Here’s the conclusion to my Dr. Seuss-style retelling of the Exodus story (with illustrations by Trudy Teemley). To read Part One, click here.
The next morning out at the edge of the town
A Heebroo named Wharton was hangin’ around,
When he spotted a goldenish-pinkish-white disk,
And decided to eat it, despite the slight risk.
It was just like a sweet little edible plate,
And he ran into camp shouting, “Hey, this is great!
I’ve discovered the wonderflest food in existence!
It’ll feed us forever and be our subsistence!”
Now, despite the big words that Wharton had used,
He was instantly, nastily, verbly abused.
“You’re a fool,” they all shouted, “That one little speck
Can’t feed all these folks? What the hey? What the heck!”
But Mo said, “Hey, wait, folks! He’s right, look around.
There’re zillions of whatzits all over the ground!”
Then the people said, “Huh? Whatcha know!” and “He’s right!
They must have arrived while we slept in the night.”
There were whatzits in every cranny and nook,
For those who were willing to just take a look.
There were whatzits in every place they could think,
On their heads, in their beds, in their porcelain sinks.
So the Heebrooz and Sheebrooz said, “Oh, how He loves us,
To shower such blessings upon and above us!
And now we’ve no doubts. No, it’s not like it was.
For we finally have faith in the things that God does.”
But the whatzits went bad every time there were more
Than the people could finish the evening before.
Next morning that delicate flavor went south
And turned monstrously muckish inside of their mouths!
They were no longer goldenish-pinkish and white,
But a sick shade of green that put grown men to flight!
They said, “God, ahem, Sir. We don’t like to rail,
But we really don’t like your green whatzits and quail!
We said that we’d trust all the things that you do,
But we must tell you this time you’ve failed to come through!”
’Cause that’s the way Heebrooz and all people think.
When they can’t have it their way, they think it just stinks.
But Wharton stepped forward and, calm as can be,
Said, “Wait, I think maybe we’ve failed to see
That the thing we should really have placed our faith in
Is not what God does, but, well, simply in Him.”
Then the people said, “Wharton, now hey! What the heck?
You’re the guy who discovered that first little speck.
And now you say what matters most from the start
Isn’t found on the ground, but is found in our hearts?”
Then Mo hollered, “Bingo! You’ve figured it out.
Now the real test will come when you conquer your doubts,
And trust when you can’t see what’s happening next,
Just because, well, it’s God, and He always knows best.
’Cause you’ll never find anything good on the shelf,
’Til you learn to look past to the Father himself.”
After forty more years, Wharton Caleb O’Dell
Finally came to the kingdom of Izrael,
And he said when he crossed with the throng on that day
That the best part was trusting in God all the way.
Church worship teams: To purchase the script of Wharton Finds a Whatzit — complete with 19 illustrated slides — click here.
Want more? Read Little Rock, Big God!
This is just wonderful Mitch! What a fantastic way to tell the exodus story in a fresh new way, and your wife did a beautiful job illustrating.
Thank you x 2, Terri.
love it
Wow 😳. Great way to reach young and old.
Love. It! 😀
“Good stuff, Mitch,” says Oneta with a smile,
“Spending time in your blog is always worth my while.
You write with much wisdom and such an entertaining style”
(Do you want a fourth line? Okay.)
“You’re a funny man – a man without guile.” (How’s that?) 😀
Aw, thanks, Oneta. I’ll use that line when I promote myself to children’s book publishers. ;>)
Love this, Mitch!! Glad you are making it available as a script for church use!! 🙂
Hey Mitch,This is really superb! So often “authors” try to write poetical stories, thinking how clever Dr. Suess was and thinking “it’s so simple!” They usually fail big time. I had a publisher explain to only use poetry IF the story cannot be told better in a prose format. You accomplished that here. Thank you. I also want to commend Trudy on her clever sketches. Just perfect.Thank you for this!
JoeYAKOVETIC 16221 Flallon Avenue Norwalk, CA 90650
mobile: 909.241.6088
SDG Soli Deo Gloria “To God Alone the Glory”
Thank you, Joe!
Will this be available in book form before Christmas?!? I want to buy some copies!
No, I wish, Dawn. Haven’t found a publisher yet who gets that there’s an audience for it, even though there’s a clamor for hard copies every time a church presents it. Ah, well.
You wouldn’t consider self-pub? (CreateSpace-ish)
This one’s for you! https://atimetoshare.me/2017/11/08/writers-funnies-218/
I’ve been on the verge of a publish deal a couple of times, so I keep holding out for that option.
I love this!
“And now you say what matters most from the start
Isn’t found on the ground, but is found in our hearts?”
In this gold mine, I think the above nugget outshines all the rest.
‘verbly abused’, lol. Useful reminder of the eternal message, though.
(bashed over the head with excess adjectives?)
I love me some Wharton! Excellent work my friend.
Thanks, Joseph!
Great post, Mitch! Dr. Seuss would heartily agree that Jesus is Lord for every whatzit, Heebroo, and such. I hope you are able to keep those creative ideas coming. What a great way to present Gospel truths.
I am posting my 50/ 50 piece next Monday. Do you have a link to your movie? I wanted to promote what toy are doing. It is my way of saying thank you for being an encouragement to me and others.
In Christ,
Gary
Thank you so much, Gary, but if you’re referring to my feature film “Over-the-Rhine,” I’m afraid it hasn’t been released yet.
Okay. Can at least direct people to your site.
WOW… Still looking for that “LOVE” icon, Mitch! You two are something else!
“But Wharton stepped forward and, calm as can be,Said, “Wait, I think maybe we’ve failed to see… That the thing we should really have placed our faith inIs not what God does, but, well, simply in Him.”
Oh, how these words resinate with all the LORD has been teaching me for the last several years! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this! I really think it needs to be in a book! 🙂
Aw, thank you, Dori. Yeah, I’d like to publish it as a book. In God’s time.