On The Lookout
Illustration
Stories
Object:
Contents
"On the Lookout" by Keith Hewitt
"The Best Is Yet to Come" by Peter Andrew Smith
* * * * * * * *
On the Lookout
by Keith Hewitt
2 Peter 3:8-15a
"I have to hand it to you, John."
The voice behind him startled John, and he shot up straight -- forgetting that he was leaned over the trunk of his car; his head bounced off the bottom of the hatch and he yelped, stifled the first few words that sprang to his lips, ended up with a mild, "Oww!" as he grabbed the back of his head with one hand. Feeling gently under the hair, he winced and said, "Maybe a little warning, next time, would be good."
Bob looked apologetic, wincing in sympathy for his neighbor. "Ouch, sorry about that, John. I saw you were packing to go out of town again, and I just wanted to say that I admired you -- you do a great job with your kids."
John cautiously looked at his hand and was surprised to find no blood on his fingertips. He turned around to finish arranging the bags in the trunk, spoke without looking back at Bob. "Thanks, Bob -- but what brought that on?"
"It's just that you go on four or five of these trips a year but you never have any trouble with your kids while you're gone." John straightened up again -- carefully -- and turned to face his neighbor as he tapped the morning paper with a finger. "Seeing this made me think of it -- that big party on the North Side last weekend."
"Oh, yeah. The one the cops broke up."
"Right. Lots of underage drinking and who knows what all -- they're still sorting out the charges, and I read that the party also caused a few thousand dollars worth of damage to the house. The parents are going absolutely ballistic trying to get all the other kids' parents to pay up."
John turned to closed the trunk hatch, tugged at the bottom to make sure it was locked, turned around and faced his neighbor again. "And the fact that the police haven't had to come to my house to break up a teenage drinking party makes me a good dad?"
Bob grinned sheepishly, "I guess so. Just thinking back to when I was a kid -- I remember one time when my parents went out of town for the weekend. I had friends over, and it got a little out of hand. No cops --" he added quickly, "-- but they made a mess of the house. Took me all day Sunday and part of Monday to clean it up."
"Parents caught you?"
"Yep -- came home right when they said they would, Sunday night. I just figured I'd be able to keep things under control -- and if I didn't, I'd be able to clean up before they came home. Didn't work out that way."
"Yeah, I can see how that would happen," John said slowly. "Trouble is, doing that gives a kid the illusion of control... that they can be just a little out of hand and still pull it back in time to make everything all right."
"So what's your secret? Surveillance cameras?"
John smiled. "It's pretty simple, actually. First, I give my kids a clear explanation of expectations -- this is what I want you to do, this is what I don't want you to do. And then I tell them when I'll be back -- any day within a range that covers most of the weekend and a day or two after, to boot. And any time during that range. Could be nine o'clock Saturday night, could be noon Monday." He rubbed his head again, checked his fingers. "And then I make sure I keep to that 'schedule' -- never come home at the same time or on the same day twice."
Bob chuckled. "Wow, that sort of ties them down, doesn't it?"
John nodded. "If they don't know when I'm coming back, they've got an incentive to keep things on the straight and narrow."
"Pretty smart," Bob said admiringly. "Wish I'd thought of it."
"I didn't think of it, myself -- I'm just following Jesus' example... figured I couldn't go wrong that way." Bob looked puzzled, so John went on. "Look, we know that he's coming back, right?"
Bob nodded.
"The thing is, nobody but God knows when that's going to be, so we're advised to just be on the lookout -- and behave as though he may be popping in any moment. Pretty powerful incentive, I think -- you know, eternal paradise, and all." He walked around to the door as he talked, opened it and stood, waiting.
"I guess it is, at that," Bob agreed. "Drive carefully, John -- and we'll see you when?"
John grinned. "Some time between Saturday and Tuesday... so be on the lookout."
Then he got in the car and left... for a while...
Keith Hewitt is the author of two volumes of NaTiVity Dramas: Nontraditional Christmas Plays for All Ages (CSS). He is a local pastor, co-youth leader, former Sunday school teacher, and occasional speaker at Christian events. He lives in southeastern Wisconsin with his wife, two children, and assorted dogs and cats.
The Best Is Yet to Come
by Peter Andrew Smith
Mark 1:1-8
Jonathan looked out the window at the blustery cold day. "Christmas is never going to get here."
"Well, it won't if you keep staring out the window doing nothing," his mother said. "But if you are busy getting ready for Jesus then before you know it the day will be here."
"Really?"
"Absolutely." His mother started taking ingredients from the cupboard. "Would you like to help me with some holiday baking?"
"Sure," he said. "I like cookies."
"Oh, they are not for us. We'll donate everything we make to the Mission. I noticed in the church bulletin that they are looking for items for the food hampers."
"So no cookies for us to eat?"
"No, this is something that we are going to do for someone else," she said. "Jesus wants to care for each other. That's what Pastor Dave was speaking about at church last week."
When they finished Jonathan looked at the trays wrapped with red and green bows. "I think the people will like these cookies. Could we have just one?"
"No, these aren't for us." His mother handed him a spoon. "But I suppose we could eat the dough that is left in the bowl."
Jonathan's face lit up. "Wow I didn't think this would be any fun but this turned into an awesome day."
His mother kissed his cheek and said, "The best is yet to come."
***
Jonathan looked down at the shepherd costume. "I don't think I want to do this Mom."
"Why not?" his mother asked. "You know your line and all your friends are part of the pageant with you."
"But I don't think I want to do it. My stomach doesn't feel so good."
His mother knelt down and straightened his belt. "You are just nervous. All the people in the audience are the same people who are at church every week and they are looking forward to you being part of the performance. So just go out and do it just like you practised yesterday."
"But I don't think I can."
"Well I know you can." His mother smiled. "I'll come backstage when everything is finished."
Reluctantly Jonathan joined the other shepherds lining up for the play.
"Mom, did you see me when I told about the angels to Mary and Joseph?" Jonathan asked as he bounded up to her. "I saw you and Grandma and Grandpa and once I opened my mouth I wasn't nervous at all."
"You did wonderful and everyone said it was a great pageant."
"Pastor Dave came backstage and told us we helped everyone remember what Christmas was all about." Jonathan gave her a big hug. "This is the best day ever!"
His mother kissed him on the cheek and said, "The best is yet to come."
***
Jonathan looked up from the presents surrounding him. "Tell Uncle Ben that the truck is great!"
"You can tell him yourself," his mother said hanging up the phone. "He and Aunt Tilly are coming over for supper. So did you get everything you were hoping for this Christmas?"
"I did. I even got things that I didn't think I would get. That truck and those boots are the best!" he said. "Are Grandma and Grandpa coming too?"
"Yes, they should be here in a little while." His mother looked at the chaos of wrapping paper and presents around the tree. "How about we clear some space for everyone to sit together after supper with some hot cocoa so Grandpa can read to us from the Bible about the baby Jesus and the message the angels told when he was born."
"Okay." Jonathan put the used paper into the recycling bag. "That's what our play was about at church wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was."
"Then I think I already know what happens."
"But do you know the most important part of the story?" his mother asked.
"What do you mean?" Jonathan said. "I know about Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus being born as well as the angels telling the shepherds."
"The people in the Bible knew that Jesus being born was just the start of what God was doing," his mother said. "It is important at Christmas that we remind each other."
"Remind each other of what?"
His mother took him in her arms, kissed his cheek and whispered softly. "That because of Jesus the best is yet to come."
Peter Andrew Smith is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada who currently serves at St. James United Church in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He is the author of All Things Are Ready (CSS), a book of lectionary-based communion prayers, as well as many stories and articles, which can be found listed at www.peterandrewsmith.com.
*****************************************
StoryShare, December 4, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 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.
"On the Lookout" by Keith Hewitt
"The Best Is Yet to Come" by Peter Andrew Smith
* * * * * * * *
On the Lookout
by Keith Hewitt
2 Peter 3:8-15a
"I have to hand it to you, John."
The voice behind him startled John, and he shot up straight -- forgetting that he was leaned over the trunk of his car; his head bounced off the bottom of the hatch and he yelped, stifled the first few words that sprang to his lips, ended up with a mild, "Oww!" as he grabbed the back of his head with one hand. Feeling gently under the hair, he winced and said, "Maybe a little warning, next time, would be good."
Bob looked apologetic, wincing in sympathy for his neighbor. "Ouch, sorry about that, John. I saw you were packing to go out of town again, and I just wanted to say that I admired you -- you do a great job with your kids."
John cautiously looked at his hand and was surprised to find no blood on his fingertips. He turned around to finish arranging the bags in the trunk, spoke without looking back at Bob. "Thanks, Bob -- but what brought that on?"
"It's just that you go on four or five of these trips a year but you never have any trouble with your kids while you're gone." John straightened up again -- carefully -- and turned to face his neighbor as he tapped the morning paper with a finger. "Seeing this made me think of it -- that big party on the North Side last weekend."
"Oh, yeah. The one the cops broke up."
"Right. Lots of underage drinking and who knows what all -- they're still sorting out the charges, and I read that the party also caused a few thousand dollars worth of damage to the house. The parents are going absolutely ballistic trying to get all the other kids' parents to pay up."
John turned to closed the trunk hatch, tugged at the bottom to make sure it was locked, turned around and faced his neighbor again. "And the fact that the police haven't had to come to my house to break up a teenage drinking party makes me a good dad?"
Bob grinned sheepishly, "I guess so. Just thinking back to when I was a kid -- I remember one time when my parents went out of town for the weekend. I had friends over, and it got a little out of hand. No cops --" he added quickly, "-- but they made a mess of the house. Took me all day Sunday and part of Monday to clean it up."
"Parents caught you?"
"Yep -- came home right when they said they would, Sunday night. I just figured I'd be able to keep things under control -- and if I didn't, I'd be able to clean up before they came home. Didn't work out that way."
"Yeah, I can see how that would happen," John said slowly. "Trouble is, doing that gives a kid the illusion of control... that they can be just a little out of hand and still pull it back in time to make everything all right."
"So what's your secret? Surveillance cameras?"
John smiled. "It's pretty simple, actually. First, I give my kids a clear explanation of expectations -- this is what I want you to do, this is what I don't want you to do. And then I tell them when I'll be back -- any day within a range that covers most of the weekend and a day or two after, to boot. And any time during that range. Could be nine o'clock Saturday night, could be noon Monday." He rubbed his head again, checked his fingers. "And then I make sure I keep to that 'schedule' -- never come home at the same time or on the same day twice."
Bob chuckled. "Wow, that sort of ties them down, doesn't it?"
John nodded. "If they don't know when I'm coming back, they've got an incentive to keep things on the straight and narrow."
"Pretty smart," Bob said admiringly. "Wish I'd thought of it."
"I didn't think of it, myself -- I'm just following Jesus' example... figured I couldn't go wrong that way." Bob looked puzzled, so John went on. "Look, we know that he's coming back, right?"
Bob nodded.
"The thing is, nobody but God knows when that's going to be, so we're advised to just be on the lookout -- and behave as though he may be popping in any moment. Pretty powerful incentive, I think -- you know, eternal paradise, and all." He walked around to the door as he talked, opened it and stood, waiting.
"I guess it is, at that," Bob agreed. "Drive carefully, John -- and we'll see you when?"
John grinned. "Some time between Saturday and Tuesday... so be on the lookout."
Then he got in the car and left... for a while...
Keith Hewitt is the author of two volumes of NaTiVity Dramas: Nontraditional Christmas Plays for All Ages (CSS). He is a local pastor, co-youth leader, former Sunday school teacher, and occasional speaker at Christian events. He lives in southeastern Wisconsin with his wife, two children, and assorted dogs and cats.
The Best Is Yet to Come
by Peter Andrew Smith
Mark 1:1-8
Jonathan looked out the window at the blustery cold day. "Christmas is never going to get here."
"Well, it won't if you keep staring out the window doing nothing," his mother said. "But if you are busy getting ready for Jesus then before you know it the day will be here."
"Really?"
"Absolutely." His mother started taking ingredients from the cupboard. "Would you like to help me with some holiday baking?"
"Sure," he said. "I like cookies."
"Oh, they are not for us. We'll donate everything we make to the Mission. I noticed in the church bulletin that they are looking for items for the food hampers."
"So no cookies for us to eat?"
"No, this is something that we are going to do for someone else," she said. "Jesus wants to care for each other. That's what Pastor Dave was speaking about at church last week."
When they finished Jonathan looked at the trays wrapped with red and green bows. "I think the people will like these cookies. Could we have just one?"
"No, these aren't for us." His mother handed him a spoon. "But I suppose we could eat the dough that is left in the bowl."
Jonathan's face lit up. "Wow I didn't think this would be any fun but this turned into an awesome day."
His mother kissed his cheek and said, "The best is yet to come."
***
Jonathan looked down at the shepherd costume. "I don't think I want to do this Mom."
"Why not?" his mother asked. "You know your line and all your friends are part of the pageant with you."
"But I don't think I want to do it. My stomach doesn't feel so good."
His mother knelt down and straightened his belt. "You are just nervous. All the people in the audience are the same people who are at church every week and they are looking forward to you being part of the performance. So just go out and do it just like you practised yesterday."
"But I don't think I can."
"Well I know you can." His mother smiled. "I'll come backstage when everything is finished."
Reluctantly Jonathan joined the other shepherds lining up for the play.
"Mom, did you see me when I told about the angels to Mary and Joseph?" Jonathan asked as he bounded up to her. "I saw you and Grandma and Grandpa and once I opened my mouth I wasn't nervous at all."
"You did wonderful and everyone said it was a great pageant."
"Pastor Dave came backstage and told us we helped everyone remember what Christmas was all about." Jonathan gave her a big hug. "This is the best day ever!"
His mother kissed him on the cheek and said, "The best is yet to come."
***
Jonathan looked up from the presents surrounding him. "Tell Uncle Ben that the truck is great!"
"You can tell him yourself," his mother said hanging up the phone. "He and Aunt Tilly are coming over for supper. So did you get everything you were hoping for this Christmas?"
"I did. I even got things that I didn't think I would get. That truck and those boots are the best!" he said. "Are Grandma and Grandpa coming too?"
"Yes, they should be here in a little while." His mother looked at the chaos of wrapping paper and presents around the tree. "How about we clear some space for everyone to sit together after supper with some hot cocoa so Grandpa can read to us from the Bible about the baby Jesus and the message the angels told when he was born."
"Okay." Jonathan put the used paper into the recycling bag. "That's what our play was about at church wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was."
"Then I think I already know what happens."
"But do you know the most important part of the story?" his mother asked.
"What do you mean?" Jonathan said. "I know about Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus being born as well as the angels telling the shepherds."
"The people in the Bible knew that Jesus being born was just the start of what God was doing," his mother said. "It is important at Christmas that we remind each other."
"Remind each other of what?"
His mother took him in her arms, kissed his cheek and whispered softly. "That because of Jesus the best is yet to come."
Peter Andrew Smith is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada who currently serves at St. James United Church in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He is the author of All Things Are Ready (CSS), a book of lectionary-based communion prayers, as well as many stories and articles, which can be found listed at www.peterandrewsmith.com.
*****************************************
StoryShare, December 4, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 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.
