Nice to Meet You

It has been 5 months since we've last spoken, but I feel now I am ready to talk.
So let's talk.
Since our last conversation, I have waited and waited. I've sat in the purgatory of life while watching and listening. I've had question, doubts, laughs, tears, hopes, fears, and dreams, but most of all I've had clarity.

During my time of lingering, God found me.
He has asked for my hand, and danced with me.
As we danced, He lifted me above my fear.
As we danced, He whispered in my ear and scared away my doubt.
As we danced, He taught me to dream, and told me to never let go.
As we danced, He held my tears, and showed me how to laugh
As we danced, He told my questions to rest, and gave me hope to hold on to

When Clarity came, I almost missed her.
She was subtle and poised like I always imagined her to be
She gave me a present, I looked down in my hand as it sat there
Perfectly,
Beautifully,
Mysteriously.

This is my life, a gift. No matter what's inside.

At The Cross

It breaks my heart when people treat Jesus like a piece of art

The crosses they wear, it’s just a trend

In a year or so that trend will come to an end

They don’t see that the cross they wear has a story

One of such strength, grace, and pure glory

The cross they wear on their shirts mean more than

How it looks with a cute skirt

That cross is where a man was hung, to be mocked, beat and ridiculed by everyone

I’m here to say that a cross is not just a fashion statement,

It’s a statement that set us free.

That man hung there to give freedom to both you and me

He had no reason but love at its finest

And in the hour when He breathed the last

He granted us eternal life, for He is everlasting kindness

You see, He knew that cursed was a man who hangs on a tree

But the mercy he felt was strong enough to save us from our destiny.

We as sinners were meant for hell, but when Jesus came, He tore the veil.

His love is stronger than our ignorance, but some think ignorance is bliss.

I would never want to live in a world like this, not knowing that

Jesus was true loves first kiss.

A cross is more than most know today

We don’t thank Jesus we push him away

I pray for those who don’t know Jesus’ love

That one day you’ll find Him and know what he’s done

Then when you look at the cross you’ll say:

Thank you Jesus, I no longer have a debt to pay.

Superior Grocers.

Writing Prompt
Wk 4

Remember, what your characters DO keeps your story moving forward and reveals who your characters ARE. You need a good mix of slow and fast pacing in your writing, so this week we’re practicing writing something fast paced and action driven.
Imagine a character in a shopping mall.
They hear someone start screaming.
Thinking about action and pacing, (there’s no time for the character to think/reflect/ponder) write up to 500 words describing what happens next.


**For my exercise I chose a grocery store instead.
_______________

My death grip on the jar of pickles in my hand started to give me a cramp.
I looked slowly as I crouched down, down the aisle I saw a mother and daughter taking cover behind the large frozen chicken freezer. Briefly our eyes met.
All of a sudden, a blur of screams and people ran past me, I jumped up and looked in the opposite direction to see what was coming.

Bang
Bang
Bang.

I start running down my aisle, I look back quickly to see the mother and daughter following behind me. abruptly I'm stopped by the Lay's chips rack in my path, we both went down to the ground, before my mind could even acknowledge the fall.... I was running again. The door was clear in sight and as I approached I didnt even think about why the doors weren't opening.

Ceiling.

black.
ceiling.
black
ceiling.

My vision was blurred, and my head pounded, all I saw was ceiling, then Vodka for $15.99. It took me a minute but then I realized where I was. I sat up quickly and crawled quickly to the Vodka aisle. I saw blood on the floor where I was, then I felt the sharp pain in my shoulder. As I tried to find where the pain was coming from, I found it.  The bullet wound was in my deltoid muscle, maybe 1.5 inches from my rhomboideous, mobility was still okay. I think I have a minor concussion but nothing to worry about. I kept my arm elevated to limit the bleeding and opened a bottle of Vodka. I took off my sweater and took a deep breath. The sting of alcohol was almost unbearable.

I heard footsteps approaching, I stood to my feet. My heart was pounding so loud it drowned out the heavy rubber boots.  All of a sudden a hand was on my shoulder I turned quickly and I swung the bottle in the air and with all my force and hit the man in the head. I dropped the bottle and it shattered on the ground. Blood ran from his head, making it way to the bakery aisle. I kicked the gun out of the killers hand and searched him for a cell phone.

Operator: Hello, this is 911, what is your emergency?
Me: There's been a shooting at the Los Angeles Superior Grocers on 10211 Avalon Boulevard.
Operator: Okay, miss what is your name?
Me: Dr. Katie Davidson
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Winter Remnants

Writing Prompt
Wk 3

Set the Scene

Using less that 400 words describe the setting in this photograph. If you’ve never felt snow, or if it has been years since you’ve seen it, you’ll have to research what it might be like in a snowy landscape. If you live somewhere where snow is a regular occurrence, then take the time to really capture the essence of what a cold, sunny day is like, not just what you think it would be like at first glance. If you want to move toward a poem, please do, if you want to include a narrative, think about who or what might have left those footprints in the snow.

___________________



Glisten, as you fall from the sky
bitter shapes taking place in their puzzle space on the ground
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
My feet break the bones of their structure
as I make my way
The chilled air squeezes itself into my lungs
I see the proof leave my mouth
In out. In out. In out

The bare-boned trees fill the landscape
speckled green lays throughout
Above me is a swirl of blue and gray
The sun hides behind a large cotton cloud

When I hold the frozen bliss
my hands capture the biting cold 
Then quickly the flakes softens into a
river of water
It flows from my grasp back from
where it came
I watch as it disappears

Winter stains my coat wet
My eyes moist
My throat dry
My nose red
The earth white


_____________________

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"Okay."

Writing Prompt 
Wk. two

Using less than 500 words write a scene with two characters who haven’t seen each other for a number of years. What does each character want? Why haven’t they seen each other for so long? Can you convey this while maintaining tension?

______________________


I was at the grocery store picking up a loaf of bread, as I was waiting in line to pay, I felt my coat vibrate. I pulled out phone thinking it would be my mom, she was expecting me at any time now. Instead it was him. He asked to meet me at The Lakehouse, I grudgingly agreed to it. Its only in this moment that I regret it.

My eyes discovered him as if he was the only one in the restaurant, and when I did, the pain quickly followed. I walked over to him, with every step my heartbeat got louder and louder.

"Hi" he smiled.

"Hi" I kept my poker face on, I didnt know what else to do. He didnt deserve a smile, so I didnt give him one.

"How have you been, Emma?"

"Why do you all of a sudden care?" I said sharply.

He looked alarmed at my response.

"I guess I do deserve that."  He nodded his head.

"What do you want John?" I asked.

His eyes went from innocent to defensive. Yet he still held his tongue.

"Emma, I know this is hard to understand, because you dont know everything. For that I am sorry."

"It doesnt have to be that way, you dont have to keep things from me."

"It's more complicated than that. Emma, I want to get to know you again, all I know is the past. I want to know YOU, for who you've grown to be. Its been nine years."

"Who's fault is that?" I replied.

"Mine." He looked directly in my eyes.
I looked at him, surprised he finally took the blame.

"Why did you leave, you expect me to pick up where we left off, but we can't just sweep the past under the rug and pretend it's going to be alright! it's not alright!" My voice crackled, as my heart pounded in anger.

"I left because, back then I was a boy. I had a lot of my own issues to work out and I knew that I couldnt expect you to have to deal with that. So I did what I had to do, it was the best. I don't expect you to understand but you just have to trust me." he pleaded.

I held my tears back, I couldn't show any signs of weakness, at least not now.

"I dont even know you anymore."

"I want to change that. Em, I'm your father, let me at least try."

I thought back to the time we were at my friends birthday party, and I was jumping on the trampoline. I jumped so high that when I landed I heard a crack, and the pain quickly followed. My dad came to me almost before the tears could escape my eyes. Even though I had never felt more pain... I also never felt more safe. 

I looked at him now, and the pain I felt the moment I walked in the room was shrouded by the longing I had to feel the safeness I once felt as a kid.

I looked at him, with tears welling in my eyes, I said "Okay."

_________________

 

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Prompt Challenge 1 - Goodbye

Week One:
Here is this weeks pompt challenge:

Using less that 500 words, write a scene that includes each of the following elements:
A cell phone.
A man who has a secret.
An empty house.

___________________

The air smelled exactly the way I left it, cold and salty. Seeing the walls bare makes it hard to believe the memories it holds.  The day I left is burned into my mind like a stain I can’t wash away.

The first few weeks were the hardest, ignoring the phone calls, and putting away the memories like fine China you don’t need anymore.  Anywhere I went I saw us there.  I had to constantly remind myself of the decision I made, and more importantly the reason I made that decision. Although it was hard, sometimes the best decisions we make are the hardest ones. I knew that now.  The one regret I have about this whole situation is not telling her why.

Why did you leave?

Why couldn’t you tell me?

I heard her say those things in my mind more than I could hear my own thoughts. The answer is I never had the courage. If I saw her today, I would say I’m sorry. Not that it means anything now, but I would say it because she deserves at least that. The ring of my cell phone interrupted the reminiscent thoughts I was playing back.

“Hello…Yes I’ll be home soon, I just had to pick up some wine for dinner.”

“Bye. I love you”

I took one last good look at the lifeless rooms before me. Breathed in one last salty breath, and I turned around and put one foot in front of the other. I got to the door and closed it behind me, took the key and turned the lock.  I continued down the front steps and down the cement path. Lost in my thoughts I almost tripped over the For Sale sign, then I smiled and thanked the Realtor for letting me take the tour of the home and said unfortunately it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.  I got in my car, put the key in the ignition and started it up. Then I drove off, without a second glance.

 _____________________

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Beautiful Moments

I have a confession.

It’s a painful reverberation in my heart. A longing that consumes my mind.

I want to be here.

By here, I mean…. Here.

I want to live inside my moments, capture all that surrounds me, good or bad. I’m not sure when it was that I lost my wonder, I want to say somewhere between my life and my future. At the end of my days when all I have is a mind full of memories to flip through, I want to know that I relished all of my moments.

If I can speak vulnerably, I can say that all of my devotions, thoughts and our prayers have been for God to give me back my sight. The veil of beauty that once filtered everything I saw, every person I talked to, and every thought that I had.  

I pray for beautiful moments, good or bad.

Love,

SR