<HTML>They say that 'three times the charm'.  Well, here's my 3rd time trying to send this!  :-O I haven't written a story in a while, so this may be a little rusty, but here goes... The Logical Prodigal By Heartshot Foxley Quay Hunter sat with a leg shaking, determined to read this last chapter. Frustrated and unable to keep thoughts of anger from his mind, the young vulpine college professor put his book down again on the table before him and rubbed a black furry claw through his hair. He sighed and looked around the busy library at the other patrons reading peacefully, seemingly enjoying their day. The gratifying silence was quickly interrupted, and the fox turned to see what ceased the hush. “Over here, Mommy! The puppet show is getting ready to start,” a young kitten exclaimed as she pulled her mother in tow to Youngsville Storytime Theatre, a section near the back of the library soley dedicated to children. Other children filed into the brightly decorated corner, filled with lots of balloons, and a murial of the small town painted on the wall. A friendly gorilla dressed in a clown suit handed out candy to the youngsters. Annoyed at the hullaballo, Quay swore under his breath. 'Children. Isn’t there anywhere I can go where I can get some peace and quiet these days?' The fox rose from his seat and walked to a remote table near the corner of the library. Recorded background music could still be faintly heard as the narrator introduced the story of ‘Peter and the Wolf’. Unable to have children on his own, the music once again replayed the scene of the night before in his mind. “No, Sarah, I made up my mind,” the vulpine stormed around the living room in front of the roaring fireplace. The tearful vixen held her paws to her wrenched mouth, desperately wanting her mate to reconsider. “If God won’t allow us to have children, then why should I serve Him?” The vixen’s face streamed in tears, “Because He LOVES you Quay.” “Yeah, well, if HE loved us, then why doesn’t HE show it?” Sarah rubbed her eyes, then cupped her hands as she shook her head. At one point in time, the vixen herself had felt like an utter failure, until she had sought her Lord. After seeking His face, the Saviour showed His tender mercy to his troubled lamb, giving her peace within her soul. “I don’t know why Quay, but we’ve got to accept the fact that He knows what’s best for us. We can always adopt. We can always adopt, Quay.” “Not good enough!” Quay stormed. Heading for the door, the vulpine quickly turned on his heels and pointed a finger to his disheartened wife. “Don’t you ever, ever suggest going to church or say anything about God anymore in this house! You got it?” The speechless vixen nodded her head in dumbfounded silence as her husband slammed the door on his way out. She knew he would be returning to the university, even at this late time of the night. Sarah wiped her eyes once more and turned toward the flame. The vixen closed her eyes and prayed to the guardian of her heart. “Please Dear Lord, watch after him. I know he’s your child. Please Jesus, bring him home.” Quay sat with his head down in contemplation of the fight last night. The fox did not return home, but indeed had spent the sleepless evening inside the university, seeking answers inside the classroom instead of seeking God. For years, he and Sarah had been trying to have children, but to no avail. The music painfully continued to play in his ears. Opening up his eyes, the vulpine’s attention was caught to a small folded piece of paper lying near a bookcase on the floor. 'Someone carelessly threw it down on the floor', the fox mused. The floor was spotless except for the small piece of paper that shone white as snow against the carpet of forest green.. Curiosity started to grow within the fox, and when he could no longer stand it, Quay walked over and picked up the small parchment. Gently unfolding the piece of paper, the fox found the hidden treasure inside. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 Oh how that verse reach down and answered his troubled soul! A disobedient runaway lamb, Quay knew his Saviour was speaking directly to him. The fox held the paper in his shaking paw and read the verse quietly once again. Quay realized that instant that it was through His Saviour’s loving mercy that kept he and his wife from some unforeseen circumstance. Closing the paper in the palm of his hand, the vulpine remembered what he had said to not only Sarah, but to his Lord. “Dear Lord, please forgive me for what I had said last night. I don’t know the reasons why it’s not your will for us to have children, but I know you have a reason for it. Even though I don’t understand it now, I thank you Heavenly Father for your kind, gracious mercy! Not my will, but yours. Amen!” “Sarah,” the vulpine whispered, imagining his grieving wife standing by the hearth. Quay placed the paper inside his book and rushed home. Upon reaching home, Quay saw his wife, running out of the door to greet him. “Oh Quay! I missed you so much! I have some news for you!” “W-what is it?” Quay asked, embracing his wife. “I got a phone call from the doctor’s office this morning. I had some tests ran two weeks ago and the results have just came in today.” The vulpine stared at his wife questioningly, unaware that she had went to the doctor. “I found out that the reason we haven’t been able to have children. It seems that I have inherited a bad gene from somewhere down my family line. If we were to have had a child, the doctor said that it would be either had been stillborn, or would have been severely retarded, and it’s chances of survival would have been slim.” Quay looked away from his wife, and looked down the book he was carrying. He remembered the message penned on the small piece of paper. “You see, I told you He loved us. That’s the reason why the Lord didn’t allow us to have children! He knew we would have been brokenhearted! He hasn’t forsaken us,” Sarah smiled happily. “Oh Sarah, I came home to tell you how sorry I was for leaving you, and to show you this,” the fox pulled out the paper that contained the verse. As the vixen read the precious reminder to all who are God’s children, Quay thought of his Lord. With a grateful heart, Quay whispered to his Saviour. “It’s nice to be back home.” Quay kept the small parchment inside his drawer to look at from time to time to remember that whatever circumstances he faced in life, the Lord was in complete control. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8 Heartshot Foxley =^.^=</HTML>