Small Jobs & Big Bandages

“Class,” said Miss Christy to the Kids’ Club students, “Pastor Jenkins has asked us to help greet the guests for church on Sunday mornings. We’ll need all of you to help.”

Jessie and her cousin Emily smiled excitedly at each other as Miss Christy continued, “There are many important jobs, from opening the door for people to stacking the announcement papers so they’re ready to pass out.”

The kids watched as Miss Christy passed around a jar with little pieces of folded paper in it. “Choose a paper from this jar to find out what you will do this Sunday.”

“I hope I get a greeter job,” said Jessie. “I’ll wear my best dress and be the first to say ‘good morning’ to everyone.”

Emily pulled a paper from the jar and unfolded it. “Greeter!” she read out loud. “Yay! What’s yours, Jessie?”

Jessie grinned as she reached eagerly into the jar. She unfolded her paper, and her happy smile disappeared. She frowned at the paper in her hand.

“What is it, Jessie?” Emily asked.

“I got paper stacker?!”

“Well, you can be my special paper stacker.”

“But it’s such a small job. I wanted an important job.” Jessie crumpled the paper in her hand.

“Miss Christy said all the jobs are important. I’ll need you to make sure I have enough papers to pass out to everyone.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Jessie shrugged sadly.

The next day at school, Jessie talked with her friend Justin during recess. “What job did you get to help at church?”

“Oh, I have to open the door for people,” he answered. “How about you?”

Jessie frowned. “I have to stack papers for the greeters to pass out.”

“Really? Well, at least you won’t have to worry about smiling at people the whole morning.” Justin put on a goofy smile, trying to cheer Jessie up.

Suddenly, a soccer ball came flying through the air—whoosh! “Look out!” Justin shouted.

Jessie turned and threw her hands up in front of her face. The ball smashed her pinky finger. “Oww!” Jessie screamed. She looked at her pinky. It was turning purple. “Oh, it’s broken, it’s broken!” Jessie cried.

“Come on, Jessie, let’s go see the school nurse.” Justin led his friend inside to the nurse’s office. Jessie held an ice pack on her finger until her mom came to take her to the doctor.

“Is it broken, Doctor?” Jessie asked as he examined her injured finger.

“No,” he replied, “it’s just bruised. I’ll wrap it in a bandage so you don’t hurt it again. With rest and ice packs, it should be better in a few days.”

“Well, I’m sure glad to hear that,” said Jessie’s mom. “Thank you, Doctor.”

At home that evening, Jessie showed her bandaged finger to her dad and explained what had happened. “Do you think you can eat pizza with a hurt finger? I’ll eat your piece for you if you can’t,” Dad teased.

Jessie smiled. “I think I can eat pizza with my other hand.”

“Oh. Okay,” said Dad. He sighed and made a sad face. Jessie laughed.

That night, Jessie went to bed early; it had been a long, hard day. “Maybe tomorrow will be better,” she thought hopefully. But the next morning got off to a bad start. As Jessie was getting dressed, her finger got caught in her sleeve. “Ouch!” Then when she tried to eat her breakfast, she couldn’t hold her spoon right, and the milk from her cereal dribbled down her chin. “Grrr,” she said. “How can something so small make things so hard?”

“Well,” said Mom, “you’re not used to having a giant bandage there. Your pinky usually fits in its place just right. We hardly notice how important our little fingers are.”

“I sure noticed when it got hurt!” Jessie tried holding her spoon in her other hand but soon gave up and grabbed a piece of toast instead.

That afternoon, Emily came over for a tea party. The girls sat down at the little tea table, and Emily poured some juice from the teapot. When Jessie picked up her cup, it tipped and splashed juice all over her. “Oh no! I’ll sure be glad when I my finger is back to normal. I never knew how important it was until now.”

“Yes,” agreed Emily. “I guess some things that seem really small can make a big difference.”

The next morning was Sunday. As Jessie got ready for church, she picked up her brush and began brushing her long hair. Before she knew what was happening, the bandage on her finger got caught in her hair! The more Jessie tugged on it, the tighter it got. She glanced in the mirror at the tangled mess then hollered for her mom.

“What’s wrong, Jessie?” asked Mom, peering into the bathroom.

Jessie turned to show her mom how her hair had somehow twisted itself around her bandaged finger. “Will you please help me?”

“Of course,” said Mom. She gently worked to untwist Jessie’s hair. Suddenly, the bandage popped off. “Oh! I’m sorry. Is your finger okay?”

Jessie cautiously wiggled her finger just a bit—and it felt fine! “Hooray!” Jessie cheered. “It feels great. I’m so glad to have my pinky back.” She gave her finger a little kiss.

Mom laughed. “It’s funny how something so small can be so important.”

“Yes,” Jessie agreed. “And speaking of small, important things, I’ve got a job to do at church. My finger has healed just in time to stack papers for Emily. Let’s get going!”

Download Coloring Page