• Penguins and People - 10/03/2013

    "I love watching all the animals," said Diane when her class at school took a field trip to the zoo, "but the penguins are my favorites! They look so funny waddling around on land. And it's even more fun to watch them swim. They look like they're flying underwater!" Whenever Diane went swimming herself,...

  • Holy Spirit Feet? - 09/28/2013

    "Wow! Look at all the shoes!" Carrie exclaimed. "What kind shall we get?" "Well, I need sneakers for gym," answered her sister Glenna, "but those sandals are really cute. I like the colors." "You're right! I'm definitely going to try those," Carrie said as she picked up a sandal to look at the buckle...

  • An Unjoyful Sound - 09/27/2013

    As Adam and Darrin walked home, Adam looked at his friend in surprise. "Where did you learn that song you're singing?" Adam asked. "Oh, it's on the new CD by the Mid Knight Witches," answered Darrin. "I bought it yesterday at the mall." "But the words are bad! And you're a Christian!" Adam exclaimed. "So?...

  • Replace It! - 09/26/2013

    "What smells so funny?" Will asked as his older brother Trent drove the car into the garage. "Is it the engine?" Trent sniffed and made a face. "Maybe," he said. "I better check it out." Will got out of the car and watched as Trent opened the hood. They gasped in surprise. Green coolant was splattered...

  • Thanks for Food Stamps - 09/25/2013

    "Alicia, I need you to go to the grocery store for me," said Mom. "We're out of bread and milk." Mom held out a book of food stamps. "And be sure to . . ." She stopped speaking when she noticed the pout on Alicia's face. "What's the matter?" asked Mom. "Oh, Mom, do I have to go?" asked Alicia. "Why...

  • Never Is a Long Time - 09/24/2013

    "Mom!" Ricky called angrily as he ran into the house. "Elliot did it again! He said if I'd play checkers with him, he'd let me use his basketball." "Well, that seems fair to me," Mom said, "so what's the problem?" "We played checkers just like he wanted to do, but he still won't give me the basketball,"...

  • Happy to Serve - 09/23/2013

    "Corey was a privileged little boy. He had a bike, a generous allowance, and lots of toys," Mom read, holding up the book so everyone could see the pictures. She read on and turned some more pages, so they saw Corey in his Boy Scout and baseball team uniforms. "But Corey was not happy," Mom read....

  • A Bird Named Witness - 09/22/2013

    "Joelle, would you please fill the bird feeder?" asked Mom as she peeled potatoes for supper. "I noticed it was empty earlier." Joelle took the bag of birdseed from under the counter and went outside to the patio. As she carefully poured the seed into the feeder, she noticed her mother watching her....

  • Unarmed! - 09/21/2013

    "Ihave a little story to start our class today," announced Mr. Larson as the Sunday school class members settled into their seats. "It has a lesson that goes along with today's Bible verse." "Oh no!" exclaimed Casey. "I forgot my Bible again!" "Well, you can scoot your chair over and look on with...

  • A Call for Help - 09/20/2013

    "Yip! Yip!" The small terrier yelped and fled across the yard to the back door. "Trixie!" shouted Ann. "Something's happened to Trixie!" Ann and her brother Carson ran to their pet. Ann picked up Trixie, and the little dog snuggled in her arms, trembling and whining. "Oh, Carson, I think she's hurt!" "Where?"...

  • Somebody’s Blood - 09/19/2013

    "Hey, Grandpa, can we go for a hike in the woods behind your house?" Theo asked eagerly when he visited his grandfather one Saturday morning. "Let's do it," agreed Grandpa. "Want to take a picnic lunch along?" "Yes!" exclaimed Theo, and soon they were off on their adventure. They hiked all morning...

  • The Show-Off - 09/18/2013

    "Wow, I'd hate to fall down there," said Travis as he and his friend Jos peered over a fence that separated them from a massive waterfall. The wind threw spray into their faces as the water spilled over the lip of the fall. "Look!" exclaimed Jos, pointing to some boys who were climbing on the fence....

  • Why Mosquitoes? - 09/17/2013

    "O-h-h-h, I'm getting so itchy! I hate mosquitoes!" Nanette slapped her arm. All evening she and her brother Isaac had been bothered by the pesky insects, but they hadn't wanted to stay inside the cabin. "Well, I'm not ready to go in yet," said Isaac. "We only have a couple more days here at the...

  • Wholesome Diets - 09/16/2013

    Lauren liked the freedom of being on her own for an hour before her mother got home from work. She poured herself a glass of milk, grabbed a cookie, and sat down to watch a TV show. If Mom were here, she wouldn't let me watch this, Lauren thought, feeling a bit guilty, but I can't see how listening...

  • Worse Than Onions - 09/15/2013

    "Yuck!" complained Dustin as he came into the house and sat down at the table next to his brother Ben. "It smells terrible in here! What are you eating?" "Just a hot dog," answered Ben. He pointed to a pan on the stove. "Mom had to go next door to help Mrs. Ray with something, so she said to fix...

  • Dad’s Umbrella - 09/14/2013

    "I like walking in the rain," said Becky as she and her dad headed for the store to get a few groceries. Dad held an umbrella, and Becky crowded close to him. Together they sauntered along, comfortable and dry under Dad's big umbrella. At the store, Becky and her dad met the Drews, who were former...

  • Whose Fault? - 09/13/2013

    Missy walked into the kitchen, all ready for school except that her feet were bare. "Mom, I can't find any clean socks!" she said as she sat down for breakfast. "Then you didn't put the dirty ones in the hamper like I told you to do," Mom replied. "I washed everything in it yesterday." "Well, what...

  • The Home Run That Wasn’t - 09/12/2013

    Miguel sat on the bench and waited for his turn at bat. His team was losing by just one run, and it was the last inning--their last opportunity to catch up with the other team. If I get up to bat, God can help me get a hit, he thought, so he silently prayed, asking God to let him hit a home run. There...

  • The Greatest Miracle - 09/11/2013

    "Was that Aunt Karen?" asked Greg as his mother hung up the phone. "Yes, it was," replied Mom with a big smile, "and she said the infection in Maria's eye has completely cleared up. That is such a blessing!" "I guess so!" exclaimed Greg as he thought back over the past months. "She's been taking...

  • Cantaloupe Episode (Cont’d) - 09/10/2013

    Jack tossed and turned in bed, unable to get to sleep. He kept remembering his neighbor's disappointment over the loss of the melon he'd intended to enter in the fair. We were just having a little fun, but . . . if only we hadn't taken that cantaloupe! thought Jack, recalling how he and his friend...