Dec 30, 2014
Much, Much More…
— Patricia Cruzan, SR Interim Editor
Jeremy Evans writes children’s stories…you may remember “Lionel Rathbone’s Incredible Growing Nose Hairs” published in the November Sabbath Recorder. His stories are fun and, at times, a little outrageous. But there is something to be learned from Jeremy’s storytelling if you look close enough.
Another story that Jeremy has written is called “The Incredible Inflating Hen.” It is humorous and despite laughing at it, it spoke to me. (If you want to read all the story, go to Jeremy’s blog at drumhellerstoryteller.blogspot.com) I am going to quote only a few parts of the story here:
One morning as the hens were laying eggs in the henhouse, Geraldine set down her coffee mug and shook her head at an old hen across the aisle. “Bernadette, dear,” she said. “It fairly breaks my heart to see you strain every day, trying to lay an egg.”
Bernadette looked up and smiled patiently as she knitted a scarf.
“Geraldine is right,” said Henrietta, setting down her crossword puzzle. “It’s been almost a year since you’ve laid an egg. Don’t you think it’s time to admit your egg-laying days are over?”
The henhouse grew quiet as everyone tried to hear what Bernadette would say.
“I may be old,” said Bernadette, “but I’m not ready to retire. I have one more good egg left in me. And no matter how long it takes, I’m not giving up until I’ve laid it.”
So, there you have it…that’s where it got my attention. “I may be old, but I’m not ready to retire.”
I began to learn graphic arts while working in the SDB Publishing House in Plainfield, NJ. So I have long had an interest in the denominational publications and
especially the Sabbath Recorder. When I heard that the General Council wanted to hire an interim editor for the SR, my reaction was that I really would like to do that and decided to apply. Like Bernadette, I was not ready to retire!
That’s when all the “hens” in my head started in:
“If you wait much longer it’s going to be hardboiled, dear,” said Edwina, who always joked at the most inappropriate times. A few hens snickered discreetly.
We are talking about God leading and directing our lives in this edition of the SR. So, yes, I was plagued with doubts. But an interesting thing happened. God also started talking to me: With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20 NCV)
And Bernadette said: “On the contrary. Since I’ve spent so much time working on it, it will be my finest egg yet.”
Then, through a series of unbelievable mishaps and an allergy to worm paste (you really do need to read the entire story…), Bernadette delivered a lovely egg…much to everyone’s surprise!!
Bernadette was as astonished as everyone else as she gazed at the egg in her nest. Every day for a whole year she had strained and toiled, patiently enduring the taunts of the other hens. But as she admired her egg, Bernadette felt a glow of satisfaction in her heart. It had all been worth it.
Later, when the other hens had recovered from the surprise and resumed laying eggs, Henrietta called across the aisle, “Do you suppose you’ll retire now that you’ve laid your egg?”
“Why no,” said Bernadette with a gleam in her eye. “Now I’m going to hatch it.”
God did give me much, much more and here I am interim editor of the Sabbath Recorder. With God working in me…
I’m going to hatch it!!
