Stories

  • Story: Why Do You Fly So Far? - December 14, 2025 Luke 1:46-55Matthew 11:2-11 The kolea is a pretty mellow bird. They’re not terribly skittish, though some will keep a sensible distance from people. We are a lot bigger than a kolea and probably look kind of scary to them. The myna, on the other hand, is not a mellow bird. They sing … Continue reading Story: Why Do You Fly So Far?
  • Story: The Best Flock - December 7, 2025 Isaiah 11:1-10Matthew 3:1-12 An ‘apapane wanted to know what the best way to be a flock is. There are plenty of examples if you journey around the island. He found an i’iwi, who said, “Keep it small, less than ten. And chase everybody else away. Speaking of which, ‘apapane, it’s time you … Continue reading Story: The Best Flock
  • Story: Caterpillar’s Hope - November 30, 2025 Isaiah 2:1-5Romans 13:11-14 Caterpillars don’t have the easiest life. They don’t get around very much – but then, when you move mostly to find another leaf to eat, you don’t need to move very far. There are things about that, while you’re eating leaves, would be very happy to eat you, and … Continue reading Story: Caterpillar’s Hope
  • Story: Decisions, Decisions - November 23, 2025 Jeremiah 23:1-6Luke 23:33-43 The common waxbills may be the smallest birds in Hawai’i – meaning how big the adults get. Newly hatched chicks even of very large birds can be smaller. But if you see a very small bird with a rosy beak, it’s likely to be a common waxbill. They like … Continue reading Story: Decisions, Decisions
  • Story: Teacher’s Example - November 16, 2025 Isaiah 65:17-252 Thessalonians 3:6-13 It’s been a while since I’ve talked about nene school, which hasn’t changed what’s gone on there a bit. Goslings have gone to school, they’ve learned about advanced eating and flying, and some of them have wondered about becoming nene teachers themselves. There was a time when there … Continue reading Story: Teacher’s Example
  • Story: Flowers and Friends - November 9, 2025 Haggai 2:1-92 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 Life isn’t always easy in the mountain forests. Sometimes it gets really wet and uncomfortable, and while feathers are pretty good at keeping you warm and dry, they’re not perfect. Sit in the rain long enough, and an i’iwi will feel pretty cold and wet. Worse, though, … Continue reading Story: Flowers and Friends
  • Story: Honu Up a Tree - November 2, 2025 Isaiah 1:10-18Luke 19:1-10 When was the last time you saw a honu up a tree? Never? Well, I never have either. It’s not a natural place for a honu to be. A honu really prefers to be in water, like the honu in this picture. Unfortunately, one day a honu found herself … Continue reading Story: Honu Up a Tree
  • Story: Remember - October 26, 2025 Ephesians 1:11-23Luke 6:20-31 I remember a good number of things. I also forget a good number of things. Some of them I’m happy to forget, especially if they made me unhappy at the time. Some of them I wish I could remember, especially if they involve the question of where did I … Continue reading Story: Remember
  • Story: Hold On - October 19, 2025 Genesis 32:22-31Luke 18:1-8 Where I grew up on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, there are birds that eat worms. In fact, a lot of birds eat worms. Some of them would eat worms (and bugs, and spiders) that burrow into trees. Some of these would use their beaks to dig holes … Continue reading Story: Hold On
  • Story: ‘Apapane Faith - October 5, 2025 Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4Luke 17:5-10 Birds, by their very nature, rely on faith. Every bird knows about gravity; every bird knows that what goes up must come down. Every bird knows that while flight is the most natural thing in the world to them, it is also the most unnatural thing in the … Continue reading Story: ‘Apapane Faith