"Now I (Jesus) am giving you a new commandment. Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you must love each other." -John 13:34

Bursting with excitement, my husband and I climbed into the small airplane that the he had built out of spare parts. The plane was full of wedding presents - all wrapped except for two live chickens, leaning against each other, sleeping peacefully. Our daughter had always wanted chickens of her own.

Herman rooster was a proud bird with a giant red comb, and Henrietta was a lovely hen with bright eyes and the sweetest face. My daughter and her new husband loved their new chickens and tucked them into a high roost every night so coyotes couldn't get them. Every day when they came home from work, Henrietta and Herman ran to greet them, jumped into their laps, snuggled against them, and said "Bahk, bahk, bahk."

Herman was a mighty hunter. When he found the perfect worm, he stretched out his long claw to hold it down and chirped loudly for his hen, who came running across the yard. When they finished eating, Herman would lean against Henrietta contentedly.

One sunny Sunday afternoon, a big, hungry coyote jumped the fence into the yard and, before anyone could help, killed Henrietta. Herman stood on the very spot where his hen had died, and screamed and cried. When my daughter tried to put him on his high roost, he flew down, went back to the same spot, and stayed there through the night.

It was still dark the next morning when my daughter jumped into her truck and drove frantically to the feed store. "Quick," she said to the clerk. "I need a hen, right now!"

"I'm expecting a shipment in two or three days," said the clerk. "But, I do have one old, mean hen. Her feathers are falling out and she doesn't lay eggs."

"I'll take her," said my daughter as she paid the clerk $2 and tucked the scrawny old hen under her arm. Looking deeply into the hen's eyes, she immediately knew that this hen was not mean, just frightened and wary. "Your new name is Alice, and I am proud to take you home."

As they drove up, Herman cocked his head from side to side, then went hunting and found the fattest, juiciest worm. He stretched out his long claw to hold it down, and chirped. Alice, understanding his language, ran quickly to Herman. When they were finished eating, they leaned against each other and said, "Bahk, bahk, bahk."

Soon, there were lots of eggs in the hen house and tiny yellow chicks running everywhere. Once again, all was well on the little ranch. Herman rooster knew what he was put on this earth to do. He was happy and made all around him happy. The same is true for people. When we discover God's purpose for our lives on earth, and do the work necessary to fulfill that purpose, we are happy, too.

Prayer: Dear Lord, sometimes life is difficult - there's death, divorce, and loss of job, health, dreams. Help me to grieve my losses and move on, forgiving where I need to. Help me to love again because that is the one ability that you've given us that can never be taken away. Amen.

Reflection: What is your purpose in life? When a loss has stopped you in your tracks, what happened to help you eventually to move on?

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Prayer:

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Reflection:

"Now I (Jesus) am giving you a new commandment. Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you must love each other." -John 13:34