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🌼 Junie and the Feather of Kindness

Here’s a gentle, whimsical children’s story based on Proverbs 12:25 — “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” It is warm, simple, and full of Maplewood charm. 🌼 Junie and the Feather of Kindness A Children’s Story Inspired by Proverbs 12:25 Junie Miller woke up with a heavy feeling in her chest. It wasn’t a cold. It wasn’t sadness. It was something she couldn’t name — just a heaviness, like carrying a backpack full of invisible rocks. She walked slowly to the big maple tree where the birds of Maplewood liked to gather. She hoped maybe the breeze would help her feel lighter. High above, Heyday spotted her first. “Hey to the day!” he chirped. “Junie, you look like you swallowed a raincloud.” Junie sighed. “I just feel… heavy.” Heyday fluttered down beside her. “Ah. A heart‑heaviness. Very common. Very fixable. Let me get Mr. Owl.” He zipped off before Junie could say another word. A moment later, Mr. Owl swooped down, spectacles shining in the sun. ...
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The Lesson of the "Perfectly Patient" Pear Cake - a Florence, Chester and Polly story

  The Lesson of the "Perfectly Patient" Pear Cake The sun was warm over the cornfield, and Mrs. Florence Penguin was in a fluster. The Maplewood Baptist Bake Sale was only two days away! "I’m a penguin of the North!" Florence wailed, waving a wooden spoon. "I only know how to make Frozen Frosting Cakes. But every time I step out of Chester’s treehouse, the sun turns my frosting into a sugary puddle! I have nothing for the bake sale." Chester Crow hopped down from his porch. "You're trying to bake for the Arctic while you're standing in a cornfield, Florence. Look at what’s right in front of you." Polly Partridge chirped from the garden wall. "The pear tree has given its first fruit, Florence. They are firm and sweet, and they don't mind the sun one bit." "But I don't know anything about pears!" Florence cried. "I know ice!" "We’ll help you," Polly said softly. "But you have to stop look...
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The Peppermint Harvest - a Florence, Chester and Polly story

  In the cozy, winding world of Maple Lane , these birds are perfectly suited for stories about community, unexpected gifts, and the "slow growth" of the spirit. Since Mrs. Penguin is grounded for a while, here is a new teaching story titled "The Peppermint Harvest." The Peppermint Harvest The Setting: A week has passed since the crash. Mrs. Penguin is staying in Chester’s guest branch, and Polly’s pear tree has just sprouted its very first winter bud. The Story: Mrs. Penguin was distraught. Her purse had burst during the crash, and her "Emergency Peppermints" had scattered deep into the mud of the cornfield. To Florence, those peppermints represented her security—her "sweetness" for the long journey. Without them, she felt she had nothing to offer her new neighbors. Chester Crow watched her pacing the stalks. "They’re just candies, Florence," he cawed gently. "They were my candies, Chester," she fretted. "And now they...
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