Jamon's Short Stories Jamon Ministries...Taking God's Power to the World

The following is a compilation of short stories that God, in His Spirit, has lead Jamon to write.

We pray that they bless and inspire you.

THE CARPENTER

The Carpenter bent over the discarded pieces of lumber that had been put aside by the other carpenters because they were either warped or knotty or had rough places in them. He took each board and looked at it as if he were able to see right into its center, to see the hidden grain beneath the surface. After selecting several pieces, he lifted them on to his shoulders for the trip back to the carpentry shop.

At the carpentry shop, the Carpenter would take each piece of wood and talk to it as he worked with it. He would tell it how much he loved it and that he thought it was beautiful. He also told it he knew how much it hurt when he shaped it with his tools, but that he had to take away all of the rough parts to bring out its beauty.

He continued to work with the boards and gave each piece special care as he talked to it, telling it that soon it would be finished, and that the pain would stop.

Finally, after several days, the Carpenter was putting the finishing touches on what had been transformed from rough, rejected lumber into a beautiful dining table, rich with color and a deep grain that made the table strong and solid.

The Carpenter stood back a little to admire his work and seeing that it was good, began to talk to the table again. “You must remember two things” he said, “ no matter what fine linens are put upon you or if fine china is set upon you, or even rich silver, you must never forget that you did not make yourself and that you were made only to serve others”.

After this little talk, the Carpenter gently placed the table in the shop window where everyone passing could see it, and in one corner he placed a small tag that read, “Now ready to serve - Jesus the Carpenter.”

ãCopyright Jim Harmon 1983

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THE LARGE OAK TREE

There is a large oak tree which lives deep in the forest. One fall, when the leaves were turning and the wind was starting to blow, its acorns began to fall to the ground.

It so happened that three acorns fell near each other. One was named Jeff, one Bob and the other one Sue. As they were sunning themselves and talking, Bob said “I hear that if we cover ourselves with leaves and dirt, we can be changed into a tree.” Jeff and Sue looked at Bob funny and then Jeff said “Aw, you don’t really believe that do you? We are just acorns and that’s all we’ll ever be.”

Sue said that she had heard that story too, but she didn’t want to leave the warm sunshine and be covered up by cold damp leaves.

About that time a big Blue Jay landed next to Jeff, cracked open his shell, ate him, and flew off.

Sue turned to Bob and said “Well I guess Jeff was right, we are just acorns to feed the birds and squirrels, so I’m going to enjoy this sunshine and this life as long as I can.”

Bob told Sue that he still believed the story and was going to see what would happen, so he rolled himself under some leaves and waited.

The days grew colder and shorter and the snow began to fall. As the snow became deeper and deeper the weight of it pushed Bob down under the leaves and into the soft earth.

Bob didn’t realize what was happening to him, he only knew he was protected from the cold winter winds, the freezing rain and the icy snow. His shell was beginning to soften and inside he was changing into tiny roots and leaves. As the winter passed, the air began to warm and the days became longer. The snow melted away and the warm spring wind blew the leaves away that had covered Bob all winter long.

Soon Bob began to feel new life inside himself as his tiny leaves pushed up through the moist soil. He soaked up the spring sun and the warm rain. He began to grow very rapidly.

The spring and summer past very quickly and Bob had grown into a young sapling. He was now strong enough to withstand the winter winds and heavy snows that were to come.

As the years passed, Bob grew taller and stronger and was able to bear the hardships of the forest, such as violent winds, gushing rains and raging fires. He also realized that he had become the tree that he had heard about many years ago

Not only did Bob become a tree, but he became the largest tree in the forest.

Now when a breeze blows through Bob’s leaves they seem to whisper “Believe, believe” so that everyone in the forest will know that all things are possible, if you will just believe.