Adventures in Odyssey

Focus on the Family: Adventures in Odyssey.

Connie: This is great.

Whit: Connie!

Connie: Hi Whit.

Whit: Oh, here you are. I was wondering where you went off to. Have you been here all this time?

Connie: No. First I met your friend. And once we worked out what I was after, I've been lots of different places, just walking around, thinking.

It's weird because it's like I'm seeing everything in a different way. Is that how it's supposed to work?

Whit: Well, I think it'll be different for everyone. You're only the second person to try this.

Connie: Wow.

Whit: Are you all right? You've been here for quite a while.

Connie: Oh yeah, I'm okay. Just enjoying the chance to think and pray.

Whit: Well, that's good.

Connie: I was just thinking about all those little pet peeves that drive me crazy. Yeah, when the kids spill things at the shop, and then rather than grab napkins, they just stare at the spill like it's going to clean itself up.

Whit: Uh-huh.

Connie: Or when people order one thing and then change their minds and ask for something else after you deliver it. Or when they talk with their mouths full.

Whit: Oh, right.

Connie: Or when Eugene talks to me in a condescending manner.

Whit: Those are the things you've been thinking about?

Connie: Yeah, but what's great is that I'm thinking about them, but they're not annoying me. In fact, I've been thinking about everything that annoys me, and I'm not annoyed. This is a great invention, Whit.

Whit: Well, I'm glad you think so. A few folks have been looking for you, by the way.

Connie: Okay.

Whit: See you in a bit.

Connie: Sure. Oh, by the way, what do you call this invention?

Whit: The Inspiration Station.

Connie: Catchy.

Eugene: Greetings and salutations, Mr. Whitaker. Did you find her?

Whit: Uh-huh. She seems to like it.

Eugene: Well, I'm looking forward to trying it myself. I would enjoy a time of inspiration, but I'm concerned.

Whit: Yeah, well, she's been in there a long time.

Eugene: No, I mean, I'm concerned about our equipment. I've been watching the monitors, and we have some bizarre search levels, spikes that are doing strange things to our CPU.

Whit: Really? Do you know why?

Eugene: No, but I'm afraid that if it continues to happen, then the system will—

Whit: Stop, stop. What's happening?

Eugene: Everything on our network seems to be shutting down one at a time. Oh, there goes the Imagination Station, all the displays, the train set, the interactive presentations.

Whit: I better go check the kids. I wouldn't want any of them to be worried.

Eugene: Oh, and check on Connie too. We're about to lose the Inspiration Station.

Connie: What happened?

Eugene: I don't understand what's happened. We've lost everything.

Connie: Eugene, I was in the Inspiration Station and all of a sudden... oh, what's going on?

Eugene: I can't imagine. One minute all was well, and the next...

Connie: Oh, what's this?

Eugene: It's the emergency backup. It engages when the system is unstable. The computer is attempting to save itself from whatever is infecting or corrupting it.

Connie: Save itself? Is it dying?

Whit: I've never seen anything like that. All the inventions went crazy. The sheep in the David display were mooing.

Connie: What?

Whit: Samson was crying like a baby, and the Red Sea just crashed in on Moses.

Eugene: Everything on the network is now shut down. The whole thing is quite perplexing. I suspect that the programs running the inventions' displays and devices have become corrupted somehow.

Connie: A virus? Has someone hacked into the system?

Eugene: Well, I can't be sure until I run the diagnostics. Though...

Connie: What?

Eugene: Well, there was someone near the equipment earlier today.

Whit: Who?

Eugene: Matthew Parker.

David: Matthew. Matthew Parker.

Matthew: Oh, hi Dad.

David: Take off the earphones.

Matthew: Oh, sorry. Were you calling me?

David: Yeah, we all were.

Matthew: Oh. Why is everybody standing in my doorway?

David: Did you do something to erase the shows on the DVR?

Olivia: And my cell phone?

David: And were you tinkering with my GPS system?

Matthew: Well...

Olivia: If you got rid of all my fashion makeover shows, they won't know where to look for your body.

David: Okay, hold on.

Mary: That's right, girls. We should let your father handle this.

Matthew: Handle it?

David: Matthew, just what exactly have you been up to?

Matthew: Oh, I'm working on a friend's broken game console. I think I might even be able to make it—

David: No, Matthew. What your mother is asking is, have you been tinkering with all of our things? Her cell phone, my GPS, the DVR for the TV?

Matthew: I worked on them a little. The hard drive on the DVR was nearly full, which slows it down, so I cleaned it up.

Olivia: Cleaned it up? That's your code for erased it without talking to any of us. We've been waiting for ages to watch those shows.

David: Okay, calm down everybody.

Matthew: But I saved all the programs to DVD so you can watch them later. See? Here's the disc.

Olivia: What?

David: That's a good thing. We were going to miss you around here.

Olivia: And the speed dial numbers on my cell phone?

Matthew: I backed them up onto your laptop. I was going to cross-categorize the names so you could get to them faster. But I put the phone down and well, I forgot where I put it.

David: It was on the bookcase.

Matthew: Oh, yeah. I wanted to test the signal and well, never mind.

David: And the GPS?

Matthew: Well, I figured out you can personalize it.

David: And you did. It says your name perfectly, although it does think that we live in Saskatchewan.

Matthew: Oh, sorry.

David: Matthew, that's an expensive piece of equipment, and I don't like you playing around with it.

Matthew: I can take a look at it.

David: No, Matthew. The problem is that you shouldn't have been fiddling with our things without permission.

Matthew: I was only trying to help.

David: We understand that, but you should wait until you're asked. What is that?

Matthew: I don't know. It's your phone, Mom.

Mary: Is it going to explode?

Matthew: No, it's the new ringtone I put in yesterday.

Mary: Matthew. Hello? Yes. Hi. Well, we're in the middle of a little family discussion right now.

David: Matthew, I know you mean well when you do these things, but you have to respect other people's property.

Matthew: I am respecting them. That's why I'm making them work better.

David: Okay, you're not understanding what I'm saying.

Mary: Oh, who was that? It was Mr. Whitaker. He needs to talk to Matthew about a little glitch with the equipment at Whit's End.

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Connie: Hey guys, how's it going with the computers?

Eugene: Slow, but it's going. I reset the P-RAM so the displays are working again.

Connie: The P-RAM? What's that?

Eugene: I'm sure you'd rather not know.

Whit: Really.

Eugene: Miss Kendall, why tax yourself?

Connie: You're probably right.

Eugene: Well, in any event, I was able to establish an ad-hoc network to search for the original programs whilst isolating the cause of the corruption.

Whit: In other words, I think we've got it figured out, but we have to see where everything began to fall apart.

Eugene: Oh, didn't I just say that?

Whit: Oh, here's the young man that might be able to help us. Hello Matthew.

Matthew: Hi. My mom said you wanted to see me?

Whit: Oh, yeah. Hey, thanks for stopping by. We've been having some problems with a few things around here and thought you might have some answers.

Matthew: I only took the bottom part of the garbage disposal apart. It was just two bolts and I put it all back together, I promise.

Whit: The garbage disposal? I'll be right back.

Eugene: Actually, we didn't want to talk about the garbage disposal. The displays and inventions are malfunctioning.

Matthew: Malfunctioning?

Eugene: Indeed. The computer programs are corrupted. Now, did you do something to the computer in the control room?

Matthew: No, never. The only time I was in there was with you, Mr. Whitaker. Honest, I would never touch that equipment.

Whit: I believe you. Look, this isn't an interrogation. We're just trying to figure out what happened.

Eugene: Matthew, you were here earlier when I was working on the new Imagination Station program. Did you touch anything then?

Matthew: Oh, yeah. I used the laptop you connected to the Imagination Station.

Eugene: Well, you did, but why would you—

Whit: What did you do with the laptop?

Matthew: Eugene went off to do something and I saw a message come up about the processing unit. It said the memory was nearly at 100%, so I ran the hard drive cleanup program to free it up.

Whit: What? The garbage disposal is working all right. Maybe even faster.

Connie: Oh, good.

Whit: What happened when you ran the cleanup program on the laptop? Did it ask you to delete anything?

Matthew: Only the duplicate files.

Whit: How did you know they were duplicates?

Matthew: They had the same names as other files.

Eugene: In the same extensions?

Matthew: Oh...

Whit: I'll be back.

Matthew: I didn't hurt anything, did I? We delete duplicate programs at home all the time.

Whit: Well, our network is different than a home computer. And if the file extensions weren't duplicates, but the actual files that execute the programs are... well, Eugene will check and let us know. Hopefully it won't be too bad.

Oh, wow.

Matthew: I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anything. I was just trying to help.

Whit: Oh, I know that Matthew. And there's nothing wrong with trying to help. But you can't presume to know what you don't know. And there's a fine line between helping and hurting if you don't fully understand what you're doing.

Matthew: Yeah, I'm getting that message.

Whit: The best thing is to ask permission before you do anything like that.

Matthew: I'm really sorry. If there's anything broken, I have some allowance saved up. I could help pay to fix it.

Eugene: Oh, there is, as they say, good news and bad news. The missing files were backed up on an external drive in the control room.

Matthew: That's the good news, right?

Eugene: Correct. And the bad news: it will take me most of the remainder of the day to reinstall them and configure them with the system.

Connie: Oh. Then that's good news and only not-so-good news. At least it can be fixed, right?

Eugene: Well, indeed.

Whit: Well, there you are. So it's not so bad, Matthew. Matthew?

Connie: Wow, where'd he go? I hope he's not upset.

Eugene: Perhaps he should be. Tinkering with other people's equipment is a dangerous thing to do.

Whit: I think he got the message.

Eugene: I hope so. If he wants a future in technology, he should learn now.

Whit: Learn what, Eugene? Aren't you the one who computerized and installed new programs all over the shop without asking me first?

Eugene: Well, yes. I'll get to work.

Whit: Thanks, Eugene. So, it'll be all right.

Connie: I'm sure it will be. These things tend to work themselves out.

Whit: Oh, how very positive of you to say so. And I noticed the way you deflected Eugene's unintentional put-down.

Connie: Did I?

Whit: Yes.

Connie: Oh. Well, I hope it doesn't take too long to fix the equipment. I'd like to finish my time in the Inspiration Station.

Whit: Finish? You were in there for a long time.

Connie: Is there a time limit for inspiration?

Whit: No, I don't suppose so. But I'd love to hear about your experience. I'm the only other person who's been in it. I'd like to compare notes.

Connie: Sometime.

Whit: Not now?

Connie: No, if you don't mind, I need to think about it a little.

Whit: Okay. But can you give me a quick summary, a word about how it made you feel?

Connie: A word? Sure. Contented.

Whit: Ah, that's a good word.

Connie: Blissful. Peaceful, serene, happy.

Whit: Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?

Connie: No, I'm not ready.

Whit: You let me know when you are.

Connie: Okay. Calm, tranquil, relaxed, placid, unruffled.

Olivia: Hey Matthew, what are you doing?

Matthew: Just sitting here.

Olivia: Did you know that what's-his-name from school has been looking for you?

Matthew: Which what's-his-name?

Olivia: Your friend, the strange one.

Matthew: Yeah, I guess they're all kind of strange, aren't they?

Olivia: He made me promise to ask you if you'd fix his CD player.

Matthew: Oh, him. Well, tell him I can't fix it.

Olivia: Really? But he said you said you would. He said he was going to stop by after school.

Matthew: Tell him I can't.

Olivia: Why don't you just come home and tell him yourself?

Matthew: No, I'm going to hang out here for a while.

Olivia: What's wrong with you?

Matthew: There's nothing wrong with me. I'm just sitting on the swing set trying to enjoy the quiet of the park. Why does that mean something's wrong?

Olivia: Okay, just calm down.

Matthew: Can't you just tell him no if he stops by? Is that too much to ask?

Olivia: Fine. Fine. I'll tell what's-his-name that you can't fix his stuff. Sorry I bothered you. Boy, and my friends think living with a sister is tough.

Connie: Here are your milkshakes. Chocolate and strawberry.

Olivia: Thank you. Thanks, Connie.

Camilla: Oh, I didn't want the little sprinkly things on top.

Connie: I'm sure you asked for them.

Olivia: You did, Camilla.

Camilla: I did? Oh, I'm sorry. I think I meant just the pink kind, not the multi-colored kind.

Olivia: Just live with it.

Connie: No, that's all right. I'll make another one.

Camilla: No, you don't have to.

Connie: It's no problem. I'll be right back.

Olivia: Thanks, Connie.

Camilla: Wow, this is a really strange day.

Olivia: Why?

Camilla: Well, Connie hates it when people change their minds about what they ordered.

Olivia: Really?

Camilla: Oh yeah. One day I came in and ordered a banana split and she made it, and then I remembered that I had stopped eating bananas to protest unfair trading practices in South America and said I should have just plain vanilla. And I thought Connie was going to hit the ceiling.

Olivia: Why? Did she like unfair trading practices in South America?

Camilla: No. Because I changed my order. She grabbed it up and made me another, but I figured I'd never make that mistake again. She seemed okay just now.

Olivia: Yeah. Weird. Weird.

Connie: Don't worry about that, I'll get it.

Guest (Male): Really sorry, Connie.

Connie: It's not a problem.

Guest (Male): I'll clean it up.

Connie: Don't be silly. I've got it. See? Four easy pieces.

Guest (Male): Oh, great. Thanks.

Connie: One more for the bin.

Whit: I'm impressed. That was another pet peeve.

Connie: What do you mean?

Whit: Well, when people carelessly break the dishes. He brushed it right off the table without noticing. It's one of your pet peeves.

Connie: Oh, yeah. I guess it is.

Whit: Well, you don't seem bothered by it.

Connie: No, not really. It was an accident.

Whit: Yeah, some of the kids have mentioned how much they like the new you.

Connie: The new me?

Whit: Well, extra patient, relaxed. They're wondering about the change.

Connie: That's interesting.

Whit: Yeah. You know, I'd still like to talk to you about what happened in the Inspiration Station.

Connie: Okay. But do you know when I can go back in?

Whit: Eugene thinks everything will be up and running tomorrow. But I'd like to hear about your experience in it.

Connie: I don't know that I'm ready to do that.

Whit: Really? Still trying to find the words?

Connie: Well, kind of. I mean, you know how it is when you experience something that touches you so deeply that you just don't know how to describe it?

Whit: It touched you that deeply?

Connie: Yeah. I felt true and inspired and, well, really close to God.

But that's all I want to say, Whit. I'm afraid that if I talk about it, I'll ruin it somehow. Like... like grabbing a snowflake. As soon as you touch it, you've changed it. You know what I mean, right?

Whit: I think so. Look, I don't mean to pressure you.

Connie: I understand. Well, I'd better make sure there aren't any pieces of glass on the floor.

Whit: Hmm.

Mary: Matthew? Is that you?

Matthew: Yeah Mom.

Mary: Son, would you come into the kitchen for a minute?

Matthew: Hi. Uh-oh. What did I do now?

Mary: Nothing. Your dad and I just want to talk with you. That's all.

Matthew: Look, I promise I haven't reprogrammed anything or done any rewiring or—

David: No, we're not saying that you did. In fact, that's why we want to talk to you.

Matthew: Why?

Mary: Well, I talked to Eugene and he said that the system at Whit's End will be just fine.

Matthew: Oh. Good.

David: You know, we haven't seen you working on your gadgets lately. What have you been up to?

Matthew: Nothing.

Mary: Where were you just now?

Matthew: You know, out at Whit's End? No, I just went for a walk around the park for a while.

Mary: You've been doing quite a lot of that.

David: Yeah, what's up?

Matthew: Nothing really.

David: You know, your friends have been calling. Olivia gets the impression that you're avoiding them.

Matthew: I'm not avoiding them. Just their stuff. They all want me to fix their games and players and things like that.

David: So why don't you?

Matthew: Because I'm not a fix-it guy. I'm just a kid. Let them get someone else to do it.

David: Okay, I see.

Mary: Honey, just because you had a problem with Whit's computers doesn't mean you have to avoid them altogether.

David: We've heard you haven't set foot in the place since your tinkering caused that accident.

Matthew: Like I said, I've been at the park. Don't you like the park?

David: Well, the park is great.

Mary: Sweetheart, we don't want you to stop being your naturally inquisitive self.

David: Right. In spite of an insubordinate GPS or an ear-assaulting cell phone ring, we like the way you are. But because of what happened at Whit's End, I'm afraid you don't think we trust you anymore. And that's wrong.

Matthew: I know. The problem is that I don't trust me anymore. I think it'll be safer for everybody if I stop messing with people's stuff completely.

David: Now, Matthew.

Matthew: I mean it. I've thought a lot about it and I've made up my mind.

Mary: Oh Matthew.

Matthew: If it's okay, I have homework to finish before dinner.

David: All right. Go on. But we're not finished with this conversation.

Matthew: Okay.

Mary: Do you think he's serious?

David: I don't know.

Eugene: And as you can see, I modified the platform for the Imagination Station. This should enhance the resolution on the visual component.

Whit: Excellent, Eugene. And that, I'm happy to report, is the sum total of it. Fantastic. Thank you, Eugene. I'm grateful for all the time and effort you put into fixing everything.

Eugene: It proved to be a gratifying challenge. Matthew has no idea how his mishap actually helped us.

Connie: Hi guys, how's it going with the computers?

Eugene: Greetings, Miss Kendall.

Connie: Just to remind you, Whit, I have to go. It's my Bible study group, so somebody needs to watch the counter.

Whit: Oh, that's right. Thanks for reminding me. We'll see you tomorrow.

Connie: Okay. So how about the computer system? Will it be all right?

Eugene: I'm pleased to say that we have fixed everything.

Whit: Well, Eugene has.

Connie: That's great. Even the Inspiration Station?

Eugene: Even that.

Connie: Well, you could have told me.

Eugene: I believe I'm telling you now.

Connie: I mean when you actually finished it. I wanted to go in as soon as it was ready.

Eugene: Well, I didn't know.

Connie: Whit's End! Well, to be honest, Connie, it wasn't at the forefront of my thinking while we were working.

Connie: Why not? I've been asking about it non-stop since it broke down.

Whit: Well, yes you have, but... I am a little surprised that you wouldn't let me know when it was... never mind.

Eugene: Oh, a customer's come in. Shall I?

Whit: Please.

Connie: I ought to go too.

Whit: Connie, I'm a little worried about you.

Connie: About me? Why?

Whit: Well, your agitation about the Inspiration Station.

Connie: I am not agitated. Being agitated would be something the old Connie would be.

Whit: The old Connie?

Connie: Well, you know, the kids have taken to calling me the new Connie. So I meant that... well...

Whit: You meant what?

Connie: Nothing. Just that I'm not agitated.

Whit: But you clearly were.

Connie: Yeah, okay, I was, but aren't I allowed to be every once in a while? I mean, it's not like the new Connie is perfect.

Whit: Perfect? Did somebody say you were supposed to be perfect?

Connie: No, I didn't mean perfect. I meant, you know, more mature and patient and calm and all the things I thought I was when I came out of the... I really have to go.

Whit: Out of the what, Connie? The Inspiration Station? Is that what this is about?

Connie: I can't talk about this now. I'm going to be late. And I'm not late for things anymore.

Whit: I see.

Connie: But don't worry about me, Whit. I don't want you to worry, okay? See ya.

Whit: Then why am I more worried than ever?

Matthew: Warning. You have 15 seconds to enter the alarm deactivation. Yeah, yeah, I know. Give me a minute.

You have 10 seconds. Don't get your wires in a knot.

Code accepted. Alarm deactivated. Thank you. You're welcome already. Now let's see if the Inspiration Station is as easy to deal with.

Focus on the Family: Be sure to keep listening for our next adventure to see how everything turns out for Connie and Matthew. You can learn more about today's adventure, The Inspiration Station, Part 1 of 2, including discussion questions, devotionals, and how to get your own copy on our website at whitsend.org.

You can also write to us at Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. Or in Canada write to Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3. Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family.

The Inspiration Station was written by Paul McCusker with sound design by Gap Digital and music by John Campbell. Our cast included Katie Leigh, Andre Stojka, Zack Callison, and Will Ryan. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.