F. Hey,

P. Hey, . . . .

F. . . . What's up?

P. . . . Not much.

F. What's goin on??

P. Not much . . .

F. What you waitin around here for??

P. Not much . . . I'm just hangin out . . .

F. Like for what?

P. . . . Not much . . .

F. . . . Don't you have anything happening in your life?

P. . . . . . . . Not much . . .

F. Woe, I can't believe you. Like, this is no way to live! Don't you have a purpose?? Doesn't anything interest you? Or don't you feel like, getting a job or something??

P. . . . Not much . . .

F. Wow!!! (thinking) . . . I've never met anyone like you. Let's see now, . . . (counting on fingers) you don't have any ambition, you don't have any goals, you're not really motivated to do anything with your life. Do you know what??

P. . . . no, what??

F. I was down in Washington, D.C. last week and I saw a sculpture made out of hand guns, like--all welded together . . . It was pretty cool!

P. So what!?

F. So what!!? Like – dude, you should have seen this thing, it was about 16 feet tall, and it was molded into the shape of a plow !

P. A what??!

F. A plow dude!! Like one of those things farmers use to dig up the ground to plant corn and stuff life that!!

P. So what?! What's that got to do with me or anything??

F. Mann!! You just don't get it do you?!!?

P. Ahh what? . . .

F. I can't believe you . . . like, hello?? is anybody there?

P. Where?

F. Ok, I'll start from the beginning. There was this guy way back in the bible days, his name was Isaiah, and Isaiah went around telling people that one day, god would cause all the wars in the world to stop! And so, in the vision of Isaiah, the people took all of their swords and spears, and turned them into implements for peace – like –useful for farming! Like a plow or a shovel or a hoe! It could have been pots for cooking or something else useful like that!

P. Ahh .. . yea, ok,, I kinda "get" this prophet dude, he was pretty cool, but what's this got to do with me??

F. Yea, Isaiah was was way cool!! He had a revelation from god that people could stop fighting and hurting each other, that maybe

People could learn to get along with their neighbors – kind of like Jesus was envisioning for the kingdom of god.

P. You believe in Jesus and that stuff in the bible??

F. Yes! I became a Christian when my parents brought me into the church to hear the word of god and I was baptized!

P. Yea, I'm supposed to be one of those too.

F. You mean you're a Christian??

P. Yea, my mother told me I was baptized when I was a baby, but when mom and dad split up, I figured god didn't care about me and I must not matter to Jesus.

F. But god does care, that's like what Isaiah was talking about, the time would come when the swords would be changed to plow shears–this means that god has always wanted for people to get along and not fight with each other. God cares about people!!

P. Like I said, when mom and dad used to fight, I figured god didn't care, – I never got to hear the word of god –just god's name used for swearing.

F. Dude, there's lots of things the bible says about how much god loves us.

P. Didn't Jesus say that the world's going to come to an end, so . . . like what's the use of living, if we're all gonna get burned up!

F. Your right, Jesus did speak of the end times, but he said things like that so that we would wake up to our faith!

P. Oh yea? But, if he's trying to awaken us, why doesn't he just come and reveal himself??

F. This is what faith is about. Jesus asks us to believe in what we cannot see–like remembering you are a baptized child of god. We exercise faith to know he is with us, but during the season of advent–we're reminded to be ready for his coming.

P. But aren't we just left here all alone??

F. No!! God is in our midst! Just like I'm talking to you right now . . . I believe that god is at work through me and you. . . . just a couple minutes ago, you had nothing going on. Now you're starting to get excited about god. This shows that god is at work in us, by his holy spirit!!

P. But how can I know god cares about me or this whole messed up world?

F. Two things dude, just remember how god spoke through the prophets like Isaiah, like the swords to plowshears scripture we were just talking about.

P. Ok, got that!–that sculpture thing you were talking about– guns really could be melted down and the metal used for good things that don't hurt people.

F. Hey, you're catching on quick!! Next remember what Jesus told us, just as he was ascending to the father: "For behold, I am with you always, even until the end of the age."

P. Wow, this is pretty cool. I'm starting to learn that god does have a plan for the world and that Jesus promised to be with me all the time. But how do I get through the day to day stuff . . . like, hey, I never even finished high school.

F. Remember your baptism!?! Remember that when you were baptized, you became a child of god. And if you are a child of god, then you have access to all of god's wisdom and blessings!! All you have to do is begin to exercise the gifts god has given you – dude, you can be anything you want!!

P. Awesome, I'm beginning to awaken to what god has in store for me. I'm feeling more encouraged.

Is there a place where I would be surrounded by other people like you who believe god's promises and who know Jesus presence in their life??

F. Totally dude, you just come to church with me. God has many good people for you to meet. Their life stories are like words of scripture. God has good things in store for us all. We just have to keep surrounding ourselves with other believers and we can build up our faith and keep encouraging one another.

P. Hey thanks, I feel encouraged, I want to grow my little bit of faith which you have helped to stir up this morning. Thanks a lot.

F. Don't thank me dude, thank god!!!

P. Will you pray with me???

F. Ok, let us pray. Lord Jesus, you come to us when we feel alone, you're their with us lord Jesus when we face all kinds of trials. Thank you lord Jesus, because you promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Praise you god the father because you have given us your word. May we know your will for our baptismal life. Lead us and guide us by the holy spirit.

Amen?? Amen!!!!!!!

Thanks be to god!!