August 25, 2024

Mark 10:13-16

Rev. Kristen J. Kleiman

Over the course of our vacation, I had the opportunity to watch six movies, part of three more, read four books, and listen to one. Even better, I watched two of those movies while lying in a pool!  It’s my new vision of heaven.

As wonderful as it was to relax in the 6 inch wading pool for 2 hours, it might have gotten boring if not for the movie. It was the story that captivated and kept my attention because as I have shared throughout this worship series, stories are powerful. Stories have the power to create, to transform, to comfort, heal, and inspire.

So I could talk about Jesus and the children. I could go on and on and remind the adults of Jesus’ words, Jesus’ strong words, that we, adults, should never push children away from God, by asking children to be seen and not heard in worship and Christ’s community. We, adults, should never get between kids and Jesus, by clinging to what is comfortable for our generation instead of asking what connects with other generations. We, adults, should never shoo kids away from a life-giving relationship with the God of love we know through Jesus Christ by being dull and boring. It makes Jesus super duper unhappy.

So I could talk about the story or I could tell a story, a story, like the Bible’s stories that gives us hope, a story that helps us imagine a better life and world, a story that reminds us that anything is possible with God.

And I’m going need all of your help because this is a mad lib/fill in the blank story.

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Town name, state

Dessert treat

Two adjectives to describe that treat

Child’s name

Positive adjective

Picnic food

Child’s name

Kitchen appliance

Room in your house

Teacher name

School subject

Playground equipment

Child’s name

School supplies (2)

Snacks (2)

Girl’s Name

Whenever you hear the word “happened”, I want you to say “oooo” or “ahhhh” or some other surprised noise.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named __Lucy_. She was _7_ years old and this was her first day of a new school year.

As you might guess __Lucy_ was feeling a little nervous and not just because it was the first day. She was also a little anxious because over the summer, her family moved from _Waterbury_, _CT_ to _Possum Trot_, _Texas_ and this was a new school in a new town.

And as if that wasn’t enough new, __Lucy_ had a strange experience on the last day at her old school. To celebrate a wonderful school year, the school staff gave a _tiramisu_ to each student. __Lucy_ absolutely loved _tiramisu_ . Since her last name began with a “Y”, she had to wait until almost the very end to receive her treat. She was so excited when she finally received that _awesome_, _amazing_, _tiramisu_ . But as she went to bite into her treat, she heard the staff say to _Ava_ Zimmerman that they had run out of treats.

All of a sudden __Lucy_ ’s _tiramisu_ didn’t look so tasty. Then an idea popped right into her head. She would give hers to _Ava_ . After all, her grown ups could buy her a treat anytime. And then the strangest thing happened, one of the paraprofessionals discovered one more _tiramisu_.

__Lucy_ thought it was just a _loving_ coincidence at the time, but….. over the summer, similar things kept happening. At their family picnic, she got the last _hot dog_ and when she gave it away to her younger cousin, _Cole_, it happened! Her grandpa discovered more in the _dishwasher_.

And then when her family was packing to move and her sister needed one more box and none were to be found, __Lucy_ shared one of her boxes and it happened again. There in the corner of the _bedroom_ was an empty box nobody remembered putting there.

__Lucy_ found all of these coincidences curious; however she didn’t question them because she knew that sometimes, this is just the way with God. God makes all things possible. And it was with this hope in her heart that __Lucy_ , still nervous, walked into her new school to begin a new school year.

That hope and excitement started to drain out of her though when she saw her new school. There was no colorful banner welcoming students. There was no smiling school staff to greet everyone at the door. In her classroom, the decorations looked faded and old. The other students sat at their desks, neither smiling nor talking to one another. Certainly no one spoke to her – the new kid.

When their teacher _Mr. Jesus_ asked everyone to take out a pencil, __Lucy_ saw something that made her the saddest of all. The student in front of her couldn’t find their pencil, and when the student asked the girl beside them if they had one to lend, the girl shook her head no and went back to listening to the teacher about _band_.

__Lucy_, herself, only had one pencil; however she was a good listener and had a good memory. She had faith she would remember so she tapped the student on the shoulder and handed them her pencil. The student was surprised at first and then the student cautiously smiled.

Then, it happened. A pencil started to roll across the floor from who knows where, and the teacher picked it up and asked if anyone needed a pencil.

And again at the playground during recess. The school staff said there was only time for one more student to have a turn on the _slide_. __Lucy_ was that student and she could have taken her turn. No one would have judged her or said anything; however _Jack_ was also waiting for a turn. __Lucy_ thought she would try something out. She let _Jack_ go in front of her, and wow, what happened? The staff member said they had gotten the time wrong and there was time for two more students to take a turn.

Over and over, __Lucy_ experienced God’s miracles. Every time she gave something away, she discovered she had enough – and not just when it came to things, also when it came to smiles and time and kindness.

Day by day, all around her, she discovered that things were changing. The students in her class laughed and talked with one another. They shared their _erasers_, rulers_ and _glue sticks_; _goldfish_ and _cheetos_. A few students offered to help the teacher put up more colorful decorations, and in art class, they made a banner for the front of the school.

And when the last day of school came, __Lucy_ smiled and remembered her old school and the friends she had left behind. Then she smiled and remembered her new school at the beginning of the year. What a difference! Everywhere you looked, kids and staff were sharing, being kind, laughing, and taking care of one another. Some might not believe that this was the same school.

__Lucy_ just smiled because she knew that sometimes, this is just the way with God. God makes all things possible.