Eunice, after deciding on a second cup of coffee outdoors instead of in the kitchen, sat still on the front porch swing so not to slosh the coffee out of her cup, enjoying the quiet Saturday morning. The Robins were back making yet another nest in the guttering. She smiled, knowing the nest would have to be removed later after the baby birds had left.

“Mr. and Mrs. Robin, enjoying your beautiful song this mornin’.” The two birds perked and bobbed their heads as if they were listening.

Finishing the coffee and feeling lazy she told herself to get to work. “Please excuse me, while I go work in the garden.” She chuckled at the silly birds pecking their nest to make it comfortable. “Come by later for worms. Just don’t eat the seeds.”

After gathering hat, gloves, tools, seeds, and fertilizer; Eunice struck the hoe into the hardened soil and paused to pray. “God bless this garden. May it bear abundant fruit for the neighborhood.”

After hoeing awhile, Eunice took a rest on the bench in front of the pampas grass along the fence. Then she noticed something furry lying at the other end of the fence by the apple tree. She walked over to see that it was a dead mangled rabbit. Horrified and then sighing with sorrow, she imagined the poor bunny rabbit must have met up with a wild cat roaming the neighborhood.

She retrieved a shovel from the shed and buried the dead rabbit under the apple tree. Then while singing a hymn about God’s creation, she sprinkled some Marigold flower seeds over the little grave.

“Mornin’ Ms. Eunice. Beautiful day for gardening.” Her neighbor, Gary lifted up the basket he carried to show her the colored Easter eggs. “I’m the Easter bunny this morning. Hiding eggs for the kids to hunt later.”

“Well don’t tell your kids, but I just buried a real bunny rabbit. A dead rabbit. Cat must have got it last night.”

“Ahh. Wondered why you look so sad.”

Gary and his wife Janet, a young couple with three children under the age of seven, had been good neighbors to Eunice. They had invited her over to their house several times to celebrate holidays or birthdays. And occasionally Eunice would babysit while Gary and Janet went out on a “date”.

“Yeah, I’m sad about the rabbit. Rabbits never hurt anyone except maybe lettuce in my garden. And you know I get a kick out of watching silly cats crouch and try to pounce on crickets or something. They’re hunters. Hunters after birds, insects, even rabbits. Even if they just had a bowl full of gourmet cat food.”

Gary continued patiently listening, nodding in agreement.

“But someday all of God’s creation will live in peace. Looking forward to that day. Jesus will return and remove the curse from earth. Until then Earth deteriorates. And God’s creatures prey on each other. Mankind’s rebellion against God brought that curse.”

Gary remained silent, pondering what she had said, so Eunice continued on.

“But God has provided the cure. Jesus Christ. The perfect Son of God. He died to provide atonement for sin. He rose again to provide eternal life. Reconciliation with our Creator is what we need. Gary, have you believed in Jesus for the cure to your rebellion?”

Gary’s eyes popped wide while his jaw dropped at a totally unexpected question. He stared away at a distance, silent with his own thoughts for a moment. “I do. I think I believe. Anyway, I think I want to believe what you say.”

“Do you have a Bible?”

“Yes, Janet’s grandmother gave us a Bible as a wedding gift.”

“Will you make a date with Janet to read the book of John together?”

“I will. Just for you Ms. Eunice.”

“Not for me. Read it for yourselves. The very words of life are in the Bible. Embrace the Savior for life and peace with God forever. Someday Jesus will return and remove Satan and all those who follow after him in rebellion against God. Then he will restore his creation and remove the curse. No more death. No more killing. No more hate. Only love everlasting.”

Eunice apologized for babbling on and on. “I’ll let you get on with hiding the eggs before the kids come out.”

Gary grinned as he placed an Easter egg in the hollow of an old tree. “No problem. Take it easy with the gardening.”

Eunice headed toward the garden, but turned back adding, “Remember to read the Bible with Janet–the greatest love story ever.”

Smiling, as he remembered his wife’s grandmother saying something similar, he nodded yes and waved goodbye.

This story is a fictionalization. Although, historical events, people and places are used fictitiously, details of the time period have been portrayed as accurately as possible for authenticity. All characters are fictional unless otherwise noted.