Hi All: On October 30, I will be using Abbott's "Watch Your Step" trick for Lighthouse Kids! to illustrate the thought that the church can be likened to a hospital where the morally and physically sick can be helped. The trick sets up well for this- I am just basically adding a cross to the "hospital" and writing on the back of each character notes/different Biblical references on how Jesus heals and forgives. Details to follow...

Basically, I intend to do the first part of the trick as written, good reminder for the kids to use their seat belts, look both ways before crossing the street, etc.. See Greg Bordner's demonstration of it on the AbbottMagic.com website. Just put "Watch Your Step" in the search box.

But halfway through, I am going to put a small foam cross (attached via a sticky backing) onto the Red Cross symbol, and then discuss how the church is also like a hospital- how we can take our moral and physical failings there to be forgiven and healed.

Then I will go through the last row of people figures reviewing various verses (reminders on the back for each one so easy to remember) tying each one into a story into "The Great Physician" and various other stories/verses from the Bible about Christ healing/forgiving both our bodies and more importantly our sin.

By simply Google-ing "The Great Physician" and "Why is the church like a hospital?", I found there are all kinds of great posted ideas that come up immediately as this has been a well known sermon topic in the past across many denominational lines.

At the end of the trick/illustration I will pose a question something like this to the kids: Once we have been forgiven, healed and changed by Christ, do we simply stay put in the church never to go back outside and be "salt" to others? Of course not, we are to to out to the ends of the earth including in our own neighborhoods sharing "The Good News" (then showing how all the folks have left the hospital and returned back to the street).

That's what I like about Gospel magic- one can be viewing a simple magic trick- and a little light goes on inside your head thinking "Hey!- that would set up perfectly to tell than message from the Bible to the kids..." "Watch Your Step" by Abbott's Magic in Colon, Michigan is a good example of an illustration that can be used for quite an extended time as part of an overall longer Gospel lesson for kids.

It just occurred to me that salt is put on sidewalks to help kids walk more safely on slippery sidewalks- so too we are to be good "salt" to the world. Just love it. Hope to see some of you at the Duane Laflin lecture in Grand Rapids next year or at the new FCM convention site in Indy.

Possible-thought- use a thumb tip with 'salt' in it and pour out at the right time-- you can palm a 'T' light and produce it - as 'light of the world' etc. -- also as mentioned befor- put a 'push-it in your shirt pocket with light faceing out == put your hand over your Heart (push)and your Heart(?) lights up-because our Lord is there. -- I have an effect from "Englands Magic Supreme-"(now closed?) called 'Jack and Jill' the effect had jack & jill looseing their heads - magician puts them back --back ward--twisted- opposite- etc - frustrated he puts the heads into the 'Hospital' they disappear from the Hospital and appear 'correct' on jack and jill. I'll have to look up "watch your step".. said this befor (70 years experience) several effects and patter in my posts (plus a lot of personal comments (if you want to wade through them-L-O-L) go to 'search' put in 'russo' at user name. feel free to use any. Ralph(russo)Rousseau

Hi Russo- I was thinking about the same thing with the various "Humpty Dumpty" and "Humpty Dumpty Returns" type effects still being out there new and used (including the one being made by Abbott Magic and another in England).

I will be visiting at the Abbott Magic showroom tomorrow in Colon, will take another look at it again.

So far, I have not been able to figure out an adequate Gospel routine using the kids fairy tale story of Humpty Dumpty that is not too much of an obvious huge routine stretch (such as Humpty Dumpty represents us when we/our inward and outward shells are broken in sin, we need to be restored like Humpty, get back on our wall, be a "good egg" in the rest of our lives, our yoke is now easy, etc.. Ugh!).

If your good at wood working - or even poster board(EZ cutting out)- make a boy or girl same size as "Humpty"- and have the child fall apart so our Lord can put them back together- The box/wall/home can be decorated like a Church. I' ve done a witness effect using the 20th century silks- 2 solid color silks are John & Joan = they ask Billy(colored silk) to church with them ( J & J are holding hands-the knot-) Billy runs into his house (double sided sack or any box to disappear item)- J & J keep asking Billy - last time they knock on Billy door , he's not there - using a Vol. and the Church/ steeple hand clasp(if you don't know the ChurchHand Clasp ask and I'll teach you ) Vol. is holding J &J- You go and pull J & J out of "Church"clasp and there is Billy who came to Chuech because J & J _ kept witnessing to Him. If you cant get a vol. use a tall clear glass. P.S,. I don't own a computer- use one where I work P/T will be on & off line - now and then. Ralph(russo)Rousseau