Kirk Blackard

A Tale of Conflict and Peace at the B Bar Ranch Kirk Blackard

After Mr. and Mrs. B leave everything they have ever known and purchase a ranch on a worn-out cotton farm in Texas, they have great hope for a life of peace. But the relationship between the ranch's menagerie of animals is anything but peaceful, and Mr. B worries continuously about how he can stop the conflict. He finally turns everything over to the animals in the hope they will work together to make the B-Bar Ranch a success.

The resident animals-cows, equines, pigs, chickens, and a big semi-trained cow dog-are thinking, talking creatures that see themselves and others as objects or farm animals and often demonstrate the worst characteristics of people in conflict. But when a sheep mysteriously appears and teaches them to regard one another like human beings who know God; have their own special hopes, needs, cares, and fears; and can choose to act of their own volition, they begin to realize peace on earth-and the ranch.

This tale for all ages demonstrates that when people regard themselves and others as human beings, rather than objects or animals, they move from conflict toward shalom in their lives.