Adventures in Odyssey

Scene 1

Jules: So, what are we talking, Connie? Balloons, clowns, a magician?

Connie Kendall: Whit's not turning 10, Jules. It's an adult's birthday party.

Jules: So, a fire eater.

Connie Kendall: No. Cake, ice cream, invite a few close friends. Plain and simple.

Jules: A fire juggler.

Connie Kendall: No. Whit's not one for a lot of hoopla on his birthday.

Jules: A fire walker.

Connie Kendall: No, nothing with fire!

Jules: A fire truck? Weird timing.

Connie Kendall: Or perfect timing. I'll need you to pick up the cake. He likes lemon poppy seed with raspberry filling.

Jules: And how many candles should I get? Maybe we don't need candles.

Guest (Male): Were those fire trucks?

Guest (Female): Yeah. I wonder where they're headed.

Guest (Male): I'll look. It must be bad for them to send two trucks.

Jules: There's smoke above the trees! Something is on fire in downtown Odyssey!

Chris: Hi there, I'm Chris. Here comes another adventure in Odyssey.

Connie Kendall: I feel like I should be doing something.

Mr. Whittaker: Well, the firefighters seem to be getting it under control.

Jules: I don't even know what business that is, or was.

Mr. Whittaker: The Free Thinkers Bookshop. They moved in a few weeks ago.

Jules: What a grand opening.

Gloria: No, that's my place!

Guest (Male): Please stay back, ma'am.

Mr. Whittaker: That's the owner, Gloria. I met her last week, a very nice lady.

Gloria: There are some rare and valuable books in the back! Can you save those first?

Guest (Male): We're saving everything we can.

Jules: This is awful.

Jules: How about streamers? Do you want me to pick some up?

Connie Kendall: Whit's in the kitchen. But yeah, blue and red.

Mr. Whittaker: Excuse me, Jules.

Jules: Oh, yeah, Mr. Whittaker?

Mr. Whittaker: I'd like to make a poster to solicit donations for victims of the fire: money, meals, necessities. Do you think you could create something like that?

Jules: Sure. I can draw it up. Can I use your office?

Mr. Whittaker: Of course. I'll send you the details in a few minutes.

Ted Humphreys: Mr. Whittaker, just the man I'm looking for.

Mr. Whittaker: Hello, Ted.

Jules: I'll go get started on the layout.

Mr. Whittaker: Thank you, Jules.

Connie Kendall: Hi, Mr. Humphreys. Can I get you something?

Ted Humphreys: I wish I were here as a customer, but duty calls. As a reporter for Channel 10 News, I'd like to speak to you on the record.

Mr. Whittaker: About?

Ted Humphreys: The Odyssey Fire Department determined that yesterday's fire at the Free Thinkers Bookshop was indeed arson.

Connie Kendall: Really? That's terrible.

Ted Humphreys: The arsonist confessed to the crime, and when asked why he did what he did, he answered, "The bookstore has some materials that include ideas that I believe are dangerous to our society and to children."

Mr. Whittaker: Wait a minute. Are you implying...?

Ted Humphreys: When the bookstore first opened a month ago, you were interviewed about it for the Odyssey Times. The arsonist's quote is what you said in your interview, in those very words.

Mr. Whittaker: And you think the arsonist may have burned down the shop because of me?

Connie Kendall: That's ridiculous!

Ted Humphreys: How do you explain the direct quotation, Mr. Whittaker?

Mr. Whittaker: Ted, I've never advocated for violence, and I never would. This person should have read my entire quote, which was, I said to the Times that I am completely in favor of the exchange of ideas and I fully believe in the owner's right to move into Odyssey.

Ted Humphreys: But that their material could be damaging.

Mr. Whittaker: Some of it, yes.

Connie Kendall: But that doesn't mean that Whit's responsible for the fire.

Ted Humphreys: Yet the likelihood that the arsonist did what he did because of Whit's quote is high. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Whittaker?

Connie Kendall: No, he would not agree!

Mr. Whittaker: Connie, would you mind if I answer this myself, please?

Connie Kendall: Yeah, sure. Go ahead. You're doing great.

Mr. Whittaker: Ted, I've never met this person. I won't speculate on their motives. There could be many factors. But I'll pray for him and for the bookstore owner. Both parties have a long road ahead of them.

Ted Humphreys: Would you like to apologize for your quote to the Times?

Mr. Whittaker: What happened was terrible. And the thought that someone may have done this as a result of something that I said, it does grieve me, of course. But what I said was still true. I don't agree with some of the material that was being sold at that bookshop.

Ted Humphreys: Thank you for answering my questions, Mr. Whittaker. This almost certainly will be our top story tonight. Off the record, Whit, I don't believe this story has legs.

The arsonist was some 20-year-old kid who has no connection to you. His social media posts don't raise any flags, nothing involving inappropriate content in bookstores and morality in media or anything like that. He's just trying to stir up trouble.

Mr. Whittaker: Thank you, Ted.

Ted Humphreys: Goodbye, Whit. Connie.

Connie Kendall: Bye. The lead story? Why is this even news? You had nothing to do with that fire. Whit? Are you okay?

Mr. Whittaker: I should talk to Gloria.

Gloria: Mr. Whittaker. Hello.

Mr. Whittaker: I am so sorry this happened. Were you able to recover anything?

Gloria: Not really. As you can see, the fire destroyed pretty much everything. I did find this: a half-charred copy of Hopeless December by Andrew Stoval, signed. I waited in line three hours to get his autograph in New York.

Mr. Whittaker: I know the book.

Gloria: A story of a family trying to survive a harsh winter during the Great Depression. Is that part of the material you disapprove of? Families bonding through adversity?

Mr. Whittaker: Gloria, I hope you know that I would never...

Gloria: When I decided to move to Odyssey and open up this place, several people warned me about you. They said you were really religious and a powerful man in the community and that if you wanted to, you could shut me down anytime.

I didn't think you would. And I understand that you weren't directly responsible for this mess. But in the future, you should really be more careful about what you say. People obviously take you very seriously.

Mr. Whittaker: Hello, Carla. Nice to see you.

Carla: Your daisies look beautiful.

Mr. Whittaker: Thank you.

Carla: So, are you taking the day off?

Mr. Whittaker: Mostly. I just need to clear my head for a few hours.

Carla: I heard that some people are blaming you for what happened.

Mr. Whittaker: Do you think I should just keep my mouth shut from now on?

Carla: Not at all. The world is a better place when you're mouthing off.

Mr. Whittaker: I guess that's a compliment.

Carla: Can I pray for you?

Mr. Whittaker: How wonderful it is to hear you say those words, Carla.

Carla: It's pretty wonderful saying them.

Mr. Whittaker: You've changed.

Carla: Thanks to God. He's the one that did the work.

Mr. Whittaker: I'd love to hear about it. Tell me your testimony, right here in front of my daisies.

Carla: I've caught you off guard. How about you tell me one example of something that's changed in you because of Jesus?

Yesterday I had a disagreement with Bridget, which is about as common as blinking. So we went back and forth a few times, and we were done in about five minutes. She left in a huff, of course. When I went to bed last night, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Mr. Whittaker: Is that abnormal?

Carla: A few months ago, I would have replayed that argument in my head over and over, probably between midnight and 1:00 AM.

Mr. Whittaker: You've stopped second-guessing yourself.

Carla: I have a counselor in my heart now. He's teaching me the right words. It's made me less anxious and stronger. I might even go so far as to say He's made me a better mom.

Mr. Whittaker: That's wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing that. It made my day.

Carla: Absolutely. And I'll take that prayer now.

Connie Kendall: Jules, did you see this article? Odyssey Times. Is Dale Jacobs on vacation? How did they get away with such biased reporting?

Jules: What does it say?

Connie Kendall: They make it sound like Whit fired up the blowtorch himself. He must be so upset. We need to rethink this party.

Jules: No, you mean cancel it?

Connie Kendall: No, change the approach. We need something that'll make him feel special. We should invite everybody he knows. Let's pack this place.

Jules: That doesn't leave much room for the acrobats.

Connie Kendall: Whit's going to feel appreciated if it's the last thing I do. If he doesn't dehydrate from happy tears by the end of the night, we haven't done our jobs.

Jules: Okay, make Whit cry. Got it. Oh, hi, Whit.

Connie Kendall: Hi, Mr. Whittaker.

Mr. Whittaker: Hello. Is everything okay here?

Connie Kendall: Oh, yes. Absolutely.

Jules: Perfect, squeaky perfect.

Mr. Whittaker: That's good. I need to take care of a few things in my office.

Connie Kendall: We'll hold down the fort.

Mr. Whittaker: Thanks.

Jules: What was that about?

Connie Kendall: He doesn't sound upset at all. That's impossible. He must just be putting on a brave face. Do you want me to investigate?

Jules: Yes. Ask about ordering more sprinkles. On it.

Mr. Whittaker: Come in.

Jules: Hey. So we are out of sprinkles.

Mr. Whittaker: Go ahead and order a case.

Jules: Great. Thanks. Good thinking. I suppose I'll just go.

Mr. Whittaker: Before you do, why don't you tell me why you really came up here? Connie wanted you to check up on me, didn't she?

Jules: Well, we're just worried about you.

Mr. Whittaker: I appreciate that, but I'm fine.

Jules: Is there anything I can do?

Mr. Whittaker: Actually, there is something. Have a seat and tell me your story. You're a new Christian. Tell me what that's been like for you.

Jules: Well, Gunner called me the other day.

Mr. Whittaker: Your former bandmate.

Jules: Yes, and former short-lived boyfriend. He wrote a song about his new motorcycle. Then he told me about how he lost his lucky hat, how he found a great new sushi restaurant, and how he and Raz had an argument about how real televised wrestling was. The whole conversation was weird.

Mr. Whittaker: What was weird about it?

Jules: Gunner was in the car with me when we got in the accident. He was just as close to death as I was. How could it not change him?

Mr. Whittaker: The will to not change can be very strong. It's a lot easier to go through life without examining and challenging yourself.

Jules: I know. And that used to be me, not willing to change even though I wasn't going anywhere in life. I look back at the old songs I used to write, really depressing and hopeless.

But last week I wrote one that had a verse about that moment after you go to the optometrist and they dilate your eyes. Afterward, the whole world seems brighter. The lyrics might be silly, I know, but I feel like that's my life since I came to Christ. Brighter, more beautiful.

Mr. Whittaker: Wyatt, your Imagination Station adventure to Ancient Rome is ready. You keep an eye out for the lions, okay?

Wyatt: Wait, lions?

Mr. Whittaker: Just joking.

Wyatt: I hope so. Why aren't you in a bad mood?

Mr. Whittaker: You're referring to what's being said in the news about me.

Wyatt: Yeah. Doesn't it bother you?

Mr. Whittaker: Well, of course it does.

Wyatt: Are you mad at them?

Mr. Whittaker: No. I pray for them. I was just telling your mom today how excited I am about you and your parents giving your lives to Christ. Would you do something for me? Before you face the lions, would you tell me your story? How Jesus has made a difference in your life.

Wyatt: Well, there's a lot of stuff that hasn't changed, but I've got something! A kid showed me something on the internet the other day. It was about how bears are learning to use keys.

Mr. Whittaker: Bears?

Wyatt: Yes. They're breaking into people's houses. Anyway, this kid showed me the article and I said, "Come on."

Mr. Whittaker: So you feel like God has given you discernment to know when you're being told lies.

Wyatt: It's not a lie. Bears are really doing that. But the thing is, I'm not worried about it. In Sunday school last week, Wilson said that we shouldn't ever worry because God has everything under control. And I believe it.

And the kid said, "If they can break into houses, they could learn to break into cars someday too." And I said, "I know." And he said, "Can you imagine the damage one bear could do if it just gets a hold of one keychain of keys?"

And I said, "Of course I do, but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. God will protect me, no matter how many keys a bear has."

Mr. Whittaker: And what did this kid say to that?

Wyatt: He thinks I'm nuts. But you're not. Not a Christian.

Connie Kendall: Hey, Ron.

Ron: Hey, Connie.

Mr. Whittaker: Ron. Good to see you. Wyatt's in the middle of an adventure, but I can get him for you.

Ron: No, I can wait.

Mr. Whittaker: Good, because I actually wanted to talk to you. Do you have a couple of minutes? I'm just curious about how things are going for you in your new life since you became a Christian.

Ron: Good. Very good, actually. I found something I'd been missing my whole life: my true mission.

Years ago, I was given a choice whether or not to re-enlist or stop being an active Marine. I didn't hesitate. I re-enlisted. I told Carla it was because I wasn't done serving my country, which was true. But there was another reason. I didn't know my purpose. I thought my life would be pointless if I wasn't actively serving.

But the other night, I was reading the Bible with Wyatt. We came across a verse that neither of us understood, and that's when I called you. After you explained it to us, Wyatt and I talked about it and we prayed together. As soon as I said amen, I realized something: that there weren't many things I had done in my life that were more important than what I had just done: studying the Bible with my son.

Wyatt: Dad!

Ron: Hey, tiger. You ready to head home? Well, you can tell me about your adventure on the way because Mom has cooked an early dinner. Whit, did that answer your question?

Mr. Whittaker: In the most wonderful way. Thank you, Ron.

Ron: You're welcome. Bye.

Wyatt: Bye, Mr. Whittaker.

Mr. Whittaker: See you. Wow, that was really cool and encouraging. You know, it's been a good day.

Connie Kendall: I am so glad. I should finish up in the kitchen.

Jules: Connie. Jules. Are you at the party store? What do you need? Turn around. I've made a decision about Whit's party.

Mr. Whittaker: Come in.

Jules: Hey. Everything's cleaned up downstairs.

Mr. Whittaker: Thank you, Connie. You head home. I've got a few more things to do here.

Jules: Actually, would you come downstairs with me?

Mr. Whittaker: Okay. For what?

Jules: Just follow me. You've been under a lot of pressure lately, and even though you're great at hiding it, I know you're having a hard time with everything that's been happening.

Mr. Whittaker: I don't think I've been hiding anything.

Jules: Oh, yes, you have. Anyway, Jules and I were planning something for you.

Mr. Whittaker: This isn't a surprise party, is it?

Jules: No. I just, when you talked to Ron, I saw you perk up. You seemed so happy.

Mr. Whittaker: I'd call it joy.

Jules: Anyway, that got me to thinking and...

Guest (Chorus): Surprise!

Mr. Whittaker: It is a surprise party.

Jules: No, it isn't. Guys, I said not to yell that.

Guest (Male): Nobody was sure what to yell.

Guest (Female): It was all a bit confusing.

Mr. Whittaker: Well, regardless, hello, everyone.

Connie Kendall: So, Whit, I asked everybody here to come and pray for you.

Mr. Whittaker: How wonderful. Yes, this is something I need, always.

Jules: Another guest?

Buck: Hi, everyone.

Guest (Chorus): Whoa! Buck!

Buck: Happy birthday, Mr. Whittaker.

Mr. Whittaker: Thank you, Buck. It's so great to see you. Your dad told me about your decision to follow Jesus, and I'm so happy for you. Welcome to the family.

Buck: Thanks. Mom and Dad are flying in tomorrow for the big celebration.

Mr. Whittaker: For my birthday?

Jules: Well, yes, for that, and one other thing. Buck and I are getting baptized on Sunday.

Mr. Whittaker: That's the best news I've heard in a long time! Okay, everybody, we're here to pray. Why don't we start? Before we do, could I ask you to do something for me, Buck? Tell us your story.

Buck: Well, I guess I could say what I'm planning to say at the baptism on Sunday.

Growing up, the only person I trusted was the one person I shouldn't have trusted. When Mr. Skint left me, I thought I was just a mark for him, that I'd been conned. So I decided I wouldn't let that happen again. And it was true. I could never be taken by any scam because I didn't trust anything or anyone. I thought I was being strong, but I wound up being really lonely.

The fact that I'm getting in the water on Sunday and telling everyone that I'm trusting God to be in control of my entire life, well, that's pretty big for me. If I'm going to get anywhere in life, I have to learn to trust. And I do now. But this time, I'm trusting in exactly the one person I should be: Jesus.

Mr. Whittaker: I want everyone to look around at the people in this circle. Not long ago, most of you wouldn't have been here. Think about that: Ron, Wyatt, Jules, Buck, Carla. And just this week, Renee and I prayed together in a bus station.

All have come to faith in Christ in such a short time. God's doing something really special in Odyssey. There's no denying it. We need to remember that, no matter what's happening around us or to us.

Connie, you've been very concerned about my feelings these past few days. I appreciate it. But the truth is, my joy isn't dependent on my circumstances. It's dependent on God. He is the source of our hope, our faith, and our joy.

Gloria: Mr. Whittaker.

Mr. Whittaker: I have something for you to replace the one you lost.

Gloria: Hopeless December. It's signed?

Mr. Whittaker: Yes. I'm friends with Andrew Stoval's agent. He was kind enough to overnight the book.

Gloria: You realize there aren't any cameras around to capture this moment.

Mr. Whittaker: Good. You've suffered a terrible loss, Gloria. But God loves you and wants a relationship with you. He'll bless you just like He has so many people in Odyssey, if you let Him. Thank you, Mr. Whittaker.

Chris: I love it when God gives us glimpses of heaven here on Earth. It's beautiful to hear brothers and sisters in Christ testifying about the difference the Lord has made in their lives.

Whether you're a new Christian or you've been one for a long time, it's good to be reminded of what the Lord can do and how He's working. In the middle of hard times, reflect on the faithfulness of the Lord. And I think Whit's right: it does feel like God is moving in Odyssey lately, and I'm glad we get a front-row seat to see it happen.

Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. "This Is My Story" was written and directed by Marshall Younger, with sound design by Lucas DeKnow and music by Connor Zavoka. Our executive producer was Dave Arnold.

Our cast included Robbie Bruce, Rebecca Davis, Keith Ferguson, Dawson Griffith, Katie Leigh, Eric Martsolf, Robin Reed, Shona Rodman, and Andre Stojka. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.