The Cardinal and God
The bare branches and brown pastures around Critter Farm suggest an end of the lovely autumn weather. As the sky puts on her gray dress and smoke drifts out of the farmhouse chimney, Red the cardinal, flutters around the farm. The little red blur whisked over the A-frame roof of the red barn, around the northeast corner and in the open doors of the once-sunny east side of the barn. The smell of fresh hay and saw-dust filled the air. Black and white milk cows in the stall to the right munched on their morning grain and on the left a couple of pigs grunted and rooted around in fresh straw. At the far left corner chickens scratched and clucked, happily keeping warm in the clean sawdust. A staircase at the far right corner led to the hay- loft where week-old kittens meowed and wobbled around. Gracefully, Red swooped in the doorway and lighted on the door of Maid's stall. The old milk cow lifted her head, still munching on the fruity smelling, little brown pellets and corn pieces.
“Maid,” Chirped Red, with his stately little voice,“are you prepared for winter?”
“Reckon so,” stated the less than dignified cow, “Farmer says that by God's good grace
I'm a gonna' stick out the winter jist fine!”
“by God's good grace, you say. Well what about me?Is there grace enough for my needs to be met? Honestly, Maid, I'm afraid I'll not make it through the winter.”
“Thar's plenty 'nuf grace, Red. How do ya reckon ya made it this far? I'm sure God'll have a way of takin' care o' lil' ol' you, don't you worry none, ya hear. Now shoo so I can finish my mornin' meal.”
Red swiftly fluttered over to the pig's stall and asked Big Mama (the sow of course)
“Will God be faithful enough to provide for you, Big Mama?”
“Of course He will, Lil' Red. Don't you know my God is able to supply all your needs?” said Big Mama.
“Well yes, I know, but what if He's busy or has forgotten me? What if He thinks I can do it on my own? Big Mama, I am worried to death!”
“Well stop! There's no need to worry. The Lord will never leave thee or forsake thee. Now, Little Red, it's almost noon and Farmer will be here to do his afternoon chores. You know he doesn't like you 'cause you eat his chicken's grain and his seed crops. So
fly along and rest assured that you are well cared for.”
“Oh fine, I'll starve to death alone! Goodbye my friends, wish me luck.”
With a hop and flutter of his wings Red was out of the barn just before farmer arrived to do his afternoon chores. Lonesome little Red flew over the cold, brown pastures out to his nest in the woods.
Thinking as he flew of the cold, snowy winters Montana usually has. How he has to shovel the snow out of his nest after each snowfall and carry fresh hay and straw all the way from the barn just to make his nest warm again.
Red lighted upon his home in the woods with a little sigh. A crude little construction of twigs and straw,some hay, a few pieces of cardboard scraps, and little puffs of soft fur he had scavenged from a rabbit trail. The old oak tree his nest was secured in provided good stability and served as a wonderful wind shield. The little cardinal had just snuggled into the warm fur and hay for an afternoon nap when a rustle in the leaves below him frightened him so that he almost fell out of his nest. As he turned around to see what had made the noise he realized it was only the white tail rabbit passing by on his way to Farmer's garden.
“Wait! Wait!”cried Red,“I need to speak with you, Mr. Fuzz, if you have a moment.”
“I suppose I have a moment, after all, I only gotta scrounge up enough greens to feed my young'uns. Anyway, I gotta moment, speak yer piece.” grumped the old rabbit in a deep, irritated voice.
“Sorry to interrupt sir, but you see I have an emergency. I'm worried I'll not have any food to survive through the winter.”
“You don't have an emergency, you have a serious case of doubt! Our Heavenly Father takes good care of us wild animals. So you haven't any need to worry. Just ask Leap, the deer, he's lived in these here woods probably longer than the trees. He'll tell ya anything you wanna' know.”
“Okay! Thank you Mr. Fuzz, I'm much obliged to you.”
And off flew worried little Red again, deep into the woods near a little creek and into very thick brush and shrubs. All the critters in the woods called this brush 'the deer
thicket' because all the deer lived there all year long, keeping cozy and safe inside the tangle of vines, shrubs, and fallen leaves.
Leap was always easy to find, because everyone knew his favorite spot was the big sun puddle by the creek. The woods seemed so peaceful there, with the sound of water trickling over rocks and the crisp smell of fallen leaves and clean water.
“Well, if it isn't Red! What's on your mind, friend?” lovingly greeted Leap.
“Oh, winter is on my mind, Leap. I'm worried I'll not have anything to eat.” sighed Red, “everyone has told me that God will provide but I'm not so sure.”
“Well, what aren't you sure of?” asked Leap.
“Of God. How can he provide for everybody all at once and still make sure that I have enough to eat?”
“He just does. That's one of the many awesome things about God. He's more than able to take care of all of us, all at once!”
Little Red slowly took a deep breath, feeling no more relieved than he already had been. The two friends enjoyed a peaceful moment, listening to the trickling creek and
the melodies of singing birds, drinking in the beauty of a lovely gold and purple sunset.
“I don't want to leave this peaceful spot but, if I don't fly home soon I won't make it there before dark. Goodbye friend.” said Red.
“I agree with you,” sighed Leap,“I must return to my home as well or my family will worry. It was nice chatting with you, friend, I'll see you later.”
Red and Leap parted ways and Red worried still. The little cardinal flew as quickly as he could through the woods and breath-lesslytumbled into his nest as the sun's gleam disappeared, snuggling deep into the warm hay and fur. In only a matter of seconds Red was sound asleep.
At sunrise the next morning an early snow covered the ground yet, Red's nest was
snow free.
“Hmm,” thought Red,“ that's interesting.”
Shaking the sleep out of his eyes, little Red wobbled to the edge of his nest and took flight in search of food.
“ I don't know why I'm even trying,” he thought to himself as he flew over the white pastures toward the barn,“I knew I should have slept in. Wait, whats that?”
Along Farmer's footpath, in between the house and barn, there lay a small, yellow heap of spilled chicken grain.
“Oh praise God!!” shouted little Red,“Oh, He did provide! How foolish I was to ever doubt His almighty hand.”
After his filling breakfast, little Red fluttered about the whole day telling everyone of what God had done for him and singing praise to his Heavenly Father, who always loves and cares for each of His children. The End
