Jack-O-Lanterns are everywhere in the fall of the year. They represent fall and we love to carve them in various ways. Now let's have some fun in a different way with them.
A Fable is defined as
- a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters; the fable of the tortoise and the hare; Aesop's fables.
- a story not founded on fact: This biography is largely a self-laudatory fable.
- a story about supernatural or extraordinary persons or incidents; legend: the fables of gods and heroes.
- legends or myths collectively: the heroes of Greek fable.
- an untruth; falsehood: This boast of a cure is a medical fable.
Early elementary--I put my jack-o-lantern in the window before going to bed. The next morning...
Upper elementary--My jack-o-lanterns were sitting on my dresser when I left for school. When I got home, my room was clean and the jack-o-lanterns were smiling. (What happened while you were at school?)
Teen--The jack-o-lanterns at the grocery witnessed something you are not going to believe. ...
Adult--As Adam was hoeing around the pumpkins one day...
The tiny pumpkin story
ReplyDeleteIt was a cold October morning as Little Johnny’s Dad broke the sad news to him. I’m afraid we won’t have any pumpkins for Halloween this year. There hasn’t been enough rain for them to grow very big. But, w…what will we use to scare off the Goblins and Witch’s? little Johnny stuttered. There’s nothing we can do, his father replied.
One day Johnny passed by the shriveled up pumpkin patch and a beautiful Angel appeared to him. Do not be sad little one, she said. Jesus can save the pumpkins! How? Little Johnny asked. Just pray and ask for his help, replied the Angel. So, Johnny prayed to Jesus to save the pumpkins. You’d better get home now, the Angel said, maybe by tomorrow, things will be a lot different. After little Johnny left, the Angel spread heavenly dust as Jesus had instructed her to do. Within hours, they were all plump, except for one which had hidden under the leaves.
Oh wow! shouted little Johnny, as he saw them the next day. Jesus saved our pumpkins! Little Johnny’s Dad also looked out over the pumpkin patch in amazement. How did this happen? he gasped. I prayed father, replied little Johnny, because I believed that Jesus could save them. Praise God! shouted his Dad, happily. Tomorrow, we’ll pick them and take them to market. Yes, and then the kids can cut off their heads, hollow them out, and carve scary faces to scare away all the mean ole Goblins and bad Witches. Then, they went home to prepare for the next days picking.
Did you hear what little Johnny just said? squealed the little pumpkin named Tiny, who had hidden under the leaves. They are going to cut off our heads! A larger pumpkin giggled and said, don’t worry, it won’t hurt! How do you know Fatso, snapped the little pumpkin? I was here last year, answered Fatso. You see, I was one of the tiny seeds that they hollowed out and replanted and I saw it all happen. I must have grown into a big pumpkin this year. Me too, said a big fat, rosy looking pumpkin next to them. Who are you, asked Tiny? I’m Rosetta, answered the fat, rosy pumpkin.
Well I’m not sticking around and having my head cut off, the little pumpkin shouted. I’m out of here now. At that, he twisted and turned until he had snapped himself off of the vine. Then he rolled off down the hill,
Oh Dear! Shouted Rosetta, he shouldn’t have done that.
Tiny awoke the next morning and saw a large truck heading to market with all the pumpkins. They seemed to be very happy.
What a bunch of dummies! Tiny thought.
Just before noon, a little girl named Ginger, passed by, bent down and picked him up. You’ll make a very nice pumpkin pie, she said. You’re going to eat me? He shrieked. You won’t feel a thing, she said. God will take your soul to Heaven. Meanwhile, I’ll add spices to make you a sweet and yummy pie. Afterwards, I’ll plant your seeds in our garden and maybe next year you’ll grow big and strong and be ready to become a Jack-o-Lantern. You are much too small for that now and that’s why you are afraid.
Will you pray to Jesus for everything to be okay? asked Tiny shaking. I’ll feel a lot better then. Of course, replied Ginger. I’ll pray for you right now.
And so, tiny became the main Holiday pie for Ginger’s small family. He was just the right size to make a great pie for them. She added whipped cream topping and he was delicious.
Meanwhile, his soul rolled around up in God’s Heavenly Garden and he was enriched with the Holy Spirit and could not wait to return to earth and be a real pumpkin again.
He remembered the nice aroma he made as he cooked in the oven.
I hope I’ll always be Ginger’s pie and get to come back to Heaven every year, he said.
Don’t forget to pray about it, Jesus reminded him, before he left. As long as you remember me, I’ll always remember you.
Jesus Saves! explained Tiny, as he spoke to all his new friends and family in Ginger’s new garden. This year, I’m going to grow up and be a big ole happy Jack-o-Lantern.
The End