Sammy The Squirrel

On September 24, 2020September 24, 2020 By roberthansen1317In friends, Short story6 Comments

Image result for squirrel in city

Sammy wasn’t like the other squirrels. While they were busy gathering nuts and seeds for the winter, Sammy would be exploring. Sammy liked traveling around the city and getting life experiences.

Sammy didn’t save for the future. Sammy lived in the here and now. Sammy thought all the other squirrels were missing out on life. Sammy didn’t understand why they worked all day storing nuts and seeds.

(I know what you are thinking. That you don’t have to read any further because Sammy is going to die because he isn’t prepared for winter. However that is an old story and this is a story for a new generation.)

Sammy traveled throughout the city and learned to not be afraid of people. Many people, especially the little ones, thought Sammy was cute and they fed him their food. Sammy ate french fries and potato chips. Sammy ate pizza and hamburgers. Sammy ate chicken fingers and tacos. Sammy loved human food.

It wasn’t long before Sammy was packing on the pounds. It wasn’t long before Sammy couldn’t travel as far as he once did. Sammy missed parts of the city but he was just too tired to go very far.

Winter was getting close and all the other squirrels were finishing storing all the food they had worked all fall to get. Sammy watched them from a distance. Sammy was miserable. All the human fast food was making him sick but he was so addicted to it. Sammy couldn’t stop eating it. The more he ate it, the more he didn’t feel like doing anything at all.

Some of Sammy’s friends finally stepped in and said he had to change his ways or he would not make it through the winter. Sammy asked them how. They said Sammy, you just have to start. Put one foot in front of the other. Then tomorrow you take a few more steps than today. Walk away from the bad choices of yesterday and walk into the better choices of tomorrow. You can do it Sammy and we will help you.

Sammy and his friends started walking each day. They shared their good food with him and Sammy made better choices. Sammy started to lose the weight and Sammy started to explore the city again. Sammy said no to the human food he was offered and Sammy started storing his own food for winter. Sammy’s friends even let him borrow some of their food and he made it through the winter.

Sammy lived a long and fruitful life. Sammy didn’t let his bad choices of yesterday rob him of his future. Sammy appreciated his friends and Sammy continued to make good choices. Most of all Sammy appreciated his friends and his life.

Image result for proverbs 11 25 Image result for philippians 2 4

Brother by NeedToBreathe –

Here’s Hope by Owl City –

Pull You Through by Maggie Rose-

Most People Are Good by Luke Bryan –

Lean On Me by Kirk Franklin –

Who I’m Meant To Be by Anthem Lights –

Let It Start With Me by No Other Name –

People Helping People by Birdy –

Sammy The Squirrel

On November 16, 2017November 16, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, friends, Short storyLeave a comment

Image result for squirrel in city

Sammy wasn’t like the other squirrels. While they were busy gathering nuts and seeds for the winter, Sammy would be exploring. Sammy liked traveling around the city and getting life experiences.

Image result for proverbs 11 25 Image result for philippians 2 4

Brother by NeedToBreathe –

Here’s Hope by Owl City –

Pull You Through by Maggie Rose-

Most People Are Good by Luke Bryan –

Lean On Me by Kirk Franklin –

Who I’m Meant To Be by Anthem Lights –

Let It Start With Me by No Other Name –

People Helping People by Birdy –

I Didn’t Like You

On July 14, 2015July 15, 2015 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, friends, love1 Comment

Dear friend,

I am writing this today to be honest with you. I hope you know you are near and dear to my heart now but when I first met you I didn’t like you. When I first saw you I didn’t like the way you looked. I turned away from you and didn’t give you a chance. The second time I saw you you were with a group of people I knew so I came over to talk to everyone. I didn’t like the sound of your voice or how you laughed- at everything. The third time I saw you were just sitting there staring out into space. I was like what’s up with this guy but for some reason I was compelled to sit beside you. We didn’t even say a word. Funny when you look back on it since I can’t stop talking to you now. The fourth time I saw you I actually introduced myself. I remember it felt kind of awkward since we have been together before but I didn’t even know your name yet. I don’t know why but it came as a surpise to me that my favorite NFL team was also yours. Not many Dallas Cowboy fans in Ohio. I almost quit talking to you when you told me you were from Michigan and liked that team up north.

I remember I didn’t see you for a few months after that. I asked around but it seemed like no one knew where you went. You just disappeared. When you came back you weren’t the same. I could tell something was going on but I am not one to pry. As you know I am an introvert and I don’t reach out easily. We didn’t really have any conversations for awhile. Just the occasional hi, how are you, see ya later, keep in touch. Every time I thought to get more involved and invest some time in you, fear kept me from opening up. I could see you were hurting but I didn’t know what to say. I am so sorry I let you go through that alone.

I then met a girl and she was a Christian. I didn’t know much about God or praying and the have not but she invited me to go to her church. I was reluctant at first but I really liked her. I finally gave in and went. That first time was a little awkward but I could feel something. It was like someone was pulling me. The second time I went I opened the Bible and the page it opened to was in the book of Job.

It was like God was talking to me about you. Then I flipped through the pages and stopped. It stopped on Ecclesiastes 4.

Even a doubter like me was starting to think something was going on here. I said ok God, third time is a charm. I shut the Bible then opened it up and you would not believe where I opened it up to. 1 John 3:17.

Just for kicks I said one more time and I opened the Bible to 1 Thessalonians

God was giving me a message.

I asked this girl about prayer. She told me she prays all the time. Prays for me, her family, strangers, friends, her dog, her old rickety car to last one more day, etc.. I was thinking if she can pray for all those things all the time it can’t be that hard. My first prayer was “Dear God” and that was it. I couldn’t think of anything else to say. What kind of person am I? She told me not to give up, God knows what I need before I do. He knows what I will say before I do. I laughed, so what’s the point of asking for something He already knows I need. I think I offended her but she was patient with me. I was really falling in love with her. I kept trying and I got past the “Dear God” part and I prayed for you. I prayed that whatever you are going through that you will be okay. I asked her if it was selfish to pray for myself and she smiled and said heck no, I pray for myself all the time. I then prayed for me. I prayed that God would give me the courage and the words to say to you to help you.

As you know it’s been ten years since I reached out to you. You know I married that girl and that we have four girls now. I am so sorry I waited so long to talk to you. I know I wasted a lot of time that I can never get back. I know that I missed hours and days of laughter and tears with you, even though I still didn’t like the way you laughed. I know you are a loving, special, awesome person who changed me for the better. You made me a better person. You taught me a lot about God, hope, faith, family. You are like a brother to me.

I miss you. I can’t believe I let you go through that alone. All because I was afraid. I can’t believe today is the 9th anniversary of your death. I can’t believe you have been with God for 9 years now. I can’t believe I only had one year to truly get to know you. Even when you were at your weakest you were the strongest person I have ever met. Thank you for being my friend.

Hard to believe I didn’t like you at first.

P.S. Until I see you again I will talk to you all the time. Don’t laugh. You know I don’t like your laugh. Okay, your laugh isn’t all that bad. Thinking of you all the time my dear friend. I love you.

Your friend,

Rob

I don’t know where this letter came from. My original intent was to write about songs I didn’t like at first. Then I started to type and God put the words in my head. I don’t even know what songs to put on here now. I do have lyrics to a song I am trying to get out there on this topic.

I’ve decided no music today. You’ve had a lot over last few days anyway. Today we will just reflect. How many times have you not liked someone because of the way they looked, the clothes they wore, the food they ate, the color of their skin, their disability, the way they talked or laughed? How many times have you not liked someone because they weren’t like you? The list to not like someone is long but the list to like someone is short.

Jesus hung out with tax collectors, lepers, adulterers, women, sinners – just like you and me. What if Jesus said I can’t be your friend because….?

I Have A Friend

On July 6, 2015July 28, 2015 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, friends, Jesus, music, stand up for Jesus5 Comments

If you recall I mentioned in an earlier post that I don’t have any friends, none that I would call close anyway. It is all my fault, I am to blame, I take full responsibility. I never took the time to invest in anyone else. I was okay with just being by myself. I have since figured out that this isn’t the way God wants me to live. I can’t grow as a person or in my faith without the help of others.

It is easier to burn bridges than it is to rebuild them. Why would anyone trust me now? They got close to me once and look where it led them. I can’t blame them. One thing I do know about is forgiveness. Maybe one day they will forgive me.

Now let me tell you about my friend. He loves me when I don’t love him. He accepts me for who I am. He is there to encourage me when I am discouraged. He is there to carry me when I am worn out. He looks at me with compassion when I yell at him. He always has my back, even when I stab him in his. He forgives me, even when I don’t forgive myself. He picks me up when I fall down. He waits for me when I forget the plans we had together.

He serves me and teaches me how to serve others. He prays for me and has taught me how to pray. He is patient with me and has taught me how to be patient with others. He was tempted and has taught me how to have self-control and not to give into temptation -but when I do, he forgives me. He is humble and has taught me to be humble- and when I forget and think highly of myself he is quick to remind me why I have my talents and gifts.

He is always there for me. I can call on him at six in the morning or six in the evening. He answers my call at two in the morning or two in the afternoon. Sometimes his greatest answer is no. He is generous with his time and has taught me to be generous with mine – even though I am a work in progress on learning how to be more generous with mine. He has held my hand when no one else would.

Even with all those things, what he does most is what I think a true friend does. He tells me the truth. He tells me how it is even when he knows I won’t agree with what he says. He tells me that’s a bad decision then watches me make it. He tells me I will suffer the consequences if I do it, then watches me suffer the consequences. He never once tells me I told you so. He is always there to pull me closer when I push him away. He is committed to our relationship even when I am not so committed to him.

Would you like to have a friend like that? My friend told me to share him with you so now you have a friend like I do. His name is Jesus. Will you accept his friendship.

Oh, one last thing. My friend said he would die for me and he did.

Friend Like That by Hawk Nelson –