Dodger: Hey there! How have you been? I'm sorry it's been so long. I...haven't really been able to get away for quite a while, and Lilly, well, she's been all over the place. She said she'd be here in a moment. Actually, we've been working on a super secret project. We just haven't finished it yet.
Lilly: Hey, Dodger. I brought the lights. Is everything ready?
Dodger: Not quite. We're still missing some people.
Lilly: Oh. Well, I see our friend is joining us!
Dodger: Yeah. It's been way too long since we had you over, so I am really happy you came by today. Thanks.
Lilly: Um, so...what have you explained so far?
Dodger: Oh, not very much, actually. I only got to talk a little bit before you got here.
Lilly: Well, tell them what we're doing, then.
Dodger: Alright. Here's the deal. There's a neighborhood nearby that had a fire about a month ago. It took out a few houses. The people who lived there have been helped by others, but the houses haven't been fixed, and probably won't be...unless someone does something. That's what Lilly and I have been working on for so long.
Lilly: Well, that didn't quite fill in all the details. Dodger and I can't rebuild a house, but we can put on a fundraiser...a surprise fundraiser. I think Fireball's got the lights hooked up, Dodger.
Dodger: Great! Oh, "What kind of fundraiser?", did you ask? The kind that raises funds.
Lilly: Dodger! They mean what will we be doing?
Dodger: Gotcha. A flash mob. We got our school together and we'll be performing a Christmas carol at the mall. Fireball, who I don't think we've introduced before, is hanging secret lights in the mall, with staff approval, of course. It'll be simple. We'll have a few people singing, others dancing, light bouncing, and a banner that says "Help Give Freeway Village a Merry Christmas!" with a website people can visit to learn more and see how to help.
Lilly: That's our Christmas project. It's not finished yet, and we won't be able to perform it right away, but we're doing some more setup today.
Fireball: Okay, the West Wing has the lights, but I need to- hey, who's this?
Dodger: That friend we're always telling you about. We were just telling them about our project.
Fireball: Oh. Cool. Well, I guess you already know what's up then. Say, maybe you can give me a hand over in the East Wing. We've got to hang up more lights, and it took forever to do that last set with Waterball. Huh? Never met her? Well, she's a good friend of ours, though kind of my opposite in a lot of ways. She's also afraid of ladders, though she tries to act like she's not. You'll like her. C'mon!
Dodger: Well, if you guys want to head over there, that's fine. Clawly Jr.'s working on the sound, so we'll go see how it's coming along.
Lilly: Actually, I've got to make sure the website's ready for launch. I'm glad someone at the school gave us their spare domain, but the design needs to be perfect so as to really get people's attention.
Fireball: Alright. Well, let's go! What do you think? Nice mall, eh? One of the biggest in the state. People come hear from all over just to shop. We're hoping that such a big audience will be able to really make a difference back in my neighborhood. Oh no, I didn't lose my house, but...well, a friend of mine did. I'm hoping to help him out this way. You know, Christmas inspires some crazy plans. When Lilly suggested this at student meetings- what? Lilly didn't tell you this was her idea? Well that's just like her. This whole plan was hers! Some fine tuning was suggested, but it was her thought to go out and do all this stuff. Just look at how far it's come. Pretty cool, when you think about it.
Waterball: Are you ready with the next set of lights?
Fireball: Yep. Let's light it up!
Waterball: Say, who's this?
Fireball: It's that friend Dodger and Lilly keep talking about!
Waterball: Great! I've wanted to meet you for such a long time! I can't believe what we're doing here. It feels so Christmas-y! Are you helping with the lights? Wow, thanks! Hmmm...let's start over here!
Fireball: How about over here? There's no electrical plug where you're pointing, and we're a little low on extension cords.
Waterball: Sounds good. You know, there's something about Christmas that makes me want to shout!
Fireball: Well, this might not be the best place for it.
Waterball: Perhaps. I just love Christmas! There's the decorations, the singing, the parties, time with friends, eggnog, candy canes, cookies, books, yule logs, Santa hats, and Jesus! DOES IT GET ANY BETTER?!
Random Bystander: Hey kid, you okay?
Waterball: Oh, um, yeah. Sorry about that.
Random Bystander: No worries. Just try not to shout.
Fireball: Told you this wasn't the best place for it. Would you mind handing these to our friend on the ladder?
Waterball: No problem.
Fireball: Thanks.
Waterball: So, what do you think it is about Christmas that inspires all these crazy ideas?
Fireball: Well, I dunno. I've called the plan crazy, but I don't think that's quite the right word for it.
Waterball: What is?
Fireball: I'm not sure. I can't help thinking, though, that in a way we're re-enacting a piece of Christmas here at the mall.
Waterball: How do you mean?
Dodger: Hey guys! Thought I'd join you if you need a hand.
Fireball: Awesome. Here, take this wreath over to that doorway. It lights up when a certain drumbeat plays.
Dodger: Neat. What were you guys talking about?
Waterball: Re-enacting Christmas.
Dodger: Like a Living Nativity?
Fireball: No, I mean what we're doing here.
Dodger: What do you mean?
Fireball: Well, I was thinking about Christmas and what it means. When Jesus came down as a baby boy, He was demonstrating love to people too down and out to save themselves. A disaster called sin affected everyone, and there was no way to get out of it, until He came to us. God covered the distance between us and Himself because, well, He loves us. Now, we celebrate with gifts and decorations, but think of how it was celebrated then! No big party on Earth was thrown. In fact, another king tried to kill Him not long after He got here. It was anything but a spectacular birthday bash. Yet in apparent weakness, He gave us strength, yeah, and hope. And in doing so, He gave us the ability to reach out to others with His love.
Dodger: Good thought. You know, displaying God's love always becomes easier for me around Christmastime, but, I wonder what it would be like if we celebrated Christ's birth all the time. I don't mean with presents and parties, though those are nice. What I mean is, what if we all stepped out of our own little area and sought to help those who couldn't help themselves, all the time? That's what Jesus does everyday.
Lilly: Guys, it's ready. The site is launched. The sound system's ready.
Fireball: The lights are up. The sequences are loaded.
Waterball: Now the only thing left, is time. Wait time.
Dodger: Well, I guess we'll have to wait then. We should probably all head home. You know, I really think that you're right, Fireball. Love, and hope, really help make Christmas what it is. Maybe that's why people do things during Christmastime that they normally wouldn't. Well, we'll see you soon! Remember, Jesus love you, and that's not about to change!
Fireball: Season's Greetings!
Waterball: Feliz Navidad!
Lilly: Merry Christmas...soon!
To be continued...
(Elements of this story are inspired by Big Idea's "Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas", an awesome VeggieTales movie that the author highly recommends.)
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