Too Busy for Easter

An Easter Musical about Jane who is disappointed as she sees her

friends busy with fun activities in which she is unable to participate.
She is even more disappointed when she realized she would not be
able to attend the Church Egg Hunt due to providing care for her
sick mother. Her friend at school does not understand why Jane is
so preoccupied with staying home. A friend steps in and provides
relief for Jane.

Cast: Mother, Jane & Janice (youth age), Narrator, Kid’s Choir

Settings: Bedroom with a cot and lamp, place for choir, and place
for scene with Jane and Janice. Suggest choir to wear t-shirts
(spring colors), Narrator could wear a large spring hat, or dress as
the Easter Bunny (depending upon your church policy)

Materials: Shout Praises Kids Every Move I Make DVD

 

SCENE 1

Mother: Jane, can you get me some warm water? I can’t take these
pills with cold water.

Jane: Yes, mother

Mother: Jane, I need a blanket. I feel a draft in here.

Jane: Yes, mother. I will get one for you.

Mother: You are such a good daughter. I don’t know what I would
do without you.

Jane: I am glad to help you, mother.

Narrator: When Jane was six years old she began cooking breakfast
every morning for her mother. Every morning she would get up
early and make biscuits and gravy. At times, Jane wished her life
was different, but she would push those thoughts aside. Her mother
needed her, and she would be there for her. She would not feel
sorry for herself, but would do what it took to make her mother
happy. Jane was willing to trade her own time of pleasure in order
to care for her sick mother.

Choir: Trading My Sorrow

SCENE 2

Janice: Hey, Jane can you come over after school today?
Jane: I can’t today.

Janice: That is what you always say. Why are you always so busy?

Jane: I have homework to do, and I need to help out at home.

Janice: I have homework too, but it doesn’t take all evening.

Jane: My mother needs me.

Janice: Your mother should not make you work so much. You work
all the time every day.

Jane: She needs me. She is sick.

Janice: My mother was sick once, and we just let the house go. It
can be cleaned when she gets better.

Jane: Not our house. My mother is not able to work or clean, or

cook at all.

Janice: You mean you do ALL the work?

Jane: My mother needs me.

Janice: You mean every move you make she dictates?

Jane; Not quite like that. But she does demand a lot, but she can’t
help it.

Choir: Every Move I Make

Janice: Do you get to go to church?

Jane: I do not have time. I cannot leave my mother alone, and she
would worry about me.
Janice: Jane, you must have some time for yourself. You are a slave
to your mother.

Jane: I do talk to God at home while I am working. He is with me.

Once in a while Mrs. Peterson stops by – my old Sunday school
teacher. She brings me the left over class lessons to review.

Janice: Maybe my mother could come over some time and help so
you could do something with me. I will ask her.

Jane: That is ok, Janice. I am used to it. God helps me, and I feel
glad to do this for my mother. She has cancer that is spreading very
fast now. I may not have her much longer with me.

Janice: What about your brother and sisters? Can they help?

Jane: They all live far away, and are busy with their families. I am
the youngest child – and took on more responsibilities when Sarah
left home to get married.

Janice: You must hate that!

Jane: God is with me everywhere and that helps a lot.

Janice: I’ll see you tomorrow at school. (Both exit)

Choir: I Could Sing of Your Love Forever/Everywhere I Go

SCENE 3

Narrator: Jane was disappointed many times when she would see all
her friends go to movies, skating, school parties, church, and all the
fun things they were involved with. She wished she could have a
part, but she had no time for play. Her mother’s needs were first.
She would not resent whatever fun she missed. Later, maybe she
could have some fun when she was older and out of school.

Mother: Did you have a nice day, dear?

Jane: Yes, mother it was nice.

Mother: What did you learn today at school?

Jane: We began working on some new problems in Algebra.

Mother: I never did learn all that in school. You are a smart girl,
Jane.

Jane: Mother, tell me about when you were little and your first
Easter.

Mother: Jane, I have told you that story many times, but I guess
one more time will not hurt.

Jane: Thanks mother! I love to hear it just the same.

Mother: We attended a large church that had many children and

families. Every year, it was a big exciting time when Easter came
around. All the kids would get new clothes, and they had the
biggest egg hunt of any church in the whole community. I just loved
those egg hunts. The pastor would be there, and he would dress up
like a huge bunny and give us all extra candy. He was all over the
place, and we all loved him so much. We knew he really cared for
us kids.

Jane: That sounds wonderful. What happened next?

Mother: The time was close to Easter Sunday….actually it was the
week before when my mother took a turn for the worse getting
really sick. Dad did not know what to do. He had called different
doctors, and none of them could figure out what was the matter.
Back then, they did not do all the x-rays like they do today to help
diagnose problems. We had also lost our insurance and dad was
working part time jobs around town to keep us in clothes and to put
food on the table. My mother got sicker and sicker. It was Easter
Sunday, and she called us all into the room.

Janice: What did she want?

Mother: She could hardly breath, but managed to give all of us a

short prayer and word of encouragement. We were all crying by
that time. I never have forgotten the memory when she lifted her
hands to heaven and begin praising God. We were all puzzled as we
stared at her and then at each other. (Cast freeze)

Choir: You’re Worthy of My Praise

Mother: God is so worthy of our praise even in sickness, pain, and

sorrow. He is there all the time.

Jane: What happened next?

Mother: I will forever remember that moment. Mother dropped her

hands, and with a smile on her face stopped breathing. She
peacefully went home.

Jane: Did you feel bad about the egg hunt?

Mother: That was the first church egg hunt that I had missed in all
my years at the church. I was too busy for Easter that year. Of
course, I was disappointed, but so happy to know that my mother
was with Jesus and free from all her pain. She had suffered so long,
and it hurt all of us to see her suffer so.

Narrator: Jane felt ashamed for all the times she had felt resentful
when she had to spend time with her mother. She wished she could
take all the pain away for her, but knew that was impossible. God
had been so good to both of them, and had provided all along for
their needs. She must be patient and continue as she was doing.

Choir: So Good To Me

SCENE 4

Janice: Jane, we had a great time last night.

Jane: That is nice, Janice. I am glad that you did,

Janice: I talked with my mother about what you told me.

Jane: You did not need to do that.

Janice: I told you maybe she could help out, and she can.

Jane: She does not need to do that.

Janice: My mother wants you to go to the egg hunt this year. She
said she will sit with your mother if you will go with our family.

Jane: I don’t know……

Janice: Please, say you will do it.

Jane: Well………..maybe if my mother has a good day. Ill talk to her
about it.

Janice: Thank you, thank you! You’re my best friend! (Hug and exit)

Narrator: Jane did get to go to the egg hunt. Her mother insisted
that she did. Janice’s mother came and stayed with her, and they
had a wonderful time of fellowship. Jane enjoyed the egg hunt so
much and found many eggs in the middle school age kid’s group.
She was so glad that she was not too busy for Easter this year. She
enjoyed it so much especially when the pastor gave a brief message
about the reason for the season – what Easter can mean for us
today.

Choir: I Give You My Heart

© Kidzministry.net Jeanne McIntosh December 2009. All rights

reserved.

Note from the author: This is a fiction story, yet some of the facts
are true. I wrote this play based on a visit I made one time to an
elderly lady who had been ill. She shared with me that when she
was 6 years old, she cooked breakfast (biscuit and gravy) every
morning. When I asked her how she felt about that, she replied that
she felt good about it and displayed no resentment whatsoever. She
did not feel she had missed part of her childhood, but that the other
kids who were playing were lazy. I found it interesting and not an
answer that I would have expected. I hope you enjoyed the play.