Rufus stood up on his hind legs to get a closer look at his friends, the Owls.
‘Why are there so many of you here tonight?’ he asked. ‘I haven’t seen so many of you here before.
All the owls looked at Uncle Henry.
‘It’s my Birthday’ he said solemnly.
‘And we have all come to say “Happy Birthday” Joel shouted down.
‘And bring our presents’ Keren added.
‘We’ve had a lovely birthday feast’ said the tiniest owl as he flew down beside Rufus and Raffles. ‘I think there may be some left!’
Rufus dropped down on to his four paws and looked first at Raffles then at the tiny owl. ‘Well, we wouldn’t want you to think that we are greedy’ he began.
A deep chuckle came from Uncle Henry. ‘Oh! we would never think that!’ he said. ‘You are welcome to share in my birthday party.’
As soon as he said that, a number of the owls flew down to the table and their beaks were soon full of the tasty birthday treats for their friends.
‘Thank-you’ barked Raffles and Rufus, and within moments it was all gone!
The owls returned to their branches, and the two friends walked until they were directly under the tree.
‘Will you be able to hear me?’ Rufus asked.
‘Yes, we can hear you clearly’ was the answer.
Rufus wagged his tail, he was delighted to be the centre of attention, and at a birthday party too!
‘Then I’ll begin’ he said as he sat down.
‘I have always lived in Lydda - a very important and ancient town.’ He paused to make sure they all realised how “special” a town he came from. The owls nodded wisely, they had often visited his home-town, as Rufus had also often visited their sea-side town of Joppa. It was in this way they had become good friends. ‘I live in a street of ten houses’ Rufus continued. ‘And we all know each other very well, in fact I often pop in just to say “Hello!”
‘You mean you often pop in to see if they have any juicy bones for you’ interrupted a laughing Raffles.
‘As if I would!’ said Rufus, an innocent look on his face.
The owls hooted and giggled and Rufus joined in their merriment. ‘Well, as I was saying, I often visit the other nine houses .......’
‘Just to say “Hello!” broke in some of the young ones.
‘Tut! Tut!’ said Uncle Henry. ‘Let Rufus tell his story, please!’
When all was quiet again Rufus took up his story. ‘Our neighbour next door likes me to visit him as he has never been out of bed for eight years.’
Eight years!! It was longer than many of the little owls had lived, and a sad “Oh!” could be heard as they looked at each other. ‘How dreadful’ they thought.
‘Why has he been in bed for so long?’ asked Keren.
‘Because Aeneas is paralysed’ Rufus explained. ‘He can’t walk.’
Unable to walk! Not able to fly! The owls shook their heads in sorrow. The garden was very silent. A cloud had drifted across the moon, the stars seemed to stop their twinkling, and in the darkness no-one moved.
Then Rufus barked happily. ‘But it’s a happy story, don’t be sad.’
The cloud passed across the moon who shone brighter than ever. The stars blinked and twinkled, and everyone looked at a happy Rufus who had stood up and was now bouncing around.
‘I saw it. I saw it. I was there’ he laughed.
‘You saw “what”?’ asked a patient Uncle Henry.
‘My Miracle’ answered Rufus barking and bouncing.
‘Sit down, Rufus’ said Raffles giving him a playful swipe with his paw. ‘We are all longing to know what happened.’
‘Of course’ agreed his friend, and he sat down again, a huge smile on his face.
‘I was in Aeneas’ room, and he was saying how much he would love to walk in the garden; visit his friends; and sing again in the Church. I just nodded, and licked his hand. I wanted to show him how much I would like to see him doing these things too.’ Rufus sighed as he remembered.
‘Then Peter came in’ he announced triumphantly.
Ah! The little owls wriggled in anticipation. Now the best part of the story was coming.
‘Peter talked to Aeneas for a while, then he said’ - Rufus looked at them all, feeling very important,...... ‘Then he said “Aeneas, Jesus is going to make you well” and I heard Peter laugh as he said “You can tidy your bed now Aeneas, you wont be needing it any more today!”’
Again Rufus paused, he really did like to make the most of his story!
But Joel was getting impatient - ‘What happened, Rufus?’ he shouted, and he flew down and tweaked his ear.
Rufus giggled, he was such a tease.
‘Well’ he said ‘What do you think happened? When Jesus wants to heal someone - they are healed!! Aeneas got up immediately and walked around the room.’
‘Hurrah!’ shouted the owls, and the younger ones flew around the garden telling each other over and over again how wonderful Jesus is.
‘It is just as well we are in a woodland garden’ observed one of the Aunts. ‘Otherwise they would have the whole town awake.’
As the younger ones settled back on their branches, Keren asked ‘Did Aeneas make his bed?’
‘Yes, he did, actually’ Rufus answered. ‘And then ........ he took me for a walk!’
‘Oh, well’ said Uncle Henry. ‘That certainly made the miracle worthwhile!’ and everyone laughed as Rufus nodded his head vigorously in agreement.
‘Many of the people in our town, and even in the next town, came to love and believe in Jesus after that miracle’ Rufus finished quietly. ‘And that’s the best thing of all, isn’t it?’ he asked.
A chorus of ‘Yes, it is’ ‘Oh, yes’ ‘Indeed it is’ came from the owls.
‘It certainly is’ a small voice agreed.
It wasn’t the voice of an owl! Who could it be? They all looked, then a small Sparrow flew on to one of the branches of their tree. ‘That was a lovely story, Rufus’ he said. ‘And yours, too, Uncle Henry - and many Happy Returns of the Day’ - he added politely.'
‘Thank you’ said Uncle Henry. ‘We didn’t know you were there.’
‘Oh, I like the sea-side in the summer’ the sparrow said. ‘But of course I am generally fast asleep when you are awake. I couldn’t sleep tonight, though, the stories were so Interesting - and there WAS rather a lot of noise!!!’ He smiled at the young owls to show he didn’t mind. They smiled back at him, they rather liked this bright little fellow.
‘What is your name?’ asked Joel.
‘I’m Billy, how do you do’ he answered. ‘And may I tell you another story about Peter?’
‘A Miracle story?’ asked a tiny owl.
‘Yes, another Miracle story - would you like to hear it now?’
Of course they would!
So the third story of the birthday evening began.
Elizabeth Aynsley ©
Acts 9 vs. 32 - 35.