I'm Okay with That
Stories
Contents
“I'm Okay with That” by Peter Andrew Smith
“The Child Within” by Keith Wagner
“Service Above Self” by Keith Wagner
I'm Okay with That
by Peter Andrew Smith
Job 1:1, 2:1-10
Sarah’s mind raced as she thought about what might happen in her pre-natal appointment after lunch. The baby kicked and she took a deep breath and told herself that everything would be okay. She went into the hospital cafeteria and looked up at the menu on the wall. She picked up a tray and noticed a small boy come out of the hospital chapel. He reached into the pocket of his housecoat and pulled out some coins. He frowned but started forward into the cafeteria. He stopped when he saw her.
“I think you were here first, Ma’am.”
Sarah shook her head. “I’m still deciding, you go ahead.”
The boy walked down the row of food and drink until he came to the desserts. He reached into the cooler and pulled out a chocolate pudding. Sarah got herself a sandwich and something to drink hoping she could calm down enough to eat. The boy was at the checkout and showed his pudding.
“That’ll be two dollars and ten cents,” the cashier said.
The boy counted out his coins. “I only have two dollars.”
“Sorry,” the cashier said.
Sarah tapped the boy on the shoulder and held out a dime. “Here.”
“Are you sure, Ma’am?”
“I am.” Sarah smiled. “Enjoy your pudding.”
His face lit up as he took her gift and passed it along to the cashier who rang in his purchase. Sarah paid for her meal and sat at a table. She focused on the food in front of her and tried to not let her fears consume her.
“Mind if I sit with you?” The boy stood next to her table.
She motioned to the empty chair and he sat.
“Thanks for the dime. They don’t have good chocolate pudding on the ward.” The boy peeled back the foil. “My name’s John. I’d shake your hand but the doctors don’t like me touching people while I’m having chemotherapy.”
“I’m Sarah. Sorry that you’re here having treatments.”
“It could be worse. I’ve lost my hair but I’m not throwing up,” John said. “Are you going to have your baby soon?”
Sarah patted her large stomach. “My due date is in three weeks.”
“Are you having a boy or a girl?”
“A boy. Our first.”
“Congratulations. Do you have an appointment upstairs?”
Sarah nodded. “Just a checkup to make sure things are going to be okay.”
“I’ll say a prayer for you next time I’m in the chapel.”
“Thanks,” Sarah said. “I noticed you coming out of there a few minutes ago.”
“I like to pray in the morning when no one else is around. I tried to pray in my room but there is too much noise on the ward.”
They sat in silence for a few moments eating. John finished his pudding and smiled at her. “Thanks for the company. The days can get pretty long around here.”
“Aren’t your parents around?”
“Dad’s coming back from overseas and Mom’s picking him up at the airport,” John said. “He’s in the navy and got some leave.”
“You must be excited to see him.”
“Yeah, it will be nice to see him again,” John said. “He’s gone a lot.”
“That must be hard for you and your mom.”
“Harder for Mom. I talked to God and I’m okay with this being my last round of chemo.”
“I bet your mom is happy you’re finishing too.”
John shook his head. “No, she wanted the doctors to do more but they told her this was all they could do.”
“Oh.” Sarah’s face fell. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sometimes the cancer responds and sometimes it doesn’t.” John shrugged. “I’m okay with that.”
“How can you be okay with that?”
“I don’t really have much choice.” John looked at her. “Sometimes it gets to me but I remember all the good things that God has given me -- a great mom and dad, a funny baby sister, and six years at school. God will look after me no matter what happens. Like the chaplain here says ‘you’ve got to have faith.’”
“You’re a brave young man, John.” She touched her stomach. “I wish I was as brave as you. I’ve had some problems with this pregnancy and am worried.”
“Then you should pray. When I’m upset I have a good talk to God and let him worry about what is coming.” John smiled at her. “Well, I should be getting back to my room. The nurses get concerned if I’m gone for too long.”
Sarah watched him leave and thought about John’s confidence in the midst of such uncertainty. She looked at the time. She had a few minutes before she had to go upstairs for her appointment so she made her way to the hospital chapel to spend some time with God.
* * *
The Child Within
by Keith Wagner
Mark 10:2-16
I was sitting in an airport one morning in Chicago, waiting for my flight to Dayton. I had a two hour layover which gave me time to read the paper and study my sermon notes. As I sat there I observed other people around me. Some were reading, some were napping and some were eating. What really caught my attention was the fact that no one was smiling. There were expressions of impatience as people looked at their watches. I noted many frowns and tired faces. People didn’t talk to other people. Everyone seemed to be anxious to get to their next destination.
In the midst of all the gloomy adult faces I noticed a young child, kneeling by her seat and coloring. She was happy and occasionally sought approval from her dad who was sitting next to her. She seemed bright and very enthusiastic about her ability to create a colorful picture. She was very relaxed and didn’t seem to have a care in the world. Oh, to be that young again, with no agenda, no pressure or responsibilities.
Do you suppose we adults are too grown up? We take life very seriously, working hard, calculating every decision, trying to make the best of our time and resources. We don’t like surprises and we are driven by success and productivity. We have many important tasks to complete, goals to achieve as we strive to be responsible human beings.
But then we hear Jesus say, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” I believe there is a child within us but we are reluctant to give it permission to surface. Our work ethic does not promote a sense of play. We are praised for how hard we work, how much money we can make or how much we can produce. There is no praise for simply enjoying life.
To deny the child within is to miss the joy of being alive. And we suppress our inner child by being in control, being over-responsible and neglecting our real needs. To restrain our inner child is to be false and fearful. Therefore, we are inhibited, denying our true feelings and making our love conditional
In his book, “Healing the Child Within,” Charles Whitfield, M.D., defines the child within as “that part of us that is ultimately alive, energetic, creative, and fulfilled, our real self. We need to be spontaneous, expansive, loving, giving and communicative. We need to play and have fun. We need to be open and trusting, surrendering ourselves to others and the universe.”
If you’ve ever been to a football game you know how the crowed responds when a good play is made. It can be a tackle, a catch or a ten-yard gain. People stand, throw up their hands, or scream at the top of their lungs. The sound is deafening. The next morning you can be sitting in church and the choir can sing a wonderful anthem, or the organist can play a great offertory. Unfortunately there is no response, no hands clapping, no shouting, nothing. These folks are no less dedicated than the athletes on the field, yet they receive no response. For some reason, we think we have to put a lid on our inner child and hold back.
I believe that we also need to be open and accept others who are different from us, giving others the freedom to be who they are.
About a decade ago we had a family from Japan living next door. When you entered their home you took off your shoes as is their custom. Their diet was a bit different from ours and they often spoke to each other in Japanese. At the same time, while living in the United States, they had gone backpacking, bicycling, camping and visited many major sites. They took advantage of every opportunity to experience our culture. They were Buddhists, but their faith had not prohibited them from enjoying life to the fullest. They had learned more about us than we did about them.
The reason we fail to liberate the child within us is fear. We fear being laughed at. We fear being labeled. We fear failure. Unfortunately, we fear being our true, authentic selves. Are we too grown up?
* * *
Service Above Self
by Keith Wagner
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12
The Rotary organization, which has been in existence since 1905, was the world’s first volunteer service organization. Rotary has adapted the motto, “Service Above Self” as a premise for their mission. I believe that this is at the core of today’s lesson from Hebrews. Jesus was modeling service through his suffering for others.
One time an elderly couple was traveling and they were seeking lodging. It was a stormy night. The wind blew in all directions; the rain came down in torrents. The elderly man and his wife sloshed up to the desk of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Half in apology he asked: “Can you possibly give us a room? All the big hotels are filled.” “Every room is taken, sir,” replied the clerk, “But I can't send a nice couple like you out in the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Tell you what: you can sleep in my room.” “But where will you sleep?” asked the guest. “Oh, I'll make out,” replied the young clerk, “don't worry about me.”
The next morning as the guest paid his bill he said to the young man who had given up his room, “You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe some day I'll build one for you.” Two years later the young clerk received a letter with a round-trip ticket to New York and a note from the guest on that stormy night asking the clerk to meet him in the big city. The old man led the young man to the corner of 5th Avenue and 34th Street. Pointing to a towering new building, the old gentleman declared: “There is the hotel I have built for you to manage.”
Almost speechless, the young man, whose name was George C. Boldt, stammered his thanks. His benefactor was William Waldorf Astoria. The hotel was the most elaborate of that day, the original Waldorf Astoria.
William Astoria was putting service above self. He observed the qualities of compassion in George Boldt and therefore gave him the opportunity to work in his company.
Gracie Allen and George Burns were unable to have children. In the mid 1930’s they went to a home for unwanted children in Evanston, Illinois, called The Cradle. First they adopted their daughter, Saundra. A year later, they returned to find a son. George Burns wrote in his memoirs, Gracie: A Love Story, the following: “Gracie picked out Ronnie because he needed her most. The other babies were all chubby and healthy and she knew there was a long list of people wanting healthy babies. Ronnie’s crib was off by itself in a corner. Gracie went over to it and looked at him and commented how small he was. But his eyes followed her and she knew she had to take him.” Ronnie had been born prematurely but he grew into a 6 foot, 2 inch, young man. More importantly Grace and George had compassion for a child whose needs were greater than others and they made a sacrifice to raise their newly adopted son.
In the devotional book, God’s Devotional Book, there is a story that describes an extraordinary act off self-sacrifice. Sadhu Sundar Singh and a companion were traveling through a pass high in the Himalayan Mountains when they came across a body lying in the snow. They checked for vital signs and discovered the man was still alive, but barely. Sundar Singh prepared to stop and help this unfortunate traveler, but his companion objected, saying, “We shall lose our lives if we burden ourselves with him.” Sundar Singh, however, could not think of leaving the man to die in the snow without an attempted rescue. His companion quickly bade him farewell and walked on.
Sundar lifted the poor traveler on his back. With great exertion on his part he carried the man and moved ahead. The task was challenging because of the high altitudes and snowy conditions. As he walked, the heat from his body began to warm the frozen man. He revived, and soon both were walking together side by side, each holding the other up, and in turn, each giving body heat to the other. Before long they came upon yet another traveler’s body lying in the snow. Upon closer inspection, they discovered him to be dead, frozen by the cold. He was Sundar Singh’s original traveling companion.
*****************************************
StoryShare, October 7, 2018, issue.
Copyright 2018 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“I'm Okay with That” by Peter Andrew Smith
“The Child Within” by Keith Wagner
“Service Above Self” by Keith Wagner
I'm Okay with That
by Peter Andrew Smith
Job 1:1, 2:1-10
Sarah’s mind raced as she thought about what might happen in her pre-natal appointment after lunch. The baby kicked and she took a deep breath and told herself that everything would be okay. She went into the hospital cafeteria and looked up at the menu on the wall. She picked up a tray and noticed a small boy come out of the hospital chapel. He reached into the pocket of his housecoat and pulled out some coins. He frowned but started forward into the cafeteria. He stopped when he saw her.
“I think you were here first, Ma’am.”
Sarah shook her head. “I’m still deciding, you go ahead.”
The boy walked down the row of food and drink until he came to the desserts. He reached into the cooler and pulled out a chocolate pudding. Sarah got herself a sandwich and something to drink hoping she could calm down enough to eat. The boy was at the checkout and showed his pudding.
“That’ll be two dollars and ten cents,” the cashier said.
The boy counted out his coins. “I only have two dollars.”
“Sorry,” the cashier said.
Sarah tapped the boy on the shoulder and held out a dime. “Here.”
“Are you sure, Ma’am?”
“I am.” Sarah smiled. “Enjoy your pudding.”
His face lit up as he took her gift and passed it along to the cashier who rang in his purchase. Sarah paid for her meal and sat at a table. She focused on the food in front of her and tried to not let her fears consume her.
“Mind if I sit with you?” The boy stood next to her table.
She motioned to the empty chair and he sat.
“Thanks for the dime. They don’t have good chocolate pudding on the ward.” The boy peeled back the foil. “My name’s John. I’d shake your hand but the doctors don’t like me touching people while I’m having chemotherapy.”
“I’m Sarah. Sorry that you’re here having treatments.”
“It could be worse. I’ve lost my hair but I’m not throwing up,” John said. “Are you going to have your baby soon?”
Sarah patted her large stomach. “My due date is in three weeks.”
“Are you having a boy or a girl?”
“A boy. Our first.”
“Congratulations. Do you have an appointment upstairs?”
Sarah nodded. “Just a checkup to make sure things are going to be okay.”
“I’ll say a prayer for you next time I’m in the chapel.”
“Thanks,” Sarah said. “I noticed you coming out of there a few minutes ago.”
“I like to pray in the morning when no one else is around. I tried to pray in my room but there is too much noise on the ward.”
They sat in silence for a few moments eating. John finished his pudding and smiled at her. “Thanks for the company. The days can get pretty long around here.”
“Aren’t your parents around?”
“Dad’s coming back from overseas and Mom’s picking him up at the airport,” John said. “He’s in the navy and got some leave.”
“You must be excited to see him.”
“Yeah, it will be nice to see him again,” John said. “He’s gone a lot.”
“That must be hard for you and your mom.”
“Harder for Mom. I talked to God and I’m okay with this being my last round of chemo.”
“I bet your mom is happy you’re finishing too.”
John shook his head. “No, she wanted the doctors to do more but they told her this was all they could do.”
“Oh.” Sarah’s face fell. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sometimes the cancer responds and sometimes it doesn’t.” John shrugged. “I’m okay with that.”
“How can you be okay with that?”
“I don’t really have much choice.” John looked at her. “Sometimes it gets to me but I remember all the good things that God has given me -- a great mom and dad, a funny baby sister, and six years at school. God will look after me no matter what happens. Like the chaplain here says ‘you’ve got to have faith.’”
“You’re a brave young man, John.” She touched her stomach. “I wish I was as brave as you. I’ve had some problems with this pregnancy and am worried.”
“Then you should pray. When I’m upset I have a good talk to God and let him worry about what is coming.” John smiled at her. “Well, I should be getting back to my room. The nurses get concerned if I’m gone for too long.”
Sarah watched him leave and thought about John’s confidence in the midst of such uncertainty. She looked at the time. She had a few minutes before she had to go upstairs for her appointment so she made her way to the hospital chapel to spend some time with God.
* * *
The Child Within
by Keith Wagner
Mark 10:2-16
I was sitting in an airport one morning in Chicago, waiting for my flight to Dayton. I had a two hour layover which gave me time to read the paper and study my sermon notes. As I sat there I observed other people around me. Some were reading, some were napping and some were eating. What really caught my attention was the fact that no one was smiling. There were expressions of impatience as people looked at their watches. I noted many frowns and tired faces. People didn’t talk to other people. Everyone seemed to be anxious to get to their next destination.
In the midst of all the gloomy adult faces I noticed a young child, kneeling by her seat and coloring. She was happy and occasionally sought approval from her dad who was sitting next to her. She seemed bright and very enthusiastic about her ability to create a colorful picture. She was very relaxed and didn’t seem to have a care in the world. Oh, to be that young again, with no agenda, no pressure or responsibilities.
Do you suppose we adults are too grown up? We take life very seriously, working hard, calculating every decision, trying to make the best of our time and resources. We don’t like surprises and we are driven by success and productivity. We have many important tasks to complete, goals to achieve as we strive to be responsible human beings.
But then we hear Jesus say, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” I believe there is a child within us but we are reluctant to give it permission to surface. Our work ethic does not promote a sense of play. We are praised for how hard we work, how much money we can make or how much we can produce. There is no praise for simply enjoying life.
To deny the child within is to miss the joy of being alive. And we suppress our inner child by being in control, being over-responsible and neglecting our real needs. To restrain our inner child is to be false and fearful. Therefore, we are inhibited, denying our true feelings and making our love conditional
In his book, “Healing the Child Within,” Charles Whitfield, M.D., defines the child within as “that part of us that is ultimately alive, energetic, creative, and fulfilled, our real self. We need to be spontaneous, expansive, loving, giving and communicative. We need to play and have fun. We need to be open and trusting, surrendering ourselves to others and the universe.”
If you’ve ever been to a football game you know how the crowed responds when a good play is made. It can be a tackle, a catch or a ten-yard gain. People stand, throw up their hands, or scream at the top of their lungs. The sound is deafening. The next morning you can be sitting in church and the choir can sing a wonderful anthem, or the organist can play a great offertory. Unfortunately there is no response, no hands clapping, no shouting, nothing. These folks are no less dedicated than the athletes on the field, yet they receive no response. For some reason, we think we have to put a lid on our inner child and hold back.
I believe that we also need to be open and accept others who are different from us, giving others the freedom to be who they are.
About a decade ago we had a family from Japan living next door. When you entered their home you took off your shoes as is their custom. Their diet was a bit different from ours and they often spoke to each other in Japanese. At the same time, while living in the United States, they had gone backpacking, bicycling, camping and visited many major sites. They took advantage of every opportunity to experience our culture. They were Buddhists, but their faith had not prohibited them from enjoying life to the fullest. They had learned more about us than we did about them.
The reason we fail to liberate the child within us is fear. We fear being laughed at. We fear being labeled. We fear failure. Unfortunately, we fear being our true, authentic selves. Are we too grown up?
* * *
Service Above Self
by Keith Wagner
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12
The Rotary organization, which has been in existence since 1905, was the world’s first volunteer service organization. Rotary has adapted the motto, “Service Above Self” as a premise for their mission. I believe that this is at the core of today’s lesson from Hebrews. Jesus was modeling service through his suffering for others.
One time an elderly couple was traveling and they were seeking lodging. It was a stormy night. The wind blew in all directions; the rain came down in torrents. The elderly man and his wife sloshed up to the desk of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Half in apology he asked: “Can you possibly give us a room? All the big hotels are filled.” “Every room is taken, sir,” replied the clerk, “But I can't send a nice couple like you out in the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Tell you what: you can sleep in my room.” “But where will you sleep?” asked the guest. “Oh, I'll make out,” replied the young clerk, “don't worry about me.”
The next morning as the guest paid his bill he said to the young man who had given up his room, “You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe some day I'll build one for you.” Two years later the young clerk received a letter with a round-trip ticket to New York and a note from the guest on that stormy night asking the clerk to meet him in the big city. The old man led the young man to the corner of 5th Avenue and 34th Street. Pointing to a towering new building, the old gentleman declared: “There is the hotel I have built for you to manage.”
Almost speechless, the young man, whose name was George C. Boldt, stammered his thanks. His benefactor was William Waldorf Astoria. The hotel was the most elaborate of that day, the original Waldorf Astoria.
William Astoria was putting service above self. He observed the qualities of compassion in George Boldt and therefore gave him the opportunity to work in his company.
Gracie Allen and George Burns were unable to have children. In the mid 1930’s they went to a home for unwanted children in Evanston, Illinois, called The Cradle. First they adopted their daughter, Saundra. A year later, they returned to find a son. George Burns wrote in his memoirs, Gracie: A Love Story, the following: “Gracie picked out Ronnie because he needed her most. The other babies were all chubby and healthy and she knew there was a long list of people wanting healthy babies. Ronnie’s crib was off by itself in a corner. Gracie went over to it and looked at him and commented how small he was. But his eyes followed her and she knew she had to take him.” Ronnie had been born prematurely but he grew into a 6 foot, 2 inch, young man. More importantly Grace and George had compassion for a child whose needs were greater than others and they made a sacrifice to raise their newly adopted son.
In the devotional book, God’s Devotional Book, there is a story that describes an extraordinary act off self-sacrifice. Sadhu Sundar Singh and a companion were traveling through a pass high in the Himalayan Mountains when they came across a body lying in the snow. They checked for vital signs and discovered the man was still alive, but barely. Sundar Singh prepared to stop and help this unfortunate traveler, but his companion objected, saying, “We shall lose our lives if we burden ourselves with him.” Sundar Singh, however, could not think of leaving the man to die in the snow without an attempted rescue. His companion quickly bade him farewell and walked on.
Sundar lifted the poor traveler on his back. With great exertion on his part he carried the man and moved ahead. The task was challenging because of the high altitudes and snowy conditions. As he walked, the heat from his body began to warm the frozen man. He revived, and soon both were walking together side by side, each holding the other up, and in turn, each giving body heat to the other. Before long they came upon yet another traveler’s body lying in the snow. Upon closer inspection, they discovered him to be dead, frozen by the cold. He was Sundar Singh’s original traveling companion.
*****************************************
StoryShare, October 7, 2018, issue.
Copyright 2018 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
