Wonder – Via and Summer

I have been going CRAZY with all things Wonder!  This book is soooo inspiring!  Did you know there is a journal out there to go along with the book?!?  And there is an app!  You can download the app to your electronic device for a piece of daily wonder.  It looks like this:  Today’s daily wonder:  October 23 – Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. – Ian Maclaren

The two parts of the book we are looking at this week include Via – Auggie’s sister, and Summer – Auggie’s friend.  They demonstrate some of the scripture that we heard on Sunday during worship.

Philippians 2:3-4Common English Bible (CEB)

³ Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.

Both Via and Summer are always looking out for what they can do to help make Auggie’s life a little easier.  Let’s start with Via’s part.

David Bowie’s Space Oddity is how R.J. Palacio opened the part titled Via.  This song is song by Auggie and Via’s best friend Miranda who really likes and takes care of Auggie.  Miranda has her own part later in the book so we’ll talk about her more then.

The very first lines in this part of the story are these, “August is the Sun. Me and Mom and Dad are planets orbiting the Sun.  The rest of our family and friends are asteroids and comets floating around the planets orbiting the Sun.  The only celestial body that doesn’t orbit August the Sun is Daisy the dog.”  Do you think Via means it looks like this

?  Via is used to how the system works.  She knows that Auggie needs more attention than she does.  Do you think she ever feels left out?

Via spends lots of her time growing up protecting Auggie.  She also observes how other people react to him.  Via realizes in this part that the family has tried to make Auggie feel normal and does.  But what is the reality?

Via and her friends spent a lot of time with Auggie when they were in middle school.  They would even play dress up with him.  The books paints a picture of him looking like E.T. in one section.  Maybe like

Via really loves Auggie, but Miranda stands out as the friend who really loves him!  Who do you really love that is not part of your family?  Who do you watch out for?

High school is not easy for Via and her friends.  They seem to have gone different ways.  And Via is trying to keep Auggie away from high school.  Why do you think that is?  Have you ever been embarrassed by the reaction people have to some you are close to?  Not the person themselves, but how others respond?

As Via gets older she tries to explain why things happened.  Do you think there is a reason for everything that happens?  Does God control every second of every day?  What do you believe?

Summer’s part begins with this great song from Christina Aguilera.

Kids ask Summer why she is sitting with that “one” kid.  When you have helped that “one” kid has anyone asked you what you were doing?  What does God call you to do for that “one” kid?

Summer and Auggie get to do their Egyptian Museum Day project together.  Do you think they really wanted to work together?  Does Summer really like Auggie?

Auggie notices more shoes!!  Do you notice people’s shoes this much?  When you meet people, where are you looking?

  Do you think it helped Auggie to dress up as a mummy for his project?  Why?  Have you ever wanted to dress in a costume or hide behind a mask when you were going somewhere?  Is God with you in these times of uncertainty?  Do you turn to Him then?

As we are approaching Halloween, try praying for the other people you meet in costumes.  Pray for their well being.  And just like our scripture says watch out for them.