An atheist was walking through the woods. "Oh what majestic trees"! "What powerful rivers"! "Such beautiful animals"! These were all thoughts he said to himself as he leisurely strode along.
As he was walking alongside a river, fully enjoying and taking in the beautiful surroundings, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look.
He saw what he figured to be a 7-foot grizzly bear coming towards him.
Turning, he started to run as fast as he could up the trail. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that the bear was getting gaining on him.
Continuing his run, lengthening his strides, he peered over his shoulder again, & it seemed the bear was even closer.
In near panic mode, he managed to run even faster, but then he tripped over a vine, and fell on the ground. Garnering his remaining strength, he rolled himself over to get up to continue running; but he saw that the bear was right on top of him, even reaching for him with his left paw while raising his right paw to strike him.
At that very instant the Atheist cried out, "Oh my God!"
Time Stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
As a bright light began to shine upon the man, a voice came out of the sky.
"You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident." "Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament?
Am I to count you as a believer"?
The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian"?
"Very Well," said the voice.
The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:
"Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, our Lord, Amen."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * And that's the way the story came to me this Friday morning, the last day of November in the year of our Lord 2007.