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Good evening, little lambs. Tonight's story is called The Heavy Basket and The Walk Home, inspired by the Gospel of Matthew twenty three twenty seven thirty two. Tonight, Jesus teaches us that real happiness is not a prize you wait for. It is walking in God's ways, loving him so much you do not want to make him sad, and then eating the good work of your own hands. In Psalm one hundred twenty eight, verses one through two and verses four through five, that is the song. And so tonight we're coming home across Shepherd's Hill, where a berry basket is heavy, and supper is waiting if they can carry it all the way. The sun sat low, red as a ripe berry. The far slope smelled like warm dust and crushed leaves. All afternoon the lambs had picked the last dark berries of summer. Their hooves were stained purple. The basket was full. It was also heavy. Biscuits golden tuft stood up, then flopped. She was hungry. The barn looked small and far. Let's eat them here, she said. Why walk all that way? My legs are tired. Clover's blue scarf was dusty. The green sprig behind her left ear tipped. If we eat them here, she said, there is no supper at home, and Matt is still picking the low bush. Quiet, dark fleeced Matt came up the slope with one last hoofful and tipped it in. The basket sagged. Thisle, the wiry lamb with wool the color of dry grass, who had climbed the hill two evenings ago after Hazel found him at the creek and said come and see, took one handle. I thought a blessing would feel like a prize, he said. He did not sound mean. He sounded tired. This just feels like a heavy basket. Old Woolly hummed lo, the way a kettle hums. Happy are they who walk in God's ways? Biskit set her end of the basket down. I love God, she said. I just also love berries, and I am hungry now. That was when they saw that Jesus had been on the path the whole time, close enough to touch. He looked at each of them as if that lamb were the only lamb in the meadow. He put his hands under the heavy end of the basket. I will take this side, he said. We will walk, then we will eat. The rope loosened, they walked. Dust puffed around their hooves. Clover walked close to Jesus. Her voice was small. Old Wooly's song says the ones who fear the Lord are happy, she said. Is God scary? I do not want to be scared of you. Jesus' voice was plain. No, he said. Fearing the Lord does not mean you hide. It means you love God so much you do not want to make him sad. Like you do not want to hurt someone you love. You stay on his path. You tell the truth. You carry what you gathered so your friends can eat too. Biskit picked up her end again. So walking in his ways is this, she said, not running off with a mouthful of berries. This, Jesus said. One step, then the next, with me. They came over the last rise. The barn smelled like hay and cool stone. They set the basket in the middle. Jesus blessed it the way you bless a real supper, not a show. They ate the berries they had picked. They were dark and sweet, and still a little warm from the sun. Thisle shut his eyes. Biscuit passed the bowl to Matt first. You will eat the work of your hands, Jesus said. You will be happy, and it will be well with you. That was the plainest thing he said all night. Thisle licked a purple stain from his hoof. So this is the blessing, he said, not a prize, the walk, and then supper. Jesus smiled. This is how a lamb is blessed who loves God and walks in his ways, he said. May the Lord bless you from his holy hill. May you see good all the days of your life. Old Wooly's voice felt like sitting next to a fire. A prize sits on a shelf, he said. A blessing feeds you. Clover's sprig stood bright, the fold grew quiet, and so tonight we learned that happiness is not a fancy prize. It is loving God so much we do not want to make him sad, walking his ways with our own feet, and eating the good work of our own hands. He blesses that walk all the days of our life. What is one real thing your hands did today? And who could you walk home with instead of running ahead? Let's close our eyes now, safe on the green hill, held by the shepherd who walks the whole path beside us. Jesus, help me love you so much I do not want to make you sad. Walk with me, bless the work of my hands, and keep me safe all night. Amen. Good night, little lamb. God loves you so much, sweet dreams.