God’s Creatures
BY REV. RON BEARD
One afternoon while watching the birds on the new feeder, Mom heard something. A bird had gotten under the house and was trying to get out through the vent. It was moving back and forth at the vent. The vent was cemented in place and could not be removed. They tried
to lure it to the other end of the house where they could open the door, but it wouldn’t go. Mom put birdseed and water through the small openings, hoping the bird would get something to eat and drink. The next morning, when mom and Sherwood looked, the bird was still
there, trying to get out. The internet said the bird could live for about two days. Time was getting short. They could come up with nothing new. The bird was just too large, and the vent squares were just too small. Sherwood said, “We can’t make the bird any smaller, so the only thing
we could do is make the openings larger!” After looking, they decided the only way to do it would be to break out enough of the vent to make room for the bird to get out. Sherwood got a pair of large pliers to break the vent. After breaking out about half of the vent, there was plenty of room, but the bird was nowhere to be seen. Mom said we must have been too late to save it.
Sherwood thought Dad would be upset because of the broken vent. But Dad said, “The book of Genesis says that man is to have dominion
A Brother s Loher’s Love P
A Br By Mary Drew Bult with Illustrations by Anna Campbell Bult
eter awoke to a crash of thunder and the splash of rain on his face. He forced his eyelids open and gazed dizzily upward. He had fallen, he remembered that much. The steep cliff rose high above his head, and home seemed so distant. Beyond Peter lay acres of muddy grassland—wild, open territory which had once appeared so full of freedom. Now, all Peter longed for was the sheltered woodland above. If only he could reach it. Slowly he rose to his feet, then fell, crying out in pain. If only he had listened. His father was the king, after all, and he had been wise to command his son to stay in the wood. Even Peter’s older brother, Joshua, had warned him away from the cliffs. I’m going to have to get home somehow, Peter thought to himself. With another groan, he began to claw at the slippery cliff walls. Alas, he could not get a grip, and night was falling. Exhausted, Peter collapsed into a pitiful heap. He was a lost cause, he realized, and he had no one to blame but himself.
“Peter, is it really you? Peter, it’s Joshua! You’re alive!” Was this a dream? Peter rubbed the mud out of his eyes. What was Joshua doing at the edge of the wood? There was a joyful shout from far above.
No, Peter thought, I’m coming to you, Joshua. But Peter knew he was too weak to climb and that his older brother was strong. Before long, Joshua knelt at Peter’s side. “I’m here, brother. I can get you home. Hold on.” Gently, Joshua lifted his little brother onto his back. He’s wearing his best robes. Peter recalled that there was to be a grand banquet in the palace tonight. Don’t let me spoil your robes, Joshua! He wanted to protest, yet he could do nothing but cling to his brother with what strength he had left. Peter onto his horse and prepared to lead the two back to the palace.
16 The Associate Reformed Presbyterian
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