Looking Ahead
Illustration
Stories
Carol turned off the television in the common room of the retirement home. “Sometimes I wonder why I bother to turn on the news.”
Bob looked up from the puzzle he was putting together on the table. “Is it because you want to be informed?”
Carol snorted. “It seems to me that all there is on television now are upset people.”
“Is it about the disaster down south?” Bob paused. “I heard about that and my heart breaks for those poor people.
“They were talking about it on the news, but it is what the people are doing about it that drives me crazy,” Carol said. “This person is upset because there isn’t relief and help flowing to a disaster area fast enough and that person is upset because there is disaster relief going there instead of some other place. Everyone is complaining about something.”
Bob shrugged. “The news channels have to fill up a day with something.”
Carol rolled her wheelchair over beside him and looked at the picture the puzzle was slowly forming. “How can you tell what it is supposed to be?”
Bob pointed to the box which showed the beautiful mountain scene. He picked up a piece and looked at the ones already together. “It takes time to make it all come together.”
Carol picked up a piece in her hand. “I wish life was as simple as a puzzle.”
“In some ways it is.” Bob tilted his head to one side. “We know what the picture is going to be when it is all finished, we just have to work away at the pieces we’ve been given in order to help.”
Carol looked at her friend. “How did you think of that?”
Bob paused. “I guess I was thinking of it being All Saints Day and what the pastor said at chapel this morning.”
“I never liked books like Daniel.” Carol frowned. “They are filled with strange things like visions and prophecies.”
“They can be confusing.” Bob tried his piece in one spot and frowned. He turned the piece around and it snapped into place. “You just have to look at them the right way.”
“So, what did you mean about the reading from Daniel and this puzzle?”
Bob picked up a piece and stepped back. “I think we sometimes get so preoccupied with the pieces that we forget that they are part of something greater. I mean people are in need in the places where there are disasters. We need to think about whether there is enough help coming to them and if there are other places that need help as well.”
“I can understand that.” Carol pointed at the edge of the puzzle. “Try your piece there.”
“The point though is to help people when they are in need, isn’t it?” Bob leaned forward and found the spot the piece went. “We never want to lose sight of that or we’ll miss the bigger picture.”
Carol rubbed her chin. “So, in the reading from Daniel the prophet was telling us that things will happen in this world but eventually what God intends and wants will come to pass?”
“I think that’s part of it.” Bob smiled and put another piece into place. “I wonder too if God wants us to remember that we’re not there yet either.”
“You’ve given me lots to think about.” Carol rolled her wheelchair back toward the television and turned it on.
“I thought you were tired of watching the news.”
“I am. I want to catch the headlines though.”
Bob stopped and looked over at her “Why?”
“I want to see the pieces that God is giving me to work on. We may be in a retirement home but there is nothing stopping us from praying for those in need or writing letters to politicians or even raising money for people in need.” Carol paused. “You know I think we could have a bake sale and raise a bit for famine relief.”
“If you make your chocolate chip cookies I’d buy them.”
Carol smiled. “I’ll hold you to it.”
She started watching the news and noticed Bob moving over beside her.
Bob cleared his throat. “You know I used to love making cupcakes. Do you think they would sell?”
“I know the staff loves cupcakes.” She looked over at the unfinished puzzle on the table. “Aren’t you going to keep working on that?”
Bob shook his head. “I think you’ve picked up a piece of what we can do to make a difference now so let’s get that into place first.”
Carol smiled. “How about we go and see what other people might want to do?”
She turned off the television and the two of them moved off ready to do their part as they prepared themselves for the kingdom that God was bringing about around them.
*****************************************
StoryShare, November 1, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 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.
Bob looked up from the puzzle he was putting together on the table. “Is it because you want to be informed?”
Carol snorted. “It seems to me that all there is on television now are upset people.”
“Is it about the disaster down south?” Bob paused. “I heard about that and my heart breaks for those poor people.
“They were talking about it on the news, but it is what the people are doing about it that drives me crazy,” Carol said. “This person is upset because there isn’t relief and help flowing to a disaster area fast enough and that person is upset because there is disaster relief going there instead of some other place. Everyone is complaining about something.”
Bob shrugged. “The news channels have to fill up a day with something.”
Carol rolled her wheelchair over beside him and looked at the picture the puzzle was slowly forming. “How can you tell what it is supposed to be?”
Bob pointed to the box which showed the beautiful mountain scene. He picked up a piece and looked at the ones already together. “It takes time to make it all come together.”
Carol picked up a piece in her hand. “I wish life was as simple as a puzzle.”
“In some ways it is.” Bob tilted his head to one side. “We know what the picture is going to be when it is all finished, we just have to work away at the pieces we’ve been given in order to help.”
Carol looked at her friend. “How did you think of that?”
Bob paused. “I guess I was thinking of it being All Saints Day and what the pastor said at chapel this morning.”
“I never liked books like Daniel.” Carol frowned. “They are filled with strange things like visions and prophecies.”
“They can be confusing.” Bob tried his piece in one spot and frowned. He turned the piece around and it snapped into place. “You just have to look at them the right way.”
“So, what did you mean about the reading from Daniel and this puzzle?”
Bob picked up a piece and stepped back. “I think we sometimes get so preoccupied with the pieces that we forget that they are part of something greater. I mean people are in need in the places where there are disasters. We need to think about whether there is enough help coming to them and if there are other places that need help as well.”
“I can understand that.” Carol pointed at the edge of the puzzle. “Try your piece there.”
“The point though is to help people when they are in need, isn’t it?” Bob leaned forward and found the spot the piece went. “We never want to lose sight of that or we’ll miss the bigger picture.”
Carol rubbed her chin. “So, in the reading from Daniel the prophet was telling us that things will happen in this world but eventually what God intends and wants will come to pass?”
“I think that’s part of it.” Bob smiled and put another piece into place. “I wonder too if God wants us to remember that we’re not there yet either.”
“You’ve given me lots to think about.” Carol rolled her wheelchair back toward the television and turned it on.
“I thought you were tired of watching the news.”
“I am. I want to catch the headlines though.”
Bob stopped and looked over at her “Why?”
“I want to see the pieces that God is giving me to work on. We may be in a retirement home but there is nothing stopping us from praying for those in need or writing letters to politicians or even raising money for people in need.” Carol paused. “You know I think we could have a bake sale and raise a bit for famine relief.”
“If you make your chocolate chip cookies I’d buy them.”
Carol smiled. “I’ll hold you to it.”
She started watching the news and noticed Bob moving over beside her.
Bob cleared his throat. “You know I used to love making cupcakes. Do you think they would sell?”
“I know the staff loves cupcakes.” She looked over at the unfinished puzzle on the table. “Aren’t you going to keep working on that?”
Bob shook his head. “I think you’ve picked up a piece of what we can do to make a difference now so let’s get that into place first.”
Carol smiled. “How about we go and see what other people might want to do?”
She turned off the television and the two of them moved off ready to do their part as they prepared themselves for the kingdom that God was bringing about around them.
*****************************************
StoryShare, November 1, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 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.
