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Story: All the Things

/ Rev. Eric Anderson / 1 Comment

April 5, 2026

Acts 10:34-43
John 20:1-18

You’ve heard, I know, that there are some birds that winter with us here in Hawai’i, and that they fly to Alaska for the summer. Those birds might prefer to fly on a big jet, like you and I, but they use their own wings, even though some of them are pretty small birds. The kolea are the best known, but we’re also saying farewell to hunakai, ‘ulili, and ‘akekeke in the next month or so.

An ‘akekeke getting ready to fly looks like, well, it looks like an ‘akekeke does most of the time. It hops around the sands and stones and grasses near the ocean looking for crabs, worms, small fish, and basically anything it can eat.

A little flock of ‘akekeke noticed, however, that one of their number never seemed to pause much. Oh, she’d rest when she needed to, but the rest of the time her beak was pointed down, following her eyes constantly searching out the next worm, or small fish, or crab. She’d pause when she’d really filled herself up, but even with that she was hunting far more than her family or friends.

“What are you up to?” they asked her.

“I’m getting ready for the big flight,” she said.

“We all are, but we’re not eating all the time. You’re eating all the time. Why?”

“I want to make sure I can get all the things before it’s time to go,” she said.

“What are you talking about?” they asked her. “You can’t eat all the things. There’s too many things to eat to do that. And where would you put them?”

“I know,” she said, “but I’m going to look for as many as I can find, and who knows? Maybe that will be all the things.”

Why do I tell you this story? Well, it’s because out there along the walkways of the church there are Easter eggs. Some of them are ones you colored yesterday, and they look amazing. Some of them have sweets in them, and the sweets (not the plastic eggs) taste amazing.

What’s important, however, is that we find all the things. All the dyed eggs. All the plastic eggs. All the eggs you can use to make egg salad. All the eggs that have goodies in them.

Be like the ‘akakeke this morning. Find all the things!

by Eric Anderson

I tell two stories on Easter Sunday. I told this one just before the keiki began the annual Easter Egg hunt, where it is really important to find all the eggs. For the record, they did!

This story was not recorded.

Story: What Are You Looking For?

/ Rev. Eric Anderson / 4 Comments
A sharp-beaked red bird with its head more brightly lit perched in a tree with smallish dark green leaves.

January 18, 2026

Isaiah 49:1-7
John 1:29-42

At this time of the year, you might forgive an ‘apapane for looking a little flustered. Or just for looking around. And flying around. A lot. This time of the year can be complicated.

For one thing, it’s time to get pairs together. When two birds have decided they’ll be parents with one another, they’ve got to find a spot for a nest. Then they’ve got to build the nest. Then there are eggs to lay and brood over, and then there will be chicks to feed and fledglings to teach fly, and during all of that, they still need to watch out for cats and hunker down in the storms and, of course, find themselves enough to eat.

One ‘apapane, one who had become something of a tutu to the younger birds, noticed another ‘apapane looking a little frantic.

“What are you looking for?” she asked.

“I can’t remember,” said the other ‘apapane.

“Have you eaten?” said the first one.

“I don’t think so,” said the frantic one.

“Go eat something,” she told him. “There’s some ohi’a in blossom over there, and there will be plenty of bugs there, too. I’m sure you’ll remember better after that.”

Another frantic ‘apapane landed nearby.

“What are you looking for?” asked the tutu.

“I can’t find my husband,” she said.

“Did you find a place for a nest?” asked the tutu.

“We found two, and they’re not in the same tree,” said the younger bird.

“Perch half way between the two, and watch for him,” said the tutu. “I’m sure he’s looking for you, too.”

About a minute after the younger bird flew off, a male ‘apapane flew up.

“What are you looking for?” said the tutu.

“I can’t find my wife!” he said.

“Did you pick two likely nest sites?” asked the tutu. When he said yes, she sent him off to find his wife between those two trees. “You’ll find her,” she said. “She’s looking for you.”

She did this all day, in between sipping nectar and snacking on bugs. She sent some birds after nest materials and some after food and more than you’d expect to find their missing spouses.

“How do you do it?” asked another ‘apapane who’d been watching it all.

“It’s simple,” she said. “I ask them what they’re looking for. Once I know that – actually, once they know that – I can probably help them, or send them to somebody who can help them.

“It’s really hard to find anything when you don’t know what you’re looking for.”

by Eric Anderson

Watch the Recorded Story

I write these stories in advance, but I tell them from memory plus inspiration. The story you just read does not precisely match the way I told it.

Photo of an ‘apapane by Eric Anderson.