Not Your Average Book

By Cheryl Wakes

By means of God's Holy Spirit Not Your Average Book was written as a gift to children, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

Not Your Average Book presents a colorful picture that will alter your perspective regarding events of long ago. God's personal love for mankind is seen all through the stories of old.

Not Your Average Book engages your imagination, as it answers questions and reveals truths. Such as Adam was missing one...what? Can a spirit drive you? What's wrong with Johnny's tattoo? Can grandma see from heaven? Goshen or Egypt...you choose!

From eight to eighty, you'll find Not Your Average Book, an inspiration filled with information.

I pray you will be inspired as you spend time with George, Doris, and Mayer Osgood. My hope is, as a family, Not Your Average Book will draw you closer in your relationship to God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638744023

Book preview

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Not Your Average Book

Cheryl Wakes

ISBN 978-1-63874-401-6 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63874-402-3 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Cheryl Wakes

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Kicked Out of Paradise

The Tale of Two Brothers

I Dreamt, I Drowned

Passed Over, Yesss!

A Dilemma of Plagues

Who Said The Strong Survive?

From Shepherd to Sovereign

Never Rags, Only Riches

Four in the Furnace

In the Mouth of the Lion

There Were How Many?

Grandma

Author's Prayer

About the Author

Foreword

In the two years in which I have enjoyed pastoring Cheryl Wakes and her astute husband Melvin, it was their love and passion for all things kingdom-focused that struck me deepest. Cheryl has a keen knack for putting pen to paper and expressing that passion in an effort to draw people to a curiosity about the things our God so lovingly wants to give them.

In her latest work, Cheryl introduces us to the Osgood family. We are invited to witness Doris Osgood as she takes her son, Mayer, through the Bible in a creative way. She answers his questions in a manner that piques his interest and causes him to hunger for even more of, what, who, and why of the Holy Writ. Mayer's Dad, George, gets in on the journey when he arrives home from work, so it is truly a family affair. Eventually Mayer's neighborhood buddies are invited to partake in the action, and all involved are eager to know the answer to the proverbial question, What happens next?

This book is a delight for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is that it highlights how God used the ordinary people in the Bible to reveal His wonder, His holiness, and His love, to everyday people, like the Osgoods, you…and me.

No matter your age or background, I know you will enjoy this book just as I did. Even before you share it with your own family and friends (I am certain you will), you will have already been convinced that this is not your average book!

Ronson C. Hall

Senior Pastor

True Light Christian Fellowship

San Antonio, Texas

Preface

The Bible is a product of divine inspiration, as well as documentation of the relationship between God and humans.

Unbeknownst to me, the seed of Not Your Average Book was planted in my heart thirty-eight years ago.

I was what people referred to as a New Testament Christian. I deemed the books of the Old Testament as having no practical relevance to my life. However, my husband spoke of events in the Old Testament with such excitement I became curious. I would read Scriptures, but closing my Bible afterwards, I began to think, this is not what he said. Finally, I came to realize he was breaking down biblical stories and interpreting them so I would have a visual picture of the events. It wasn't long before I grew to love the stories of Old. My goal is to plant within you a seed of excitement as you delve into Scriptures. As you peruse Not Your Average Book, may you realize the joy, the revelation, and the blessing that comes with the understanding of the word of God.

There is nothing ordinary about Mayer Osgood's life. In Not Your Average Book, Mayer's father often refers to him as a Curious George.

You will be drawn into the Osgood's world as the matriarch, Doris Osgood, insightfully brings biblical stories to life. You will meet Sidney (the new kid in the neighborhood) who thinks the Bible is a compilation of fairy tales. After spending a day with Mayer and Johnny at story time, great changes occur in him. Not only is his life changed but also that of his mom.

Whether assembled at the Osgood's kitchen table, spending a day at the zoo, or accompanying them on a road trip, both George and Doris Osgood unfold many of life's truths.

Not Your Average Book will answer questions you never thought to ask.

Life holds many uncertainties, but God holds all solutions.

As the stories unfold in Not Your Average Book, both young and old will be delighted and enlightened.

Acknowledgments

Not Your Average Book is the product of the countless prayers prayed for me, since I began this project. Thank you, prayer warriors, for your intercession.

I owe much gratitude to my husband, Melvin, for his wisdom and his patience in listening to my rewrites.

I am thankful to my sisters in Christ, Mary Dillard for reading through my difficult drafts, and Yvonne McCoy for her editing skills.

Above all I acknowledge the presence of the Lord in my life, for every good, perfect, and precious gift comes from Him.

This book is dedicated to my mom, who once tutored young children.

Kicked Out of Paradise

School's out for the summer. Since early morning, Mayer had been busy in his room.

Mayer, Mayer, his mother called.

Mayer was the only child of George and Doris Osgood. Normally, he was Johnny-on-the-spot when summoned.

Doris shoved the cake in the oven and headed down the hall to Mayer's bedroom. Entering his room, she announced, Mayer I made a cake. Would you like to scrape the bowl?

Mayer sat in silence on his bed, his eyes glued to the Bible in his lap. Taking note of his odd expression, Doris forgot about the bowl of cake batter. What's wrong, Mayer?

Looking up from his Bible, he said, My Sunday school teacher said God was a spirit. Mom, people aren't driven by a spirit.

What are you talking about?

"It says here, ‘God drove a man out of the garden where he lived. And God placed an angel and a fiery sword by the hedges to keep the man from entering back into the garden and eating from the trees."

Doris threw her head back and laughed. Mayer didn't see anything amusing in what he said. He believed God was a spirit. He was disappointed in his mom. A ghost could drive, maybe. But when he asked his Sunday school teacher if God is a ghost, she said, No. Of course, it now appeared she didn't know what she was talking about.

Mayer couldn't imagine anyone living in their garden. It was a small plot in their backyard. None of this made sense to him. Realizing Mayer was genuinely confused, Doris stopped laughing. Having put the cake in the oven before coming to Mayer's room, she still had the oven mitt on her hand. It was time to take off the mitt and put on kid gloves. She sat down on the bed beside her son.

God is a spirit! He's universal, meaning He's everywhere. The two people who lived in the garden were Adam and his wife. The garden was their home, where they talked with God every day. When God speaks, His word is to be obeyed. Obedience brings blessings and disobedience will bring a curse. After living in the garden many years, the day came when Adam disobeyed God. I'm going to tell you a story.

Mayer's eyes glistened. He was all ears. Genesis means "in the beginning." And that's where Doris began.

Many thousands of years ago, God created a paradise. He spoke, and heaven and earth materialized.

Like magic! Mayer excitedly, stated.

"Mayer, it's beyond magic. Before God initiated creation, the world, encircled with water, was amid darkness. From His heaven God parted the water and exposed the land. He created the sun, the moon, and the stars to shine upon the land. The domain in which God set the sun, moon and stars is the first heaven. We call it sky. Grandma resides in the third heaven with God. We'll discuss that another time. Right now, let's stay with the subject at hand. God divided the waters into seas, rivers, and lakes. Pleased with His creation, He looked down upon the land and said, ‘Aah, I now have a perfect earth in which to plant My Garden.' In the garden of God, dew on green grass sparkled like diamonds in the sun. Soil made rich from springs of water, yielded beds of vegetables. Flowering plants, and fruit trees overflowed in the garden. Two exceptional trees stood in the middle of God's Garden. One was the tree of life and the other, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Except for the fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, every herb and plant in the garden was for food. But the food on that tree God had forbidden them to eat. Wait, Mayer I think I smell my cake. Would you like a piece?"

Yes ma'am!

Let's go to the kitchen. Bring your Bible and we'll talk a little more. Doris cut a slice of cake for Mayer and a smaller piece for herself. After which she resumed the narrative. God filled the seas and the rivers with monsters like the leviathan and the behemoth. He created giant birds. He ordered the earth to produce living creatures. Cattle, crawling things, beasts, and reptiles roamed the earth. But many of the animals of creation are extinct or have evolved in appearance.

Is that why we don't see dinosaurs? Mayer asked.

Yes, that's exactly why.

It's good dinosaurs are gone. They'd make terrible pets. Of course, I wouldn't mind riding a dinosaur.

Mayer you know the way you made things from clay?

Sure, when I was younger, I made a dinosaur.

"When the earth was complete, God did what no sculpture could ever do, He made a man from dirt. The garden of God was meant to be man's paradise to enjoy, forever. God scooped up red dirt and fashioned Adam."

Reaching to tickle her son, Doris explained, Adam didn't have a belly button because he didn't have a mother. Mayer was glad he had a belly button, as well as a mother.

That's funny, Mom. Adam didn't have a belly button.

God created Adam in His image and gave him dominion over the fish, the birds, the cattle and all the earth, including every crawling creature.

Mom, what does it mean God created Adam in His image?

"Well, God desired a man who behaved and looked like Him. An image is a visual representation of something. It means ‘to be like.'"

You mean Adam was going to be like God?

"Yes, in a way, he was. Man was made different from all other living creatures. God made him to rule over His creation. That's why God gave him dominion. Dominion means ‘to rule over.' God put His own spirit in Adam, by breathing into Adam the breath of life. Adam was to be God's obedient son."

But, in the beginning, you said he disobeyed God, disobeying wasn't being like God at all.

You're right, Mayer, but God gave Adam something else when He created him—free will. Let me ask you, do you always obey your father?

Not always, Mayer answered.

Well, God was Adam's father and there came a time Adam didn't obey his father. But that doesn't mean he was a bad person. God had created this beautiful garden, flowing with living water, all for Adam's pleasure.

Did Adam kill bugs to keep them from eating his plants?

No, Mayer, I don't think Adam had a bug problem.

Mom, what came next?

Do you remember all the creatures God made?

Uh–huh.

God brought all the creatures before Adam and said, ‘Adam, give them names.' Adam named the pterodactyls, the aardvarks, the mastodons, the bony fishes, elephants, birds, every animal whether on land, sea, or in the air, Adam named it. And whatever he called them was their name forever.

Wow! I could never have thought of names for all those animals. Adam must have been real smart, huh?

Yes, he was. God made it clear to Adam he could eat anything he wanted in the garden, except from that one particular tree.

"Mom, the tree of knowledge of good and evil is a funny name for a tree."

Ah, but there was something special about that tree. God told Adam if he ate the fruit of that tree he would die.

Was the tree poisonous? Mayer asked.

"No, the tree wasn't poisonous, and Adam wasn't going to die, physically. At least not right away. God created Adam to live forever and never die. But there are consequences any time we go against God. Mayer, how about we continue tomorrow? I'll come in your room as soon as I put your dad's plate in the oven. He's working over again."

Doris knelt beside her son as he prayed. Mayer has known how to pray since he was two years old.

Dear God, thank you for my mom and dad. Thank you for my grandma in heaven. Thank you for the cake my mom made. It was good. Today I learned You made a man out of dirt. Please bless my Sunday school teacher. She tries hard to help us understand. Amen.

Climbing in bed, Mayer asked, Tomorrow, you're going to explain about the tree and the angel, aren't you, Mom?

Yes, Mayer. Goodnight.

Mayer sprung out of bed and ran down the hall to the kitchen. His parents were seated at the table. Good morning, Mayer.

Good morning, I had a funny dream last night. I dreamt I was in a forest and a big bird flew over my head. The bird set down between two giant cats, but the cats didn't try to eat the bird. Wasn't that a funny dream?

George glanced at Doris. What's been going on around here? He asked.

Well, George your son had a few questions about God, so I've been explaining some things.

Uh–huh, he thought. He knew Mayer to be a curious George. No pun intended.

Mayer, having no intentions of being ignored, repeated his question. Wasn't that a funny dream?

Not really. Mayer the creatures back then weren't hostile, nor did they eat each other.

Really? What did they eat?

Every beast, bird, and everything that crawled on the earth… in other words, everything that was alive, ate green plants.

You mean saber-toothed tigers ate plants?

Mayer, what did I say?

Oh!

Speaking of eating, brush your teeth and get dressed. We'll finish our talk after you've had breakfast. Before Mayer could ask, his mother answered. Yes, today I'll explain the angel and the tree.

George Osgood left for work. Mayer and his mom sat down at the kitchen