The Bookmark and the Gazebo 2011

The Bookmark and the Gazebo is the final story in the opening trilogy of Grace Asylum’s Christmas shows.  This story continues 2010’s “The Heart on Man Revisited” as Abby Gibson revisits the abandoned state hospital that she has visited for so many years trying to find the answers as to why her dad left.  This time however, she has been made anew inside from a relationship with God.  She has returned to reflect on the healing that has happened and look forward to what lies ahead.  As she is there she notices a a glimmer underneath the old gazebo that is out on the grounds of the asylum.   As the story unwinds, she realizes that it is her dad who has been living underneath the gazebo.  She learns that the reason he left, so many years ago, was that he lost his job and the ability to provide for his family.  This caused him to lose his way and he left.  He fell on hard times and ended up in this situation.  Instead of lashing out in anger and hate she found compassion and empathy.  Forgiveness is the main focus in this show.  The story ends with her leaving a bookmark that she had drawn in crayon when she was very young that had three stick figures on it, her mother, her dad and herself, inside a bible outside the opening of the gazebo for him on Christmas day.  Written on the bookmark was “I miss you daddy” and it was marking Ephesians 4:32.