Even There 

Before the song, before the light,  
in hush of dawn or darkest night, 
when words fall short, or none appear-- 
-God listens. Even there.
 
In broken hallelujahs rung, 
by weary hands or trembling tongue, 
through shadows deep or plaintive prayer-- 
-God listens. Even there.

 
When gladness dances, sorrow sighs,
beneath bright stars or stormy skies,
when fear and faith bring one to prayer
-God listens. Even there.

 
In grateful praise and quiet plea,
 by lifted hand or bended knee,
through silence deep when burdens tear
- God listens. Even there.

 
So let the music now arise, 
from longing hearts and tear-stained eyes; 
He hears us, meets us, leads us near-- 
-God listens. Even here.

(c) Don Stott.  Eliab.com June 28. 2025

 

 At the King’s Table
(A monologue from the perspective of Mephibosheth, reflecting on his journey from obscurity to the royal table.)

(Mephibosheth sits on the floor of the palace, gazing at the grand banquet table before him. His voice is quiet, filled with awe and gratitude.)

I never imagined I would see the inside of this palace, let alone sit at the king’s table.For years, I lived in Lo-debar—a place whose name itself means “no pasture,” a land of barrenness, forgotten by the world. I was the son of Jonathan, grandson of Saul, but that meant nothing now. When my father fell in battle, and my grandfather’s reign came to an end, I was only five years old. Fear gripped my nurse as she fled with me, and in that desperate escape, I fell—crippling both my feet forever.
A crippled boy. A remnant of a fallen dynasty. What hope could I have?
I learned to survive in obscurity, never expecting kindness, only waiting for the inevitable: a summons to my destruction. After all, was it not common for kings to eliminate any descendants of their predecessors? Did David not have every reason to wipe out Saul’s line?
And then, one day, the summons came.
David—King David—had sent for me.
I was carried to Jerusalem, trembling with every step. Would I die today? Would my name be blotted out as a final stroke of justice for the house of Saul?
I was brought before the throne. My body was low, my heart lower still. But then—his voice.
"Mephibosheth," he said. My name, spoken without threat.
I dared to answer. “Behold, I am your servant.”
The silence stretched, but not with wrath—no, something else lingered in the air. Mercy.
"Do not fear," he said. And in that moment, I breathed for the first time in years.
"I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan."
Jonathan. My father. A man who had loved David, defended him, covenanted with him in loyalty and friendship. A promise had been made long before my birth, and now, even with Jonathan gone, David remained faithful.
I braced myself for what would follow. Perhaps a token of mercy, a small provision. I never expected the words that came next.
"You shall eat at my table always."
Always? Surely, he did not mean—surely, he did not intend to--
Yet here I sit. At the table of the king.
Not as a crippled outcast. Not as a remnant of a broken house. But as a son.
The shame of my brokenness is covered here; no one looks at my feet. They see only the seat reserved for me.
What king does this? What ruler spares an enemy’s grandson, not merely to live, but to belong?
This is not the justice of men—this is the kindness of God.
(Mephibosheth looks up, his voice softening.)

Mercy found me in Lo-debar. Mercy lifted me to the throne room. Mercy placed me at the king’s table.
I have done nothing to deserve this, yet here I am.
Grace. This is grace.
(He pauses, then slowly reaches for the bread before him, as the lights fade.)

A Seat of Grace
(A poem inspired by 2 Samuel 9. The story of David and Mephibosheth.)
In Lo-debar, he hides from foes
A broken man with nothing, knows
His name was once of noble breath,
Yet now he faces fear and death.,

A crippled child, a fallen line,
His shattered past, no hope to find.
A king now rules, his throne is vast--
Would mercy come, or shame still last?

Then word arrived, a call so strange,
 King David summoned him by name!
His heart beat wild, his thoughts ran deep,
Would judgment come? Now time to weep?

Before the throne, he bowed so low,
Expecting wrath—expecting woe
Yet David spoke, "Do not be scared,
For Jonathan, your father, cared."

"For love he bore, and bonds we made,
This kindness now shall never fade.
Your father’s house I now restore,
Your brokenness is lost no more."

And then his words—so rich, so true,
"You'll eat with me, be made anew."
A seat was set, a place was found,
Where once was loss, now grace abounds.

Not by his strength, nor by his name,
But endless love, no longer blame.
The crippled child now robed with worth,
Sat at the table, graced from birth.

So take this hope, O heart distressed,
No wound nor shame shall leave you pressed."
For grace still seeks the lost, the lame--
God calls them forth, restored by name. 

DonSong. (c) Eliab.com May 2025
A Seat Of Grace
Song version by Don Stott Lyrics and music (c) Eliab.com , June 27. 2025 

🐰🐺🐒 Rabbit, Fox, Monkey — The Animal Game
( If you've ever played Paper, Scissors, Rock - You'll love this adaption!)
How to play:

• Rabbit beats Monkey
• Monkey beats Fox
• Fox beats Rabbit

What to do:
1.    Players count to three and show one of the three animals using hand gestures:
   Animal
How to Show It with Your Hand
Rabbit
Make two fingers up like rabbit ears 🐇
Fox
Make a hand shape like a fox’s snout 🦊 (thumb and index finger forming a muzzle shape)
Monkey
Make a fist and wiggle your thumb like a monkey’s tail 🐒
2.    Compare the two animals shown.
3.    The winner is decided by the rules:

• Rabbit beats Monkey (Rabbit hops away from Monkey)
• Monkey beats Fox (Monkey climbs over Fox)
• Fox beats Rabbit (Fox chases Rabbit)

4.    If both players show the same animal, it’s a draw — play again!
 

Digger Digs Deep (for Kindness!) This puppet script has the theme of kindness and was used in a Family Worship Service where the Bible Reading was
2 Samuel chapter 9   David&Mephibosheth
Don & Dog Puppet (Digger)
[Don enters with Digger the puppet. Children are seated in front.]
 
Don: Good morning, friends! I’ve got someone here who’s been very busy lately...
Digger: (pops up, tail wagging): Busy? Busy?! Don, I’ve been digging like a dog on double snacks!
Don: Uh-oh... more tunnels in the backyard?
Digger: Don, I’ve expanded my secret tunnel empire! One goes under the veggie patch, one loops past Bentley’s kennel, and one...
Don: ...goes all the way under the neighbour’s garden?
Digger (guilty): I may have... accidentally popped up in Fifi’s flower bed. She was not impressed. She said I ruined her roses.
Don: Oh, Digger...
Digger: I tried to say sorry, but I don’t think a bouquet of half-chewed sticks counted.
Don: Well, what do you think might help fix it?
Digger (thinks):Hmm... Maybe... real flowers? A heartfelt howl? Or... maybe I need to do something really *kind.*
Don: That’s a great idea, Digger. Today’s big people story is all about kindness, even when people expect the opposite. It’s the story of a king named David...
Digger: Wait—is he the one with the slingshot? I love a good underdog story!
Don: That’s the one. But later, David becomes king, and instead of being mean to someone from his enemy’s family, he does something amazing.
Digger (gasps): He buries a bone in his garden for them?
Don (laughs):Even better. He invites Mephibosheth—a man who couldn’t walk and was probably scared of the king—to live in the palace and eat at his table every day. David showed kindness and reconciliation.
Digger (softly): Wow… like... welcoming someone home instead of shutting the doggy door on them.
Don: Exactly. David gave him a place of honor, not because he had to—but because *grace* says, “You’re worth it.”
Digger: Like how Bentley chewed my tennis ball, but I still let him play fetch with me later?
Don: That’s kindness.
Digger (nodding): Or when I dig up Fifi’s petunias… again... but this time, I plant tulip bulbs after!
Don: That’s reconciliation, Digger. Making things right and choosing kindness, even after things go wrong.
Digger: Don... I think I’m gonna dig a kindness tunnel today. Straight from my kennel to Bentley’s bowl... with a note that says, “You’re pawsome!”
Don (laughs): That’s the spirit. What about you guys—can anyone think of a way to be kind this week?
[Pause for one or two responses from children.]
Digger: Kindness makes the world a better place. Or at least a better backyard.
Don: Let’s pray that we can be like King David—and like Digger—bringing kindness where it's needed most.
Digger: And maybe fewer holes. Except the kindness kind. Amen!
 
© Don Stott Eliab.com , June 2025