An Attitude Of Gratitude  

By Vinette Halliday

1999

Revised July, 2015

AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE   

CAST:        

Mariella - new teenage comer to Heaven

Sarena - angel who works as Tour Guide

Thaila - angel who works in the ‘Thank You Lord Department’

Dr. Helen - angel who works in the Medical Department

NARRATOR:Mariella is a new comer to Heaven. As she takes her Orientation tour she reflects on her attitude while she was on earth.

SCENE ONE

Sarena: Welcome, welcome! How has your stay been so far?

(greets Mariella with a hug)

Mariella: Marvelous! Just Wonderful! Beyond my highest expectations. Heaven is a beautiful place.

Sarena: Yes indeed! My name is Sarena and I am one of the tour guides for this Eastern Division.

Mariella: My name is Mariella.

Sarena: I know who you are. I can’t say that I know all about you but I know a few things. (smiling) Now if you look on the map we are standing right in front of the Prayer Department. Only the staff is allowed in this Department though.

Mariella: Oh. Interesting.

This first block deals with Blessings. We have millions working around the clock because God has so many good gifts to give to His children. Food, shelter, clothing, family, friends, love, joy, peace, comfort…..

Mariella: Yes I know. God is a good God.

Sarena: This next block deals with Petitions and millions also work in this department. Oh people on earth have so many things to ask God for,…shoes, clothes, jewelry, TV, VCRs, computers, husbands, wives, cars, houses, lands, promotions,….the list is endless. We are considering changing the name of the block to Give Me What I Want Now - Block.

Mariella: I know. For I asked for a lot of things. Last Christmas I asked for a pair of timberlands and Auntie Julie from England sent me a pair of no brand name sneaker…but wait…how come I didn’t get my timberlands?

Sarena: God knows what is best for His children. You didn’t need them.

Mariella: Well it doesn’t matter now for as soon as I arrived at the pearly gates, I was told, ‘no earthly treasures allowed.’

Sarena: That’s right…for here..‘neither moth nor rust doth corrupt.’ Oh we have arrived at our next ‘department’.

(Sarena and Mariella are greeted outside by Thaila)

Thaila: Good afternoon Mariella, Sarena.

Mariella: Good afternoon.

Sarena: Good afternoon dear.

(stops to read the incoming message on her pager)

Mariella will continue her Orientation Tour with you for now. Sixty billion requests just came in at the Give Me What I Want Now-Block, I’m sorry the Petition-Block, in the Prayer Department, so I will catch with you as soon as I can.

SCENE TWO

Thaila: Welcome Mariella.  (greets Mariella with a hug)

Mariella: Every body is just so friendly up here.

Thaila: Yes indeed. Heaven will do that for you. By the way my name is Thaila. How are you?  How is everything going?

Mariella: Good afternoon Thaila. Overwhelmed. I am just so overwhelmed.

Thaila: Enjoying the grand tour I see.

Mairlla: Yes, and it’s just beautiful, just lovely.

Thaila: Come right in and have a seat. You can observe me as I work while you wait. And if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask at all.

Mariella: (sits and looks around)About how many persons work in this department?

Thaila: Just over one hundred. It’s just me today though.

(takes her seat, sings and hums to herself, filling nails, checking make up)

Mariella: Excuse me Thaila.

Thaila: Yes Mariella?

Mariella: Shouldn’t you be typing, photocopying, sending a fax or something?

Thaila: But I am working!

Mariella: Excuse me Thaila. I don’t understand. Here doesn’t seem as busy as the other departments that I have been in so far.

Thaila: Well it’s just as busy today as yesterday. Just one minute I am going to tune into Heavenly Strains.

(reaches for radio and searches for station, the song ‘thanks, thanks, I give you thanks’ plays for a while)

Mariella: Excuse me Thaila.

Thaila: Yes Mariella?

Mariella: What is the name of this department?

Thaila: Oh this is one of the smallest departments. There is only one block in this department. This is where thank you notes or letters are sent. Oh the sign was accidently turned around. Sorry about that.

(turns the sign around)

This is the Thank You Lord Department.

Mariella: Oh, the Thank You Lord Department. Do you mean that you have not received any letter today?

Thaila: Oh yes! We had about 2000 notes earlier this morning, and by the end of the day we may have another 2000. So I will relax until the others come in.

Mariella: Oh goodness. That is disgraceful. Some human beings are so ungrateful. Thank God I was never like that….

Thaila: Excuse me?

Mariella: Well I mean… thank God that I am no longer like that.

Thaila: Well heaven will do that to you. Do you remember the story about the ten lepers that were cleansed by Jesus while He was on earth? Only one returned to give thanks. It’s the same thing today. Few Christians thank God for His goodness and mercy.

Mariella: Was I like that? Was I really that ungrateful? Did I cause my Saviour grief? Did I fail to give Him thanks?

(Dr. Helen enters and cuts the conversation short)

Dr. Helen: Good afternoon ladies. I am here to take Mariella to the Medical Department so that I can update her file.

Tahila: Of course Dr. Helen.

Mariella: Good afternoon Dr. Helen. I remember you from yesterday.

Dr. Helen: Good afternoon my dear sweet heart darling.

Thaila: Mariella it was nice meeting you. I will see you around.

Mariella: Goodbye Thaila. It was nice meeting you as well

(leaves with Dr. Helen and looks pensive)

SCENE THREE

Dr. Helen: Please have a seat Mariella. Your results are in and everything is perfect. Just perfect; Blood work, pressure, sugar. X- rays, CT Scan ….All is well.

(gives Mariella a folder)

Here you go. You need to sign off on your test results.

Mariella: Dr. Helen I don’t usually like doctors but I was not afraid when you examined me yesterday. I knew that I would hear only good news.

Dr. Helen: Yes. That is one of our policies here. ‘No Sickness In Heaven!’

Mariella: No sickness in Heaven! Thank You Lord. You also need to read your Prayer Records and then sign off on them.

(gives Mariella the smallest folder from the pile on her desk)

Mariella: Is this all? I was a Christian for three years and this is it? Why is my file the smallest file? How embarrassing!

Dr. Helen: (clears her throat)

Mariella: (opens folder) Why are some papers so short and some so long?

Dr. Helen: Read and see

Mariella: (takes out the shortest slip of paper)

My Thank You Lord List the shortest but my Complaint List is the longest. How extremely embarrassing!

(continues reading silently, begins to cry aloud)

Things! I only prayed for things! I hardly prayed for mommy or daddy. I only remembered Auntie Julie when I wanted something that my parents couldn't afford. I didn't even pray for my best friend. Just things! I only prayed for things.

Dr. Helen: (clears her throat)

Mariella: Oh yes and for Pierre to like me. I wanted Pierre to like me so much. He is so tall and athletic and smart and…

Dr. Helen: (clears her throat)

Mariella: And I was on my way to meet him tonight but I had a change of heart and was already on my way back home.

Dr. Helen: Yes, I am familiar with your case. Your parents didn't give you permission to go to the school dance.

Mariella: (continues crying) I didn't want them to know that I sneaked out of the house so I turned off the car lights when I was nearing home.

Dr. Helen: Unfortunately, the driver of van turning the corner was unable to see you.

Mariella: So unnecessary! My family and friends are hurting and grieving and it is all my fault. (begins sobbing loudly)

Dr. Helen: Well Mariella, it is time for you to take your 'Inoculation Shot 13H'. This is for the crying which is against another one of our policies.

Mariella: Which policy?

Dr. Helen: No tears in Heaven!

Mariella: (moving away slowly) Will it hurt? Will I forget earth?

Dr. Helen: No to both of your concerns but it will certainly stop the crying.

Mariella: (crying is gradually reduced until its stops) Thank You Lord.

Dr. Helen: Well Mariella, you can thank God that He is forgiving and full of mercy and grace. And you have all of eternity to thank Him over and over and over and over…

Mariella: Thank You Lord for your grace and mercy.

(The buzzer sounds)

Dr. Helen: Well my dear sweet heart darling Sarena is here to take you to complete the tour. Good to see that you are not crying anymore. (gives Marialla a hug)

Mariella: No Tears In Heaven!

Dr. Helen: Exactly, Mariella, No Tears In Heaven!.

Mariella: (goes outside smiling to meet Sarena)

SCENE FOUR

Sarena: I heard that you got your 'Inoculation 13H Shot’. Did it hurt?

Mariella: Not at all. Dr. Helen was right. I am still getting my flash backs from earth but I am not crying anymore as I don’t feel the pain or shame.

Sarena: ‘No Tears In Heaven!’

Mariella: ‘No Tears In Heaven!’.

Sarena: The next department is the Complaints Department

Mariella: Complaints Department? Sarena, I don’t understand.

Sarena: Yes, Mariella. Every year we have to add on more and more blocks. As you might very well expect the Complaints Department is even one hundred times more hectic than the Prayer Department.

(voices trail off as Sarena and Mariella walk towards the next department)

NARRATOR

The earth’s Christian population is just over two billion out of a world population of about seven billion. Could it be that, unbelievers are not drawn to the Christian faith, because of the ungrateful attitude that many believers display?

Ingratitude prevents us from receiving some of God’s blessing as well as enjoying and recognizing what He has already blest us with. Regrettably, we spend most of our time complaining to God and our fellowmen rather than in prayer.

Oh that our prayers would be balanced as we pray for our physical, financial, mental, emotional and spiritual needs and that we would remember our family and friends.

Let us ‘pray with thanksgiving’, as we have been admonished by scripture. Let us have an attitude of gratitude.