Christian Child Story
Wise Mr. Henderson
© 2005 Child Stories Bank. All rights reserved.
"Ok, today's the day." The foreman of the demolition crew said to his crew. He had been destroying old buildings so new ones could be built for years, so he knew exactly what to do. The Mayo hotel had been standing for over a century but it was too run down to be saved so a group of local builders decided to have it torn down to put up a new children’s hospital.
Wendy and Donald were the luckiest chipmunks in all the world. They loved the old Mayo hotel and they considered themselves to be the most clever chipmunks ever for having discovered it. They made it their home. They played happily all the day long running from room to room and jumping on the abandoned furniture.
"Wendy, something is wrong." Donald said waking his sleepy eyed sister up one Thursday. "All of the furniture is gone from the bottom three floors and I saw those big furless creatures carrying out more today."
"I am afraid of those big furless creatures." Wendy confessed. "You don’t think they are God like wise old Mr. Henderson has been teaching us about, do you Donald?" Wise Mr. Henderson was the wonderful old owl who lived on the very top floor of the old Mayo hotel. He seemed to know everything in the whole world that is possible to know and he taught the young chipmunks all about the world and about God and Jesus, so they always felt happy knowing about their creator.
"No, no, no, Wendy." Donald explained. "God is the wonderful spirit who created all the good little creatures of the world and loved the world so much he sent his son to die so it can be perfect again some day. No the furless creatures are something else."
Suddenly the tiny chipmunks were jolted by a very scary explosion. Wendy flew from her tiny chipmunk bed and landed on Donald. Their little legs started scampering as fast as they would go. Finally, out of breath, the two frightened chipmunks huddled in the corner of one of the upper floor rooms of their beloved hotel. "Oh Donald, is it the end of the world? Is Jesus coming back like wise Mr. Henderson taught us?"
"I don’t know if that’s it, Wendy." Donald said trying to be brave for his sister but feeling so much fear and confusion in his mind. They held paws and tried to calm down but their spirits were troubled and they could do nothing but worry. "I wish we could praise Jesus like wise Mr. Henderson taught us, but my heart is so afraid and sad, I just can’t."
Suddenly the wall opposite from where the tiny chipmunks were huddling began to shake. Before brother and sister could squeak and run up the plumbing, the wall fell forward with a tremendous CRASH sending dust and pieces of wall everywhere. A workman stepped through clearing the debris and completing the destruction of the wall.
"EEEK! FURLESS ANIMALS!" Wendy screamed and up the plumbing pipes she went with Donald right behind.
"Wendy!" Donald yelped. "Run to Wise Mr. Henderson."
Up, up, up they scampered, inside walls and tunnels for plumbing until they burst into the highest room in the old hotel, the ball room and there perched on his usual spot, the back of a magnificent chair that was like a royal throne, sat the quiet and peaceful figure of Mr. Henderson.
"Mr. Henderson," Wendy cried out as they got to him hugging his tiny feet. "We are so frightened."
"Where is your peace children?" the wise owl asked.
"Our world is being destroyed. How can we have peace?" complained Donald.
"Remember what I taught you from the wise book of God. The peace of God is bigger than your mind and emotions. It will keep your heart until you go to heaven to be with Him forever. Let's pray now children, so you can know God's peace." And each of them prayed to Jesus and one by one, a miraculous calm came to their very deepest places. "How do you feel now little chipmunks?" Mr. Henderson asked.
"Still a little afraid but in my deepest places, I feel safe and secure," said Wendy
"Like no matter what happens, even though our world is crumbling, I know deep in there that somehow God will save us," Donald added.
"Look up Children, God has provided your salvation." And as brother and sister looked up, suddenly a piece of the roof fell far across the ballroom so nothing came near them and wonderful happy sunshine shown through. "Get on me Wendy. You too Donald," commanded Mr. Henderson. Each chipmunk climbed on the big owl's back and WHOOSH he took flight lifting them up from the floor, away from the danger and out the hole into the open sunshine.
"Are we going to heaven, Mr. Henderson?" Wendy asked with great excitement.
"The old world is passing away, Look ahead, the world God made for you is up ahead." And at that the chipmunks saw a most wonderful forest. All through the trees were hundreds of chipmunks and birds, and so many new friends. Mr. Henderson landed in the biggest tree of them all. "This is your new home now. What have you learned today?"
"Oh Mr. Henderson, this is so wonderful," Wendy said with happy tears as she hugged his big feathery neck. "I learned that no matter how nice things are, God always has more wonderful things ahead that you can’t possibly imagine."
"And I learned something too, Mr. Henderson," added Donald in his high-pitched chipmunk voice. "I learned no matter how bad things look, God will always save us and that His Peace can stay in our hearts in any situation."
"Then you have learned a wise lesson indeed today chipmunks," concluded the wise old owl as he nodded off into his mid-afternoon nap. "Run and play now children." He said, "run and play."
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