Aesop's got nothin' on me!

Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. -Genesis 2:19-20

( Lovingly dedicated to Maurice Sendak, who continued the art of creation through his wonderful, wild imagination. Let the wild rumpus start!)

Over the centuries, many wonderful fables have been told about how certain animals came into being. How, for example, the giraffe got his long, long neck like a tree trunk, or how the elephant got her long, elegant trunk.

I believe the two just might be related. 

You see, when God finished up the work in the garden, while things were still new and perhaps still a bit soft and stretchy, the giraffe's neck was not nearly so long. This giraffe, dazzled by the wonders of this new creation, was just like a two-year-old, asking question after question-- after question.

Why, God? Why are the trees so tall? What are those leaves for? And are they tasty, Daddy? Are they yummy to eat?

What do we need rain for? And why are those raindrops so cold when they fall on my ears?

Daddy, what's that? And that? And-- that? What IS it?

After a bit, even our patient God became a wee bit-- annoyed with all those questions. God could have said, "Because I am God and I said so!" But he didn't.

Instead, God took the giraffe aside and said, "Child"-- because giraffes are God's children, too-- "Child, you ask so many questions! I will tell you the answers to every question you ask. But you will need to stretch out your neck, bring those cute, fuzzy ears w-a-a-a-a-y up close to Me, and I will whisper the answers in your ear. Then you will know-- but you cannot tell the other animals!"

So of course, the giraffe promised. He was so eager to hear the answers, he promised never to tell another soul.

So God helped the giraffe to stretch his neck longer and longer until he could reach a-l-l-l-l-l-l the way up to where God could whisper in his ear.

And God told the giraffe everything he wanted to know. And the giraffe thought God must love him best of all.

As God watched the giraffe's eyes grow wider and wider, God knew: There was no way this creature would be able to keep secrets like these!

So God did two things.

First, he made the giraffe's neck stay long like a tree trunk. And then-- just to be sure-- he took away the giraffe's voice. So even if the giraffe could manage to get his head down to speak with the other animals (or with us), all he would be able to do-- is whisper. 

And that is how the giraffe got her long, long neck like a tree trunk.

What a great solution.

But pretty soon, the poor giraffe began to feel lonely. And he began to wonder if God really did love him-- at all! 

Enter the elephant.

(Now, if you have read this blog for any time at all, you know, of course, where elephants spend their time when they are not in the jungle or in the zoo. They spend their time-- in God's attic. They are close to God in a very special way.)

When God saw how sad the giraffe was, he knew he needed to do something completely different for this inquisitive creature to remind him just how much God loves him. 

So God called on the elephant (who did not always have such a long, elegant trunk as she does today). And God gently stretched the elephant's trunk longer, and l-o-n-g-e-r, and made it extra flexible, so she could do many things with it!

And every now and then, God would send the elephant over into the corner of the jungle where the giraffes hang out, and would give the elephant a special message of love to speak to the giraffe.

And the elephant would s-t-r-e-t-c-h her long, elegant trunk up, up, up until she could reach the giraffe's cute, fuzzy ears, and she would whisper, very quietly, just how much God loves his little giraffe. 

And that is how the elephant got her long, elegant trunk.

And God does the same for each of us. 

Whenever we begin to feel like God has forgotten about us, whenever God's love feels distant-- God still sends elephants. 

Father God, thank you so much for the wonderful gift of creation, for planting us smack dab in the middle of such a marvelous plan and allowing us to play our part. Thanks, always, for giving us the ability to create new "worlds" for our children, through words, through prayer and through listening to your whispers of love. Amen.