Dear Almighty Savior, God on most high. With Your help it will be easy as pie.
I can’t tell it without the help of You. With your help I know I can make it through.

Please help me tell a story of twin boys. They really enjoy playing with their toys. This set of twins is Timmy and Tommy. They are seven and they love their mommy. The boys learn a very important thing: They will have each other through everything.


Timmy and Tommy know almost everyone in the neighborhood. One day Timmy, Tommy and all their friends: Tak, Cadan, Addie, Greg, and Tyler decided to play a game of basketball. As they were picking teams, they noticed they had an odd number, which would make the teams uneven.
No one knew what to do. They asked Tommy for a solution and as always, Tommy knew exactly how to solve the problem. Tommy, being the team captain, took charge and said, “We need to find another player!”

“Where are we gonna find another player Tommy?” Timmy questioned. Timmy often became annoyed with Tommy because he felt like Tommy always had to be better than him at everything. Tommy is his twin but sometimes they don’t get along as well as they should.

“Simple, we go looking for a new friend to play with,” Tommy replied. Everyone had high respect for Tommy and believed in him so they agreed.
So they were off with hopes high. Tommy silently prayed to God to guide them and keep them safe.
As they walked down the street, past the circles they had already explored, something glimmering in the sun caught their eye. Squinting into the radiant sun they were able to make out the most extravagant playground they had ever laid eyes on. They quickly picked up their pace to reach the playground.

The playground was cosmic, like nothing they had ever seen before. The slides, perfectly wound were waiting to hear the laughter of those who could enjoy them and ever so pink, just as strawberry ice-cream would be sitting on top of an ice-cream cone, precisely spun to a point, just waiting to be licked.

They all stood in awe of the magnificent playground, with jaws dropped to the ground. All at once, they sprinted towards it as if they were racing towards a finish line to claim a prize. In this case, the prize was being the first one to experience the twists and turns of the slides.

Sand flew and squished between their toes, which made them giggle and squeal with joy as they finally reached the playground, as if it took an eternity to reach.

Tommy let his feet sink into the sand until only the tip of his big toe was visible. Jus as a ship would sink into the ocean, being engulfed by the waves. Just then, reality took a swing and hit him square in the face. “This is a bad idea,” thought Tommy.

He knew once his friends started playing on the playground, it would be some time before he could pry them off. He was tempted, but shoved his desires aside and buried them in the hot sand.

Tommy took a stand and shouted with all the might he could muster up, “Guys we have to leave. Our goal was to make a new friend and this playground has blown us off course.”

Everyone listened to Tommy except Tak. He couldn’t part with it and ignored Tommy’s request. He told them to leave him behind. Timmy took a stab at Tommy, “Not everyone has to do exactly what you say Tommy.”

“I never said they did Timmy. I just thought we should continue on our quest,” Tommy replied with a hint of hurt in his voice.

“Whatever,” Timmy said. “Why do all of our friends like Tommy more than me? I just don’t get it.” Timmy muttered under his breath.

Everyone walked over to their shoes and shook as much sand as possible from their socks, but somehow each and every one of them still had small pebbles that remained in their shoes that dug into the bottom of their feet with every other step they took.

They cautiously crossed the street and made their way up to the top of the circle looking for signs of kids, swing sets, trucks, bikes, toys, anything along that nature that would lead them to the houses that could hold their new friend.

Once at the top, they realized they would have to go to the next circle. By the looks of it, no one under the age of 40 lived up that street.

Just then Tommy realized that they had just passed between the two most dangerous houses in the whole neighborhood, the houses owned by Mr. Newhouse and Ron Baker. Tommy knew God must have been watching out for them. God had steered them clear the first time, but now they had steer clear themselves on the way down.

Mr. Newhouse doesn’t like anyone going on his lawn, sidewalk, or driveway. If someone were to touch a pebble that is cemented into his driveway he would send out his 11 dogs to attack them.

Legend has it that he also walks on all four legs and lives among his dogs like one of their kind. Kibble is the only food he eats and his favorite snack is milk-bones.

Ron Baker is said to have put some sort of poison on his yard so that whatever touches it dies. Birds, rabbits, squirrels, you name it, nothing is ever seen in his yard alive. He also sits by his window with his shot gun ready for anyone who somehow can resist the effects of the poison.

People say they both set traps in the street for anyone who tries to sneak by. Tommy keeps this information to himself but paused at the top of the hill to pray to God to protect him and his friends. God listened to his prayer and sent the Holy Spirit upon Tommy to help to guide them through.

He gathered his friends at the top of the hill and informed them that they were going to have a race to the end of the hill. To entice them to join in, Tommy said he would buy the winner a popsicle the next time the ding ding man came along.

On the count of three, they all shot out of the starting area sprinting as fast as their legs could carry them and using every ounce of energy they had, as if they were rockets getting launched into the fine crisp air, using all the fuel stored in their tanks.

A shrill cry cut through the brisk air and drifted down to Tommy’s ears. He spun around to see Cadan lying on the ground crying and screaming that they cheated. Cadan quickly scrambled to his feet and ran home crying on account of the scrape on his knee.

Tommy wanted to follow him to help him. He couldn’t, he told himself. He knew he had to keep going and leave him behind, but the guilt in his heart would forever be there.

With heavy hearts and heads pounding, the surviving five walked over to a blooming tree and their legs buckled underneath them. With red faces and weary legs, they laid there for 10 minutes to catch their breath.

Addie grew tired of lying around and took from her pocket her favorite bouncy ball. She played with it and laughed until it hit an uneven spot in the ground. That tiny ball bounced every which way until it managed to hit the curb and roll down into the sewer.

Tommy looked at Addie just as her eyes brimmed with tears. Then, tears over flowing onto her cheeks, she began to cry in heaving sobs. Nothing could stop the flow of tears from her eyes. It was never ending, just as a waterfall keeps going and going and never runs out of water.

Her tears slid down her rosy cheeks and into her mouth. The salt tasted good on her tongue, which was parched from the running they had previously endured. Just as Addie was about to throw a tantrum, Tommy lifted himself off the ground and made his way over to her.

He took her in his arms and kissed her on top of her head. Her hair smelled like strawberries, reminding him of a warm summer day. He whispered in her ear, “I will get your bouncy ball back, I promise.”

By this time, Timmy, Tyler, and Greg were surrounding them. They all agreed to help get it back. Tommy devised a plan.

Tommy was going to gently slide into the sewer to go looking for it. Tyler and Greg were assigned to gently hoist Tommy down into the sewer. Timmy was in charge of comforting Addie.

Before putting the plan to the test, Tommy requested they sit in a circle and pray for the success of saving Addie’s ball. They took each other’s hands and prayed an Our Father. Tommy had the last couple of words of praise to the Lord, then they decided it was time.

Tyler and Greg took Tommy’s hands and gently lowered him into the dim sewer. Once Tommy’s feet hit the ground, they released the grip on his hands.

Tommy stood there for a moment waiting for his eyes to adjust to the amount of light down there. He was a little nervous down in that deep sewer. He took a deep breath and the stench of rotting food entered his nostrils and overwhelmed him. He was forced to plug his nose. He started feeling along the damp floor with his free hand in search of her ball.
He couldn’t seem to find it anywhere. Suddenly he heard something scamper by. Looking down confirmed his suspicions. It was some sort of a rodent and in its mouth was Addie’s beloved ball.

Fast thinking, Tommy stepped on the rat’s tail so it couldn’t get away. The rodent wriggled about, trying to break free from under his foot. Tommy gently took the ball out of its mouth. Careful not to injure it, he set him free once he had confiscated the ball.

Above ground, Timmy began to get nervous. Tommy had been down there a long time and Timmy was scared for his brother. He loved his brother and didn’t want anything to happen to him.

Tommy walked over to the opening of the sewer where light was shining through and made an attempt to get out. He climbed up and got half way, but then he slowly slid back down the wall. Tommy made the sign of the cross and prayed to God. Tommy suddenly heard a voice telling him to try again. God had given him strength to climb out.

Tommy hoisted himself out of the sewer with no trouble at all. He stood up, brushed the dirt of his pants, and handed Addie her ball. Addie ran to him and hugged him. She thanked him over and over, even though he could tell by the ecstatic look on her face how much she appreciated it.

Timmy was second to run up and give him a hug. He was so thankful Tommy was okay. Tommy was a little surprised by his brother’s actions, but loved every minute of it.

Then, Addie caught a whiff of her ball and decided to go home and wash it. Everyone agreed that someone should go with her since she was only 5 years old. Tyler offered and off they went to scrub her ball clean.

In the distance, they heard a whistle and Greg’s mom yelling that is was time for dinner. Greg didn’t want to leave, but his grumbling stomach talked him into going home.

So Timmy and Tommy were the only two left. Both determined to make a new friend, they walked up and down every circle until it started to rain. They found a small tree to hide under, but only one of them could fit. Tommy insisted that Timmy take cover, but Timmy refused and told Tommy to sit under it.

For the first time, they compromised. Timmy offered the idea of Tommy sitting on his lap. Tommy agreed and plopped down.

Tommy offered a compliment, “That was a very good idea Timmy.”

“Thank you Tommy, that really means a lot to me,” replied Timmy. “We never found a new friend to play with Tommy,” said Timmy gloomily.

“I know, but as we were searching for one, I realized we could just have a sub on one team, or have dad play with us,” said Tommy.
“Good point, so I guess we succeeded after all. I mean look at us, not fighting and having a good talk with one another,” said Timmy.

“Yeah, we are getting along pretty well aren’t we?” asked Tommy.

“Yes we sure are,” replied Timmy.

Sitting under that tree, watching the parched grass soak up the rain, like a baby sipping every last ounce of milk from a bottle, they realized something. They realized that even though they didn’t find a new friend to even out the teams, they had found a friend in one another and that is the greatest prize of all. Through thick and thin they will have each other to lean on.