Happy Money (1969)

[Music] [Music] you're right okay we'll put the red twist it well it's coming along all right but I still think it needs something well I think it's great well don't Eugene well yes but Linda is right we need more color more of a feeling of celebration celebration right a real Carnival atmosphere is what we want Carnival oh come on George I've got an idea here let's put this above the church chur okay come on give it to me I'll do it give to B here we go listen Joe could you and Jan bring the ladder over here and put something up it it looks awfully skimpy how's that yeah hey maybe this would work okay let's put those get your SA yeah this is stewardship looks more like New Year's Eve to me a couple of months ago I would have felt the same way but these kids have made a believer of me now I think they've got something very important going here how's that Linda oh it's perfect absolutely perfect George if this is stewardship I'll have to eat my pledge cards for the last 20 years stewardship is serious business is it I'm not so sure it should be I'm not so sure what you mean by that this whole thing seems so out of place here maybe you shouldn't have let the kids run with the ball quite so much I'm the first to admit that the happy money project is a wild idea but I still have to defend it Frank I can't help it these kids have gotten to me I can see that well it's that time of year again that's right George got to go to church again [Music] I'm sorry but I just don't understand it at all well I don't see what the problem is Dad it's really a very simple idea come on Mom have another balloon we've got a long way to go look hun maybe that's where we don't see eye to eye I was brought up to think of stewardship as something very serious and important well it is important but why does it have to be so serious here's another balloon Mr Howard Oh Daddy I don't see why you get so shook up about all this how did the idea get started how money I mean it was all Linda's idea the whole thing I might have known you just don't try to understand it's a good idea everybody says it's one of the best projects the youth group has ever had maybe we could try harder Frank from what I heard it was quite remarkable oh well I can't take all the credit I mean everybody pitched in and worked hard it all started about 2 months ago at a youth council meeting when George GE Baldwin brought up the subject of stewardship we had been going over some scriptures about stewardship and I remember that George was trying to get us to do some really serious thinking about it now what I would like to see us do is come up with some ideas of ways the youth group could explore together what stewardship really means any volunteers well yeah Scott well I think it should be a project of some sort so we can learn about steart ship and practice it at the same time all right we seem agreed that it should be something an action thing so we learned by doing now hey I've got an idea isn't there a verse in the Bible that says something about the lord loves a cheerful Giver yes well I think we should do something to put Joy back into stewardship our theme could be the lord loves happy money right it's a fantastic idea the happy money project well that's how it all began and the kids have been working like crazy on it ever since Daddy here's another balloon be careful not to smudge it I wish somebody would tell me what all these balloons have to do with stewardship well we thought they'd lend a festive note to our play all the kids are helping decorate them we need several hundred several hundred look I don't mean to sound like a old fogy but do you really think you're doing Justice to this whole concept of stewardship some of the kids in our group asked that same question it took some real salesmanship to convince them I'll never forget the speech Linda made at our youth group meeting so we as the council think of it as a demonstration project to show how right attitudes about stewardship can help us all do more for the work of Christ will'll be studying about stewardship of our lives our talents our time time and we'll be doing something about it at the same time and the whole thing will climax when we make our stewardship pledge for next year any questions well some of us were wondering where we're going to get the extra money to do it there are plenty of ways what about our allowances and our jobs like babysitting and a lot of us have steady jobs after school and on Saturdays just a minute I think we're forgetting this Spirit of the whole thing it seems to me the important thing is having the right attitude about money the whole idea is to get away from treating giving to God as well a business deal if we can get our attitudes right I mean get joy back into giving then we can find all kinds of ways to express that Joy [Music] how many of these things did you say couple of hundred at least a couple of hundred honey I wish I could make you see my point now it isn't that the Happy Money theme isn't cute and all well then what is it Dad Frank actually you're not making your objections too clear I know but I have had a little competition from balloons and crpe paper huh and Abe Lincoln and George Washington complaining about having to go to church a blink and Washington oh they just are talking money look dad you're making this sound as if we're doing something subversive we're just trying to remind people that giving should be joyful a fun thing just like it says in the Bible uh uh let's hold it now let's talk about that for a second I've been reading a Bible for a good many years and I don't recall any place where it says stewardship is a fun thing well maybe it's all in the way you read it well I think well the important thing is the project did get us all to thinking about stewardship and in a new way well so much so we found all kinds of ways to turn what we call sad money into Happy Money remember that time when Paul had just started his new after school job and we were sort of celebrating his first big paycheck you might as well have these thanks they're not on my diet oh I still can't see why I passed up dinner in the movies for hamburgers I told you I'm trying to help you save your money for something more important well listen if you're you're talking about that stewardship business well don't worry I'll do my part but I don't think it's fair to ask me to starve to death why that's the last thing in the world I'd want to happen to you Paul when I get home I promise I'll ask Mom if I can fix you a snack no thanks I'm supposed to be treating you remember well you are and I'm enjoying it especially when I realize that because of the big sacrifice you're making tonight you'll be able to give more to the church I don't know but I feel it somehow I've been had have a pickle [Music] thanks and how about what some of us did about birthday presents and things like that remember Mom remember how I kept bugging you about my birthday present and you couldn't figure out why landid isn't like you at all you know we like to surprise you at least once in a while couldn't you just give me a h and I mean I don't want to know exactly what you're planning but couldn't you give me some idea of the price Linda oh please Mom it's really important to me important to know the price now isn't that being just a little mercenary okay I guess I'll have to explain look I have an awful lot of things and well I was just thinking that if you were planning to spend a lot of money on me maybe you'd buy me something cheaper and give me the extra money in cash for Happy Money and then I remember Scott telling us about the time he and Joe Harris were in that store where they bought gadgets for their car man we've been saving for weeks for a set of custom wheels and we finally made it right half that money is mine right well sure but you're not going to change your mind well I was just thinking it seems kind of sad to spend that much for Wheels when wheel covers it look just the same sad oh no you don't mean I mean let's make it happy money why not wheel covers might even be better you make your half happy but my two wheels are going to be well sad but beautiful you know sometimes I think you guys have blown your minds a lot of the kids did things like that and it worked too you know what I think made it so successful the happiness part really oh wow I've got to go it's almost separate ter can I help you put these things away oh no thanks I can manage fine all right we're all glad you could come over dear thank you byebye Lind bye Mr Howard thanks for helping us not at all what in the world are you doing playing with those balloons why not I think that's what you and your friends are doing just playing with this stewardship project that's not true well you may think we're just making a joke out of this but I want you to know we're very serious about it we think that we've recovered something that that most adults have lost uh I think I understand that hun it's just that I don't think that happy money is a very comprehensive view of stewardship all right you're a Christian you tell me what is stewardship very well first of all it means that we are stewards it means that we are managers of our possessions rather than owners it means that everything we have belongs to God including ourselves and we simply use our money time and talents knowing they belong to him stewardship means that we are responsible responsible to God responsible now does that make you sad sad no of course not well I think it's something we should be happy about the fact that God owns everything that the whole world is in his hands that he gives us life well I think it's something we should be grateful about and celebrate oh I don't know so many people seem to think it's terrible that God owns everything instead of them look I don't think we're going to settle anything this way so why don't we declare truth okay until tomorrow night maybe our play will explain it better than I [Music] can well let's go over it once more just to be sure I've got it well don't be nervous Scott we've been over it 10 times you just present the kids who are going to tell some of their experiences and then I'll present the players you're nervous too aren't you oh it isn't that well look if you're worried about the others don't they've worked hard for Theon night they'll be great it's not that either well what is it then you've been acting weird all evening well it's just that look I don't want to bother you all with my problems you've all got a lot to think about well look a lot depends on you tonight maybe you better talk about it well here's George maybe he can help hi had some trouble getting it but here it is AB Lincoln's protest symbol I'll take it Paul's not here yet why don't you tell George what was that about well I told Scott I was worried about something and he thought I ought to talk to you about it it's all right now I guess I'm just worried about the play and things I know how your father feels and all I can tell you is go ahead with it prove to all of them how much the happy money project really means look you convinced me and I know you can convince him a lot of others too thank you and say a prayer for us we need it and so ladies and gentlemen we've tried to tell you a little bit about how the happy money project got started and some of the things that have happened now Linda Howard will present the second half of the program Linda thank you Scott the hardest thing to answer about the happy money project is why we did it and what it really means what you are about to see now is about attitudes towards stewardship it's not intended as criticism all the names have been changed to protect the guilty but as a presentation of something that we think is very important and Now ladies and gentlemen I give you the happy money Players [Music] Lord stop stop all this racket what's going on here we're celebrating you can't celebrate here well this is the church we're celebrating about stewardship a humbug take down all these dreamers to stop all this racket this is no way to act especially about stewardship why not I'll tell you why not because stewardship is serious business that's why not what I said it's serious business it's not business definitely not well sure it's serious but there's no reason why you can't be happy about it you're just too young to understand son someday after you get a little older getting older is no solution I mean sometimes I think it's a big problem like take that couple coming here for instance well dear today we make our annual pledge so let's go and get it over with how do I look is my dress black enough for the occasion yes I think so have you got our pledge card ready oh [Music] [Laughter] [Music] oh back up dear it's all right be bread I'll stay right next to you we'll make it somehow I know but it's so sad it was such nice money and now it's gone gone gone well well think of it this way someday we'll see it again we're just laying up treasure in heaven oh I'll try but it's hard John hard well honey let's go [Applause] well I'll admit that it seems that way sometimes but you're exaggerating what do you expect people to do sing and jump for joy when they give yes stewardship is gratitude it's a joyful response to God it's praise and thanksgiving well the trouble with you young whipper snappers is that you don't understand money the responsibility of a family tax Le education expenses the High Cost of Living Are you a 10er you mean a tither a proportionate Giver I am I most certainly am uh 10% of the whole well maybe not the total after taxes well after the family expenses well after the High Cost of Living Well you know one has to sharpen his pencil when he's figuring after all one has to come to a business like a agreement with the Lord do you know what you've been doing no what you've been giving the Lord unhappy money I have yes un happy [Music] money well AE it's that time of year again yep we got to go to church again how's your owner getting along anyway terrible she got tear stains all over me I feel [Laughter] awful well at least it's for a good cause I almost got spent the other day for a box full of golf balls M how awful talk about putting your money in a hole in the ground that's it at least we get to do some good this way makes me feel a little better but I wonder why they don't understand understand what George well that money can be sad or happy according to the way it's used I guess they just don't read their Bibles right H they just deal us out to the church as if they're paying a debt more like slaves working for a hard Master than free men giving gratefully to God yes it seems kind of sad but we shouldn't fret after all we've made it we are going to accomplish something cheer up babe it could be worse well I guess that's right but I just wish they could see it though given to God and the work of his church in this world it should be an act of Celebration I guess it just forget sometimes well so long Abe goodbye George see you in [Applause] [Music] church well what do you say now old friend well I'll admit you've got a point there the lord loves a cheerful Giver the lord loves happy money oversimplified perhaps but still a good point it sure would change the look of our stewardship if we all went along with that wouldn't it hey come on what are you doing what is it we're going to church old friend we're going to celebrate the gift of Salvation the thrill of New Life In Christ well okay let's celebrate [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] W Isaiah chapter 61 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord my soul shall exalt in my God for he has clothed me with the garments of Salvation he has covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decks himself with a Garland as a bride adorns herself with her jewels and as Paul said rejoice in the lord always and again I say rejoice I want to explain first of all that the happy money project started out as a demonstration we wanted to see what we could accomplish if our attitude was one of joy rather than slavish Duty and we have accomplished something we have far exceeded our goal for weekly giving the kids wanted me to say that this is not the end of the happy money project in spite of all the fun and stuff what some of you have called the carnival atmosphere we feel that we have just begun to take stewardship seriously the youth group is going to continue to study and explore the full meaning of it because we all know we have a great deal to learn we have begun to see that stewardship is not just something that has to do with offerings and pledges and tithing it is a continuing responsibility it's an attitude of life it's gratitude for what God has done for us in Christ it's it's the whole pattern of our living the whole style of it our relationship to things and people and ourselves it's all stewardship what we have tried to say tonight is that joy and Thanksgiving should be part of that pattern too and we think a very important part of living life as Christian stewards good night and may the joy of the Lord go with you [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Terrific show honey I've really enjoyed it I think you've given us all something to think about right George right I think stewardship is going to have a new meaning in the lives of our young people from now on I think we'll all take a more serious look at it [Music] hey a are you sure we're in the right place these people look down right happy sure in the right place I think they got the message [Music] oh [Music] for [Music]