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Good evening, little lambs. Tonight's story is called The Empty Pails by the Thicket, inspired by the gospel of Luke five eleven. Tonight Jesus teaches us that we can trust His Word, even when we are tired and sure we already know. He asks us to try again His way. Then He fills what we could not fill, and walking with Him matters more than the thing we were trying to get. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter five, verses one through eleven, that is what He shows. And so tonight we're on Shepherd's Hill, where two empty pails sit by the water trough, and the berry bushes near the barn have no fruit left. The sun was low and gold. The trough water smelled like wet wood and cool stone. Biscuits golden tuft stuck straight up, dusty from a long afternoon. She dunked an empty wooden pail and swirled it. Pink juice stains washed off the sides. No berries were in it, not one. Clover stood beside her. Her cream wool was dusty too. Her blue scarf hung loose. The green sprig behind her left ear stood up. Yesterday her head had been too hot to stand, until Jesus put his cool hand on her forehead and made her well. Tonight her legs were strong. She rinsed the second pail. Drops fell into the trough with small plinks. We looked and looked, Biscuit said. I know these bushes. I always find the first berries. Today there is nothing. Old Wooly sat in the grass, his silver grey fleece shone. Little Wren stood close to his side. She was tiny with curly ears. She was old Wooly's granddaughter. She stood on her back hooves and peeked into Biscuit's pail. It was still empty. Jesus came up the path. He looked at each of them as if that lamb were the only lamb in the meadow. He sat on the trough stone. He talked with them while the pails dripped, and the evening bugs hummed. When he had finished talking, he said Take the pails to the far thicket, the one down by the creek. Fill them there. Biscuits tuft drooped. The far thicket was a long walk. The near bushes were the ones she knew. We worked all afternoon, she said. We took nothing. I already know that thicket. It will be empty too. She looked at the wet pail. She picked it up by the handle. The wood bumped her knee. But at your word, she said, I will go. They walked, dust puffed around their hooves. Clover carried the second pail. The path went down toward the creek. The far thicket stood in the last light, dark green, full of thorns. Biscuit reached in. Her hoof came out purple. Berries, fat ones, dark and cool. She dropped them into the pail. They hit the wood with soft thumps. The pail filled so fast the top berries rolled off into the grass. Clover's pail filled too. Juice ran down the sides and made sticky lines on the handles. The pails were too heavy to lift. Help, Biskit called. Old Woolly and Wren came down the path. They brought two more pails from the barn. They filled those two. Wren's small pail dripped a purple line in the dust. Nobody could carry it all alone. Biskit sat down hard in the grass. Purple was on her nose. I was sure there was nothing, she said. I thought I knew. I do not feel big enough to walk with you. Jesus knelt beside her. He did not walk away. Then he said the plainest thing of the whole night. Do not be afraid, he said. You tried all day your way, and the pails stayed empty. You did what I said, and now they are too full. From now on, you will not just pick berries. You will help me bring other lambs close. Walking with me matters more than the pails. Biscuit looked at the four full pails. She wanted to sit and count every berry. She set her pail down in the grass. Clover set hers down too. Old Woolly hung Wren's small pail on a low branch so it would not spill. They ate a few berries, dark and sweet. Then they left the pails and walked after Jesus, up the path toward home, lighter than the full wood. And so tonight we learn that Jesus' word is worth trusting, even when we are tired and sure we already know. When we do what He says, He can fill what we could not fill. Then He asks us to leave even the good full thing and walk with Him. What is one thing you could try again because Jesus asks you, and who could you walk with so nobody has to carry a heavy pail alone? Let's close our eyes now, safe on the green hill held by the shepherd who fills empty pails and then walks with us. Jesus, help me trust your word even when I am tired. Fill what I cannot fill and walk with me. Amen. Good night, little lamb. God loves you so much. Sweet dreams.