Day 64: Goliath

Tonight's will be short.

The Prompt: Write a short story from Goliath’s pov.

Goliath laughed as he jogged along with his brothers alongside the Philistine.  He was too large to ride on any of the horses.

"You're right.  Those Israelite dogs will not know what is coming.  I can just see their puny faces once they see us.  I bet I can kill a dozen with one swipe of my sword!"

"Goliath," the oldest of the giant brothers asked, "did you hear what the captain is planning for us to do once we get there?  He's going to send one of us to the front of the camp and challenge the strongest Israelite to fight.  Whoever wins will be the victor of the whole battle."

"Doesn't sound like much of a challenge," the third brother commented.

"We all know they'll choose you, Goliath," the youngest remarked.  "You're the strongest of them all."

Goliath's pride was high and his heart full of hatred for the Israelites.  "It will be all too easy to fight.  I challenge anyone and anything who thinks he can dare defeat me.  Why, nothing can stop me at this point!"

Goliath's laughter bellowed through the mountains and echoed out into the valley below.  By a grassy patch near a crystal stream, a young shepherd lifted up his head alertly.  The loud noise had interrupted his reverie.  "I wonder what terrible creature made that noise.  I wouldn't want to meet him."   

Day 52: A Psalm

The Prompt: Rewrite a psalm from your point of view.

I chose Ps. 143, which is dubbed "An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance."  There was no particular reason for choosing it.  I was flipping through the book and thought this topic would be relatable for me to write about.

Dear Lord, I cry to You right now.
You are the God of wisdom and truth.
You control when the sun rises and sets.
You are holy; none compare to You.

I beg you right now to help me.
I am struggling within myself.
I know the right thing to do
But my human nature hinders me.
I know I am not worthy of Your mercy
But I need it, O Lord.
Please have mercy on my soul.

Grant me your guidance; show me Your ways.
Give me patience to endure this burden
You seemed fit to place on me.
Help me to learn what You want me to from this experience.
I am humbled at Your power
And feel thankful for the grace You have already given me.
I know I do not deserve it, yet You give it freely.
Thank You, God.  May my lips sing Your praises
High into the heavens.

Day 45: Love at First Sight

Happy Valentine's Day!  In honor of the holiday, I have saved this prompt.  Just remember, Valentine's Day is for all kinds of love, not just the romantic sort.  It's for mothers and children, brothers and sisters, friends, neighborly love, and of course God's precious love for us.

The Prompt: Write a short story on how the Shulamite and the Beloved from the Song of Solomon meet.   (I am going by memory of the Song of Solomon, so please forgive any Biblical errors I make.)

The Shulamite woman with the long dark hair went into town several times a week, sometimes to run errands for her brothers, other times to buy groceries for dinner, and still other times to sell items in the market.  Ever since her mother had died four years ago, the weight of the household affairs rested on her shoulders.  Yet despite the fact that she worked hard, she still managed to maintain her beauty.  A few men had approached her father for her hand in marriage, but he had refused them.  The household needed her, and her father was not just going to give his only daughter away to anyone.

That morning, King Solomon was expected to visit the city in order to make sure his "mayors" were doing their duties and that his subjects were happy.  Solomon enjoyed spending one-on-one time with them.  Sometimes he asked them just to treat him as a normal person.  He wanted to be approachable to them.  At the time, Solomon was still a young king and only had three wives.  He was growing even more handsome by the day, and all his female subjects felt their hearts race slightly when he was near.

Solomon had been on his donkey for well over three hours, and the sun was directly overheard now.  He desired to get down and stretch his legs, so he instructed his guards to follow him at a distance while he walked around for a bit to find some water.  The town was busy; the crops had just come in, and people wanted to have the first pick.  Solomon draped his tunic over his face a little, in hopes to at least partially conceal his identity.

As he made his way through the swarming people around him, he stopped short when he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen at one of the stalls in front of him.  She was weighing a bag of lentils in her hand to decide how many pounds to purchase.  Solomon stared at her slender hands, her hair draped over her shoulders as it peeked through her headwrap, and watched her delicate mouth moved as she talked to the vendor.  Solomon had to meet this woman.  He began striding over towards her, but a man on his donkey walked right in front of him, with his family and their wagon trailing behind him.  Solomon impatiently tried to see over them, but after they had moved, the woman was gone.

Solomon quickly strode over and asked the surprised older man where the young woman had gone.  Flustered, the man gestured towards a tent to Solomon's right.  Solomon followed the fingered and stared helplessly at the dozens of rows of tents mingled with thousands of shoppers.  He quickly thanked the man and started on his quest.

Solomon searched for two hours down that road, staring into the sea of faces and asking each vendor if they had seen the young woman.  It was an arduous task that proved fruitless.  Solomon was so absorbed in his hunt that he did not think to ask his guards for help.  Now he was exhausted and quite thirsty.  He started asking around for a nearby well.

The Shulamite looked over the bags and baskets that were tied to her donkey to make sure they were all secure and double-checked her mental list to make sure she got everything.  One quick stop at the well to water her donkey before she started back home would complete her errands for the day.  As she was about to mount, she noticed a tired-looking man, wearing expensive white clothes, wandering from person to person like some beggar.  Curious, she approached him and overheard him mention a well.

"Excuse me, sir!" she called.

His large brown eyes locked on hers and made her stomach flip.  He walked quickly towards her.

"Yes?" Solomon asked softly.  She was even more beautiful close-up.

"Are you looking for a well?"

"Yes, I am," he said in a friendly, rich tone.

"I happen to be going that way.  I can escort you there, if you'd like."  She shyly lowered her eyes.

"I would like that very much.  Here."  Solomon gently took her donkey's rope from her hands.  "Let me help you with that."

They almost never took their eyes off each other as they walked to the well.

Day 38: Bibles Banned

The Prompt:  A new law is passed:  Bibles aren’t allowed in churches.  What happens?

I believe that some people would move to a different country.  Others would start picketing D.C., demanding that this be changed immediately.  Still others would cheer, as sad as that is.

Mostly though, I picture it would be the Prohibition, Underground Railroad, and First Century Church Persecution days all over again.  People would be making bootleg copies of the Bible to spread around.  Some Christians would have secret underground networks to distribute Bibles or conduct private Bible studies.  Even church services would have to be done in private because you can't preach without quoting the Bible.  It would be pretty hard to sweep Bible Gateway off the internet in the U.S. as well.

There could be some Christians who would not be worried though.  They'd have faith that God would work it all out in the end.  They would be thankful for being considered worthy to be persecuted in this way.  They wouldn't have much to worry about either because Christians would have memorized the Bible anyways.  You can take away the Bible, but you can never take away God or what is in your heart.

Day 36: What a Bird Saw

The Prompt: A bird is sitting on the wall as Jesus walks by carrying his cross.  What does the bird see, hear, smell? What does he think?

A little brown bird sat on a wall enjoying the warm sunshine of the morning. He found it a little odd that it was colder than it normally was. The sun was already starting to disappear behind the clouds, and he guessed that it would rain soon. However, he was not going to let the weather spoil his good day. He continued chirping merrily away. The bird's singing was interrupted by a large mob of people gathering into the streets. It curiously watched as they started yelling and watching something coming in the distance. As the speck grew larger and larger, the little bird could see that it was a man haggardly walking and carrying a heavy burden on His back.

The man was hardly wearing any clothes; some thorns were shaped into a circle upon His head; bright red blood was trickling down His sides. Each step he took looked as if he was using his full strength. Men behind him with swords prodding him to go faster. The little bird could see the pain in this man's eyes and felt so sorry for Him. He wanted to do something to help Him, yet he didn't know what he could do. Even though the bird was afraid of the men with swords, it flew closer to the man carrying the heavy wooden burden. It hovered over the man's head and flew with Him as he walked. Upon getting a closer look, it could see that the man's back was covered with painful welts and red stripes. The sweat was dripping off of His nose, and He was now barely moving His feet. One of the men behind Him yelled again then struck the man, making Him cry out. This almost frightened the bird away, but he knew he could not leave the man yet. It could not understand why these people were being so cruel to the man, for it had never seen humans act this way before. The man's mouth seemed to have been moving, yet no sound came out. The bird could tell His pain was unbearable. Then, the bird got an idea: perhaps a song might relieve the man of some of His agony. It opened its mouth and began chirping a high-pitched, melodic tune. The man's head slowly turned towards the bird; their eyes met. Slowly, a small smile crept onto the man's face. Happy to know its plan was working, the bird sang louder. One could see that the man's pace picked up slightly. It continued to sing for a few more minutes as the man walked.

Later on, the man could not walk any farther and collapsed under the weight of His burden. The men with swords started shouting orders to find a man capable of helping to carry the burden. The bird had stopped chirping by now, but it was still hovering above the man. He looked like He was about to pass out, but when He stared at the little bird again, He nodded His head again as if to say, "Your work is done." More people started coming, and the bird reluctantly flew away. It still watched the scene long after the man had been nailed to the cross.

Never Be the Same Pt. 2

I ran out of time to finish the story before the day passed.  I just wanted to include a little bit of what happened afterwards.

The man moved his arm again to make sure it could still move, that it was really there.  Yes, it was.  He couldn't believe it!  He couldn't describe the feeling he had.  He felt Jesus' love and forgiveness.  He had a sense of peace that seemed like it would last for an eternity.  He was too excited to work anymore, so he went home, praising God and praying to him all the way.

During that time, the man got to thinking about his life.  He had never really thought about forgiving himself.  By not doing that, he had become a bitter man.  He didn't mean to, but he knew he hadn't been kind.  He resolved that he would always be more kind, compassionate, and forgiving, just as Jesus had shown him.  The man knew that this was not enough.  He wanted to follow Jesus.

It took him a few days to sell what he had, just as he heard he was supposed to when preparing to follow the Master.  After that was done, he headed back to the town where Jesus had been.  He found out He had moved on, so the man pursued Him.  Before he could catch up, he found out Jesus had died, on the cross.  The man was grieved, but he did not let that stop him from believing in the man and wanting to do something.

He had met a few followers of Jesus during his journey, and he lived with them.  They taught him more about Jesus' teachings and how to be a follower.  Through their discussions, he found out how he could dedicate his life to God.  He founded a shelter for injured and sick men and women.  He fed them, taught them a useful trade that they could do to make a little money for themselves, and helped them to heal spiritually.  There had been this one beggar he helped soon after the shelter had opened.  He was old and had a limp.  The man had helped him strengthen the leg a bit and talked to him for hours to help the old man cope with his grief.

When their conversation had ended, the old man, tears in his eyes, gave the man a big hug.  There was something warm and oddly familiar about it.  Then the beggar whispered in his ear, "Well done, servant of God."

The next day, the beggar was gone.

This song came to mind when I thought about the prompt.  I bet that's how a lot of people felt after experiencing a miracle from Jesus.

Day 29: Never Be the Same

The Prompt: Write a short story regarding a person whom Jesus healed.  What happened to him after the healing?


Once there was a middle-aged man who lived on the outskirts of town.  He liked to keep to himself, mainly due to his injury.  He didn't like to think about it much because it reminded him of his foolish past.  About ten years, he had been hanging out with rebellious Israelites  who wanted to break away from the Roman rule.  He had never done anything rebellious himself, like some of his friends had, but he still believed in their cause and appeared to support them with his faithful presence.  Then, his friends started a riot with a few Roman soldiers.  There was a fierce struggle, and even the man threw a few punches at them.  However, his friends drew weapons on the soldiers, who in turn drew theirs.  There was more struggling, and then-  The man rubbed his left shoulder, feeling the round nub.  He had been able to adjust fairly well with only one arm, but he was reminded of his past every day.

That afternoon, the man was supposed to go to market to sell some of his goods.  So, he packed up his donkey and traveled for a couple hours, getting there at the peak of the customers.  There was an unusually large crowd gathered that day.  After asking one of his fellow vendors nearby, he found out Jesus was in town.  Jesus.  The man had heard a great deal about that person.  He was an intelligent, compassionate man, unlike anybody any person had ever met.  He heard how people's lives had been transformed in one way or another.  He had heard of healings too.  The man thought often about Jesus healing him, but he always pushed the thought aside.  He didn't deserve to be healed by Jesus.

Still, something drew him to the idea, and he could not push it away.  No one was buying anything from him today anyways.  So, the man packed up his things and went off to find Jesus.  That was an easier task than he thought; all he had to do was follow the crowd.  People all around him shouted different things to Jesus, praising the man or begging to be healed.  The man was excited by their attitudes, and the closer he got, the more he could feel like he was doing the right thing.

When he caught sight of the teacher, he opened his voice and called hoarsely, "Jesus!"

Jesus looked towards him, but it appeared he couldn't make out exactly where the voice had come from.

The man tried again, in a more assertive voice this time.  "Jesus!"

Jesus looked directly at him this time and, after excusing Himself, made His way through the crowd.  He stood in front of the man, waiting for him to speak, but He looked kind and patient, as if He could wait for him for hours.

"Jesus, I know I'm not worthy to ask this of you, but I wanted to try.  I ask for mercy, that you will heal me."  He nudged his shoulder towards the Messiah.

"My son, your sins were already forgiven ten years ago.  You need to forgive yourself."  And with that, Jesus gave him a hug, unlike any the man had ever had in his life.  When He pulled away, the man found his arm was restored.

"Your faith has made you well. Go in peace, my son."

The man was speechless, tears welling in his eyes.  He mouthed, "Thank you," and Jesus simply smiled at him and walked away.

Day 27: God's Fingers

The Prompt: Describe the fear in Daniel 5:5 when God's fingers appeared and wrote on the wall.

Can you imagine seeing a hand- not a whole hand, mind you, a part of one- being suspended in midair and moving?  Since this was God's fingers, I picture this to be a pretty big hand.  I suspect a few people looked at their wine glasses and reconsidered taking that fifth drink.  Maybe others were too drunk to care.  Most people though, were probably filled with pure fear.  The kind that clutches your heart and constricts your lungs.  The kind that makes your heart beat so fast you can feel the blood pulsing in your body.  The kind that churns your stomach.  Verse 6 reads that, "The king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other."  He was scared!  If King Belshazzar had been like me, he probably thought the fingers were going to turn on him and strangle him. And what about after the fingers?  Would other body parts appear and harm him?  Would bewitched objects start to move around the room?  Would ghosts from his defeated enemies appear for revenge?  Would a fire suddenly rage?

I'm sure prayers were uttered to their gods, and people started second-guessing the choices they had made in life.  What heinous crimes had they done that had angered the gods?  He and his guests probably wanted to run, but their feet were planted into the floor.  The floating partial hand was mesmerizing, and I'm sure they were curious to know what it was going to write.  It probably disturbed them even more when they couldn't even understand the message the fingers were delivering. 

Day 26: Saul's Agony

The Prompt: How did Saul feel before David played his harp and drove out the demons?

Some Biblical context: The event mentioned here can be found in 1 Samuel 16: 14-23.  Prior to this moment, King Saul had disobeyed God's command and spared King Agag.  God then regretted that he had made Saul king and had Samuel anoint David as king.  Saul had no knowledge of this.  He met David for the first time in this passage.

I feel something is wrong, but I can't tell what it is.  Something feels...missing from me.  I have no reason to feel this way.  I am king!  I have the best food, the best clothes, hundreds of men at my command.  My people are happy.  What is it that I should be worried about?

I feel restless.  I want to go somewhere, but I don't know where.  I want to do something, but I don't know what.  I despise anyone laughing.  I despise smiles and seeing any happiness.  How dare they be happy when I am not?! But what can make me happy?  I try to read about my past victories.  I survey my palace grounds.  I spend time with my wives and children.  Nothing feels right.  Nothing fills that emptiness in my soul.  That deep, hollow pit in the middle of my stomach that churns my insides so I can't eat anything.  That anxious feeling that has descended on my very existence and won't leave me.  It's like a mosquito buzzing constantly by my ear.

It's mounting now.  Even when I find the most serene spot at the palace, it still follows me.  I can't escape it.  It haunts me even in my dreams.  I dream of falling into darkness.  I dream of being killed in battle and my body disgraced.  I dream of being destitute.  I dream of emptiness.

Can't someone help me?!  Can't someone have mercy on me and take away this feeling that has robbed me of every happiness?!  I need it to go away!

Day 25: When He Went Crazy

The Prompt: In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar went mad and ate grass like an ox.  What happened to him?  How did he live, think, and feel?  Describe him after he went mad.

I would imagine his sanity left him gradually.  He probably had the urge to eat grass every now and then and tried as hard as he could to suppress it.  This probably only added to his insanity.  When he wanted to eat the grass and act like an ox, his mind thought only like an animal's.  He had no memories of his life as king.

When his subjects found out what was happening to Nebby, they probably put him away to hide the disgrace.  Then, when he realized that he was locked away, in one of his lucid moments, he was outraged and probably tried his best to get out of the jail, cursing, pulling at the bars, and the like.  He thought they had betrayed him.  For months, he suffered fits of anger followed by his bovine urges, with fewer breaks in between the urges.

I always imagined that when he did go fully crazy, he lived out in the wilderness.  No one recognized him, with his hair long and tangled and his clothes unkempt.  He probably resembled the stereotypical caveman.  I think at this point, Nebby hit his lowest point.  He was barely human.  His subjects mourned him and his lost glory.  He was abandoned; no one visited him.  I expect that at this point, Nebby sat in his filth and could remember everything about his past.  I'm sure Daniel's words from God and his dream's interpretations especially rang in his ears.  He felt angry, guilty, depressed, despicable, and finally humble.  It was an awful feeling, realizing he had been wrong all these years and wishing he had the chance to relive his life.  If God had given him that chance though, would Nebuchadnezzar had really acted any differently?

Day 15: The Lions' Den

The Prompt:  What happened with Daniel when he was in the lions' den?

Just because this is a writing challenge does not mean I should feel obligated to always write a story, so today I will be writing a poem.  I do not write them very often, so this one will be a little weak.

I hit the ground with a thud.

The earth was cold, hard, and covered by mud.

All I could see was darkness.

All I could feel was darkness, endless darkness.

A low rumble was heard from deep within

Sounding menacing, hungry, and as evil as sin.

I could hear the claws of these beasts on the ground

As they scraped against the gravel that was all around.

Their eyes how they glowed like yellow orbital disks,

Convincing me the owners had nothing to risk.

Slowly the creatures surrounded on all sides,

Leaving me nowhere in that pit to hide.

This is the end, I thought to myself.

Then I remembered the One who could help.

I took a deep breath and murmured a prayer,

Knowing that God had always been there.

Lord, You can hear, help me tonight.

It looks as though I'm losing the fight.

If this is the end you seem fit to give,

Then please calm me in my final minutes to live.

I could feel hot breath closing in on me.

I started to shut my eyes, although I still couldn't see.

Then suddenly light, glorious light, appeared.

 It filled the whole pit 'til nothing could be feared.

Confused, the lions scuffled and started to roar.

Then there was silence, just as before.

My eyes located some light that shone through a crack

And found that my hand had landed on a soft furry back.

I was astounded to see that lions were around me

But lying beside me as docile as could be.

My Lord has saved me, He did not forget.

I am sure there is still hope for me yet.

Day 14: An Unlikely Meeting

The Prompt: Kind David meets Daniel.  What happens?

King David was sitting in his throne room.  It was another typical day for him.  At the moment, it was his time to go through the letters of requests to see if he could meet the needs of his kingdom before his young sons would come in for their regular visits.  David looked forward to that time.  As much as he loved being king, those visits reminded him of normal life again.

Just then one of King David's servants appeared at the room's entrance, interrupting the king's thoughts.  "Your majesty, there is a foreigner here who insists upon seeing you.  He claims he is a Jew, but he looks like he has come from Babylon."

King David was intrigued by this man.  "Show him in."

 "As you wish."  With a bow the servant left and moments later returned with a tall young man dressed in Babylonian attire.  He looked confused and excited.  "May I introduce His Royal Majesty King David of Bethlehem.  Majesty, this is Daniel."  The servant took another bow and left.

King David and Daniel stood fixed where they were, staring into each other's eyes.  Each one saw something familiar in the other that made them motionless, perhaps it was the light of God.  Daniel was the first one who broke the gaze.  "It is an honor to be here, your Majesty," he stated in a strong, humble voice and finished with a gracious bow.

King David smiled.  "To what do I owe the pleasure of you visiting our fine country and wishing to see me?"

 Daniel explained that he was a Jew but had been taken captive by the Babylonians some years ago.  That morning he had woken up and found himself back in his homeland.  "I know it sounds far-fetched.  I wouldn't even believe the story myself, but that is what happened.  When I saw I was back, I explored the city and then wished I could see my king and tell him in person how impressed I am with all he has done."

"I am happy that you feel that way.  Tell me, Daniel, what did you do in Babylon?"

Daniel then told King David how he and his three friends had stayed true to God's commands and refused to eat the rich food of Babylonians.  He shared how God had been faithful to them and blessed them with good jobs in the king's court.  King David was excited to hear that this guest was a man after his own heart- no, God's own heart, and he was amazed to hear how Daniel had been able to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar's dreams.  He, in turn, shared with Daniel how had God helped him in his life.  The two men talked for hours, learning a great deal from each other and praising God for the miracles He had worked in their lives.

I was out of ideas for this one...  Thank you for sticking with me and taking the time to read these posts! 

Day 12: Sheep

The Prompt: Write from one of David's sheep's POV.

I didn't have much time on the computer today, so this is rather short.  This is probably the worst one I've posted so far.

It's kind of cold out today.  I'm glad I have my wool coat.  Ooo, that tuft of grass looks tasty.  *Munch munch.  Who's that coming over here?  Oh it's David.  He's such a kind master.  I remember when he saved me from a hole in the ground.  I didn't know it was there.  It was hidden in the underbrush.  But David knew where it was.  He goaded me away from it.  I could have broken a leg.  Even his hand feels kind on my back.  It feels strong, yet warm.  He's knows just where to itch me.

Now he's going over to his favorite tree to sit and watch us.  Master normally talks to God or writes down something on his scroll.  See?  I hear him talking to his God now.  He sounds troubled.  He's pacing around too.  I wonder what is bothering him.  Who is Goliath?  I've never heard Master mention that name before.  Now he's walking over to the river.  Getting a drink perhaps?  What's in the water that has caught his attention.  It's...small...stones.  He's pulling them out.  One, two, three, four, five stones.  What could Master want to do with those? 

Day 11: Longing for More

The Prompt: Flesh out the woman from the well who met Jesus and gave Him some water.  Who is she?  Why did she divorce all her husbands and live with her boyfriend?  Why did the other woman not like her?  What was her name?

I tried researching an accurate name for her, maybe something that meant "lost" or "sadness", but I couldn't find anything.  She shall be named The Woman.  As depressing as this story is, it was rather easy to write.  You can't judge a person until you've walked a mile in her shoes.

When I was fourteen, I ran away and got married.  I know that might sound a little young, but what can I say?  I was in love.  Pah!  Love has never helped me any.  I thought I was in love.  It turns out my first husband was selfish and saw me only as someone he wanted when he felt like it.  Otherwise, he made me clean and keep house until my hands were raw.  I think our marriage really fell apart after we lost our first baby during delivery.  He wouldn't forgive me for being a failure as a woman.  I managed to divorce him by age 17.  I married my second husband soon afterwards.  I thought we were happy at first, but we grew apart.  We really tried to make it work, but something was always missing.  I think he met someone else towards the end.  I could never prove it.  We divorced after four years, and I took our two-year-old son with me.

My life changed forever after I met my third husband.  He was my favorite, my only love.  The world seemed brighter, everything seemed better with him by my side.  I'll never forget the kindness he showed to me, a poor divorcee with a hungry toddler.  He could have chosen any woman much better than me to marry.  Instead, he chose to love me.  I'll treasure that love forever.  He always treated me right, and he loved my son like he was his own.  He loved our daughter the same way.  It's a shame he never got to see what his own son looked like.  He was killed during a mob when he went to market one day.  A part of me died with him.

The days were a blur after that.  Thanks to his sister's kindness, I was not alone when my third child was born.  She and her husband helped us out for a few months, giving us a room to share and enough food to eat, but I could not take advantage of her kindness any longer.  I left in the cover of night.  It was too painful living in a town where everywhere I turned I was reminded of my dead husband.

My children and I traveled for a few days before I finally found a place that was suitable for us all to live.  We lived off of the charity of others for a little while, but there is only so much that can provide for three young ones.  I had to do something to help take care of them.  It went against what I wanted to do in my heart, but I was a desperate woman.  I found a man in town who was rich and single, and I used my womanly charm to convince him to marry me.  Too bad I have poor taste in men.  He was mean and reminded me of my first husband.  I think he even looked on me with disdain.  Again, that marriage was short-lived, and I packed up my children and left.

By this time my oldest was nearly ten, but I felt like I had aged 15 years since I had him.  I tried working out in the fields for a little while, gleaning what I could.  Even the children helped when they could.  Everyone was so nice to me in that town too.  They thought I was a widow struggling to provide for my three children, which was partially true.  Why did my younger son have to let it slip that Mommy had left another man before we moved?  Public opinion changed towards us after that.  Yet, still there was a man who looked kindly on us, who soon became husband #5.

I really think he married me out of pity at first, but perhaps he had fallen in love with me.  He did look like he had a broken heart after I told him I wanted a divorce.  Sure, call me cruel and heartless if you want.  Maybe I was.  I was tired an worn.  My heart was so scarred you couldn't find a clean spot to stick a knife in it anymore.  I couldn't let anybody, not even my husband get close to me.  I couldn't bear to go through what happened with my dear third husband again.  That's why I refused to love.  I did feel guilty after leaving him though.  The kids really seemed to like him.  I probably wouldn't have left him if I had known I was pregnant.  I didn't find out until a couple months later.

The town thought we divorced because I had an affair.  I didn't care what they thought after that.  I went back to gleaning.  I didn't bring home as much as I used to, even though the harvest was plentiful.  I couldn't live like this forever.  I had a new baby.  I was beginning to think even my children hated me.  They needed a provider, stability, but I couldn't get married, not again.  So I hung out around various unattached men, trying to see if they liked me enough to let us hang around.  I was getting old.  My feminine charm wasn't as strong as it used to be, but finally it caught someone's attention.

That's where I am now.  My boyfriend and I have a mutual understanding.  We like each other and have a good time sometimes, but we know it's not love.  He's not sure if he's ready for marriage, and I don't want it.  I let him see other women, and he helps me provide for my children.  I have a side job, but I'm too ashamed to tell you what it is.  It helps me feed my kids, and that's all that matters.

Even though this system works well, I feel a void in my life.  I'm going through the motions.  I'm not living.  My oldest son ran away last year.  My daughter doesn't respect me.  Even my younger son is starting not to love me as much.  Only my toddler loves me.  She doesn't know any better yet.  I wish I could go back and change everything, but I can't.  I just have to live with my miserable existence.  No one understands.  They just glare at me and remember how I treated my last husband.  No forgiveness.  No love.  How can anyone though, when I can't even feel that way towards myself?  

Day 6: My Biblical Hero

The Prompt: You get to meet your hero from the Bible.  What happens?

     As I mentioned in the past, David is one of my favorite Bible characters.  He was one of the few men the Bible refers to as having the heart of God.  Plus he wrote the Psalms, one of my favorite books from the Bible.  It would be amazing if I could even see what he looked like.  Since he is likened to Jesus, I wonder if they shared some physical similarities.  I suppose one of the first things I'd want to do is listen to him play one of his psalms or asked what inspired him to write a few of my favorites.  Maybe I could even watch him compose one.  Once you think about it, it's like meeting a modern Christian music singer.

     David was not just a singer; he was a beloved king.  Who doesn't want to meet a king?  :)  I'd want him to give me a tour around his palace, meet some of his advisers and family, and get a chance to see him working at some of his responsibilities as king.  Getting a tour of the city would be fun too, especially if it was in a royal procession.

     I'd also enjoy the opportunity to interview David.  I'd like to hear some of the Biblical accounts from his point of view.  How did he feel when Samuel anointed him as king while Saul still ruled?  What was going through his head when he summed up the courage to defeat Goliath?  I'd probably ask some other questions about when he was running from Saul, about his reign as king, and about his relationships with sons.

     I'd certainly have an eventful day with David!

Day 5: In Judas' Shoes

The Prompt: It's always good to get into the bad guy's shoes.  So write a story about an evil character in the Bible; see his side of the story.  Why did he do this evil deed?

I was going to write about one of the evil kings of Israel and Judah until it occurred to me that it might be more interesting (and easier) to write about Judas Iscariot, the ultimate "bad guy" instead.  What caused a follower of Jesus, one of the chosen twelve, to betray the Son of God?

     Judas came from a poor home, with little to no family.  He was weary of life and pain and hungry for love.  I'm sure after hearing Jesus speak for the first time, Judas felt entranced by this remarkable man.  Jesus' words were comforting, and Judas felt compelled to follow Him.  Jesus offered Judas unconditional love and acceptance.  Since the disciples did not suspect who could betray Jesus, he was probably faithful follower, on the outside.

     At first, Judas was on fire for Jesus and wanted to serve Him anyway he could, but he was the seed that fell on the rocks.  Some things that Jesus said made him feel uncomfortable, such as your riches come from heaven and not earth or that the people who are last in life will be first.  Judas pushed the thoughts out of his mind, but they still lingered like a bad taste in his mouth.

     As Judas continued to do this, he became bitter and closed his heart to Jesus' teachings.  He felt he was entitled to some good things in life after the miserable life he had as a child.  He was tired of living the life of a servant, walking for miles with Jesus in the dirt and heat with barely any possessions.  He was lucky if he got three meals a day with Jesus asking them to share what they had or rely on the generosity of others.  Judas didn't understand the true meaning of following God.

     When Judas took the twenty pieces of silver from the Pharisees, he felt it was time to have some money of his own for once.  He was willing to betray Jesus because he was angry with Him for all the sacrificing he had endured for His name's sake.  Maybe he thought deep down that Jesus could save Himself from the danger.  The Pharisees couldn't really hurt Jesus.  The biggest force that motivated Judas to accept the bribe could have been that he was too afraid to truly risk all for Jesus and listen to what God was whispering to his heart.

Day 3: The Navity

Prompt: You are standing in the manger scene.  What do you hear and smell?

     "Alright, everyone, please stay together.  I don't want anyone to get lost."

     I quickly snapped another picture before I followed our tour guide.  "I can't believe the Mary and Joseph actually walked on the same ground I am walking," I thought in wonder to myself.  Bethlehem was even more amazing than I had imagined.

     "And this," our tour guide continued in her knowledgeable tone, "is believed to be the very place where Jesus was born."

     I eagerly looked beyond the people that were in fornt of me and strained to catch a glimpse of the birthsite.  It was a small, dark-looking cave, showing obvious signs of several different renovations.

     "I'll just stop here to let you ponder about this spot a few moments."

     I patiently waited for the fellow tourists in front of me to move on so I could get a close look inside the cave.  "Mary must have been awfully cramped giving birth inside of that," I thought as I gazed inside.

     I then started to imagine what it all must have been like on that night over two millenniums ago.  I'll bet the cave floor felt cold and damp.  Maybe Joseph had to start a tiny fire to keep them warm.  The smoke must have irritated them.  However, a breeze might have been blowing to help carry some of that smoke out.  A welcome breeze from God to help ease Mary's delivery.  She must have felt so scared and worried.  Would she be a good enough mother to God's Son?

     I'm sure the stench from the animals didn't help very much.  Horses, cows, and sheep, all huddled together for hours (maybe even days).  Who knows when they were last taken care of with the innkeeper so busy with all of his guests.  Maybe Joseph helped care for them as a way to show appreciation to the innkeeper for letting them stay there.

     "After Jesus was born, they probably laid Him in a manger that looked something like that," I pointed out the replica manger to myself.  Straw might be coarse and itchy to the skin, but I'm sure if was better than lying directly on the wood.  Did God keep the animals quiet during that time, to let Jesus get some sleep, or did He enjoy letting His Father's creations lull Him.  Wouldn't it be really if the animals did talk on that first Christmas, even just a few words?

    "Now, over this way we have..." My tour guide's voice snapped me to reality.  Smiling, I took one last look at the scene before I jogged to catch up with my group.

Day 2: Confessions of a Pharisee

Day 2: Describe how a Pharisee saw Jesus standing on the steps of the temple.  What did he see and hear?  Use all the senses.

     I had just been in the middle of my third prayer that day to the Almighty Lord, Ruler of all, when I saw him.  Actually, I didn't see him right away.  Someone bumped into me while trying to see him while I was praying.

     "Hey!  Watch where you're going, you ruffian!  You could have ruined my best robe."  I dusted it off and carefully inspected it for any marks.

     "I'm s-s-sorry, sir," the young boy stammered.  He backed up a cautiously for a couple feet then turned around and continued running towards the temple.

     It was then that I had become aware of the crowd gathering.  Dozens of people were hastily following the boy's path.  I was amazed that I could have even droned out this noise before.  There were shouts of joy and desperation.  The voices that mingled together made it impossible for me to think anymore, and more people were coming all the time.

     "Do you see Him yet?" a young woman asked as she strained to see above the crowd.

     "No," said a man, presumably her husband.  "Let's move in closer."

     "I hope we haven't missed too much of His teaching."

     I was confused about who this man was that the crowd was hurrying to see.  I doubted that it was the High Priest.  I followed the throng of people and took advantage of my right to push my way through them.  The closer I got to the temple, the thicker the people became.  Soon I had to literally shove men out of my way to get closer.  Their clothing felt coarse and damp, probably from the heat of the day.  The sun had been beating over my head for a good fifteen minutes now.  I was repulsed when my fingers went through some holes of one person's clothes as I was making my way through.  His skin felt moist and wrinkled.  I turned to see an old man with a crutch struggling to get off the ground.  Other people were helping him.

      A voice started to tower above the rest.  It was loud yet mellow, powerful yet subdued.  There was a certain warmth in it that I couldn't recognize, a warmth that comforted me in a way nothing had ever done before.  I shook off the feeling and moved in closer to see this speaker.  The sharp stench of sweat, disease, and the beggars was almost unbearable, but I pressed on.  The voice got louder and louder, and I could finally start making out what he was saying.  It was something about loving other people like yourselves.  I wasn't sure what that even meant.

     Then I saw him.  He was dressed in average clothes.  He did not possess any stunning good looks or other features.  His face looked lean and worn, as if he hadn't eaten very much or slept in a while.  Despite his weariness, he seemed animated as he spoke, captivating everyone including myself.  Then his eyes locked on mine.  They were a soft brown.  It is difficult to describe what I saw in them.  It was as if all the love, joy, hurt, pain, and hope in the world were wrapped up in one.  I even detected a sparkle in them.  But they were also piercing.  I felt like he was penetrating the depths of my soul.  I stood fixated.  I couldn't move away from his gaze if I tried.  It was the worst feeling in the world.  All other noises were in the distance.  Then he turned his head to look at someone else.  I shook my head and started studying my surroundings again.  There were one, two, three...twelve men near to him.  Then it occurred to me.

     "This is that Jesus fellow that everyone has been talking about."  My eyes turned cold.  "The fraud.  He's trying to put us out of a job."  I stalked away with a big huff.  I never did forget those eyes.  They have haunted me ever since. 

Day 1: Describe a Bible Character

Hello!  I hope you are having a great first day of the year.

Day 1: Pick a character in the Bible and describe his/her day.  What are his/her struggles, joys, frustrations, etc.  Write at least 500 words.  Can you make a story out of this?  

King David is one of my favorite male characters from the Bible.  This story takes place before David became king.  It is inspired from 1 Samuel 27:1 and attempts to explain how David, a man who possessed some of the greatest faith in God, could have decided to give up on God saving him go live with His enemies.  Prior to this, David had been running for his life from the current king, Saul, for many months (maybe even years).  David has just had a second encounter with Saul and let his enemy go unharmed.

     David tossed and turned in his tent.  His encounter with Saul was still fresh in his mind.  Saul had looked so scared when he saw David because he was sure David would kill him.  David felt Saul had no right to be scared.  He was the one who had been running for his life.  He was the one who had to always keep all his senses alert in case Saul was nearby.  He was the one who couldn't be alone for one minute for fear that Saul would use that moment to kill him with one swift stroke.  Saul was taller than him, more muscular, more physically fit.  Saul would not have any difficulty murdering him.
     David groaned as he turned to his other side.  His pillow, a rolled up cloak, was hardly doing its duty for his head.  David's thoughts drifted back to Saul.  This had not been the first time that David had spared Saul.  The first time, they had been in a cave together.  David had seen Saul standing a few feet ahead of him.  It would have been so easy to murder Saul and end all that running and fear, but David remembered what God said about love and forgiveness and had shown mercy on Saul in the same way God had shown mercy on him.  David grimaced as he turned again.
     "Is this the reward I get for obeying you, Lord?" David thought.  His thoughts often had a habit now of turning into conversations with God.  "I did what You told me to.  I forgave Saul and trusted You to save me, and what happens?  Saul went back on his word to leave me in peace and sought to kill me again."
     David opened his eyes.  Sleep was pointless now.  David rose from his mat, careful not to wake his wife Abigail, and slipped quietly out of his tent.  Spending time with his wife did not comfort him, neither did the celebration feast he had shared with his family and friends the night before.  The only thing left was to spend some time with God.  No matter what he tried, communion with God always brought him peace.
     The sky was still quite dark with just a hint of reddish pink on the horizon, giving David just enough light to see.  He maneuvered around the other tents and equipment outside until he walked to the edge of the hill where they were camped.  David stood and admired God's handiwork, although at the moment the beauty had no impact on him.
     "God," he softly spoke aloud, "I know I should be happy right now.  Saul has gone back to Israel.  The time for fleeing from him is over.  Yet I am still afraid.  What is to stop him from going back on his word again?  How do I know that he isn't going to try to kill me again?"  David's voice rose as the passion built.  "I am tired of running.  I am tired of living in fear!  Is there some way You can assure me?  Some way that I know that You will keep me safe?"
     David waited.  Silence.  The sky had grown a little lighter now.  Usually a still, small voice inside him would remind him of a promise of God or give him a word of encouragement.  This time, his mind and heart was empty.  He continued staring at the valley in front of him when he noticed something moving down there.  As he strained his eyes to see what it was, he was able to discern that he was watching an army move.  His heart jumped, thinking it was saul again, and he anxiously scanned the group to see if he could recognize the Israelite armor.  Instead, he realized that this was not the Israelites but a Philistine army, an enemy to all men of Israel.
     David's eyes followed the army's journey.  He noticed the band of men showed the might and intimidation that was typical of the Philistines.  If David had been in the right frame of mind, he would have readied himself for an attack and asked God if He should destroy the idolaters or leave them alone.  Instead, David made a rash decision, something someone should never make, especially if he is as mentally and physically exhausted and fearful as David was.
     "This must be a sign from the Lord.  I am to live with the Philistines!  They can protect me from Saul!"

What do you?  Why could David had abandoned God like he did?