The Sparrow Found A House (Sparrow Stories #1)
Page 30
Chapter 30
The Order Of The Golden Sparrow
Waking as usual at 6:30, Sergeant Sparrow turned off the alarm before he realized that Crystal had already left the room. Normally the Sergeant was the first member of the family to get up, but on certain days his wife would rise early to fix a hot breakfast for all of them. She had probably decided to do so this morning, he concluded, because this was something of a special day. Today, his first birthday since their marriage, Mr. Sparrow turned forty-two years old. Heavy on the ‘old’, he reminded himself as he got out of bed and began to do pushups.
In his prime, the Sergeant could do fifty one-handed pushups each way and barely break a sweat. Now he was reduced to a pathetically small number of two-handed pushups at a stretch, and he was sure the geriatric ward couldn’t be far away. Still, he was determined to keep as active as possible for as long as he could.
While exercising, the Sergeant improved the time by talking to God, mentioning as always the concerns of the day and each member of the family. Today his prayer was chiefly one of thanksgiving, for the best birthday present he could ever have hoped for – to wake up, on the first morning of this new year of life, married to the most wonderful wife and leading the most wonderful family in the world. His mother-in-law was right about one thing: they had all been radically changed in the past year, and the Sergeant knew it wasn’t through any power of his own. He knew, because he had been changed too – and that was something else for which to give thanks.
After his workout, Sergeant Sparrow eased into his favorite pair of running shoes and quietly went downstairs. The road was clear enough for a good run, he knew, as long as he watched out for patches of ice. But as he went through the front room the Sergeant stopped, for here he was confronted by a strange sight. The children, whom he’d thought to be snoring in bed, were dressed and lined up at tight attention in front of their mother. Ben was with them, and Mrs. Scroggins was watching from nearby.
Mrs. Sparrow turned to him without a hint of a smile. “Sergeant,” she announced, “with your permission, your troops would like to make a presentation.”
“Proceed,” the Sergeant told her with a sober salute. He couldn’t wait to see where this was going.
“Private,” she said to Chris, “read the citation.”
Chris stepped forward and cleared his throat. “By the power vested in us as his grateful family,” he read, “and on the occasion of his birthday, we present this award to Sergeant Sparrow in appreciation for his role in our lives. Without regard for his own reputation or gratification, he has guided this family outstandingly, by God’s grace, in the first eight months of his command. The Bible tells us that we should give honor to whom it is due, and so we do that today.”
Mrs. Sparrow then produced a blue box, and snapped it open to reveal a medal. It was only painted plastic from a trophy shop, but it was as good as gold for the man receiving it. The Sergeant stood to attention as she pinned it to his shirt.
“On behalf of your platoon, I hereby present you with the Order of the Golden Sparrow, an award which has never before been given in all of history. (And probably never will be again.)”
On the front of the medal was a little picture of a sparrow wearing an army beret. On the back was an inscription, which made the Sergeant smile as he read it. “THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YESTERDAY.”
“We love you, Dad.” Jessie went off script for a moment.
“I love you all so much,” the Sergeant said in a voice that was slightly choked. “And, I accept this honor on behalf of the real Commander. As long as we keep following Him, we’ll all get the ultimate award someday. Now... at ease!”
The Sergeant gave Mom a hug that quickly grew to include Jessie, Katie, and finally everyone. Early light streamed through the open curtains, the brightening horizon promised a beautiful morning, and they all felt as clean and fresh as the new day dawning. They held each other, watched the sunrise, and thanked Jesus for the family He had made of them – and wondered what would happen next.
Next: “Flight School” by Jason McIntire
If you enjoyed The Sparrow Found A House, check out its all-new sequel: Flight School: One Summer, Many Choices.
On the verge of adult life, Chris Rivera is eager to get started on his career as a director of Christian movies. But he'll have to do it without his best friend Ben, who has traded childhood toys for law books... and a very pretty study partner.
Meanwhile, Jessie is getting a lot of attention from conservative neighbor John and trendy friend Galen – each of whom, for drastically different reasons, seems a little too good to be true.
In the face of hard questions and big temptations, how do you know which choice is right? And where do you get the courage to make it?