It’s 9 O’clock and Where are the Car Keys?

Part 1:

It had been a busy September day and everyone was ready to go home.  Elizabeth and her family had been at an end of summer picnic in South Park.  Now it was time to gather up all their belongings and say goodbye to their friends. 

“Let’s all be in charge of one kind of thing,” suggested Dad.  

Since they were a family of five, he divided the work into five specific kinds of things to gather.  Elizabeth offered to collect all the toys and her older brother, Ted, said he would get all the folding chairs.  Their younger sister, Marsha, was in charge of blankets and towels. Mom was in charge of the food and Dad said he would gather all the trash.  Working together, they cleaned up their picnic area in a short time.

Then Dad said, “I will go get the car from the parking lot so we can pack it up and go.  I’ll be right back.” 

Discussion questions for part 1:

1. What does it mean to be in charge of one kind of thing?
2. Why does a task working together get done more quickly?
3. Why did they clean up the picnic area?

Part 2:

Mom, Elizabeth, Marsha and Ted sat at the picnic table as they watched for Dad to return.  While they waited they enjoyed a beautiful sunset beginning to transform the sky with pink and orange.  Soon several lights came on as the sun was setting.  Then fireflies started to come out as twilight approached so the kids chased fireflies for a while.  But still Dad had not returned with the car.  They all began to wonder why he was taking such a long time.  Each person had a possible reason for his delay.

Ted suggested, “Maybe he forgot where he parked the car.”

Elizabeth said, “Maybe the car ran out of gas.”

Even Marsha came up with an idea saying, “Maybe the car has a flat tire.”

Mom was just ready to join in with her own idea, when her cell phone rang.  She answered the phone and was glad to hear Dad’s voice loud and clear.  “Where are you?” She asked him.

“Well, I’m standing beside our car but I can’t find the keys, “ he moaned.

Mom started to laugh as she reached into her pocket and found the missing keys.  “I drove, remember?” she said. “That’s why you don’t have the car keys and I do.”

Dad sighed and said, “It’s already 9:00 o’clock and pretty dark.  I know that Ted brought a flashlight.  Could you ask the neighbors at the picnic if someone will walk with Ted to bring the keys to me?  Then I can give them a ride back.”  

Ted spoke up saying, “We’ll come as soon as possible, no problem.”

One of the neighbors was glad to help and walked with Ted to get the keys to Dad.  Soon they returned with the car and everyone packed up to go home.  Dad and Mom thanked those that had helped them.  Elizabeth’s family was thankful for their friends, their phones and that they were all back together again. They knew that God had been looking out for them all the time.

Discussion questions for part 2:

1. How do you know that it was getting late?
2. What do you do when you have to wait around for someone?
3. How did the family use their imaginations while they waited?
4. Why do you think Dad suggested that Ted have a neighbor come with him when he walked to the parked car?

Part 3:

Now that the keys are found and the family is back together, they are all ready to go home.  It was good that they had a neighbor to help them. Helping one another was practiced by Elizabeth’s family so that might give you an idea of what could happen next.  Think of a time when you have done something nice to show your appreciation for someone’s help.  What might her family do to thank their neighbor for his help? 

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Ecc. 4: 9-10