Sacred Cynicism

  Children’s Sermon from This week

So what can I do with this brief little time, maybe, I thought, I could make the words rhyme. Oh, I could speak here, or way over there, and maybe I could stand and speak almost anywhere. Oh, I could teach you in the rain, or I could speak with you in a train. I could speak on a box, or I could talk to you with a fox. So because sometimes my brains get loose, I thought I might talk like Doctor Seuss.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
by the incomparable Dr. Seuss/adapted and expanded by Doug Ward

Congratulations! Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you. And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch. You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

So in the dark place, I suggest that you pray, and talk to the God who will always know the way. He’ll tell you to go, or to turn this way or that, or maybe talk with you, for He loves a good chat.

And chat with you God will for He’s the One who made you, be your name Steven, Mildred, Bob or Cindy Lu-Who. A simple prayer is where you will learn God’s best, remember He said, “I came to give you rest.”

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for someone to give them a break, or if no one is looking a fancy thing to just take. Waiting for money from old rich Uncle Jake, or perhaps make a fast buck with a sure bet to make. Perhaps someone will give me a big fancy car, and then perhaps I can really go far.

Waiting for a chance at great fame, or if I pick the right numbers, I can win the big Lotto Game. Sure that’s it, I know I can win, I have been waiting so long for my ship to come in.

I can wait to go the same places with all of my friends, cut all the same corners, see all the rules bend. I can do all the same things as all of these smarties, go to the noisy places and to all of the same parties.

If only I will wait for the good to come to me, how smart, brilliant, and famous I shall be. No need to work hard, do good, and spend time in study, I’ll leave that for the old fuddy-de-duddys.

. Everyone is just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV. Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you. All Alone! Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!

Just remember on those days when the weather is foul, the rain comes in sheets and the wind starts to howl. You may be confused about what you should do, and the Fetter-Fet-Fitters say nasty things about you.

Jesus is one who has walked in your shoes, and has heard all the teases, the jokes and the boos. He loves you and all your friends who say “Hey”, and will always be there to help you on your way.

There will be rough days when you have to admit, I am sorry, I’m the one who did it. Nothing gets better after a wrong has been done, unless you say, God, yes I was the One.

But saying those words will mean you’ve played your part, and lets God himself get down deep in your heart. He will change your words, your actions from above, and the Fetter-Fit-Fitters will even help you to love.

As you go into the world that hates way, way too much, there will be struggle, hardships, unfairness and such. So if you live in the city or out on the range, please do not forget there is a world we must change.

How can I do this, after all I’m just one. There is so much to do, so much good to be done. You are not alone when the Hakken-Kraks go boo, for Jesus has said “I will never leave you.”