Over the course of the past couple of weeks, a small RV town has formed on the north and west sides of the county fairgrounds. The Tulsa State Fair opens this week. About six weeks ago dump trucks loaded with dirt started unloading the massive amounts needed for the animal barns and temporary parking lots and staging areas. Bulldozers and shovels are valued tools these days. It has been a little quieter on the Yale Avenue side. Since company is coming, city crews have been repairing broken sidewalks and redoing the curbs and ramps along Yale between 11th and 15th streets. Trucks with trailers filled with large animals have been rumbling past the church headed for the fairgrounds, only to have to weave around the barriers on Yale. Carnival rides have been assembled and are still being tested and inspected, new signs have been added, and those RVs filled with people, supplies and merchandise have assembled, followed closely by the young Future Farmers and their prize-winning livestock. Corn Dog and Cotton Candy trailers are escorted down the streets like honored guests arriving at the ball. All that is left is for about a million people to show up, discovering along the way that it costs real money to go to the State Fair. Last year’s Tulsa Fair attendance was 1,075,000, by the way.
There is a widely held belief that 80 percent of every successful project is careful planning, 10% is in having a Plan B and Plan C, and the last 10% is found in the enjoyment of seeing it all come together. The unexpected will always happen—that is what makes it memorable.
I enjoy the Fair. I enjoy watching the people, eating the “food” and discovering the latest, greatest miracle-working gadget ever seen on the face of the earth. There is nothing quite like a state fair. But it would never happen at all without detailed preparations, hardworking people, and a common goal to hold the best fair ever. So when you see the 4H-ers with their creative robots and future technologies, the FFA-ers’ prize cow or pig, the blue-ribbon cakes or quilts, the hot tubs or the glasses cleaner, remember the effort and sacrifice that is behind it all. Any worthy endeavor takes preparation, commitment, and sacrifice. That includes your family, your church, and your daily life.
Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Prepare for the best. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.
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