the bark thin like paper. Then, it only took the slightest wind to knock it over.
Many still remember the great tree. They can recall the bright and sunny days they simply leaned back against the massive trunk as their companions climbed about merrily overhead in the branches. Here is a song that has been passed down through the years. It has served as a reminder for many and it’s a very important message for all of us:
This fruit is a gift, offered for us!
Sweet to the taste and soft to the touch.
Hold fast to the branches,
cling not to the fruit.
The trunk has deep roots,
but the stem, it hangs loose!
Come to the Tree, the branches for all!
Only mind where you hang, or cometh a fall.
Hold not to the ends,
but cling to the Center.
And always remember
what the good fruit is meant for.
With thankful hearts we share bounties:
Friends, families, villages, counties!
The fruit of the spirit
is love, joy and peace.
For the poor and the least
this fruit will increase!
Sir Richard, the First Magician
A long, long time ago there were once two knights that had a disagreement. They argued and quarreled so badly that they came to blows and when that wasn’t enough, they drew their swords. The two knights clashed and clanged so violently that they drew the attention of many around them.
The crowd continued to grow larger and larger until suddenly a man dressed in a peculiar pink and glittery green outfit emerged from the crowd. The two knights turned their attention to him as he also drew a sword.
“The problem is,” he said, “Each of you believes that you are better than the other.”
Both knights heartily nodded their helmeted heads.
“Well, can either of you do this?”
The third man in the funny outfit proceeded to take his sword and shove it straight down his own throat.
The crowd was utterly bewildered. Some “ooohed,” others “aaahed,” and some were thoroughly disgusted. But the knights were confounded.
“Since neither of you can even attempt to do what I do without killing yourselves, you ought to give up your petty fighting. The good Lord is near!”
(For Richard Scott)
Bel and Daniel
In the time of Cyrus the Persian there was a revered prophet in the land named Daniel. Daniel was known for his faithfulness to the one true God, the creator of heaven and earth. However, Cyrus and his disciples were not believers in this God of the Hebrews, for they placed their devotion at the feet of an idol called Bel.
Bel was a statue made of clay that was encased in brass and it stood alone in its own temple. Every evening, the worshippers of Bel would enter the temple and lay lots of food and wine at its feet and then leave, sealing the door behind them. When the king would go to the temple each morning for his morning prayers, all of the food and wine would be consumed. This was the sign that Bel was the living god.
One day Daniel and the king got into a discussion about who the true and living God really was. Daniel told the story of how he had been thrown into the lions’ den and how his God had shut their mouths and he was spared. Cyrus retorted with the evidence of his daily devotions and how he could see with his own eyes how Bel consumed the food and the wine every night.
Evidently, he was not entirely convinced of his own argument, because eventually Cyrus decided that he had to know the truth—for sure. So he placed a challenge before Daniel, but he was really challenging God. He invited Daniel into the temple of Bel, as he himself would place the food and wine at its feet. He said, “If, in the morning, you find all of this food and wine consumed, you shall be banished from my kingdom. If, not, we shall presume that Bel is a false god, and I will banish its worshippers instead.” So Daniel agreed and stood by as the king laid the food at Bel’s feet; and as the king stood by, Daniel sprinkled ash all over the floor of the temple. When they were both done, they sealed the door and left for the night.
The next morning, Daniel and Cyrus rose early and went to the temple together. When they arrived, the seal was not broken. Cyrus opened the doors and the two entered in. There, they saw all of the food and wine consumed. Cyrus began to laugh, but Daniel simply pointed to the floor.
“Do you not see the footprints and where they lead?”
The king was shocked. Sure enough, the footprints of many men, women, and children—the worshippers of Bel—were plainly visible in the scattered ash; and they all led to a little trap door hidden just behind the altar.
The Blue Truck
An old blue truck remains parked beneath the city bridge. Often alone, its sagging tires sit very depressed. There was a time when beneath the bridge cars and trucks would merrily roll about on their morning joyrides. Coming from who-knows-where en route to nowhere in particular, vehicles would take their time, packed with people, front to back, waving and singing, hooting and whooping. Small stores would line this street and their owners would stand posted with a broom and a smile. But now it’s quiet and still, except for the constant whish of the freeway overhead. And the blue truck stands alone.
It happened one day that a very sad young man was walking alone beneath this bridge when he came upon the old blue truck.
“It looks just like me,” he said aloud to whoever might be listening. Day in and day out, the sad man would walk by this truck, but this was the first time he actually took the time to notice it. Something drew him in, and he decided to stop and take a closer look at it. Cobwebs stretched between the side mirrors and the door. Rust had begun to eat away the paint, and in some places, it left ominous, gaping holes.
“Poor ol’ truck,” the man thought to himself. “Some of us just don’t have what it takes to make it in this world.” He slowly shook his head from side to side, with his chin stretching downward. He was about to walk away when, lo and behold, he noticed there was a set of keys left in the ignition!
Without thinking, he immediately tried to open the door, but it was locked shut. And then suddenly, the sad young man was hit with a realization. His face began to brighten and the blue truck seemed to speak to him:
Sadness
