A short little entry, as I am now back in school and have other things to write. This is about Cassie, my Maple Heights girl.
The Prompt: Your character in your WIP buys a pet. What does he buy? What does he name it? Have them interact. What happens?
"Thanks, Mom, I'll see you later!" Cassie waved as her mother drove away, and she walked over to the stables where her new brown mare was kept.
"Hi, Lottie!" she grinned as she pet her horse's velvet nose. The horse whinnied and sniffed all over her hand.
Cassie laughed. "I don't have any treats for you yet, girl. Maybe after we go riding, huh?"
The horse neighed as if to comply. Cassie opened the stall and started saddling her up. Cassie had never dreamed she'd be able to have a horse of her very own. One of the few books she had enjoyed reading was Black Beauty. She loved the majestic look of horses, especially how their manes flowed in the wind as they galloped. Cassie even had a portrait of wild horse running in her room. That's what appealed to her most, a horse's freedom. Perhaps that's why she named the mare, Charlotte, which she heard meant freedom.
Cassie had begged her parents for riding lessons when she was ten, and since she was already playing tennis and softball, they agreed. Ever since that first time when her instructor had allowed her to run with her horse, she fell in love with that moment of flying through the air, the freedom that nothing controlled her and no one could hurt her. It was Cassie's sanctuary from her parents fighting and her friends being mean. This was before Cassie was a Christian. After she had been saved, Cassie still loved to escape on a horse, but it wasn't her only way of solving problems. She could have fun with the thrill of galloping too.
By this time, Lottie was saddled. Cassie steadied herself on the saddle and swung her long leg over. She held the reigns tightly and leaned near the mare's ear.
"Let's go, girl."
With a click of the reigns, Lottie took off with a gallop, flying across the green field, with Cassie grinning from ear to ear.
Showing posts with label Maple Heights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maple Heights. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Day 221: The Waterpark
Should be Day 229. I wanted to write a story practicing incorporating the five senses since I don't think I use them enough.
Donna heard the dull, splashy thud of Cassie's footsteps behind her. Her feet slopped to a hault next to her.
"Um, Donna, you don't actually wanted to go on that ride, do you? That tube looks like you're supposed to go upside down in it."
"You're in a tube. That shouldn't be so bad."
"But what if you can't turn back around? It's a drowning hazard!"
"That's what the life guards are for," Javier piped up as he joined them by the line. He reeked of chlorine and hot dog.
"Are you scared?" Matthew teased as he jabbed her arm.
"No! I just want to live to see my next birthday."
Donna sighed. "You don't have to go if you don't want to."
"I'm not then. I'll wait with Molly on the lounge chairs by the pool."
"Alright. I'll see you in fifteen minutes."
Javier laughed, "Try like a half hour. The line wraps around that pole at the top."
"Oh boy."
The trio shuffled up the hard, steaming pavement and slowly made their way up the ladder. At first, the heat wasn't so bad because they had still been wet from the previous ride, but the sun quickly evaporated the water. Donna could feel her shoulders sizzling as she stood there.
"Matt, you're tall. Stand in front of me so the sun doesn't hit me."
He scoffed, "What am I, a human tree? Should I wave some leaf fans by your face too?"
"Oh never mind," she groaned. "I just didn't want my shoulders to turn brown."
Matthew sidestepped in front of her. "That better?"
"Much."
A slight breeze ruffled by their faces a few minutes later, which helped the wait go by. About ten people were in front of them now. One woman looked like a dalmatian with her skinny figure and black and white spotted one piece. The girl she was with was a fuchsia and lemon yellow blur as she danced from side to side to pass the time. A burly tanned man with hair covering every inch of his upper body sternly instructed her to stop.
Javier tapped her shoulder, "Look down there by the shack with the shark painted on the sign. Robert is still surfing."
"Wow, he's doing pretty good. With all that jumping and leaning back, it looks like he's on a skateboard."
"Yeah, and to think he's never been to the ocean before."
She waved at Molly and Cassie below, who were basking in chairs right near the edge of the pool.
"You know what I could go for right now?" Matthew asked once they had four people in front of them. "A watermelon! Biting into that sweet grainy flesh and letting the juice dribble down your chin. Mmm!"
"That's pretty random," Donna giggled.
"I guess the heat is getting to me."
"Good news is we're next," Javier smiled and pointed to the slide.
"Awesome!" As soon as the lifeguard gave the signal, Matthew lept onto the slide. The swift water swirled under his calves, and with a yell, he propelled himself through the chute. It was dark, and the air quickly became constricting. His ears hummed as he zoomed down, flipping over and around several times as the slide turned. Suddenly everything became bright as he popped out of the tunnel and splashed into the cool water, getting Cassie and Molly all wet.
Donna heard the dull, splashy thud of Cassie's footsteps behind her. Her feet slopped to a hault next to her.
"Um, Donna, you don't actually wanted to go on that ride, do you? That tube looks like you're supposed to go upside down in it."
"You're in a tube. That shouldn't be so bad."
"But what if you can't turn back around? It's a drowning hazard!"
"That's what the life guards are for," Javier piped up as he joined them by the line. He reeked of chlorine and hot dog.
"Are you scared?" Matthew teased as he jabbed her arm.
"No! I just want to live to see my next birthday."
Donna sighed. "You don't have to go if you don't want to."
"I'm not then. I'll wait with Molly on the lounge chairs by the pool."
"Alright. I'll see you in fifteen minutes."
Javier laughed, "Try like a half hour. The line wraps around that pole at the top."
"Oh boy."
The trio shuffled up the hard, steaming pavement and slowly made their way up the ladder. At first, the heat wasn't so bad because they had still been wet from the previous ride, but the sun quickly evaporated the water. Donna could feel her shoulders sizzling as she stood there.
"Matt, you're tall. Stand in front of me so the sun doesn't hit me."
He scoffed, "What am I, a human tree? Should I wave some leaf fans by your face too?"
"Oh never mind," she groaned. "I just didn't want my shoulders to turn brown."
Matthew sidestepped in front of her. "That better?"
"Much."
A slight breeze ruffled by their faces a few minutes later, which helped the wait go by. About ten people were in front of them now. One woman looked like a dalmatian with her skinny figure and black and white spotted one piece. The girl she was with was a fuchsia and lemon yellow blur as she danced from side to side to pass the time. A burly tanned man with hair covering every inch of his upper body sternly instructed her to stop.
Javier tapped her shoulder, "Look down there by the shack with the shark painted on the sign. Robert is still surfing."
"Wow, he's doing pretty good. With all that jumping and leaning back, it looks like he's on a skateboard."
"Yeah, and to think he's never been to the ocean before."
She waved at Molly and Cassie below, who were basking in chairs right near the edge of the pool.
"You know what I could go for right now?" Matthew asked once they had four people in front of them. "A watermelon! Biting into that sweet grainy flesh and letting the juice dribble down your chin. Mmm!"
"That's pretty random," Donna giggled.
"I guess the heat is getting to me."
"Good news is we're next," Javier smiled and pointed to the slide.
"Awesome!" As soon as the lifeguard gave the signal, Matthew lept onto the slide. The swift water swirled under his calves, and with a yell, he propelled himself through the chute. It was dark, and the air quickly became constricting. His ears hummed as he zoomed down, flipping over and around several times as the slide turned. Suddenly everything became bright as he popped out of the tunnel and splashed into the cool water, getting Cassie and Molly all wet.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Day 219: It's Complicated
Matthew leaned against his school locker and looked at his notifications from his social network sites on his phone. Nothing too interesting. He put it in his pocket and watched people shuffle past him. That was more interesting.
There went Zachary. He was in the same class as Javier and Robert, sophomores like himself.
Bethany was running late for band practice, as usual. He didn't like playing his guitar at school. They didn't have any songs worth playing. Worship was enough practice for him.
Bobby and Tina, linked arm in arm, were talking about the school dance next month. He'd forgotten about that. He hated the school dances. Church events were more fun and "PG" rated. Even then though, both had him worry about finding a date, something he hated thinking about.
It was a complicated topic with him. Girls were fine, and he liked dating, when he had done it in the past. He had reached the point in his life now when he wanted to start dating seriously, not with some girl that would stick around for longer than a month. His life didn't have to revolve around dating. God came first, so he wasn't too concerned about it. There was only one girl he was interested in knowing better and being seen as her date, and she was already dating someone. Even if she wasn't, he wasn't sure if he could date her. She gave him so much heartache and caused him to do things he regretted. Then again, maybe the only reason he felt that way was because he cared about her so much. Caring about someone like that couldn't be healthy.
His stomach flipped again. The perfect reason why he didn't concern himself with dating. He had plenty of time to worry about it later.
"You didn't have to wait for me, Matt," Donna grinned as she walked out of history class.
"I know," he gave a slight smile. "I didn't mind."
"I stayed after to talk to the teacher."
"Nothing about a poor grade, I hope."
"Na, nothing like that. I was asking him to look at my notes for my essay. He gave me some ideas."
"Cool, now you know you'll get a good grade since he helped you."
"I have to write the paper first," she rolled her eyes.
Matthew and Donna talked like that until Matthew dropped her off at her house and walked the rest of the way to his own house, deep in thought.
There went Zachary. He was in the same class as Javier and Robert, sophomores like himself.
Bethany was running late for band practice, as usual. He didn't like playing his guitar at school. They didn't have any songs worth playing. Worship was enough practice for him.
Bobby and Tina, linked arm in arm, were talking about the school dance next month. He'd forgotten about that. He hated the school dances. Church events were more fun and "PG" rated. Even then though, both had him worry about finding a date, something he hated thinking about.
It was a complicated topic with him. Girls were fine, and he liked dating, when he had done it in the past. He had reached the point in his life now when he wanted to start dating seriously, not with some girl that would stick around for longer than a month. His life didn't have to revolve around dating. God came first, so he wasn't too concerned about it. There was only one girl he was interested in knowing better and being seen as her date, and she was already dating someone. Even if she wasn't, he wasn't sure if he could date her. She gave him so much heartache and caused him to do things he regretted. Then again, maybe the only reason he felt that way was because he cared about her so much. Caring about someone like that couldn't be healthy.
His stomach flipped again. The perfect reason why he didn't concern himself with dating. He had plenty of time to worry about it later.
"You didn't have to wait for me, Matt," Donna grinned as she walked out of history class.
"I know," he gave a slight smile. "I didn't mind."
"I stayed after to talk to the teacher."
"Nothing about a poor grade, I hope."
"Na, nothing like that. I was asking him to look at my notes for my essay. He gave me some ideas."
"Cool, now you know you'll get a good grade since he helped you."
"I have to write the paper first," she rolled her eyes.
Matthew and Donna talked like that until Matthew dropped her off at her house and walked the rest of the way to his own house, deep in thought.
Day 218: Growing Up
Should be Day 226.
It was the last day of summer camp. Cassie sat on her bed with her journal and pen in hand, straining to see under the light of her dim flashlight. She didn't care if she lost her eyesight; she had to get all her emotions out. All the rest of her cabin mates were finally asleep, so she tried not to move and wake them up.
I can't tell you how happy I am that this day is over. Normally people are supposed to be sad when the last day of camp arrives. I was hoping that since this was the last day, Amber and Cheslie would talk to me.
I purposely sat next to them at lunch and tried to join in on their conversation as they swapped stories on how they did on the first set of games. As soon as I opened my mouth, Amber talked over me. When I tried again, they were both silent. It was like I had the Plague.
Then while we were in the middle of the volleyball game, I asked Chelsie if she had a band-aid for my knee. She told me she didn't, and three minutes later I saw her give one to some other guy. If that wasn't bad enough, the lake incident was even worse. The volleyball coach suggested we go in the lake for a little while to cool off and rinse the sweat off. It was a good idea. The water rushing past my sore arms and shoulders felt relaxing. Guys and girls alike were in there, splashing around. I had been splashing Danny when I accidentally bumped into Amber. She gave me a dirty look, and my apologies seemed to do no good on her.
Now, I don't want to accuse anyone, but I'm 91% sure that Chelsie put leeches on my arm to get back at me for hitting into Amber. I had gone near her right after the accident, and Chelsie was messing around with something her hands. Once I had seen the leeches, I had gotten out of the water to peel them off me. They were really gross and sticky. Little drops of blood mixed with the lake water were all over me. Nasty! Anyways, my towel was gone, and I had to walk all the way back to the cabins without one. Weird part, Amber and Chelsie were out of the water too. Coincidence? I don't think so. So there I was, dripping wet and shivering my you-know-what off as I walked back. The sun dried me somewhat, but still. All I had on was the two-piece. Then I got some sun-burn on my neck and calves.
Last year when we had all come here, I had a blast with them. We were unstoppable together. Our pranks on the boys' cabin pushed our team to the top. Then we stayed up past curfew and crept out to the lake to meet a couple guys and watch the moon rise over the lake.
I knew when I became a Christian it was going to be hard, but sometimes I wonder if it was worth it. I mean, I know I made the right decision, and I love God, but my friends wouldn't be treating me like this. Some of that stuff we did wasn't necessarily right, but we didn't hurt others, at least not like they've hurt me. I expected they'd treat me different, and it'd feel a little awkward, but not like this. They shunned me and treated me like one of those nerds everyone teases. They were my best friends.
I guess I know how Jesus felt and the other early Christians that were persecuted. At least He blessed me with meeting Donna and Molly. I don't know what I'd do without them. At least I know they'd never treat me like that. Another reason why Christianity is so much better than anything else.
It was the last day of summer camp. Cassie sat on her bed with her journal and pen in hand, straining to see under the light of her dim flashlight. She didn't care if she lost her eyesight; she had to get all her emotions out. All the rest of her cabin mates were finally asleep, so she tried not to move and wake them up.
I can't tell you how happy I am that this day is over. Normally people are supposed to be sad when the last day of camp arrives. I was hoping that since this was the last day, Amber and Cheslie would talk to me.
I purposely sat next to them at lunch and tried to join in on their conversation as they swapped stories on how they did on the first set of games. As soon as I opened my mouth, Amber talked over me. When I tried again, they were both silent. It was like I had the Plague.
Then while we were in the middle of the volleyball game, I asked Chelsie if she had a band-aid for my knee. She told me she didn't, and three minutes later I saw her give one to some other guy. If that wasn't bad enough, the lake incident was even worse. The volleyball coach suggested we go in the lake for a little while to cool off and rinse the sweat off. It was a good idea. The water rushing past my sore arms and shoulders felt relaxing. Guys and girls alike were in there, splashing around. I had been splashing Danny when I accidentally bumped into Amber. She gave me a dirty look, and my apologies seemed to do no good on her.
Now, I don't want to accuse anyone, but I'm 91% sure that Chelsie put leeches on my arm to get back at me for hitting into Amber. I had gone near her right after the accident, and Chelsie was messing around with something her hands. Once I had seen the leeches, I had gotten out of the water to peel them off me. They were really gross and sticky. Little drops of blood mixed with the lake water were all over me. Nasty! Anyways, my towel was gone, and I had to walk all the way back to the cabins without one. Weird part, Amber and Chelsie were out of the water too. Coincidence? I don't think so. So there I was, dripping wet and shivering my you-know-what off as I walked back. The sun dried me somewhat, but still. All I had on was the two-piece. Then I got some sun-burn on my neck and calves.
Last year when we had all come here, I had a blast with them. We were unstoppable together. Our pranks on the boys' cabin pushed our team to the top. Then we stayed up past curfew and crept out to the lake to meet a couple guys and watch the moon rise over the lake.
I knew when I became a Christian it was going to be hard, but sometimes I wonder if it was worth it. I mean, I know I made the right decision, and I love God, but my friends wouldn't be treating me like this. Some of that stuff we did wasn't necessarily right, but we didn't hurt others, at least not like they've hurt me. I expected they'd treat me different, and it'd feel a little awkward, but not like this. They shunned me and treated me like one of those nerds everyone teases. They were my best friends.
I guess I know how Jesus felt and the other early Christians that were persecuted. At least He blessed me with meeting Donna and Molly. I don't know what I'd do without them. At least I know they'd never treat me like that. Another reason why Christianity is so much better than anything else.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Day 217: Big Brother
"Now, Maribel, I want you to listen to your brother and do your tarea while I am gone, okay?"
"But, Mami, all I have left is math. I hate math!"
"But it helps you get smart and grow up to get a nice job someday." She gave her daughter a kiss on the head. "Javier, I'm leaving now!"
The sixteen year old hopped off the couch and walked to the door.
His mother grabbed her keys, shoved some papers in her purse, and slipped on her shoes. "Henry should be up from his nap in another half hour, and your papi will home with Lucia by 6:00. There's some leftovers on the second shelf in the fridge that you can eat for dinner." She kissed him on the cheek. "Te amo, hijo."
"Te amo, Mami."
Javier locked the door after she left. He hoped that she didn't have to work too late that night. He worried about her health. She barely ate on days when she had to leave the house to work, and she always seemed to be on the go. He couldn't imagine how much harder she'd have to work if he didn't start his part-time job a year ago. If his parents hadn't insisted that he at least keep half of each paycheck for his own spending money, he'd give them all the money he earned.
He walked into the living room where his chemistry book was sitting on the coffee table and crossed his arms in a slightly playful mood when he saw Maribel on the couch with the remote.
"Maribel, what did Mami say?"
"Oh just five minutes!" she pleaded. "My head hurts from all the homework I had. Mrs. Lincoln gave us homework in four subjects tonight! And we had to write our spelling words out three times today instead of twice! I think my finger has a blister!" She held it out for him to inspect.
"Then how can you use the remote?" he gently tugged it out of her hand. "Come on, I'll help you with it to get it done faster."
"OK." She reluctantly rose and followed him into the kitchen where her books were on the table.
Javier read aloud the problems and helped her think through her computations. His presence helped her keep her focus, and they finished in less than twenty minutes. By that time, Henry stumbled out of bed and wanted to help Javier practice his drums for church.
"You know what, Henry? That's a good idea. I haven't practiced my drums yet. Come on."
"Can I come too? I wanna crash the cymbal!"
He couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. "Sure, let's go."
Javier sat at his stool in front of his drum set, with Henry on his lap holding one drumstick and Maribel standing nearby with the other one. Javier guided his brother's chubby hand as he helped him play, but he has careful Henry didn't hit too hard. It had taken his parents almost a year to save up enough money to be able to buy him his own set, and he didn't want them to ruin it. After playing for all of five minutes, their attention was lost, and Maribel raced Henry to play with his block set. Javier moved back to the living room to keep an eye on them. Having younger siblings had given him much patience and sometimes cause him to lose his temper, but he couldn't imagine life without them.
"But, Mami, all I have left is math. I hate math!"
"But it helps you get smart and grow up to get a nice job someday." She gave her daughter a kiss on the head. "Javier, I'm leaving now!"
The sixteen year old hopped off the couch and walked to the door.
His mother grabbed her keys, shoved some papers in her purse, and slipped on her shoes. "Henry should be up from his nap in another half hour, and your papi will home with Lucia by 6:00. There's some leftovers on the second shelf in the fridge that you can eat for dinner." She kissed him on the cheek. "Te amo, hijo."
"Te amo, Mami."
Javier locked the door after she left. He hoped that she didn't have to work too late that night. He worried about her health. She barely ate on days when she had to leave the house to work, and she always seemed to be on the go. He couldn't imagine how much harder she'd have to work if he didn't start his part-time job a year ago. If his parents hadn't insisted that he at least keep half of each paycheck for his own spending money, he'd give them all the money he earned.
He walked into the living room where his chemistry book was sitting on the coffee table and crossed his arms in a slightly playful mood when he saw Maribel on the couch with the remote.
"Maribel, what did Mami say?"
"Oh just five minutes!" she pleaded. "My head hurts from all the homework I had. Mrs. Lincoln gave us homework in four subjects tonight! And we had to write our spelling words out three times today instead of twice! I think my finger has a blister!" She held it out for him to inspect.
"Then how can you use the remote?" he gently tugged it out of her hand. "Come on, I'll help you with it to get it done faster."
"OK." She reluctantly rose and followed him into the kitchen where her books were on the table.
Javier read aloud the problems and helped her think through her computations. His presence helped her keep her focus, and they finished in less than twenty minutes. By that time, Henry stumbled out of bed and wanted to help Javier practice his drums for church.
"You know what, Henry? That's a good idea. I haven't practiced my drums yet. Come on."
"Can I come too? I wanna crash the cymbal!"
He couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. "Sure, let's go."
Javier sat at his stool in front of his drum set, with Henry on his lap holding one drumstick and Maribel standing nearby with the other one. Javier guided his brother's chubby hand as he helped him play, but he has careful Henry didn't hit too hard. It had taken his parents almost a year to save up enough money to be able to buy him his own set, and he didn't want them to ruin it. After playing for all of five minutes, their attention was lost, and Maribel raced Henry to play with his block set. Javier moved back to the living room to keep an eye on them. Having younger siblings had given him much patience and sometimes cause him to lose his temper, but he couldn't imagine life without them.
Day 216: Comfort
Should be Day 225. Are you ready to meet more of Maple Height's worship team?
Robert unbuttoned his vest and set it in his locker at the back of Mr. Hutchin's convenience store.
"I'll see you on Monday, sir!" he called to the middle-aged man behind the register.
"Have a good Sunday" he waved. "Tell your folks I said 'hi.' "
"I will."
Robert pulled the keys out of his pocket and started the ignition. The atomic clock said 3:35. If traffic was good on the first few streets, he'd be able to make it just in time to start practice, which was a first for him. He always seemed to be running late for something. He wondered if it was because he couldn't say "no" to people once in a while. The Christian radio station was playing his current favorite song, and he sang along at the chorus.
The first time he had heard "Draw Near to Me," he had been cleaning up his room and feeling hurt. He had recently had an argument with his parents about how much time he was spending at church. His parents didn't object to Robert going on Sundays. Robert's mom had grown up with Sunday school, and his dad thought Christianity was a positive influence on his son's life. Mark didn't take to it as much as his younger had. They didn't expect Robert to grow into such an avid believer in Christianity, but it wasn't hurting him. His dad didn't seem to understand why Robert had to go to church twice a week, but he allowed it. The only reason why Robert had been allowed to join the worship team was because it furthered his musical talents on the keyboard. They had come to see him practice once, and he had been excellent.
That particular day, Robert had been stressed out because he had semester finals coming up, he had agreed to help his mom vacuum the house that weekend, and he was taking an extra shift for a sick coworker. His mom stated that she didn't like seeing him so stressed out and was second-guessing his large involvement in the worship group.
"I know you like it, Robert, but music isn't worth this much work if it's going to stress you out so. Those hours you spend practicing your keyboard could be spent studying or even relaxing."
"But, Mom, it's not just about the music. It's about worshipping God, and that is one of the top priorities in my life right now. It's non-negotiable."
"Are you trying to be disrespectful?"
"No," he answered quietly. "It's just one of the most important things in my life, and I don't want to have to give that up."
"I understand that, honey, but I don't want you running yourself thin."
"I won't, I promise. I just need to get some extra sleep. It's only for this one week."
If that hadn't been bad enough, a half hour later, his father complained to Robert that he didn't mow the lawn like he had asked him to. In rushing to get from his job to worship practice, he had completely forgotten about it by the time he had come home. Robert tried to apologize, but his father lectured him that his church stuff was taking away from his chores at home, and that was unacceptable.
Robert took the verbal abuse silently. Each remark about how church wasn't important stabbed at his heart. His tongue bled a little from him biting it so hard in order to keep from arguing back. After his father finished and he promised to mow within the hour, Robert had slipped upstairs to be alone with his thoughts and do something productive in the process.
As he sorted through all the books he had strewn across his desk, he thought about how unfair his life seemed at the moment. None of his friends knew how hard it was to be the only one in his entire family that was a Christian. It was such a balance, juggling honoring God and secular parents who he loved deeply. He wasn't sure what hurt more, being persecuted almost every day in some way for loving God, or knowing that his family didn't share the same love he did. They were closed off from a very special part of his life, and he couldn't make them understand it. As he grew as a Christian, he could feel himself slipping further from his family. It was such a cold, isolated feeling. Robert was losing strength to stop it.
Thinking he needed some music to distract him, Robert turned on the radio and listened closely to a new song that talking about a singer feeling rejected, like Paul did after he had been kicked out of a city for preaching, and how he longed for God to draw near to Him because he needed to feel His love and be lifted up. Robert, not able to do anything else, sat his bed until the last note was abruptly followed by a loud commercial. As the final chorus had played, Robert had prayed what the lyrics said, and he was feeling renewed already. Ever since, Robert felt that same comfort whenever he heard that song.
The song on the car radio switched to a more upbeat tune, and it snapped Robert out of his reverie. He didn't feel despondent dwelling on the past but hopeful for the future. The traffic looked clear now, and Robert grinned as he realized he'd actually show up a few minutes early.
Robert unbuttoned his vest and set it in his locker at the back of Mr. Hutchin's convenience store.
"I'll see you on Monday, sir!" he called to the middle-aged man behind the register.
"Have a good Sunday" he waved. "Tell your folks I said 'hi.' "
"I will."
Robert pulled the keys out of his pocket and started the ignition. The atomic clock said 3:35. If traffic was good on the first few streets, he'd be able to make it just in time to start practice, which was a first for him. He always seemed to be running late for something. He wondered if it was because he couldn't say "no" to people once in a while. The Christian radio station was playing his current favorite song, and he sang along at the chorus.
The first time he had heard "Draw Near to Me," he had been cleaning up his room and feeling hurt. He had recently had an argument with his parents about how much time he was spending at church. His parents didn't object to Robert going on Sundays. Robert's mom had grown up with Sunday school, and his dad thought Christianity was a positive influence on his son's life. Mark didn't take to it as much as his younger had. They didn't expect Robert to grow into such an avid believer in Christianity, but it wasn't hurting him. His dad didn't seem to understand why Robert had to go to church twice a week, but he allowed it. The only reason why Robert had been allowed to join the worship team was because it furthered his musical talents on the keyboard. They had come to see him practice once, and he had been excellent.
That particular day, Robert had been stressed out because he had semester finals coming up, he had agreed to help his mom vacuum the house that weekend, and he was taking an extra shift for a sick coworker. His mom stated that she didn't like seeing him so stressed out and was second-guessing his large involvement in the worship group.
"I know you like it, Robert, but music isn't worth this much work if it's going to stress you out so. Those hours you spend practicing your keyboard could be spent studying or even relaxing."
"But, Mom, it's not just about the music. It's about worshipping God, and that is one of the top priorities in my life right now. It's non-negotiable."
"Are you trying to be disrespectful?"
"No," he answered quietly. "It's just one of the most important things in my life, and I don't want to have to give that up."
"I understand that, honey, but I don't want you running yourself thin."
"I won't, I promise. I just need to get some extra sleep. It's only for this one week."
If that hadn't been bad enough, a half hour later, his father complained to Robert that he didn't mow the lawn like he had asked him to. In rushing to get from his job to worship practice, he had completely forgotten about it by the time he had come home. Robert tried to apologize, but his father lectured him that his church stuff was taking away from his chores at home, and that was unacceptable.
Robert took the verbal abuse silently. Each remark about how church wasn't important stabbed at his heart. His tongue bled a little from him biting it so hard in order to keep from arguing back. After his father finished and he promised to mow within the hour, Robert had slipped upstairs to be alone with his thoughts and do something productive in the process.
As he sorted through all the books he had strewn across his desk, he thought about how unfair his life seemed at the moment. None of his friends knew how hard it was to be the only one in his entire family that was a Christian. It was such a balance, juggling honoring God and secular parents who he loved deeply. He wasn't sure what hurt more, being persecuted almost every day in some way for loving God, or knowing that his family didn't share the same love he did. They were closed off from a very special part of his life, and he couldn't make them understand it. As he grew as a Christian, he could feel himself slipping further from his family. It was such a cold, isolated feeling. Robert was losing strength to stop it.
Thinking he needed some music to distract him, Robert turned on the radio and listened closely to a new song that talking about a singer feeling rejected, like Paul did after he had been kicked out of a city for preaching, and how he longed for God to draw near to Him because he needed to feel His love and be lifted up. Robert, not able to do anything else, sat his bed until the last note was abruptly followed by a loud commercial. As the final chorus had played, Robert had prayed what the lyrics said, and he was feeling renewed already. Ever since, Robert felt that same comfort whenever he heard that song.
The song on the car radio switched to a more upbeat tune, and it snapped Robert out of his reverie. He didn't feel despondent dwelling on the past but hopeful for the future. The traffic looked clear now, and Robert grinned as he realized he'd actually show up a few minutes early.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Day 210: The Forgetten Letter
Should be Day 220.
Molly was at the Maple Heights Bookstore, one of her favorite stores in town, in search of a new historical romance novel to read. She had read all the ones by Rebecca Geoffrey, and she was trying to branch out to new authors. She wasn't having much luck finding what she wanted, but she did find a couple potentially good books in the discount bin.
As she was flipping through one of them, a wrinkled, folded sheet of paper fluttered to the ground. "Curious," she thought and bent down to pick it up. It looked like it was several years old. She carefully opened the paper and realized it was a letter, dated 1979.
"My Dearest Abby," it began, "I have landed in Quebec now-"
"How are you doing, Molly?" the owner asked, interrupting her reading.
Startled, Molly quickly shoved the letter back into the book. "Fine, thanks. I'll buy these two, please." She put them on the counter, distractedly thinking about what she had discovered.
Once she was outside, Molly walked a few streets over to a park bench and eagerly opened the letter again. It was a love letter, written by a guy to a young lady. It sounded like he had to do some work in Canada for a while, and they had to be kept apart for a time. Molly was captivated. It was better than any book. Once she was done with it, she decided to show it to Cassie.
"I miss you already. I hope that your mother is feeling better. I wish you could have come with me, but I know that she needs you right now more than I do, if that is even possible. Seven months seems like an eternity right now, but I could endure seven years knowing that you'd still be waiting for me. I will write to you later this week when I have more free time. Sweet dreams, my love. Eternally yours, Steven."
Molly's heart just about melted when she finished. "Wasn't that just beautiful?!"
"It was nice," Cassie stated after Molly had finished showing her the letter, "but why do you care? I mean, it's an old yellowed letter that wasn't meant for you to read. You don't even know these people."
"I know I don't, but this story seems so sweet. I want to know the story behind it. Did they reunite again? Did they ever get married?"
"I'm sure they did. Don't worry about it anymore. Throw the letter away."
"I can't bear to do that. This letter was obviously special to Abby. That's why she kept it in a book, so she could read it over again."
"What makes you think Steven ever mailed it? There's no envelope."
Molly scoffed. "With such passion this guy had? I'm sure he sent it."
"Maybe. But it'd be pretty hard to find either one of them now."
Molly sighed. Her friend was right, but she was willing to try. There had some hints in the letter that Abby was in nursing school and that she lived near the Kansas border. She'd start with those clues.
Molly was at the Maple Heights Bookstore, one of her favorite stores in town, in search of a new historical romance novel to read. She had read all the ones by Rebecca Geoffrey, and she was trying to branch out to new authors. She wasn't having much luck finding what she wanted, but she did find a couple potentially good books in the discount bin.
As she was flipping through one of them, a wrinkled, folded sheet of paper fluttered to the ground. "Curious," she thought and bent down to pick it up. It looked like it was several years old. She carefully opened the paper and realized it was a letter, dated 1979.
"My Dearest Abby," it began, "I have landed in Quebec now-"
"How are you doing, Molly?" the owner asked, interrupting her reading.
Startled, Molly quickly shoved the letter back into the book. "Fine, thanks. I'll buy these two, please." She put them on the counter, distractedly thinking about what she had discovered.
Once she was outside, Molly walked a few streets over to a park bench and eagerly opened the letter again. It was a love letter, written by a guy to a young lady. It sounded like he had to do some work in Canada for a while, and they had to be kept apart for a time. Molly was captivated. It was better than any book. Once she was done with it, she decided to show it to Cassie.
"I miss you already. I hope that your mother is feeling better. I wish you could have come with me, but I know that she needs you right now more than I do, if that is even possible. Seven months seems like an eternity right now, but I could endure seven years knowing that you'd still be waiting for me. I will write to you later this week when I have more free time. Sweet dreams, my love. Eternally yours, Steven."
Molly's heart just about melted when she finished. "Wasn't that just beautiful?!"
"It was nice," Cassie stated after Molly had finished showing her the letter, "but why do you care? I mean, it's an old yellowed letter that wasn't meant for you to read. You don't even know these people."
"I know I don't, but this story seems so sweet. I want to know the story behind it. Did they reunite again? Did they ever get married?"
"I'm sure they did. Don't worry about it anymore. Throw the letter away."
"I can't bear to do that. This letter was obviously special to Abby. That's why she kept it in a book, so she could read it over again."
"What makes you think Steven ever mailed it? There's no envelope."
Molly scoffed. "With such passion this guy had? I'm sure he sent it."
"Maybe. But it'd be pretty hard to find either one of them now."
Molly sighed. Her friend was right, but she was willing to try. There had some hints in the letter that Abby was in nursing school and that she lived near the Kansas border. She'd start with those clues.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Day 204: Sneaking Out of the House
Should be Day 218. I wanted to write a little more using some of the characters I'm trying to create in my fictional town of Maple Heights, the one with Pastor Reynolds and his wife and their son who recently came home from the military. This is about one of the kids from the worship team I used in Day 16: It's Just a Song. I changed Julie's name to Cassie.
"I don't care what my parents say," Donna thought as she shoved a flashlight and wallet into her purse. "I'm going to that party. As long as I can get back before Dad has to wake up at 2:00 am for his shift, I should be fine." She set aside the dress she wanted to wear in her closet.
It was 6:47 now. The party started at 8:00. If she could get there close to ten, she'd have enough time to enjoy herself. Her mom was supposed to be going to a movie with her friend visiting from out of town anyways. She'd already eaten dinner. All she had to do now was wait for the proper time to leave.
She pulled out her phone and texted Cassie. "I should be able to catch the last half of Maxine's party."
"I thought your parents grounded you for the bad grades you've been getting."
"I was able to convince them to make an exception."
"Great, see you there! Andy should still be there. :)"
Donna grinned and prayed that Andy wouldn't leave early. Being able to see him outside of school was one of her main motivations for wanting to go to this party. Plus, Maxine's house was supposed to be one of the coolest houses in town.
The time came for Donna to go. Her mom finally left twenty minutes ago. Her dad was sleeping soundly. Donna had told her mom she was going to stay up to do homework and go to bed early since she hadn't had a good night's sleep yesterday. She assumed her mom would be home around eleven, and when she would go up to check on her, she would see Donna, or the pillows and wig under the blanket, already asleep.
She maneuvered her steps around the creaky floorboards and put her shoes on outside. Closing the door as controlled as she could, she waited on the sidewalk underneath the street light. A breeze ruffled her up-do, and Donna pulled her lavender scarf over her bare shoulders and covered her sparkly dress. A red car drove up a couple minutes later.
Donna opened the door. "Hey."
"Hi," Matthew said, not too thrilled.
"I didn't pull you from the party, did I?"
"No, I waited until I'd pick you up."
"And I really appreciate you doing it."
There was a pause. "I don't like going behind your parents' back."
"It's not like I do this all the time. It's only for the one party. They won't even know I'm gone."
"Is going to a party worth this much to you? You're breaking your parents' trust, not to mention going strictly against their wishes."
"Like you're so innocent yourself, Matthew?"
"We're not talking about me."
"But you're making me out to be the bad guy here!"
"Because you are!"
"Then why are you driving me?"
He responded quietly, "I guess because you asked. No one can ever say 'no'."
"Tell that to my parents."
Just as Donna thought, she and Matthew arrived at 10:11. Maxine pleasantly greeted them, and they waited no time mingling with the other guests. Matthew met up with Javier, and Donna wasted no time in finding Andy and talking to him. They danced, chatted, and played card games for over two hours. Cassie couldn't stop yawning, and Javier had long since left. Donna left with Matthew and swapped stories about what happened there.
"Hope it all works out alright with your folks," Matthew said as he pulled to the corner of her street as she requested.
"It should. Thanks again."
She walked past the houses and stared at her house's windows. All was dark and quiet. She slipped out of her clothes and into bed with no problems. She couldn't believe how perfectly it worked out. Plus, she had a date with Andy next Friday, right after restrictions. She snuggled deep under her covers. Meanwhile, her mom closed her bedroom door with an inward sigh as she thought about her daughter's betrayal. She was too hurt to do anything right now.
"I don't care what my parents say," Donna thought as she shoved a flashlight and wallet into her purse. "I'm going to that party. As long as I can get back before Dad has to wake up at 2:00 am for his shift, I should be fine." She set aside the dress she wanted to wear in her closet.
It was 6:47 now. The party started at 8:00. If she could get there close to ten, she'd have enough time to enjoy herself. Her mom was supposed to be going to a movie with her friend visiting from out of town anyways. She'd already eaten dinner. All she had to do now was wait for the proper time to leave.
She pulled out her phone and texted Cassie. "I should be able to catch the last half of Maxine's party."
"I thought your parents grounded you for the bad grades you've been getting."
"I was able to convince them to make an exception."
"Great, see you there! Andy should still be there. :)"
Donna grinned and prayed that Andy wouldn't leave early. Being able to see him outside of school was one of her main motivations for wanting to go to this party. Plus, Maxine's house was supposed to be one of the coolest houses in town.
The time came for Donna to go. Her mom finally left twenty minutes ago. Her dad was sleeping soundly. Donna had told her mom she was going to stay up to do homework and go to bed early since she hadn't had a good night's sleep yesterday. She assumed her mom would be home around eleven, and when she would go up to check on her, she would see Donna, or the pillows and wig under the blanket, already asleep.
She maneuvered her steps around the creaky floorboards and put her shoes on outside. Closing the door as controlled as she could, she waited on the sidewalk underneath the street light. A breeze ruffled her up-do, and Donna pulled her lavender scarf over her bare shoulders and covered her sparkly dress. A red car drove up a couple minutes later.
Donna opened the door. "Hey."
"Hi," Matthew said, not too thrilled.
"I didn't pull you from the party, did I?"
"No, I waited until I'd pick you up."
"And I really appreciate you doing it."
There was a pause. "I don't like going behind your parents' back."
"It's not like I do this all the time. It's only for the one party. They won't even know I'm gone."
"Is going to a party worth this much to you? You're breaking your parents' trust, not to mention going strictly against their wishes."
"Like you're so innocent yourself, Matthew?"
"We're not talking about me."
"But you're making me out to be the bad guy here!"
"Because you are!"
"Then why are you driving me?"
He responded quietly, "I guess because you asked. No one can ever say 'no'."
"Tell that to my parents."
Just as Donna thought, she and Matthew arrived at 10:11. Maxine pleasantly greeted them, and they waited no time mingling with the other guests. Matthew met up with Javier, and Donna wasted no time in finding Andy and talking to him. They danced, chatted, and played card games for over two hours. Cassie couldn't stop yawning, and Javier had long since left. Donna left with Matthew and swapped stories about what happened there.
"Hope it all works out alright with your folks," Matthew said as he pulled to the corner of her street as she requested.
"It should. Thanks again."
She walked past the houses and stared at her house's windows. All was dark and quiet. She slipped out of her clothes and into bed with no problems. She couldn't believe how perfectly it worked out. Plus, she had a date with Andy next Friday, right after restrictions. She snuggled deep under her covers. Meanwhile, her mom closed her bedroom door with an inward sigh as she thought about her daughter's betrayal. She was too hurt to do anything right now.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Day 133: Victim of a Two-Timer Part 2
The Prompt: The guy who dumped Lilly is now sitting three rows ahead of her in
church. A pretty blond is sitting next to him and she puts her head on
his shoulder. He dumped Lilly because he said he needed to get closer
to God. Write two stories, one that is full of conflict, the other full
of sorrow.
And now for the story full of sorrow.
Right before I was about to get up to leave, Pastor Reynolds announced that it was time for a prayer for the offering. I couldn't leave now. Sitting back down, I squeezed my eyes shut. I tuned out the pastor's prayer for one of my own.
"Please, God, please, find it in Your heart to take this anger from me. Help me to concentrate on You right now, for You're the most important person to me, and I need to focus on You, especially while I'm in church."
I gave a large sigh after the bucket passed me and determined to stare only at the pulpit, not them. Pastor Reynolds' warm voice was comforting and forced myself to write down some notes on the sermon. I heard something drop from a few rows in front and saw Rick picking something up and handing it to her Addison. He was giving her the smile he used to give me. I bet an outsider would have thought they had been a couple for years. They were so comfortable towards each other, and happy.
Why did Rick have to lie to me like that? He was so honest and terrific to me before. Obviously, I was wrong about his character. What was wrong with me? Hadn't I shown enough love towards him? I thought we were happy. I was. Is it because I'm not a blond? Is it because I'm not as thin as a model or can't afford clothes like that, or don't have time to spend making myself look beautiful with all that makeup?
Why did I have to fall in love with him? Why didn't God save me from the heartache? Why didn't she like someone else? Why am I hurt, again?
I willed back the tears that were surfacing and stared straight ahead, half hoping the pastor would see my face and figure out what to say in his sermon to help me. I needed God more than ever.
And now for the story full of sorrow.
Right before I was about to get up to leave, Pastor Reynolds announced that it was time for a prayer for the offering. I couldn't leave now. Sitting back down, I squeezed my eyes shut. I tuned out the pastor's prayer for one of my own.
"Please, God, please, find it in Your heart to take this anger from me. Help me to concentrate on You right now, for You're the most important person to me, and I need to focus on You, especially while I'm in church."
I gave a large sigh after the bucket passed me and determined to stare only at the pulpit, not them. Pastor Reynolds' warm voice was comforting and forced myself to write down some notes on the sermon. I heard something drop from a few rows in front and saw Rick picking something up and handing it to her Addison. He was giving her the smile he used to give me. I bet an outsider would have thought they had been a couple for years. They were so comfortable towards each other, and happy.
Why did Rick have to lie to me like that? He was so honest and terrific to me before. Obviously, I was wrong about his character. What was wrong with me? Hadn't I shown enough love towards him? I thought we were happy. I was. Is it because I'm not a blond? Is it because I'm not as thin as a model or can't afford clothes like that, or don't have time to spend making myself look beautiful with all that makeup?
Why did I have to fall in love with him? Why didn't God save me from the heartache? Why didn't she like someone else? Why am I hurt, again?
I willed back the tears that were surfacing and stared straight ahead, half hoping the pastor would see my face and figure out what to say in his sermon to help me. I needed God more than ever.
Day 132: Victim of a Two-Timer Part 1 of 2
The Prompt: The guy who dumped Lilly is now sitting three rows ahead of her in
church. A pretty blond is sitting next to him and she puts her head on
his shoulder. He dumped Lilly because he said he needed to get closer
to God. Write two stories, one that is full of conflict, the other full
of sorrow.
Should be Day 166. I will be telling the story full of conflict first.
Lilly had been uncomfortable enough when she saw Rick sit down in front of her. He always used to sit next to her in church. A month had passed since he broke up with her, and she was still struggling with his presence in church but not being able to be with him. Church was supposed to be a place to focus all your energy on God, not trying to forget someone else. The past few Sundays, he had sat out of eyesight. Why, of all days, did he have to sit in front, where her eyes were supposed to be on the preacher?
The distraction of his presence was nothing compared to what she felt when she saw Addison sit down beside him. Rick shouldn't even be involved with that hypocritical woman who had moved there a few months back. She and Rick had volunteered to help at the booths during the church fair. Lilly had been a little jealous when she saw how they were acting, but she put the thought behind her when Rick took her to see a movie later that night. Lilly still couldn't shake the feeling that Addison was bad news, and it wasn't that she was prejudiced either. Addison was the type to wear vibrant eyeshadow over her dark lashes, glossy lipstick, and designer clothes. Lilly never saw her without a fresh manicure, and she was convinced blond was not Addison's natural hair color. It was her insincerity towards God and the congregation that alerted Lilly to her fake front. Addison claimed she was a Christian, but she showed up to only half the services. Lilly noticed that she didn't sing during worship and tended to gossip after services. There were other things too, but Lilly tried to look past them.
How could Rick do this to her?! His break-up speech, stinging her heart whenever she thought of it, stabbed her deeper in the heart when she watched Addison rest her hairsprayed wavy tresses on his broad shoulder.
"It's nothing personal, Lilly, honest. I just feel that being involved with a woman in general is distracting me from my relationship with God. I can't think straight, and I don't feel very close to Him right now. That needs to change. I'm going to put my whole energy into praying, devotions, and serving God. I'm staying single until I can get this fixed. Then, maybe you can find it in your heart to go out with me again."
A Christian shouldn't feel so much rage, but Lilly couldn't stop her racing thoughts. It was impossible for Rick to have become strong with God again in only a month. All that time, he had practically ignored her. The only consolations she had were that he was spending time with God, who came first, and that he would be coming back to her. So much for that promise! They must have been going out at least a few times for Addison to be so friendly with him already. She should be the one in his arms, that twit!
Lilly bit her tongue after she realized what she thinking. Maybe it would be better if she just left. God deserved better from her.
Should be Day 166. I will be telling the story full of conflict first.
Lilly had been uncomfortable enough when she saw Rick sit down in front of her. He always used to sit next to her in church. A month had passed since he broke up with her, and she was still struggling with his presence in church but not being able to be with him. Church was supposed to be a place to focus all your energy on God, not trying to forget someone else. The past few Sundays, he had sat out of eyesight. Why, of all days, did he have to sit in front, where her eyes were supposed to be on the preacher?
The distraction of his presence was nothing compared to what she felt when she saw Addison sit down beside him. Rick shouldn't even be involved with that hypocritical woman who had moved there a few months back. She and Rick had volunteered to help at the booths during the church fair. Lilly had been a little jealous when she saw how they were acting, but she put the thought behind her when Rick took her to see a movie later that night. Lilly still couldn't shake the feeling that Addison was bad news, and it wasn't that she was prejudiced either. Addison was the type to wear vibrant eyeshadow over her dark lashes, glossy lipstick, and designer clothes. Lilly never saw her without a fresh manicure, and she was convinced blond was not Addison's natural hair color. It was her insincerity towards God and the congregation that alerted Lilly to her fake front. Addison claimed she was a Christian, but she showed up to only half the services. Lilly noticed that she didn't sing during worship and tended to gossip after services. There were other things too, but Lilly tried to look past them.
How could Rick do this to her?! His break-up speech, stinging her heart whenever she thought of it, stabbed her deeper in the heart when she watched Addison rest her hairsprayed wavy tresses on his broad shoulder.
"It's nothing personal, Lilly, honest. I just feel that being involved with a woman in general is distracting me from my relationship with God. I can't think straight, and I don't feel very close to Him right now. That needs to change. I'm going to put my whole energy into praying, devotions, and serving God. I'm staying single until I can get this fixed. Then, maybe you can find it in your heart to go out with me again."
A Christian shouldn't feel so much rage, but Lilly couldn't stop her racing thoughts. It was impossible for Rick to have become strong with God again in only a month. All that time, he had practically ignored her. The only consolations she had were that he was spending time with God, who came first, and that he would be coming back to her. So much for that promise! They must have been going out at least a few times for Addison to be so friendly with him already. She should be the one in his arms, that twit!
Lilly bit her tongue after she realized what she thinking. Maybe it would be better if she just left. God deserved better from her.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Day 98: Looking Back on Life
It's funny how life changes, isn't it? When I was seven years old, I didn't think I'd ever get the dog I'd always wanted. However, a few years later, my mom was driving home when she noticed a dog lying on the side of the road. It had gotten hit by a car, his back leg twisted and bloody. I didn't think he was going to make it. My mom took him to the humane society, where they operated on him. By a miracle, they were able to save his life, minus a leg. We adopted him, and within two years, Tripod was beating me in any race I had with him. I never would have thought that.
One of my greatest goals in life was to get married. I daydreamed often about the kind of woman I'd someday married, but she never seemed to come around. I started to doubt I would ever find Mrs. Franklin. I was too blind to see that I interacted with her five days a week at school. We were in three classes together. I thought she was nice, but she was so different from the women I had been interested in at the time. She had raven black hair and was rather quiet most of the time. She never really shared much about herself to me. I didn't realize she had admired me from a distance until she offered to study with me one night at the library. Her quiet loyalty through the following months made me stop to get to know her. We've now been married for 37 years, have four children, and three grandchildren.
I laugh when I think back on how I used to think. I was afraid of things that never mattered, worried over problems that all ended up working out, and had plans for my life that turned out much differently (yet better) than I ever imagined possible
One of my greatest goals in life was to get married. I daydreamed often about the kind of woman I'd someday married, but she never seemed to come around. I started to doubt I would ever find Mrs. Franklin. I was too blind to see that I interacted with her five days a week at school. We were in three classes together. I thought she was nice, but she was so different from the women I had been interested in at the time. She had raven black hair and was rather quiet most of the time. She never really shared much about herself to me. I didn't realize she had admired me from a distance until she offered to study with me one night at the library. Her quiet loyalty through the following months made me stop to get to know her. We've now been married for 37 years, have four children, and three grandchildren.
I laugh when I think back on how I used to think. I was afraid of things that never mattered, worried over problems that all ended up working out, and had plans for my life that turned out much differently (yet better) than I ever imagined possible
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Day 94: Appreciating God's Beauty
The Prompt: You and the congregation are in a forest and you want
to have a church service. What happens? Describe the service.
If you have ever watched The Waltons, this is inspired by Grandpa's feelings about Walton's Mountain.
It was a gorgeous day. The sun was beating heavily down on the heads of the congregation below. The sky was as blue as could be. Every bird from the forest must have been out that afternoon singing the sweetest tunes you've ever heard, and the smell! The sweet scent of evergreens and a light shower from an hour ago filled the nostrils of them as they hiked on over the path. Of course not every member of the congregation was there, but about three quarters were, ranging from as young as 9 to as old as 73. They had intended this to be a community project to clean up the litter that had accumulated across the highway. With so many hands, they were able to finish much sooner than necessary. Since the weather was so nice, Pastor Reynolds had suggested that they go for a small hike on the trail that was nearby, and the congregation agreed.
They had journeyed through that forest for about an hour, and the sun's rays were making them tired. Thankfully, Olivia Reynolds had the foresight to suggest to her husband that they should pack a lunch. Resting for lunch seemed like a perfect idea after hiking. As they ate, Pastor Reynolds' spirit filled with adoration for the beauty that surrounded them. Once he saw that about everyone had finished, he assumed his familiar position standing in front of the crowd.
"Friends! I wanted to say that I am completely and utterly in awe by the Lord's great creation. Can I hear an 'Amen'?"
"Amen!" they responded in unison.
"If it's okay with you, I wanted to take a few minutes just to sing a couple songs to worship God. I feel like singing!"
He began singing the opening lines to "My Father's World," and Becky quickly joined in to lead everyone in her sweet soprano voice. After that song, Becky started singing "How Great is Our God" followed by a contemporary song "Testify to Love." The group was having much more fun singing than they had imagined. The children clapped their hands. A few couples held hands as they stared to the skies. At one time or another, everyone raised a hand in surrender and praise. After the song ended, Pastor Reynolds felt led to say a few words in prayer.
"Dear God, we all are so inspired by your great world you have entrusted into your care. Thank you for blessing us with this splendid day and being with us as we were able to clean up the litter on the road and make the environment a little cleaner. Thank you for bringing us together today, not only so we could use this opportunity to bring glory to You, but to have some time to fellowship with our friends. Please bless and protect us on our walk back to our cars. Help us to find a little beauty in our surroundings every day. In Jesus' name, Amen."
They echoed an "Amen." Then one person uttered, "Say a few extra words, Pastor!" Pastor Reynolds was not expecting to preach but could not deny the request. He wasn't sure what to say, but he ended up preaching a bit on how Jesus would preach in the wilderness. He knew when the time was right to take the time to praise God and when to appreciate nature. After sharing with them a few verses from the Psalms that came to his mind, Pastor Reynolds suggested that they walk back to the road, and with their hearts full of joy, the congregation traveled back the way they came.
I wanted to end this with a little update on what I have planned for the summer. I have decided to name my series with Pastor Reynolds and his congregation Maple Heights. In the future, I intend on expanding more upon the worship team, the Reynolds household, and members of his congregation. Look out for them!
If you have ever watched The Waltons, this is inspired by Grandpa's feelings about Walton's Mountain.
It was a gorgeous day. The sun was beating heavily down on the heads of the congregation below. The sky was as blue as could be. Every bird from the forest must have been out that afternoon singing the sweetest tunes you've ever heard, and the smell! The sweet scent of evergreens and a light shower from an hour ago filled the nostrils of them as they hiked on over the path. Of course not every member of the congregation was there, but about three quarters were, ranging from as young as 9 to as old as 73. They had intended this to be a community project to clean up the litter that had accumulated across the highway. With so many hands, they were able to finish much sooner than necessary. Since the weather was so nice, Pastor Reynolds had suggested that they go for a small hike on the trail that was nearby, and the congregation agreed.
They had journeyed through that forest for about an hour, and the sun's rays were making them tired. Thankfully, Olivia Reynolds had the foresight to suggest to her husband that they should pack a lunch. Resting for lunch seemed like a perfect idea after hiking. As they ate, Pastor Reynolds' spirit filled with adoration for the beauty that surrounded them. Once he saw that about everyone had finished, he assumed his familiar position standing in front of the crowd.
"Friends! I wanted to say that I am completely and utterly in awe by the Lord's great creation. Can I hear an 'Amen'?"
"Amen!" they responded in unison.
"If it's okay with you, I wanted to take a few minutes just to sing a couple songs to worship God. I feel like singing!"
He began singing the opening lines to "My Father's World," and Becky quickly joined in to lead everyone in her sweet soprano voice. After that song, Becky started singing "How Great is Our God" followed by a contemporary song "Testify to Love." The group was having much more fun singing than they had imagined. The children clapped their hands. A few couples held hands as they stared to the skies. At one time or another, everyone raised a hand in surrender and praise. After the song ended, Pastor Reynolds felt led to say a few words in prayer.
"Dear God, we all are so inspired by your great world you have entrusted into your care. Thank you for blessing us with this splendid day and being with us as we were able to clean up the litter on the road and make the environment a little cleaner. Thank you for bringing us together today, not only so we could use this opportunity to bring glory to You, but to have some time to fellowship with our friends. Please bless and protect us on our walk back to our cars. Help us to find a little beauty in our surroundings every day. In Jesus' name, Amen."
They echoed an "Amen." Then one person uttered, "Say a few extra words, Pastor!" Pastor Reynolds was not expecting to preach but could not deny the request. He wasn't sure what to say, but he ended up preaching a bit on how Jesus would preach in the wilderness. He knew when the time was right to take the time to praise God and when to appreciate nature. After sharing with them a few verses from the Psalms that came to his mind, Pastor Reynolds suggested that they walk back to the road, and with their hearts full of joy, the congregation traveled back the way they came.
I wanted to end this with a little update on what I have planned for the summer. I have decided to name my series with Pastor Reynolds and his congregation Maple Heights. In the future, I intend on expanding more upon the worship team, the Reynolds household, and members of his congregation. Look out for them!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Day 83: Truth Wil Prevail
This is the conclusion to my "XG7" story I started a looong time ago. Try looking at Day #49 too.
The Prompt: Write a short story in which the church’s accountant is stealing money from the church. The pastor is accused. What happens?
It had been two weeks since the church had been ransacked. Thanks to the dedication and willing hearts if the congregation, Pastor Reynolds was able to get the church cleaned up and restored to its original state by the next Sunday service. Catching whoever did this did not prove to be such a swift process though. The lead from the gas station owner proved to be a dead end. He had no idea who was driving the car or where it was headed. With only a partial license plate, the police had no way of easily tracing the car. This forced Pastor Reynolds to have nothing to do but wait for God's justice to prevail. On that weekend, it did, but not in the way he had expected it to.
Pastor Reynolds and Olivia were out that afternoon running some errands. They pulled into the driveway to see a police car sitting in front of their garage.
"Good afternoon!" the pastor called as he walked up to it. "Can I help you with something?"
A police officer exited from the vehicle. "Mr. Reynolds?"
"Yes, sir, I am. Is this about the vandalism in my church?"
"Not exactly, sir. We have a few questions for you. Would you please come down to the station with me?"
Pastor Reynolds was puzzled and looked back at his wife, who was unloading the car. "Sure, officer. Just let me tell my wife."
Once they arrived at the police station, the policeman led him into an interrogation room and left him there for about fifteen minutes, during which time Pastor Reynolds prayed for peace and strength.
"Hello, my man is Officer Randall," a tall, broad shoulder man with graying hair greeted as he sat down at the table in front of him.
"Hello, Officer Randall. Can you tell me why I'm here?"
"We were investigating the attack on your church when we came across some information."
"What sort of information?"
"Well, it's standard procedure to check into everything, and we looked into the church's bank records." He paused slightly and studied Pastor Reynolds' face, expecting some sort of reaction. Nothing. He continued, "It appears as though there is more revenue the church is receiving than it is putting into the bank."
"Oh, I see," he smiled. "It's rather hard to keep track of the money sometimes. I'm not the best at recording that sort of thing, but the transactions happen so fast. You see, I take some the tithe money and donate it immediately to shelters or use it to fund some of our programs and organizations we have running. Anything left goes into the bank account, which used for renovations on the church or bigger events we host, such as the Christmas concert."
"Are you saying you have spent $4,000 on shelters and church programs in the past three months? Because that is the deficit."
The pastor was shocked. "Are you sure?"
"Quite sure. Just as sure that your bank accounts show that about $3,000 was entered into a savings account under your name about three weeks ago. How do you explain that?"
"I-I don't have a savings account with that much money in it. My checking account doesn't even have that much."
"The evidence doesn't lie."
"I don't know what to say. Are you accusing me of stealing from my own church?"
"It sure appears to be that way."
"But what about the vandals?"
"We're still working on that, but just be aware we're keeping a close eye on you too. Pastor."
After Pastor Reynolds talked to his wife about all that happened at the station, he checked his bank records to see for himself. Sure enough, there was a deficit of about $4,000 and another account with a large sum of money in it, in his name. He decided to call his accountant, Geoffrey Dillard, to get an explanation.
"Gosh, Pastor Reynolds, I have no idea how there could be so much money missing. Yeah, I guess I must have made a huge mistake. No, I promise it won't happen again. I'm truly very sorry. No, I don't know of another bank account in your name. Are you sure you didn't just forget or make a mistake? Hmm, curious. Don't worry, I'll guard the money well. Thanks, you too. Bye."
Pastor Reynolds sighed as he closed his cell phone. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something strange was going on.
A couple days later, Pastor Reynolds was at the pulpit, practicing his sermon, when a teenaged boy of about fifteen sauntered through the front doors.
"Hello, young man, can I help you?"
He looked distracted with his thoughts. Pastor Reynolds could tell he wanted to say something. He approached the boy. "What's troubling you, son?"
"Is this the church I heard about that got damaged?"
"Yes, it is."
"It looks good."
"Yes, we were able to clean it up, but we still don't know who did it."
"Really? Not even a hunch?"
"No, but I'm sure whoever did it must be very...upset or lonely. Perhaps he didn't mean it."
The boy wasn't looking him in the eye. He sat down at the pew. "Is this that type of church with curtained booths and stuff?"
Pastor Reynolds laughed gently. "No, but we do take confessions, if there's something you wanted to say."
"Not sure what good it would do."
"Oh a lot! It's quite a burden carrying a secret around, especially if it's something you're not proud of. The guilt eats you up until you can hardly do anything without thinking about it. You start getting nervous someone might find out, and maybe you start snapping at people. But you know what?" He looked straight into the boy's face. "No matter how terrible you think you acted, God will forgive you, if you are repentant enough to ask. And if there's any sort of trouble you're in, I promise I'll try my hardest to help you. God wants you to be happy, and I want that for you."
The boy struggled to hide back tears, and his voice wavered as he spoke. "I did it, me and my friend Joe. We don't normally do stuff like this. At first it was just a funny prank. Then we were asked to vandalize the church. I didn't want to do it. I mean, it's a church! But, I went along anyways. We didn't hurt anyone. I'm so so sorry."
Pastor Reynolds wanted to ask more questions, but he saw helping this boy was more important than satisfying his curiosity. He prayed with the boy, asking God's forgiveness together. He wasn't ready to become a Christian quite yet. He wanted more time to think about it. Pastor Reynolds did convince him though to go to the police.
The whole story slowly unfolded. "Joe" was short for "Joseph," who was Geoffrey Dillard's younger brother. Geoffrey had felt Pastor Reynolds had been taking him for granted for the four years he had been working for him. That feeling, combined with the temptation of stealing, was just too great. He knew he couldn't do if forever without getting caught, so he orchestrated the vandalism to cover it up. Joseph and his friend had gotten into trouble before, so he was only asking them to do what they were good at. He had intended to frame Pastor Reynolds for embezzlement and insurance fraud, but his plan didn't work out that way. Pastor Reynolds was shocked and hurt that Geoffrey was capable of doing this to him and that he might have provoked him in some way. He was even more hurt that Geoffrey wouldn't accept any help from him after he was arrested though, and he had dragged his little brother down with him. There was still hope for Joe's friend Rick. The truth can sometimes be painful, but it can eventually set you free, through mental healing.
The Prompt: Write a short story in which the church’s accountant is stealing money from the church. The pastor is accused. What happens?
It had been two weeks since the church had been ransacked. Thanks to the dedication and willing hearts if the congregation, Pastor Reynolds was able to get the church cleaned up and restored to its original state by the next Sunday service. Catching whoever did this did not prove to be such a swift process though. The lead from the gas station owner proved to be a dead end. He had no idea who was driving the car or where it was headed. With only a partial license plate, the police had no way of easily tracing the car. This forced Pastor Reynolds to have nothing to do but wait for God's justice to prevail. On that weekend, it did, but not in the way he had expected it to.
Pastor Reynolds and Olivia were out that afternoon running some errands. They pulled into the driveway to see a police car sitting in front of their garage.
"Good afternoon!" the pastor called as he walked up to it. "Can I help you with something?"
A police officer exited from the vehicle. "Mr. Reynolds?"
"Yes, sir, I am. Is this about the vandalism in my church?"
"Not exactly, sir. We have a few questions for you. Would you please come down to the station with me?"
Pastor Reynolds was puzzled and looked back at his wife, who was unloading the car. "Sure, officer. Just let me tell my wife."
Once they arrived at the police station, the policeman led him into an interrogation room and left him there for about fifteen minutes, during which time Pastor Reynolds prayed for peace and strength.
"Hello, my man is Officer Randall," a tall, broad shoulder man with graying hair greeted as he sat down at the table in front of him.
"Hello, Officer Randall. Can you tell me why I'm here?"
"We were investigating the attack on your church when we came across some information."
"What sort of information?"
"Well, it's standard procedure to check into everything, and we looked into the church's bank records." He paused slightly and studied Pastor Reynolds' face, expecting some sort of reaction. Nothing. He continued, "It appears as though there is more revenue the church is receiving than it is putting into the bank."
"Oh, I see," he smiled. "It's rather hard to keep track of the money sometimes. I'm not the best at recording that sort of thing, but the transactions happen so fast. You see, I take some the tithe money and donate it immediately to shelters or use it to fund some of our programs and organizations we have running. Anything left goes into the bank account, which used for renovations on the church or bigger events we host, such as the Christmas concert."
"Are you saying you have spent $4,000 on shelters and church programs in the past three months? Because that is the deficit."
The pastor was shocked. "Are you sure?"
"Quite sure. Just as sure that your bank accounts show that about $3,000 was entered into a savings account under your name about three weeks ago. How do you explain that?"
"I-I don't have a savings account with that much money in it. My checking account doesn't even have that much."
"The evidence doesn't lie."
"I don't know what to say. Are you accusing me of stealing from my own church?"
"It sure appears to be that way."
"But what about the vandals?"
"We're still working on that, but just be aware we're keeping a close eye on you too. Pastor."
After Pastor Reynolds talked to his wife about all that happened at the station, he checked his bank records to see for himself. Sure enough, there was a deficit of about $4,000 and another account with a large sum of money in it, in his name. He decided to call his accountant, Geoffrey Dillard, to get an explanation.
"Gosh, Pastor Reynolds, I have no idea how there could be so much money missing. Yeah, I guess I must have made a huge mistake. No, I promise it won't happen again. I'm truly very sorry. No, I don't know of another bank account in your name. Are you sure you didn't just forget or make a mistake? Hmm, curious. Don't worry, I'll guard the money well. Thanks, you too. Bye."
Pastor Reynolds sighed as he closed his cell phone. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something strange was going on.
A couple days later, Pastor Reynolds was at the pulpit, practicing his sermon, when a teenaged boy of about fifteen sauntered through the front doors.
"Hello, young man, can I help you?"
He looked distracted with his thoughts. Pastor Reynolds could tell he wanted to say something. He approached the boy. "What's troubling you, son?"
"Is this the church I heard about that got damaged?"
"Yes, it is."
"It looks good."
"Yes, we were able to clean it up, but we still don't know who did it."
"Really? Not even a hunch?"
"No, but I'm sure whoever did it must be very...upset or lonely. Perhaps he didn't mean it."
The boy wasn't looking him in the eye. He sat down at the pew. "Is this that type of church with curtained booths and stuff?"
Pastor Reynolds laughed gently. "No, but we do take confessions, if there's something you wanted to say."
"Not sure what good it would do."
"Oh a lot! It's quite a burden carrying a secret around, especially if it's something you're not proud of. The guilt eats you up until you can hardly do anything without thinking about it. You start getting nervous someone might find out, and maybe you start snapping at people. But you know what?" He looked straight into the boy's face. "No matter how terrible you think you acted, God will forgive you, if you are repentant enough to ask. And if there's any sort of trouble you're in, I promise I'll try my hardest to help you. God wants you to be happy, and I want that for you."
The boy struggled to hide back tears, and his voice wavered as he spoke. "I did it, me and my friend Joe. We don't normally do stuff like this. At first it was just a funny prank. Then we were asked to vandalize the church. I didn't want to do it. I mean, it's a church! But, I went along anyways. We didn't hurt anyone. I'm so so sorry."
Pastor Reynolds wanted to ask more questions, but he saw helping this boy was more important than satisfying his curiosity. He prayed with the boy, asking God's forgiveness together. He wasn't ready to become a Christian quite yet. He wanted more time to think about it. Pastor Reynolds did convince him though to go to the police.
The whole story slowly unfolded. "Joe" was short for "Joseph," who was Geoffrey Dillard's younger brother. Geoffrey had felt Pastor Reynolds had been taking him for granted for the four years he had been working for him. That feeling, combined with the temptation of stealing, was just too great. He knew he couldn't do if forever without getting caught, so he orchestrated the vandalism to cover it up. Joseph and his friend had gotten into trouble before, so he was only asking them to do what they were good at. He had intended to frame Pastor Reynolds for embezzlement and insurance fraud, but his plan didn't work out that way. Pastor Reynolds was shocked and hurt that Geoffrey was capable of doing this to him and that he might have provoked him in some way. He was even more hurt that Geoffrey wouldn't accept any help from him after he was arrested though, and he had dragged his little brother down with him. There was still hope for Joe's friend Rick. The truth can sometimes be painful, but it can eventually set you free, through mental healing.
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