Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24-27, Luke 6:47-49) (01/18/24)
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TITLE: When Foolish Leads to Wise | Previous Challenge Entry
By LINDA GERMAIN
01/25/24 -
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When he turned twenty-one, Harry took off on his old motorcycle to find his fortune. One night in a raging storm, with his few dollars dwindling and no thought of a direction, he took shelter in a little charity mission.
After a hot meal and an offered bunk, he decided the required few minutes of preaching was a bargain. He had heard of God and Jesus but only combined with all kinds of cuss words. He did wonder though.
The next morning, Harry was anxious to get on the road but had to “pay” for a hearty breakfast with one more fifteen-minute sermon. He sat beside the cute little frizzy-haired blond in the back row and talked her into joining him for the great-smelling pancakes and coffee.
“What’s your name?”
She wasn’t shy about jumping right in with more details than he needed.
“I’m Joy Fontain. I lived in an awful old rental shack that nearly burned down last week while my daddy was in jail for stealing a cow and I was hungry so I came over here to eat."
“Wow, Joy. You sure do say a lot all at once. A COW?”
She leaped out of the metal folding chair as she announced, “I need some more maple syrup. You want another little packet?”
Before he could answer she was back and ready to talk.
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“A cow.”
Harry was puzzled. “Why?”
Joy wiped the syrup off her chin as she explained in more rapid-fire speaking.
“Uh, I’m not too sure. It probably had something to do with a bet, or maybe a debt. He does stupid stuff like that when he thinks folks owe him and won’t pay, so he just collects when they’re not looking.”
“Do you go to school, Joy?”
“Nope,” she answered after the last gulp of milk. Eighteen. Finished.”
He didn’t know if she meant breakfast or high school. He was intrigued by this interesting little character.
“Where you headed,” she asked as she noticed his motorcycle chained to the rail outside.
Jokingly, Harry said, “Don’t know. You wanna go with me?”
She stopped chattering to weigh the options.
“Hmm, well, I have no real home. Sure, I’m in.”
He was stunned, but had the good sense to warn her, “I only have one helmet.”
Joy happily bounced out to hop on the back of the bike while informing him of the plan.
“Don’t worry. Junelle lives down the street. She’s got one but her mama won’t let her ride.”
Again, he was confused.
“Wait! One WHAT?”
“Helmet, silly! And she has my good jacket and a few other things—oh, and a backpack I can use.”
So, off they roared over to Junelle’s place. He waited outside.
In no time Joy ran across the yard with the helmet already on her head, the pack on her back, and a bulging paper bag.
As he started the motor, she yelled, “Oh, she gave me a bunch of bologna sandwiches and some of those little water bottles.”
Harry Glumper was having more fun than he had ever had in his life.
As they were eating the picnic at a rest area, she began to talk quietly.
“Listen, Thumper,” a name she liked better than Harry, “do you understand what those Bible verses meant that we heard?”
“You mean about building a house on a rock instead of sand?”
“Yeah. How do you do that?”
“We could ask a preacher or somebody. Meantime, we’re about out of gas and money. We may have to stop and get some kind of work.”
That didn’t faze her. “Okay.”
Along the unplanned way, true love snuck right in and took a firm hold on the two rather hapless humans. At another charitable mission place, they stopped for food and some serious answers from the intuitive minister. Harry asked if he married people.
They gave their hearts to God and then to each other with wedding vows. Harry went to work at a grocery and she waited on tables at a café. They joined a small church and settled down to build their house on that beautiful rock.
Dear sweet Thumper and charming Joy loved to share their amazing story.
It always ended with this wisdom.
“Matthew 4:24-27 is our immovable cornerstone forever.”
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