Melvin’s
Story of Patience
*Dedicated With Love to: Anna and Ben*
Once upon a time in a peaceful meadow, there lived a wise and
slow-moving turtle named Melvin. Melvin was known for his gentle nature and endless
patience. He had many friends in the meadow, including Rosie the Rabbit,
Freddie the Frog, Benny the Bird, Hooty the Owl, and Amanda the Deer.
One sunny afternoon, Melvin and his
friends decided to have a picnic by the river. Everyone was excited and eager
to get there quickly, except for Melvin, who moved at his usual, slow pace.
"Come on, Melvin! Hurry up!"
Rosie the Rabbit called out impatiently.
Freddie the Frog hopped over and said,
"Yeah, Melvin! At this rate, we'll never get to the picnic spot."
Benny the Bird flew down and added,
"Why do you always move so slowly, Melvin?"
Hooty the Owl, perched on a nearby
tree, wisely chimed in, "Patience, my friends. Sometimes, taking our time
can lead to the best results."
Amanda the Deer, nibbling on some
flowers, looked up and said, "Hooty is right. We should enjoy the day and
the beautiful flowers along the way."
Melvin smiled calmly and replied,
"Thank you, Hooty and Amanda. Let's all be patient and appreciate each
moment together."
The friends sighed but decided to
listen to Hooty and Amanda and wait for Melvin. As they walked, they came
across a beautiful flower patch. Rosie, Freddie, and Benny ran ahead, eager to
explore, while Melvin took his time to admire each flower. Amanda couldn't
resist munching on some of the flowers.
"Look at these flowers!"
Melvin said. "Aren't they beautiful? We might have missed them if we
rushed."
Rosie, Freddie, and Benny realized
that Melvin, Hooty, and Amanda were right. They appreciated the flowers and
picked a few to take to the picnic (with Amanda's approval, of course).
Finally, they arrived at the riverbank
and set up their picnic. As they enjoyed their food, Benny noticed a turtle egg
nearby.
"Oh no! This egg is all alone.
What should we do?" Benny asked.
Hooty the Owl wisely responded,
"We need to be patient and wait for the mother turtle to return. Rushing
won't help."
As they were waiting, a large hawk
spotted the egg from an oak tree and swooped down, trying to snatch it. The
friends sprang into action, running with the egg in alarm to carry it to
safety. The hawk didn't seem to give up easily, but they managed to protect the
egg by hiding it under some bushes.
Just when they thought the danger had
passed, the hawk made another attempt to grab the egg. Freddie the Frog started
to panic. "We need to do something fast! This hawk won't give up!"
Hooty calmly said, "Stay calm,
everyone. Let's keep the egg safe and trust that help will come."
Freddie, feeling anxious, prayed,
"Dear God, please protect this turtle egg and bring the mother turtle here
safely and soon. Amen."
They continued to wait patiently,
keeping a close watch on the egg.
While they waited for the mother
turtle to return, an amazing thing happened. Melvin checked on the egg and
found something new: the cutest little baby turtle had hatched! "Awww,
look! How sweet!" Melvin exclaimed.
Rosie, Freddie, Benny, Amanda, and
Hooty all gathered around to see the baby turtle. "It's the cutest little
baby turtle," Rosie said. "I wonder what Mama Turtle will name
him?"
After a while, the mother turtle
appeared, and she was grateful to see her baby safe and sound. "Thank you
for watching over my egg," the mother turtle said. "Your patience and
bravery have made all the difference."
With love and welcoming, she looked at
the baby turtle and said, "I'll name him after you, Melvin. Meet little
Melvy."
The friends all laughed with joy at
the baby's new name, sharing delighted reactions and warm smiles.
The mother turtle then nuzzled her
baby gently and said, "Welcome to the world, my sweet Melvy. You are a
precious blessing, and I will always love you dearly."
Hooty then reminded everyone,
"Patience truly pays off. Remember the scripture: 'But let patience have
her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.' (James
1:4)"
After the excitement, the friends
decided to share their favorite ways to practice patience.
Rosie said, "I like to take deep
breaths and count to ten when I'm feeling impatient."
Freddie added, "I hop around and
sing a little tune to keep myself calm."
Benny chirped, "I remind myself
to enjoy my surroundings and look for something interesting to observe."
Amanda smiled and said, "I munch
on flowers and remind myself that good things take time."
Melvin nodded and said, "I take
slow, steady steps and enjoy the day."
Rosie, Freddie, Benny, and Amanda
smiled and realized the importance of patience. They enjoyed the rest of their
picnic, knowing that sometimes, taking things slow can lead to wonderful
experiences and valuable lessons.
From that day on, Melvin's friends
appreciated his slow and steady nature, and they often turned to Hooty for wise
advice. Amanda continued to enjoy munching on flowers while reminding her
friends to take their time and appreciate the little things.
"Just be sure to leave some
flowers for the rest of us, Amanda!" Freddie joked. "You're pigging
out on flower salad!"
They all laughed and learned that
patience is a virtue and that good things come to those who wait.
---
Scripture References:
- "But let patience have her
perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James
1:4)
- "The end of a thing is better
than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in
spirit." (Ecclesiastes 7:8)
- "Rest in the LORD, and wait
patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way,
because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." (Psalms 37:7)
**Bible Story Parallel:**
The story of Job (Book of Job) is a
powerful example of patience and faith. Job endured immense suffering and loss,
yet he remained patient and faithful to God. In the end, Job's patience was
rewarded, and God restored his fortunes, giving him twice as much as he had
before. This story beautifully illustrates the importance of patience and
trusting in God's plan.
Review Questions
1.
What is the name of the wise and slow-moving turtle in the story?
2.
Who are Melvin's friends in the meadow?
3.
Why were Melvin and his friends excited one sunny afternoon?
4.
Why did Rosie the Rabbit, Freddie the Frog, and Benny the Bird feel impatient?
5.
What advice did Hooty the Owl give to the friends?
6.
What did Amanda the Deer enjoy nibbling on during their walk?
7.
How did the friends react when they came across the beautiful flower patch?
8.
What did the friends find near the riverbank during their picnic?
9.
How did the friends protect the turtle egg from the hawk?
10.
What did Freddie the Frog do when he started to panic about the hawk?
11.
How did Hooty calm everyone down during the hawk's second attempt?
12.
What prayer did Freddie the Frog say?
13.
What amazing thing happened while the friends waited for the mother turtle to
return?
14.
What name did the mother turtle give to her baby, and why?
15.
How did the friends react to the baby's new name?
16.
What words of endearment did the mother turtle say to her baby?
17.
What scripture did Hooty remind everyone of after the danger was over?
18.
What favorite ways to practice patience did Rosie share?
19.
How did Freddie practice patience?
20.
What important lesson did Melvin's friends learn by the end of the story?
Susan
Nikitenko February 12, 2025©
