Sunday Stories

1—What Time is It?

The babysitter came early to Harvey’s house. Both Mom and Dad were going away for the whole day. Harvey hoped they were going shopping—maybe for him! Harvey heard Mom say to the babysitter, “There’s one important thing I want you to do—bake cookies. The dough is in the refrigerator. Just drop it on the cookie sheets and bake the cookies for tomorrow.” Harvey and the sitter nodded. They liked baking cookies.

The day was going to be a good one. First they read a book. Harvey thought about the cookie baking, but they had all day. Then they ate lunch. The sun was shining, so in the afternoon they walked to the playground. They could bake when they got home. They climbed on the climbing frame, slid down the slide, and swung on the swings. Other kids were there, and they all had a great time. Harvey and the sitter stayed until suddenly they realized the sun was going down. They walked home and talked about the good day they had had. The sitter opened the refrigerator and got out the bowl of dough. They found the cookie sheets.

Just then Harvey saw the lights turn into the driveway and heard the car engine idling as the garage door went up. He was happy that Mom and Dad were home. He ran to hug them. Dad lifted him high in the air. Mom sniffed. “I thought I’d smell cookies. I left you with one job.”

“Oh, we meant to do it. We were just about to start. We were so busy all day doing good, fun things. We hope you’ll understand.”

Help us to do the right things at the right time, Lord.

Matthew 24:45—50; Romans 13:11—14

2—Shield and Reward

Harvey and Mom went shopping at the mall. Mom said, “You’ll have to hold my hand.” “Why? I’m a big boy.” Mom did not say anything. They saw other kids with their parents. “Why is that boy on a leash?” Harvey asked.

“He probably won’t stay close to his mom, Harvey, so she’s keeping track of him that way.” Before long an announcement came over the speaker. “We have a lost child at the service counter. Will her mom please claim her.”

When Harvey heard that, he held tight to his mother’s hand all afternoon.

You want to lead and guide us. Let us hold tight to your strong hand.

Genesis 15:1

3—Finding the Way Home

Harvey played all afternoon with a friend at the friend’s house. They were so busy playing that the time went very quickly. Suddenly Harvey stopped what he was doing. He began thinking about home, and Mom, and Dad. He looked out the window. He couldn’t see anything. It was dark. It looked like night. Suddenly Harvey was afraid. He did not know the way home, but he did know he lived a long way away. What was he going to do? he wondered.

“I don’t know the way home,” he said out loud. His friend looked at him with a strange look. Harvey stood up. He would go and find his friend’s mom. She might know what to do. He started for the kitchen, hoping she was there.

Just then he heard something wonderful—the voice of his own Mom. He ran and gave her a great big hug around the legs. Harvey knew that she knew the way home!

Thank you, O God, that you are with us, showing us the way home.

Isaiah 40:1—11

4—Who? Me Grumble?

Harvey’s mom called him to the table for the second time. Dad was already seated. “No!” Harvey called in his most important voice. With that, Dad lifted him into his chair and bowed his head to say grace.

The minute the prayer was complete, Harvey announced loudly, “Yuck! I hate carrots! I hate carrots! Blah! This is a yucky supper.”

“Might I guess that Harvey’s been playing with Lou today?” Dad ventured.

Harvey’s eyes grew big. He turned and looked at Dad. Dad had been gone all day. No one had said a word about their day yet.

“Yes, he did,” Mom answered.

“How did you know that, Dad?” asked Harvey. “You are really smart.”

Remind us, O God to be happy and grateful, even when others aren’t.

Exodus 16:2—15

5—Who Can Help?

Harvey and his family were driving along a busy highway with two crowded lanes of traffic going each way. Harvey’s mom suggested he try counting the red cars for something to do. He began. “One, two, five, ’leven, ’leventeen, ’leven-twenty...”.

Just about that time Dad said, “Oh, oh!”

And Harvey said, “Oh, oh!”

Bump, bump, bump, thunk went the car. Everyone was very quiet. Dad sighed deeply. He was all dressed up. Harvey did not think that dads dressed in suits could fix cars. Dad got out carefully, watching the traffic whiz by. “Maybe someone will stop and help us,” Mom imagined and hoped, just loud enough for Harvey to hear.

Harvey began to guess which car might stop to help. His head went back and forth watching a rainbow of cars speed past. Dad had the trunk up, probably looking for a tool. No one stopped. Harvey wondered why everyone was in such a hurry when his family needed help.

Then he heard the sound of brakes behind them. A dirty-looking man in old clothes got out of a rusted pickup and talked with Dad. He knew what was wrong. Soon Harvey, Mom, and Dad were on their way. Mom said, “Isn’t it interesting that with all these people in beautiful, shiny cars, the person who helped us came in a beat up car, and looked ragged and dirty too.”

Thank you for helping us, sometimes in surprising ways.

1 Corinthians 12:3b—13

6—Small But Strong

Harvey was playing at the home of a friend. They and their toys were spread out across the floor when Harvey heard tires squealing, then brakes, then a door slamming. Harvey looked up and asked his playmate, “What was that?”

“A car,” answered his friend.

The floor of the house shook a little when a tall man stomped by the playroom. “Little brats,” he muttered. “I could beat you both up.”

“Who was that?” asked Harvey.

“My big brother. He’s home from college. We don’t pay much attention to him.”

Harvey wasn’t done thinking about that when the big brother came back toward the door. He stepped on one of the toys, and then he said some words that Harvey hadn’t heard before, but he knew they must be bad words. “Those are bad words,” Harvey said to the tall brother. “You shouldn’t talk like that.”

When the brother squealed out of the driveway in his car, Harvey’s friend asked, “How did you dare to tell my brother not to talk like that? He’s so big and strong. He said he could beat us up, too!”

Harvey took a deep breath and answered, “Sometimes a kid has to do what a kid has to do.” Thank you that you can make children strong, O God.

1 Samuel 2:12—20