Category: Short Stories

An adventurous and self-confident man, named Ewen Me, had heard about a new challenge that few were able to conquer. Being the competitive and prideful man that he was, he opted to take on the task. The challenge turned out to be a large maze with high walls that had only one way to get in and only one way to get out. He listened to the owner of the maze provide some brief instructions and tips on how to get through the maze. Ewen noticed a hint of despair from the owner of the maze as he told him how few people have made it through to the end. Ewen, always the confident person in his own abilities, was determined to prove he could make it through to the other side.

As he entered the maze, he noticed a small kiosk. The sign on the kiosk said, “Glasses for the blind.” Ewen thought to himself, “What is this? Is this a joke?” He dismissed the kiosk and proceeded into the maze. He was taken aback at the height of the walls and noticed the light was dimming as he kept going. It wasn’t long before Ewen started getting frustrated. He couldn’t believe how little progress he was making on his own. Worse, he ran into another one of the kiosks offering glasses for the blind. He saw this as both an insult to his intelligence and a tasteless display of the owner thinking a blind person would actually participate in a challenge this difficult. 

After about an hour of wandering and getting nowhere, Ewen found himself back where he started. Trying to decide if he was just frustrated or feeling somewhat humbled, he noticed the owner standing at the beginning as if he was expecting Ewen. “This is impossible!” Ewen snorted at the owner. 
“I warned you it was not easy - not a lot of people make it all the way through. Have you tried the glasses?”

Ewen snapped back, “Of course not! I can see, so why would I need glasses for the blind? And, what’s up with that, anyway? Why would a blind person have any more success a seeing person like me? Kind of feels like a bad joke and mean spirited.” The owner just smiled at Ewen, seemingly amused by his attitude and accusations. 

Ewen looked down and thought to himself, “I know I can do this – I don’t fail.” So, he went back into the maze again letting out a sniff of disgust as he bypassed the kiosk. Thirty minutes later, he once again found himself lost with the only thing he recognized was another of those ridiculous kiosks. He found his way back to the beginning – this time starting to realize he could not complete the challenge on his own. 
Again, the owner was waiting for him. Picking up on Ewen’s humbled countenance, the owner looked deeply into his eyes and said with soft voice, “Try the glasses.”

Ewen shot back, “I’m not blind, pal.”

The owner continued his fixed look on Ewen and said with some playful snark in his voice, “Could you do any worse than you have already?”

Wanting to quickly respond, something got him to hold his tongue and found a voice saying to him, “He has a point.” Ewen sensed the depth and concern in the owner’s look on his face. He grumbled to himself, “What have I got to lose?” He went to the kiosk at the opening and saw an unfamiliar logo for the brand on glasses’ frames. It was “GP.” Ewen looked back at the owner, “How much?”

The owner simply said, “My treat.”

Ewen reluctantly put on the GP glasses and was taken aback about how quickly and differently things looked. Things were brighter and clearer. He began to step forward into the maze, and it wasn’t long before he saw a sign on the wall he had not seen before. It said, “Turn left.” In amazement, Ewen complied with a left turn and kept slowly moving forward. It wasn’t long before he saw another sign on the wall that said, “Turn right.” Ewen thought to himself, “What is it with these GP glasses?” He started to realize he was making more progress with the glasses on than he had by himself. He felt the pressure coming from his self-confidence subside and experienced a peace that as long as he kept the GP glasses on, he was going in the right direction. 

Eventually, following the multiple signs throughout the maze, Ewen made to the other end. He was surprised to find the owner waiting for him – as if he was so sure Ewen would find his way out of the maze. The owner hugged him and told him, “Well done.” 

“Thank you.” Ewen said. “These glasses are incredible, but I don’t understand how I could see the signs with them, but not on my own. Who put those signs up?”

“I did.” The owner said and continued, “They are my words.”

“But what is it with these GP glasses?” Ewen asked almost exasperatingly. 

The owner, with a smile on his face, said, “Take a look at the full name on the frames.”

Ewen took off the glasses and looked at the arms of the glasses and read “God’s Perspective.” Ewen felt the self-confident air exit his body as it was replaced with a new air of humility and revelation of something greater than him. Lost for words, he looked at the owner with both tears and wonder in his eyes.

“Ewen, if you’re willing to put those glasses back on, you’re going to find that you will never be alone moving through the maze of this life. I’m so very proud of you for your willingness to humble yourself and take that leap of faith to follow My words and direction. I can’t promise you that life will get any easier. In fact, it might very well get harder. However, as long as you keep the glasses on, you’ll realize I’m always with you and will lead you through the remaining maze of your life. I’ll also be waiting you with joy when you finish.”

Ewen put the glasses on and realized the owner looked different with them on. He noticed the scars on the owner’s hands and a look of deep love on the owner’s face like he had never seen before. Everything he looked at was new, and he felt at peace and free from his self-confidence. 

This is the story of Ewen Me. I’m sure he would encourage you put on the owner’s GP glasses. You’ll be a-mazed.

A middle-aged man named Daniel was driving through the country when his car began to experience problems. He slowed down and steered the car off the two-lane road onto the dirt shoulder. Because he was in the country, cell service was not available. He gazed down the road and saw what he thought might be a sign by the side of the road. He put his hazard flashers on, locked the car, and started walking towards the sign. As he got closer, he was able to make out the sign – it said “City of Meville – 1 mile”. At a minimum, he hoped the city might have cell service to help him resolve his issues, so he picked up the pace and headed to the City of Mevillle.

About three quarters of the way, he saw a service station sign. The men felt maybe his luck was changing. The station was very small – it only had two gas pumps, but it did have a garage with an old car up on a lift. He didn’t see anyone in the garage, so he went inside the office. A man who looked a little older than Daniel was mopping the floor. “Hello”, Daniel uttered.

Without looking up, the man kept mopping and replied, “Hello. How can I help?”

“My car broke down about a mile from here. Do you have a service or tow truck to go take a look and see if you can fix it?”

The man stopped his mopping, stood straight up, and leaned the mop against the wall. He turned around and looked straight at Daniel. He arched his back to stretch out a bit, smiled, and reached out his hand. “I’m J.C. – we don’t have a tow truck, but we do have a service truck in the back. I can get my helper to go take a look at your car – He can fix pretty much anything.”

Daniel shook J.C.’s hand and said, “Thank, God. Does your helper have time now to go take a look?”

J.C.’s smile widened and said, “Well, since you’re thanking God, I’ll make sure my helper gets right to it. You know, I could use a bite to eat, and there’s a diner in town. If you’re willing to trust us, you can give my helper the keys, and he’ll go take care of your car. Why don’t you join me for a meal? You hungry?”

Daniel was stunned at the idea of giving the keys to his car to a stranger, but there was something very honest and trustworthy about J.C.’s demeanor. “I’m not sure about that – I don’t know you and your helper.”

“Well, let’s change that. I’ll tell you what, why don’t we just go ahead and head to the diner. When we get back, you can go with my helper and watch him do the work. However, if you’re in a hurry, I’ll give you my keys. You can hold them until my helper gets back. J.C. reached into his pocket and held them out.”

Daniel was again shocked by such a gesture. In the face of such kindness, he was now a little embarrassed by his lack of trust of this man. Still, though, he pulled out his keys and separated out the one to his car to J.C. – keeping the keys to his home and work. “That’s very generous of you, J.C. I don’t think I need your keys. I would really appreciate your helper taking a look. It’s a black SUV about a mile back up the road. He extended the key out to J.C.”

“I appreciate your trust. I didn’t catch your name.”

“Daniel”

“God is my judge. That’s a great name! Give me a minute.” J.C. took Daniel’s car key and went into the garage. Daniel could hear bits and pieces of the conversation between J.C. and the helper. J.C. came back into the office, grabbed his wallet and keys, and said with a smile, “He’s on it. I’m starving – let’s go.”

Daniel heard the service truck start up, but he couldn’t see the driver as it headed up the road to his car. He followed J.C. out of the office and watched him close the garage door and lock up the office. The two men got into J.C.’s truck and headed into town. J.C. asked Daniel, “What are you doing out here?”

Daniel’s head bowed a bit, and J.C. picked up on the change in his countenance. Quietly, he said, “I needed to take a drive. My life hasn’t been so great lately. I needed some time to think.” Daniel’s confession caught him off-guard. He’s just met this man, and he’s starting to spill his guts to him. Yet, there was something very comforting about being with J.C.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Daniel. You would be surprised how many people do the same thing you’re doing. Seems like we get a lot of people coming through Meville that aren’t very happy. Want to talk about it?”

Daniel looked out the window with no particular purpose, but he did not reply.

“Wow. There I go again – prying into another people’s business, and you don’t even know me. I can’t help myself. I hate seeing people suffer, so it’s in my nature to try to help. I hope I didn’t offend you.”

Again, Daniel found himself ashamed at his treatment of this very kind and generous man. “You didn’t offend me, J.C. – not at all. I truly appreciate your offer, but I’ve never been good at sharing my thoughts. Truthfully, I’m not even sure I know what I’m thinking or feeling.”

“I get that.” J.C. replied peacefully. “The diner is not far. I know the owners – they do a great job. They’ve always been so kind to me.”

The conversation stopped, and Daniel watched the countryside as they headed into town. He noticed the withered sign that said, “Welcome to Meville”. J.C. pulled into the diner’s parking lot. Stenciled in big letters on the window of the restaurant was “Mary & Martha’s”. The two men got out of the truck and J.C. opened the door for Daniel. The moment he walked in, Daniel was taken by the aroma of good food, and the place had a very homey feel to it. Two ladies came out of the kitchen, and they were both thrilled to see J.C. They each gave him a big hug, and J.C. returned the favor with a huge smile on his face.

“Mary and Martha, meet my new friend Daniel. His car broke down just outside of town. My helper is off working on his car, and we’re hungry!”

Hearing J.C. call Daniel his friend felt good. Before he could say anything to the ladies, they each gave him a big hug. While Martha went back into the kitchen, Mary escorted the two men to a booth. “My, he’s a handsome one.”

Daniel blushed and was tongue tied. “Mary, you’re embarrassing the man.” J.C. said with a chuckle. Daniel picked up the menu, but Mary pushed it back down. J.C. watched with a smile on his face as Mary said, “Honey, you don’t need that. Our special is the best thing we have today.”

Daniel’s face was frozen in wonder and could only mutter, “Uh….ok”. J.C. started laughing as Mary scurried towards the kitchen. “There’s no place like Mary and Martha’s, Daniel. Trust me when I tell you she knows what she’s talking about.”

A smile formed on Daniel’s face for the first time in a while. J.C.’s mobile phone rang, and it was his helper. He gave J.C. the diagnosis and told him it may take a couple of hours to fix the problem. J.C. relayed his conversation to Daniel and asked if his helper could get to work. Mary approached the booth with two plates, put them on the table in front of the men, winked at both of them and headed to serve other tables. The smell of the food was amazing, and, truthfully, Daniel wasn’t really in a hurry to go anywhere – he nodded with approval. J.C. told his helper to get started and to give him a call when his work was done. After ending the conversation on the phone, J.C. looked at the food with such joy. He then asked Daniel, “Is it ok if I pray for the meal?”

Daniel was not a religious man, and it had been a long time since he was asked to pray over a meal. However, he was so enjoying his time with J.C. and the diner, he once again nodded in approval. J.C. bowed his head and said out loud, “Father, I thank you for bringing to me my new friend, Daniel. I ask that you bless this food to our bodies as well as bless our time together. May he come to know the love you have for him is the same as the love you have for me. Amen.”

Those words moved Daniel to his core. He couldn’t pick up his head. He had never heard someone share such an intimate prayer with his God. He didn’t know much about God, but the idea that God loved him was completely foreign. This was especially true given the current state of his life. Those words kept traveling back and forth from his head to his heart, and he couldn’t stop them.

“You ok?” J.C. asked with a concerned look on his face.

Daniel slowly lifted his head, and his eyes were moist. Something had happened during J.C.’s prayer, but he was struggling to understand what that “something” was.

J.C. again picked up on his countenance and said after finishing his first fork-full of Martha’s heavenly cooking, “Daniel, you look a lot like our city’s sheriff. Funny thing, too, is lately he has been pretty down as well. We’re a small town, but he’s got a tough job enforcing the law. He’s a real stickler. I like rules as much as the next person, but the sheriff administers them in such a way that everybody is afraid of him. He doesn’t have many friends. That’s sad because I have spent some time with him, and he’s a very nice and kind of funny man when he’s around me.” J.C. suddenly stopped and said, “I’m doing all the talking. What do you do for a living?”

Although Daniel was thoroughly enjoying his meal, he had been listening intently to J.C.’s description of the sheriff. The reason he was so taken by J.C.’s words was because he, himself, was a cop. He swallowed his bite and said, “I can identify with the sheriff. I’m a cop, too. I’m big on keeping the law, as well.”

“Well what to you know?” J.C. said with some wonder in his voice. “Hey, we’re almost done here, and it’s going to be more than an hour before my helper finishes his work. Want to join me and go meet the sheriff. He works just down the street at City Hall. I’ll bet the two of you can talk the same language and share some stories. What do you think?”

Daniel was full and didn’t have anything else to do. Besides, he was enjoying J.C.’s company, so why not extend it? “Sure. I’d like that.” Mary brought the bill to the booth – J.C. snatched it out of her hands. Reaching out to J.C., “Please, let me pay for this – you’ve shown me such kindness.” Daniel said with real sincerity.

“Nope. This is my treat. Good company and good food. That’s an easy thing to pay for.” J.C. looked up at Mary and told her to put it on his tab. “Daniel smirked as he said, “You must come here often to have a tab.” Both J.C. and Mary laughed out loud, and J.C. said, “Mary and Martha always make me feel at home here. They’re always so good to me.” Daniel thanked Mary and Martha for the food and J.C. for paying for it. The two men left the restaurant and headed towards City Hall.

Daniel noticed there wasn’t very many people on the streets, and he thought he heard J.C. saying under his breath, “They’re all afraid.” The few people that they did see all waved at J.C., and he replied to every one of them with a smile and a wave of his own. When they arrived at City Hall, every person in the building seemed to know J.C. Each one of them greeted him, and he kindly returned the greeting. They headed towards the sheriff’s office when one person came up and said, “If you’re looking for the Judge, he’s in the jail section.” J.C. bowed his head in frustration, thanked the person for the advice, and changed his course towards the jail.

“Who is the Judge?” Daniel asked.

“That’s the sheriff – it’s a name he’s given himself. He is such a stickler for the law, and he keeps putting people in jail for the most minor infractions. Because so many end up incarcerated because of his attitude, they’ve adopted the name “Judge” for him. I’ve come down here too many times, and the jail is overflowing with people the Judge has arrested. People are afraid to do almost anything out of fear of the Judge citing the most remote law to convict someone. I’ve often wondered if some of these laws are simply the way the Judge thinks things should be. There are too many people living in fear in this town.”

Daniel was conflicted. He appreciated Judge’s adherence to the law, but J.C.’s words were ringing true to him. He thought to himself if he sometimes treated people too much according to the law. Before he could continue that thought, J.C. opened the door to the jail cell area, and the two men entered the area.
Daniel noticed the number of cells seemed like a lot for a small town. However, they looked like they were all empty. J.C. stopped, put his hand on Daniel’s shoulders, and told him to listen. A faint noise seemed to be coming from the end of the cell area. The two men attempted to listen more attentively, and they both recognized the sound was a man sobbing. J.C. and Daniel slowly walked down the row of cells to find the Judge with his head in his hands sitting in a locked cell. He seemed inconsolable.

J.C. moved his face up to the bars and asked, “Why are you locked in one of your own cells?” The Judge looked up and saw that it was J.C. He stood up and moved towards him – with the tears flowing even heavier. “Oh, J.C., my life is a mess. No one likes me, and I spend so much time judging them that I can’t find it in me to like them. My wife and children have stayed with me, but they’re not happy. I’m so busy doing my job the best way I know how, I don’t’ have much time for them. Yet, when I do spend time with them, I take on my role as the sheriff and judge with them. There’s not much love in our home, and I know I’m the problem. I was cleaning the jail cells, and somehow I locked myself inside my own prison.”

J.C. didn’t say a word. He turned his head and saw Daniel dropping to his knees in tears. He looked at Judge and not only saw the physical resemblance, but what Judge described was exactly what was happening to Daniel and his life. His ways of judgment had alienated him from any meaningful relationships and robbed him of any joy in his life. J.C. looked at the two men and even though only one of them was in prison, they might as well have both been in there.

With a compassionate look on his face, he looked at Judge and said, “We need to get you out of this prison. However, first things first, you’re going to give up that nickname “Judge” and use your real name – “Christian”. Every time you use your nickname, it’s like telling yourself that is who you are. I know you, Christian, and you are a man of great value and kindness with an extraordinary capacity to love. How about you let me handle the judgment for now?”

“I would love that!” But those words didn’t come from Christian – they came from Daniel. J.C. and Christian looked at Daniel, and then all three of them burst out laughing. J.C. introduced the two men to each other. They shook hands and immediately recognized they had a mysterious bond with each other. “I thought you two would understand each other.” J.C. said with a smile. “Now, let’s get you out of this prison. J.C. reached into his pocket and pulled a large key. He unlocked the door, and Christian gave J.C. a big hug. During the hug, J.C. dropped the key, and Daniel picked it up. He saw something written on the key. He looked closer and saw that the word “GRACE”. Daniel handed the key to J.C., and when he reached out to take the key, Daniel saw a scar on his hand. He looked up at J.C. in amazement, and J.C. lovingly looked at Daniel and said, “That’s my key, and it works for every cell – no exceptions.”

As J.C. was leading them out of the jail area, Daniel felt a lightening of the burden he had been carrying. The three of them headed towards the front doors of City Hall, and Daniel caught out of the corner of his eye a picture of J.C. hanging on the wall. Under his picture, he saw the title “Optional Mayor”. Daniel asked J.C., “What does “Optional Mayor” mean?” J.C. looked at him and said, “I’m ready to lead each person in Meville, but they have to choose to make me their leader. It’s an elected position. Unfortunately, not everyone wants me to be their mayor. I’m hoping one day they will all make that choice. Then I can change the name of this town to something more my style – “Kingdom.”

“If I lived here, you’d get my vote.” Daniel said with a loving smile.

“You should think of relocating, Daniel. I would love to have you become a part of my town. Until then, the next time you feel tempted to judge others, remember your name and my key. With God as your judge, He holds the key of grace.”

“I’m so looking forward to this trip.” said Max.

“Me, too. This must be some island to have its own airline.” Paisley responded.

Max and Paisley were newlyweds, and they had just gotten out of their car at the airport and were each lugging their respective baggage to the terminal. They were heading out on their honeymoon to an island called “Paradise”.

“How did you hear about this place?” asked, Paisley.

“A friend told me about it. He highly recommended it, and it sounded amazing.” Max replied.

They entered the terminal and looked for the airline’s logo. Once they spotted it, they continued lugging their baggage until they came upon a bright young woman named Angel. “Welcome to Paradise Airlines, Max and Paisley.”

Surprised, Max asked, “How did you know our names?”

Angel said, “We are taught to get very familiar with our customers. I can see you’ve each brought your baggage. Please proceed to the counter where Jay will help you. I’m certain you’re going to love the Paradise experience.”

Max and Paisley lugged a little farther to the counter where they met Jay. Jay was a tall, peaceful looking man wearing a crimson red polo shirt. “Well hello Paisley and Max – we are so pleased you have chosen to come to Paradise.”

Shocked again, but this time Paisley asked, “How did you know our names?”

Jay repeated Angel’s line, “We here at Paradise specialize in getting to know our customers very well. I see you’ve each brought your own baggage – that’s going to be a problem. Here at Paradise, we only allow one baggage per couple.”

“What??” Max exclaimed. “We each have our stuff, and there is no way we can combine all of our stuff into one baggage.”

“We understand, Max.” Jay responded with a peaceful smile on his face. “But this has been a very successful policy, and we offer no exceptions. Our experience tells us couples find their flights to Paradise much smoother when there is less baggage.”

Bewildered, Max and Paisley looked at each other and then started to get upset. Jay picked up on the change in their countenance but continued, “We figured you were not ready for this, but you’re going to find that we do things very differently here in Paradise. One of the perks of traveling with us is we provide our own suitcase for couples. Furthermore, I’ll help you with what you’re going to need to bring and what you can leave behind.”

“Leave behind??” Paisley said exasperated already. “And what do you mean you are going to help us with deciding what we need? We just bought this baggage – it is brand new. What are we supposed to with them?”

“That’s interesting – your baggage looks like it’s been with you awhile. You can leave them with me along with the things you leave behind. I do this all the time.”

Max and Paisley were speechless and overwhelmed, and then when they saw Jay picking up their baggage and opening them both, they were appalled. “What do you think you’re doing??” Max asked angrily.

Jay ignored the question and began to look at the contents of each of their baggage. “I see you both like the classic name-brand clothing choices -‘Judgment’ for men and ‘Bitterness’ for women. These are dark and heavy clothing. You won’t at all be comfortable in them in Paradise.”

You could almost see the steam coming out of Max and Paisley’s ears. “We’ve been wearing these brands of clothes for a long time – long before we got married,” Max pronounced.

“I know,” Jay calmly replied. “I understand this is difficult. I’ve found many couples wear these clothes, but they just don’t seem to be all that happy in them. Once they try on the clothes we provide, they feel far more comfortable and seem to be happier.”

“The clothes you provide?” Paisley asked again in bewilderment.

“Yes – another perk we offer at Paradise is our own brand of clothing. I hope you don’t mind, but it’s the same name for both men and women. It’s called ‘Forgiveness’. They’re much brighter and lighter than what you’ve been wearing, and you’ll feel more at home in them in Paradise.”

Jay noticed a hint of relief coming upon the faces of Max and Paisley, so he kept going. “Here, I know your sizes, so I’ll pack just the right amount of Forgiveness clothes for your trip.” Jay proceeded to neatly pack their new clothes in the new suitcase.

Paisley leaned into Max’s ears and whispered, “What is going on here? How does he know our sizes?” Max looked at her with a lost look on his face.

Jay continued examining their baggage, “I see you each have your own bottles of perfume and cologne. I’m always amazed at how successful the sales skills of the company that sells these fragrances – ‘Guilt for men and ‘Shame’ for women. Personally, I’ve never enjoyed the smell of these.

“And I suppose you have something different?” Max asked with a heaping of indignation. “We’ve been wearing these fragrances for years. Everyone wears them!”

A melancholy look came over Jay, and he said, “Yes, I know. Couples have been wearing this fragrance for as long as I can remember.” Jay’s face then lit up and said, “I want you to try Paradise’s signature fragrances for a change. They are ‘Mercy’ for men and ‘Grace’ for women. You see, Paradise is very particular about the quality and purity of its environment. I personally created these fragrances because they fit so well for Paradise living. Here, try them out.”

Jay handed a bottle of Mercy to Max and a bottle of Grace to Paisley. They each took a sniff and were immediately startled how much better the smell was. Their noses tingled with freshness. Max’s and Paisley’s faces were beginning to light up, and their demeanor was changing.

Jay did transfer a few things from each of their baggage into the new, single suitcase. Max asked, “Well, you’ve pretty much replaced everything else we’ve brought, why are you letting us bring these things?”

“These are the things that distinguish you – the true things that make you special.” Jay said with a warm smile on his face. Paisley and Max felt a burden coming off their shoulders as Jay finished packing the single suitcase and closed it. They noticed the company’s logo on the suitcase – a cross. Above the cross, it said ‘Two Become One’. Paisley noticed the scars on Jay’s hands and asked him how he got the scars.

“That comes with many years of dealing with people’s baggage.” Jay said joyfully. “Well, it looks like you’re ready to go. Here are a couple of drinks from Paradise for you. The bottles said, ‘The Living Water Word’ on them. “Once you drink these, you’ll feel like you’ll never be thirsty again.”

Max and Paisley were dumbfounded at the wisdom, generosity, and giving spirit of Jay. He announced, “Oh, you should also take comfort in our dependability. We have a spotless safety record. Every person who has chosen to go to Paradise has arrived on time. When you’re a passenger on Paradise Airways, there is no fear.” Jay said proudly. He reached into his pocket and gave them each his card and wished them well.

Paisley and Max, still in awe of what they just witnessed, could only mutter, “Thank you, Jay. This has been unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.” Max said, “I can see why my friend recommended this trip so much, but how did he hear about this place? I’ve never seen any advertisements for Paradise.”

“We’ve found the best advertising is by word of mouth. Testimonies from happy customers are the most powerful weapon we have. I hope you do the same. I want everyone to come to Paradise.” Jay said with a yearning in his voice.

As Max and Paisley headed towards their gate, they were transformed by their time with Jay and were now more than ever looking to get to Paradise. Max pulled out Jay’s business card and looked in amazement when it said, “Jay Hovah, Owner of Paradise.”

A young woman was sitting at a table in the corner of a coffee shop. She was reading a book, and she took a break to take a sip of her coffee. She looked around the shop and noticed everyone else there was in at least pairs – they each had someone to share not just their coffee but as well their thoughts, hopes, and dreams. The woman sitting in the corner was named Luze, and she had become quite accustomed to being alone. Luze was adopted and grew up in a home where whatever love was offered was overwhelmed by criticism and shame. Luze was ordinary looking, and her adopted parents seemingly never missed an opportunity to remind her of her lack of beauty. Luze’ childhood had led to her carrying a heavy burden of insecurity, which helped her build up an almost impenetrable wall for anyone to get close to her.

The bell at the top of the entry door to the shop jingled, and Luze looked up to find a man by himself heading to the counter. He was tall with long brown hair and a beard. He was pretty average looking, but as she watched him order his coffee, he had a very kind and gentle smile. She watched him standing very straight as he waited for his drink. After he picked up his coffee, he scanned the room for a place to sit. His eyes locked in on Luze, and terrified, she buried her head in her book. Peeking over the top of the cover, she saw the man heading her way. She could feel her pulse quickening as she stared at her book but not seeing a single word.

“Is this seat taken?” the man inquired.

Luze slowly looked up in wonder at this bearded man with an even kinder look on his face now that he was standing so close to her.

“Is anyone sitting with you?” he again asked.

“Oh, uh, no. Please have a seat.” Luze was stunned by her courage to invite the man to sit with her, but she couldn’t get past his gentle demeanor.

“Thank you. I’ve never been to this coffee shop before. I just moved into town, and I thought I would try to find a good cup of coffee.”

Luze asked, “Welcome to the area. Why did you move here?”

“I’m starting a reconstruction project” the man replied.

“Oh, that sounds interesting. Where is it?” Luze continued to surprise herself at how easy it was having a conversation with this man.

The man responded, “It’s close by”. My name is J.C. What’s your name?”

“My name is Luze,” she said under her breath.

“That’s a nice name. Is that short for something, like Lucy or Lucinda?”

“No, it’s always been just Luze. The people who adopted me gave me the name. Apparently, I had a name from my birth mother, but I’ve never known what that name was.” Luze and J.C. continued talking for over an hour. The entire time, Luze was going back and forth from terror and joy as she found herself in a very “normal” conversation with another person – and especially a man. He made her feel so comfortable, that she found herself feeling uncommonly free to talk to him. They really didn’t talk about anything of substance, but prior to an hour ago, the mere thought of her carrying on an extended communication with a man would have been impossible. There was just something special about J.C.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you, Luze. You seem like a very special person. I have to get back to moving in, but would you be interested in having dinner with me tonight?”

Luze was paralyzed. She had never been asked out on a date or even for a meal. This was foreign territory for her, and she didn’t know what to say.

“My treat.” J.C. said with that gentle and kind smile.

“Sure.” Luze stuttered. “There’s a family-run restaurant at the end of this street. It’s called “The Kingdom”.

“Sounds like my kind of place.” J.C. said with a brighter smile. “How about I meet you there at 6:30?”

“That’s perfect.” Luze chirped with a smile.

“Great! I’m looking forward to it.” J.C. got up and said, “See you at 6:30pm in The Kingdom.”

As he walked away, Luze said under breath, “I’m looking forward to it, too!” Luze was grinning from ear to ear but still in disbelief over what had just happened. She tried to get back to reading her book, but she was awash in her imagination as to what a dinner date was going to be like. She spent the rest of the day experiencing feelings she had never had felt before in her entire life. She was actually looking forward to something!

Luze didn’t live too far from The Kingdom, so she chose to walk to the restaurant. She got there a little early only to find J.C. was already waiting for her. He had picked out a table that was by the window with the best view. When he saw Luze, he stood up, greeted her with his kind smile, and pulled out the chair for her to sit down.

“My. What nice manners.” Luze said warmly.

“My Father taught me well.” J.C. responded.

After ordering their meals, J.C. asked her what she did for a living.

“I work in the local assisted living home.” Luze replied.

“Wow. That’s a very thoughtful job. It must be very rewarding helping people. Why did you choose that line of work?”

Luze didn’t immediately reply. Nobody had ever asked her that question, and to her own surprise, she had never given it that much thought as to why she took the job. She recalled this was the first job that became available to her, so she took it. “That’s a good question. I guess I like to help people who are in need. I didn’t get that much help from my adopted parents, so I don’t know where I got this desire to help others.”

J.C. looked deeply into Luze’ eyes, and she felt the warmth of his gaze down to her soul. His face began to sadden, and he said, “I’m so sorry to hear about how your adopted parents didn’t treat you well. Do you want to talk more about them?”

Luze froze again. She had never been asked about her childhood with her adopted family. Much of it was something she would prefer not to remember. However, she could tell J.C. was sincerely interested, and he made her feel so at ease in talking about anything. She spent the balance of their evening together sharing some of her more painful stories of neglect, criticism, and various types of abuse she experienced at the hands of her parents. As she recounted these stories, she swore she could see a tear in J.C.’s eyes from time to time. At the end of her meal, she said, “I’m so sorry, this is the first time I have ever been on a dinner date in my life, and I unload the mess of my childhood on you. Some date!” Luze said with exasperation in her voice.

“I’m so glad you’ve told me these things, Luze, but I’m very sorry for what you’ve experienced. Have you been able to forgive them?”

“No way!” Luze erupted. “Those people didn’t really love me. Why did they even adopt me? Did they need a punching bag? Forgiveness is not an option – they don’t deserve it!”

“I’m not so sure about that, but I’m certain you do. I’m sorry, but I have to get up early tomorrow to start my reconstruction work. Would you mind us getting together again tomorrow night? I’d like to learn more about you.” J.C. said this with that smile.

“After what I just unloaded on you, and you still want to see me again? You must be a glutton for punishment.” Luze said with a shock in her voice.

“It will be my pleasure. Same time tomorrow – here in The Kingdom okay?”

Stunned again at what was happening, she blurted out “Sure”.

J.C. smiled, stood up, extended his hand to Luze to help her up, and walked her outside. “Would you like me to walk you home?”

“That’s very nice of you to offer, but I don’t live too far. Thank you for tonight. You’re the first person I’ve ever shared my childhood with. It feels kind of good talking about it.”

“You’re welcome. Give some thought to forgiving your parents, Luze. I think you will find it healing for you and maybe even for them. Good night.”

Luze sat in a daze as she watched this amazing man walk out of her sight. She spent her entire walk home and the rest of the night processing what she had spilled out to J.C. and even considered the idea of forgiving her parents. The last thing she remembered about that evening was J.C.s comment that forgiving her parents would be good for her and for them. As she tried to figure out how that made sense, she drifted off to sleep.

The next evening, Luze again arrived at The Kingdom a little early and, again, she found J.C. already there at the same table. She thought to herself, ‘I’ve never had a “spot” before.’ J.C. stood up, gave her a warm smile, and pulled the chair out for her. As she sat down, she noticed he had several bruises and cuts. She asked him, “Are you okay?”

“It comes with the reconstruction job. It’s just the way it has to be.” He calmly said.

Luze immediately jumped in and said, “I want to thank you again for last night. Talking about my childhood was surprisingly helpful to me. And I’ve been giving some serious thought about forgiving my parents. But if you don’t mind me asking, what did you mean when you thought I deserve to forgive my parents?”

“Forgiveness not only releases the people from the guilt and shame of their sins, but it also brings healing to those who the sins were committed against. The pain and suffering from another’s sins can be just as crippling as the guilt and shame of one’s own sin.”

“I have never thought about forgiveness in that way.” Luze said bewilderedly.

J.C. changed the subject and asked her, “Have you ever tried to reach out to your birth parents?”

Luze’ countenance changed immediately. “No!” she said in a raised voice. “How does a mother give away her own child? I have felt that rejection my entire life.”

“Do you know the circumstances of why they gave you away?” J.C. asked with a pained look in his face.

“I heard she was very young, and my father was never in the picture.” Luze stated with bitterness in her voice.

“Sounds like another opportunity to extend some forgiveness.” J.C. said softly.

“What is it with you and forgiveness?” Luze asked with some attitude.

“I have a lot of experience in it.” J.C. replied with a pained look in his face. “My Father taught me there is nothing more freeing than being forgiven. He told me the greater the offense, the greater the cost of forgiveness. However, the greater the forgiveness, the more freedom you have to move forward and be who God originally designed you to be.”

Luze was startled how J.C.’s words cut to her heart. She sat there silently as she felt J.C.’s dark brown eyes peering into her soul. The conversation for the balance of that evening was largely Luze sharing more about her job and the things she does to make the residents more comfortable. As she talked this out, she realized how much she enjoys her job, but she was baffled at where she got the desire to help others when she had no role model for such concern for others.

“I’m sorry, but I have to get up early again as there is another phase of the reconstruction project I need to work especially hard on tomorrow. Do you mind if we leave now?” J.C. asked.

“You know what, I’m going to stay here in The Kingdom a little longer, J.C. You go ahead. Would you like some more punishment with me tomorrow night here at 6:30?” Luze continued to marvel at her newfound boldness with J.C.

“I’d love to! You beat me to the punch in asking you! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Luze watched J.C. walk out and then watched him through the window where she was sitting. She was reflecting on the content of the last two days of conversations with J.C. and simply was in awe of what she had shared with him. She had just told him more about her life – and most of the dirt of it – than she had to everyone she’s ever known – combined! Yet, there, sitting in The Kingdom, she kept dwelling on J.C.’s favorite topic – forgiveness. ‘Can I really forgive these people who have hurt me so much?’ she wondered to herself for the rest of the evening.

On the third day of their meetings, J.C. was again waiting for Luze in The Kingdom. He noticed she had a lighter countenance than he had seen in the previous two days. As Luze drew closer, she could see the bruises and cuts had multiplied several times. He was really beat up. “J.C., what kind of reconstruction job is this that is causing you so many wounds?”

After sitting Luze down, J.C. said, “It’s the “grace” project”.

“The grace project? I’ve never heard of it. Where is it located?” Luze asked.

“Sitting in your seat.” J.C. said with a smile.

Luze’ sat stunned and barely got out the words, “I don’t understand.”

J.C. once again looked her intently into her eyes. “My reconstruction project is you, Luze. I’ve known you your whole life. Your birth parents were very young. They had just found out they were going to have you and were driving to tell your mother’s parents. They had been drinking, and they lost control of the car and hit a telephone pole. Your father was killed immediately, and your mother was badly hurt – she ended up paralyzed from the waist down. You survived in her, but she felt she would never be able to be a good mother for you. She gave birth to you, and even though she knew she was going to have to give you away, she chose to name you.”

Luze’ eyes were welling up with tears. She looked down in shame as she was learning all the bitterness she held against her birth parents was completely unfounded. “What was my birth name?” she asked – her voice quivering.

“Grace”, J.C. said with that gentle smile. I think it’s a beautiful name. Funny, I’ve seen a number of women named Grace here in The Kingdom.

Pulling herself together, Luze asked “What do you mean you’ve known me my whole life?”

“You never asked me what J.C. stood for, Grace. It stands for Jesus Christ. All these bruises and cuts are the wounds that I took to bring forgiveness to your birth and adopted parents. For every sin they committed against you and to allow you the strength to forgive them, I had to suffer. My Father was right – forgiveness comes at a great cost. But I can see in your face and the way you walked in tonight that you are experiencing the freedom that comes with forgiveness. Every one of these wounds is worth it to My Father and Me to see you experience real forgiveness.

Luze was sobbing at this point and was speechless.

Jesus continued, “Oh, and the reason you enjoy and do your job so well is that is the real you – the you I made you to be. You are a beautiful and wonderful person, and you have much to give to others. You were never meant to be a burden, criticized or shamed – that was not my choice – they were the poor and hurtful choices others made. You now know Me, and I see you only as how I created you. If you choose to believe in me and learn to receive and give forgiveness, I will never leave your side. You will be forever Grace to Me. I love you, and I always will.”

Grace put her face in her napkin to wipe away the tears and said, “I do believe in you, Jesus. Thank you!” As she lifted her face, He was gone.

The waiter came to the table and asked if she wanted anything else. Bewildered at Jesus’ disappearance. She asked, “I guess I need to pay the bill.”

The waiter looked at her with a smile and said, “Jesus paid the price.” He always does when you’re in The Kingdom, Grace.”

A woman pulled up in her car to the back of the local thrift shop and parked her car. She was in her mid-30s dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing sunglasses. She stepped out of her car, puffed out a large exhale, and moved to the back of her SUV. As she opened the back hatch, she heard “Good morning!” coming up the side of her car. She shifted her head to the side and saw an older man with gray hair and beard dressed in overalls walking up to her.

“Good morning!” he said again with a pleasant cheeriness.

“Good morning” the woman mumbled.

“Thank you for coming! What can I do for you?” he asked energetically.

The woman replied, “I’ve come to drop off some stuff.”

“That’s what we’re here for – to take the stuff that people don’t need or want anymore. Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself, my name is Josh.”

“Hello, Josh.” The woman noticed Josh had a kindness that she immediately found comforting.

“Can I help you with your stuff?” Josh asked.

“That would be nice” the woman replied. She reached into the back of her car and grabbed the first box. The top was open, and it was full of women’s clothes. She picked up the box, and Josh was quick to take it from her.

“These are some pretty fancy clothes!” Josh said with a smile.

“Yes – those were mine” the woman responded.

Josh looked at them a little closer and asked, “Why are you giving these away?”

“Well, I used to go to nightclubs a lot. Many of them were very nice, so I had to look good” the woman said with a bit of a smile. “We had a lot of fun going to these places – partying and dancing.”

“I’m sure you looked nice, but it sounds like you’re not doing this anymore.” Josh noted.

The woman’s face began to change – even behind the sunglasses. “No I don’t. We started going to these places more and more, but things kind of got out of hand.”

Josh was coming back from putting down the box of clothes and said, “Yeah, I’ve heard that those places can take a lot out of people – get them to do things they normally wouldn’t do.”

The woman reached into the back of her car and grabbed the second box. Josh stepped in and saw that this box was a little heavier. He said to the woman, “Let me help you with this one.” He looked in the box and saw that it had some tools and some men’s clothes. “Whose are these?” he asked.

“They were my husband’s” the woman replied softly.

“Were?” Josh asked tenderly.

Josh noticed a tear beginning to fall below her sunglasses. “Yes, we’re not married any longer.”

“I’m very sorry to hear that. Divorce is a terrible thing.” Josh said compassionately.

“Yes it is, and it is all my fault!” the woman cried out. “We kept going to the nightclubs, and we were going with what I thought were our friends. At first it was a lot of fun, but the drinking and partying got out of hand, and we both ended up doing things that violated our marriage vows. My husband ended up leaving me with one of my so-called friends who left her husband.” The tears were building up below the sunglasses.

“I can see this is very painful for you, but it sounds like both of you were going to the nightclubs – not just you.” Josh observed.

“Yes, but I was usually the one encouraging us to go. It’s all my fault!” the woman again cried out.

Josh quietly responded, “He could have chosen not to go, couldn’t he have? Seems to me he had a role in this as well.”

The woman stopped, pulled off her sunglasses, and Josh could see the look on her face as if someone had startled her. “You’re right, Josh. Maybe it’s not all my fault, but I sure egged it on.”

“Ok, but it takes two to tango” Josh calmly commented. He looked into the back of her car and saw one more box. “Would you like me to help you with this last box?”

The woman immediately broke down and pleaded with Josh that he take the box. “Please – I had a hard enough time getting that box in the car.”

Josh reached into the car expecting that the box would be heavy, but it was the lightest of the three boxes. He looked inside and saw that it was full of boy’s clothes and some toys. Josh closed his eyes with some sadness and pulled the box out of the car for the woman. He looked at her with a caring look as the tears were now pouring down her face.

“They were my son’s. He went with his father in the divorce. My husband’s attorney convinced the court I caused the problems in the marriage by pushing the nightclub life on us. He claimed I wasn’t fit to be a mother!”

Josh put down the box, opened his arms, and the woman fell into his arms. “Now I know that isn’t true. I can tell that you love your son. That’s the centerpiece to being a good mother – simply loving your son. You’ve made some poor decisions, but those are behind you. I can see that by the things you’re leaving here. You can’t change the past – it is over. What you can change is how you live today and tomorrow. It looks to me like that is what you’re starting to do by dropping off the evidence of painful memories.”

Still crying the woman said, “Yes the memories are crushing. I can’t forgive myself.”

Josh gently pushed her back, looked her in the eyes, and quietly said, “I forgive you.”

The woman was initially startled by Josh’s words, but then she immediately started crying again and asked, “Why would you forgive me? These things I did weren’t against you?”

Josh replied, “Sometimes you just need to hear those words. They are very helpful when it comes to healing.”

The woman’s sobbing came to a stop, and she straightened up a bit as she wiped her eyes and face with the handkerchief Josh had given her. “Thank you. You are right – it does feel good to hear those words. But I still can’t get past the guilt and shame of what I’ve done.”

“You will.” Josh confidently replied. “My Father taught me there is no greater evidence of love than forgiveness. Everything that is good and possible for healing flows from forgiveness.”

The woman’s countenance was improving. Josh noticed this and added, “God will forgive you and offer you a peace and a hope you don’t know is possible at this time.”

“He will?” the woman asked with a yearning in her voice.

“I’m sure of it.” Josh responded as he picked up the final box and put it in the pile of the other boxes full of painful memories. He pulled off his gloves and went to thank the woman for coming. She noticed there were scars on his hands and asked Josh how he got those.

Josh looked at her sweetly and said, “That was from work my Father asked me to do a long time ago. That work is finished now.”

The woman was clearly feeling better and thanked Josh for his kindness and assistance. She hugged him and as she headed for her car, she turned around and asked if she could get a receipt for the things she left behind.

“Glad to.” Josh said energetically. “He pulled out a pad, scribbled down what she asked for, and gave it to her. The woman stuffed it in her purse, kissed him on the cheek and said goodbye. When she got back to her home, she pulled out the receipt, and she was startled to look at what was written by Josh. It simply said, “Forgiven”. She then looked at the top of the receipt that showed the name of the store, and it said in bold letters, “Messiah”.

A young man was sitting alone at a coffee shop staring at his renewed driver’s license shaking his head. Completely ignoring the picture, he kept looking at his name and asking himself quietly, ‘How could my parents give me a name that so accurately characterizes my existence?’ The fact that the young man was sitting alone was nothing new. He had spent much of his life alone – never feeling like he ever connected with hardly anyone. He never really had any friends – most of the time he felt invisible. Today in the coffee shop was no different.

He looked again at his driver’s license and read his name, “Du U Blong”. ‘No!’ he shouted in his head – ‘I’ve never felt like I belong’. Du was the youngest of four children. He had two sisters and one brother – all of them were several years older than he was. They always called him his parents’ mistake. The three of them had more traditional names and always seemed to find it easy making friends. Yes, they were his sisters and brother, but he never felt like he was part of the family.

His parents divorced not long after he was born – it was as if his birth caused the separation. His only childhood memories of his parents are of them arguing and being passed back and forth between the two of them as if he were the hot potato that neither one of them wanted to hold or keep. By the time his sisters and brother were out of high school, his father ultimately moved away and was sporadic, at best, at providing child support. Du’s mother had to work two jobs to pay the bills, but they still had to move several times because they couldn’t keep up with the rent. With all the moves, Du had to keep changing schools, so that made his ability to build any lasting friendships all the harder.

“Is this seat taken?” An elderly gentleman was standing above Du with a cup of coffee and an old beat-up book in his hand. “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you, but would you mind if I sat at this table?” Du looked around and saw there were open tables, so he thought it strange that the man would want to sit with him. However, he was so pleasantly surprised that someone – any one – would want to sit with him.

“No – not at all. Please have a seat.” Du, smilingly replied.

“Thank you – that’s very kind of you” the man said. He pulled out a chair and slowly sat down and landed with a grunt. He put his cup of coffee and his old book on the table. The book turned out to be a well-worn Bible. Neither of Du’s parents was at all religious, so he had never gone to church. He never had any thought about God or religion or anything spiritual. All he knew was just getting through each day.

The old man saw Du looking at his Bible. He asked him, “Have you ever read the Bible?”

“No” Du responded. “My parents weren’t religious – we never went to church.”

“Well, the Bible isn’t so much about being religious or going to church – although that is part of it. The Bible is a love letter.”

Du carefully watched the man’s face as he said this – he saw a kindness and peacefulness he had rarely seen in his young life. “A love letter? I’ve never heard the Bible described like that.” Du commented. “I always thought it was just a bunch of old stories talking about rules and regulations. Who is the love letter to?”

The old man smiled and looked at Du and said, “You. I’m sorry; I didn’t get your name. My name is Emanuel.”

Du was hesitant to respond – he hated his name, and he hated sharing it even more. However, there was something safe about this old man. “Du. My entire name is Du U Blong.”

“My, that is an interesting name. Where did your parents come up with the name Du? What does the “U” stand for?” Emanuel asked.

“They said they read it in a book and thought it would be funny – something that would set me apart.” Du said shamefully.

Emanuel could see the pain in Du’s face. “You know, Du, in the Bible there are many people who had names given to them, but once they came to believe in God, He gave them a new name. That new name would have a special meaning just between God and that person.”

“Really? That’s so cool.” Du replied with some uncharacteristic excitement. “I would love to get a new name. My name has defined my whole life – I’ve never felt like I belonged to anything – even my family.”

“That is very sad, Du. The God in this book calls those who believe in Him His children. He also promises His children He will never leave them nor forsake them. Once you become one of God’s children, you are part of His family, and you will be blessed by Him forever.”

‘That sounds too good to be true.’ Du thought to himself, but he was so desperate to find out more about this God who would accept him and call him his child, he asked Emanuel how he could become one of God’s children and part of his family. Emanuel walked him through the Gospel, and Du confessed his faith in Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

“Now when do I get my new name?” he asked Emanuel.

“That may take some time, Du, but regardless of your name, you are now part of the family of God.”

Du was a little disappointed, but he was so full of hope that his life was no longer going to resemble his name. He spent some more time with Emanuel and then headed home. When he got to his apartment, he found an envelope under his doormat. He opened it up, and it was an official letter that read, “Mr. Blong, We have received a request for your name change, and this letter is confirmation of our approval of this request. From this point forward, your name is “U Du Blong”.

“Wow! But I didn’t apply for this request.” He then saw the name that signed the letter. It was from Emanuel. “It’s true! And I do feel like I finally belong” cried out a very happy U.

A young man heard the news that the State Fair was coming to town, and there was going to be a “Best Sheep” contest. He owned a sheep that he was particularly proud of, and he very much wanted to get his sheep into the contest. As he asked around how to get in, he heard stories that the sheep were going to be judged on a minimum of several categories including size, intelligence, and wooliness. The man loved his sheep, but having seen some of the other sheep in town, he realized his sheep wouldn’t qualify for the contest.

Dejected, he went to the local café and sat at the counter sulking over a milk shake. An elderly man sat down next to him and saw the sad countenance on the young man. He asked him politely, “Looks like you’re pretty down, young man. Anything I can do?”

The young man told the elderly man, “The State Fair is coming to town, and there’s going to be a sheep contest. I have a sheep that I really want to get in, but from what I’ve heard, my sheep isn’t good enough to get in.”

A kind grin emerged from the elderly man’s face, and he said to the young man, “Well, son, you haven’t been given the right information. Yes, there is going to be an event for sheep in the State Fair, but what condition they’re in has nothing to do about participating in the event.”

The young man’s face lit up and exclaimed, “Really? That’s great news! How do you know this?”

“I’m the one running the event,” the elderly man calmly replied.

“Wow – nice to meet you. So how do I get my sheep into the contest?”

“The event is not a contest, young man. It’s just a place for the sheep to be shown off and be very well taken care of. However, there is a price to enter.”

“What’s the price?” asked the young man.

“$50,000/sheep,” said the elderly man.

“$50,000! I can’t pay that!

“No one can,” replied the old man.

“I don’t understand this at all. There’s this event that isn’t a contest, everyone seems to want to be a part of it, but the price is to high to get in. What’s the point?”

The elderly man put his arm around the young man’s shoulders, smiled at him, and said, “It’s my event, so I make the rules, young man. The event goes on because I pay the entry price.”

“What? Why would you do that? All these people are trying to get their sheep in the best possible condition, and then they find out getting into the event has nothing to do with what condition they’re in. Then they find out the price is too high to get in – they can’t pay the price. Why would you create such an event that is only possible if you do all the work?”

The elderly man’s face takes on a warm glow and replies, “Because I just love the sheep. It’s worth everything I have to get them in a place where their safe and well taken care of.”

“Wow! I didn’t catch your name,” the young man asked.

“You can call me the Good Shepherd.”

Gardener was walking along a road that was lined with fields and gardens He had been tending for as long as He could remember. Those fields and gardens were lush – full of beauty and fruit from His devotion to every detail of what was living to allow them the best opportunity to become all He had planned for them.  There were various and bright colors – all even more beautiful with more light. Not only were what He was planting beautiful, but they were growing tall and strong – no sense of a lack of freedom to reach higher and higher. Gardener loved His fields and gardens, and judging by their responses reflected in their beauty to his devotion, you could see they loved the Gardener.

As He continued down the road, He came across a very different garden. It was called ‘Nede’. The light that was so much a part of Gardener’s fields was nowhere to be found. He crouched down and grabbed a handful of Nede’s soil – it was rough – full of rocks and thorns and other things that would choke off the possibility for growth. As He gazed over the field, there was nothing of the color that was characteristic of Gardener’s fields. He saw dinginess – as if there was a murky gray covering over everything. Nothing appeared to be growing or flowing in the breeze – it all just seemed stuck and stunted.

Coming up from behind Him, Nede’s owner snarled to Gardener, “What are you doing here?”

Gardener politely responded, “I was just looking into your garden. I own the fields and gardens down the way.”

“I know who You are, and You are not welcome in my garden,” snapped Nede’s owner.

“Seems as if your garden is struggling – I don’t see much growth or even life.”

“It serves my purpose.” Nede sniped.

“Really – and what’s that?” Gardener asked.

“You should know – You’ve taken over a number of my fields and gardens,” pouted Nede’s owner.

“Not as many as I would like.” Gardener said with sadness in His voice. “I see what’s in your garden has deep roots. What kind of roots run so deep?”

Nede’s gardener’s face lit up with a smug and prideful smile. “There are several types – roots of bitterness, unforgiveness, and anger – to name a few. They run very, very deep. And here’s the best part, I don’t need to feed them – they feed themselves. I just need to get it started, and then it’s as if they take on a life of their own!”

“Seems like all the growth is done below – don’t you want to see some growth from above – see the potential for their original design?” Gardener inquired with passion.

“I could care less about what You think they should be like, Gardener. I have my own plan, and I like it better this way,” growled Nedes’ gardener.

Not fazed by his attitude, Gardener continued his inquiry, “What is that murky gray covering across everything?”

“That’s my special anti-fertilizer formula – I call it ‘fear’. The more I put on, the less growth above I’ll see. Moreover, it fades all those ridiculous colors I see in your fields and gardens. Everything is the same here in Nede – I like it that way. And here’s another great thing about my fear formula – I never run out of different ways to create it.”

The sorrow in Gardener’s face was becoming more apparent. He crouched down again to take a handful of soil and then asked, “What is in this?”

“That’s the best of all – I call it ‘condemnation’. If anything wants to even have a hint of trying to grow, it’s going to get caught up, strangled, and ultimately its desire cut off when trying to grow in condemnation.” At this moment, Nede’s gardener was full of pride as he looked over what he had done to all that was living in Nede. He then glared at Gardener and challenged him, “Bet you don’t know what the secret is to my condemnation soil?”

“Gardener stood up straight, stared straight into the eyes of Nede’s gardener and replied, “I already know the ingredient – it is ‘judgment’. Judgment leads to condemnation. You will find no judgment in the soil of My fields and gardens.”

Furious because of the Gardener’s knowing his ‘secret’ soil formula, snorted, “So what’s in your soil that makes everything grow in your fields and gardens?”

“Grace” Gardener said with a big smile.

“What in the world is that?”

“You’ll never know. And here’s the great thing about my soil of grace – there’s a never-ending supply of it because it comes from Me.” Gardener reached into His bag labeled ‘forgiveness’ and pulled out a handful of grace-filled soil and threw it on the ground of Nede. Suddenly, that soil started taking over the soil of judgment and spread out wide and spread down deep into Nede.

Nede’s gardener howled, “No!!!! What have you done? You grace is uprooting all my roots of bitterness, unforgiveness, and anger. It’s washing away the fear on everything! And my soil of condemnation and judgment – it’s all gone!!!! You’ve ruined another one of my gardens!!”

“I would say I rescued it with My grace. You need to leave – now.” Gardener said in authority.

Nede’s gardener had no choice but to leave. He packed up samples of his roots, anti-fertilizer, and soil and stormed off screeching – no doubt looking for another field to infect.

With Gardener’s grace-filled soil now fully taking over Nede – everything that was backwards was now getting remade into what it was designed to be. All that seemed dead or barely alive was bursting forth with beauty and new life. There was growth, and all was developing in the Light.

Gardner, again pleased, finally looked at the sign ‘Nede’ that was hung at the front of the field. “Things were truly backwards here, let’s see what this looks like if I reverse the spelling of My now grace-filled garden.”

“Eden”. 

 

Uncle relaxed on the sofa with his mug of coffee reflecting on another Christmas morning at his sister’s home. All the gifts under the tree were opened, the lights on the tree were off, and old versions of Christmas carols were softly playing in the background. He closed his eyes, sighed, and slowly settled into a rare feeling of peace.

He has spent the last four Christmas holidays with his sister’s family. His wife had been killed in a car accident, and his sister insisted that he not spend Christmas alone. As much as he thought he wanted to be by himself, in his soul he appreciated the fact that she would not relent until he agreed to join her and her family. He was just beginning to allow himself to return to the belief that there was something about Christmas that brought the feeling of togetherness in the family – even if it wasn’t his.

All of the excitement leading up to opening the gifts was over. What was concealing the gifts was now torn to bits and strewn across the living room floor. His sister’s three children were still in their pajamas playing with their new toys. Those things they “had to have” were now theirs, but they were already eye-balling the others’ gifts with twinges of “I want that” in their minds.

His sister plopped down next to him with a smile on her face, gave him a hug, and said, “I’m so glad you’re here.” Uncle nodded but silently wished his wife was alive and was with her instead. His sister watched the children and playing and said, “You know, I spent I don’t know how many hours listening to the kids for what they wanted for Christmas, more hours in stores searching for them, and too many hours wrapping them. Now, look at this place! It’s all over, and they seem like they’re already bored with them!!”

“Well, at least you gave some consideration to what they wanted,” Uncle sniffed. “Don’t you remember Christmas with Mom and Dad? They never cared what we wanted. What they gave us was only what they wanted to give – not what we wanted.

“Yeah, I remember,” replied his sister. “I wanted this new Barbie doll so badly. I dropped more hints on Mom and Dad than popcorn at a movie theater. When Christmas morning finally, came, I remember feeling like I was going to come out of my skin hoping for that doll. Dad hands me a box that was just the right size for the doll. I ripped open the paper only to find a box full of socks and underwear!!!” The sister and uncle both laughed out loud as only they could truly appreciate the “thoughtfulness” of their parents.

“Still, to this day, I look forward to opening gifts – especially at Christmas,” the sister sighed. “There’s always been something about Christmas morning that has always made it easier for me to wake up. I still feel like a child hoping that someone has thought enough about me to give me something I need.”

“I used to feel like that, too,” replied Uncle. “But after the car accident, I pretty much lost the feelings I used to feel at Christmas. For awhile, everything that I thought was true and real was gone. Christmas was more painful because of what it used to be but no longer is.”

“Even though the painful memories are still there, I really do appreciate you making me join your family. I know I may not seem like I’m enjoying myself sometimes, but you’ve reminded me that Christmas can be a time for easing the pain. You know I’m not good at stuff like this, but thank …” “Uncle, Uncle!! Look at how cool my toys are!” shouted the youngest of the children. Once the other two saw the youngest vying for Uncle’s attention, they ran up to him to have him check out their new stuff.

The whole family was back in the living room. Suddenly, the lights on the tree came on. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared. Uncle has always believed there is an unexplained attraction to the light that comes from the tree – a kind of royalty to it. It seems to draw people to gather around it – regardless if they’re related or even know each other.

With the light coming from the tree, one of the children noticed there was a gift on the tree. “I don’t remember seeing a gift on the tree,” said one of the children. “How did it get there?” Uncle asked.

“I put it there,” Father said.

“Why hasn’t anyone opened it yet?” asked Sister. “The thought of an unopened gift doesn’t make any sense.”

“No it doesn’t.” Father said. “It actually is kind of sad – don’t you think?”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Who’s it for?” asked one of the children.

“Nobody’s name is on the gift tag.” Father said. “This gift is for everyone.”

One Spring day a boy named Simon was flying his kite at the park. Simon was a fisherman’s son, and his father had taught him well about the importance of doing a hard day’s work and earning your way. Even though Simon was a boy, his father had already began teaching him about fishing, and Simon loved the times he would spend with his dad on the boat learning about his trade and hearing all the “fish” stories. He loved it even more when his dad would give him a little bit of money for helping his dad on the boat.

Simon had been gradually saving up the money his dad had given him because he had seen a kite in the window at the local store that he truly valued. It was royal purple, and it had the word ‘Reputation’ inscribed in large gold letters on it. Simon so desired owning that kite, that he found himself working more and more with his dad to earn enough to pay for the kite. He finely had worked hard enough that he was now the proud owner of Reputation.

Simon loved to fly his kite – he liked to show off his Reputation. All the kids admired his kite because it seemed to fly higher than any of the other kites. Seemingly out of nowhere, a boy named Lu came up to Simon while he was flying his Reputation. Simon knew Lu – he was known as kind of a fun guy at first, but it always seemed that those who hung around him after awhile always ended up getting in trouble.

“Cool kite, Simon”, Lu commented.

“Thanks”, Simon replied.

“What’s it say on the kite?” Lu asked.

“Reputation”, Simon responded.

Lu inquired further, “How did you get the kite?”

Simon told him how hard he had worked for his dad to earn the money to pay for it.

“Must have taken a long time to get your Reputation” Lu stated with a smirk on his face. “You know, Simon, flying a kite in the open area is really cool, but a more fun game is to see how closely you can fly it to the trees without it getting stuck. That’s the sign of someone who is really good at flying kites.”

Simon thought about this for a moment. He was enjoying flying Reputation, but maybe if he followed Lu’s advice, he could get even more enjoyment and recognition by flying it close to the trees.

Lu sensed Simon was listening to him and further pressed in, “See that tall tree with all the branches? See how close you can fly Reputation near the tree without it getting tangled up in the branches.”

Simon recognized the tree – it was unlike any of the other trees. It was known as Trespass. It was called this because every kid that tried to climb it or play on it would ultimately get hurt – some even died. Simon said to Lu, “That’s the Trespass tree – that’s a dangerous tree – I don’t want to get my Reputation stuck in the Trespass tree.”

Lu, knowing full well what the reputation of the tree was said to Simon, “Come on, it’s not like you’re going to climb the tree. You’re just going to try to get your Reputation as close to it without it getting caught in Trespass’ branches. What’s the matter, you afraid?”

Simon didn’t like being accused of being afraid. He let his emotions get to him, and he began to steer his Reputation towards the tree known as Trespass. He initially started slowly, but as he gained more confidence in his ability to control his Reputation, he more aggressively guided the kite closer and closer to the tree. Lu, with a growing smile on his face, kept softly encouraging Simon to keep going – he was really impressing all the kids with what he could do with his Reputation.

Suddenly, a big wind kicked up and blew Simon’s Reputation into the tree known as Trespass – it was stuck. Simon tried to free up his Reputation, but he couldn’t it. Lu started laughing at Simon and said to him, “See what happens when you fly your kite to close to a tree?”

Simon was devastated – he fell into Lu’s trap, and his Reputation was now gone. All of that hard work he had put in to earn it was now lost because he allowed himself to be tempted by a guy he knew got other kids in trouble. He longingly looked up at his Reputation thinking it was gone for good.

Another boy came along side Simon, looked at him, and said, “I’m really sorry about your kite, Simon.”

“Who are you? How did you know my name? What’s your name?”

“My name is Joshua, and I’ve known about your Reputation for some time. You see, my dad is a carpenter, and he works at the store across the street from the park. I really enjoyed watching you fly your kite – I know how much you loved it.”

Simon didn’t know Joshua, but Lu did. Lu looked at Joshua and then said to Simon, “I have to go. Too bad about your Reputation!” Simon suddenly realized Lu’s interest in him was only to cause him to lose his Reputation.

Joshua said, “I can get back your Reputation.”

Simon looked at him and said, “I don’t even know you. Do you know about that tree?”

“I’m very familiar with that tree, but I’m not afraid of it.” Joshua calmly replied.

“I can’t ask you to retrieve my Reputation, Joshua.” Simon said even though in his heart he wanted him to do just that.

“I like to get back things that people have lost, Simon. It’s my specialty.” said, Joshua.

Simon looked at Joshua desperately and asked, “You would do that for me?”

“Absolutely”, Joshua stated firmly and without hesitation.

Joshua headed over to the tree, but before he began climbing it, he kneeled down and prayed. Simon saw this and had never seen someone pray before going onto the tree of Trespass. After finishing his prayer, Joshua started climbing the tree. Simon watched him from a distance and other kids began to watch from even farther away. As Joshua climbed further up the tree, the sky began to turn grey and the sunshine faded behind the building clouds.

Joshua was straining with all he could to reach the place of Simon’s tangled Reputation and retrieve it. At the point of getting the kite loosened and in his hands, Joshua fell out of the tree and landed hard on the ground. Simon rushed over to see if he was ok, and he was startled to find that even though Joshua was not awake, he still had Simon’s Reputation in his hand. Even though it had been stuck in the branches of the tree known as Trespass, Simon’s Reputation was no longer damaged.

Although Simon was elated, he got his Reputation back, he was heartbroken that his new-found friend was terribly hurt – or even dead. Simon found himself quickly caring less and less about his Reputation but caring more and more about Joshua.

Joshua’s eyes slowly opened, and he got up and brushed off the effects of his time in the tree of Trespass. The clouds cleared up and the sunshine returned. Simon, standing there holding his kite in shock over Joshua being alive, threw down his Reputation and hugged Joshua. “Thank you, thank you, Joshua. I can’t believe you would sacrifice your life for my Reputation.” Simon cried out.

“It’s what I like to do, Simon.” Joshua gently replied. “Now, why don’t you come with me? I’d like you to be my friend.”

“That’s a deal!” Simon joyfully replied. And Simon would follow Joshua wherever he would go.