Sets, and props, and callings! Oh my!

My son Nature Boy periodically moonlights as Drama Boy.  Musical theater, specifically.  He likes to sing and make people laugh.  He's still an unapologetic lover of pretend at 11 years old, so drama is a perfect fit.  He doesn't particularly like hair and makeup (or wearing tights), but the praise from the audience makes it worth the torture.

Prince Charming

I was a drama kid too. I loved doing musicals, but I had performance anxiety. (I feel you, Barbra Streisand!)  I didn't mind people hearing me, but I didn't want them to look at me.   I still feel that way.  I'm not afraid of messing up--it's more a self-consciousness about being a visible center of attention.  (Which is a little weird since I'm all for being the verbal center of attention.)

Old Hobo Joe

Fortunately, my son doesn't share my stage fright.  He loves performing.  It's a great outlet for his creativity, and as all drama geeks know, it's a place to fit in in a world of spelling bee champs and star athletes.  I'm happy he found drama, but I am far from a stage mom.  No pressure from me.  Hobbies are supposed to be fun, and kids are under enough pressure as it is.

Seriously, this kind of stuff is much more our speed.

P.S. That is NOT me with the wedgie.

And speaking of pressure, I was recently asked to coordinate the set design for Nature Boy's current show.  And when I say "asked" I mean it was proclaimed that God Himself was calling me to do this.  When I replied that I have no experience with set design, I was told in a sweet southern way that, "God doesn't call the equipped.  He equips the called."  Yeah.

***Neurotic Moment***
Have I mentioned that I homeschool my son, co-teach two co-op classes, and take care of my grandmother who has lung cancer and congestive heart failure (among other things)?  And we just moved into a new house two months ago.  Not to mention (okay, to mention) my own health challenges.  Man, having it all here in one paragraph is wearing me out.  How am I going to do all of this?!  What if I just spontaneously combust?!!!!!  My eyelid is twitching now.  Is that a sign of some serious illness?  Because I don't have time for that, y'all.  Deep breath. 
***Return to (Relative) Sanity***

Squirrel/The King

 
So when asked to head up set design I ran away screaming happily answered my call with a yes.  Then I immediately checked with the library for a book along the lines of Set Design for Dummies.  No such luck.  And after that, I freaked out a little.  I don't enjoy going into a project without knowing what I'm getting into.  And truth be told, I don't feel particularly called to do this.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't discernment of a calling the responsibility of the person being called?  I mean, I'm Catholic, so I'm not up on all this calling stuff.  We do stuff out of guilt, plain and simple.