The Pebble and the Majestic Water Fall part 3

Finally, one day the pebble saw it.  It was a most glorious sight.  It was a grand and glorious palace.  A palace fit for one of great majesty and power.  A dwelling place for a Great King!  There was only one problem.  The palace wasn't complete.

The pebble wondered about this.  How could a palace so grand as this be started and not completed?  The pebble decided to ask the Great Water Fall about this.

"Oh Great Water Fall, who is this beautiful Palace for?"

"It is my Palace."

This disheartened the pebble very much, since the palace was not complete.

"Do not be downcast my little  pebble.  You will help me complete my palace.  Remember I promised you that you would do something beautiful for me.?"

Of course, the pebble thought that was an impossible task, but this was the Great Water Fall speaking. It was this same Water Fall that had taken a rough, ugly, seemingly useless pebble and made it into a sight to behold.  Actually, the pebble didn't really know how beautiful it had become.

While the pebble was giving itsself a headache trying to figure out how it could help complete the castle, one of the Great Water Fall's servants picked it up.

"This is just what we need over  here."  And with one quick and fluid movement, the  pebble was  placed along side of other brilliantly shimmering  jewels in the palace itself.

"Oh, no!"  The pebble thought.  "I cannot be here.  I am too ugly.  This palace is for the Majestic Water Fall.  He should only have the best."

His servant replied, "That is why you've been chosen.  You are among the  pure, radiant stones that have been made beautiful by the Great Water Fall Himself.   He prepared you to be a living stone in His dwelling place.  And because the Great Water Fall has crafted you Himself, you are a sight to behold, like these other living stones."

The pebble was confused and speechless--again.  But then the pebble remembered the Great Water Fall's promise.

"I will make you a beautiful gift--a worthy offering that I may enjoy forever."

So the little pebble pondered this.  It thought about all that it had endured, even remembering the day it discovered that it was beautiful.  It looked all around itself at the other stones--jewels actually.  Each one was glistening in the sun.  Each one was a small part of the Great Water Fall's Marvelous palace.  As the pebble, absorbed all of these sights, it began to wonder.  Could I too be like these other jewels?  Just as this thought had entered its mind, one of the Water Falls's servants approached it with a mirror. And it saw itself.  Actually it did not recognize itself for it had never seen anything so uniquely brilliant.  It was as if it saw a glimpse of the Great Water Fall itself.  The pebble gasped.

This was far better than it could have ever imagined.  Oh, what joy filled the little pebble!  Oh, how proud it was to have a gift to give the Great Water Fall.  Oh, how elated it was to do something beautiful for the One it loved!

It was about that time that something extra wonderful happened.  The pebble began to hear every melodious harmony of what sounded like thousands of birds.  It could see little water creatures gleefully dancing through the water towards the Palace.  It could hear the echo throughout the Palace, "The King is arriving!  The King is coming!"

The winds began to swirl all around the palace, with joyous laughter, "He's here! He's here!  Behold the King!"

Then all at once, the water surged into that palace like a Great Tidal wave,  terribly frightening but simultaneously more beautiful and glorious than anything the pebble had beheld.  It was the Majestic Water Fall, but somehow the Water Fall was different.  I mean... the pebble recognized the Water Fall, but it was as if it was seeing the Water Fall clearly for the first time.  The little pebble, now a radiant jewel, never knew that it had only seen a faint reflection of the Majestic Water Fall before.  Now it saw the Water Fall face to face in the FULLNESS  of its glory!

This is where words fall miserably short, for there are no words to describe what the  pebble saw.  It was as if all that was good, glorious, brilliant, radiant, pure and marvelous had come to rest in one place, only with an intensity that was actually unbearable, yet at the same time completely satisfying.  The pebble felt complete, whole, and in a perfect sate of contentment.  It was as if it had waited for this moment its entire life.  In fact, it had waited for this moment its entire life, yet it did not know it was waiting for this moment..

One more part left:  The conclusion of the story coming soon!

The Little Pebble and the Majestic Water Fall Part 2

Suddenly, a mighty wave lunged from the river, towards the little pebble.  The first instinct of the pebble was to cringe with fear at this great wave, but then it remembered that the Water Fall loved it.  So it took a deep breath and let the wave take it into the river.  The pebble found the wave was surprisingly gentle.

That little pebble was filled with so many emotions.  Fear, exhilaration, surprise... These experiences were all so new and unknown to the pebble that it really had no idea what to expect next.  It didn't know what to do, and every time fear seized it and threatened to take it under, the little waves would tickle its cracks and crevices whispering, "Cooperate with me.  Do not fight me.  I will make you into something beautiful."  And so the pebble would finally relax, letting the currents take it to all sorts of strange places.  As it did, it enjoyed a myriad of delights.

Now I must not mislead you into thinking that all of the pebbles experiences were delightful.  Oh no!  There were many difficulties along the way.  A few times the pebble was way-laid by little islands in the river, leaving it feeling impatient and disappointed at its lack of progress.  Other times forceful rapids threw the pebble here and there, bruising and beating the little pebble senseless.  It was during those times that the pebble thought it would never survive this adventure in the river.  There was even a time when an evil bird tried to snatch that pebble right out of the river, but the Great Water Fall rescued it with its mighty waves, sending the bird away disgusted for not being able to pick up such a seemingly easy little prize. 

I guess now seems like a good time to tell you that this pebble was changing.  All of the plights that the pebble endured during the  journey were changing the pebble.  It's rugged edges were becoming smooth.  It's dirt, of course, was washed away and it was being reshaped.  It even gleamed in the sun, which was why the bird tried to snatch it from the river.

The pebble also experienced lazy, restful days when the water danced around it playfully.  The pebble loved days like this.  It enjoyed the view around it and even took time to look at the water creatures, marveling in their beauty.  It was on one of these days that the pebble discovered its change.  As the little riplets of water danced around it, they began to sing.

"Look into the water little pebble.  See your reflection."

That seemed like a puzzling request, yet the pebble did as it was told.  Lo and behold!  What a surprising view met it! It did not recognize itsself.  It was beautiful!  The Great Water Fall had done what it had promised.  It had made it into something beautiful.  Yes, now it was becoming a worthy offering for the Water Fall.

There was still much more the pebble had to endure, for the Great WaterFall had not finished with the pebble, but now that the pebble had seen the Water Fall's work, it gladly submitted itsself to the Water Fall's power.  (Most of the time)  The Water Fall could be trusted.  It loved the little pebble more than even the pebble realized.

Stay tuned for more.  Please read the story to your kids, or grand kids.  I'd love to get feedback.  Does the story make sense?  Is anything confusing?   What do you or your children enjoy about the story? 

The Little Pebble and the Majestic Waterfall part 1

This is the first of several posts of a story I've written, inspired by the Holy Spirit, tentatively called The Little Pebble and the Majestic Waterfall.  This may end up being my next book.  Stay tuned.

There was once a little pebble, simple and ordinary and rough around the edges.  It was a tiny pebble and actually quite ugly.  This pebble lived beside a Great Majestic Waterfall.  Oh what a beautiful, and magnificient waterfall it was.  That waterfall thundered day and night singing its glorious song.  Oh, how the pebble marveled in hearing that sublime melody.  Oh how that pebble loved that glorious Water Fall.  So one day that little pebble decided it wanted to do something beautiful for the waterfall to show its love and devotion.  But what could it do?It could not sing and if it could, its tiny voice would never be heard over the thunderous voice of the Mighty WaterFall.  This little pebble thought and thought and thought until it hurt all over.  It couldn't come up with even  idea on how it could  show its love and devotion to the waterfall.  So it began to weep pitifully.  Suddenly through its sobbing cries it heard the Mighty Waterfall ask a question as it sang.

"Why are you crying?"

The pebble stopped immediately.  Was the WaterFall talking to it--the little pebble?  Couldn't be.  So the pebble didn't reply.  Again the Water Fall replied,

"Why are you crying?"

The pebble froze.  Its heart began to race.  It looked left, and then right.  The waterfall had spoken to--it.  "What do I do now?" the pebble thought.  A wise and noble bird sitting in a nearby tree responded, "Answer Him.  Answer to Great Water Fall, little pebble."

So it did.

"Oh, Great Water Fall, I am crying because I have nothing to give you.  I want to show  you my love and devotion, but what can I give one so great as you?"  The Great Water Fall laughed  thunderously with such joy and glee that it actually frightened and shamed the little pebble.   "I knew it," thought the pebble to itsself.  I was foolish to think I could ever give the Great Water Fall anything worthy of Him.

"Nonsense!" the Water Fall bellowed.  The pebble was startled.  "I have been deeply desiring a gift from you little pebble.  You have something beautiful to give."

"Me?"  said the Pebble completely puzzled.  "What do I have?"

"I want you little pebble.  You are my prized possession."

The pebble was speechless.  After thinking to ittself, for what seemed like hours (but it was actually only a few minutes), the little pebble replied.  "So.... you want me?" the pebbled asked timidly.

"Yes."

"You want me?" the pebble asked again, this time feeling a bit more confident.

"Absolutely!"

"You want me!"  the pebble shouted with joy and gladness of heart.  He had something to give the Great Water Fall.  Oh how the little pebble beamed with happiness.  The Great Water Fall had seen it and even desired it.

Then unexpectedly the Great Water Fall quieted down to a faint whisper.  "Little Pebble, would you give yourself to me, for you are a gift I greatly desire?"  I love you, little pebble and I want to do great and wonderful things with you--things which you could never imagine."

In that moment of quietness, the pebble deeply connected with the Water Fall in a new way.  It had experienced the love of the Water Fall.  It had not known that it could be loved.  It was only a pebble.  It have never known love.  It had seen what it thought was love, but it had never experienced it--until now.  Well, I really cannot fully explain how the pebble felt at that moment, but I will try.   That pebble felt, whole, brand new and more alive.  Yes, that pebble felt--ALIVE!

"Oh, yes, Great Water Fall!  I want to give myself to you!"

"Jump in the river" whispered the Water Fall.

Well, you've never seen a pebble more determined to get to the river.  That pebble had really never moved very much.  I mean...it moved a bit here and there, but it was usually because the wind had blown it or some creature had dislodged it from its position.  That poor pebble tried with all of its might to move itself to the river, which was only  a few feet away.  It struggled and strained, and managed to barely move.  It persisted, trying and trying and trying until it was utterly exhausted.   The little pebble began to slip into utter despair.  It felt completely helpless and hopeless.

"Little pebble," said the Water Fall tenderly, "will you give yourself completely to  me..."

The pebbled interrupted, "I've already tried, and I can't!"  Oh what sorrow the pebble felt.   To be so close to experiencing life's greatest joy, only to have it snatched from its grasp was more than the pebble could bear.

"Little pebble, I wasn't finished.  If you will cease striving, I will help you.  I, myself, will bring you to the water, and I will do something beautiful for you.  I will make you a beautiful gift--a worthy offering that I may enjoy forever."

"Ok,"  the pebble replied unassuredly.  " I don't understand what you ask of me, but I will give myself to you.  It is obvious that I cannot do this without help."

Suddenly, the Water Fall rumbled, laughing a deep hearty laugh with such joy that it tickled the pebble.

"Be still and watch what I will do!"

Enjoying a Feast in the Midst of life's Difficulties

The journey to the higher places (the  place where we enjoy greater intimacy with the Father) often leads us face-to-face with our greatest fears.  As we experience His protection in these difficult places we learn, that our shepherd doesn't need to remove our enemies (or problems)  in order for us to be secure.  We can enjoy  perfect peace, security and abundance because the Good Shepherd is near.  We can enjoy the feast prepared for us by our Great God, while our enemies look on with utter contempt.  What sweet victory that is!

I've witnessed this with my own eyes.  I've had the blessed opportunity to meet a new friend this past weekend--Linda Giebelhaus.  She's experienced several devastating blows in her life:  losing her wealth, colon cancer (and overcoming it) and now terminal cancer.  According to the doctor, she has about 30 days to live, but you'd never know it if you're around her.  You'd think they've given her 30 years!  She is enjoying the magnificent feast that the Good Shepherd has prepared before her, relishing every choice morsel of her life.  She speaks of the love of the Shepherd and how He daily satisfies her and provides abundantly for her needs.  She is such a delight to be around!  I just love her!  She is one who dances before the Lord.  She truly LOVES the Shepherd.

Please join me in praying that our Heavenly Father would completely heal her and give her many more years to proclaim His goodness here on earth.  If you'd like to follow her journey, see:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/Lindagiebelhaus

 
May each of us proclaim along with the Psalmist and  Linda:

PS 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.

  PS 46:2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

  PS 46:3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.
        Selah