Short Stories

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"Lord, I've got to know!"

She winced. Her tone was more shrill than she'd planned, but she couldn't help it. Her heart was heavy.

"Did I miss it? Was there something else You planned for me to do with my life?"

He answered out of the blackness of night, as always. "Robin, what's troubling you? Why all these questions?"

"I... It's just that..." Now that she had His attention, she found it hard to control her fluttering heart.

Deep breaths. Better now. "Lord, ever since I lost my mate, I've been wondering if there's anything more for me."

"Really? How so?" Patient, kind, tender.

"Well, when we came together, I thought I'd found my purpose in life--being a good wife. We made a nice little home for ourselves, and even learned how to pick up the pieces after storms. Life was good for us.

"Life got even better when the little ones came along, and things were very busy around here. It seemed that all of his attention went into providing for us, you know 'many mouths to feed.' Eventually, thank goodness, it got easier for him, and we even used some of the income to 'feather our nest' a bit.

"As the years went by, when their time came, they all flew away and left our home. Our nest was empty, and it was just us again.

"And what a rocky transition that was! Sometimes it seemed that all I ever did was peck at him about this or that, and I felt bad about it!

"Now that he's gone, I'd give anything to take back each of those bird-brained comments! I can only hope they were forgotten by the time he passed away.

"So, Lord, did I miss something? Did You have some other plan for me, but it flew right by me because I got too caught up in everyday busyness?

"My dear Robin. What other plan might I have had? What are you thinking of?" It was just like Him to listen patiently, and let her chirp away, then get right to the point.

She was unsure what she was thinking of, to be honest. Her world was so small, and sometimes she wished she could just fly above it all.

With a quick tilt of the head, just to see if He was still listening, she timidly proceeded.

"Well, Lord, I've heard that some of us are an inspiration to the world! I'm thinking of the bald guy, You know who I mean..."

God began an answer, but she just twittered on.

"And those other ones, who are so beautiful, with all their fancy colors and strutting about. I don't see how I could compete with them, but maybe if You stepped in and changed me a little..."

His smile warmed her heart, and she braved one more guess as to why she had been created.

"Others are speakers, delighting their audiences, but I don't know..." She lowered her voice and continued in a hushed rush, "...But sometimes it seems like they are just repeating what they've heard! Why would anyone--"

The Lord cut in on the chatter. "Robin, what do you do first thing in the morning, every morning? From the moment you awaken?"

"The very first thing?" Her head bobbed in a neat square as she thought, thought hard. "I sing. I sing a song to You."

"Yes. And why do you do that?"

"Why? I can't help myself! It just bursts out of me, and I find that I MUST sing praise to You."

"Yes, Pet. Have you ever thought about how sweetly you sing?"

Robin blushed a deeper red than her usual hue. "Why, thank you, Lord. I hadn't thought about it, but I HAD noticed how some others also try to sing to you. In some cases, that noise really ruffles my feathers!"

"You can't stop yourself from doing it, and you do it very well. What does that show you?"

More thinking, neck muscles straining. "Tell me."

"Robin, your purpose is the same as that of everyone else: to glorify Me. You do it in song, and so masterfully. I've enjoyed your singing, and the spirit I hear through it, every single day. Did you know that?"

Dawn prevailed over darkness all around her, and her heart grew wings and soared.

Her song, even more lovely than usual, made all heaven pause and listen, as another one of His creations fulfilled her purpose.

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