Not What I Heard

Manny (Tiffany's Agent): So are you, Joel. I'm Tiffany's agent.
Joel: Really? I I didn't know
Manny (Tiffany's Agent): When she gets here, she needs the script.
Joel: Sure, right here.
Manny (Tiffany's Agent): And a spray of geraniums.
Joel: Excuse me?
Tiffany Rockler: Greetings, support staff. I'm ready to go. Is tape rolling? Good. Is this the script? I may ad lib a bit. I am Tiffany Rockler from Wildwood. I have come to encourage you all to get a copy of the very first Pause and Tales book ever, the Overcomers. How was that?
Manny (Tiffany's Agent): Oh, so inspiring, Miss Tiffany.
Joel: Uh, just stick to the script, please.
Tiffany Rockler: The Overcomers is a wonderful continuation of the grand story of Pause and Tales. This is better. A continuation of the original story arc. How's that?
Manny (Tiffany's Agent): Oh, I have chills, goosebumps.
Joel: I don't know. Story arc is too technical. Please stick to the script.
Tiffany Rockler: To get a copy of your own, just log on to pause and tales.org. You are going to love all the adventure, the fun, and the great teaching that Pause and Tales is famous for. Wait. Manny, where are my geraniums? There are supposed to be geraniums in here.
Manny (Tiffany's Agent): Hold on. Hold on. Do something. Do something.
Joel: Stopping tape.
Narrator: Welcome to the world of Pause and Tales. Wild Mountain can be a pretty dangerous place. If you stay on the trails and stick with me, there's adventures to be had there, too.
Staci: Come on, CJ, jump.
CJ: It's too far.
Staci: It wasn't too far for me.
Narrator: Inside for Living Ministries is proud to present Pause and Tales. Howdy and welcome to Wildwood. Mayor Boggs has called a town meeting to announce the worst kept secret in the town's history. Even though everyone knows what he's about to say, the whole town is just vibrating with excitement anyways.
Mayor Boggs / Pastor Flint: Good afternoon to all of you. Thank you all for coming out today for this auspicious event. Thanks to the decorating committee for all the hard work you did to spruce up our town square for this historic gathering that
Hugh: Sorry. Sorry to interrupt.
Mayor Boggs / Pastor Flint: Spruce up our town. All right, I said that. This historic gathering that will change all of our lives going forward. Recently, while tunneling into a new and unvisited region of the mountain Joe, stop that. Put that tuba down.
Hugh: So sorry. I was just trying something. I'm so sorry.
Mayor Boggs / Pastor Flint: As I was saying, they found a small and interesting clump of something. It was gold. Then they they found more and more. And then they discovered that it was an entire vein that seemed to go further into the mountain. Gold has been discovered in Wild Mountain. Mr. Rockler, would you please tell us what will be happening next? Ladies and gentlemen, help me to welcome our own captain of industry, Mr. Rockler.
Mr. Rockler: Thank you. Thank you all. The vein seems large, and the gold is so far of extraordinary purity. I've ordered new equipment, and we're increasing the number of workers on our staff. We'll need housing, food, supplies for all the workers that will be coming. I've no doubt that everyone in Wildwood will benefit from this discovery in ways that will bring you prosperity for generations to come. So who wants to prosper in Wildwood? This town will never be the same again. Let's all get to work.
Tiffany Rockler: This is so exciting and kind of sad.
Staci: What could possibly be sad about finding gold?
Goose: I don't want everything in town to change. I like it just the way it is.
Staci: She's right. When things change, you can't just get the good change. You get the bad changes, too. I wonder what they'll be.
Goose: I don't want bad changes.
Ned: Let's focus on the matter at hand here. Gold comes out of the mountain, and we all get to benefit. My glass is half full. All you half empty ears need to perk up a little.
Goose: What if I get rich and get mean?
Staci: I don't think you could get mean, Goose. If you got 10 times meaner than you are now, you would still be the sweetest person in town.
Ned: If Goose got meaner than she is now, she would only share half of her cupcake at school.
Goose: Stop it, Ned. You're scaring me.
Hugh: What do we have here? For smart kids and CJ.
Joel: Nice one, Goose. Well played.
CJ: What do we have here? Three knuckleheads and well, just three knuckleheads.
Hugh: Goose.
CJ: Goose.
Hugh: Deftly played.
Goose: I didn't know you had that in you, Goose.
Hugh: I got to give credit where credit is due. Goose, that was a zinger.
CJ: I give her a solid 8.7 on that one.
Goose: I beg to differ. She just called us knuckleheads. I'm calling that a 5.0. It's like It's like calling the sky blue. You don't get extra points for stating the obvious.
CJ: Fair point. Fair point. Oh no, it's already started. I'm getting meaner and I'm not even rich yet. This is bad. I got to get home. I don't want to be mean.
Narrator: The next morning was Sunday, and Pastor Flint was just starting his sermon for his church in a tent since the old church building was condemned.
Pastor Flint: So you all heard from Mayor Boggs that the times they are a-changing. Well, this is a reason to celebrate. There is also opportunity here. Opportunity to end up in a heap of asses or an opportunity to take this gold business as an invitation from God. There have always been those in need around Wildwood. This might be an invitation to care for them better. We're all going to be challenging the changing days ahead, so remember as children of God we're supposed to be known primarily by our love, not our prosperity or even by the good things we do. We are supposed to be known by our love.
Narrator: Well, church is over. Big lunches have been eaten, and many an adult have begun taking their Sunday nap. The club, however, get to do what they like best now. And that is just being together in the clubhouse.
CJ: Some sermon today, huh?
Goose: Well, yeah, I guess. What do you mean?
CJ: They will know us by our love.
Goose: Uh-huh, yep, I heard that.
Staci: What exactly are you talking about, CJ?
CJ: I just thought that it was really good that Pastor Flint was telling us to, you know, pull together, circling tight and show love to the folks in your tight circle before all the strangers get here. We don't want to be, you know, pulled down by folks we don't know. That is not what I heard. Pastor Flint told us to get ready to love everyone and anyone who comes here. We're supposed to love them.
Goose: Wow, you made that all up just now. I heard him clearly. They will know us by our love. By our love for each other is what he meant, not strangers. That's just kooky.
Ned: That 's what I heard, too. I agree with CJ. New folks are so new and icky.
Staci: Ned, you are barely nice to your own friends. No surprise you want to ignore new folks.
CJ: We are supposed to be loving to total strangers. That's what the verse means, guys.
Goose: Agree to disagree, Goose. You're not yourself these days. I'm sticking with CJ on this one. I think he's right.
CJ: Double pinky agree?
Goose: Double pinky.
CJ: I just love being right.
Staci: Oh brother.
Narrator: Now those who think they heard Mr. Rockler say he's going to give them all gold, well, they misunderstood him greatly, and they're in for a whole mess of disappointment. As bad as that is, if you misunderstand what God has said in the Bible and then get all stubborn about it, well, that can rise to the level of the disastrous.
Goose: Oh no, look at this. On page 157 in my catalog, there's some really handsome tie bars. I think I'll buy a few tie bars. Mhm.
Narrator: Well, school is out for the day, so the club has wandered into Crawford's General Store to do some of their favorite things, eat some penny candy while they lay on their bellies on the floor, look through one of the dozens of catalogs Mr. Crawford keeps on hand. Well, hey there, kids. What are you all catalog hunting for today?
Staci: Fancy shoes.
CJ: Hmm, try the back of the red catalog.
Goose: Mr. Crawford, were you at church yesterday?
CJ: I was indeed, CJ.
Staci: Stop, CJ. So Pastor Flint told us to pull together so we will be ready when the strangers move in, right?
CJ: Well, that's not what I heard. I heard they will know us by our love.
Staci: Exactly. Everyone.
Goose: Yappers, everybody everywhere, especially those in real need.
CJ: I heard we need to come together, love those we know, so we will be ready to defend against all the newcomers who are not like us.
Goose: Yes, exactly.
Staci: Good grief. That's not Ugh.
Charlotte: Hi, I'm Charlotte from Virginia. Don't go away. There's more Pause and Tales coming right up.
Tiffany Rockler: Hello, lovely listeners. Tiffany Rockler from Pause and Tales here to tell you all about the very new and very fashionable t-shirts now on sale in our store. We have a wonderful Tiffany Rockler shirt with a lovely detail.
Ned: Tiffany, that is not true.
Tiffany Rockler: Ned, what are you talking about?
Ned: Well, we have new Goose t-shirts and Ned t-shirts. Just go online to pauseandtails.org to see them.
Tiffany Rockler: Wait. We have no Tiffany t-shirts?
Ned: Oh boy, here it comes. Bye everybody. You all will rue the day.
Narrator: Well, the whole town is in one magnificent tizzy. Folks are arguing about what they heard, and many are just getting mean as they grumble about what they think they heard from Rockler and Pastor Flint. But no one anywhere has thought to go and find out what either of them meant. Now Miss Harbor, the town school teacher, is known far and wide for being highly creative. When she heard all the fussing and confusion, well, she saw it as a learning opportunity and had to step into it.
Miss Harbor: Good morning, class.
Marsha: Good morning, Miss Harbor.
Miss Harbor: Welcome to the new main office of the Wildwood Gazette.
CJ: She's doing something here. This is going to be good.
Marsha: I love it when she does this kind of thing.
Miss Harbor: You are, as of today, all my reporters, and I am the editor in chief of this newspaper. You can call me chief. We have the Wednesday edition running in 48 hours, and I need some hard hitting stories to print. We have a disaster building in town. There are rumors that Mr. Rockler will be giving gold to everyone in town.
Goose: I've heard people say that.
CJ: Everyone's saying it, so it's true.
Miss Harbor: No, CJ. That is very poor thinking for a newspaper reporter. A thing is not true just because people say it repeatedly. Here at the Wildwood Gazette, we only print the truth.
CJ: Don't feel bad, CJ. You're just starting out in the newspaper business. You'll get there. Oh no, what does that mean? I'm so sorry. It's getting worse, guys.
Miss Harbor: Some sources say that Mr. Rockler plans on giving out gold, and others are certain he will not. We need to get to the bottom of this and now.
Goose: I'm on it, chief.
Ned: You should go with CJ and show him the ropes. He's just starting out in the news game.
Miss Harbor: We also have rumors that Pastor Flint has preached a sermon telling folks to circle up and be ready to defend against all newcomers.
CJ: Yep, lots of people. I'm just going to sit here and listen for a bit.
Miss Harbor: Some say the Bible says to only love those you already love. Is it true? Did Pastor Flint say that, or is there a conspiracy to bend his words to some nefarious purpose?
Goose: Nefarious? I'm using that this week for sure.
CJ: Me, I'll take that one. I will find the truth, chief. I won't sleep or eat until I get to the bottom of it all.
Goose: What about lunch?
CJ: Oh, I'll have lunch first.
Goose: And dinner?
CJ: Marsha, a girl has to eat. Oh, I'll definitely do dinner.
Goose: So come bedtime, you
CJ: Okay, people, it was just big talking, don't you know? Who's with me on this?
Goose: I'll go with you.
CJ: Me too. Me too.
Goose: Snacks are always a good idea.
Miss Harbor: You, Mange, and Multi, I'm putting you three on the Rockler investigation.
Goose: I want that story.
Miss Harbor: Assignment. That's your assignment. It'll be your story when it is written and printed.
Staci: CJ, don't be worried. You'll catch on eventually.
Miss Harbor: I have assignments for all of you. Your deadline is end of class tomorrow.
Staci: CJ, deadline is newspaper talk for when it's due.
Narrator: So every reporter of the Wildwood Gazette ran home after school to get some kind of reporter style hat to wear and stuck a card in the hatband that read press. They then scrambled all over town to investigate their respective stories. CJ and Ned are at Ned's house for their news story strategy session.
Goose: Okay, so Mr. Rockler is an important and very busy man. He will not just take a meeting with a couple of kid reporters, huh?
CJ: Right. We need to be smart here. We need to get to him and pepper him with questions before he has a chance to call for security.
Goose: Right. Wait. What? There'll be security?
CJ: Of course there will. Maybe we can pose as lowly window washers and get into his office from the outside window.
Goose: His office is on the third floor.
CJ: Yeah, it is. We need a new plan.
Goose: Disguises.
CJ: Disguises would be so great.
Narrator: The girls all got their reporter pads and headed over to Pastor Flint's house to get the truth for their story.
CJ: Pastor Flint, we are very important reporters, and we have very investigative questions to ask you.
Mayor Boggs / Pastor Flint: I'm glad you're here. Let's get all this cleared up. It's frustrated me to no end people saying I said things I never did.
Goose: Exactly. Did you or did you not say strangers are scary and bad? Marsha.
CJ: Oh, too much?
Goose: I thought so, too. Pastor Flint, what do you want to talk about? Sorry about before.
Mayor Boggs / Pastor Flint: Let's go with your first question, Miss Marsha Moffett. Not only did I not say that strangers are scary and bad, I have never said anything of the kind.
CJ: Marsha Moffett. Not only Wait, what was after that?
Mayor Boggs / Pastor Flint: In the Old Testament, God did tell Israel not to marry into other groups, but the nation of Israel was supposed to be a blessing to the whole world and tell other nations about the love of God. Write this down.
CJ: Old Testament. No, wait. What was after that?
Mayor Boggs / Pastor Flint: Jesus loved everyone he met up with, Romans, tax collectors, the worst kind of sinners. He offered love to them all. Some wanted more and some walked away, but Jesus was known by his love of everyone. And we are called to do the same.
Goose: So be nice. Be nice to everyone.
Staci: We knew that.
Mayor Boggs / Pastor Flint: Of course you did. It's all over the Bible, so go out and print your paper and set the record straight. I am tired of all these shenanigans. I told the congregation to go out and love everyone, new, old, tall, short, rich and poor. So go out and show God's love. You got it?
Goose: Got it.
Marsha: Hold the presses. We have the front page story. Let's go.
Goose: Thanks, Pastor Flint.
Marsha: Yeah, thanks.
CJ: Oh my, I don't know how to spell shenanigans. S h n I g Oh my, wait for me.
Narrator: Meanwhile, back at Ned's house, the boys are spending a whole lot of time getting nothing done.
Goose: I don't like the mustache. Most workmen have mustaches now. Ball caps, we need old worn out ball caps to complete the disguise.
CJ: So we will both very casually empty the trash cans in the nearby offices, then just go in Mr. Rockler's office like we do it all the time.
Goose: I have a blue rag hanging out my back pocket. All the best workmen have one.
CJ: Good. Me too. I'll say, Mr. Rockler, the town needs to know. Did you say that you will give out gold to everyone who lives in Wildwood or not? He won't know what hit him.
Goose: I will be ready with my reporter notebook pad to copy down everything he says. We'll be the best investigative reporters in Wildwood.
CJ: Not just in Wildwood, in the world.
Manny Eleanor: Manny Eleanor. I'm from Reno, Nevada. Don't go away because there's more Pause and Tales coming right up.
Staci: I'm here today with author Dave Carl. I understand you have written the very first Pause and Tales book entitled The Overcomers.
Dave Carl: That's right, Stacy.
Staci: So is The Overcomers something very different, or is it a continuation of the big Pause and Tales story?
Dave Carl: Good question, Stacy. It absolutely is a continuation of the big Pause and Tales story. The Overcomers is like one giant Pause and Tales episode. I'm excited for folks to see what comes next.
Staci: Get your copy today at pauseandtails.org.
Narrator: With worker man disguises in place, CJ and Ned headed right over to the headquarters of Rockler Enterprises Incorporated. They looked up at the three story building and started to lose a good bit of the fire from their belly for investigative reporting.
CJ: Wow. This is a skyscraper.
Goose: Bigger up close than I remembered. Um, I'll stay here and you can go empty the trash can and all. It'll look more convincing if there's only one of us.
CJ: You. No, we have to do this together. No one will recognize us in these disguises, so we're good to go. Go on Go on in and out. Be right behind you.
Goose: Look, you, Mange, and Multi are coming out of the Rockler building, more than a bit disappointed, I'm guessing.
CJ: Not one disguise between them.
Goose: I'll bet they got kicked out by security. Oh, here they come. They won't recognize us, so just act normal.
Hugh: I I got a sneeze coming on. Handkerchief. I I got a sneeze coming. Handkerchief. Gone. It's gone. I hate losing a good sneeze.
CJ: CJ, where do you think they go?
Hugh: Where does what go?
CJ: Why would you ask? Now he's going to
Hugh: The Lord sneezes.
CJ: I told you, we can't keep encouraging this kind of thing. If you don't smack him now, I will.
Hugh: Hey, Ned. What?
CJ: Ned? Who's Ned?
Hugh: Handkerchief. I I need a handkerchief.
CJ: CJ has one in his back pocket.
Hugh: Hey, hey, that's mine.
CJ: Here, use this.
Hugh: That was ginormous.
CJ: I think I just saw a puff of dust come out of his ears. That had to hurt. You okay?
Hugh: No. That was the biggest sneeze I ever snoused. I think I momentarily lost all sensation in my feet.
CJ: That was so amazing. Do it again.
Hugh: Hey, we should name it.
CJ: Like a hurricane. Yes. Sneeze William.
Hugh: No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Sneeze Malcolm.
CJ: Not bad. A sneeze Bernard.
Staci: Sneeze Bernard.
CJ: That has some gravitas. Good one, Ned.
Hugh: What? Ned? Who's this Ned?
CJ: CJ. What's with the mustache?
Hugh: It's not We're going in to interview Mr. Rockler and get the truth.
CJ: You are disguised. Nice. We just got done interviewing him about an hour ago.
Goose: You did not.
CJ: Yeah. We got a tour of the warehouse by Mr. Youssef.
Goose: Nice. Weird, but nice.
CJ: Wait, you just walked in and Mr. Rockler gave you an interview?
Hugh: Sure. Miss Harbor said it all up.
Goose: He's left for the day though. He was going to wait for you, too, to come in and interview him, but I guess you took all afternoon to make bad mustaches.
CJ: What have we done?
Goose: We have no story.
CJ: No scoop for the front page.
Hugh: Oh hey, thanks for the hank.
Goose: Do not take that.
CJ: That is disgusting.
Goose: Well, what did you expect?
Staci: That was Sneeze Bernard.
Manny Eleanor: Pastor Flint told us, and I quote, Jesus loved everyone he met with, Romans, tax collectors, and the worst kind of sinners. He offered love to them all.
Marsha: Then he told us some wanted more and some walked away, but Jesus was known by his love of everyone, and we are called to do the same.
Miss Harbor: In summary, to end all the confusion, we are to love everyone because Jesus first loved us. It's how people will know that we are believers by our love. The end.
Staci: Nicely done, girls. Nicely done. And A for your work.
Miss Harbor: Good job, guys.
Manny Eleanor: Thank you, Miss Harbor.
Marsha: Thank you, Miss Harbor.
Staci: Mange, Multi, Hugh, will you read your article to the class?
Goose: Yes, I will. Mr. Rockler.
Staci: Please stand to read your article.
Goose: Oh, sure. Mr. Rockler said he will not be giving any gold to anyone just cause the end.
CJ: Wait, what? That's it?
Goose: We've just been scooped by a guy who says just cause? Oh, this is so humiliating.
Staci: I hope we have learned just because many people say something does not make it true. Get your facts straight from the source, and you will do the world a great service. When it comes to the Bible, never just take one verse and run with it. What do other similar verses tell you? It takes some work, but you are all more than capable of this. Study to show yourselves approved of God.
CJ: That's 2 Timothy 2:15.
Staci: Good, Goose. Because you all worked so hard on this assignment, you can leave 10 minutes early today.
Goose: Except for you, Ned and CJ. You get to start writing an article on how to interview someone while not in disguise.
CJ: Yes, ma'am.
Hugh: Yes, ma'am.
Goose: Boy, sometimes you hear one thing and then you hear something completely different. How will I ever know which way is right? Oh wow. Well, it sounds like I'm about to find out.
Manny Eleanor: If you want to solve a mystery, you've got to be a sleuth.
Goose: But how?
Manny Eleanor: Connect the dots and search for clues until you find the truth.
Goose: Oh, I see.
Manny Eleanor: So when all the talk that's going round sounds a bit off base go to the source.
Goose: God's word?
Manny Eleanor: Of course. Then you're sure to crack the case. You've got to dig a little deeper.
Marsha: Dig a little deeper.
Manny Eleanor: Don't you leave a single stone unturned. You've got to dig a little deeper.
Marsha: Dig a little deeper.
Manny Eleanor: Cause you'll be blessed with every lesson learned. If you want to know what God would say, oh, you've got to go investigate. You've got to dig, dig, dig a little deeper in God's holy word.
Marsha: Dig a little deeper.
Manny Eleanor: People say a lot of things that cause them to debate. But a good investigator goes and gets the story straight.
Goose: Yeah, but where?
Manny Eleanor: Straight from the Bible, where the truth is there in black and white.
Goose: Aha.
Manny Eleanor: When you crack down, track it down verse by verse, then you'll know you've got it right. Oh, you got to dig a little deeper.
Marsha: Dig a little deeper.
Manny Eleanor: Don't you leave a single stone unturned. You've got to dig a little deeper.
Marsha: Dig a little deeper.
Manny Eleanor: Cause you'll be blessed with every lesson learned. If you want to know what God would say, oh, you've got to go investigate. You've got to dig, dig, dig a little deeper in God's holy word.
Goose: Oh yeah.
Manny Eleanor: The word of God is perfect. The word of God is true. The word of God can help you when you don't know what to do. It's the book God gave to show us what is right and what is real.
Staci: That's right. It's all there undercover, just awaiting to be revealed. That's why reading in your Bible is like searching for pure gold.
Goose: What up?
Staci: You'll find priceless truth and wisdom there, great treasures to behold. Don't let them sit there buried. Dive in, and soon you'll know the blessings just get richer.
Dave Carl: The deeper that you go.
Manny Eleanor: So dig a little deeper, dig a little deeper. Don't you leave a single stone unturned. You've got to dig a little deeper, dig a little deeper.
Staci: Cause you'll be blessed with every lesson learned. If you want to know what God would say, oh, you've got to go investigate. You've got to dig, dig, dig a little deeper in God's holy word.
Dave Carl: Oh yeah.
Staci: If you want to know what God would say, oh, you've got to go investigate. You've got to dig, dig, dig a little deeper in God's holy word.
Dave Carl: Dig a little deeper.
Staci: Dig, dig in the word of God. Dig, dig.
Dave Carl: Dig a little deeper. Dig, dig.
Narrator: I can dig it. To order a copy of today's program, Not What I Heard, just visit us online pauseandtails.org. Not What I Heard was written and directed by Dave Carl. The song Dig a Little Deeper was written by Sandy Howell and Nick Brown. Music was by Tim Hossman, and our sound designer was Eric Basil. Pause and Tales is an Inside for Living Ministries production.