Job and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Sunday, October 14, 2012
Proper 23B
Job 23:1-17
Prop: A copy of Judith Viorst's book (optional)

The book could simply be read as the children's sermon, if desired.  Below, however, is a way to use reference to the story without actually reading the book word-for-word.

An author named Judith Viorst wrote a book called Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  Perhap you've read it!  It is one of my all-time favorites.  It starts like this:

Alexander is speaking:

I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mystake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

At breakfast Anthony found a Corvette Sting Ray car kit in his breakfast cereal box and Nick found a Junior Undercover Agent code ring in his breakfast cereal box but in my breakfast cereal box all I found was breakfast cereal.

I think I'll move to Australia.

Next, it's time for Alexander to go to school, and things don't go any better.  He's forced to sit in the middle seat in the back in the car pool, and even when he complains about being scrunched and smushed and feeling carsick, no one answers him. 

Once he gets to school, Alexander's day still doesn't improve.  His teacher doesn't like his picture of the invisible castle.  He sings too loud.  He misses the number sixteen when counting.  Alexander could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

He gets in a fight with his friends, and his mom forgot to put dessert in his lunch box.

After school, Alexander and his brothers has an appointment at the dentist.  Guess who is the only one with a cavity.  That's right...Alexander.  Dr. Fields tells them to come back next week, and he will fix it.  Alexander says, "Next week, I'm going to Australia."

Well, poor Alexander's day goes from bad to worse.  He gets into a fight with his brothers and even though they start it, Alexander is the one to get in trouble.  They pick up his dad at his office, where Alexander knocks a big pile of books off the desk.

Back at home, there are lima beans for dinner and Alexander hates lima beans.  There is kissing on TV and he hates kissing.  His bath is too hot, he gets soap in his eyes, his marble goes down the drain, and he has to wear the pajamas he hates.

The book ends like this...

When I went to bed Nick took back the pillow he said I could keep and the Mickey Mouse night iight burned out and I bit my tongue.

The cat wants to sleep with Anthony, not with me.

It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

My mom says some days are like that.

Even in Australia.

All of us have experienced terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days, just like Alexander.  Sometimes we have a string of terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days when it just seems that nothing goes right.  And sometimes our worries are bigger than biting our tongue or having to eat lima beans.  Sometimes it feels, as I think it did to Alexander, like no one is listening to our complaints.  But I am here to tell you that there is one person who is always ready to listen...one person who always cares about how we are feeling.  That person is God.  You can always bring your troubles to God, and know that God hears you, no matter where you are.  Even in Australia.

Let's talk with God in prayer now.

Dear God, We thank you for always being with us, always caring about us and listening to us.  Help us to see that we are not alone.  On good days and on bad, you are our God.  We are your children.  Thank-you, Lord.  In Jesus' name, Amen.