Puppets: He Cares for You

He Cares For You

Mooster: Good evening everyone! Wow it’s really getting colllld outside, isn’t it? Do you think we’ll have snow this year? I’m guessing we will!

Moe: Hi Mooster!

Mooster: Oh hi, Moe! Are you staying warm?

Moe: Yep. I have all kinds of stuff to keep me warm when it’s cold outside. I have my scarf and when it gets colder I have my nice warm coat and I have my gloves and my banana boots – they’re bright yellow, just like a banana! – and I have battery–operated socks and I have –

Mooster: Wait wait wait – you have battery-operated socks?? What on earth for? How do they work?

Moe:  Mooster, you have seriously got to get yourself a pair of these socks. They are so awesome! You put in a couple of little batteries and there are little wires that run around the sock and they heat up and keep your toes warm!

Mooster: No kidding…what’ll they think of next?!

Moe: Yeah, just make sure you don’t step in a puddle with them…the result might be kind of shocking!

Mooster: So why do you need all that stuff to stay warm? Isn’t your treehouse kept warm by your furnace?

Moe: Yeah, but Mom’s a huge cheapskate and you know the furnace runs by burning up banana peels. Mom doesn’t want to run out of peels and she doesn’t want to have to buy more, so she keeps the thermostat set at like 68 degrees. It’s a regular ice box in there! Why I woke up yesterday and my eyeballs had frozen shut! I had to blow into my paws and cover my face just to thaw them out.

Mooster: Really, Moe. I think you are exaggerating just a little bit.

Moe: Not really – have you been in my house?

Mooster: Well not recently, but if I remember right, you folks keep your thermostat set at 70 in the summer time to keep cool.

Moe: Yeah, that’s right.

Mooster: Well Moe 68 is only two degrees different from 70.

Moe: Exactly! You can freeze water at 32 degrees but not at 34 … two degrees is a lot!

Mooster: Oh for Pete’s sake. Anyway, do you know any older people or families with children that aren’t staying warm?

Moe: Um, no I don’t think so…why?

Mooster: Well, during the winter, a lot of churches and other organizations open up their buildings at night for homeless people or people whose heat isn’t working so they have somewhere dry and warm to sleep.

Moe: That’s really nice, Mooster! It’s a way of the community helping to take care of one another, huh?

Mooster: That’s right. If you meet someone who isn’t able to stay warm this winter, make sure and find them some help. You can tell your mom about them and she’ll probably be able to help them get in contact with an organization where they can go to stay warm. Sometimes missions will even have soup kitchens opened to give people something warm to eat before giving them a place to sleep.

Moe: What’s a mission? I thought missions were all in Africa or Honduras or Vietnam or places like that. Are there missions here in Greenville?

Mooster: Well missionaries go and start missions in other countries, where they build a church and tell people about Jesus. But here in Greenville and other cities in the United States, we have mission houses, too, and they also tell people about Jesus. BUT they also do lots of neat things to help people who can’t take care of themselves or their families.

Moe: You mean if maybe someone got sick or lost their job and their home and they need help for a while?

Mooster: Yep. A mission is a large building where folks can go. They are usually run by Christians who want to help people get back to being able to care for themselves and their families, and while they are helping them, they tell them about Jesus. Missions will provide the homeless or elderly people with a hot meal and a safe place to sleep. Some of them help train people in a new job and help them find jobs.

Moe: That’s really awesome! But what about squirrels?

Mooster: What? What do you mean squirrels?

Moe: And bears? And fish? And birds? And coyotes? Who makes sure all the animals have a warm, dry place to sleep? Who gives them blankets and battery-operated socks? How do they stay warm in the winter?

Mooster: OH! Moe – you are so funny! God takes care of the animals, Mooster – you don’t have to worry about them. God made animals to be able to make their own little homes. Some bury deep in the ground, some find caves to sleep in, some make big nests in trees. The Bible says that God sees each sparrow – even if it falls to the ground. God sees it. The Bible also says that God loves us and cares for us, too. Even more than the animals!And the Bible says that God makes provisions for us.

Moe: What’s a provision? Is that another term for seeing things positively? I know I sometimes have a negative attitude about things, so would that be called antivision?

Mooster: What? Moe you are confusing me! No – provision means that God is providing for us. God provides food for the animals in the wild and He helps them make shelters for their families.

Moe:  Well why doesn’t God do that for people too?

Mooster: What do you mean? He does do that for us!

Moe: Well if someone is homeless and has to go live in a mission then God isn’t providing for them, is He?

Mooster: Moe, Who do you think spoke to the hearts of the people who started the mission or the soup kitchen or the place where people can get food and clothing? The Holy Spirit speaks to people and encourages them to reach out and help other people. When we help people who are in need, we are being the hands of Jesus – we are serving people in His place. We are showing that God cares for all of us!

Moe: You mean, it’s like we are doing what Jesus would be doing if He were right here with us?  

Mooster: That’s right!

Moe:  Oh that’s cool!

Mooster: The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes that whatever our hand finds to do, we should do it with all our might! So if we are going to serve God – we better do it right!

Moe: Does Jesus ever talk about helping people in need?

Mooster: He sure did! In Matthew chapter 25, Jesus is telling His disciples that when they provide clothing to the poor or visit the people in prison or help nurse the sick, that it’s just like if we were doing that for Jesus himself!

Moe: Oh wow – is that where our memory verse is?

Mooster: You guessed it! Matthew 25 verse 40: “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Moe: Hey kids – this week, why don’t we all try to come up with ways we can help other people around us. Did you know that someone always has it worse than us? There may be someone you know who doesn’t have enough food to eat or a warm place to sleep. Be the hands of Jesus – serve Him by helping meet the needs of others. If you know someone in need, tell your parents or a teacher about it so they can get them the help they need.

Mooster: Excellent suggestion, Moe. Okay – bye kids! See you in a couple weeks!!!

Moe: Bye! 

Puppets: Oh Be Careful Little Tongue What You Say

Oh Be Careful Little Tongue What You Say

Mooster:  Hey everybody! How are you today? You doing good?  Great!  Hey Moe!

Moe: Hi Mooster!  Wow - there sure are a lot of kids at the park today – can you see them all from here?

Mooster: Yep, there sure are a lot of kids!  And yes, I can see them all. We have a good view of the playground from up here in this treehouse.

Moe:  Hey, look at that little kid with the big black-rimmed glasses. I just heard a great joke at school today! It’s about this four-eyed kid, see, and –

Mooster:  Monkey Moe! You don’t call people 4-eyes! Just because someone wears glasses doesn’t mean you make fun of them.

Moe: Oh. Sorry, Mooster. ….So…uh.. you don’t want to hear the joke?

Mooster: NO!

Moe: Okay, okay. {pause} Oh – look at that kid over there! He’s only got one leg! Hey – I wonder if his friends nicknamed him peg-leg!

Mooster: Moe! What is wrong with you? Do you think that name sounds nice?

Moe: I don’t know…I guess I didn’t think about it.

Mooster: Well think about it: Would you want someone calling you “peg-leg” if you only had one leg? What if he was in a bad car accident and that’s how he lost it? Or what if he had a terrible illness?

Moe: Oh…I wasn’t thinking about WHY he had only one leg, I guess.

Mooster:  Would you like it if I called you Banana Brain?

Moe: No, I wouldn’t. Let’s change the subject. I was at the mall yesterday, and there was this older man in a wheelchair and I was watching him as his wife was pushing him around the mall and –

Mooster: You were staring at the man??

Moe: Well…yeah…I was waiting to see if he was going to drop his dentures when he bit into his sandwich!

Mooster: MOE! That’s terrible. Don’t you know it’s rude to stare at people! Don’t you have any manners at all?

Moe: (In a pouty voice) That’s what my mom said, too. Nevermind about the guy at the mall. (Gets excited again) Hey - Did you hear what Jungle Johnny said about Teacher Smith? He was busy comparing Mr. Smith’s teeth to bananas, you know, because they are long and yellow and then he said …

Mooster: Wait just a minute! Now you’re gossiping.

Moe: What’s “gossiping” mean?

Mooster: Talking about other people behind their back.

Moe: Well he’s not even here – how can I know where his back is?

Mooster: Location is not the point, Moe! You are about to say something unkind about someone else. Aren’t you?

Moe: Well….I don’t know. I was just going to say what Johnny said. But…I guess it probably wasn’t very nice.

Mooster: So why are you repeating it?

Moe: I don’t know – it gives me something to talk about?

Mooster: You can come up with better topics. Mr. Smith is a very fine teacher and the dental condition of his bicuspids is unimportant to your education.

Moe: Oh…yeah…. I guess you’re right.  And his teeth have nothing to do with my schoolwork, either. So…what’s our Bible verse for today?

Mooster: Apparently, it’s very appropriate. Proverbs 17:20 says, “He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.” Do you realize that what you say is very important? You can be as the hands of Jesus, lifting someone up by your words of kindness, or you can be the tool of the devil, tearing someone down and destroying them!

Moe: Oh! I never thought about that! I don’t want to be a tool of Satan.

Mooster: I know you don’t, Moe. Being kind is something that adults and children often have a hard time doing because they simply don’t think about their actions. They don’t even realize when they are not being kind. But being kind is something we should practice doing all the time.

Moe: Hey kids, Mooster is right. I need to be more careful about what I say. Can any of you children give me an example of saying kind words to someone?

(Wait for responses)

Mooster:  Those are great answers, kids! There are lots of ways to show kindness to people through what we say. Plus, there are many things we should NOT do. For instance, we should not call people names, like 4-eyes or Peg-leg or Banana Brain.  And, we can do things for people to help them. Jesus always spoke kindly to those He loved and cared for.  Did you know that Jesus even washed the feet of His disciples? That was an act of kindness and humility.

Moe: ewwww! I wouldn’t want to wash anyone’s feet. Yuck. What if they had banana mush between their toes? Ga-rossssss!

Mooster: Well, Moe, Jesus did a lot of things for us that we probably wouldn’t want to do. But I doubt the disciples had banana mush between their toes.

Moe: But Jesus HAD to do nice things, didn’t he? I mean, God the Father made Him come to earth for us, right?

Mooster:  No, Moe, God didn’t MAKE Jesus come to earth. That was an act of kindness and love and mercy on the part of God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. God was kind in making a way for us to be saved and Jesus was kind in being willing to come to earth and be our way to heaven. God separated a part of Himself to sacrifice as payment for our sins. He loves us that much!

Moe: Ohhhhhh. So Jesus volunteered to come to earth and die for us.

Mooster: That’s right, Moe. Jesus is kind and loving to us. So we should be kind and loving in return.  Mr. Songleader, can we sing John 3:16?

Songleader leads everyone in singing John 3:16

Moe: Mooster….making fun of people that are different from us or calling someone names isn’t kind and loving, is it?

Mooster: It certainly isn’t.

Moe: I’m sorry I said all that other stuff before. I wouldn’t want someone calling me 4 eyes or fatso or peg-leg or banana brain or anything else.

Mooster: So what could you do instead?

Moe: I know! I could go talk to those kids and be their friend! That would be kind, wouldn’t it?

Mooster: Yes, that would be kind.

Moe: And, maybe we could help each other! Maybe the little boy with only one leg is really good in math and he could help me. I stink at math. But I’m really good at history! Maybe we could study together and help each other!

Mooster:  I think that’s a great idea!

Moe: OH Oh Oh! Annnnnd – I could invite him to come to listen to our Bible story next week!

Mooster: Moe, that’s a great idea, too. Then he could also hear about Jesus and how to be saved! That would be the greatest kindness of all.

Moe: Annnnnddd… I suppose I need to learn to not listen when other people are saying mean or unkind things about others. What did you call that again?

Mooster: It’s called gossip. When you talk badly about someone else, you are gossiping.

Moe: Yeah. I hadn’t thought about it before, but gossiping is mean, too. I’ll try not to do that anymore, either!  Hey – those are all things we can all do this week, boys and girls! We can all invite our friends to come with us next week to listen to the Bible story. You know, anyone is welcome to come. We can all practice not being mean and not repeating mean things.

Mooster: That’s exactly right, Monkey Moe. Everyone is welcome. How about it kids? Can you show someone kindness this week? See if you can help someone. Be nice. Play fair. Don’t call anyone names. And invite someone to come to church with you. Then they can hear about Jesus and how He loved us so much that He came to earth and paid for our sins so we can go to heaven. That’s the greatest act of kindness and love that this world has ever known.

Moe: I’m going to the playground to go make some new friends – bye!

Mooster: Bye Moe! Bye kids!!!

Puppets: Why Worry?

Mooster:  Hey everybody! How are you today? (Wait for replies) Hey…what’s that noise? Do you hear that? Sounds like moaning! I wonder if Moe is hurt? Hey Moe, Moe! Moe, buddy – are you hurt??

Monkey Moe: (Sad moans while Mooster has been speaking..slowly moaning louder and louder: Oh me, oh my, oh worry, worry, worry, oh me oh my, what will happen now??) Yes Mooster, it’s me…I’m not hurt…but I sure am worried…oh, oh…

Mooster: Well, Moe, what in bananas is wrong with you?

Moe: (pokes head through) I’m Sooooooo worried!!!!!!! How can you be here tonight all calm and everything? You’re going to give a Bible story and you are not worried?  

Mooster: Moe, what should I be worried about?

Moe: What? Are you KIDDING me? Don’t you know what’s going on in our country? Our economy is bad, people are losing their jobs and their homes! Our government is trillions of dollars in debt and there’s no end in sight! Food costs are rising. People are going broke just paying for gas to get from one place to another. Families are having to live two and three to a home. There’s violence in the schools and bullying and it isn’t even safe to cross the street! It’s awful! It’s terrible! ……….. (Yells in an exasperated manner:) Don’t you read the newspaper??????

Mooster: Yes, I read the paper. I watch the news, too. You are right about all of those things. Times ARE pretty bad for a lot of people.  I am concerned about the direction this country is heading. We’ve even talked about the possibility of moving if we ever needed to, but I don’t think --

Moe: Moving! Yes! That’s it! I’ll get started packing right now. Let’s see, I need my banana pajamas and my stress ball and my jungle jumprope and my yellow hat and Oh – should I bring a couple hundred pounds of bananas? They might come in handy if we get hungry. Think I can get them all in your backpack?

Mooster: MY backpack?  

Moe: Well you don’t think little old me can carry a couple hundred pounds of bananas, do you? It makes more sense if you carry all the bananas. You’re a moose. You can carry a LOT.

Mooster: Are you saying I’m fat?

Moe: No, no, no – just….um…well suited for burdensome labor.

Mooster: I’ll try to ignore that comment. Anyway, as I was saying….

Moe: What if we can’t find a place to move to? What it there’s no jobs there? What if we can’t get clean water? What if there’s no….oh what a terrifying thought…….what if there’s no….no….no…. B A N A N A S ???     Oh, I’ll just die without them!

Mooster:  Moe – you are worrying!

Moe: Well of COURSE I’m worrying!!!  What else would I be doing? Why aren’t you worrying?

Mooster: Because I know Who holds tomorrow, Moe.

Moe: You mean the president?

Mooster:  No, Moe, the president doesn’t hold tomorrow.

Moe: You mean the Senate? I know they make all kinds of laws and rules and give themselves big fat pay raises and --

Mooster: No, Moe. I don’t mean the Senate. The Senate doesn’t hold tomorrow.

Moe: The House of Representatives?

Mooster: No.

Moe: Oh, I know, I know – the Supreme Court!! They have all kinds of important decisions to make and they make the final ruling over lots of things and they get appointed by the president and voted on by the Congress, so they must control tomorrow.

Mooster: Wrong again, Moe.

Moe: Santa Claus?

Mooster: MOE! Don’t be ridiculous!

Moe: Well, there isn’t anyone left, Mooster!

Mooster: Oh, you are forgetting the most important person of all, Moe. God is the One Who holds tomorrow. Jeremiah 10:12 says, “He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.” Who made the world, Moe? Did the president make the world?

Moe: No. God made the world.

Mooster: Who is the One Who had the wisdom to design everything on the earth? Was it the Supreme Court?

Moe: No. It’s God who is smart enough to design everything.

Mooster: Who stretched out the skies and the stars? Did a man do that?

Moe: No. It was God. The Bible says in Genesis 1:16  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

Mooster: Now we are getting somewhere! What does worrying profit you, Moe? What are you getting from all your worrying over tomorrow?

Moe: Well, so far, I’ve gotten a bruised knee from walking into the coffeetable while I was texting my mom about who won the election, and I dropped my piggy bank on my big toe when I was trying to break it open in case I needed the money and I have a terrible pain in my stomach which my dad says is probably ulcers and I keep getting these terrible headaches every time I read the newspaper and I even felt like throwing up today!

Mooster: Because you were worried about the country?

Moe: Well, no, the throwing up part was because I had a monkey world history test today at school and I didn’t study for it so I was afraid I was going to fail it….

Mooster: Oh brother! Moe – all your worrying about stuff is just making you sick and miserable!

Moe: Oh – it sure is!

Mooster: I have a good song for us to learn. It’s called, “Why Worry When You Can Pray?” I think we can get the preacher up here to help us!

(Sing song a couple times.)

Why worry when you can pray

Trust Jesus He’ll be your stay

Don’t be a doubting Thomas

Rest wholly on His promise

Why worry, worry, worry, worry

When you can pray!

Moe: Oh…that was a great song! So…what you’re saying is, that I should be leaving my future to God and just trust Him and pray?

Mooster: That’s right, Moe. Our memory verse today is Psalm 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”   When we get worried about tomorrow and what might happen, we need to pray and tell Jesus about it. He already knows what’s going to happen. It isn’t going to surprise Him. He knows and He will take care of you.

Moe: Is there a chorus for that too? Songs help me remember stuff about God.

Mooster: Songs help all of us! Here’s a chorus to help you. 

God will take care of you

Through every day

O’er all the way

He will take care of you

God will take care of you!

Mooster:  Do you feel better now, Moe?

Moe: Yeah, I do feel better. Thanks, Mooster!

Mooster: Kids, you can hear all the grown ups around you talking and worrying about the future and about what may happen in our country. It’s a good thing to talk about that stuff and vote and all that, but you need to remember that God is ALWAYS in control. Even when we don’t understand or can’t see what’s going to happen next, God knows, and we can always trust Him!

Moe: Thanks, Mooster. I’ll try to stop all my silly worrying. Maybe I’ll even be able to study for my next history test! Bye-Bye boys and girls!

Mooster: Bye, everyone!

Puppets - LOST THINGS

Lost Things – puppets

Mooster:  Hello kids! How are you this fine autumn day? Isn’t the weather fantastic? Has anyone started raking leaves yet?

Monkey Moe: (from behind the curtains), AHHHHHHHGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!    Where is it? Where is it?

Mooster: Uh Moe? Is that you?  

Monkey Moe:  (pokes head all around puppet stage) – Where did it go? Where did it go?

Mooster: Um, where did what go?

Monkey Moe: My monkey ball! (pokes head thru curtain finally) It destresses me!

Mooster: If it upsets you why do you want it back?

Monkey Moe: NO NO NO NO – not “distresses” DE-stresses – you know – takes away my stress!!! I’m stressed!

Mooster:  No kidding.   

Monkey Moe: See I got this great little de-stressing ball and I squeeze it whenever I get stressed out and it helps to relax me but right now I’m not very relaxed because I can’t find my destressing ball so I’m getting really stressed out about it and I need it now really bad which I probably wouldn’t need it except I can’t find it so I need it does that make sense to you??

Mooster: Uh, sure, Moe, whatever you say.
 

Monkey Moe: Oh good I’m so glad you understand so could everyone help me look for the distressing ball?

Mooster: Well actually I was going to do story time now and then~~~

Monkey Moe: AHHHHHHHGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Mooster: WHAT!?  

Monkey Moe: You can’t do story time until we find the distressing ball. I can’t concentrate. I can’t even sit still. (starts poking all around puppet stage again looking for ball)

Mooster: Ok ok – can everyone look around your seat real quick and see if you can find Moe’s distressing ball? Seems we won’t get our story in if we don’t find it. You know I could just buy you another one ~~

Monkey Moe: NO nO no – I have to have that one. It’s my best one!

Mooster: You have more?

Moe: Sure! I have 9 others, in all different colors, but I want my green one!  Okay that’s right everybody – look around you a little--Oh thank you thank you thank you everybody (still bouncing all over stage) do you see it yet do you see it yet? It’s green and squishy….

Mooster: They are looking Moe!

Songleader: Um, Moe, Is this it? (holds up ball)

Monkey Moe: Oh yes yes yes! Thank you! Can you please bring it to me?

Songleader brings it to Moe, Moe starts squeezing it a lot.

Moe: Oh that’s better! I can feel the stress leaving my body already! OK I think I can listen to the story. What’s it about today?

Mooster: Well today we are going to talk about a story that Jesus told. He said one time there was a woman who had ten pieces of silver. That’s like us having ten dollar bills and losing one of them. The woman became very upset because she couldn’t find her missing coin.

Monkey Moe: hahaha…that’s kind of silly, isn’t it? I mean, she had nine other silver coins!

Mooster:  Well, Moe, you had nine other stress balls but you were going nuts trying to find the green one!

Monkey Moe: Ohhhh yeah. I guess that coin was important to her, huh?

Mooster: It sure was, Moe.

Monkey Moe: So…what did she do?

Mooster: Jesus tells us in Luke 15:7 that she lit a candle and swept the whole house and looked diligently – that means she searched and searched – until she finally found it.

Monkey Moe: Oh wow – I bet she was happy once she found it.

Mooster: She sure was – Jesus said she was so happy she called all her friends together to rejoice with her.

Moe: Wow…she had a party because she found the coin?

Mooster: She sure did! A piece of silver back then was like having a piece of gold today … kind of like if your mom lost her wedding ring. It’s very valuable money-wise and it’s valuable because it’s close to her heart. It means something to her --- just like your stress ball means something to you.

Monkey Moe: Oh yeah. So….the moral of the story is that we should love money?  

Mooster: NO, Moe! Jesus was using this story to teach the people how much God loves them. He said that God loves us so much He searches us out – He seeks for us -  He wants us to be close to Him, to love Him, to trust Him as our Saviour.

Monkey Moe: Ohhhh…that makes more sense than what I said.

Mooster: Yes it does. And Jesus told the people that when someone responds to God and lets God find them, there is much rejoicing in heaven – all the angels rejoice!

Monkey Moe: What do you mean when someone lets God find them? The coin wasn’t trying to hide from the lady. My ball wasn’t trying to hide from me.

Mooster: No – but coins and balls are not human. People have a choice. They are often told that God is seeking them. They hear preaching and they are told about how much God loves them, but unless the person responds and accepts Christ, there is no rejoicing because there is no finding. Only when a person turns to God is there rejoicing in heaven.

Moe: I get it! Boys and girls – you are soooo much more important to God than money or toy balls or anything else. Jesus loved you so much He died for you and then He used His power to rise again fro the grave! He is alive in heaven right now! All you have to do is pray and ask God to forgive your sins and ask Jesus to come into your heart. You will be saved! Angels will rejoice! You will have a forever home in heaven!!

Mooster: That’s right Moe! Kids, if you don’t know for sure that you have a home in heaven please ask to talk to one of the adults after church tonight.

Moe/ Mooster: bye kids – we love you!

Puppets: Changing Seasons

Changing Seasons

Mooster:  Dum-de-dum-de-dum…(pokes head out from behind curtain) Hi Kids! How are you?  (Kids reply) Awesome! Have you seen all the beautiful weather we are having? The temps are dropping and the leaves are slowly changing color. It’s fall!!  I love fall. Did you know another word for “Fall” is “Autumn”?

Monkey Moe: (from behind the curtains), Wait just a minute, Mooster! Do I hear you saying you actually LIKE fall?

Mooster: Oh hi, Moe! Yep, I sure do! It’s my favorite season! I was just saying –

Monkey Moe:  Stop, stop, stop!!! How can this be your favorite season? Do you know what happens in the fall?

Mooster: Um, the trees turn pretty colors, the temperatures get cooler –

Monkey Moe: Stop! Go back to the trees for a minute. What ELSE happens to the trees?

Mooster: The leaves fall off the trees?

Monkey Moe: Bingo! THAT’S the part I’m getting to! The leaves fall off the trees! Do you know how that makes my treehouse look? Bare. Very, very bare.

Mooster:  Well, only for a few weeks, then you can hang Christmas lights and start decorating for Christmas and -  

Monkey Moe: You still don’t get this, do you. Go back to the leaves part. What happens to all those leaves that disappear off the tree? They land on the ground.

Mooster: Well, duh, Moe. They aren’t going to float up into the atmosphere! Of course they fall on the ground. Where else do you expect them to go?

Monkey Moe: But I have to rake them up! My mom thinks it looks too messy to have leaves all over the front and back yards, so I have to rake and rake and rake. I tried to tell her that leaf mulch was organically better to leave on the grass for the winter, but she doesn’t believe me. So I have to rake them in huge piles and bur n them off.

Mooster: My favorite smell in all the world! I  LOVE the smell of burning leaves in the fall. We go out and burn leaves, too. Roast some marshmallows, drink some hot apple cider or hot cocoa, smell the burning leaves. It’s fall!

Monkey Moe: Well I don’t like the raking part.

Mooster: Moe, you are one lazy monkey. Raking the leaves can be fun.  

Monkey Moe: Fun? How so?

Mooster: Well if you rake them up in a huge pile, then you can jump in them.

Monkey Moe: Why would I want to do that? Then I just have to rake them all up again.  

Mooster: Moe, you’ve never jumped in a pile of leaves?

Monkey Moe: Nope.

Mooster: You are missing out on some serious fun. How about if I come over and help you rake leaves, and then we can jump in the leaves for a while, then I’ll help you burn them off.

Monkey Moe: Wellllll….I guess maybe we could give it a try.

Mooster:  And that’s not all! After we burn them off, we can toss some old branches on there and roast marshmallows and drink hot cocoa!

Monkey Moe: Can we roase bananas, too? I love a hot, mushy banana between two graham crackers! MMMMMM Delicious! I call it a Smushy.

Mooster: Um, sure, Moe.

Monkey Moe: So…you don’t have any Bible verses for me on the subject of autumn?

Mooster: Oh, I do! Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books in the Bible, and chapter three is perfect for today. It says, To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.” In fact, Chapter 3 verse 1 is our Bible verse to memorize! “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Monkey Moe: Oh yeah…thanks for reminding me. Mom said I have to tear out all the summer plants that are dying and make the soil nice for springtime. Seems a lot of work to me.

Mooster: Well, there is a lot of work in maintaining a yard and garden. But Moe, didn’t you tell me you got to eat lots and lots of good fruits and veggies from your garden this year?

Moe: Yeah – wheelbarrows full of them. Mom had a great crop of everything! Well, except the chocolate plant. It didn’t do so well.

Mooster: Your mom planted chocoloate?

Monkey Moe: Not Mom, me. I plant a Hershey’s bar (without nuts – I don’t like nuts in my chocolate) and I watered it and NOTHING grew there. I was very disappointed.

Mooster: Um, Moe, you don’t plant chocolate bars and hope to grow plants. You have to plant seeds to get plants.

Monkey Moe: Ohhhh….so that’s what happened.

Mooster: Well anyway, your family saved a LOT of money by not having to buy groceries at the store, right?

Monkey Moe: Yeah.

Mooster: So it was a good thing to have a garden. So it was worth all the work of preparing the soil and weeding and everything.

Moe: Well, I guess if you put it that way, yes it was.

Mooster: Well, the seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter are kind of like our lives. When we are young, it’s springtime, and we are growing. When it is summer, we are weeding and reaping and enjoying the fruits of our labor. When it is fall, we are tearing up the old and getting ready for the new. And winter is like our time of rest. Older folks retire and take life at a slower pace. In the garden, the winter time is when the land rests. No tilling or planting or weeding. It just sleeps. And when it wakes up in the spring, it’s ready to be used again.

Moe: Oh, I guess I hadn’t thought of all that. That makes sense.

Mooster: Yep. And, that can apply to our spiritual lives as well. Springtime is like when we first know Jesus as our Savior. Right after we ask Him to forgive us of our sins and live in our hearts and rule our lives. Then it’s summertime – the Holy Spirit helps us grow and mature. Reading our Bible every day and praying and coming to church and Sunday School – all these things help us grow spiritually and the Holy Spirit helps us weed out the bad things in our lives that aren’t supposed to be there.

Moe: So what’s fall and winter?

Mooster: Fall is kind of like when we see older folks. They are retired and enjoying their hobbies and their grandchildren. They maybe can’t be as active as they once were, but they can be VERY important in helping their grandchildren understand God and they can spend time teaching them about the Bible.

Moe: I think I know what winter might be. Is winter when we die?

Mooster: Well, yes, Moe, it can be when we die, but unlike winter here on earth, where winter lasts forever and then spring finally comes, when we die, we are immediately with Christ, and it’s like springtime forever in heaven! There’s no more pain or sorrow or aching bones or sickness. So winter is a really, really short season spiritually.

Moe: Wow, I had never thought about all that, Moe. Thanks for taking the time to explain all that! Hey…do you want to come over to my treehouse and rake leaves? I think I’d like to try jumping in a pile today….

Mooster: Sure, Moe! I think I have some instant hot cocoa and marshmallows, too.

Moe: OH, and I have bananas and graham crackers!!

Mooster: Um…yeah. I guess I can try one of your “Smushies” too!

Moe: Hey kids – make sure you enjoy all the seasons that God gives you. Right now it’s fall – maybe you can rake leaves for your older neighbors or bring them some homemade cookies. Jump in some leaves! Enjoy all the crispy, crunchiness of falling leaves and thank the Lord for making seasons.

Mooster: Excellent advice, Moe!! Bye kids – see you next time!

Puppets: Waiting on the Lord

Waiting on the Lord

Mooster:  Hi Kids! How are you?  (Kids reply) Great!! I’ve been looking forward to children’s church tonight. In fact I ---

Monkey Moe: (from behind the curtains, shouting, “Wait for me! Wait for me! Gotta hurry” .. pokes head out of curtain) “Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy- Okay, I’m here, let’s get started!”

Mooster: Well good evening, Moe! I was just saying –

Monkey Moe:  That’s great, Mooster! Can you get on with the story?

Mooster: Um, well, Moe, you seem like you’re in a big rush –

Monkey Moe: I AM! Don’t you know there’s only 87 days until Christmas? I have to go to the mall tonight after story time and start my Christmas lists!

Mooster: Wow! You sure do start your Christmas shopping early! How do you know already what everyone in your treehouse wants for Christmas?

Monkey Moe: Huh? Who said anything about SHOPPING? I said I was going to the mall to start MY Christmas lists! You know – the stuff I want everyone else to buy for me!

Mooster:  Ohhh….I see.

Monkey Moe: Yeah, well, time’s a-wastin’! Let’s get on with the story for the night, huh? Stores close at nine!

Mooster: Moe, you said lists…plural…as in .. more than one list. Why is that?

Monkey Moe: Oh brother, Mooster. Of course – everyone has more than one list don’t they? I have it all systematically worked out – no two items are the same on any list, so I don’t have to worry about getting two of something. I have a list for my parents to buy for me, one for my brothers and sisters to buy for me, one for my teachers to buy for me, one for the Pastor to buy for me, one for my grandparents on my dad’s side, one for my grandparent’s on my mom’s side, one for my friends, and one for my aunts, uncles, and neighbors. Neat, huh?

Mooster: My word. I have never done that. I usually have a little list that I give my mom and dad. They tell whoever asks what’s on it.

Monkey Moe: Oh brother. Well, I can teach you how to do it right if you want.

Mooster: No thanks. I’m good.

Monkey Moe: So, time’s ticking away here – what’s the story about?

Mooster: Waiting on the Lord.

Monkey Moe: Waiting for what?  

Mooster: For whatever. For anything. For everything.

Monkey Moe: Oh. Wow. You mean gifts too? Oh wait, wait – I know what you are talking about! Doesn’t the Bible say that every good gift cometh from the Lord?

Mooster: Well, yes, Moe, but it’s not talking about video

Monkey Moe: Blustering banana bugs! I’ve left out a vast resource for gifts! I never thought about making a list to give God for me for Christmas! Ho boy – this is gonna be the best Christmas ever!

Mooster:  That’s not the point! The point here is that we are to wait on God for His perfect timing in every part of our lives. And yes, God does give us gifts – His most precious gift to us is eternal life with Him in heaven, if we accept the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, when He died to pay for our sins. That’s the best gift of all.

Monkey Moe: Oh. Yeah. You are right, Mooster. My salvation is the BEST thing I’ve ever received. Do you think I’m maybe…well…just a little tiny bit…just a teeny weeny bit….too interested in receiving gifts?

Mooster: Yes, I do. How about you wait and not go to the mall, and listen to the story instead?

Monkey Moe: Um. I guess I can do that.

Mooster: Great! Here’s a verse from Isaiah 40: 31. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”

Monkey Moe: What does waiting upon the Lord mean? Is He coming for a visit? Should I clean my room?

Mooster: Well, in the days when there were kings everywhere, there were people who waited on them – that means they served the king. They would bring him things that he needed or asked for, like important papers, or clothing, or carriages, or food, or whatever. It was their job to serve Him.

Moe: Oh. So that verse means we should be serving God?

Mooster: Yes. Sometimes you will hear someone say they don’t know who God wants them to marry, or where they should live or go to school. So they are praying about it and waiting on God. By that, they should mean that they are both waiting for an answer or direction from God, but also that they are waiting on Him, or serving Him, while they are waiting for the answer. Waiting can be used both ways.

Monkey Moe: Are there more verses about waiting?

Mooster: Yep. Psalm 37:9 says, “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.”

Monkey Moe: That sounds pretty good – inheriting the earth!

Mooster: God rewards our patience when we trust Him and serve Him.

Monkey Moe: Sometimes it’s hard to wait for things, though.

Mooster: Yes, it is. In Jeremiah, it tells us that God is the giver of rain and showers, and that we should wait on Him because He has made all those things.

Moe: Well, let’s go back to the serving part. How do we serve God?

Mooster: We can serve God in many ways. We can serve Him by obeying our parents. By helping our neighbors. By giving our time to do tasks for people, like…let’s say your neighbor’s yard needs raking, but they can’t do it because they are old or in a wheelchair. You can rake their leaves for them and you can tell them that you are doing it because you love the Lord Jesus Christ. Your service to others is a service to God.

Moe: That’s cool! What about going to church, praying, reading my Bible, and memorizing verses. Are those all ways I can serve God, too?

Mooster: Yep. Sure! Those are all great ways to serve Him.

Moe: Um. Mooster?

Mooster: Yes, Moe?

Moe: Do you think I should maybe…reconsider my Christmas lists? Maybe I should make some lists instead of ways I can serve God. Things that I could do for others to show Christ’s love to them.

Mooster: Moe, that is a very excellent idea! Did you know, I know of a lady who got saved, partly because she saw how people who loved her, served God by taking care of her when she was dying. She saw Jesus through the service of those people. So you see – serving others IS serving Jesus!

Moe: Kids – I guess I had a good idea! Maybe this week you can go home and think of ways that you can wait on God – serve Him by serving others. Mooster – do you have a list of things you can do to serve God?

Mooster: As a matter of fact, I don’t! But I think it’s a great idea. Do you want to work on your list while I work on mine tonight? Instead of going to the mall, that is.

Moe: OH, hahahahah. Yeah. I don’t think I’ll be going to the mall anytime soon. Christmas is a long way away and I have more important things to think about – like waiting on God. Should we go back to my treehouse to make the lists? We can have banana shakes while we work on them!

Mooster: Sounds great! What are we waiting for?

Moe and Mooster: BYE KIDS!