Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada or -- as some call me, Wonder Woman.
Okay, okay, before you think my head has become swelled, let me explain what I mean. Last summer, Ken and I attended a Family Retreat that invited all the disabled children and their moms and dads to dress up, for Family Celebration Night, as their favorite super hero. This happened to be the same Family Retreat that the President of Joni and Friends, Doug Mazza, attended, and also Marc Stein, our Vice President of US Field Services. So here we were, the entire senior leadership of the entire ministry at our Family Retreat and all of us were invited to join the rest of the families and dress up as our favorite super hero.
Well, I had no idea what Doug and Marc had planned, but I knew what I was going to do – and my husband, Ken, too. Before we left for the Family Retreat, we hit a costume store and I found a really nifty Wonder Woman outfit, while Ken slipped into a Spiderman costume to try it on for size. When we both looked in the mirror, I couldn’t stop laughing. There I was with my (da. da. da. dat. da. da) red cape and Wonder Woman headdress and Ken – oh, my goodness -- he looked just like Spidey. We were going to fit right in with all the other special-needs families who would be dressing up for Family Celebration Night too. Of course, I thought this whole thing would be beneath the president of “Joni and Friends” and the vice president of our US Field Services. I figured that Doug Mazza and Marc Stein would arrive at Family Retreat in their suits and ties. No crazy costumes for them, right?
Was I mistaken! When Ken and I arrived at the Family Celebration Night, there, amidst the confetti and balloons and music, was Doug Mazza as Batman, complete with a black cape, a black mask, gray blue tights, and built-in muscles. Not to be outdone, Marc Stein arrived as Superman (although I think he chickened out a bit because he left his Superman tights back in his cabin).
I can’t begin to describe the hands down, slam dunk, off the charts, and over the top fun we all had that evening. I was never more proud of our president and vice president of field services, both of them putting aside their egos and pulling on these crazy costumes. The disabled kids at Family Celebration Night absolutely adored Spiderman and Batman – I mean, these kids were crowding Ken and Doug and Marc like they really, really were the real deal. Friend, you just have to see – you must see – me and Ken, and Doug and Marc in our super hero costumes at Family Retreat. I’ve posted a video of us on our radio page today at joniandfriends.org today so take a quick moment to enjoy it. Because the whole point of the video, you will see, is to honor the real super heroes; and that is, the mom and dads of the special-needs kids who come to Family Retreat. These are the real heroes. These are the ones who don’t need costumes to show how super they are in our book. So don’t forget to visit my radio page at joniandfriends.org and see it for yourself. (And I promise, I won’t be too embarrassed if you share it with your Facebook friends).
Why such crazy, wild, and wonderful fun at a Family Retreat? Well, it’s very biblical. Proverbs 17, verse 22 says that a cheerful heart is good medicine for the soul. And it’s so amazing how God softens the hearts of weary mothers and dads through the kicky, upbeat fun of a Family Celebration Night at Family Retreat. Think about joining us this year as a volunteer, or if you know a special-needs family, put us in touch with them ‘cuz we want them to know they are heroes in our book.
© Joni and Friends
Compliments of Joni and Friends
PO Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376