All of us knew what kind of rooster he was. He was big and regal. He had gorgeous clean white feathers with a
bit of silver around his neck and in his tail.
He reminded us of the “King” in his famous white and silver jump suit, hence
his name. He was good with the ladies,
too. He was faithful at his job. Twice we saw him scare off a hawk that had
swooped down to snatch one of the girls.
Another time I heard him make a sound much like a growl and then saw
every single lady disappear while Elvis strutted around flapping his wings and
crowing as he kept his eye on the sky.
Not only was he good with the ladies he never attacked me or my boys,
which is how our last rooster came to meet Jesus.
We could all very easily picture what happened the day Elvis
died. All was quiet on our property, as
our rambunctious boys were all gone. The
hens were scattered about the place doing their thing, scratching, taking a
dust bath, sitting on eggs, happily just being free ranging hens. Elvis was overseeing it all with a watchful
eye, maybe he had found a juicy fig that had fallen off the tree next to the
forest line and he called the ladies over to enjoy it. Then something moved in the trees and Elvis
snapped to attention. His warning call
rung out and all the ladies scatter as the coyote made his move. Elvis ran to meet it. Wings spread wide, neck stretched out, spurs
ready for attack. He managed to distract
the coyote just long enough for the ladies to get to safety and then they watched
the chase that followed. Elvis, a
Coronation Sussex, was a very large and heavy bird weighing in at around 10
pounds. He lumbered when he ran and
didn’t have much agility. The coyote was
able to overtake him and drag him deep into the trees where, eventually, he
finished him off. Poor Elvis, he was so
brave.
The next day, it just so happened, I wanted to talk to my
boys about Communion. Coming from a
Quaker background my boys’ experience of Communion was mostly special occasions
as a family. Christmas and Easter is typically
where we would break the bread, drink the wine, and read about the last supper
and Christ’s call to “do this in remembrance of me”. I can only remember two times that we have
ever had Communion as a body at the “Meeting House”, otherwise known as “church”
to Non-Quakers. Truthfully, I always
longed for a few more opportunities to physically share in Communion together
as a body of Christ. Not surprisingly,
Communion in church every Sunday is a bit of an exciting anomaly for my boys,
and although I know they know (save Manny) what it symbolizes I felt like a
recap was in order.
We talked about what the “Lord’s Supper” was all about and
how Christ asked his followers to break the bread and drink the wine to
remember him and what he has done for us.
I asked the boys if they understood what it was he did. Justice answered, “Well mom, it’s kind of
like what Elvis did for the ladies, he died so that the hens didn’t have to.” Then, Gracen pipes in, “That makes me sad for
Elvis. I hope we never forget him. I love Elvis.” Hmmm…I could have said more, but sometimes as
a parent, I talk too much. I decided to
let the rooster who was named after the “King” teach my kids about “The One
True King”.
“But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the
little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God
belongs to such as these. Truly I tell
you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will
never enter it.’”
~Luke 18:16-17How have your kids surprised you with their insight and understanding?
Kristen
