Frank was growing fast! Already she was losing her spots and growing bigger. She no longer drank just milk, she followed Haley into the forest and ate leaves, berries, and other yummy things. Haley enjoyed watching Frank learn to eat many things and enjoyed watching Frank grow. Haley knew that Frank needed a lot of exercise, so sometimes she ran through the forest and Frank had no trouble keeping up with her. Haley tripped and fell down many times, but Frank never fell, she was sure-footed and confident.
One day they were running through the forest and Frank was in the lead. Frank could run much faster than Haley, but she usually ran just fast enough to stay ahead of Haley. They were going down a trail that Haley had never been on before, and as they went around a curve, suddenly that was an old wooden fence right in front of them! The fence was about four feet tall, and Frank just jumped right over it without even slowing down. Haley was going too fast to stop, and she ran right into the fence, bounced off it, and fell to the ground with a scream! Frank did not know what had happened to Haley, so she hopped back over the fence and found Haley. Haley did not feel like running any more that day!
Another thing that Haley and Frank like to do was to lie quietly in the barn at the end of the day and enjoy some snacks. Quite often Haley’s pet raccoon Daniel would join them in the barn.
One evening Haley, Daniel and Frank were in the barn resting on Frank’s straw bed and enjoying a special treat! Joe had picked some berries for them to eat! Daniel took charge of the pile of berries. Daniel picked up a berry and inspected it carefully, then he rinsed the berry in Frank’s water dish, then he popped the berry into his mouth and ate it! Daniel looked very happy because those berries were good! Daniel reached for another berry and then it happened…Frank wanted that same berry! Frank used her nose to push Daniel’s paw away from the berry, and then Frank ate that berry!
Haley thought that Daniel would be mad because Frank had pushed him aside, but Daniel did not get mad, he patted Frank’s nose and then reached for another berry. Daniel and Frank were sharing the berries! Haley was hungry, and she wanted a berry too, so she reached for a nice berry. Suddenly Daniel got angry and growled at Haley! Haley jumped back, tripped over a bucket and fell flat on her back on the straw! Haley was not hurt, but she was surprised and confused! Daniel had never growled at her before. It was obvious that she was not going to be allowed to have any of the berries, so she just sat there and watched Daniel and Frank share the rest of the berries.
After they had finished eating, Haley said goodnight to Frank and Daniel. Now that all the berries were eaten, Daniel was not angry at her anymore. Daniel and Frank curled up next to each other on the straw and went to sleep. Haley went into the house feeling kind of sad and lonely. Haley told Joe what had happened and asked Joe why Daniel shared the berries with Frank and not with her.
Joe thought for a few minutes and then told Haley, “I cannot explain how it happened or why it happened, but it looks like Daniel has accepted Frank. Normally raccoons and deer are not close friends, and this unusual friendship will probably not last when Frank grows up, but for now it is kind of like Daniel has accepted Frank as his sister. Raccoons do not normally share their food with anyone, and that is why he growled at you. The only one he is willing to share his food with is Frank.”
Haley said, “I feel kind of left out and lonely. I miss the time when Frank had to depend on me for all her food.”
Joe smiled and said, “That is the way life is. I also miss the days when you were little and you had to depend on your mom and I for everything, but when you started to grow up, we had to start giving you more freedom. Like I already said, this special friendship between Daniel and Frank will probably end very soon, but you also must be prepared to let Frank go. Someday very soon Frank will be old enough to leave you and go back and join the deer that live in Medford Forest. You must be ready to let Frank go when that day comes, just like someday I will have to be prepared for you to leave the farm and start a life of your own. Letting go will not be easy for either of us.”
Haley started to cry, and hugged Joe and told him that she did not ever want to leave him and go anywhere else. Joe was happy to hear this, but he knew that as Haley grew up, her plans could change.
After they had both had a few moments to get their feelings under control, Joe told Haley, “Daniel and Frank can teach you a little bit more about who you are. When you believe in Jesus, accept His forgiveness, and invite Him into your life you are accepted by God! You have a special friendship with God just like Daniel and Frank have a special friendship.”
In the Bible in Romans 15:7 it says:
Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.
Joe said, “Just like Daniel shared his food with Frank, God shares Himself and His blessings with us because we are accepted by Jesus. There is a difference though, in a short time Daniel and Frank will not accept each other anymore, but God is not like that. Once we have asked Jesus to come into our life, we are accepted by God and nothing can change that!”
In the Bible in John 6:37-40 Jesus says:
“However, those the Father has given Me will come to Me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent Me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those He has given Me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”
Joe finished by telling Haley, “Our acceptance by God is permanent! We will have that special friendship with God for the rest of our life on this earth and for all eternity! It is an awesome thing!”