The Wall #29

With generous heart, our inspiration from Jenny Matlock includes a 200 word limit plus the 11 word prompt for a total allowance of 211 words.  We're fast drawing to the end of 2011 with this Christmas Eve challenge and it warms my heart to wish you all a very blessed Christmas!
Please click on the button to the left to join Jenny and all her friends as we answer the prompt with our individual interpretations, inspired by her words and style.  Maybe you'll want to write you own little story and link it up to Saturday Centus as well.
Jenny, it's been a pleasure participating each week for the past 28 weeks and being challenged by you with your variety of prompts, writing styles and photos and by my own desire to write a continuing tale that ties them all together. Thank you!
Thank you all for following along and encouraging me in my effort to find the writer within myself.  So, without further delay, here is this week's continuation of The Wall.

~ We strolled through the village toward the inn. A rather homey place where everybody knew everybody else, warily allowing tourists into their ranks. Yet, somehow, it seemed I had made a niche for myself with the innkeeper's family.

As we drew near the inn, a couple of men rounded the corner. Seeing us, they started but continued walking. I recognized them as the men from the pub.  They'd probably realized by now that they'd been sent on a wild goose chase by the mystery voice in the old house. It made me chuckle to think of that, now.

Just then, we heard piano music drifting from the inn.

Suddenly, as if on cue, a car roared around the corner from the school, blowing it's horn. It careened toward us. We jumped out of the way. As it raced past, I could see that the driver was wearing a ski mask.

Folks came from nearly every store and home to see what was happening, chattering and yelling after the crazed driver.

Just then, I heard an angel voice through the chaos and the noise; it's gentle, pure song purging all the negativity from the moment. We were all reminded that this was a special night indeed. The night that Christ was born.  ~

A Very Merry Christmas to You and Yours!

God Bless us, Everyone!

The Wall #28

In the spirit of the holiday season, Jenny's given us a picture prompt that made me smile and a 50 word limit.  Click on her button to the left to see what others are writing or to link up your own story inspired by Jenny's creative spirit and guidelines.

Join me for the continuation of an ongoing story...The Wall.  This little snippet might not make sense to you unless you've read the previous post.  You can do that here or go to The Wall page to read the story from the beginning.

~ We looked around the pub while we waited. Just down the bar was a small tree decorated with strips of bacon, bits of sausage and various meaty treats! Curious and comical at the same time, it piqued our interest. The bartender told us to help ourselves to this traditional fare. ~

Influences and Output

Romans 12:2 And be ye not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
I've been thinking about a lot of things lately.   Mainly input and outcome. What you put into something, anything, is directly proportional to what you get out of it. Almost.
Like what?

Like life, love, family friendships...you name it.

What drives your day?  How do you plan for the immediate future or for times down the road?  We are a product of what we take into our mind, body and soul.  What comes out in our lives has a lot to do with what is put in.  Of course food and drink reflects on our appearance and health, but also books, movies, television- the people we spend time with - many things we can control but some things we can't...like abuse, tragedy, illness and death.  They all have a great deal of influence on the person we become.

Here's an example of something I've been thinking about.

A basically well behaved, well liked14 year old boy was having violent dreams that robbed him of sleep and left him feeling drained and uneasy all day.  His school work began to slip.  He was listless and spacey.  He was too tired to hang out with his friends.  He began to lose weight.  He was irritable and snapped at his family and friends.  All very unlike this normally friendly, fun to be around kid who had a loving family and good grades.

The scary part is that all this happened in the course of 3 weeks!

His parents were naturally worried and met with his teachers to see if there was anything unusual happening at school.  No one noticed anything except his strange behavior.  His parents knew most of his friends and welcomed them into their home.  They talked with their son but he couldn't put his finger on any negative changes in his life.

As most parents may do, they questioned the use of drugs although he'd always been against their use and encouraged kids at school who struggled with drug and alcohol abuse to stop before the "fun" became a habit.  There was no indication that he was involved with either drugs or alcohol.

He attended church regularly and was active in youth group until the last 2 weeks.  He said he didn't feel like going when, in the past, he couldn't wait for Sunday morning and Wednesday evening.

The nightmares and violent dreams continued.

One of his mom's friends suggested that they pray over his room since that was where they'd first noticed a problem.  After checking his room for possible indications of the cause and finding nothing, they prayed for their son and whatever was influencing him.  Later, his mom was putting away some laundry and found a new video game in his dresser, still in the wrapper. She'd never seen it before.  The cover showed mystical creatures, magical, violent confrontations with gore, and scantily clad women.  It made his mom uncomfortable just looking at it.  In the past, they had allowed games that contained seemingly harmless magic or fantasy but had ruled out games like this one.  When she asked her son about it, he told her that his friend had the game and loved it.  He'd given a copy of it to the boy about 3 weeks ago so they could play together.  But his friend had been busy with sports so he'd put it in his drawer and forgotten all about it.  

Remember that it was still in the shrink wrap?  He'd never played it and said that he hadn't played it at his friend's house either.  His mom removed the game from the house.

That night, the boy slept soundly.  His appetite returned and his grades improved.  As did his disposition and relationships.  He was back to his old self.

So what's going on here?

Imagine the influence things can have over us and we don't even realize it.

What are you filling your mind with?  Are the movies/TV shows you are watching or the music you listen to desensitizing you to the ways of the world?  What about videos games and books?  How about friends?  Remember that we are to hate the sin but love the sinner.  We have to be able to draw that line in the sand and say, "NO!"

I feel like we are fairly strict about what we allow our family to watch and listen to.  We've said, "NO!" to movies rated "R" for whatever reason.  Certainly by the standards of what's in the theaters and on television, we're pretty conservative.  I don't say this to pat myself on the back, merely as a frame of reference.  Are our shelves filled with all Christian movies and music?  NO!  Are there some that probably shouldn't be there?  yes.  Oldies from our teenage years are still some of our favorites.

What kinds of things are you allowing into you life?  How are they affecting you or the folks around you?
  Are you missing out on life because you're filling your life, your mind, your heart and home with things that steal your joy and pull you down?

So, yeah...I've been thinking about this a lot.  

Pondering My Meanderings,

Wanderer

The Wall #27

It's been so much fun writing a little story line from Jenny's weekly prompt on Saturday Centus.  The idea is to read her prompt and the guidelines for each week's writing style and word limit, and create your own tale.  Then link it up to Saturday Centus along with the others who've chosen to participate. It's been amazing to see the different types of stories that come from the same starting point...some serious, some silly, some poetic, others free style.  Many are moving or strike a chord of camaraderie.
Click on the picture to the left and join us as we take on this week's challenge from our fearless leader!  We're allowed 100 words plus the prompt for a total of 107.

As you may know, I'm continuing a story, called The Wall, that I've been working on for 27 weeks.  To see where I'm coming from, or rather where I've been, please click here.

This week's centus...

~ My heart melted as I remembered that tender time, so long ago.

I sat still on my stool for a moment, frozen in time, wondering what to do, now. Then I thought, “You know, it doesn't have to be that way. It's what you've wanted all along. The outcome is up to you.”

Turning slowly on my stool, I looked into his eyes and said with a smile, “Yes, please...with ketchup.”

He smiled back, once again, in obvious relief. He pulled me close and held me tight. All the fear and frustration seemed to drain away. I knew everything would be alright. Now, I'm safe. ~

Ya know...

...how sometimes you think you know someone and you take them for granted?  And then you see something in them that you didn't see before.  Like a light turned on and now they've taken on a whole new dimension...and it's all you can think about.
It's awesome to experience that and it's also awesome to watch.  So, yeah...call me a hopeless romantic!

...how you just know something's gonna happen and it does and you're like, "Whoa!"

...how when someone gives you a big hug that you weren't expecting and it makes your whole day?

...how you can tell that a person likes another person by the way they become better when that person is around?

...how things can really tick you off about someone you like but don't bother you in a casual friend?

...how sometimes you feel more at home in someone else's house than you do your own?

...how it makes you feel good when your kid's friends willingly include you in a conversation or a game...or whatever?

...how sad you feel when you think that someone is being treated badly and there's not really anything that you can do at that point?

...how I'd like to win the lottery?

...how other people don't raise their kids or care for their families in the same way that you do?  Not always better or worse...just different.

...how I like to take in all my kids friends as if they were my own?  Does that bother anyone?  I hope not!
And, too bad, if it does!

...how sometimes I like to ramble on about seemingly meaningless things?

Hey!

Meanderings!

I said that already!

beginning Chapter 3

After the growling and scratching had stopped and she heard the whining of the cubs moving away from the house, she moved toward the door again.

A shout from outside stopped her in her tracks.  She knew that villainous voice well and began to look for a place to hide.  There was a small storage space behind the chimney but it would be hot from baking all day.  Still, there wasn't any other choice.  As she drew the bottom of her skirt in after her and pulled the small dresser back against the wall from inside her hiding place, the door burst open.

Obviously expecting to find someone at home the intruder stopped quickly to look around the empty room.  Talking loudly as if to a companion, he said,
"Well, its obvious that someone lives here.  Look at the feast laid out for me!  I'll just help myself to some of this venison stew...."

She seethed with anger knowing that he was used to dining like this daily.  Her anger only increased her discomfort from the heat.

After gorging himself on her carefully prepared meal, the rogue threw his trencher into the fire and propped his muddy boots up on the table knocking over her bouquet of wild flowers from Philip.  He said loudly,
"I'll just wait for my host to return so I can thank them for this wonderful meal."

Shortly, he was sound asleep and snoring lustily.  Or so she thought.

As she pushed gently on the dresser in hopes of escaping from the house while he slept, she slowly wedged herself between the wall and the dresser.  As she stood quietly and moved from her shelter, he opened his eyes and stared at her with a malicious grin.

"Aha!  Methinks I've seen the likes of you before.  And I like what I see..."

He stood and moved to close the door and bolt it.  She stood frozen to the spot.  As he began to walk toward her, she snapped out of her reverie and looked around for something to defend herself.  Snatching the poker from the fireplace, she brandished it like a sword and stared at him defiantly.

He laughed and continued to move closer.  Just then the sound of hooves in the clearing made him spin around in surprise.  She made her move and landed a blow on the back of his head sending him crashing to the floor.
Meanwhile, Philip called from outside and hearing the commotion, pounded on the door.  When she didn't answer, he called to Dynny.

Even though she was intrigued by the handsome Philip and his gentlemanly ways, she wasn't used to trusting anyone.  Returning to her hiding place, she waited.

After hearing Philip mount his steed, she thought he'd go, but alas, he spoke softly to the horse and with a mighty whinny, Dynny reared up and his hooves slammed against the door, shattering the hinges.  Now they stood in the doorway, Philip stooping to assess the situation before dismounting.

Still peeking from behind the dresser, she wondered what to do.  When he saw the man on the floor, he stepped inside and looked around cautiously for the person who'd knocked him out.  Not seeing anyone, he stooped over the man to see if he was dead or merely wounded.  As the fellow groaned, Philip drew his sword and waited.  The man opened his eyes.  Startled at the sight of Philip's sword, he tried to get to his feet but fell down again.

"What is your name, Sir?", Philip asked.

Still groaning and holding his head, the man grumbled a sarcastic remark which Gwyneth couldn't make out.

Philip asked again and this time the fellow rolled over quickly and grabbed both of Philip's legs and pulled them out from under him.  Then he jumped up and grabbed Philip's sword only to feel the blow of the poker on the back of his head again.  Reeling around, he crumpled into a pile while Philip found himself, again, looking rather sheepishly at this mysterious maiden of the forest.

The Wall #26

Jenny's up to some nasty tricks this week!  Click on the button to the left to read her challenge from her own blog and join the fun.
Our assignment is to write 16 words about when we were 16!  Only 16 words!!!!  So here it is....16 measly words from that crazy, mixed up, exciting year when I turned 16, as part of the ongoing story of The Wall.

~I was sixteen when I saw him for the first time. I smiled, he smiled back.~

The Wall #25

Hats off to our writing host, Jenny Matlock for another simple yet challenging writing prompt for this week's Saturday Centus!  Click on the button to the left to join the fun and share your own writing inspired by Jenny's weekly prompt.  Today's prompt is in purple and the word limit is 100 additional words for a total of 106.
I'm continuing a story that I started here 6 months ago.  If your new and would like to read what's happened so far, click HERE or on The Wall page above.

Here's this week's installment in the The Wall.

~Indignation and a host of other emotions flooded through me. Rushing out of the room, through the kitchen and down the garden path, I sat down under a tree, near the pasture fence, shaking with emotion. It was like not being able to find a lost child and wanting to hug and spank them all at the same time when they're found.

After relief finally won the battle, an eventual rumble in my stomach reminded me that I'd left before dinner. At the bar, in the pub, I ordered a sandwich. Someone slid onto the stool next to me.

“Would you like fries with that?”~  

The Wall #24

In the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, our guide for this writing adventure, Jenny Matlock, has given us the opening to a well known Dutch hymn written by an unknown author circa 1597 as our prompt.  Our word limit is 100 words plus the prompt for a total of 108.  She's also allowing up to 3 pictures to illustrate our tale.  If you'd like to join us, please click on the button at the left to visit Jenny's blog and post your own story inspired by this prompt or read what this beautiful hymn made others think of.

If you've been reading here, you know that I've been trying to carry on a story that just sorta grew from one of the first Saturday Centus prompts I participated in 24 weeks ago.  We've been all over the place and it's been fun but challenging to tie it all together.  If you want to read the story from the start, click here.

Before you read this week's entry, I'd like to take this space to say a big, "Thank you!" to all the folks who visit me and read my little story.  It's wonderful to know that folks are enjoying the tale and your warm, friendly comments are such an encouragement to keep it going.  I wish you all a very blessed Thanksgiving.
Much herbal love,
Sharon

Last week, I was at the soccer field watching a new friend's game when I noticed a mysterious man across the field.  He seemed to be watching me.  There have been a lot of crazy things going on as I tried to unravel a mystery that involved my grandfather, his old trunk, his diary and a key I found in a rocky hiding place in the wall.  There was something about this man...strange yet familiar...creepy!  And the story goes on....

~The figure melted into the onlookers as quickly as he'd appeared. My heart raced but I couldn't decide if it was fear. In some strange way, I felt draw to him.

Matthew and his family invited me for Sunday dinner.  As we joined hands around the table, the innkeeper led the family in prayer.
"We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing..."

He was interrupted by a knock. Anna, his wife, moved to the door looking questioningly at her husband. He nodded to her, glancing anxiously at me. As the man entered the room, I wanted to flee but I was rooted to the spot...then I knew. ~

Let the Insanity Begin!

Here's it is, early Sunday morning, mid-November and I've done it again.
I've allowed a huge list of to-do items to pile up and now I don't know how I'll finish them in time.
Of course the annual paring of the to-do list will take place soon as the pressure builds and my priorities change in proportion to the time I have to accomplish them.  It's crazy!
But, I will push ahead.

Yeah, it's officially time for the insanity that surrounds and, earlier each year, precedes the holiday season.

Just a few of the holiday activities we're hoping to enjoy include:

My daughter comes home from college for Thanksgiving.  Haven't seen her since August!  Please pray for safe journey home and back.
Extended family in for Thanksgiving and hunting season.
Thanksgiving itself
Hunting season ~ possible two weeks.
Hanging of the greens @ church and at home.
Romeo and Juliet ~ my oldest daughter is Juliet's companion. We'll be traveling to VA for this one!  So exciting!
Wind in the Willows ~ my youngest daughter is playing Mole.  She was the jailer's daughter but the fellow playing Mole left the production so she's taking his place.  It's going to be a quick learn because the show is the first part of Dec. All that means she'll probably be at the theater every night from now until show.
Then it's back to VA to bring my oldest home from college for a month!  Yippee!
Tree hunting.
Baking!!!
Cooking!!!
Christmas!!!
Family and friends!!!
New Year's progressive dinner.
And a fun time until Goosie goes back to college in mid-January.

So, let the fun begin.  I'll adapt to the most important chores and fly by the seat of my pants for the rest.

The Wall #23

Hey, It's shortly after 6AM on Saturday morning and guess what I'm doing?  I'm pondering a story for my weekly Saturday Centus prompted by Jenny Matlock.  If you'd like to join the fun just click on the button @ the left.
If you've been here before, you know that I've been trying to keep a story going for the past 23 weeks.  It's been so much fun!  To read my story, which just so happened to start on a day when the prompt was about an ancient wall and 200 words long, you can visit The Wall page above or click HERE.

Jenny is being kind this week and our prompt is kinda a continuation from last week's picture prompt but from a different angle.  Here's the photo. See player # 6?  Today is her tale in 100 words or less.  Here we go with the latest story within a story.

~ Across the circle was player #6, one of the tallest players on the team. Kinda quiet and a little more low key than some of the others, it seemed like there was something on her mind. Then I saw her raise her head slightly and peek at Tommy. He smiled and sorta waved at her. Her head popped up and the smile that lit her face was beautiful! This wasn't all about soccer, it was about finding yourself and realizing that someone else was noticing, too.

My scare from the night before seemed so far away...and then I saw him. ~

The Wall #22

It's that time again!  For today's Saturday Centus, Jenny's given us a picture prompt and a 100 word limit. 

<<< Click on the button at the left to view the rules and read the other stories inspired by this photo.  Join us as we write what we see from the second story window of the building in the back.  Link up a story of your own.

Still trying to continue the story after my frightening experience at the old house, here's my next installment in the saga of The Wall.

~ Next day, the innkeeper's son, William, invited me to his soccer game. I'd had quite a scare and wanted to be with other people.

From the school window I watched the kids circle up for their pregame prayer. The goalie, a little girl in pink, stood at the center. I noticed the boy with the carrot top as he pushed his way between William and Tommy to stand by the little girl with the ponytail. She clenched her fist, stuck her tongue out at him, then looked adoringly at William. He stood a little taller and pretended not to notice. ~

The Wall #21

Join Jenny Matlock and friends for her weekly writing challenge @ Saturday Centus.  Here's the way it works...Jenny gives us a prompt of some kind, either photo, phrase or both and a word limit.  We take it from there and see what comes to mind and how well we can apply it within these guidelines.   Then we link our post up to Jenny's blog so we, and everyone else, can see each others stories.  Its amazing to see the different ideas these prompts inspire.  Some happy, some sad...some silly, some dark...why not join us?  Add your own story to the list!  Just click the Saturday Centus button at the left.

 

If you follow Jenny at all, you'd know that she loves Halloween.  In her own way of playing trick or treat with her story writers, she's given us a photo of...black.  That's right, she calls it a "Study in Black" - with a word count of 25 words max.

 

So, you little trickster, here's my attempt to weave the blackness into my story of The Wall.

Last week, I was standing outside an old, abandoned house at the edge of a small town.  I'd been drawn there...wait a minute...we don't know that yet but I think it had something to do with my grandfather... and his diary.  Anyway, it was evening and... 

~  Twilight fell like a curtain. The doorway was suddenly dark, like a study in black. Should I go or stay? My knees began to quake! ~

Late Night Meandering

It's been a while.  I wish I knew what's changed to make this crazy sleep pattern my reality...again.  For a while, I was sleeping very well, waking refreshed and feeling good.  Now, a change....again.  Could it be stress?  Could it be worry?  And yet there's been a greater amount of joy in my life lately, too.  Wouldn't that offset any worry I have?  Maybe not.
I really miss my oldest daughter.  I hate not being able to jump in the car and drive down to see her.  But it's too far for a 1 day trip, which costs a lot anyway.  Then to stay over, it's just not in my budget.  I'd like to help her fund her missions trip so I'm saving any money I may have spent on extra trips for that.  I'm praying for a great trip, good memories, inspirational experiences and safety.  I'm trying to put her in God's hands and leave her there but, well...even though I mean to do it, I find it increasingly hard to follow through.  But, since she's nearing 21, and making decisions for herself with our guidance and thoughts in consideration, the best I can do is pray and let God.  He's brought a young man into her life that seems like a near perfect match...except for a few things that are fairly important.  God has the power to change lives and guide hearts so, again, I'm trying to let God.  I have to believe He's made these connections for a reason but I've jumped to the wrong conclusions in this area before.  The difference is in the way she feels about it. 

I do need to pay a little better attention to myself.  Make sure I'm eating well, exercising and getting the supplements I should have to combat this wretched, miserable season of health.

My youngest is entering an exciting time in her life.  A childhood friend has suddenly begun to look more like a young man she'd consider as a suitor than a brother.  A pleasant, yet disarming change of affection.  It's fun to be a part of it and watch it unfold.  It makes me laugh because her sister has been pointing out the virtues of this fellow for over a year but she couldn't get past the brotherly friendship they've always shared.  And apparently, it's been on his mind for a while too.  But he was unsure about her response and held back.  Ah, what a beautiful thing to watch the realization and cultivation of these newly found thoughts and feelings.    But I have to say that he has all the right answers and has really given the entire situation a lot of thought.  It makes me feel a bit more at ease to know that it's not just a random dating choice and that even at a relatively young age, he took the time to think about making this a meaningful relationship before acting.
The scary part is she's been hurt before so it's kinda hard to relax into it the way she needs to and I've been fooled before because I'm such a hopeless romantic.  But he's so good to her in so many different ways that he kinda melts your heart.  I guess time will tell.  Our dating rules/guidelines are a little more strict than his family's so it may put a strain on the next year as he gets more freedom and she doesn't.  Knowing the rules going in should help but let's hope peer pressure doesn't influence his choices.  It hasn't so far.
One thing that makes this a little easier for her is that he's recently become a Christian, which she's been praying for since she's known him.  Maybe that's what changed the way they look at each other.  He finally understands what she believes.  They're on the same page...on so many things.  But there are things they are not on the same page about, too.  Things they have lots of time to sort through and learn about each other.

Well, my eyes are getting heavy again so I think I'll try to get more sleep.  

The Wall #20

She's done it again!  Jenny has pushed us to stretch our minds and come up with a 106 word post including the story prompt, "I planted a little story seed" as the basis for today's Saturday Centus.  That's what Jenny did for me 20 weeks ago when the prompt "the wall was built long ago" was the seed that started this adventure!
Click on the link above or the button at the left to join the fun and see what others thought of when they read the prompt.  What comes to mind when you think of....I planted a little story seed?  Why not write it down and share it with us?

Last week in the story of The Wall, I had walked to a run down, deserted house at the edge of town only to find that it wasn't quite as deserted as I thought.  Click here if you're interested in reading the 19 weeks of the story leading up to today or if you missed last week and want to know what's happening. 

~ I considered running but curiosity got the best of me. Making a wide berth around the edge of the porch I stepped closer.



“You'll have to believe me.... I know who those men are and why they took your key. They've gone off on a tangent because I planted a little story seed while they were drinking at the bar. But they'll be back. You shouldn't be alone.”


Somehow, I instinctively trusted the speaker. But I wanted to get back before dark. As I started to move away from the house a shadow in the doorway caught my eye. ~

Kisses, a Collection ~ Sigh ~

"A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous." ~Ingrid Bergman

"The kiss~a sweet discovery of oneself after a long search." ~A

"The person you've longed to be is really only half of a puzzle that has only one solution.  Once you find it, you can do anything." ~A

"A kiss is a special secret I will only share with you!" ~A

"Give me a kisse, and to that kisse a score;

Then to that twenty, adde a hundred more;
A thousand to that hundred; so kisse on,
To make that thousand up a million;
Treble that million, and when that is done,
Let's kisse afresh, as when we first begun." ~Robert Herrick, "To Anthea (III)"

"Love's first snow-drop, virgin kiss." ~Robert Burns

"I ran up the door, opened the stairs, said my pajamas and put on my prayers - turned off my bed, tumbled into my light, and all because he kissed me good-night!" ~Author Unknown

"At the first kiss I felt

Something melt inside me
That hurt in an exquisite way
All my longings, all my dreams and sweet anguish,
All the secrets that slept deep within me came awake,
Everything was transformed and enchanted
And made sense." ~Hermann Hesse

"How delicious is the winning of a kiss at love's beginning." ~Thomas Campbell

"A man had given all other bliss,

And all his worldly worth for this,
To waste his whole heart in one kiss
Upon her perfect lips." ~Alfred, Lord Tennyson

"When you think of me suddenly, out of the blue, 
it's all the kisses I've blown catching up with you" ~A

"A fire on the hearthe,
candles softly glowing,
drowning in your eyes,
sweetly kissing your lips.
What have I done
to deserve this bliss?
Nothing...It is the gifte
reserved for True Love." ~A. Gimbledorf

"The secret of true love's kiss is one that can only be shared with that special someone for a lifetime." ~A

"A true man does not need to romance a different girl every night. A true man will romance the same girl for the rest of his life." ~Ana Alas

"Be frugal with your first kiss...you only have one to give away." ~A

"What of the man I long to wed?
Be he tall and handsome?  Perhaps.
Be he wealthy and strong?  May be.
But I know that his heart belongs to only me." ~A

"True love's kisse can only be found
In the eyes of the man meant just for me.
In the melding of that soul to mine 
which carries the key to my heart.
In the willing spirit that waits for love
until the time is right to share such things." ~Anonymous

"A love meant to last a lifetime has a passion strong enough to wait for marriage, but kisses volumes of love into your heart in the meantime." ~A

The Wall #19

Today's Saturday Centus challenge from Jenny Matlock is to use the Sensory Details Literary Device style of writing to describe this photo in 100 words.  Sensory Details means using the five senses to describe something so your reader has a better understanding of the image you're trying to convey.  How does it taste, smell, feel, look, sound?  What is your perception of what you're seeing?  How do you "feel" about the picture?  If a picture is worth a thousand words, 100 may only give you a small sense of what you're "seeing" so you'll have to use your imagination for the rest! 

Click on the button to join the challenge and read what others are saying about this picture.  So don't look at the photo until you've read the post.  Then let me know how I did....

To give you and idea of what's happening so far, I'm on a quest.  I've made a discovery, been mugged, overheard two thugs talking about killing me, thought about giving up and tried to call for help. The first 18 weeks of the story can be read here.
Here's where we ended up last week...

~That's strange. Maybe I'd dialed the wrong number. A sinking feeling crept over me. I dialed again. It was ringing!...and ringing. The television in the next room was blaring the Friday night football game. Maybe that's where he is...at the high school game. I let it ring a long time before hanging up.


I sat by the window looking out at the meandering downs, gentle hills and majestic mountains. The cool rains had brought out the fall colors. Everything was blanketed in a patchwork covering with dusky purple edges where the heather faded.

I waited about an hour and dialed again.

No answer.~

And so continues the saga of The Wall...

~ I'll try again later.


I decided to take a walk...not far.


No contact from the thugs who stole the key.


In an overgrown grove of trees, shadowed by heavy green boughs, stood a lonely, weatherbeaten house. It's unpainted lap siding curled and sagged. The porch floor had fallen through, it's boards worn with time. Cement blocks propping the corners looked out of place. The door was ajar. A dank draft sifted through the opening leaving a strange taste in my mouth. The air was still and quiet. Too quiet.


As I walked closer, I heard a, “Psssst!” from inside! ~



So....could you see it, feel it, smell it, taste it, hear it?

See photo below.

The Wall #18

It's time for Saturday Centus with Jenny and friends!  Even though Jenny is not feeling well she's put forth another challenge to keep us on our toes.  Feel better soon, Jenny!

Today's writing prompt is Friday night football with a limit of 100 other words for a total of 103.  To join the fun, click on the button at the left.

So far, I'd visited my family's native country looking for answers, discovered an ancient key, been hit over the head,  had my room ransacked, the key stolen and overheard 2 thugs discussing whether they should kill me or not...I needed help!  To read the full story,  click here.  

In an effort to keep The Wall going, here's my centus.

~That's strange. Maybe I'd dialed the wrong number. A sinking feeling crept over me. I dialed again. It was ringing!...and ringing. The television in the next room was blaring the Friday night football game. Maybe that's where he is...at the high school game. I let it ring a long time before hanging up.

I sat by the window looking out at the meandering downs, gentle hills and majestic mountains. The cool rains had brought out the fall colors. Everything was blanketed in a patchwork covering with dusky purple edges where the heather faded.
 
I waited about an hour and dialed again.

No answer.~

The Wall #17

Hey, It's week number 17 in the continuing saga of The Wall. I'm an early riser so I tune in at 6AM to get the latest story prompt/challenge from Jenny Matlock and start writing!  I'm having so much fun! 
Today the parameters are 100 words plus the prompt (in purple) for a total of 110 words, a picture if you like, any writing style.  Have at it! 
To join the fun, click on the Saturday Centus button at the top.
If you're reading here for the first time or missed some of the story and want to see what's going on, click HERE to read all 17 weeks of The Wall.

Week #17 of The Wall...

~ I couldn't believe my ears! Having entered the pub through the back, I was still out of sight. There were two men sitting at a small table in the corner. Both had their backs to me. The British voice was definitely the same one I'd heard in my room two nights ago...and he was right about me. I had been afraid but now my resolve hardened. I knew I was in over my head.  I couldn't tackle this alone anymore.  I decided to call Wally.  He'd know what to do.
Once in my room, I dialed. But the operator said, "The number you have reached is no longer in service."  ~

The Wall #16

It's time for Saturday Centus and we have a dilly of a challenge this week.  150 words plus the 6 word prompt (in purple) - all dialogue!  Click on the button above to join the Centus and read what creative things others are writing with these guidelines.
Since you are jumping into my story mid run, you can read the first 15 posts @ The Wall.

We once again join the saga:

~“Are we going to make our move? That key isn't the only thing we need.”

“Quiet! You blithering idiot! Your voice could waken the dead!
Are you seriously ordering another martini?”

“Get off my back! You're not my mother! That kid was making enough noise to cover an explosion!”

“Calm yourself! We'll wait until she's left the room...for certain this time! We can't afford to make any more mistakes. It has to be hidden somewhere in that room.”

“What if we get caught? We were lucky last time. She hasn't reported it to the police...yet. Let's hope she's either scared enough not to blab or forgets all about it!”

“Well, that's not bloody likely, now, is it? She doesn't seem like the type to frighten easily...much like her grandfather.”

“Let's just get rid of her!”

“No! You fool! If we can't find the letter...or his journal...we'll need her.”~

Amazing Grace

There are times in my life when I feel down and alone.  Then there are times when I'm on top of the world.  But the times that take my breath away are the ones when God displays his amazing grace!  Answers to prayers thrill me with the utter awesomeness of the fact that He blessed me...because He loves me.

But the times that really blow me away are when a plan just comes together, seemingly out of the blue, and God shows himself not only to me, but to others as well.  When an event, that's been planned for months in advance meets a need that's only recently come to my attention, that has to be Divine intervention.  I say that because there's no way any limited human being could possibly pull it all together and use so many unrelated people or events to work synergistically over the course of time to make this thing happen.

It's an awesome thing to witness and even more so to experience.

I believe anyone can see these things happen whether they've stepped out in faith to put Christ at the center of their lives or not. Whether they recognise what they're seeing or not is another story.  In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I think God will use these things as tools to work in the lives of folks who have yet to accept His saving grace.

I think that whole issue of saving grace is something that some people haven't heard before.
I guess it starts at the beginning...the very beginning.  When God created the world and filled it with people, He could have been a dictator and made everyone His followers in abject obedience with no choice in the matter.  How boring!  Would you really want someone to be forced to love and worship you if that's not what they felt in their heart and soul?  I'm not talking about naive, dependant obedience.  I'm talking about no decisions...no thoughts...no choices.  He could have done that...but He wanted folks to chose to love Him and follow Him.  So He made a perfect place and gave them the best.  Food, health, emotions so they could enjoy His creation to the fullest and love with all their heart.  Well, if you have a choice, that means there has to be opposite alternatives and some in between.
Even the angels had a choice and that's where the trouble started.  One of them decided that he didn't like following God's plan so he took a bunch of his cronies and left heaven to wage war on God.  Hate, jealousy, hurt and defiance, among others entered.  The target? You guessed it! 

So he attacked the unsuspecting Adam and Eve by using sneaky, seductive doubt.  Remember when I said that God had given them all the best?  Well, they were led to believe that God was keeping something from them because He had a few rules in the Garden of Eden.  Like don't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Wouldn't they like to be as smart as God?  Why should He have secrets from them?  Do you have things that you keep from your children for their own good?  Yeah.  Eve listened and wondered and doubted and then disobeyed God's rules.  First time ever. 

At that point, history changed and sin entered the world.  Since God is perfect and without sin, He can't be around sin...at all.  So sin separated the people God created from Him for all eternity.  No chance to get to heaven.  And because that knowledge was opened up, all children are born into sin.  But the good news is that God didn't want to be separated from us and that choice I mentioned earlier was still an option.  Even though sin kept us apart from God, He made a way for us to come to Him through the promise of a savior.  You can read all about this and the history that followed in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.

Skipping ahead to the New Testament, enter baby Jesus!  The son of God, part of the 3 in 1 trinity that is God.  Come to earth in human form to grow and live among us.  He taught about His father in heaven and about the events to come.  His short life of 33 years ended in an historic event that opened the gates of heaven so that all those who believed in Him could now spend eternity in heaven instead of hell.  Jesus lived His life on Earth teaching and sharing knowledge about what was to come and doing miracles to show that He really was who He said He was.  Follow me?
See in all the promises God made to the people as hope for the future, they believed He was sending a warrior to defeat their enemies.  A mighty power that would overthrow their oppressors...not a carpenter from Galilee who's mild manner (most of the time) and stories of peace and love just made the temple priests and scholars angry.  And the miracles?  They spoke to some and caused others to say that He was a blasphemer, how dare He claim to be the son of God?
Here's what happened that day.  After being scorned and rejected, even by his own people, Jesus was turned over to the Roman authorities and condemned to death by crucifixion.
As He hung there on that cross, all the sins of the world were placed on His soul.  He was separated from God the father by a great chasm of blackness.  And He died.  God's Son died because He carried the burden of all sin, past, present and future...MY SIN!...and yours.  But the good news is that, as He had told his disciples before hand, He arose from the grave and conquered death!  Now He stands, once again, at the right hand of God in Heaven...no longer separated from His father and ours.  How does that apply to us?

Here's that choice again!  If we are faithful and chose to accept Him as the Lord of our life, we can share in that forgiveness...it's a gift.  If someone gives you a present and you simply set the gift aside and don't  open it, you can't use what's inside, right?  Same deal.  So we have to make a choice.  Not making a choice is the same as refusing the gift.  Without the mercy or amazing grace, you'll be spending eternity in hell, living in eternal torment.  Mark 16:16 says "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."   Just a note here that the baptism mentioned in this verse refers to spiritual baptism, not physical...that comes later.  The baptism referred to here is the death of our old self to our sins,  laying our old lives to rest and the rebirth into a new life in Christ that happens in our soul and is reflected in our new attitude and lifestyle.

What have you got to lose?  If it's not true, you live your life in sin and you die.  But if it is true, and you choose to accept His mercy and forgiveness and let Him be Lord of your life, you'll live spend eternity in heaven with Him.

Will we be perfect once we're saved?  No, we'll just be sinners saved by grace.
For this reason don't look at the people who call on the name of the Lord as examples but at Christ Himself.
We can't achieve perfection until we get to heaven but the idea is to strive to be as much like Him as we can.  Will we fail?  Yep!  But 1 John 1:9 tells us that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Does Christ's death on the cross for sins past, present and future mean that once we're saved we can do whatever we want and still get to heaven?  Not really.  If we decide to live our lives like that, were we really sincere when we turned our life over to God?  The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  2 Cor. 5:17
We will make mistakes and sin because we are not perfect but when we do, we need to confess it and get back on the path.  Our desire should be to live lives that will show others the love of Christ so they might want to know Him, too.


The choice is up to you.
 
Now what?
All you have to do is trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior and depend on Him alone for your salvation.  Acts 16:31 "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." 
Rom. 10:9 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."



You could pray a prayer in your own words, kinda like this...
"Dear Lord, Thank you for sending your son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins. I know that nothing I can do on my own will save me.  I place my trust in You to be my Lord and I give my life to You.  Thank You for giving me eternal life. Amen."

Now how do we grow?
Pray so you can talk to God.
Read your Bible so He can talk to you.  (I'd recommend a KJV or NIV study Bible.)
Attend a fundamental, Bible believing church to meet other like minded folks who can encourage you and help you. 
But be careful...these folks are all on a journey toward Christ-like lives but none of them are there yet.  Don't look at people as an example of how to live because you may see them at a time when they are not acting like they should.  Look to Jesus example in the Bible as the way to live your life. 
Oh, and I forgot to mention that there's a third part to the entity of God.  The Holy Spirit.  Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all equal parts of God.  Once we accept Christ and are "born again", God sends the Holy Spirit as a helper to guide us.  God will never leave us, even in hard, dark times.  That doesn't mean life will be a bed of roses once we're saved, it just means He'll be there to help us through it.  "I will never leave you, or forsake you." Heb. 13:5

God tells us there are two ordinances He wants us to observe as His followers.  Neither of these are needed for salvation ~ just as obedience to God.
Baptism ~ by immersion to show others that we've made a commitment to Christ.  It's a picture of the death (giving up our sins), burial (going under the water to show how He washed our sins away) and resurrection (coming up, out of the water).  Matthew 28:19  This is a public testimony of the decision we've made.

Communion ~ the symbolic observance of the last supper (figuratively, the bread as the body and the wine as the blood) to help us remember what Christ did for us. Matt. 26:26-28 

You know how we love to talk about exciting things that have happened to us?  Or how we can always find something to say about things that interest us and work them into our conversation?  Now, go tell others about this awesome gift you've received! 
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Rom 10:9-11

Do we really need a savior? "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord."  Rom. 6:23

Why would God do that?  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

Can you work your way into heaven? "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" Titus 3:5,
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8-9

Are there other ways to get to heaven? "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."  Acts 4:12

Who am I?  Just a sinner saved by grace.  Amazing grace.

Additional note:  Since writing this post, I've been blown away again!  I've been blessed to see the amazing Grace of God work again in ways I thought I'd never see.  Our job is to spread the word, plant the seed, and then watch as He shows us how awesome He is.  Thank you, Jesus!    

The Wall #15

Jenny!  You wicked girl!  This week's challenge is to write a lyrical rhyme to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star with 32 words including the prompt In the Autumn.  Click the Saturday Centus button to join the fun and read other rhymes.

In a effort to write a continuing story with each new prompt, I've been adding to my story, The Wall for 14 weeks.  Last time I wrote:

~ She said the recipe had been handed down from her grandmother who baked bread and pizza in an outdoor oven.
As we sat there sharing stories, a boy of about 12 years came running down the hall, slowing to a walk as he neared my open door. He stopped outside and smiled impishly.
"Mother, may I ride my bike to Tommy's house?” After questions about homework and chores were answered to her satisfaction, she sent him off with a warning to be home before dark.
We laughed as he dashed down the hall and out the door with wings on his heels.~

Here's my contribution today...

~He sang this verse;

"Swirling, Twirling, down they fall,
Gently sweeping over all.
Spreading color everywhere,
Piling up with nary a care.
In the Autumn, leaves alight
Painting such a lovely sight!"~

Keeping on track

Sometimes its hard for me to keep on track.  You know, being the meanderer that I am, I sort of float along with all these things on my "to do" list but never really get to cross them off because I'm so scatterbrained that I start one thing and then get distracted by another.  Gets discouraging after a while.
 
Have you ever had that "hurry up and wait" feeling?  Like you know something's coming and you just can't seem to focus on anything else until that particular thing is over.  But then, there's another thing...and another thing...people taking over your time and you can't seem to be able to control it.  I just want to take a little time to sit in my kitchen garden and enjoy it.  Or hulahoop... or walk in the woods... or read a book without feeling guilty or like I'm stealing time away from something more important.

It's not my husband and kids, it's all the outside stuff that comes up and demands that I pay attention.  I know, that probably sounds selfish but I don't mean to.  Sometimes I think I just need some time when I'm not so distracted to spend, not necessarily alone, but just being...of course if that were to happen, I'd probably fall asleep!  5-6 hours of sleep each night isn't enough and a nap is completely unheard of. 

Right now I feel like Bilbo...butter spread over too much toast.

Pondering My Meanderings,
Wanderer

The Wall #14

The story of The Wall continues as we follow Jenny's lead with story prompts from Saturday Centus!  Today's guidelines are 100 words plus the 3 word prompt, ~ Mother may I ~ for a one time paragragh or an ongoing theme. Click the button above to join the fun yourself or read stories and ideas shared by other writers.  This is week 71 for the Centus and week 14 for The Wall.  You can read the story from the beginning by clicking on The Wall page tab above.

The Wall #14

~She said the recipe had been handed down from her grandmother who baked bread and pizza in an outdoor oven.
As we sat there sharing stories, a boy of about 12 years came running down the hall, slowing to a walk as he neared my open door. He stopped outside and smiled impishly.

“Mother, may I ride my bike to Tommy's house?” After questions about homework and chores were answered to her satisfaction, she sent him off with a warning to be home before dark.

We laughed as he dashed down the hall and out the door with wings on his heels.~

The Wall #13

Here's the latest from the Saturday Centus writing prompt created by Jenny!  Up to 100 words plus the 7 word prompt (in purple).  Read the ongoing story, if you like, by clicking on The Wall page tab at the top of this blog.  Click on the Saturday Centus button above to join the fun or read how others used the prompt to inspire a thought or story.

~I was surprised to see his wife behind him smiling timidly as he handed me the tray. She quickly dismissed him, as only women from the old country can do, and came in to see that I was comfortable.


The heavenly aroma from the tray made me realize that I was famished! What I saw, when she lifted the cloth, was a large slice of oily dough covered generously with bits of feta and mozzarella cheese, black olives, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes and red onions! I thanked God for this blessing and dug in. Between bites, I asked, “What kind of a pizza is this?”~

You can find the recipe for this pizza on my other blog, The Woodwife's Journal.  Enjoy!  It really is delicious!

The Wall #12

The story of The Wall continues as we follow the story prompt and 100 word limit from Jenny Matlock @ Saturday Centus.  The prompt is in purple.  Click on the Centus button above to read other takes on this weeks challenge.
Here's my story...

~I thought about my family. My daughters never knew my grandparents. One of the first thoughts I had after making the announcement, “Surprise, I'm pregnant!”, was that I wished Grandpa were still alive. But they've both heard the stories! And I'm glad I had that much to share with them.

There was a knock at the door and I immediately tensed. As I moved slowly in that direction, the voice of the innkeeper called through the door. When I didn't come down for breakfast, they began to wonder if I might be ill. He'd brought a tray of food from the kitchen.~

If you're interested in reading The Wall from the beginning, you can find it here.

Dreams

Not the kind that comfort or haunt your sleep but the kind that sustain you and are slowly grown in your subconscious mind during your waking hours.  The kind in which you see the future as you would like it to be.  Your longings and desires.  What forms those kinds of dreams?

Surely even the most desperate of environments can't take away the desires of a young girls heart.  We've seen the story time and again.  Eventually, whether they admit it or not, they all long for Mr. Right to come along and sweep them off their feet.  But if you've never seen that kind of life and never known the kindness of others, where does this idea begin?
 
And young men, who are evil or selfish at heart, do they really want that?  Do they begin as a child with a desire to dominate and control the world around them?  Or do they, too, have a longing for a peaceful, prosperous life that contains the faithful devotion of a soulmate...a wife?
 
All selfishness aside, what do we all really want?  Peace? Contentment? Belonging to something?  Doing something for others?  Having friends and family who care for us.  To feel like we count for something?  To know we've done well.  Maybe not in a prosperous sense but in an overall sense that we're okay.

But then, enter a nature that is haughty, selfish and uncaring.  One that protects itself from external pain, possibly of their own making, by stiking out and hurting others...keeping everyone at arms length to avoid feeling more hurt but in reality, bringing hurt and seclusion back on one's self in a destructive spiral.  Trying to force people to do what they want by manipulation and threats.  No room for compromise or other peoples plans...it's all or nothing. 

Leaving those close to them no alternative other than to defend themselves against the assault of their temper and anger...or simply stay away leaving them more alone than before. Not really what anyone wants. It's robbery.  Stealing hope, shared experiences, chances for love and togetherness.

When you love someone like that, it takes the joy from the loving experience.  It hurts everyone involved.  It leads to damaged relationships, closed doors, and defensive attitudes. 

No dream is safe to share.  No idea good enough to develop.  No worry or care important enough to deserve compassion. 

YOU are a failure and you are incapable of making that person happy.  You haven't lived up to their expectations. And their unhappy, lonely existance is your fault...and you're gonna pay!

It's a sad thing.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

Dreams are important...they give us hope.

Hope is something everybody needs.

Pondering...as always,
Wanderer


"If you think you've given something your all, but your all is all about you, then you haven't truly given anything." ~A. Gimbledorf

The Wall #11

  This post is in response to a writing prompt from Jenny Matlock and her meme, Saturday Centus.  This week's prompt is in bold, italic font.  The allotted word count was 150 plus the 4 words of the prompt.  My spin on the Centus for the last 11 weeks has been a continuing story based on a few memories, some family history and my imagination.  If you'd like to read the story from the beginning, click here.
Without further delay, The Wall continues...

~He'd tell stories about the railroad and how hard the men worked. It was a time of segregation and the Klan, war and depression, increasing industry and women leaving home to support their families while the men were overseas. Once women began to enjoy their independence, they weren't so quick to come home and many couldn't because their husbands and sons never came back.

I often wonder about those times and thought how brave those men must have been. Then I remembered that many were just young boys with visions of glory that ended quickly in a hastily dug trench on foreign soil. The women, just girls who had to carry on.

I snapped out of my reverie and thought, “If I die young, who will carry on my quest?”

I'm not really that young anymore but still much younger than grandfather was when he died at 87. The thought gave me courage.~

I'd like to thank everyone who has been following this story and leaving such encouraging comments.  It means alot to me and spurs me to keep it going.  It's also fun to read your takes on the prompt.
Have a great week!

Pondering My Meanderings,
Wanderer

The Wall #10

Based on the writing prompts of Jenny Matlock, this week's entry may contain up to 53 words including the prompt, "Laugh out loud" and a picture if desired.  Click on the Saturday Centus button to read the other entries or share one of your own.

The continuing saga of The Wall...

~Grandfather loved playing his fiddle and singing! He'd pull it out of the chest in his room and say, “Sit a spell and I'll play you a piece!” I laugh out loud remembering that he never called me by my name. After listing his daughters, he'd end at Sharry and that stuck.~

You can read the rest of the story by clicking on The Wall tab at the top of the page.

Pondering My Meanderings,
Wanderer

Days Gone By

Where has the summer gone?  How many times have you heard that remark?  It seems that the older I get, the shorter the summer. 

We started out in a rush, putting off things that we hoped to do later only to find that time had passed us by before they were accomplished.  A blur of VBS, Summer Workshop, Theater, piled on top of work and responsibilities quickly steals precious moments.

It's only one more week until my daughter returns to college for the Fall.  As I look back over the past year, I see so much to be thankful for in her life.  Opportunities, Knowledge, Friendships, Decisions, Adventure...I'm so grateful for the blessings she's received.  I'm praying for another good year with good friends.  She's meeting folks from all over the world and experiencing other cultures in worship and play.  To find a bosom friend is certainly a gift I am especially glad to see.  I pray that relationship will only grow stronger as the years pass.

Seems the herald of this final week comes as a sign from the heavens.  Mid-August brings the Perseid Meteor Showers and their fantastic displays of burning dust streaking across the night sky.  Be sure to take the time to watch for a shooting star this weekend.
 
This, was an incredibly emotional time for me last year as I prepared to send my first born 7 hours away to college for the first time.  As I thought about those meteors, and all the times we'd spent lying on blankets, in the grass, on the hill, sometimes just us, sometimes with neighbor kids, waiting in anticipation for the bright flashes that always drew, "Ooooo's" and "Awwww's!", no matter how many we'd already seen, I was a little weepy that cloud cover kept us from watching them together.  Seemed cruel, somehow. 

That night, I wrote a little poem, Softly, Softly about those special times...times we'll remember.  Don't worry.  It's not all sappy and melancholy...it's about the meteor showers...no, really it is!  Makes me feel like listening quietly and watching with the innocence and openness of a child in hopes of making a memory for later. 

If only I could capture one of those tiny  flashes of light to keep in my pocket, I know I could be more brave!  Don't you think so, too?


Pondering My Meanderings,
Wanderer

Isolation and Confinement

Sometimes I feel like I am completely isolated, confined to a place dictated by others.  I think that must be how children feel sometimes.  They can't be who they want to be because others put them in a certain spot and hold them there.  Maybe rightfully so, maybe not.  Know what I mean? 

And then there are times when I wonder...am I the one who put these wall here?  In my heart, I'd break free in a moment.  But I don't...I can't...why?  Because old habits die hard?  Because the opinion of someone who is really important to me has made such a deep impression on my life that I can't shake it? 

Maybe deep down, I know the truth...or when I'm strong, I can break out of this "place" but when I'm weak, I don't even have to think about it and all the old ideas come rushing in and put me right back where I started.  Squashed and confined to misled opinions based on assumptions that are the figment of someone else's unhappy life. 
I'm not that person...people think they know me but they don't.  Maybe the worst part is that they don't take the time to see me for who I am...I'm more than the box they've assigned to me.  But, it's more comfortable to keep me here in this "place" because it makes them feel better about themselves. 

But, there is someone who thinks I'm valuable, more than just a stepping stone.  And my heart belongs to Him.

Pondering My Meanderings,
Wanderer

The Wall #9

In response to the weekly prompt from Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus. Word limit for today - 50 words plus the prompt...The Wall continues...

Fighting on the street below interrupted my sleep but quickly dispersed when the angry innkeeper stepped outside.


Drifting off to another childhood memory...Grandfather's cabin beside a tiny lake up north. Swinging together on the porch swing each evening, he sang, “You are my sunshine, My only sunshine...”, until my head began to nod.


In case you're wondering what this is all about, you can read the continuing story @ The Wall page.




Pondering My Meanderings,
Wanderer

The Wall #8

Today's Saturday Centus  was writtern from a picture prompt rather than words...the word limit...100!  Keeping on with the The Wall...the story goes...

After dinner, I decided to take a walk, careful to keep to the main street, among the crowd. But I felt uneasy and returned to my room. The humid air hung about the window long after the light had faded.


Despite the events of the day, I fell quickly asleep. My dreams started out peacefully reminiscing family times before Grandfather's passing. One, in particular, was of a mid-summer vacation to New Mexico to visit a writer friend of his. It was so hot, you could fry an egg on the pavement! It was my first time to swim in a pool...

Pondering My Meanderings,
Wanderer

Sometimes I feel listless...sort of disconnected.  Sometimes I wonder what's to become of me.  There are hurtles in my life that I just cannot seem to overcome.  Sometimes it makes me strong and sometimes it brings me to my knees.  But I have to keep moving forward.

Not to say that those hurtles are the most important things in my life, just that they are sort of nagging.  Just hanging on and will probably never change because they are things that effect me but are out of my control.  My goal is to focus on the here and now, for the most part.  I'd like to say that I never fail to spend time in the Word or that I pray about every action I take in advance but it wouldn't be true.  There's so much I'd like to do but it seems like there's a low riding cloud cover that muffles my attempts. 

Maybe I care too much about what other people think.  Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's a big part of it.  Not that I always change my direction because of what they think...and that's where I've always gotten myself into trouble.  My problem is that I have ideas of my own and things I'm interested in.  Is that wrong?  I never thought so until the trouble started.  But enough of that. 

I have to learn the lingo, talk the talk and make an effort to appear to be in control.  If all looks good from the outside, folks will think I'm doing fine.  If I can't convince myself, maybe I can fool other people.  And there, in a nutshell, is the real problem.

Pondering My Meanderings,
Wanderer

The Wall #7

Striving to continue the saga of The Wall based on the ever intriguing story prompts and ever dwindling word allowances of Jenny over at Saturday Centus.  Here we go...

~But I have to try.

We need to know the truth.

Before I die, I want to restore my grandfather's honor.~

 

 

Did I mention how much I love the theater?

Pondering My Meanderings,

Wanderer