Misty Mountain
Value: Serving
Misty Mountain was the most perfect place there could be for two young bears to grow up together. Benji and Bambi were the happiest bear cubs on the mountain when they were tiny. All the forest creatures knew when it was playtime because they ran through the forest, stumbling over everything, chasing anything and never catching anything except each other. The fun they shared was contagious. All of Misty Mountain was at play when the bear cubs were at play.
As they grew up, Benji and Bambi were always close but Benji became an expert hunter and fighter. He many times fought enemies for the borders of Misty Mountain and was a hero to his friends and family. But just as many times, he created wars and fights that didn’t have to happen and made trouble for the people creatures that shared the mountain with he and his sister. Every day was an adventure for Benji but he didn’t always have the wisdom of when to enter into struggles and when to let God guide him.
Bambi the Bear and her sweet cubs loved playing near the lake at the base of Misty Mountain. When they played, they brought great joy to all living things just as she and her brother had done when they were young. Not far away she knew that Benji was hunting because that is what he always did.
Suddenly the alarm went up. Through the trees in every species language, the alarm was the same “DANGER – WOLVES”. The Asante band of roving wolves were back to Misty Mountain to raid and kill and destroy. All around the lake peaceful animals were pulling back and fleeing up the mountain to escape the raid. Already Bambi could hear their growls as they charged through the trees angrily. She gathered the cubs and hurried up the hill to their caves where she knew they would be safe.
Benji heard the wolves as well but his instincts acted differently. Instead of retreating to the hills, he took position to defend his beloved mountain and his family and friends. Somewhere in his mind a voice said, don’t fight them alone Benji. Think before you attack. And that voice sounded like his sister, Bambi. He watched carefully from a sheltered place as the wolves gathered in a clearing to mass before they attacked. Before they could organize, he was on them.
The battle was fierce and for a while, Benji was winning. Wolf after wolf leaped upon him only to get batted away with claw marks on his head or chest for his trouble. Benji bit and growled and clawed and dozens of wolves were wounded. But the battle wore on him and suddenly he realized he was injured and starting to fail. His growls turned to howls of pain and tiredness. Without warning, he was hit from behind by a very large wolf and he fell. Turning he looked up knowing that on his back, he was sure to loose when he saw something he never expected.
Behind the faces of the angry demonic wolves stood a bear a large and ferocious as any he had ever seen. She erupted with a growl that shook the trees and could be heard to the very top of Misty Mountain. Bambi tore into the wolves swatting them away from her brother and sending them flying into trees, over bushes and even into the lake. Their fierce growls and howling became frightened yipes. Instead of massing to attack, they fled in chaos into the woods limping and sprinting to get as far away from Bambi as possible. The Asante wolves never returned to Misty Mountain again.
Back in the caves, the cubs played on their injured uncle and imitated their brave mom in how she defeated the wolves. “I never thought you would fight like that.” Benji said to his sister.
“It is good to fight for what is right and good. And anyone who loves their family will fight to protect them. I seek peace with all creatures, as our God created us to do but this is a world with evil in it and brother, when evil tries to take over good, it will have a fight from this timid mommy bear.”
“Timid mommy bear” the cubs laughed and mimicked her swatting and making mock wolf cries. Benji laughed at their cute play and thought of the valuable lessons he learned. The were lessons about fighting and about defending what you cherish but they were also lessons of peace and joy that had always been the life testimony of his sister. And that day Benji’s heart changed from the love of battle to the love of family, God and peace.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Loving Bullies
Loving Bullies
Value: Love your Enemies
Rocco and Butch were the worst bullies in school. Every day they wandered the halls and everybody tried to stay out of their way. Sometimes they beat up the boys but more often, they pulled girl’s hair or teased them until they cried. Nobody knew what to do about Rocco and Butch so everyone just learned to stay away from them but if they did catch you, you should cry right away because that made them happy and they would go to the next person to bully.
One day a new girl started school in the fifth grade. Her name was Holly and the rumor went around fast that she was the daughter of the new Pastor at the Methodist church which was the biggest church in town. Cindy and Holly became friends right away and Cindy knew she had to warn Holly about the bullies pretty fast but it was too late. As Cindy turned the corner in the halls to her locker, she saw Rocco and Butch beginning to bully Holly. They were teasing her and laughing but Holly didn’t cry. “Cry Holly, cry.” Cindy whispered under her breath hoping Holly would get the message but she didn’t.
The bell rang and soon the halls were filled with kids and everyone was running out to the bus or to get picked up by their parents in the pick up line so Cindy didn’t get a chance to find out what happened. But the next day she ran up to Holly as soon as she saw her. “Holly, I saw you talked to Rocco and Butch. I wanted to warn you about them. They are really mean bullies. So be careful.”
Holly just smiled a big happy smile and said “Ok Cindy. Don’t worry.”
Rocco saw Holly at her locker before Butch did. “Hey Butch, there’s that new girl.” He commented.
“Something is different about her.” Butch said. But they walked toward her their usual scary walk that usually made kids run away. “Hey it’s the preacher’s kid. I bet the preacher’s kid is the worst kid of all. That’s what they say about preacher’s children you know.” Butch taunted her. That’s when Holly did something so unexpected that both bullies just froze in place not knowing what to say.
“Oh hi Butch. Hi Rocco. I was hoping to see you today.” And she gave them the biggest smile either of them had ever seen. Her smile was so pretty and full of friendship and love that they were paralyzed. “Oh, I saw you had a snickers bar in your pocket yesterday Rocco.” She continued. “We have a bunch of those so I asked mommy if I could bring you some and she said yes and she said you sounded like super nice boys and you can come over to play video games at our church youth night this weekend if you want to.”
Then Holly put a candy bar in each boys hand and hugged them both and ran off to class singing a happy song and skipping.
“What just happened?” Rocky said finally, when he could speak again. Butch didn’t know but he liked it. Then when they recovered their senses, they saw what seemed to be the whole school staring at what just happened and how a little blond girl caused the meanest bullies in the school to stop in their places and she hugged them and skipped away singing.
The next day was more amazing yet. Instead of wandering the halls, pushing people’s books out of their hands and pushing girls down, Rocco and Butch went straight to Holly. And instead of those mean smirking ugly smiles that meant they were going to hurt her, they glowed as she talked to them. Cindy watched in the amazement as Holly talked to them for several minutes during the lunch hour and at the end she hugged them again and the two bullies went outside and didn’t bully any people for the rest of the day. That way Friday, so everyone was so curious about what was going to happen on Monday.
Monday was so amazing it was almost impossible for the kids and even the teachers to believe. Rocco and Butch showed up in regular clothes, not bully clothes and they were smiling and even seemed a little shy. But when they saw Holly, they ran to her and hugged her. Cindy saw this and thought she even saw Butch cry a little bit. The bell rang and they went to class. After class, she finally got a chance to talk to Holly.
“What did you do to Rocco and Butch, Holly?’ She asked eagerly.
“I loved them.” Holly answered happily. “They are really very sweet. I will introduce you to them at lunch. Rocco is way funny.” She giggled.
“You loved them?” Cindy said in amazement. “But they are bullies.” She objected.
“The Bible says to love your enemies and you know what amazing thing happens when you love your enemies Cindy?”
“What?”
“They stop being enemies and then you don’t have enemies any more. That’s what my daddy taught me and what he preaches every Sunday and he does that because that is what Jesus taught.” Holly continued. “I invited Rocco and Butch to church and youth group and Sunday night they accepted Jesus and they are going to join our youth group and instead of using their talents to hurt people, they are going to learn to go on missions trips next summer.”
And just as Holly said, Rocco and Butch not only stopped being bullies, they because the most popular boys in school. In fact, no bullies could do anything in Cindy’s school because Rocco and Butch knew all the bullies and wouldn’t let them hurt people and started sharing Jesus with them.
“How did you have the courage to love them, Holly?” Cindy said with awe.
“It doesn’t take courage Cindy.” Holly answered. “Its what Jesus wants us all to do so if you obey him and share his love with others, they will follow Jesus too and before long, everybody will love God and serve him. Wouldn’t that be so cool?”
And Cindy had to admit. She saw it work with Rocco and Butch so what Jesus taught about loving enemies proved to be a truly miraculous teaching that Holly showed everybody how to live out at their school that year.
Value: Love your Enemies
Rocco and Butch were the worst bullies in school. Every day they wandered the halls and everybody tried to stay out of their way. Sometimes they beat up the boys but more often, they pulled girl’s hair or teased them until they cried. Nobody knew what to do about Rocco and Butch so everyone just learned to stay away from them but if they did catch you, you should cry right away because that made them happy and they would go to the next person to bully.
One day a new girl started school in the fifth grade. Her name was Holly and the rumor went around fast that she was the daughter of the new Pastor at the Methodist church which was the biggest church in town. Cindy and Holly became friends right away and Cindy knew she had to warn Holly about the bullies pretty fast but it was too late. As Cindy turned the corner in the halls to her locker, she saw Rocco and Butch beginning to bully Holly. They were teasing her and laughing but Holly didn’t cry. “Cry Holly, cry.” Cindy whispered under her breath hoping Holly would get the message but she didn’t.
The bell rang and soon the halls were filled with kids and everyone was running out to the bus or to get picked up by their parents in the pick up line so Cindy didn’t get a chance to find out what happened. But the next day she ran up to Holly as soon as she saw her. “Holly, I saw you talked to Rocco and Butch. I wanted to warn you about them. They are really mean bullies. So be careful.”
Holly just smiled a big happy smile and said “Ok Cindy. Don’t worry.”
Rocco saw Holly at her locker before Butch did. “Hey Butch, there’s that new girl.” He commented.
“Something is different about her.” Butch said. But they walked toward her their usual scary walk that usually made kids run away. “Hey it’s the preacher’s kid. I bet the preacher’s kid is the worst kid of all. That’s what they say about preacher’s children you know.” Butch taunted her. That’s when Holly did something so unexpected that both bullies just froze in place not knowing what to say.
“Oh hi Butch. Hi Rocco. I was hoping to see you today.” And she gave them the biggest smile either of them had ever seen. Her smile was so pretty and full of friendship and love that they were paralyzed. “Oh, I saw you had a snickers bar in your pocket yesterday Rocco.” She continued. “We have a bunch of those so I asked mommy if I could bring you some and she said yes and she said you sounded like super nice boys and you can come over to play video games at our church youth night this weekend if you want to.”
Then Holly put a candy bar in each boys hand and hugged them both and ran off to class singing a happy song and skipping.
“What just happened?” Rocky said finally, when he could speak again. Butch didn’t know but he liked it. Then when they recovered their senses, they saw what seemed to be the whole school staring at what just happened and how a little blond girl caused the meanest bullies in the school to stop in their places and she hugged them and skipped away singing.
The next day was more amazing yet. Instead of wandering the halls, pushing people’s books out of their hands and pushing girls down, Rocco and Butch went straight to Holly. And instead of those mean smirking ugly smiles that meant they were going to hurt her, they glowed as she talked to them. Cindy watched in the amazement as Holly talked to them for several minutes during the lunch hour and at the end she hugged them again and the two bullies went outside and didn’t bully any people for the rest of the day. That way Friday, so everyone was so curious about what was going to happen on Monday.
Monday was so amazing it was almost impossible for the kids and even the teachers to believe. Rocco and Butch showed up in regular clothes, not bully clothes and they were smiling and even seemed a little shy. But when they saw Holly, they ran to her and hugged her. Cindy saw this and thought she even saw Butch cry a little bit. The bell rang and they went to class. After class, she finally got a chance to talk to Holly.
“What did you do to Rocco and Butch, Holly?’ She asked eagerly.
“I loved them.” Holly answered happily. “They are really very sweet. I will introduce you to them at lunch. Rocco is way funny.” She giggled.
“You loved them?” Cindy said in amazement. “But they are bullies.” She objected.
“The Bible says to love your enemies and you know what amazing thing happens when you love your enemies Cindy?”
“What?”
“They stop being enemies and then you don’t have enemies any more. That’s what my daddy taught me and what he preaches every Sunday and he does that because that is what Jesus taught.” Holly continued. “I invited Rocco and Butch to church and youth group and Sunday night they accepted Jesus and they are going to join our youth group and instead of using their talents to hurt people, they are going to learn to go on missions trips next summer.”
And just as Holly said, Rocco and Butch not only stopped being bullies, they because the most popular boys in school. In fact, no bullies could do anything in Cindy’s school because Rocco and Butch knew all the bullies and wouldn’t let them hurt people and started sharing Jesus with them.
“How did you have the courage to love them, Holly?” Cindy said with awe.
“It doesn’t take courage Cindy.” Holly answered. “Its what Jesus wants us all to do so if you obey him and share his love with others, they will follow Jesus too and before long, everybody will love God and serve him. Wouldn’t that be so cool?”
And Cindy had to admit. She saw it work with Rocco and Butch so what Jesus taught about loving enemies proved to be a truly miraculous teaching that Holly showed everybody how to live out at their school that year.
Is it Sin if You Didn’t Know?
Is it Sin if You Didn’t Know?
Value: Thou Shalt not Steal
Susan and Janie and Heather loved to go to the mall. If they had a little money to spend, that was extra fun but even if they didn’t they loved to just look at things and get treats at the food court and meet friends from school and church and just be kids for a while. Susan’s mother felt sure the mall was safe because the girls were together and had good common sense and several members of their church worked at the mall and the food court so they kept an eye on the girls, even though the girls didn’t know that.
This Saturday was like all the others as Susan waited for Janie and Heather to get to her house for mom to drive them to the mall. She fussed with her make up and hair trying different styles and thinking of how the kids in school would react to a different color. Finally, they got here and everybody in the house scattered as the girls had their reunion in the front all with all the necessary giggling and gossiping and telling each other how cute they looked in their outfits.
“Mom are you ready to go?” Susan called up the stairs. “Janie and Heather are here.”
“Just a minute honey.” Susan’s mom yelled down and finally she came down all ready to go but she had Susan’s little brother Timmy tagging along with her. “Susan, be a dear and let Timmy tag along with you girls. Mrs. Henderson next door is sick so he can’t go over there.”
At first, Susan pouted and made a fuss because she was afraid Timmy would be a bother. “Susan let him come. We love Timmy. He is so funny and cute and we will help you watch him so he doesn’t wander off.” Janie whispered to her friend.
“Yes do Susan” Heather chimed in “You know all the kids love Timmy when he comes and sits in on Sunday School when your dad teaches.”
So Susan agreed and they all had a big time tickling Timmy in the car and getting him to laugh and making him everybody’s cute little brother, not just Susan’s. At the mall, the four had a wonderful time together. Instead of being a bother, Timmy learned how to make his sister and her friends laugh with his silly faces or things he would say making fun of the clothes or the people at the mall walking around. “He’s so funny Susan, we just love him.” Heather said once laughing at his antics so hard that she almost fell down. The afternoon passed quickly and before they knew it, mom had picked them up and they were on the way home for a sleepover.
The girls got busy getting Susan’s room ready for a night of watching chick flicks and doing all the fun things that a sleepover had to have. There was plenty of popcorn and ice cream and make up to do each other over with and they were talking and trying to decide what movies to watch. Suddenly the air was filled with loud sobs.
“Susan!” She heard her sweet little brother cry out from his room down the hall. All three girls ran in. There on his bed sat Timmy cross-legged. He had spread on his blanket some of the toys he had bought at the mall but he was holding a big candy bar and just sobbing. Susan loved Timmy tons and didn’t want him to cry so she sat on the bed and held him and Heather and Janie patted him and comforted him.
“What is it Timmy, did someone hurt you?” Susan gently asked him as he calmed down enough to talk.
“No, look!” and he opened his hand which was wrapped around a very large candy bar. “I don’t think I paid for this Susan. I know I had it in my hand at that candy booth in the food court. But Heather called for me to come look at the movie posters and I just ran to her with it in my hand and put it in my bag without thinking. I stole it Susan.” He sobbed. “God is going to hate me, won’t he? I did a terrible sin.”
“Susan, remember Pastor Smith’s sermon last week on ‘Thou Shalt Not Steal?” Janie asked. “I know all of us including Timmy went to the alter and promised God we never would steal. What’s going to happen Susan? Will Timmy go to hell for stealing now?” Janie asked her friend and she was near tears at the idea of Timmy being in so much trouble with God.”
“I don’t know” Susan exclaimed nearing tears herself holding Timmy tight.
All of the children were about to break down in tears when Heather finally said, “Wait let’s ask your mom.” She ran to the door, out into the hall and called down to Susan’s mom. “Mrs. Morris, please come help!” Her voice was so full of panic that Susan’s mom came rushing up the stairs expecting to find someone bleeding. She found the girls and Timmy sobbing in Timmy’s room.
“Timmy, Susan, what’s wrong? Are you sick?” Their mom said warmly but a little scared touching each of their heads for a temperature like all moms do.
“No its worse. I think Timmy is doomed.” Susan cried. “See when we went to the mall…” and between all four of them Mrs. Morris figured out what the problem was. Suddenly just laughed out loud like she had heard the funniest joke ever.
“Why are you laughing mom? I don’t want Timmy to go to hell.” Susan objected.
“Kids listen to me. Timmy, did you intend to steal the candy?” She asked holding Timmy’s hand. Heather and Janie sat cross-legged on the floor listening.
“No Mommy, I didn’t even know I did it. Is that sin Mommy? Is it sin if you didn’t know?” He asked desperate to know if he was in bad trouble with God.
“Kids remember our Sunday School lesson about sin? Remember what sin is?” She asked.
“I remember Mrs. Morris.” Said Janie. “Sin is anything that keeps us from loving God.”
“That’s right Janie. Timmy, sin is something that comes out of your heart when it wants to rebel against God. It is something you decide to do when you know you shouldn’t. If you had found the candy in your bag and not cried and not told anyone and kept it or ate it knowing you had not paid for it, then you would have stolen it and you would be in sin.
“Then I am not doomed, Mommy?” Timmy said trying to feel relieved.
“You are sensitive to what God wants, Timmy. Girls you are too, that’s why you cried so much. That’s good. It hurts your heart to think of someone you love going to hell. That’s how God feels and that is why Jesus came and died for our sins. Let’s pray that God take all of our sins out of our hearts.” And they all bowed their heads and prayed and when they looked up, instead of tears, there were pretty smiles on all their faces.
“But what about the candy bar, Mom?” Susan wanted to know.
“Tell you what, Timmy. Let’s let the girls get their sleepover going. You and I will run over to the mall, tell the man what happened and you can pay for the candy bar with your allowance money and everything will be right again.”
“Will it really Mommy?” Timmy said with excitement “Will it make it like I never did the bad thing.”
“It will be better than that because the man will know you are an honest boy and he will trust you even more. Better than that, while we are there, let’s get candy bars for all of us and we can join the party, ok?”
HOORAY! All the children leapt with glee and danced around hugging and kissing Mrs. Morris for being so wise.
Value: Thou Shalt not Steal
Susan and Janie and Heather loved to go to the mall. If they had a little money to spend, that was extra fun but even if they didn’t they loved to just look at things and get treats at the food court and meet friends from school and church and just be kids for a while. Susan’s mother felt sure the mall was safe because the girls were together and had good common sense and several members of their church worked at the mall and the food court so they kept an eye on the girls, even though the girls didn’t know that.
This Saturday was like all the others as Susan waited for Janie and Heather to get to her house for mom to drive them to the mall. She fussed with her make up and hair trying different styles and thinking of how the kids in school would react to a different color. Finally, they got here and everybody in the house scattered as the girls had their reunion in the front all with all the necessary giggling and gossiping and telling each other how cute they looked in their outfits.
“Mom are you ready to go?” Susan called up the stairs. “Janie and Heather are here.”
“Just a minute honey.” Susan’s mom yelled down and finally she came down all ready to go but she had Susan’s little brother Timmy tagging along with her. “Susan, be a dear and let Timmy tag along with you girls. Mrs. Henderson next door is sick so he can’t go over there.”
At first, Susan pouted and made a fuss because she was afraid Timmy would be a bother. “Susan let him come. We love Timmy. He is so funny and cute and we will help you watch him so he doesn’t wander off.” Janie whispered to her friend.
“Yes do Susan” Heather chimed in “You know all the kids love Timmy when he comes and sits in on Sunday School when your dad teaches.”
So Susan agreed and they all had a big time tickling Timmy in the car and getting him to laugh and making him everybody’s cute little brother, not just Susan’s. At the mall, the four had a wonderful time together. Instead of being a bother, Timmy learned how to make his sister and her friends laugh with his silly faces or things he would say making fun of the clothes or the people at the mall walking around. “He’s so funny Susan, we just love him.” Heather said once laughing at his antics so hard that she almost fell down. The afternoon passed quickly and before they knew it, mom had picked them up and they were on the way home for a sleepover.
The girls got busy getting Susan’s room ready for a night of watching chick flicks and doing all the fun things that a sleepover had to have. There was plenty of popcorn and ice cream and make up to do each other over with and they were talking and trying to decide what movies to watch. Suddenly the air was filled with loud sobs.
“Susan!” She heard her sweet little brother cry out from his room down the hall. All three girls ran in. There on his bed sat Timmy cross-legged. He had spread on his blanket some of the toys he had bought at the mall but he was holding a big candy bar and just sobbing. Susan loved Timmy tons and didn’t want him to cry so she sat on the bed and held him and Heather and Janie patted him and comforted him.
“What is it Timmy, did someone hurt you?” Susan gently asked him as he calmed down enough to talk.
“No, look!” and he opened his hand which was wrapped around a very large candy bar. “I don’t think I paid for this Susan. I know I had it in my hand at that candy booth in the food court. But Heather called for me to come look at the movie posters and I just ran to her with it in my hand and put it in my bag without thinking. I stole it Susan.” He sobbed. “God is going to hate me, won’t he? I did a terrible sin.”
“Susan, remember Pastor Smith’s sermon last week on ‘Thou Shalt Not Steal?” Janie asked. “I know all of us including Timmy went to the alter and promised God we never would steal. What’s going to happen Susan? Will Timmy go to hell for stealing now?” Janie asked her friend and she was near tears at the idea of Timmy being in so much trouble with God.”
“I don’t know” Susan exclaimed nearing tears herself holding Timmy tight.
All of the children were about to break down in tears when Heather finally said, “Wait let’s ask your mom.” She ran to the door, out into the hall and called down to Susan’s mom. “Mrs. Morris, please come help!” Her voice was so full of panic that Susan’s mom came rushing up the stairs expecting to find someone bleeding. She found the girls and Timmy sobbing in Timmy’s room.
“Timmy, Susan, what’s wrong? Are you sick?” Their mom said warmly but a little scared touching each of their heads for a temperature like all moms do.
“No its worse. I think Timmy is doomed.” Susan cried. “See when we went to the mall…” and between all four of them Mrs. Morris figured out what the problem was. Suddenly just laughed out loud like she had heard the funniest joke ever.
“Why are you laughing mom? I don’t want Timmy to go to hell.” Susan objected.
“Kids listen to me. Timmy, did you intend to steal the candy?” She asked holding Timmy’s hand. Heather and Janie sat cross-legged on the floor listening.
“No Mommy, I didn’t even know I did it. Is that sin Mommy? Is it sin if you didn’t know?” He asked desperate to know if he was in bad trouble with God.
“Kids remember our Sunday School lesson about sin? Remember what sin is?” She asked.
“I remember Mrs. Morris.” Said Janie. “Sin is anything that keeps us from loving God.”
“That’s right Janie. Timmy, sin is something that comes out of your heart when it wants to rebel against God. It is something you decide to do when you know you shouldn’t. If you had found the candy in your bag and not cried and not told anyone and kept it or ate it knowing you had not paid for it, then you would have stolen it and you would be in sin.
“Then I am not doomed, Mommy?” Timmy said trying to feel relieved.
“You are sensitive to what God wants, Timmy. Girls you are too, that’s why you cried so much. That’s good. It hurts your heart to think of someone you love going to hell. That’s how God feels and that is why Jesus came and died for our sins. Let’s pray that God take all of our sins out of our hearts.” And they all bowed their heads and prayed and when they looked up, instead of tears, there were pretty smiles on all their faces.
“But what about the candy bar, Mom?” Susan wanted to know.
“Tell you what, Timmy. Let’s let the girls get their sleepover going. You and I will run over to the mall, tell the man what happened and you can pay for the candy bar with your allowance money and everything will be right again.”
“Will it really Mommy?” Timmy said with excitement “Will it make it like I never did the bad thing.”
“It will be better than that because the man will know you are an honest boy and he will trust you even more. Better than that, while we are there, let’s get candy bars for all of us and we can join the party, ok?”
HOORAY! All the children leapt with glee and danced around hugging and kissing Mrs. Morris for being so wise.
Horace the Hippo
Horace the Hippo
Value: Envy
“What do you mean you aren’t pretty?” Terrance asked his friend Horace. Terrance was a toucan and since he was pretty sure he was very pretty, he felt sure everybody thought that they were pretty. But in his private thoughts, he did think Horace was pretty awful looking. Horace was a hippo.
“Well my mom always said I was pretty but then again, she was a hippo too. Terrance, hippos are just not pretty. Not like giraffes or peacocks at least.” He said jealously.
“Ok, well if you could pick one thing about a giraffe that you would want, what would it be?” Terrance said. Terrance, like all toucans, could cause wishes to come true for the people who they love or like a lot. That’s why people like having toucans for pets. It isn’t because they are nice birds. It's the dream granting thing that makes them great.
“Well if my neck was long and elegant, why all the pretty giraffes would love me and I would have tons of friends then.” Horace said his voice full of envy.
“Ok, it’s yours.” Terrance said, he flapped his wings wide and then said ‘BAKKAH!” which is the spell.
“Hey, HEY what’s happening?” Horace said in a panic as he felt his big hippo head begin to shoot high into the sky under the most beautiful giraffe neck that was growing from his hippo body. When stopped, Horace stood there not really knowing what to do with this much neck. Then, slowly at first and then faster, his head began to sway back and forth like an out of control carnival ride. His big hippo head was too heavy for that tiny neck. All of a sudden, it toppled downward. All around the jungle, the animals heard Horace yelling for help as the ground grew closer and closer and then WUMP! It hit the ground.
“Murmph mr murtle mu” Terrance heard his friend say.
“Just a moment, let me get your head out of the sand.” The toucan said and he pulled Horace’s head back until it popped back into the air and he laid it on its side with that big giraffe neck just winding everywhere back to his body.
“This isn’t working Terrance. Not only is it dangerous, I think I look foolish with this huge neck attacked to my big fat head.
“BAKKAH” Terrance squawked and Horace was himself again.
“I still want to be pretty. Like the Pelican with those beautiful long legs. They can even sleep on just one leg. I wish I could do that,” he said lifting one of his squatty hippo legs and then putting down before he fell.
“Ok, let’s try that.” Terrance said and out went his wings “BAKKAH”. Said the bird and the spell took effect.
“Here we go again.” Horace said gasping as he shot into the air with his legs growing long and skinny under him. When he stopped, he was standing tall enough to see over the grass. He peered down at his four pelican legs quivering trying to hold up his massive hippo weight. “Wow, Terrance, my legs are so pretty.” Horace said with admiration and he started to walk toward the marshes where the other pelicans stayed. But the pelicans didn’t see Horace as pretty because of his long legs.
“Yikes!” many screamed and took flight thinking it was some kind of monster. Other’s laughed thinking Horace had come up with a strange costume. Others ran to him with Band-Aids thinking he was the scene of a terrible collision between a bird and a hippo.
“Oh Terrance, nothing is working.” Horace said bitterly.
“BAKKAH” Terrance said flapping his wings and Horace was back to normal.
“How will I ever stop being ugly?” He said with great sadness in his heart.
“Horace I told you before, you are already pretty. When you say you are ugly, you insult God our creator. Way back in the beginning of time he made hippos. He made toucans and pelicans and giraffes and even humans and each of them was perfectly made for what God wanted them to be. We are not made to look pretty to each other. Look to your friends, the hippos and be at peace that you are what God made you to be. Envy is a way of saying ‘God you did a bad job’ and that makes God very sad indeed.” The wise bird counseled his friend.
“Well I don’t want God to be sad. I want to be all He made me to be, not what he made someone else to be. I want to be the best Horace the Hippo he ever made.” Horace said his big hippo chest sticking out proudly.
“Oh Horace?” Horace and Terrance both heard a melodic female voice sing out. Just then, Henrietta Hippo stepped from behind the grasses. “Will you take me to the waterfall today?” she said looking at him with big eyes that were full of admiration.
“Wow, she is pretty.” Horace said to Terrance and then he waddled her way doing a dance to make himself more pretty to her. Off they went as Terrance looked on in amazement.
“Thos are two ugly hippos,” he said to himself. Then he flew back to his tree to see if there was a pretty toucan there who might like a trip to the waterfall too.
Value: Envy
“What do you mean you aren’t pretty?” Terrance asked his friend Horace. Terrance was a toucan and since he was pretty sure he was very pretty, he felt sure everybody thought that they were pretty. But in his private thoughts, he did think Horace was pretty awful looking. Horace was a hippo.
“Well my mom always said I was pretty but then again, she was a hippo too. Terrance, hippos are just not pretty. Not like giraffes or peacocks at least.” He said jealously.
“Ok, well if you could pick one thing about a giraffe that you would want, what would it be?” Terrance said. Terrance, like all toucans, could cause wishes to come true for the people who they love or like a lot. That’s why people like having toucans for pets. It isn’t because they are nice birds. It's the dream granting thing that makes them great.
“Well if my neck was long and elegant, why all the pretty giraffes would love me and I would have tons of friends then.” Horace said his voice full of envy.
“Ok, it’s yours.” Terrance said, he flapped his wings wide and then said ‘BAKKAH!” which is the spell.
“Hey, HEY what’s happening?” Horace said in a panic as he felt his big hippo head begin to shoot high into the sky under the most beautiful giraffe neck that was growing from his hippo body. When stopped, Horace stood there not really knowing what to do with this much neck. Then, slowly at first and then faster, his head began to sway back and forth like an out of control carnival ride. His big hippo head was too heavy for that tiny neck. All of a sudden, it toppled downward. All around the jungle, the animals heard Horace yelling for help as the ground grew closer and closer and then WUMP! It hit the ground.
“Murmph mr murtle mu” Terrance heard his friend say.
“Just a moment, let me get your head out of the sand.” The toucan said and he pulled Horace’s head back until it popped back into the air and he laid it on its side with that big giraffe neck just winding everywhere back to his body.
“This isn’t working Terrance. Not only is it dangerous, I think I look foolish with this huge neck attacked to my big fat head.
“BAKKAH” Terrance squawked and Horace was himself again.
“I still want to be pretty. Like the Pelican with those beautiful long legs. They can even sleep on just one leg. I wish I could do that,” he said lifting one of his squatty hippo legs and then putting down before he fell.
“Ok, let’s try that.” Terrance said and out went his wings “BAKKAH”. Said the bird and the spell took effect.
“Here we go again.” Horace said gasping as he shot into the air with his legs growing long and skinny under him. When he stopped, he was standing tall enough to see over the grass. He peered down at his four pelican legs quivering trying to hold up his massive hippo weight. “Wow, Terrance, my legs are so pretty.” Horace said with admiration and he started to walk toward the marshes where the other pelicans stayed. But the pelicans didn’t see Horace as pretty because of his long legs.
“Yikes!” many screamed and took flight thinking it was some kind of monster. Other’s laughed thinking Horace had come up with a strange costume. Others ran to him with Band-Aids thinking he was the scene of a terrible collision between a bird and a hippo.
“Oh Terrance, nothing is working.” Horace said bitterly.
“BAKKAH” Terrance said flapping his wings and Horace was back to normal.
“How will I ever stop being ugly?” He said with great sadness in his heart.
“Horace I told you before, you are already pretty. When you say you are ugly, you insult God our creator. Way back in the beginning of time he made hippos. He made toucans and pelicans and giraffes and even humans and each of them was perfectly made for what God wanted them to be. We are not made to look pretty to each other. Look to your friends, the hippos and be at peace that you are what God made you to be. Envy is a way of saying ‘God you did a bad job’ and that makes God very sad indeed.” The wise bird counseled his friend.
“Well I don’t want God to be sad. I want to be all He made me to be, not what he made someone else to be. I want to be the best Horace the Hippo he ever made.” Horace said his big hippo chest sticking out proudly.
“Oh Horace?” Horace and Terrance both heard a melodic female voice sing out. Just then, Henrietta Hippo stepped from behind the grasses. “Will you take me to the waterfall today?” she said looking at him with big eyes that were full of admiration.
“Wow, she is pretty.” Horace said to Terrance and then he waddled her way doing a dance to make himself more pretty to her. Off they went as Terrance looked on in amazement.
“Thos are two ugly hippos,” he said to himself. Then he flew back to his tree to see if there was a pretty toucan there who might like a trip to the waterfall too.
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