Uncle Floyd is busy in the kitchen.  Company is coming and he is making Barabas’s favorite meal: homemade macaroni and cheese, sloppy joes and applesauce! 

“I reckon you still have to rake the yard Barabas.  You’ve been putting it off.  Mr. Konde and Sam will be here soon.” Uncle Floyd said this as he was putting the white icing on the chocolate cake. 

So Barabas is out in the yard with the rake.  “This is too much!” he said as he looked at the huge yard and all the leaves.  Their lawn goes clear over to the windows over there!  And Barabas did something he knew he should NOT do.  He decided it would be more fun to play ball with his dogs.  This is Jeter and THIS is their new dog that that homeless man had given them about 6 weeks ago.  His name is Arod. 

So Barabas did NOT rake the leaves up.  Instead he threw the ball to the dogs and he wrestled with them in the leaves and he laid down on the leaves and watched the clouds float by in the sky as Jeter and Arod nestled up next to him and kept him warm.

“I know I should be raking the leaves,” thought Barabas as he laid there just goofing off.

Usually, when we are idle in the face of work we SHOULD be doing, we know better.  Yet we just goof off anyway.  I wonder why we do that.  But here Barabas is . . . goofing off.  And there are consequences. 

Just as Uncle Floyd has given Barabas a job to do, God has given you and I jobs to do.  Now, it is not like GOD has asked Barabas to rake the yard, but God HAS commanded us to honor our mother and father, and for Barabas that means he is to obey Uncle Floyd and to do his share of the work around the house.  That’s true for all of us.  We need to do our share of the work around the house, OR . . . there WILL be consequences!  “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.”  it said in today’s lessons.

It was so nice to watch the sky and lie here with Jeter and Arod.  The leaves continued to fall and soon, Barabas fell into a nice warm, comfortable nap.

After some time had passed, he yawned and stretched, noticed he was getting cold now that the dogs had left so Barabas opened his eyes.  Imagine his surprise when he saw that it was dark out!  All the houses had their lights on.  He rolled over and saw . . . Uncle Floyd standing there with his hands on his hips.  Barabas knows that is NOT a good sign.

“Is it time for supper?  Is Sam here yet?” Barabas asked as he quickly stood up, tripping over the rake.

“I reckon you slept through supper time.  Sam especially liked the chocolate cake.  He was sorry to miss you.”

“What do you mean?  They already left?  You didn’t call me in for supper?” asked Barabas, getting warm with anger.

“What do YOU mean by not raking up the yard?  I reckon you’ve missed your friend and supper and tomorrow you will still need to rake the leaves.”

That night Barabas went to bed hungry.  “I can’t believe I missed Sam, AND supper!” thought Barabas as he laid awake in bed.  “Tomorrow I will get up early and go out and rake the whole yard before breakfast and surprise Uncle Floyd.” 

“Do not be weary,” it also says in today’s lesson.  “Do not be weary in doing what is right.”   THE END

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