Miles and the Skunk

Miles is always ready for an adventure, but this time his curiosity leads him into a chase that Earl and Pearl wish they could stop! When a striped stranger disappears into the bushes, Miles races after it without thinking about the consequences.

Join Earl, Pearl, and Miles for a lighthearted story that reminds us that not everything worth chasing is good for us. Along the way, we'll discover a simple biblical lesson about wisdom, self-control, and choosing the right path before curiosity leads us into trouble.

Come along...and travel with a purpose!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Hello, fellow scojourners. I'm your host, Dave Leighton, and welcome to Travel with a Purpose, a podcast designed to keep sojourners and friends informed, entertained, and inspired. Today I want to share with you another episode of Earl and Pearl. This one is something I hope none of us ever experience. Well, on this quiet evening at Camp Bee, just after sunset, Earl and Pearl were seated proudly and quietly beneath the RV awning, sitting in their favorite camp chairs leaning back, and Earl said, You know, this is living. Pearl, sipping a cup of coffee nearby, gave him the look. Earl, it's eight thirty at night. Exactly, Earl said. I've accomplished enough for one day. Myles, their small white poodle and self appointed camp B security director, was not nearly as interested in rest. His tiny nose twitched with purpose. Every rustle was suspicious, every shadow required investigation. Every pine cone was a possible threat to national sojourn security. Miss Gypsy, the wise orange tabby cat, sat on the RV steps with the expression of someone who has seen enough bad decisions to recognize another one was on its way. Then it happened. From somewhere near the bushes came a mysterious rustling sound. Miles froze. Earl narrowed her eyes and started to say Earl but it was too late. With the courage of a lion and the judgment of a squirrel, Myles launched off like a furry missile into the darkness. Yep, yep, yep, he was heard calling. The bushes shook. And then there was a strange hissing sound that pierced the night. Then a smell rolled across the campsite so powerful it seemed to have shape, weight, and personal vengeance. Pearl gagged. Good gravy. Pearl dropped her coffee. Miles came sprinting back toward the RV at full speed, his white fur now carrying what could only be described as oodastrophe. Miss Gypsy vanished so fast she may have broken the sound barrier. Pearl covered her nose and yelled Don't let him near but Miles, panicked and fragrant beyond reason, leapt directly through the open RV door. The next several seconds were remembered by nearby sojourners as the Great Camp B aroma crisis. Inside the RV, Myles bounced from couch to chair and landed on the bedspread like a four legged stink grenade. Earl stumbled inside with his hands over his face. Miles stop get outside But it was too late. Myles was perched up on the bed. Earl shouted from outside No, not my blanket. Soon neighboring sojourners emerged from campers, wondering what was going on. Someone asked, did Earl spray for critters again? Someone else said did something die? Another shouted no, that's fresh. And then she little passed by. She paused, she sniffed once and said, Well, somebody found the wildlife. Jay Roundsville, the camp manager, simply shook his head. Carol Roundsville, all business as usual, called out from a safe distance. Tomato juice, yawn soap, baking soda, and maybe prayer. Jimmy and Sally Crossley on their golf cart were headed to their camper. They just kept going. They didn't even look back. So there, under the glow of can't be street lights, Earl and Pearl gave Myles the most desperate bath in sojourner history. Buckets sloshed, soap flew. Pearl scrubbed. Pearl wore old clothes that were later retired with full honors. Myles looked deeply offended as if somehow he were the victim. After three baths, six cans of tomato sauce, and one partial bottle of air freshener that was usually reserved for the RV bathroom, Myles smelled only slightly less horrifying. For the next week, every time Myles got wet, the odor returned like an unwelcomed revival. Rain? Gunk. Morning dew gunk. Humidity? Gunk light. Even Miss Gypsy refused to sit within ten feet of him. Finally, by the next Monday, Myles had regained his dignity, though his reputation never fully recovered. And now whenever the sun sets over Camp B and Miles starts sniffing around the bushes, Earl simply points his finger and says Son, some mysteries are better left undone. Well friends, Miles' misadventure with the skunk actually reminds me of Proverbs twenty two verse three. The prudent sees danger and hides himself. Not every calling is worth chasing, especially when it smells like trouble coming and going. Thanks for listening to this podcast. I invite you to subscribe and share it with others. I'm your host Dave Leighton, and remember we glorify God as together we travel with a purpose. Happy sojourning.