Episode 1: The Best Fellow in the Place
Weekly Reading: Kelly Nash Chapter 1
Welcome to this new episode of Character in Crisis! Today we are going to learn about a big, powerful mill and a little, lazy boy.
Did you have a fun time reading chapter one? I certainly did! Although we don’t normally hear about (or visit) flour mills, they were very common during 1863, when this story was written.
Back then, flour mills were used to grind wheat or corn into baking flour. The flour mill in this story is nestled along the banks of a fast-flowing river called “Kirkwood Run.” As you may have guessed, the mill has a large waterwheel attached to the side of the mill, partly immersed in the river. As water flows down the river and crashes into the waterwheel, the wheel starts turning round and round. This then moves huge millstones inside the mill, crushing the wheat into flour (and making it go POOF everywhere!).
It is here at the mill we meet lazy Kelly Nash. Did you happen to see how many times Kelly is described as “lazy,” “idle,” or “complacent”? Have you ever heard the word complacent before? It means that someone is smug or happy with oneself…just like Kelly Nash! Our little hero is very proud of himself and even brags about how likeable he is.
Well, today Kelly meets someone who doesn’t brag about herself. Instead, she listens patiently, acts kindly, and speaks sweetly.
Little Miss Annie Ingalls is described as having fresh, glowing cheeks, soft brown hair, and a beautiful “light of the soul.” What do you think that means? Well, imagine with me for a moment. What does light do? It makes things brighter, and gets rid of the darkness. Matthew 5:16 says,
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Imagine a sunrise. Isn’t it beautiful? The whole world starts out dark. Then, slowly, the sun starts to rise, and a thousand different colors fill the earth. Everything becomes wondrously warm and bright. In the same way, when we have Jesus in our hearts, He fills our hearts with light because He is light!
When our hearts are filled with His light, we can help brighten the lives of those around us. How? Well, just like Annie Ingalls did! Even though Kelly Nash was being mean to her, she picked up a broom and helped him sweep the mill.
As you head into this week, imagine how you can help the people around you. How can you make your mom’s day a little brighter? How can you show kindness to your brother or sister? Whether you pick a flower for a friend, tidy your room, or help sweep the kitchen floor, you too are acting like the sun—making everyone around you a little happier, a little brighter, a little sweeter.
May we shine as lights in this world!
Weekly Activity
“The floor of the room was as white as if covered with the hoar-frost…bare beams which supported the ceiling had their white coating, and every jagged rough splinter seemed to have put out its little hand to get a share of the snow-like covering.”
Isn’t that a fun way to describe a flour mill? Sarah Baker, the author of Kelly Nash, has a fun imagination. She shows us how something ordinary (a flour mill) can be described as something extra-ordinary. Instead of saying “there was flour everywhere,” she says that the whole place looked as if it were covered in snow. That’s really fun to imagine!
Right now, think of somewhere you love to go. Is it your bedroom? A nearby farm? Whatever it is, write down the place. Next, take a minute and imagine what it looks like. How would you describe it? Does the farm have mud everywhere? Do chickens squawk about? Are there dogs? Or is there a big red barn?
Once you’ve imagined what this place looks like, think of a fun way to describe it. For instance, does the mud at the farm sometimes look like…chocolate? Do the chickens sometimes walk as if they’ve just stepped on legos?! Write down whatever you imagine, and have fun sharing it with your family and friends.
Memory Verse(s)
Matthew 5:14-16
Study Guide Questions for Chapter 1:
Kelly Nash:
The Boy Who Didn’t Think
Every week there will be a reading assignment. So if you don’t have one already, be sure to purchase your very own copy of the book!
