Paws & Tales

Dave Carol: Hi, this is Dave Carol, creator of Paws & Tales. You might be surprised to know that each and every episode of Paws & Tales, the audio series, requires a bunch of actors, a writer, a score composer, a songwriter, singers, genius web people, and a master of snacks.

There is no master of snacks. That was just in my head. To get Paws & Tales out to the world, we are in need of folks who have a vision to reach families for Jesus just like we do.

If you'd like to help, just log on to pawsandtales.org and go to the donate button. A gift of any size will help us to introduce Paws & Tales to families around the world. Thank you for joining the club by helping us invite more folks to imagine God's love.

Insight for Living: 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's adventures to be had there too. Come on, CJ, jump. It's too far. It wasn't too far for me. Insight for Living is proud to present Paws & Tales.

Guest (Male): Howdy, and welcome to Wildwood. It started a couple years back and she's kept it going ever since. Today, like so many times before, Stacy is taking another basket of cookies to the newest arrival to town.

She's met some interesting folk, made some wonderful new friends, and while doing this act of kindness, even had some bitter disappointments. But never has she experienced anything like the adventure she began the day she delivered a cookie basket to Alma.

Stacy: Hey, Sunny.

Sunny: Hey, Stacy. Another basket?

Stacy: Yeah. I'm looking for Alma Zapata.

Sunny: Alma? Are those all the cookies you brought?

Stacy: Yes, it's what I always—never mind.

Sunny: She's back in room 137.

Stacy: Thanks, Sunny.

Guest (Male): As Stacy got near the entrance of room 137, she could tell Alma was one of a kind. Stacy paused just outside of the open door and then smelled the strong odor of mothballs.

As she stepped inside, she saw that this little one-room apartment was just about filled up with Alma. She was a water buffalo, and as such, she was huge. Alma was squished into the biggest wheelchair Stacy had ever seen. Even so, it could barely stand the strain.

Stacy: Excuse me.

Alma: Hola, niña.

Stacy: Yes, my name is Stacy.

Alma: Stacy? Did you bring a gift?

Stacy: Well, yes I did. It's a basket of cookies.

Alma: We are fast becoming good friends, you and I. Let's see what you've got there. I am Alma Zapata.

Stacy: Yes, I know. I would just like to welcome you to Wildwood.

Alma: You bake wonderful cookies, Stacy. That was rico, muy rico. Now, tell me about yourself, mijita.

Stacy: Mijita?

Alma: It means little one.

Stacy: Oh. Well, I'm in the third grade.

Alma: Any brothers or sisters?

Stacy: Soon. My mom's going to have a cub in a couple months.

Alma: Wonderful. And what do you think of this new little addition to your family?

Stacy: It's good. It'll be fine. That is a beautiful blanket.

Alma: Gracias. It is an Afghan and I made it years ago.

Stacy: You made it?

Alma: Sí. I knit. Have you ever knitted?

Stacy: I started knitting a potholder once with my mom. It wasn't quite square. I never finished it.

Alma: So you are not looking forward to being a big sister.

Stacy: Yes, it's fine. It'll be great, really. How did you know that?

Alma: Truth is a powerful thing. Often it speaks even when you don't want it to.

Stacy: Okay, truth speaks. I don't get that at all.

Guest (Male): Well, at the same time across town, the rest of the club was heading around to the back of the hotel. There had been some construction done there lately and the workers left a good-sized pile of junk. But if you're in the third grade and always looking for adventure, you'd see it as nothing less than a treasure.

CJ: Oh yeah, Ned, this is it.

Ned: Oh yeah, this looks fun to me. The possibilities are big, huge, and enormous.

Marsha: Maybe we should sweep up a little bit.

CJ: Marsha, a pile of scraps like this says army bunker.

Ned: Army bunker is good.

Gooze: You guys, we always make an army bunker. Let's do something else.

Marsha: I'm with Gooze. Let's do a candy store.

Gooze: Oh, I love candy. Everyone loves candy. Who doesn't love candy? Wow, Marsha, let's make a candy store.

CJ: Oh, brother. Quick, get in here. What was that? Someone is under the junk pile. Who's under the junk pile?

Newton: Quick, before they attack. Get in here, all of you.

CJ: Who are you?

Newton: Newton, Sergeant Newton. They could attack at any moment. Hurry.

Ned: Well, I don't want to be attacked. I'm going in.

Marsha: Watch your head. We don't know him.

Gooze: I bet we will soon. I'm going in. Wow, he's done a lot of work down here. Here I come. Very nice.

Newton: I wanted to really fix it up. But since I only have a nickel, I decided to go with earth tones. You like it? Earth tones? So how long have you been working on it?

Newton: Most of the day yesterday. My name's Newton.

CJ: I'm CJ. This is Ned.

Ned: Hi.

CJ: And Gooze.

Gooze: Nice to meet you, Newton.

CJ: And Marsha is—are you coming down?

Marsha: There could be spiders down there. I'll keep a lookout.

Ned: What brings you to Wildwood, Newton?

Newton: My dad is an engineer. He got a job in the Far East. We're from a little town in the plains. You've never heard of it.

Marsha: How long are you here?

Newton: Till tomorrow night. Make sure you keep a sharp eye out. They are very sneaky.

CJ: So who's attacking?

Newton: Who's attacking? Well, that would be the fierce and sneaky ones.

CJ: But what are they called?

Newton: What is the attacking army called? Well, you should know that, Sergeant CJ.

CJ: Well, I do.

Newton: Well, we have no time to waste here. What are they called?

CJ: The Antarcticans.

Gooze: Of course, the Antarcticans. From Antarctica. Where else would the fierce and sneaky Antarcticans be from, I ask?

Newton: It's awfully stuffy down here. I'm going up and help Marsha. Newton, lunchtime. That's my dad. I got to go in. See you guys back here later?

CJ: No, I think we're going to go.

Ned: You bet. See you after lunch.

Stacy: How does truth speak, exactly?

Alma: It is a very powerful thing. So, your parents are very busy preparing for the new little one. They have forgotten about you.

Stacy: No, not really. They're just excited about having a cub. You ask a lot of questions.

Alma: I suppose I do. A very long time ago, I was a teacher. I think it is a habit I picked up. So, your parents, they are distracted.

Stacy: Yes, that's what they are. They're distracted.

Alma: How very thoughtless of them.

Stacy: Well, not really.

Alma: Were they as excited when you were on the way?

Stacy: Well, yeah. Mom knitted a bunch of stuff for me.

Alma: So this is not such a bad thing then, parents being excited about a new birth.

Stacy: No, they're just excited and distracted. It'd be bad if they weren't. It's okay.

Alma: Oh, I am glad to hear that.

Stacy: You just did something. I just defended my parents for having another cub.

Alma: See, mijita, the truth that you didn't want to come out, it came out. Isn't it wonderful?

Stacy: But I—you are tricky.

Alma: I could be tricky.

Stacy: I think I like you.

Alma: That is the best news I have heard in a long time. I like you too. I must go now, but please come back. We will get to know each other better. We will knit something together for your new addition and we will talk of truth.

Stacy: When can I come back?

Alma: Mañana, tomorrow.

Stacy: Good. I'll see you mañana. Bye, Alma.

Alma: Bye, Stacy.

Guest (Male): Well, CJ and Newton hit it right off. They played all afternoon, and the next day being Saturday, they even got together again in the morning. The two of them were just leaving the general store, heading back to the junk pile when it began.

CJ: Well, I wish this ship didn't sail tonight.

Newton: I know, me too. Here, I bought us a treat.

CJ: Oh, I love root beer. I didn't see you buy these.

Newton: I wanted to surprise you. Not sure how we're going to get them open. Here, I got a pocket knife with a bottle opener.

CJ: Nice knife.

Newton: Thanks. One, two, three. I think some went on my nose.

CJ: Here's a handkerchief.

Newton: I got one, thanks. You dropped your nickel.

CJ: Got it, thanks. How did you pay for the root beer?

Newton: What do you mean?

CJ: Well, you only had a nickel and you still have it.

Newton: Look, I just wanted to get us a treat.

CJ: You stole these from Mr. Crawford.

Dave Carol: Hello, Dave Carol here. Where does your kid listen to Paws & Tales? We'd love to know. You can upload a photo of your kids listening to Paws & Tales in the car, half-buried in pillows while coloring or doing a puzzle. So many ways 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.

Alma: Muy bien, mijita. You are doing very well.

Stacy: Yeah, if I keep knitting at this pace, I'll have a potholder next spring.

Alma: Patience, Stacy. Just keep counting. Knit one, purl two, knit one, purl two. It will be done in time.

Stacy: Knit one, purl two.

Alma: Most good things require patience. But we are not going to talk about patience today. Today, we talk about truth.

Stacy: I thought we were knitting.

Alma: Today, it is about truth. Knitting will help us with truth. It helps when you are learning a spiritual thing to learn a physical thing at the same time. That is why we knit.

Stacy: How is truth spiritual?

Alma: Because truth is from God. It is a wonderful thing that he has given us. God gave us truth for many reasons, but one of them is for our protection. Truth is like the handrail of a flight of stairs. It tells you on this side is safe, the other side is not. What do you think of truth, Stacy?

Stacy: What do I think of it? I'm for it. I like it.

Alma: You like truth?

Stacy: I do. I like it a lot.

Alma: That is very, very bad.

Stacy: How can that be bad?

Alma: If you don't love truth, you might as well hate it.

Stacy: Why?

Alma: I ask the questions here. Why? Why is it as bad to like the truth as it is to hate it?

Stacy: I don't know.

Alma: How would you act if you loved truth, if you thought it was a wonderful gift from God?

Stacy: Well, I guess I wouldn't lie.

Alma: Good, good.

Stacy: I guess I wouldn't want others to lie to me.

Alma: Of course not. Deception is the opposite of truth, and deception brings disaster and destruction.

CJ: Newton, you stole. I drank half of a stolen root beer.

Newton: Relax. No one will ever know they're gone. There was a whole barrel full. They'll never be missed. I took them so we could cool off. I did it for you.

CJ: Mr. Crawford is a friend of mine. We need to go back and tell him, pay him back. We got to make this right.

Newton: What, are you nuts? Then I'll get in trouble. I won't be able to play anymore today and my ship is leaving tonight. Who's that going to help?

Gooze: Hey there, guys.

CJ: What?

Newton: Relax, CJ. It's just us.

Ned: Yeah, CJ, just relax. What's wrong with you?

CJ: Nothing.

Newton: Nothing, he's fine.

Gooze: CJ, you got to finish that root beer.

CJ: No.

Ned: Can I have it?

CJ: No. What are you guys up to?

Gooze: I want to play candy store.

Marsha: Me too. No more army bunker stuff.

Ned: Oh, brother.

Newton: I was thinking about that.

Ned: You were?

Gooze: You were?

Newton: Yeah, I thought that if my new friends wanted to play candy store, we would need some candy.

Ned: Candy? How did you get a bag of candy?

CJ: Newton, come over here.

Newton: What's the matter, CJ?

CJ: I just need a minute here. CJ, relax, it's no big deal.

CJ: No big deal? You stole root beer. You told me that was all you took. Now you pull out a whole bag of candy. You stole and you lied.

Newton: Look, I only lied to you because it was already done. I couldn't undo it, and I knew you'd flip out if you knew.

CJ: Well, you were right.

Newton: That's why I couldn't tell you. Look, it's no big deal. It's done, it's over. I wanted to share root beer with my pal and I want my new friends to enjoy some candy. That's all. Why can't you just accept a gift from a friend and enjoy it with me?

Ned: Hey, guys, come on, let's get started. We're going to make a candy store.

Gooze: Maybe we could sell other stuff too. Oh yeah, we could bundle up these scraps of wood. Hey, what if we sold candy and firewood?

Marsha: I know how to make sachets from flower petals.

Ned: I was just telling my mom the other day I wish I could go just to one place to get a jawbreaker, some kindling, and a really good sachet.

Newton: Look at them. Don't ruin everything. Let's just go and have fun on my last day in Wildwood. No more lies, none. I'm done. Let's go.

Ned: All right.

Newton: Hey there, CJ. Oh, hi, Mr. Crawford.

Mr. Crawford: How you kids doing?

Ned: Good, Mr. Crawford. We're building a candy store.

Gooze: Want to buy a jawbreaker?

Mr. Crawford: Well, that's just the thing I was coming to ask you about. Seems I'm missing some things from the store, bunch of jawbreakers. Wanted to ask if you knew anything about it. Newton, you know anything about it?

Newton: No, sir. CJ brought these jawbreakers from home. Said he's had them for some time.

Mr. Crawford: Is that so, CJ?

CJ: Well, I—yeah, I brought them from home. Had them for a while.

Stacy: Stacy here from Paws & Tales. Hey, Dave. So, that Flat CJ, Ned, or Gooze, I don't get it.

Dave Carol: Well, we're asking kids to download a coloring sheet of their favorite Paws & Tales character from our website, pawsandtales.org, and color it in. Then we're asking them to send in a photo of them holding it up so we can show it off to the world.

Stacy: That's so fun. Go to pawsandtales.org and pop into the clubhouse to upload.

Stacy: So how do I know what is true? Does everybody just know?

Alma: Stacy, we are kindred spirits, you and I. Good question. No, people do not agree on what truth is. Some just make it up and do whatever they want. Then they hurt themselves and do harm to others.

God is the source of truth, mijita. How can we discover what God says is true?

Stacy: That would have to be the Bible.

Alma: Of course it is. We must begin to love the things that God loves, to hate the things that God hates. The Bible tells us what these things are. That is one of the reasons King David loved God's laws. It kept him safe. It also gave him wisdom and comfort and freedom. Psalm 119 is mostly about how much David loves God's laws, ordinances, and testimonies. God's laws are truth, truth that will never change. That is a great comfort to me.

Stacy: It just seems kind of weird to love laws and rules. It seems like you would have more freedom if you didn't follow laws and rules.

Alma: Excelente, good thought. That would be true though if all you wanted was freedom from rules. But that is a small kind of freedom. You have the freedom to knit differently than I taught you. Go ahead.

Stacy: Go ahead and what?

Alma: Make up your own kind of knitting.

Stacy: I don't want to.

Alma: Why not? You have the freedom.

Stacy: Because it'll look like the last potholder I made. It'll be a disaster.

Alma: So what other kind of freedom, what better kind of freedom is there to have, Stacy?

Stacy: I suppose freedom from doing bad things.

Alma: Muy bien, very good. If you do not love truth, you will give it up when you are tempted or when times get tough, and you will find yourself trapped. Do not like truth, Stacy. Love it. Love God's laws.

Stacy: I will.

Alma: I need to rest now. But come back soon, Stacy. We will knit and we will talk about grace.

Stacy: I will. Thanks, Alma.

Alma: Hug me, hug me. Come here and hug me.

Guest (Male): Well, back at the junk pile, CJ was so confused and scared, he could hardly think straight.

Mr. Crawford: So you brought the jawbreakers from home, did you?

Newton: Sure, that's what he said.

Mr. Crawford: Son, I'm not asking you. CJ, stop and take a breath. Think about what happened and help me find out the truth here.

Guest (Male): Well, CJ first felt scared and angry that Mr. Crawford was putting pressure on him. Then he thought back and he remembered that Newton had lied and stolen, and he remembered that Newton had made him feel guilty for being upset about it. Then he got angry.

CJ: No, I didn't.

Newton: CJ.

CJ: Newton, be quiet. No, I didn't bring them from home. Newton stole them from your store. I thought we were friends.

Cyrus Hayes: Newton, Newton, dinner's ready.

Newton: I got to go.

Mr. Crawford: Hold on there, son. Is that your father?

Newton: Yeah.

Mr. Crawford: You Newton's father?

Cyrus Hayes: I certainly am. Cyrus Hayes. Call me Cyrus.

Mr. Crawford: Cyrus, I'm Mr. Crawford. I own the general store.

Cyrus Hayes: Nice to meet you.

Mr. Crawford: Seems your son stole from my store this afternoon.

Cyrus Hayes: What? Newton, is this true?

Newton: It was just some candy.

Mr. Crawford: And two root beers.

Cyrus Hayes: You don't say. This is very unusual. Son, what were you thinking?

Newton: I don't know. Sorry.

Cyrus Hayes: Mr. Crawford, I am shocked and ashamed. We will pay you back double what he took. What would that be, 50 cents?

Mr. Crawford: Newton, there's a pocket knife missing too, expensive one. Did you take it?

Newton: All right, have your stupid knife back.

Cyrus Hayes: Newton, I can't believe this. Mr. Crawford, how much is it worth?

Mr. Crawford: A dollar.

Cyrus Hayes: Looks like I owe you $2.50. That's a lot of money. Sorry. I tell you what, we'll come over to your store first thing in the morning and pay you back.

Mr. Crawford: That'd be just fine.

Cyrus Hayes: Newton, you come with me. We need to have a very serious discussion together.

CJ: Mr. Crawford.

Mr. Crawford: What is it, son?

CJ: They won't come to your store in the morning.

Mr. Crawford: Won't they?

CJ: They're leaving on the ship tonight. He lied to you.

Mr. Crawford: You don't say.

CJ: I'm so sorry. I got all confused.

Mr. Crawford: That's the very nature of lies. Love truth, CJ. Hold it dear to your heart. Even fight for it if you have to. If you don't, well, we just saw what can happen if you don't.

CJ: I will, Mr. Crawford. I really will.

Insight for Living: (Sings) Por favor, excuse me un momento. Listen mi amigo to my song. Don't take a siesta or wait till mañana if you have to admit that you're wrong. Don't you say that the dog ate your homework or the gummy in your chair, I don't know who put it there. If your story is falsa, you'll be in hot salsa, so the best thing to do is to simply declare.

La verdad, la verdad, the truth is from God. This is so, this is so. So why, oh why, would we ever want to lie? I don't know, I don't know. God says what we should do, we should always tell the truth and we'll see, we'll see. La verdad is from God, yes the truth will set you free. Set you free.

Insight for Living: (Sings) Oh I ask you, do you comprende? Do you see the problema with the lies? One leads to another, you'll have to take cover, but they don't make sombreros that size. So the Lord doesn't want you going loco, that is why he's made it clear as one, two, three. His ways are muy buena and meant to protect you, so come on muchachos, it's time we embrace.

La verdad, la verdad, the truth is from God. This is so, this is so. So why, oh why, would we ever want to lie? I don't know, I don't know. God says what we should do, we should always tell the truth and we'll see, we'll see. La verdad is from God, yes the truth will set you free. Set you free.

When you stand on the truth, you're standing on the solid rock, suprema. Then you cannot be moved and you'll have a very life, la vida buena. God will say bravo, fantástico, because he is for us. So mijitos and mijitas, join me and repeat this chorus. In a new key of course.

La verdad, la verdad, the truth is from God. This is so, oh yeah. So why, oh why, would we ever want to lie? I don't know. God says what we should do, we should always tell the truth and we'll see, sí, sí. La verdad is from God, yes the truth will set you free. Set you free. La verdad is from God, yes the truth will set you free. Sí, sí. Sí, sí.

Insight for Living: To order a copy of today's program, The Truth about Truth, just log on to pawsandtales.org. The Truth about Truth was written and directed by Dave Carol. The song, La Verdad is from God, was written by Sandy Howell and Shelly Spady. Music was by Tim Hosman, and our sound designer was Jerry Swafford. Paws & Tales is an Insight for Living production and a proud supporter of Keys for Kids Radio.