Children's Short Story: Comedy for ages 4 and up Teaching: A fishing tale with a Christian point of view for dating and marriage, about setting boundaries, and building trust. Excerpt: The sun slowly sank into the distant horizon as they sit around the campfire talking and eating marshmallows. Frank and Darren planned a little surprise for the boys. "Did you get the bear suit, Darren?" Frank asked. "Yep, sure did. I hid it in the boat." "When Pastor starts telling his story tonight, you slip off into the dark and put the suit on," Frank instructed. Darren looks confused, "How did I get roped into this, it wasn't my idea?" "Come on Darren, you will be a better bear than me." "Well, Ok!" Pastor David took a sip of coffee to clear his throat, "Most of you are getting to that age where you will start thinking about dating, marriage, or going off to college. Just know that the world can be a cruel place if you don't watch your step. That roaring lion is out there waiting to attack all of us. If you think about it most of all our problems are brought on by someone being selfish. It could be you, or it could be someone taking advantage of you. We are all human and most of us don't like boundaries, we don't like people telling us no. If you can learn to set boundaries in everything you do it will help you live a blessed life without a lot of problems... That is the part of being a pastor that just breaks my heart. It is like time after time, I am counseling young couples and parents that just got pregnant. It breaks my heart to have to watch children cry and cry ........ "Great question," Pastor David said. "If you aren't sure what he is asking, kind of like fishing, make sure that you know what kind of species you are fishing for, before you ever go out on a date, and definitely before you get married. What are trying to catch a catfish, a bass, crappie..... David continued, "If you have boundaries you will limit some of your mistakes, but not all of them. Women are a great example; lots of women are always thinking they can change a guy. Guys aren't interested in changing. Billy, would you like to marry a cute girl knowing she wants to start changing you?" Billy responds, "What's wrong with me now?" Everyone starts laughing. Pastor David continues, "Now, this guy they are crazy about becomes their life's project. Then it becomes, if only I could change him. Life becomes miserable instead of full of blessings. Take poor old Frank's wife, for example, now she has to put up with him." Laughter fills the night air..... The fire popped and cracked as they put their marshmallows into the fire. Smoke gently rose into the star filled sky. Pastor David suddenly spoke up again, "You know, this night reminds me of a long time ago when I was a little boy, oh...probably about ten years old. My grandpa took me on a fishing trip just like this one, only way back in the mountains. Way back! We drove for hours and hours before we reached this old dirt road. Then my grandpa turned off the main road and started driving down this old dusty pothole filled dirt road for miles and miles. I was wondering if we would ever reach the lake. Finally, we reached it. It was suddenly worth every minute sitting in that old rickety truck of Grandpa's. We even pitched a tent just like we did tonight. It was wonderful sitting there listening to my Grandpa tell me stories about the good old days, the days when a gun was the only law." "Wow!" the boys breathed as they began easing closer to hear his story. "Why, my Grandpa told me that his father had to wear a gun every day. You just didn't know who would ride right upon you at any time." With a slow steady move, Darren eased back out of the warm campfire's light. The boy's attention was so great that no one even missed him. Away in the dark, he crept down to the boat to get the bear suit.