There once was a teddy-bear named Patches. Who lived in the land of ump-pala. He loved to learn and could often be found reading in his cave. He also treasured telling a good joke. To this day many say he still needs help with the jokes. He was odd to many but enjoyable to most: A novelty, with his brown tweed jacket and wire rim glasses. He had a small tare just below the knee that caused him to wobble when he walked.
One morning patches was walking in the meadow and he heard the most beautiful sound. It filled the meadow and lifted patch's heart to thoughts of his king. He followed the sound to a tree on the edge of the meadow. It was the song of a bird greeting the morning. As he moved close patches saw the bird was a dove. She was a small bird with eyes blue as the sea and bright as sunshine. On her feet were big black galoshes that caused her to slowly slip off the branch she was perched on. Her white feathers had the appearance of silk. There color seemed to renew itself moment by moment. Patches had never seen a creature of such beauty and grace, especially in galoshes.
"Good day." Patches said, "I did not know doves could sing!"
The bird looked down and smiled. "Normally, we can't but the king made me a song bird."
Patches asked "You know the king?"
"Oh yes" said the dove. "And I know you too!"
Patches thought back to his days in the forest of nowhere. when he sharded a treehouse with a slender water pry named tommy. He remembered a raven that flew far away but this was no raven, she was a dove. Confused Patches asked "Do tell me this mystery." The singing dove told him her story. She told him of the day she met the king. How she was a raven, black as night and how the king touched her and made her a dove. How he made her to worship and now each morning as the sun makes its way into the sky she can't help but sing. His mercies are new ever morning. Patches stood in awe as she told him the story. His heart filled with mercy and joy. But now everyone knows teddy bears don't cry, so he smiled and wrote it in his journal.
Each day Patches would come back to the tree at the edge of the meadow and talk with the dove. Patches, was known to stay in his cave but the dove taught him there was more to life than books and caves. Something he has forgotten but his heart had not. Patches heart was always made for adventure. He always wanted to be the first Indiana Jones type Teddy bear.
They would take long walks in the meadow because the dove did not like to fly. She would smile and say, "I am more suited to ground travel." They laughed and laughed and laughed at their laughing. The two became great friends.
Then One day As Patches was reading a book the dove came running up to him with a card in her beak. It was an invitation from the King. He was inviting them to come enjoy his blessing but he warned that the way is narrow and full of danger. Many attempt the trip but most turn back. Without hesitation, the two friends packed up there things and set out on the adventure of a life time. The dove took little more than her galoshes and a credit card. Patches took the time to pack a change of close and his journal to record all the nuggets of truth to be found on this adventure.
They walked for two days, taking the way by the sea then they turned north to cross the salt flats till they came to the arknon swamp. A place of darkness and confusion, where maps were no good and even the rocks found some thing to complain about. The two adventurers trudged on and soon became lost.
Dove said "what are we to do, Patches? We could die in this place?" Patches scratched his head while thinking over the problem.
"Dove you must fly!"
"No I can't." Dove replied as her feathers bristled and shuttered.
"You must or we will never find our way out of here."
Dove sighs and with a deep breath for courage nods in agreement. She slips off her galoshes and rests them by a tree. Patches watches as Dove flaps her wings, "You can do it! I have faith in you!" Dove begins to lift off the ground first in inches then in feet. She became accustom to the wind and disappeared from view as Patches keeps watch. Then as quick as she had gone she was back landing just past where she had left.
"Patches there is a path just over the next marsh it leads out. We will be OK!" Dove left the galoshes in the swamp. From that day she never settled for less than what she was made to be. Later, Patches wrote in his journal: Today I learned that having faith in someone and having faith for someone is no different when what you trust is the king's wisdom that created them.
After walking all day, the two friends camped for the night near the hollowing caves of Mishva. Caves known to suck all happy thoughts from ones mind. Late in the night, Patches awoke to the sounds of evil surrounding them. He tried to remember His home, His books, and His king. All that came to mind was his worry, his fears, and the memory of bad days. Dove woke up and asked Patches what was wrong?
"Everything - nothing will work out. All is - Oh dear things are so Dark. We will never see the king!"
Sadness came to Dove too, but she jumped to the air and flew above the caves control. Her heart filled with a confident assurance for she could fly again. She focused on things that are noble, and true, pure and right. She thought about the goodness of the King and flew down to remind Patches of the king's goodness.
"We can have confidence in him. He is a good king, Patches!" But a dark cloud circling around Patches head blinded him to any light of hope. Dove raised her voice and began to recount to Patches all the good times in the meadow. She told him of her hopes and assured him of what she knew was the king's good plan. She reminded him that there is always a reason to hope for the king is on the throne. The darkness lifted and Patches found his way back to hope. Later he would write in his journal: Today I learned that hope is found in focusing on the King, the good and the true and that the unselfish heart is a spring of hope.
As day broke, Dove and Patches continued on in their journey. As the road stretched on, in the distance they saw a great wall drawn up and out from east to west. Coming up to the wall the two companions where saddened by what they saw. It was a solid wall of glass, at least 10 stories high. They could not walk around it or break through it and Teddy bears just can't climb glass walls. Patches stood their gazing at his reflection. His jacket dirty, his glasses a little crooked, but his heart renewed.
Dove says, "Maybe I can fly you over it?"
Patches spoke up, "Dove, I want you to hear me out. This is your time now. Take the invitation and go see the king. On the road the wind told me that this moment was coming and though it hurts to part, you are being called higher. You will run and not grow weary. You will rise up like eagles and soar on their wings." "You will worship before the KING and see his good pleasure. This is promised you. This is your invitation."
Dove stood still not saying a word slowly she spoke up, "the wind told me too. I do not know what the future holds-"
Patches butts in "But that is what makes life exciting, you taught me that. Now here me, Always Remember in Faith Hope and Love we are all bound to the King and to each other. Now Go - the King is waiting! You can tell me about it when you get back."
Dove begins to fly, looking back one last time, she turns her eyes to the city who's founder and maker is God. Patches watched her fly away and mutters a prayer as little bear tears wet his tweed jacket, "Thank you my king - it was worth it all!" Turning Homeward he picked up his journal and wrote: Today I learned love is setting some one free even if it hurts. He paused bitting on his pen for a moment then continued.
This love never ends only the knowing ends, only the knowing of the "other" ends in the distance created when space and time spit two souls, but love never ends. For the God never ends. That’s the way of the king, the Good king. My King
Patches wobbled around to catch one last glimpse as she passed behind a cloud. He said to himself "Now these three things remain Faith Hope and Love and the greatest of these is Love." Smiling, with a heart swelling with hope, His faith resting in trust and his love overflowing in devotion, Patches and his King went home to his books and his cave.
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