A Penny Earned

Penny can't find a job in Odyssey, and if nothing turns up soon she'll have to move back to Pennsylvania and work in her mother's beauty parlor. Connie talks Eugene into trying her out as a computer-class assistant - and Penny promptly lets a sneaky student change every grade and lock Eugene out of his own computer. A tryout at an elegant art gallery goes no better when a customer ignores the masterpieces, tries to buy the restroom sign, and gets an argument from Penny instead of a sale. Out of chances, Penny packs up and slips out of town without a goodbye... just as the gallery owner arrives with astonishing news: her paintings have won him over, and he wants to give her an exhibition. Now Connie and Wooton race to catch her, betting everything on Wooton's hunch that she'll stop at a doughnut shop with a striking Art Deco sign. He's right - and Penny, seeing her friends' prayers answered, turns the car around and heads home to Odyssey.

Found on Clanging Cymbals...and the Meaning of God's Love Album 54 · 12 episodes

The run See every episode

0691 Wooton Knows Best When two siblings compete for the single helper spot on a weekend retreat, Wooton must figure out which of them truly has what the job requires.

0692 A Penny Saved After doing the right thing at great personal cost, Penny disappears, and her friends race to find her before she loses everything.

0693 The Amazing Loser A musical scavenger hunt through Odyssey puts Barrett's teamwork - and his priorities - to the test when winning and doing the right thing pull in opposite directions.

0694 Anger Mismanagement When a classmate steals the spotlight on her friend's homecoming float project, Olivia must learn what to do with her anger before it costs her more than she realizes.

0695 Forgiving More...or Less When a school recording project goes sideways and a broken machine goes unconfessed, young Camilla discovers that forgiving others is a lot trickier than it sounds.

0696 You're Two Kind A student's offer to help a struggling classmate is tested when kindness, secrets, and hurt feelings collide over a class project.

0697 A Penny Earned When free-spirited artist Penny can't find a job in Odyssey, her friends scramble to help her find work before she's forced to move back home.

0698 Never for Nothing When Matthew questions why anyone should keep showing kindness to people who don't deserve it, his grandmother-in-town Lucia's story of a childhood friend who believed love is never wasted begins to reveal an unexpected answer.

0699 Emily the Genius When a school aptitude test labels Emily a genius, her family's newfound pride sets her on a path she'll do anything to stay on.

0700 How to Sink a Sub When Katrina takes over a middle school literature class, her high standards spark a student rebellion - and Olivia must decide whether to trust her friend or follow the crowd.

0701 Unbecoming Jay When a scheming Jay pawns off his visiting cousin on an unsuspecting friend, an unlikely friendship blooms - and Jay can't leave well enough alone.

0702 Childish Things Burned by a past betrayal, Penny turns to a body-language book to instantly judge who she can trust - and starts seeing deception in everyone around her.

1 of 3 0703 The Labyrinth An undercover agent's sting goes sideways in London, leaving him framed, hunted on all sides, and saddled with a streetwise young orphan who knows too much.

Featured characters

Minor characters & crew 3 more roles

3 supporting roles

Jacques Henri Dan Hagen Douglas Helm Kevin McCreary Mrs. Spencer Saige Spinney

Made by

Chris Anthony Host Kathy Buchanan Writer Paul McCusker Writer · Director Christopher Diehl Sound Designer Bob Hoose Producer Dave Arnold Executive Producer

The story

Read the full synopsis 2 min

Life with Penny has filled Connie's apartment with all-night board games, constant painting, and plans to turn the kitchen ceiling into a new Sistine Chapel. Connie needs sleep, but she is even more concerned that Penny still cannot find work. The art department at Campbell College will not rehire her, and without a job in Odyssey she may have to return to her family in Pennsylvania and work at her mother's beauty parlor.

Connie pressures Eugene into taking Penny as a trial assistant for his computer-programming course. Her first task is simply to enter grades. When a struggling student named Douglas Helm arrives to withdraw, Penny encourages him to believe in his abilities and lets him enter the scores for practice. She closes her eyes so he will not feel watched. Douglas promptly gives every student an A, changes grades from the whole semester, replaces the password, and locks Eugene out of his own computer. Eugene explains that Douglas is a gifted troublemaker who has already caused problems on the college network and ends Penny's trial assignment.

Whit next takes Penny to Jacques Henri's elegant art gallery. Jacques studies her portfolio while watching her interact with a customer. The woman dismisses masterpieces from several artistic traditions and decides that the restroom sign is the only work she wants to buy. Penny becomes so offended by her taste that she argues with her instead of making a sale. Jacques apologizes for Penny's behavior and leads the customer away, leaving Penny certain that she has failed again.

With no suitable work left to try, Penny packs to leave Odyssey. Connie begs Whit to invent a job for her at Whit's End, but he refuses to create a position that Penny neither needs nor would enjoy merely because Connie is afraid to lose her. Connie has done everything she reasonably can; Penny's future must now be trusted to God.

Wooton tells Penny that he does not want her to go, but she slips away the next morning because she cannot bear a long goodbye. Connie and Wooton grieve at Whit's End until Jacques arrives with Penny's portfolio. After studying her work and visiting the college to see more of it, he has decided to feature Penny in an exhibition at his gallery. Her artistic talent has impressed him despite her disastrous encounter with his customer.

Penny has left her phone in Connie's purse, but Wooton guesses that she will stop at a roadside doughnut shop because of its striking Art Deco sign. He is right. Connie and Wooton find her there and deliver Jacques's offer. Penny recognizes the opportunity as an answer to the prayers her friends have been offering for her, turns the car around, and goes home to Odyssey.