Sermon Central
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A. Seven Years Ago, A Little Girl Named Keri Was ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007 (message contributor)
A. SEVEN YEARS AGO, A LITTLE GIRL NAMED KERI WAS PLACED IN FOSTER CARE, AFTER SUFFERING EXTREME ABUSE AND NEGLECT AT HOME. "KERI WAS A ZOMBIE," RECALLS HER FOSTER MOTHER. "SHE DIDN’T TALK AT ALL."
B. AT THE SAME TIME, AN OLDER COUPLE, NAMED ELMER AND MARJORIE DAVIS WERE DEEP INTO RETIREMENT BOREDOM AND WERE ZOMBIES AT THE OTHER END OF THE GENERATIONAL SPECTRUM.
1. ELMER, A FORMER MACHINIST ADMITTED, "I WAS JUST VEGETATING."
2. LITTLE DID HE KNOW, THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO BECOME A “SMOKE JUMPER”.
C. THE PERSON WHO GAVE ELMER HIS NEW PROFESSION WAS BRENDA EHEART, THE CREATOR OF A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY IN ILLINOIS CALLED: “HOPE MEADOWS.”
D. WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY, MRS. EHEART UNITED TWO MARGINALIZED GROUPS -- FOSTER KIDS, AND SENIOR CITIZENS.
E. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, FOSTER KIDS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE A DRAIN ON THE SYSTEM,
F. AND SENIORS THEMSELVES FEEL WASHED UP AND UNNEEDED.
G. BUT, AT “HOPE MEADOWS RETIREMENT CENTER”, THEIR MEETING EACH OTHER’S NEEDS AND MRS. EHEART SAYS "IT’S PHENOMENAL"
H. SO TODAY, 82-YEAR-OLD ELMER DAVIS IS A “SMOKE JUMPER” FOR 9-YEAR-OLD KERI, WHO HAS TURNED FROM A ZOMBIE INTO A CHATTERBOX.
I. ON A TYPICAL AFTERNOON, KERI WHEELS HER BICYCLE TWO DOORS DOWN AND INTO ELMER’S DRIVEWAY AND SAYS, "HI, GRANDPA DAVIS," AND HE SAYS. "HI, TICKLES" HE ANSWERS, USING A NICKNAME THAT MAKES HER GIGGLE.
J. IT’S A POWERFUL AND PASSIONATE LOVE THAT LEAPS INTO SUCH A SITUATION, ANSWERING THE CALL OF JESUS TO "LOVE ONE ANOTHER" (V. 34) – JUST AS JESUS HAS LOVED US.
K. ELMER DAVIS IS RESPONDING TO THIS CHALLENGE IN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH KERI, AND -- IF TRUTH BE TOLD -- KERI IS SHOWING THE SAME KIND OF LIFE-GIVING LOVE IN HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
L. THEY ARE ACTING AS SMOKE JUMPERS FOR EACH OTHER, FOSTER CHILD AND SENIOR CITIZEN.
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