Near to the Heart by Linda Lee

Near to the Heart

By Linda Lee Duncan

September 21, 2011

Props: One Rocking Chair

Costumes: One white robe or white clothes

Characters:

Dad: White-Clothed Gentle Father

Little Girl: 10 year old little girl

Group: 10-15 kids 5-10 years old

Scene I

10 Kids: Loudly Thunder from stage left to stage right, pushing, yelling, shoving, teasing each other.

Little Girl: Following the crowd she sees her Daddy out of the corner of her eye—she turns back to kiss him on the cheek. Starts to run and rejoin the group, but Daddy gently holds her hand. She turns toward him.

Dad: Gently pulls his daughter toward him with both hands now.

Little Girl: She sits on Daddy's lap a moment then starts to get down.

Dad: Gently, but insistently says: “ No, you just sit still a minute.”

Girl: Waits impatiently, then leans her head onto his chest.

Girl: “Daddy?”

Dad: “Yes, Honey?”

Girl: “Daddy, I can hear your heart.”

Dad: “Oh, what do you hear?”

Girl: “Thump Thump, Thump Thump”

Dad: Smiles.

LONG PAUSE.

Girl: “Daddy?”

Dad: “Yes, the Apple of my Eye?”

Girl: “You don't want me to push and shove like the other kids, do you?”

Dad: Shakes his head “no”

Girl: “I'm just gonna stay here close to your heart.”

Narrator: Isn't that what God wants for all of his children? --For us to be close enough to hear his heart, close enough to “feel” HIS Presence? It's possible. We just have to pull away from the “others” and sit quietly with Dad until we can hear His heart beat.

Scene II:

Children: Noise of the children playing in the distance.

Dad: Rocking little girl to sleep. Both look content.

Children; Noise fades, then stops altogether.