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Good evening, little lambs. Tonight's story is called The Oat Cakes Under the Cloth, inspired by the Gospel of Luke six. Tonight Jesus teaches us that God's special rest day is for sitting with him and being kind. When lambs are hungry, feeding them is part of keeping the day good. Jesus is in charge of rest day. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter six verses one through five, that is what he shows. And so tonight we're on Shepherd's Hill, where a woven basket sits in the shade, and oat cakes wait under a cloth. The afternoon was quiet. Rest day on Shepherd's Hill meant no hauling pails and no stacking hay. The grass smelled warm. Bees hummed. A woven basket sat under the oak. A checkered cloth covered the top. The smell of oat cakes came through the cloth, brown, a little sweet, still a bit warm from morning. Juniper's white wool was smooth. Her little basket hung empty over one foreleg. Last night the old stiff juice bag had split, and Jesus had told them to drink glad. Tonight she wanted rest day to be exactly right. We pack these for sunset, Juniper said. Rest day supper is at the first star. Nobody opens the basket before then. That is the proper way. Rest day means we wait. Biscuit's golden tuft stuck up. Her tummy made a long rumble. She had bounced all morning, even on a quiet day. But I am hungry now. Little Wren stood on her back hooves and sniffed the cloth. She was tiny with curly ears. She was old Wooly's granddaughter. Her tummy rumbled too, smaller and sadder. I skipped the morning mash, Wren whispered. I was still full from juice. Now it is a long time until the star. Clover's cream wool was neat, her blue scarf was neat. The green sprig behind her left ear stood up, then tipped. She looked at Wren's thin sides. Old Woolly sat in the grass. His silver grey fleece shone. His voice felt like sitting next to a fire. Hungry is hungry, even on a quiet day. Jesus came up the path. He looked at each of them as if that lamb were the only lamb in the meadow. He sat down by the basket. Wren's tummy rumbled again. Juniper put a hoof on the cloth. If we eat now, it will not be rest day anymore. Jesus did not look angry. He lifted the cloth. The oat cakes were round and brown. He took one, he broke it. He put a piece in Wren's small hooves, then biscuits, then clovers, then old woollies, then junipers. Juniper did not eat, her ears went flat. That is not the rest day way, she said. The cakes are for later. Jesus spoke kindly. Have you not heard, he said, about the hungry king? He went into God's house. He ate the special bread that was only for the helpers there. He shared it with his hungry friends. God cared that they were hungry. Juniper looked at the peace in her hoof. Then Jesus said the plainest thing of the whole night. I am in charge of rest day, he said. Hungry lambs may eat. Rest day is for sitting with me and being kind. It is not for leaving tummies empty. Wren ate. The cake was ordinary and good. Her rumble stopped. She sat down in the dust, not lying down with a hurting tummy, not missing the quiet songs. Juniper took a small bite. I thought waiting was how we keep rest day good. Waiting can be good, Jesus said, but I am here. Feeding a hungry friend is how we keep this day good. They sat under the oak until the first star came out. The basket was not empty. There were still cakes for later. Nobody's tummy hurt, and so tonight we learn that Jesus is in charge of rest day. God's special day is for sitting with him and being kind. When someone is hungry, feeding them is part of keeping the day good. Can you think of one hungry friend you could share with even on a quiet day? Let's close our eyes now, safe on the green hill, held by the shepherd who is in charge of rest, and who will not leave us hungry. Jesus, thank you that you are in charge of rest day. Help me sit with you, be kind, and share when someone is hungry. Amen. Good night, little lamb. God loves you so much. Sweet dreams.