Story Time with Dave

The next morning when Kris and Kell got up, there was a note under the door of their hotel room.  The note said, ‘Go back to the Frog Bridge’.  Kris groaned and said, “Oh no!  Do we have to spend another day at that bridge?  This is turning into a horrible misadventure!”  Kell tried to calm Kris down and told him that maybe there was still something else that they needed to learn at that bridge.  So, they went back to the bridge.

There was nothing unusual to see at the bridge.  There were no people around and nothing was happening.  Kris and Kell sat down on the grass beside the bridge, and then they quickly stood up again, the grass was still very wet with dew!  Now the back of their pants was soaking wet, it was very embarrassing!

There were hardly any people that came by the bridge that morning because it looked like there was a storm coming.  Soon the clouds were building up and Kris and Kell could hear thunder in the distance.  Kell said, “We need to get back to the car before the storm hits, it looks like it will be a very bad storm!  Let’s look at the Frog Sculptures one more time and then get out of here!” 

As Kris and Kell were looking at the last Frog Sculpture, they noticed that there was an envelope taped to the frog.  Kell pulled the envelope off the frog just as it began to rain.  This was no ordinary rain; this was a cloudburst!  It was raining so hard that Kris and Kell were soaking wet in just seconds, and they could hardly see where they were going as they made their way back to the car.

The envelope was soaked and almost falling apart, but Kell gently got it open and carefully pulled out the soggy note.  The note said, ‘Drive to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and find the Albacore.’  Kell looked up the destination on her tablet and found that they could drive to Portsmouth in less than three hours.  Kris began driving and asked, “Once we get there, what is an Albacore?  How are we supposed to know what we are supposed to do?  This sounds like another misadventure!”

Kell told Kris to calm down and she looked up Albacore on her tablet.  She found out that the Albacore is an old submarine that is on display as a museum.   When they arrived they found the Albacore and took some pictures, but they were not too excited about it at first.

Once they took some time to learn the history of the submarine, they found out some very interesting things.  This submarine was built in the early 1950’s by the navy, but it never had any weapons.  The purpose of this submarine was to experiment and learn how to make submarines better.  For 19 years this submarine was used as an experiment.  Its shape was designed so that it could move through the water quickly and quietly.  Many times, they redesigned parts of the submarine to see if they could make it better.  They changed the propellers, the rudder and the other controls on the outside of the submarine many times.  Twice this submarine broke the record for underwater speed, and it became very quiet as it moved underwater.

The design of all modern submarines around the world are based on the experiments that were done on the Albacore! 

Kris and Kell were impressed by the things they learned about the Albacore, but they had no idea what they were supposed to learn about God from this submarine.  Kell was so frustrated she said out loud, “I am confused, what are we supposed to learn from this?”  Just then an old woman, wearing a black cape and a black hood, and looking kind of spooky, came up to Kell and said, “Go to the Madame Sherri Forest and you will get your answers.”  The old woman then turned and walked away without saying anything else.

Just then a walnut came flying out of nowhere and hit Kris in the head.  There was a note from Misadventures….Plus attached to the walnut.  The note said, “Do what the old woman says.”

Kris said, “This adventure is getting very weird.  Should we really do what that creepy old woman told us to do?”  Kell answered, “Do we have much of a choice?  If we do not follow the directions we will be stuck here.”  So, Kell looked up the directions to the Madame Sherri Forest on her tablet and soon they were on their way.  It would take less than 3 hours to get there.  While they were driving, Kell looked up the Madame Sherri Forest on her tablet and found out that there were ruins of a castle in the forest.  She was excited!  Maybe they would get to stay in the castle overnight, that sounded like so much fun!

Just before they got there, they went past an old motel that looked very run down.  There was a sign by the road that said, “Kris and Kell, stop here!’  So, Kris pulled into the parking lot, and they found that they had a reservation in that old motel for that night.  The motel room was small, it smelled old, the tv hardly got any stations, and there was no swimming pool.  Kris and Kell complained the whole evening about the motel.  It was nothing like the castle that Kell had imagined.

The next morning, they could hardly wait to get out of that old motel, so they left early and drove to the Madame Sherri Forest.  When they got there, they could hardly believe their eyes!  There was no castle!  All that was left of the castle was some foundations stones, a chimney, and a broken stairway that went nowhere!  The motel was so much better than this place, suddenly Kris and Kell were glad that they had been able to stay in the motel!

They learned that Madame Sherri had made a lot of money designing clothes in New York and then moved to New Hampshire.  She liked to have all the things that money could buy.  She had a very expensive and fancy car, she had a lot of expensive clothes, and she liked to have a lot of friends that were rich and liked to have a good time. 

In 1929 Madame Sherri used her money to buy 600 acres of forest and to build a 3-storey large house in New Hampshire, she called it her castle.  The first two floors were used for eating and having big parties.  She lived on the third floor and the only way up to her third floor living space was to use a fancy stone stairway that wrapped around the outside of the house!

Madame Sherri loved to have wild parties at her house, but eventually she started to run out of money, and she also had some health problems, so she had to leave her castle and move into a nursing home.

In 1959 people broke into the castle and took many things and damaged the building.  Madame Sherri said that she would never visit her castle again.  In 1962 the house burned down, leaving only the foundation, chimney and the external stone staircase.  In 2021 the top of the staircase fell.  The remaining part of the staircase is roped off, and no one is allowed to be on it.

Lesson Learned about God

The Madame Sherri Forest also has some hiking trails.  It was a beautiful fall day and the leaves on some of the trees were starting to change color, so Kris and Kell decided to hike the trails during the afternoon.  While they were hiking, they talked about what they could learn about God from the two places that they had visited in New Hampshire.

Kris said, “The one thing I can see that both places had in common was they both were both experiments.  The submarine was built as an experiment to find ways to improve modern submarines to make them quieter and faster underwater.  Madame Sherri experimented with living life for pleasure and parties.”

Kell agreed with him and said, “This reminds me of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.  This book records King Solomon’s experiments to find a truly satisfying life.  King Solomon had the money and the time to do whatever he wanted to do.  He experimented with giving himself unlimited pleasures and parties, he built great buildings and other projects, he had many wives, and he accumulated huge amounts of money and gold and silver.  He did not deny himself anything that he wanted!  He found that these things left him feeling empty and without meaning!

King Solomon finally realized that nothing in life will seem fulfilling if you do not have God in your life and follow God’s directions in the Bible.  Pleasures, honor, possessions, and riches only last for a short time.  Madame Sherri also found this out; when her money and health were gone, she found no pleasure in her castle, and it was ruined and then burned down.  The fun and pleasure she looked for did not last.

In the Bible in Ecclesiastes 12:8-10, King Solomon says this:

“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher (King Solomon), “completely meaningless.”  Keep this in mind:  The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew.  He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them.

Solomon used the great wisdom he got from God to do this great experiment about the meaning of life, and he found that without God life is completely meaningless.

In the Bible in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 King Solomon gives the results of his great experiment:

That’s the whole story.  Here now is my final conclusion:  Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone’s duty.  God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

The person who has not accepted Jesus into their life will be judged at the end of their life for everything they have done and punished eternally for the sins they have done.  The good news for Believers (those who have believed and given their life to Jesus) is that all their sins have been covered by the death of Jesus on the cross and His rising from the dead three days later!  When a Believer’s life on this earth is over, they will not be judged for their sins because all their sins have been forgiven.  They will be rewarded for the way they lived for Jesus after they gave their life to Him, and they will enjoy eternity with Jesus! 

Please learn from Solomon’s great experiment!  The things offered by this world are meaningless!  Today believe, pray and give your life to Jesus!  This will give true meaning to your life!   

Report to the grandmother:

1.  At the travel agency – God has a good plan for us.  Jeremiah 29:11
2. Florida – God is watching over us, we do not need to be fearful.  Psalms 23
3. Wisconsin – Temptations.  I Corinthians 10:13, Proverbs 14:12, I John 1:9
4. Minnesota – Never take your eyes off Jesus.  Matthew 14:22-33
5. Kentucky – God’s Word (the Bible) is the truth!  John 17:17
6. Louisianna – Choose Heaven and the Tree of Life.  Revelation 20:11-15, Revelation 21:27 thru 22:5
7. Illinois – God is in control.  Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28-30, Proverbs 16:9
8. New Mexico – God is our place of safety.  Psalms 46:1-3, Psalms 91:1-2, Psalms 18:1-2, John 14:1-3
9. Alabama – Training for heaven.  I Peter 1:18-21, I John 3:2-3, Ephesians 5:1-2,   I Peter 2:21, II Timothy 4:6-8
10. Georgia – Sin erodes a person’s life and brings death.  Galatians 5:19-21, Romans 3:22-25a
11.  Texas – Jesus offers abundant life.  John 10:10, Mark 12:29-31.
12.  Kansas – Humans are filled with hatred and evil.  Genesis 8:21-22, Romans 3:21-25a.
13.  South Carolina – Reminder of the Crucifixion.  Isaiah 53:3-9
14.  Arkansas – Jesus is Crowned with Glory and Honor.  Hebrews 2:9-10, Revelation 19:16, John 11:25-26
15.  Idaho – Times of Refreshing.  Acts 3:19-20a, Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 40:28-31
16. Washington State – Obeying God is Important!  James 1:22-25, James 4:17
17.  Oregon – Do not let your first love for Jesus erode.  Revelation 2:4-5a, Psalms 51:10-12
18. Ohio – We are secure in God’s hands.  Isaiah 41:13, Psalms 139:9-10, Psalms 73:23-28.
19. Iowa – God is in control:  Past, Present, & Future.  Hebrews 13:8, Revelation 4:8.
20. South Dakota – Believers are the family of God. Ephesians 2:19-21, John 1:12-13, Ephesians 1:5, I Thessalonians 5:15-18.
21. Indiana – Win the Race!  I Corinthians 9:24-27, Matthew 25:21
22.  Michigan – Cost of following Jesus.  Luke 14:27-33.
23. Missouri – The Book of Life.  Revelation 20:11-15.
24. New Jersey – The Light of the World.  Philippians 2:14-15, Matthew 5:14-16.
25. New York – God will meet our needs.  Philippians 4:19-20.
26. Pennsylvania – A special place and rest in heaven.  John 14:1-3, Hebrews 4:9-10
27. Montana – Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches.  John 15:5
28.  Alaska – Jesus is the light of the world. John 1:4-5, John 8:12, Revelation 21:23-27, Revelation 22:5
29. Maine – God’s Holy Spirit is like the wind: invisible, powerful and always working!  John 3:8, Acts 1:8, John 14:26, Romans 8:26-27
30.  Massachusetts – God is preparing a special place for each believer.              John 14:1-3.
31.  Maryland/Virginia – Perfect love overcomes fear.  I John 4:17-19.
32.  Washington DC – Communion.  I Corinthians 11:23-26.
33.  Virginia/West Virginia – Baptism.  Romans 6:3-5, Colossians 2:12-15.
34.  Delaware – Jesus is returning.  John 14:2-3, I Thessalonians 4:16-18, I Corinthians 15:51-53
35.  Rhode Island – Believers are like a lighthouse.  Matthew 5:14-16, Philippians 2:14-15.
36.  North Dakota – Dealing with temptations.  I Corinthians 10:13, James 1:13-15.
37.  Colorado – Faith and Trust.  Hebrews 11:1-2, Proverbs 3:5-6, Ephesians 2:8-9.
38.  North Carolina – God guides and protects Believers.  Psalms 23:3-4, Psalms 37:23-24, Isaiah 41:10.
39.  Connecticut – The Bible is true.  John 17:17, II Timothy 3:16-17, I Peter 1:20-21.
40.  New Hampshire – Only God gives a meaningful & fulfilling life.  Ecclesiastes 12:8-10, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.