“Ouch! Oops! I can’t get off the ground! What wrong with me. Aren’t I a bird! Aren’t these wings supposed to fly! What this thing in my throat! I’m choking on what, what is it!” yelled Ceppos!
“Get over it Ceppos! Its just a case of nerves,” Momma bird said.
“A case of nerves, what do you mean?! How could nerves keep me from flying up, up away!” Ceppos yelled with disbelief.
“No one can soar with unnecessary baggage, even if it is nerves! Unload those cases of nerves and try again my child.” Mom chirped trying to reassure Ceppos.
Ceppos pulled at his throat, he pulled at his wings and tried to straighten them out looking to see if he could see that they were all unfurled. Yeah, they were. Again he took his flying stance and swallowed hard. He lifted his wings. “Here I go Mom!” He took off, but something happened and suddenly, splat he hit the ground. What a disappointment. Big tears fell from his eyes to the ground. He stomped his little boney feet in disgust.
Ceppos tried and tried again. As time went on his fear increased. He tried to cover the fear up but with every attempted flight he failed to soar and his fear grew and grew. He was beginning to think he would never fly. The other birds thought that he was a misfit. Ceppos also was beginning to feel that he was a misfit.
His mother took him to a counselo . This was no ordinary counselor. He was the counselor that all birds chose. He was so mighty, He was the creator of all the creatures in the Kingdom of Aviate.
Ceppos hopped into I AM’s office. “What is the problem young bird?” I AM asked.
“Well you see I AM, I have a big problem. You have given me these wings, but I don’t fly. Are they made faulty or what.?”
“Oh Ceppos, that isn’t possible. I don’t make mistakes.”
“Well then, what is wrong with me?”
“ Your problem is that you have a lot of weights dangling from your hollow wings which I made for you to fly high and far with.”
“Well I’m so sorry I AM, but I don’t see any weights. Am I also blind?”
“No your not physically blind, but perhaps spiritually blind. The weights you have started from the inside and came to effect your outside. Your fear has added one weight after another to you. Also your fear has really messed up your brain with twist and turns that cover up who you were made to be. Come here Ceppos and let me unload the weights. First let’s take off each one.”
“Wow! I AM I can’t believe it. I’m really feeling kind of feeling light already. Keep taking all that stuff off of me. Oh my, this really, really feels so good! Why couldn’t I get rid of the baggage by myself.”
“Because Ceppos, for one thing YOU never realized you had baggage so how would you know that you needed to have it removed. Another thing you would never know me if you didn’t humble yourself and come to me with your problems. And because you came to me and because you trust and have faith in me, I the great I AM am able to take the baggage away. I would never go against your will to remove the baggage. I work along with your will to remove the baggage. I love you too much. It does my heart good to see you being set free.
“Now Ceppos, I AM God and I am going to watch you take your first solo flight. Walk with me and I will cheer you on as you fly free.”
Ceppos swallowed and turned to see the beaming IAM. Ceppos unfurled his wings and gradually lifted off. His wings flapping in the wind caused him to soar. He waved at the great I AM who leaped in the air with the excitement as He saw His child taking off and soaring where only He knew he could go.
thedailylily.com 
O The Discipline of Freedom! Nice story to give food on the flight!
A creative way, Rena, to illustrate how a ‘case of nerves’ and fear can paralyze and render one ineffective and unable to accomplish what they are made to be. Guess Ceppos could have hopped a little to get where he needed to go, but he wouldn’t have gotten very far. Encouraging to see that he soars!
Yes, the discipline of freedom AND THE FREEDOM OF DISCIPLINE. Gives us a” thinking moment” to quote a brother. Thanks for sharing your stories with the Lilies.