Often, it seems we don't seemingly find understanding about; life and death, soulish and spiritual, temporary and eternal. They are all difficult to face. The following is a short poem of a conversation between leaves. The story comes from the novel Bambi, wtitten by Felix Salten. I find it very enlightening and hopefully you will as well.
The leaves were falling from the great oak at the meadow's edge. They were falling from all the trees.
One branch of the oak reached high above the others and stretched far out over the meadow. Two leaves clung to it's very tip. "It isn't the way it used to be." said one leaf to the other.
"No,"the other leaf answered. "So many of us have fallen off tonight we're almost the only ones left on the branch."
"You never know who's going to go next, "said the first leaf. "Even when it was warm and the sun shone, a storm or a cloudburst would come sometimes, and many leaves were torn off, though they were still very young. You never know who's going to go next."
"The sun hardly shines now," sighed the second leaf, "and when it does, it gives no warmth. We must have warmth again."
"Can it be true," said the first leaf, "can it really be true, that others come to take our places when we're gone and after them still others, and more and more?"
"It really is true," whispered the second leaf. "We can't even begin to imagine it, it's beyond our powers."
"It makes me very sad," added the first leaf. They were very silent a while. Then the first leaf said quietly to itself, "Why must we fall?"
The second leaf asked, "What happens to us when we have fallen?"
"We sink down......." "What is under us?" The first leaf answered, "I don't know. Some say one thing, some another, but nobody knows."
The second leaf asked, "Do we feel anything, do we know anything about ourselves when we're down there?"
The first leaf answered, "Who knows? Not one of all those down there has ever come back to tell us about it."
They were silent again. Then the first leaf said tenderly to the other, "Don't worry so much about it. You're trembling."
"That's nothing," the second leaf answered, I tremble at the least thing now. I don't feel so sure of my hold as I used to."
"Let's not talk any more about such things," said the first leaf.
The other replied, "No, we'll let it be. But-what else shall we talk about?"
It was silent, but went on after a little while, "Which of us will go first?" "There's still plenty of time to worry about that," the other leaf said reassuringly.
"Lets remember how beautiful it was, how wonderful, when the sun came out and shone so warmly that we thought we'd burst with life. Do you remember? And the morning dew and the mild and splendid nights.........?
"Now the nights are dreadful," the second leaf complained, "and there is no end to them."
"We shouldn't complain," said the first leaf gently. "We've outlived many, many others."
"Have I changed much?" asked the second leaf shyly.
"Not in the least," the first leaf said. "You think so only because I've gotten to be so yellow and ugly. But it's different in your case."
"You're fooling me," the second leaf said.
"No, really," the first leaf answered eagerly, "believe me, you're as lovely as the day you were born. Here and there may be a little yellow spot. But it's hardly noticeable and makes you only more beautiful, believe me."
"Thanks," whispered the second leaf, quite touched. I don't believe you, not altogether, but I thank you because you're so kind. You've always been so kind to me. I'm just beginning to understand how kind you are."
"Hush," said the other leaf, and kept silent itself, for it was too troubled to talk any more.
Then they were both silent. Hours passed. A moist wind blew, cold and hostile, through the treetops. "Ah, now," said the second leaf, "I...."
Then it's voice broke off. It was torn from it's place and spun down. Winter had come.
Passages from Bambi... by Felix Salten written in 1928
Many Christians find the law of Moses and Yeshua (Jesus) difficult to understand (reconcile). It really boils down to understanding the difference between "law enforcement" and "law fulfillment". He not only fulfilled the law but desires to continue fulfilling it through you.
As an example of what I'm hoping to communicate, by honoring the water in a cup, we bring honor to the cup. To the cup, this is dis-honor because it seeks glory for itself. Drinking a cup of water doesn't mean we drink ONLY from cups. No vessel should be worshiped, but when you want to drink water without refilling you'll drink from a river.
The Ebola virus is very serious stuff and should be given a lot of attention. My real question is why we don't we use the antidote to fear? We have it, or at least we talk about it enough...
If you're wounded from the battles of life, we think you may be closer to harvest, than you might otherwise believe. The love of God is best revealed by our diversity, rather than our uniformity. It's in unconditional acceptance we find Light. Uniformity judges based on things seen rather than the heart. If you've been rejected (or at least perceive it that way) we want you. If you're a Christian Church who has a few people that just don't fit in, send them to Restoration House Ministries; we want them. We'll take your rejects and your misfits; we'll take your square pegs that don't seem to fit in your round holes. Come as you are but don't be offended if we're just as open as we've invited you to be.