Paws & Tales

Gooz: Winter is just around the corner!

Dave: Yes, it is. Even in Wildwood, the temperatures are starting to fall.

Gooz: Do you know what the biggest problem in the whole gigantic world is?

Dave: I guess I do not. What is it?

Gooz: What to wear to school! I get so excited about going to school that I don't plan stuff out very well. I wore my shirt on backwards last week!

Dave: I think I've got a suggestion for you. Here is one of our newly-made Paws & Tales t-shirts. It has the Paws & Tales logo on the front, so you'll never be confused and wear it backwards.

Gooz: That is so clever! Did you think of that? Nice job there, Dave.

Dave: It's just normal.

Gooz: It would be so great if people could just go onto pawsandtales.org and order them in various sizes and get the shirt that will make going to school easy and not all backwards. It's a real problem.

Dave: Gooz, I think you are a genius.

Welcome to the world of Paws & Tales. Wild Mountain can be a pretty dangerous place. If you stay on the trails and stick with me, there are adventures to be had there too.

CJ: Come on, CJ, jump!

Guest (Male): It's too far!

CJ: It wasn't too far for me!

Dave: Insight for Living Ministries is proud to present Paws & Tales. Howdy and welcome to Wildwood. Surely you've heard that relationships are the most valuable thing there is. I know some folks who apparently have never heard that.

Guest (Male): Morning, Mrs. Garcia. How is Mr. Garcia?

Mrs. Garcia: Bursitis in his shoulder again. Such a shame.

Guest (Male): Such a shame. Tell him hey for me.

Mrs. Garcia: I will. Thank you.

Stefan: Tell him hey for me. What kind of a hayseed are you? Vocabulary, man! Use proper vocabulary!

Dave: I am not so happy to introduce you to Stefan the Angry Badger. He is well-known in these parts for being quite grumpy and angry. Not having any relationships is his hobby.

Guest (Male): Oh no, not Ned! It is good to see you! What do you have there?

Ned: Kerosene for my lantern.

Stefan: Why are you still in this dusty town? You were made for greater things!

Ned: What? Really? Wow, thanks!

Stefan: And the sooner you ship out, the better for us all! Gotcha!

Ned: Yes, you did. For a minute, I thought you weren't the meanest person in Wildwood.

Stefan: Well then, maybe you aren't as smart as you think, because no one is meaner than me.

Tiffany: I will not have anything but the best! If this hovel of a store doesn't have it, we will have to ship the proper hairbrushes in from Paris!

Stefan: Well, if it isn't the delightful Miss Tiffany.

Tiffany: Badger person, I do not know you nor do I intend to become acquainted. Do not address me again and avert your eyes!

Stefan: Yes, miss.

Ned: Stefan, I wish you were the meanest person in Wildwood.

Dave: Ned was on an adventure. Not a good one at all. He was headed back to the very mineshaft where he first got that scarlet stain on his right hand. For a really smart beaver boy, Ned can really make some terrible, horrible, bad decisions.

At the same time, over at the Collins Mansion, CJ, Staci, Gooz, and Marsha are on the very best kind of adventure where relationship is of the highest value.

CJ: Staci, guys, look at this! I have a really heavy brass kind of sword blade thing.

Staci: CJ, it is half of a bookend. The other half has a sword handle. Makes it look like the sword goes all the way through the books.

Gooz: That is so creative!

CJ: Look! I found the other half of the bookend, and it is a sword handle! This will make it look like this sword goes all the way through the books. How great is that? Marsha, look!

Marsha: CJ, Staci just said that.

CJ: Sorry, I was digging around and didn't hear. Sorry.

Staci: It is all right.

CJ: I am the greatest treasure hunter in the world!

Marsha: Oh brother.

Dave: Welcome back to the Collins Mansion. If it is your first time here, this place has so many rooms we don't even know how many. Most of them are just piled with unopened crates from around the world.

Mr. Collins passed away a few years back. He traveled the world exploring and collecting artifacts and going to the most exciting and important places. Each time he went, he recorded his findings on an old-time phonograph cylinder. These are the kind of treasure the kids are hoping to find most of all.

Marsha: I think these crates are from Israel!

Gooz: That would be so fun if they were!

Marsha: Got one!

Gooz: You do not! Really? Let me see! Let me see!

Marsha: Cylinder 213B, Israel!

Gooz: I am so excited! Put it in the player! I want to hear it!

Staci: Guys, this is a delicate piece of equipment. I'll get it started.

CJ: Oh brother.

Gooz: Do you think Israel like Jerusalem, Israel? Or maybe Jericho, Israel? I love that story. Maybe he went to Bethlehem, Israel! Bethlehem is my favorite.

Marsha: I like that Garden of Gethsemane most.

Mr. Collins: Tonight, we are camping on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Gooz: Sea of Galilee! That is my favorite. That is so interesting. It is mine too!

Mr. Collins: I forgot. This is Cylinder 213B. Yesterday, we were in Jerusalem walking where Jesus walked as they were preparing to crucify him. That was where, as Jesus predicted, Peter betrayed Jesus, denying that he even knew him three times. That is on Cylinder 213A.

CJ: I'm on it! The best treasure hunter in the world is looking for Cylinder 213A!

Mr. Collins: Forgiveness is a funny thing. It can be more than a bit confusing. Judas, as you know, betrayed Jesus. Then in his grief and despair, he killed himself, feeling that he could not bear the weight of his betrayal.

To ask forgiveness from a God who doesn't like you, is repulsed by your sin, or even hates you is a very risky thing. To be forgiven by the God of the Bible, who just adores you and is eager to forgive, it is as easy a thing as you could ever imagine.

Guest (Male): Hey, have you caught any fish?

Mr. Collins: After the resurrection, Jesus spent a lot of time with his disciples and hundreds of others too. Peter was too ashamed to go to Jesus and ask forgiveness. So because Jesus loved him so much, Jesus took things into his own hands.

Peter: What did he say? Who is that?

Guest (Male): I don't know. It is too far for my old eyes.

Guest (Male): What did you say? Did you catch anything?

Peter: Not a thing!

Jesus: Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat and you'll get some.

Guest (Male): A crazy man! Ignore him!

Peter: Right-hand side? Let's quit. I'm tired and hungry.

Guest (Male): Agreed.

Peter: What could it hurt? One more! Ready and heave!

Guest (Male): Are you happy now? What happened? Look! Look at the net! Pull up the net!

Peter: I can't! It is full of fish!

Guest (Male): It is not! It is full of fish!

Al: There is that clever boy! I just knew you'd come!

Ned: I have not agreed to anything. I am just interested in your proposal.

Al: Remember that ore cart? That is where you almost had your fist full of gold. It is still in there, just waiting.

Ned: That is where I got my hand stained red! I am never doing anything like that again!

Al: No one would ever accuse you of being dumb, my boy.

Ned: No, sir, they have not! Now, why am I back in this terribly scary, dangerous place again?

Al: You were interested in power, if I remember correctly. You came to become powerful.

Ned: How do I get that? You never really said how.

Al: This is a stone, a necklace if you will. Bring your lantern closer. All you have to do is to wear this around your neck.

Ned: It looks like an amulet of some kind.

Al: It's a real beauty of an amulet, I'd say.

Ned: So I just put this on and then I will be powerful?

Al: In ways you cannot imagine, son.

Tiffany: This is the second most disgusting place—

Al: What is this? She was not supposed to be here until this afternoon.

Ned: You invited Tiffany? She already has too much power! She's the reason I'm even here!

Tiffany: Al, you'd better be here. These are my 13th best pair of shoes.

Al: Just hold that thought, son. Be back in a jiffy.

Ned: The last thing she needs is more power! Why, I ought to—

Tiffany: That rusty chain just scraped the toe right off of a very nice pair of shoes! Why would you have me come to this kind of place, you wretched bird?

Al: Sweetheart, it is the only place that would do! You are not supposed to even be here. We had a meeting at two. I made that very clear. What are you doing?

Ned: Do not give her anything!

Tiffany: Ned Cleaver, what are you doing here?

Ned: He has made me the same offer!

Al: This is bad. This is so bad.

Ned: You cannot give her power! She abuses the power she already has!

Tiffany: You oversized rodent! No one speaks to me that way!

Ned: I will when I have all the power! That is why I'm even here! Someone needs to keep you in check!

Tiffany: When I have all the power, I won't need anyone and I will— what? Did you see that? She hit me with her purse!

Al: Hey, what's the big idea? Ow! Just bit me! This is quite enough! Let go of my purse!

Tiffany: You let go!

Ned: No, you let go! What did you do? What is this?

Al: Trying to think. This is a predicament to be sure.

Tiffany: Get this off of me!

Ned: He chained my wrist!

Tiffany: Who cares, Ned? He chained my wrist! No, don't tell me!

Ned: No, he could not have! He chained me to you!

Dave: Ned the beaver here. Did you know that we have a big blank wall in the clubhouse that needs to get filled up? So how about this? Parents, take a photo of your child listening to Paws & Tales wherever they happen to listen.

It could be comfy places or funny places. We'd love to see them. I will personally post these photos on that blank wall for all to see. Just send them into pawsandtales.org. This is so fun!

Sammy: I am Sammy from Camden. My favorite character is CJ because sometimes he relates to me. Wait till you hear what happens next in today's episode.

Guest (Male): Look at the net! Pull up the net!

Peter: I can't! It is full of fish!

Guest (Male): It is full of fish! It was Jesus! Jesus told us to fish on the right side!

Peter: It was Jesus! Wait! Peter, don't! Of course, he did! Jesus, I'm coming!

Guest (Male): Not a problem, Peter. We will take care of the net and the biggest haul of fish ever! It is the biggest! My arms are going to fall off! Get the boat to shore! It is the biggest ever!

Peter: Rabbi! Rabbi, it was a miracle!

Jesus: I know. I've got some bread and fish over the coals here. Bring some more of your fish and I'll cook those too. It'll be ready by the time you have the rest secured.

Peter: Why are you here, Lord?

Jesus: Well, because you didn't come to me.

Ned: Stop pulling! The chain is looped through a handle of the ore cart! How does he—

Tiffany: I will ruin him. No, something worse.

Ned: I don't know. Ruin is pretty bad. Maybe ruin is more than enough.

Tiffany: Ruin and humiliation.

Ned: Well, there you are. I concede your powers of meanness. Humiliation would make ruin even worse if we ever get out of here. I can hear the water dripping. It is dripping all over this place. I can hear it dripping over there. No! Slow down! Ouch! Do not do that again!

Tiffany: Soaking in this foul puddle is my 17th favorite dress! You will rue the day!

Ned: I know, blah, blah, blah. What is your plan to get us out of this horrid cave of despair? What did you just throw at me, you vermin?

Tiffany: Nothing! No, it is in my hair!

Ned: What? The bat is in my hair! Get it out! I'm feeling sorry for the bat.

Tiffany: Rodent, do something!

Ned: I need time to think!

Tiffany: Do something now! Get this out of my hair! You did not just do that!

Ned: The bat's gone. He washed out beautiful in the puddle. Now he's safe! Fly away, flying mammal!

Tiffany: You are concerned with the safety of the bat? I am going to— stay back! Oh no, you don't!

Truce. I am tired and wet. I smell so bad. Bats fly into my hair.

Ned: Actually, they use echolocation. Sorry.

Tiffany: I'm scared.

Ned: Me too. Can I ask you a question?

Tiffany: Sure. I am not running off to anything at the moment.

Ned: Why? Why are you here? Why would you come here to get power? You have power already.

Tiffany: I have borrowed power. I am a daughter of power. My father has power. I am just in his shadow. I am basically helpless without him. I need my own.

Ned: Well, what about relationships? Relationships are the most important thing there is, right?

Tiffany: You are a bumpkin. I don't need or want relationships. That is weakness. I only need people who are terrified of me because of what I can do to them just on my own.

Ned: It is interesting how I can feel compassion and mortal terror all at the same time.

Tiffany: Now you're just being sweet.

Dave: Hello, Dave Carl here. Where does your kid listen to Paws & Tales? We'd love to know! You can upload a photo of your kid listening to Paws & Tales in the car, half-buried in pillows, while coloring, or doing a puzzle. So many places to listen. We will be posting a bunch of these photos on pawsandtales.org. Just think, your kid's photo could be on the wall of the clubhouse in Wildwood!

Beth: Hi, I'm Beth from Frisco, Texas. My favorite Paws & Tales character is Gooz because she is so silly. Wait till you hear what happens next on today's episode.

Peter: Thank you for cooking, Rabbi. Smells so good and I am so hungry, I think I'm going to eat the bones too.

Jesus: Please don't. He chokes on almost everything. Don't eat the bones. Did you see that catch? It was the biggest one ever!

So, Peter.

Peter: Yes, Lord?

Jesus: Do you love me?

Peter: Yes, Lord.

Jesus: Then feed my lambs.

Guest (Male): I can't wait to tell my wife about the catch we made today.

Guest (Male): By the time you tell it to her, you'll have pulled the nets out by yourself and carried it over your shoulder to the market.

Jesus: Peter, do you love me?

Peter: Yes, Lord. You know I love you.

Jesus: Then take care of my sheep.

Peter: I will.

Guest (Male): This catch is going to be the talk of the town for years to come.

Guest (Male): Oh, I plan on telling the story most every day.

Jesus: Peter, do you really love me?

Peter: Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.

Jesus: Then feed my sheep.

Gooz: No, it is over! The cylinder ran out! Is there another cylinder? How does it end?

Marsha: I want Peter to be okay. Is he going to be okay?

Staci: Guys, Peter is going to be fine. Jesus has already forgiven him, but Peter wouldn't believe it. It's a hard thing to do, believe that God forgives you. I'm not saying how I know it, but she's right.

Gooz: Why didn't Jesus just say, "Hey there, Peter, I forgive you"?

CJ: What are you all looking at me for? I don't know! We need Papa Chuck for this.

Marsha: Last one to the Fix-It Shop is a loser!

Gooz: The one who says you're a loser is the loser! Wait, I need my sweater! What did I do with my sweater? Oh, foot's asleep! Let's go find Papa Chuck!

Tiffany: We will never get out of here. No one knows I'm here. They won't even know where to look for me. I will never be great, and they will never find me.

Ned: They'll barely notice you're gone. That is some bedside manner you've worked up there. Is this where you got the red stain?

Guest (Male): Nope. The ore cart behind that one. The owl told me there was gold at the bottom. Never got any gold, but I did end up with a terrible reminder of my greed and my pride with this pesky red hand. You just didn't want it as bad as I did.

Tiffany: Excuse me?

Stefan: All right! That is about all I can take!

Tiffany: Stefan! You badger! What are you doing here?

Stefan: It is Stefan the Angry Badger to you, missy. It was fun when you were smacking each other around and all, but now this constant sad talk is making me nuts.

Ned: You were there the whole time?

Stefan: Been living here for months. If you don't want any relationships at all, this is the kind of place to go.

Ned: Stefan, we nearly died in here! We were terrified! We fought! How could you just sit there?

Stefan: It was great fun, actually. I love being mean to folks, but you two have a natural gift for it. You are so mean to each other. Amazing form, really.

Ned: A chain! I'm chained to an ore cart inside a scary mineshaft!

Stefan: You want to be rid of the chain?

Ned: Yes!

Stefan: Well then, just let go of the chain.

Tiffany: What kind of a fool do you think— I was holding the chain. No, I could have sworn it grabbed me. It was crawling around me.

Ned: Do not be ridiculous! I am not so delusional as to— unbelievable!

Stefan: Come on, you two. You need some water, something to eat, and a long nap. You are both certifiably cuckoo.

Ned: That owl did something to us! I believed I was in chains!

Stefan: Well, just because some lion thing tells you you're in chains don't make it so. Okay, look, this being nice is taking a toll on me. I am exhausted. If it is all right with you, I'm going to go back to being angry and grumpy again.

Ned: By all means, do not be nice on my account. Hey, where is Tiffany?

Tiffany: It burns! It burns! I got it! My hand is burning up! Somebody do something!

Ned: Of course, she did. Oh, Tiffany.

Dave: Well, the kids all shuffled over to the Fix-It Shop to get some answers from Papa Chuck.

Papa Chuck: Hey, guys. What you up to?

Ned: We've got a question for you.

Papa Chuck: All right. Let's have it.

Gooz: So Peter was terrible to Jesus before the crucifixion and denied him.

Papa Chuck: He did.

CJ: Jesus found him days later at the Sea of Galilee!

Marsha: Stop it, CJ. So what was going on with all that "feed my sheep" and all that?

Papa Chuck: That's easy peasy.

Gooz: I love it when things are easy peasy! How are they easy peasy for Peter?

Papa Chuck: One of the first things you have to know about God is—

Gooz: God is just crazy in love with us!

Papa Chuck: Why yes, Gooz. That's it exactly. It was hard for Peter to believe Jesus forgave him because he didn't understand just how much Jesus adored him. And you, and me.

Jesus asked him to take care of the things Jesus cares about the most: us. He was saying, "I still believe in you, Peter."

Staci: In Peter's defense, he really messed stuff up with that rooster crowing episode.

Gooz: Yeah, he really did. That was so bad.

Papa Chuck: Limber up your brains, guys. This is going to be a heavy one.

Gooz: Not sure what I'm supposed to do here.

Papa Chuck: God adores his children. His children sin. Those two things are not connected. When we sin, we have to take care of it because it takes our eyes off of God, but it does not change how much God adores us.

Marsha: That's just crazy talk right there.

Gooz: That was a heavy one. I should have limbered up.

Papa Chuck: When you don't understand something about God, just remember that he adores you and that will help you find your way to the truth.

CJ: So God adores me? That's so nice.

Gooz: CJ, it is the best news ever!

God loves you and God loves me. Best news ever! He forgives us and gives us eternity. Best news ever! He says, "Come on, let's do life together." When we do, I'm changed forever. God loves you and God loves me. Best news ever!

We all like to hear good news like, "Hey, you got an A!" And we love to hear the rain is not going to fall. We all shout when we find out our team just won the game! But the words from heaven top them all.

God loves you and God loves me. Best news ever! He forgives us and gives us eternity. Best news ever! He says, "Come on, let's do life together." When we do, I'm changed forever. God loves you and God loves me. Best news ever!

You might think this kind of love is too good to be true. Since God can see the things that we do wrong, will he really just forgive us if we just ask him to? That's why I'm singing all day long.

God loves you and God loves me. Best news ever! He forgives us and gives us eternity. Best news ever!

Before I burst, let's sing a verse to people everywhere and tell them about the way that we've been blessed! So here it is, the gospel truth, that God really cares and he has opened heaven's doors. He's patient, caring, kind, and pure. That's for sure. I'd tell you more if I weren't so out of breath.

Ned: Gooz, are you all right? Yeah, are you okay, Gooz?

Gooz: Oh, more than okay because God loves you and God loves me. Best news ever! He forgives us and gives us eternity. Best news ever! He says, "Come on, let's do life together." When we do, I'm changed forever. God loves you and God loves me. Best news ever!

Dave: To order a copy of today's program, "I'm Starting to See Red," just visit us online at pawsandtales.org. "I'm Starting to See Red" was written and directed by Dave Carl. The song, "Best News Ever," was written by Sandy Howell and Nick Brown.

Music was by Tim Hosman, and our sound designer was Eric Basil. Paws & Tales is an Insight for Living Ministries production.