adapted from another sample script in Puppet Ministry Pizzazz. Compare Moochacha’s video to “Clyde Learns about the Pilgrim Church” in Chapter 4 of the book, to see how we personalized the dialogue for a new puppet character and new circumstances. Chapter 3 offers tips on how to personalize prewritten scripts for yourself.
Thanks for joining me in reliving memories with Jeff and Clyde. Ride along with me and Moochacha as we create more faith and fun! We hope to post a new Christmas message soon on our Puppet Ministry playlist on YouTube.
And I really hope you are inspired to create great memories for your family with your own puppet pal. We’re here to help!
Blessings,
Linda