As soon as the bell rang, Harrison Wilson grabbed his bag & ran out of school as fast as his legs could go.
He was excited and couldn’t wait to get home to work on his secret project.
The day before, his dad had brought him some wood, nails, hammer & glue, so he could do what he loved best.
Building things!
Harry loved to build things – once he’d made a doll house for his sister’s birthday. Another time he’d made a little skateboard for a friend, and another time he’d made a blue & white step ladder for his mum.
If Harry had wood and nails he would build anything his heart desired.
He was great at building things & he spent many hours in the work shed making them. Sometimes he even forgot to do his homework.
His teacher Mrs Jones had talked to him many times – she’d even talked to his parents so they could remind Harry to do his homework.
Harry had promised to do better and improve.
Huffing and puffing Harry got home. Gave his mum a quick hello and bolted outside.
“Harrison Wilson, where are you off to?” His mum dried her hands on her floral apron and followed him. “You need to take out the rubbish and then do homework.”
Harry stuck his head out through the window in the work shed and groaned, “Ma, I promise I will. I just need to build this new project I’m working on.”
“Harry,” His mums shook her head. “Once you get in that shed you never come out. Come do your homework and throw out the rubbish please.”
“Please, please, pleaseeeeee ma, give me 1 hour and I promise I’ll do it then. I just need to get this started.” He put his palms together like he was praying and begged his mum.
Mrs Wilson exhaled and nodded, “Ok, one hour.” She indicated with her index finger.
“Yessssss!” Harry jumped in the air. “Thank you ma!” He shouted.
He grabbed some paper and pencil and started drawing his new idea. When it was finished he coloured it in, then he admired it and smiled – it was good.
He grabbed some wood and started the process of measuring each corner so that everything looked perfect.
“Harrison….” In the distance he heard a voice calling him.
“Harrison……”
It was his mum. Harry shook his head and moaned – he couldn’t believe an hour had gone so quick.
Reluctantly, he put his things away and hurried to get the rubbish out and do homework.
His mind kept drifting back to his secret project and couldn’t wait to get back to it.
After dinner Harry was allowed to go back to the shed and work for another hour on his project.
“Son what are you working on?” His dad asked walking with him towards the shed.
Harry smiled, “It’s a secret dad. I think you’re going to love it though. It’s going to be cool.”
His dad smiled and patted him on the back, “Ok, if you need any help let me know.”
Harry nodded, “Thanks dad.”
Then he closed the door to the shed and went back to work.
Every day after school he worked on his project – he cut, he sawed, he sanded and he hammered.
He looked at his creation and how it was taking shape – so far it was looking awesome!
One day after school his friend Sam invited him to go have ice-cream –
“Wanna come?” Sam asked.
Harry thought for a little bit and scratched his head, “Um,” He mumbled. He wanted to hang out with his friend but he also wanted to finish his project – it was almost finished.
“I can’t today – I need to finish my project. Maybe next week?”
After saying bye he sprinted all the way home.
He took out the rubbish, did his homework without being asked and dashed to the shed to finish his work.
The building of his project was done – now he needed to paint it.
He took out the blue and white paint – mixed it up on a little dish and started painting.
Then he found some strings and cut long pieces.
He got screws and nails and continued working.
He got material and cut them out too.
Harry was getting more thrilled by the minute – his creation was looking spectacular.
Two days later he started varnishing the finished project.
On Sunday afternoon after the rain had stopped, Harry dashed into the living room where his family sat playing a board game.
“It’s finished!” He cried. “Come have a look, quick come, come!”
Harry ran ahead as his family followed closed behind – everyone was excited to see what he had been working on for the last few weeks.
Harry lifted a box and displayed his hard work.
Everyone gasped – his little sister clapped.
“Uh Harry it’s a little boat! I loved it.” She squealed walking around it.
Harry grinned feeling very proud.
His creation was really, really good. He loved it.
For the last few weeks he had been working on a sail boat. A little boat that he could take to the lake on the weekends and watch it sail happily on the water.
His boat was blue and white.
The sails had blue and white stripes and he had a red lifesaver handing on the side.
On the corner left hand side of the boat he had carved his initials H.J.W (Which stood for Harrison Joel Wilson).
“Dad, wanna go with me to the lake and sail it?” He asked his brown eyes round in anticipation.
“Great idea son, let’s all go.”
“It has stopped raining.” Mum said. “Maybe we should hurry before it starts again.”
Carefully Harry picked up his boat, cushioned a box with an old shirt and sat his precious boat on it.
Soon the family arrived at the lake.
It wasn’t raining but dark clouds were forming in the distance – a thunder rolled.
No one heard it.
Quickly he and his dad got the boat out and Harry placed it gently on the water.
The little boat wobbled a little from side to side but then it stopped and started moving slowly down the lake.
“Woohooo.” Harry yelled happily. “It’s floating.”
It started to drizzle.
Harry looked up hoping it would stop.
Harry’s mum and sister went to the car and waited for the guys to finish.
“Don’t stay out to long.” Mum said.
“Yeah.” His sister echoed, “It looks like a storm is coming.”
Harry and dad nodded but weren’t really listening. They were too distracted watching the boat make its way down the lake.
They didn’t see the angry clouds rolling in.
Or hear the thunder rumbling louder.
The rain started to get heavier and the gentle wind picked up speed.
Suddenly deafening thunder rumbled out of nowhere and they gasped.
Harry groaned loudly, “Dad it’s a storm.”
The lighting and thunder got louder and stronger.
Booming, rumbling, roaring.
Soon the heavens opened and rain gushed down.
“Harry grab the boat and let’s get out of here.” Dad shouted.
Then without warning the wind started roaring and picking up speed.
The wind was furious! It hissed and roared, groaned and moaned.
Harry looked around for his boat but he couldn’t see it. The water was churning furiously and there was no sight of his precious blue and white boat.
“Dad, I can’t see it!” He cried. He started running further into the water but his dad grabbed his arm.
“It’s too dangerous Harry. Let’s go.” Dad pulled him out.
Harry blinked back the tears. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair.
Once home they went to change into dry warm clothes and sat at the kitchen bench drinking hot chocolate.
“Harry,” Dad began. “Tomorrow we can go and look for your boat.”
“It’s probably tangled on some reeds or something.” Mum tried to sound cheerful.
Harry nodded silently and took another drink of his steaming creamy hot chocolate.
It wasn’t fair.
For 30 whole days dad and Harry went to the lake to see if they could find the boat.
But nothing.
It had disappeared.
Harry knew that the storm must have broken it into pieces and the water had swallowed the wood.
Harry was sad.
“Why don’t you build another one?” His sister said.
Harry shook his head, “No, it’s not the same.” He said.
One day, three months later, Harry and dad went to town to get a gift for mum’s birthday. Dad said he was going to go to the jewellery shop to see if they had the watch mum had always wanted.
In the distance Harry saw the “Treasure Box” shop. A place he really liked that sold second hand toys and other trinkets.
“Dad, can I go to the Treasure Box please?”
“Sure son.” Dad said, “Meet you back here in an hour.”
Harry jogged towards the shop and stopped to admire their big bay window. They always had something cool on display.
Suddenly he gaped.
His heart started beating faster and his breath caught.
No it couldn’t be. Could it?
He squashed his face against the class and stared.
Displayed on a stand was a little wooden blue and white boat.
The sails had blue and white stripes and there was a little red lifesaver handing on the side.
The varnished paint glistened in the sunlight.
On the corner left hand side of the boat there were some initials carved…he craned his neck to see it but couldn’t. Too much sunlight streamed through the glass.
Harry ran to the store and stormed in.
“Mr Moore, Mr Moore.” He called out.
An old man with salt and pepper coloured hair and chocolate coloured skin bobbed up from behind the counter. He placed a box of lights on the bench.
“Harrison Wilson. I haven’t seen you in a long time.” He grinned, “How are your mum and dad?”
Harry mumbled good thank you and then asked, “Can I see the boat that’s on display please?”
Mr Moore smiled, “You sure can. It’s a good boat.”
Harry held his breath as Mr Moore opened the glass and took out the beautiful little wooden boat.
Harry grabbed the boat and looked at the initials.
And there, on the corner left hand side of the boat were the initials H.J.W (Which stood for Harrison Joel Wilson).
“This is mine Mr Moore. This is the boat I made with my own hands. I created this! But how did you get it?”
Mr Moore frowned, “You made this?” He whistled, “Great work young man.”
“How did you get it?” Harry asked again.
“A fisherman found it tangled amongst some reeds. It was a day after a big storm many months ago.”
Harry nodded, “Yes, I lost it during the storm and dad and I couldn’t find it. I have looked for it all this time.”
“But how do you know this is yours, it could belong to anyone?” Mr Moore walked towards the counter.
Harry followed, “Because it has my initials – see.” He pointed to the corner of the boat.
“H.J.W” Mr Moore said out loud.
“Yes, for Harrison, Joel Wilson.” Harry said touching the boat softly. Oh how he missed it.
“Can take it back please?” He asked.
“I bought that boat from the fisherman Harry. I can’t just give it to you. I can sell it back to you though.”
Harry’s eyes rounded as big as plates, “But, but…but Mr Moore I made this!!” He said with force.
“I know son, but, I paid $10 for it. You will have to pay $20?”
Harry’s mouth gaped.
He touched his pocket. He had saved $20 for many months and now he had to use them on the boat he had created? Life was not fair.
But Harry loved the boat too much and couldn’t leave it.
After paying for his boat, Harry walked out and held it tightly to his chest.
“You are mine twice.” He said. “Once because I made you and once because I bought you.”
Harry whistled all the way home!
His heart was happy.
______________________________________________________
This month we are celebrating Easter and remembering the story of Jesus dying on the cross.
Do you know that Jesus is like Harrison from the story? Do you know why?
Well, Harry created a boat – Jesus created us.
Harry lost the boat during a storm – Jesus lost us because of sin.
Harry found the boat again but he had to buy it – Jesus found us again but he had to buy us by dying on the cross.
Harry got his boat twice once because made it and once because he bought.
We belong to Jesus twice.
Once because he made us and once because he bought us.
You can read the story of Jesus crucifixion with your family in Matthew 27:32-56.
POPPY’S CRAFT LINK
THE ORIGAMI BOAT
POPPY’S CRAFT
EASTER PAINTING
