Understand Revelation At Last – Advent 19. You’ll get the first week of my daily devotional The Revelation Devotional in this blog post. Try it out in January 2026 or right now! This free sample is my gift for you on the 19th day of Advent. Merry Christmas!
Understand Revelation At Last – Advent 19
January 1 – Revelation 1:1-2
Back cover of The Revelation Devotional.
This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John, 2 who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
What is the origin of the book of Revelation?
How did John get the book of Revelation? Through which Persons did the Revelation pass?
What is the purpose of the Revelation?
Who is the intended audience of Revelation?
What is in the Book of Revelation?
Prayer: Thank You, Almighty God, for giving us the book of Revelation, directly from You through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thank You for using Your created angels and sons of men to spread Your truth through all the world. Amen.
God gives us the name of the book: the Revelation of Jesus Christ. He gives us the topic, things which must happen soon, and shows the provenance of the book as the knowledge flows from His throne through Jesus, to His angel, to John, and then to the whole church.
Understand Revelation – Day 2
January 2 – Revelation 1:3-4
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand. 4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia.
Who is blessed by this book?
1.
2.
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Why are these groups blessed?
What time is at hand?
To whom is John writing this book?
Prayer: Thank You, Holy Father, for blessing us for reading Your book, for blessing everyone who hears of the book, and for encouraging us to keep the things written within it. We’re delighted to hear of our brethren, the seven churches of Asia Minor, preserving this book and passing it on to us today. Amen.
We need encouragement, especially in difficult times. God gives us His blessing for reading or hearing the book of Revelation, and more, for keeping what He says. This means not only obeying the commands written within it but also keeping the words and promises within our minds for meditation and hope.
Understand Revelation – Day 3
January 3 – Revelation 1:4-5
The four icons of the four gospels. Also, the four seraphim around the throne of God
Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
How does John salute the seven churches?
In Whose Names does John salute the seven churches?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Prayer: We praise You, Holy Father, Faithful Jesus Christ, and the sevenfold Holy Spirit given to Christians and with us to the end. You have given us Your grace, Your gifts, eternal life, and all that we need in this life. You give us Your peace in the violence, war, and chaos that is in this world. We know that Jesus Christ is Ruler over all the rulers of the Earth, and we have hope in You, now and forever. Amen.
Grace to you and peace from God. Grace, charis in Greek, means unmerited love. These are gifts to us from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, along with peace from the eternal God, Who has always existed and is outside of time. Jesus is the faithful witness of these things and the firstborn of the dead. He died in our place, so that we may be forgiven and live forever. Jesus was the ruler of the Earth. He still is and will be forever.
Understand Revelation – Day 4
January 4 – Revelation 1:5-6
To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood— 6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
How does Jesus Christ feel about His church?
What has Jesus Christ done for His church?
1.
2.
3.
To Whom is the church presented by Jesus?
How is God praised by John?
Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, for making us into a kingdom of priests and kings for Your Father and our Father in heaven. All glory and dominion is Yours forever and ever. Amen.
The focus is on Jesus, the Author of the book of Revelation, in this verse and throughout the book. We must keep that perspective as we read through the book. Every verse is what Jesus wants us to know.
Understand Revelation – Day 5
January 5 – Revelation 1:7
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
How will Jesus return?
Who on Earth will see Him?
Who are those who pierced Him?
What will the tribes (ethnos, ethnic groups) of the Earth do when He returns? Why?
Prayer: Just as You said, our Lord Jesus Christ, You will return with clouds. You will ensure that every person on Earth sees You, including all of us responsible for Your piercing. Every nation and race will mourn over Your death for our sake. Your will be done. Amen.
Behold, he is coming with the clouds. Jesus’s second coming is described. As He returns, every living person will see Him in the clouds. That event fulfills many prophecies. Seeing Jesus will also convict many people of their sins, leading to mourning and repentance. This great repentance transcends all races and nations. Through Jesus, the world finally becomes united.
Understand Revelation – Day 6
January 6 – Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Who is speaking?
What are His Names mentioned here?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why is He speaking?
Prayer: O Great God Almighty, ever living One Who is the first and the last, we are in awe of You just by reading Your words. How much more will we tremble when we see You face to face? Even so, come quickly. Amen, says the Lord God. Jesus speaks directly to us here. If you have a red-letter Bible, which indicates Jesus’s spoken words, this is a direct quote in red. Since the book is written to His Church, Jesus begins the book by reminding us Who He is.
Understand Revelation – Day 7
January 7 – Revelation 1:9
I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
How does John identify himself to the church?
Why does he identify this way?
Where was John?
Why was he there?
1.
2.
Prayer: How gentle You are, Holy Father! You work through human beings like Moses and John to other human beings. You know our frame and how we cannot bear Your direct Presence. How wise and how great You are to accomplish Your infinite purpose through fallible people like us! Amen.
John tells us how he received the book. John doesn’t claim his apostleship, nor his role as an elder and pastor of Ephesus, but simply as a fellow Christian suffering in exile for the sake of Jesus. He was imprisoned on Patmos because he was a leading pastor and the last living apostle in the 90s of the first century and because he testified of Jesus Christ. Christians today still suffer imprisonment for the same reasons.
Read The Gospel Medley & Jesus’ Birth. You’ll get the original Christmas story straight from the Bible. This free sample is my gift for you on the 18th day of Advent. Every day during Advent I’ll give you a gift!
Pre-Existence and the Early Years of Jesus Christ
Mark 1:1
1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ
The Gospel Medley back cover
John 1:1–5, 10–13
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [1]2The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him. Without Him was not anything made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.[2]
Luke’s Narrative Preface
Luke 1:1–4
1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2 even as those who from the beginning were, eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to 3it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; 4that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
John the Baptist’s Conception
Luke 1:5–25
5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. 8Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division, 9according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
Read the Gospel Medley – Part 2
13But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth. 15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God. 17He will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah,
‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”[3]
18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. 20 Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
Read the Gospel Medley – Part 3 & Footnotes
Back cover detail
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
24 After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”
[1]Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
[2] The word translated “overcome” (katelaben) can also be translated “comprehended.” It refers to getting a grip on an enemy to defeat him (WEB).
[3]Malachi 4:5 – “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
The Conception of Jesus
Luke 1:26–56; John 1:14
The four icons of the four gospels
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’ 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father, David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to His Kingdom[1].”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 36 Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
38 Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”
14 The Word became flesh . . .
Read the Gospel Medley – Part 4
38 The angel departed from her. 39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
46 And Mary said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name.
50 And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away.
54 He hath helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy; 55 As He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”
Read the Gospel Medley – Footnotes
56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
[1] 2 Samuel 7:12 When your days are fulfilled, and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who will proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.
During Mary’s Pregnancy
Matthew 1:18–25
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is He who shall save His people from their sins.”
22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel [1] which is, being interpreted, ‘God with us.’”
24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25 and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
[1]Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
The Birth of John the Baptist
Luke 1:57–80
57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she then gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy towards her. And they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child. They would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father.
60 His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
61 Then they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 Then he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” As a result, they all marveled.
64 Then His mouth opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 After that, fear came on all who lived around them. Afterward, all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?”
Read the Gospel Medley – Part 5
The hand of the Lord was with him. 67 His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied and said:
68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David. 70 He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been from of old. 71 He gave us salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us. 72 He showed mercy towards our fathers, to remember His holy covenant. 73 The oath which He spoke to Abraham, our father. 74 He granted us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve Him without fear. 75 Then we can serve In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.”
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. 77 You will give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins. 78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us. 79 He will shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. He will to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 The child then grew and becoming strong in spirit. He was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Read the Gospel Medley – One Last Thing
Jeffry Smith, author portrait
You can read the birth of Jesus in my blog on December 25th.
Read Secret Supers in Space – Chapter 1 Enjoy this free chapter on the 17th day of Advent. All through Advent I’ll give you a gift per day!
In Secret Supers in Space, four seventh graders with four different disabilities and four different superpowers go to a space camp for the summer. They learn all about the space program. But they didn’t expect to be hijacked into outer space. Merry Christmas to all!
Startled, I looked up from my computer and turned around in my wheelchair. My best friend, Dan, had slipped silently into my lab. I still thought of it that way, but we’d made it into the Secret Supers clubhouse almost a year ago. Dan’s round, brown face smiled down at me while his tall, wide frame loomed behind me. His dark glasses hid his blind eyes.
“I didn’t hear you come down the elevator.”
“I took the stairs. Your mom made cookies, so I came over. I could smell them from my house.”
“You mean, you could smell them from my mom’s thoughts?”
“And your’s and your dad’s. You were all excited, so I couldn’t help myself from taking a sniff from your mom’s nose. I didn’t snoop any further than that.”
“I know you respect everyone’s privacy with your mindreading power.”
“Except maybe yours. You did permit me to read yours anytime. But I haven’t read your mind about what you’re concentrating on. C’mon, tell your old friend Dan.”
“Don’t tell anyone. I want to surprise the Secret Supers.”
“Of course not. Now I’m dying to know!”
“I’m applying to Space Camp.”
“What’s Space Camp? I can hear the capital letters in your voice.”
I spun my wheelchair around to face him. “What’s Space Camp? It’s the greatest camp there is! We’re all bored out of our minds now that August has started and we want to do something. Space Camp teaches you all about our space program. You learn about astronauts and rockets. You go on a centrifuge and experience zero-g and moon gravity.
Part 2
Chapter 2 – Space Camp
“Sounds fun and cool. I can see them accepting you, Jeremy, but how about the rest of us? I guess Kayla would make it, but Aubrey and I are just average students.”
“As far as I can tell, there are no qualifications, just an interest in space and rocketry.”
“I sure got more interested in space after our adventure chasing the villain in a rocket at the coaster park this summer. What about the money?” Dan sat down in the chair so I didn’t have to look up at him.
“Mom and Dad have been saving the royalties from Secret Supers and Villain’s Vacation for you, Kayla, and Aubrey, and you can use that for the camp.”
“Well, count me in!” Dan’s huge hand engulfed mine. I felt like a little kid—which I was. I didn’t usually think about how small I was until Dan was right next to me. Or Aubrey, who was also Dan’s size.
“I just thought of a problem.” Dan frowned, his brows hitting his dark glasses. “What about my parents? And Kayla’s and Aubrey’s?”
“Mom and Dad have already been in touch with them ever since our royalties from the books have been coming in. They all agreed to divide them. Everyone’s just waiting on me to tell all the Secret Supers.”
“Now I know, so we might as well let Kayla and Aubrey know.”
I glanced at my screen clock. “Ten thirty. I can call Kayla, but Aubrey’s at her summer baseball practice.” I speed-dialed Kayla.
“You don’t have to put her on speakerphone. I can read her mind.”
Read Secret Supers in Space – Part 3
Chapter 3 icon
I laughed. “You read my mind. I was ready to do that.”
Hello, Jeremy. Kayla’s voice sounded in my mind. Kayla had spinal meningitis and could no longer talk or walk without a walker. I felt sad when I heard her high mental voice, sounding just as she used to talk before losing it.
“Hi, Kayla. I’ve got big news for you and Aubrey: the Secret Supers are going to Space Camp!”
Sounds like fun. I assume it’s all paid for and our parents are on board?
“Right. I researched it, then my parents contacted yours, Dan’s, and Aubrey’s, and everyone agreed. Just now, I applied and got approval. We’ll be gone for a week.”
When?
“The last week in August, just before Labor Day.”
Now I have something to look forward to, instead of another sweltering day. How long does it last?
“A week. We arrive on the last Sunday of the month and leave on Friday.”
Is Dan there?
“Yeah, I’m here Kayla.” Dan leaned over my shoulder.
“How’d you know, Kayla? Dan snuck up on me as I was applying to the camp online. Are you mind reading now as well as sending thoughts?”
No, just sending, like always. I just know you, Jeremy. You don’t give up secrets until you have to. I figured Dan would be there. He sees you about every day. Say, where is this Space Camp?
“Huntsville, Alabama. We’re driving down there the day before in our big van. It’ll take us about twelve hours, dad said.”
Part 4
Chapter 4 icon, Zero-G
I suppose you want me to tell Aubrey. I’ll give her the message to come over to our Secret Supers room, and we’ll all surprise her when she comes in.
“Great idea, Kayla!” I grinned.
Dan’s head snapped up from the phone and then he leaned back down. “You can tell her now. Her practice was canceled because of a thunderstorm. Boy, is she grumpy!”
“Baseball’s the love of her life,” I said. “A new adventure will cheer her up.”
All right, I told her to meet us there. She’s riding her bike straight from practice.
Dan placed his hand on his head like he does when he’s listening telepathically. “Uh, oh, Kayla, you’d better hurry. She’ll beat you here.”
I didn’t think of that. Mom’s busy at work. I can’t interrupt her, and I can’t bike anymore.
I straightened in my wheelchair. “Let me give you a lift—literally.”
Now you’re reading my mind, Jeremy. I was just about to ask you for help. Are you sending your flying car?
“Nope. Just put on your Secret Supers outfit and I’ll fly you over.”
“I’ll put on mine. It’s here in my backpack.” Dan slid it off his shoulders.
I hadn’t noticed Dan’s backpack. I turned to my phone. “We’ll make it a full club meeting. This’ll be the first time we’ve worn the new costumes your mom made for us, Kayla.”
I modeled mine for Mom. They fit a lot better than the store-bought ones we had, and they’re much sturdier. The old ones were pretty scuffed up.
“Something about fighting ten-foot robots does that.” Dan grinned.
Kayla laughed, in their heads. Ha! Not to mention flying at a hundred miles per hour chasing speedboats and rockets.
Part 5
Chapter 5 icon – Kayla at the controls
“Are you ready, Kayla? I can picture your front porch in my mind and pick you up there.”
Just about. Let me get my boots on. There. I’m ready.
I imagined Kayla standing on her front porch. I exerted my telekinesis.
Okay, Jeremy, can you pick me up another fifty feet? Then I’ll be clear of any telephone or power wires between my house and yours.
“Sure.” I pulled her toward my house at a steady rate.
All right, I’m right over your yard, Jeremy. That was something! I felt like a flying superhero. But carrying my walker.
“But no cape.” Dan grinned as he talked into Jeremy’s phone.
Right, Dan. The best superheroes –don’t have capes, and we don’t either. But we do have masks.
The elevator came down. Dan and I greeted Kayla as she got out in her walker. My parents had installed the elevator when I got my first electric wheelchair in first grade.
“Sorry, Kayla, I should have helped you walk like I usually do.”
No problem, Jeremy. You won’t always be around to help me. I still have hope I’ll be able to regain my strength and balance if I keep working at therapy. And your mom gave me a chocolate chip cookie on the way. Kayla pulled out a warm, soft cookie from the purse hanging from her walker.
I liked seeing Kayla’s pretty features face-to-face. Her dark eyes were framed by the black mask and her black hair rested on the scarlet tights. Still, she had a handkerchief in her hand. She tended to drool because she couldn’t control her muscles.
Read Secret Supers in Space – Part 6
Chapter 6 icon – Rocket Launch
“Uh, I’m the only one not in uniform. I’d better change.” A uniform flew out of the cupboard as I rose from my wheelchair and flew into the bathroom.
“You’d better hurry, Jeremy. Aubrey’s coming here at full speed! She’s keeping up with traffic on her bike. She’s using her super strength.” Dan called after me from the other room.
“Ha! Dan, I’m almost as fast as any superhero. Kayla, did you tell Aubrey to wear her uniform?” I yelled from the bathroom as I dressed telekinetically, pulling the tights over my legs twisted by a lifetime of cerebral palsy. It did fit better than the old uniform. Even the boots went on better. I loved the material I selected. It was completely air tight and waterproof. It fit beautifully with the other secret enhancements I’d put in. I wondered when I should tell the others about them.
Of course—
THUMP! THUMP! Ba-DUMP!
I don’t need to read minds to know that’s Aubrey. No one else pounds as she does down the stairs.
The door to the clubroom burst open. “TA-DA! I’m here. I came here at the speed of light, on a bicycle.”
Coming out of the bathroom, I saw Aubrey’s tousled blond hair peeking out of her baseball cap. Sweat beaded her broad forehead. Her black mask and red Secret Supers uniform clashed with her green ball cap. Instead of black boots, her prosthetic legs went to her knees.
I smiled at her. “Aubrey, did you notice how much better these new uniforms fit?”
Read Secret Supers in Space – Part 7
Chapter 7 icon Elon Musk
“Yeah, it doesn’t bind me at all when I run or bike. I could wear it all the time. It’s easy to get on and fits nicely around my stumps. Now tell me what the big news is, Jeremy. Kayla wouldn’t tell me anything!”
“The big news is we’re all going to Space Camp later this month.”
“Woah! Will we learn to be astronauts?” Even talking normally, Aubrey was loud. She sat on a chair and crossed her prosthetic legs. She’d lost both legs in an auto accident. After melting one prosthetic leg while rescuing Dan’s family from a house fire, I had a pair made using a 3D printer. The black, carbon-fiber latticework blended perfectly with her red tights. Everyone else had black boots.
“Kind of. Here’s the agenda.” I cast the Space Camp website to my wall-mounted monitor. They read:
Design, build, and launch a team rocket and safely recover its payload.
Discover the role the International Space Station plays in our global community.
Prepare for every contingency as you go to Mars on an extended-duration mission simulation.
“Man, Jeremy, you didn’t tell me all that!” Dan looked in Jeremy’s direction.
“Well, you could have read my mind.”
“My dad is really strict about that. He doesn’t want me mindreading without permission or if something is life and death. I did borrow your eyes to read it.”
“You always have permission with me.”
And me.
“Me, too, if you can find anything in there. My science teacher says I’ve got nothing up there.”
“Aubrey, wait until you tell your teacher you went to Space Camp. The session can count for college credits.” Jeremy tried to encourage her.
Read Secret Supers in Space – Part 8
Chapter 8 icon – The Villain
“Right, but what if they give me some formula I don’t know? I’m not good at math, let alone algebra.”
We’re always here to help you, Aubrey. Kayla carefully transferred from her walker to a chair.
“I do okay at science, but nothing like you and Jeremy. I’ll help you as well as I can, Aubrey.” Dan’s dark glasses met Aubrey’s blue eyes. They were of the same height and build but as different as night and day.
“That’s why we’re a team, Aubrey. You don’t expect a weightlifter to be a genius, do you?”
“Are you calling me a muscle-bound weightlifter, Jeremy?”
“Uh, no, I was just making a comparison of contrasts.” Oh, no! I felt my face glow as red as my uniform. I had a secret crush on Aubrey and didn’t want to offend her.
She grinned. “I’m just pulling your leg, Jeremy. I identify with weightlifters. I like lifting and smashing things. It’s my natural gift!” She made a bicep the size of grapefruit.
I tried to butter her up. “Well, you’ve saved the whole team with your strength.”
Like when you pulled the steel net off us as the robots shot at us with machine guns.
“Thanks, guys. I know you’ve got my back. And I’ve got yours.” Aubrey looked at the floor under my computer table. “Hey, what about Dancer? He’s coming isn’t he?” She bent down and picked up my pet hamster, the Secret Supers mascot, out of his cage. He’d crawled into his uniform. It was a red vest with a black elastic belt and a backpack for his cell phone.
“Where’s your cell phone, Dancer?”
The hamster pointed at the floor by his cage and then gestured, “Bring it.”
Read Secret Supers in Space – Part 9
Chapter 9 Icon Dancer Floats
Aubrey grabbed it and set it before the hamster on the big work table. Dancer began to furiously type. Dancer was a super hamster, with genius-level intelligence. He remembered everything he read or heard, and he read all the time.
I cast Dancer’s text message app to the screen.
“whew. I thought i’d never get a word in. my phone fell out of my cage and my door was jammed shut.” Dancer was great at texting, but he had trouble typing capital letters or any shift-key character.
“Sorry, Dancer. I didn’t notice.” My face reddened again.
“bad timing, jeremy. yesterday as I conducted my circumnavigation of the yard, I noticed some corvids with metal yarmulkes.”
“I know a yarmulke is a Jewish religious cap, but what’s a corvid?” asked Aubrey.
“I don’t know either,” Jeremy and Dan said together.
It’s a crow, Kayla thoughtcast.
“cor·vid – any of a family -corvidae- of stout-billed passerine birds including the crows, jays, magpies, and the raven. i didn’t know which species it was, so i just said corvid.“ Dancer’s message appeared on the screen.
“So it had a metal yarmulke, just like the chipmunks we found last spring spying on us. Those were cyborg chipmunks. A cyborg crow! That’s not good. Are cyborg mambas next?” I frowned.
Right. That means our villain Becky Robinson that we defeated at Coaster World is on the move and is spying on us.
“Or someone from her gang. We’d better tell the NSA.” I sighed.
“And our parents. Remember, we promised we would let them know the next time we heard of danger.”
“Right, Aubrey. Let’s go upstairs now and give them the bad news.”
Read Secret Supers in Space – Part 10
Chapter 10 icon – Dancer Unplugs
Dancer never stopped typing. His new message appeared. “wait. before you go, i’ve got to say it may not be a good idea to go to space camp at all.”
“Dancer, we fought off that gang twice before and won.” Aubrey petted his back as he continued swiping at his phone’s keyboard.
“i say this because you’ll be away from home and the villain can plan an attack.”
“Aubrey’s right, Dancer. That’s just what happened at Coaster World. We came out okay, and Becky was taken away in zip ties.” Now Dan patted Dancer. He didn’t stop typing.
“obviously she’s escaped and is probably coming back with reinforcements.”
“That’s logical, Dancer, but we can’t live our lives based upon what might happen. Maybe they’re planning to attack us at our home and will be completely thrown off if we go to Alabama?” I held Dancer in my lap as the hamster typed on the cell phone.
“okay. you’re humans, and i’m just a little hamster. what do i know?”
* * *
“Hi, Loretta. Are you all refreshed from your Paris vacation?”
I looked at my wall-sized monitor in my home. My boss and grandpa John Smith smiled genially at me. He might call me any time, day or night, but he always knew where to project his image so we could have a video conference. He stroked his salt-and-pepper pompadour in the bright sunlight. I could see the sea in the background. I knew his hideout was on some island. From the angle of sunlight I could calculate the time—but I had to answer him first.
“Hi, Papa Smith. Yes. I had a lot of fun waterskiing on the Riviera. I also cheated the casino in Monaco out of a million bucks.”
Read Secret Supers in Space – Part 11
Chapter 11 icon, Jeremy grimaces
“Of course.
“But now I’m refreshed and bored. I haven’t had a job since I left for Coaster World.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that. I’ve got a challenging assignment for you—the Secret Supers.”
“Ugh! I sure want to get back at them. But they’re backed up by the NSA. I’m not eager to tackle them and the US government.”
Papa stroked his hair. “The best cure for falling off a horse is to get back on. How about if I get a partner for you?”
“They’d better be awfully competent. I can’t really work with anyone who’s incompetent, or average, or merely a genius.”
“How about if you and I work together?”
I gasped. Papa Smith had raised me. He’d been very vague about what happened to my parents, so he was the only parent I’d known. I’d dreamt of working with him in the family crime business, but I hadn’t seen much of him once I went to college and began teaching, over fifty years ago. He was the one person I was pretty sure was smarter than me. Or at least he knew more.
“That’d be wonderful! I’ve got some ideas I’d like to try out on our little red-uniformed friends.”
“Me too. I’ve got some news too. They’re going to Space Camp. Jeremy just applied today.”
“So are you intercepting their internet signals?”
“And cell phone communication. It’s easy as pie once you’re in their wireless network.”
