Amy: Well, I realized that I’ve sent flowers and cards for the last seven years. Ever since I left home.
Joy (Impressed): Wow! You never forgot?
Amy: Never. (Nose in the air in mock pride) I wasn’t even late, either.
Joy: Man! Last year I almost forgot. I sent an extra large bouquet to make up for being late. Got a great sale price, though, because it was after Mother’s Day.
Amy: Did your mom like it?
Joy: Oh, yeah. Of course.
Amy: What’d she say?
Joy: Oh, something about how I had extended Mother’s Day for her.
Amy: Gracious lady.
Joy (Rueful): Yeah. (Gestures to the bag) So, why aren’t you doing the flowers and card routine this year?
Amy: Because I realized it had become just that.
Joy: Just that.
Amy: Just that.
Joy (Puzzled): Just what?
Amy: Routine.
Joy: Routine?
Amy: Yeah. (Grins) Routine. The end of April, I’d buy a card and order flowers, and that was it. Every year. Ad nauseam. It had become a rote, routine sort of thing. It required very little thought or effort on my part.
Joy: Oh. (Squirms uncomfortably) So what’s in the bag?
Amy: Stuff.
Joy (Nodding wisely—none the wiser): Stuff.
Amy: Yup. Stuff.
Joy (Waits expectantly and then): Care to elucidate?
Amy: I remembered when I was a kid, the gifts that pleased Mom most were the things that came from me. I mean—from out of who I am. So—(She reaches in the bag and pulls out an unsightly lump of clay, haphazardly painted.)
Joy: What’s that?
Amy: An ashtray.
Joy (Picks it up and examines it): It doesn’t look like an ashtray.
Amy (Grins): I know. (Rueful smile) I’m not much better at molding now than when I was a kid.
Joy: An ashtray. (Beat) Your mom doesn’t even smoke! Nobody in your family smokes.
Amy (Nods): I know. But she loved the ashtray I made for her when I was seven.
Joy: That thing looks like it was made by a seven year old chimpanzee.
Amy (Superior air): Mock not, my cynical friend. This (holds the ashtray aloft) may be the start of undiscovered genius.
Joy (Stares at the thing in morbid fascination): Yeahhh. So undiscovered it will never be found.
Amy (Puts ashtray down): Well, Mom made me feel like it was undiscovered genius of the highest order.
Joy: Yeah. Moms are good at that. I remember this papier mâché brooch I made her when I was ten. The thing redefined the word “tacky”. (She shudders)
Amy: And?
Joy: She still wears it occasionally! I mean, really! Can you believe it? She wore it last year to her office Christmas party. She had a brand new gown, spent a fortune on her hair, and then she wore my pin!
Amy (Awed): Wow!
Joy: Yeah. Undiscovered genius. And I’m 32!
Amy: Exactly. Moms have a gift for that.
Joy (Really interested now): So, what else have you got in there?
Amy (Pulls out silk dandelions): Dandelions.
Joy (Brows up—they look like mums): Dandelions?
Amy (Nods): I cheated and bought these. Have you ever tried to press and dry dandelions? Yuck! So these are dandelions. My mother’s favorite flower.
Joy (Squeaks): Dandelions?
Amy (Grins): Yeah.
Joy (Slowly nods, getting it. Grins): Yeah, they’re my mom’s favorite, too. I’d pick dandelions and she’d put them in a crystal vase and place them on the dining room table.
Amy: See? Dandelions. (She reaches into the bag and pulls out a card made from construction paper, paper doilies and spray painted macaroni shells) Voilà…! The pièce de résistance!
Joy (Takes it): A card.
Amy: (Proudly) I wrote the poem myself.
Joy (Reads aloud):
I have a mom who’s great to me.
She loves and cares for me, you see.
She’s always there through thick and thin,
And when I cry, she makes me grin.
I love my mom for who she is.
Her happy spirit makes me fizz.
Joy :(Looks up, bemused) Fizz? (She shakes her head) This, my dear Amy, is about the worst poem I’ve ever read.
Amy (Ruefully): I know. Just don’t tell my mom that!
Joy: Yeah. Undiscovered genius. (She rubs a tear from her eye) Well, I’ve gotta go. Can you handle this work on your own? Got some errands to run.
Amy: Sure. Whatcha doin’?
Joy: Oh, I think I’ll buy some modeling clay and construction paper. And maybe I’ll cancel an order for some flowers.
Amy (Puts a hand on friend’s shoulder): Good luck. And have fun.
Joy: I will. Thanks, Amy. (She starts for the door)
Amy: Uh—Joy?
Joy (Stops at door): Yeah?
Amy: Next year, it’ll be flowers and a card again.
Joy: It will? (Stupefied) How come?
Amy: Because she really, truly does love them. But next year, it won’t be a rote, routine thing. I hope it never will be again. Who knows? I might even write another poem!
Joy: Amy. (She opens the door) Do your mom a favor. Buy a card. (And she exits)
Amy (Chuckles as she gathers up her stuff): I don’t know. There just might be some undiscovered genius lurking there.
~~~~
TO BE A DAD
Dedicated to my dad, Roy Carter – a real dad.
Summary: A young pastor is terrified of becoming a dad.
Cast:
Jason—the pastor, a young man
Maureen—his secretary—wise, grandmotherly
Setting: office—desk and chair
Props: membership list (should be a stack of papers), telephone
Running Time: Approximately 6 minutes
Jason: (kneeling, gathering papers from floor)
Maureen: (entering, sees him, stops) Being on one’s knees is undoubtedly good exercise. (Beat) But I can think of better things to do once I’m down there.
Jason: Huh?
Maureen: Prayer, Jase, honey. Prayer.
Jason: (stands) Oh. Yeah. I dropped the membership roll.
Maureen: (nods) I see.
Jason: Yes. Well. (Stacks papers on desk. They fall again) Oh, brother! (Kneels)
Maureen: Jason.
Jason: (muttering)
Maureen: Jason!
Jason: (blinks) What?
Maureen: I hope those are prayers you’re muttering down there.
Jason: Uh. Yeah. (Stands, puts papers on desk)
Maureen: (grabs papers) Let me do that. (examines them) Good grief! What a mess!
Jason: Uh. Yeah.
Maureen: Your conversation is sparkling with wit, today. What are you doing with these papers?
Jason: Looking for Conrad’s cell phone number.
Maureen: Why not get it from your computer?
Jason: I wiped it.
Maureen: You wiped it? Conrad’s number?
Jason: Yes. No. I mean, yes. Conrad’s number. I mean the whole thing.
Maureen: The whole thing? You mean the entire membership roll?
Jason: Yeah. That’s why I got the hard copy.
Maureen: How’d you do that?
Jason: I was writing my sermon.
Maureen: You do that every week without mishap.
Jason: Well, I wiped the sermon. I couldn’t get it back. I tried everything. I wanted Conrad’s advice. Couldn’t find his number.
Maureen: Sounds like you’ve had quite a day.
Jason: Yeah. And it’s only 8:30 in the morning. I have to get through at least 14 more hours before I can go to bed.
Maureen: I’ve never seen you like this. You’ve always had it together, calm, cool and collected. Even your blue jeans are immaculately pressed!
Jason: (affronted) They are not!
Maureen: And you’ve never had trouble with
the computer before. What gives?
Jason: Just one of those days.
Maureen: What’s the trouble?
Jason: Oh, you know. This ‘n’ that.
Maureen: Oh, that’s real helpful. I’ll bet you let your counseling clients get away with that.
Jason: You’re not my counselor.
Maureen: No, I’m your secretary, which is even better. Spill it!
Jason: Debbie and I are going to have a baby.
Maureen: (drops papers) You what?
Jason: Yeah. (Both kneel to gather papers) We’re pregnant. (Gulps) I’m going to become a father.
Maureen: Why, that’s wonderful! (Big hug) Congratulations! But what’s bothering you?
Jason: (pacing) I’m scared stiff.
Maureen: That’s understandable. It’s a huge commitment. (Putting the membership roll in order)
Jason: What if I’m not a good father?
Maureen: You won’t be a perfect one. No one is. But I’m sure you and Debbie will make fine parents.
Jason: Oh, yes! Debbie’ll be great. But me—I just don’t know if I have what it takes.
Maureen: What does it take?
Jason: What?
Maureen: What does it take to be a good father?
Jason: I dunno. (Beat) Playing catch.
Maureen: Did your father play catch with you?
Jason: Yeah, he did.
Maureen: Did that make him a good dad?
Jason: I thought so.
Maureen: Why?
Jason: It made me feel he liked being with me. That he enjoyed my company because I was a kid, not in spite of it.
Maureen: (smiles) Nice.
Jason: Yeah.
Maureen: What else?
Jason: He provided for us. (Grins) I took that for granted.
Maureen: Normal for kids.
Jason: And he’s honest. He lost a promotion because of his integrity. Several times. Didn’t resent it. Said if he didn’t live by his principles, he’d have no principles to live by.
Maureen: Quite an example.
Jason: Yeah. Dad was a quiet kind of guy. Yet when we had family devotions, he was strong and true. A spiritual leader. We kids respected that.
Maureen: Absolutely essential.
Jason: It sure is. (Laughs) You know, I just thought of something. You know what made me feel secure in my little world?
Maureen: What?
Jason: He loved my mom. He cherished her. When I was snotty and mouthed off, he really came down on me. He respected her, allowed her to be herself.
Maureen: And so, you grew up seeing your mother as a person of worth.
Jason: (how about that?) Yeah.
Maureen: As you now see Debbie as a person of worth.
Jason: Yeah.
Maureen: But that’s not all, is it?
Jason: Not by a long shot. His faith in God was so steady. It colored everything. If he had doubts from time to time, I never saw it. What I did see was a man on his knees.
Maureen: On his knees, eh.
Jason: Yeah.
Maureen: Quite a check list.
Jason: (nods) I know. (A touch of panic) How can I ever measure up?
Maureen: Your dad ever make mistakes?
Jason: Plenty of times. Nobody’s perfect.
Maureen: And you won’t be either, (grins) even if you are a minister and you’re supposed to be.
Jason: I just don’t want to be a schmuck.
Maureen: I’m afraid you will be, sometimes. Whatever a schmuck is. But mostly you’ll just be a dad. Follow your father’s example, but don’t compare yourself to him. Rely on him and your mom for advice. After all, they’ve already done it once, and didn’t do such a bad job!
Jason: Gee, thanks.
Maureen: There’s one thing you can copy that’ll give you an edge that nothing can beat.
Jason: What’s that?
Maureen: (Stands and throws her neatly stacked pile of papers on the floor) Get on your knees, Jason. The more time you spend there will equip you for the time on your feet better than anything else. (He kneels and gathers papers. She goes to door) God bless you, Daddy Jason! (Exits)
~~~~
Children’s Easter Recitations
Christ Is Risen
Christ is risen,
He is risen indeed
Life’s victory is won
Christ is risen,
He is risen indeed
A new day is begun
Christ is risen,
He is risen indeed
Sing happy songs of praise
Christ is risen,
He is risen indeed
Shout aloud, and glad hands raise
~~~~
Sing and Celebrate
Sing and celebrate the victory of our Lord!
For His coming wait,
His glory our reward.
For Jesus, our Saviour, has conquered death
And rose up from the grave.
We sing and praise with joyous breath
From hearts He came to save.
~~~~
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
What a wonderful Name we call
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
For He rose to save us all
~~~~
Children’s Mother’s Day Recitations
A Mother Teaches
The mother eagle with chicks in the nest
Shows them all what she does best
She stretches her wings and soars to the sky
And teaches them to jump up and fly
The mother pony with a colt at her side
Shows him what is a horse’s pride
She kicks up her heels and gallops in fun
And teaches him to leap out and run
The mother dolphin with a calf in the sea
Shows her child what brings her glee
She dives down deep, then returns with a grin
And teaches him to plunge in and swim
My mother teaches me what she does best
And because of that, I’m very blessed
For she teaches me about God above
And by her example, how to love
~~~~
It’s Mommy!
I know somebody who loves me
I know somebody who cares
I know somebody who’s always there
I know somebody—it’s Mommy!
Mommy’s somebody who loves me
Mommy’s somebody who cares
Mommy’s somebody who’s always there
I know somebody—it’s Mommy!
~~~~
Children’s Father’s Day Recitations
My Daddy Cares
I might be just a little kid
But I know a thing or two
I know my daddy cares for me
I know it, ‘cause it’s true!
When I’m sad he reaches me
and wipes my tears away
When I’m bad he teaches me
to listen and obey
When I’m mad he brings to me
comfort in my fears
When I’m glad he sings with me
and laughs and smiles and cheers
I might be just a little kid
But I know a thing or two
I know my daddy cares for me
I know it, ‘cause it’s true!
~~~~
What Does My Daddy Do?
What does my daddy do?
What does he do for me?
He smiles, he cries, he works, he plays,
He shows me how to share
He reads, he drives, he laughs, he prays,
And shows me how to care
What does my daddy do?
That’s what he does for me!
~~~~
###
About the Author
L. Ruth Carter
Writer, public speaker, actor, singer—I am a storyteller.
Although I have held jobs through the years in retail, administration, and Christian theater, I always come back to my love of stories. The very best stories are those that focus on and glorify Jesus Christ.
After spending many years travelling around Canada, the U.S., and Europe with an itinerant drama ministry, I now live in Cottage Country, Ontario with my father and my dog, Scooter.
Connect with me online
My website, Leaping Off the Page, is l-ruth-carter.com.
~~~~
Previously Published
The following piece was first published
by Standard Publishing
in their 2004 Easter Programs for the Church:
“Oh What a Day” (published under the title, “In Him is Light)
The following pieces were previously published
by Lillenas Publishing Company
in their Easter program builders
(www.lillenas.com):
“Were You There?”: Easter Program Builder No. 31
“Exalt the King”: Easter Program Builder No. 32
“Christ is Risen”: Easter Program Builder No. 33
“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”: Easter Program Builder No. 33
“O Glorious Day!”: Easter Program Builder No. 33
“Hosanna”: Easter Program Builder No. 34
The following pieces were previously published
by Lillenas Publishing Company in their
Mother’s & Father’s Day Program Builder No. 12:
“A Mother Teaches”
“It’s Mommy!”
“My Daddy Cares”
“To Be a Dad”
“What Does My Daddy Do?”
Most of the above-listed pieces have been edited since their original publication.
~~~~
Purchasing Production Kits
I hope you enjoyed reading these program resources. If you would like to produce and perform any of them in your church, go to my website where you may order a production “kit” . This kit is an 8½ x 11 inch PDF document that includes scripts plus any bulletin inserts for the litanies. Purchasing a kit gives you the rights to print as many copies as you need, and to perform the programs, dramas, and readings in your church. The kits are also available in hard copy.
~~~~
Also Available
Leaping Off the Page: Christmas Edition
A collection of plays, stories, and poems
for use in church programs.
Come and Worship
A Christmas Eve service using the five stanzas of “Angels from the Realms of Glory” for each of the five candles in the Advent wreath. The length will be affected by the amount of music that is included in the program.