Steve the Bear

 Once upon a time, at the home of David and Sarah, there was a black bear. For some reason, this bear didn't like David and Sarah's new house, so he decided to show them this by pulling of the trim box and breaking some siding.

 He also decided to bend their screen and rip a hole in it.

 One day, several weeks ago, Sarah was walking around the house and noticed this destruction. She was not pleased. David was not pleased when she showed him. At first they wondered if a person had tried to break into their house. This troubled Sarah very much.  Then Sarah talked to a neighbor and found out that a bear was making it's rounds each week among the neighbors: trying to climb in a swimming pool, knocking over an old fridge, etc.

David had to go away for a week and so Sarah had to stay in the house for a few days by herself for the first time. Many people prayed for Sarah to not be scared. The first night went by smoothly. The second night things were going well as Sarah stayed up working on things....until she looked down from the dining room to see a black bear  walking right under the window where she was working! Terrified, she froze. The bear moseyed along the house and off into the night. A few minutes later she heard a neighbors dogs start barking like crazy, knowing the bear had continued on to their house.

Only then did she realize that while her heart was pounding and her adrenaline was pumping, she had lived through one of her fears. She learned that day, that it's only when you look fear in the face and see it for what it is, can you give it to the Lord and move on.

Now that weather is getting colder, Sarah hopes that Steve the Bear has gone away to hibernate and will not come back to gnaw on their house.

The end.

*Steve was named through a conversation with Melissa on the phone a few day after the event. She didn't intend to name him, but she did. He now seems much friendlier since he has a name...as long as he really is a boy.