Friday, September 2, 2011

No Greater Gift

There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.  
John 15:13 (NLT)

I have been asked to do a skit based on this scripture. So far, I have no ideas.  I've been thinking about this passage and a true story from my childhood came to mind. I'm going to write about it here and pray for inspiration for the skit.

Saving Helen --
My family came home to Pennsylvania to visit my grandmother for a couple weeks over the summer. I was 12. One hot day, Grandma and I went to her next door neighbor's house for a swim. There was always an open invitation even if they weren't home. Grandma invited another neighbor, Helen, who was in her early 70's, to also swim. 

Helen did not swim. She just liked to walk around the shallow end of the pool. I practiced my diving and had just gotten out of the pool to go to the diving board again when I noticed Helen acting strange. She was at the place in the pool where it slopes down and her arms were straight up to the sky. Half her body was still out of the water, but slowly she was walking down the steep slope. She was so calm, going deeper and deeper. Then her head began to go under. I knew she couldn't swim. What was she doing?

"Turn around! Go back!"

She seemed to not hear me. My grandmother was shouting. She also could not swim. I had taken pool safety, but everything I learned completely left my mind. I had to save her. I jumped in, swam to her and grabbed her, but instead of letting me pull her to the side, she was pulling me down, clinging to me, pulling my head under. Now I was struggling for my life. I swam as hard as I could and finally we reached the ladder.

I found out later that when Helen's feet began to go down the pool slope, she just knew she would drown, so she gave right in to it. 


Do you have a story? Do you have any ideas for my skit?

3 comments:

  1. Wow! What a story and what a challenge for a skit! Will let you know if I think of an idea for a skit.
    BTW, you asked for the link to Cynthia's store. http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrayerNotes?ref=ss_profile

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  2. I remember reading a short story about a boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion after getting hurt. The boy had the same blood type, and his mother asked him if he would give blood for his sister.
    The boy turned pale, and seemed to give this deep thought. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he said that he would.
    Picture how the boy was lying on the table, with a needle in his arm, and watching the blood flow into the bag. When the nurse disconnected the tube, and pulled out the needle, the boy was surprised.
    When asked why he was surprised, he said, "I thought she needed all my blood. I love her, so I was giving it all to her."
    True story, I think. But it gives a spring board for a skit.

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  3. Susan, You are fantastic! That is an awesome story with a lot of potential. My mind is already turning. Thank you so much!

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