Jenny's New Life ~ Fiction Friday

It is time once again for Friday Fiction, which is usually hosted by Patty at her Patterings blog. However, this week it is being hosted by LauraLee at her LauraLee's Lifesong blog. This was yet another early entry in the FaithWriters Weekly Challenge. If you would like to read more great fiction, or participate, please go to Friday Fiction. I hope you enjoy the story.


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Sophia looked at the little girl sitting across from her. They were in a diner, the fun, old-fashioned kind with black and white checker floors and loud oldies music playing in the background. She was glad she brought her here. Heaven knows the child could use some fun.

“Aunt Sophie” said Jenny.

“Yes, Jenny.” Sophia smiled and looked into the big, brown eyes that were fixed on her. They were eyes that seemed much older than a mere six years. They were eyes that had seen too much, and held too much pain for one that young.

“I’m really coming to live with you? For always?” Jenny looked unsure, as if she were ready to be disappointed again.

“Yes, Jenny. You’re coming to live with me now and you won’t have to live anywhere else from now on.”

“I’m glad. I like it at your house.” Jenny went back to eating her fries.

Sophia was glad too. It would be nice to have her niece living with her. Nice for her, but it would be lifesaving for Jenny. Such a beautiful child, she thought, and the spitting image of Natalie, at that age. Natalie was Sophia’s younger sister and Jenny’s mom. She had finally agreed to sign over custody of Jenny to Sophia.

“Aunt Sophie, when I’m living with you, will I be in the way? Mommy said I was always in the way.” With that, Jenny took a big drink out of her chocolate shake.

Sophia could feel her own eyes brimming with tears. Lord, help me to comfort her. Help me to show her she’s wanted and safe now. “No Jenny, you won’t be in the way. I’m happy to be taking care of you. You know I love you very much, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I think so. Is that why Mommy didn’t love me, because I was in the way?” Jenny asked sadly, while picking up her burger. Sophia was struck by how simply and matter-of-factly Jenny spoke.

“Oh Jenny, your mommy loves you. She really does. She just, well, she just has problems and that’s why she’s letting you live with me.” She had no idea how to explain to the child the devastating affects that drugs had on a person, or how it could ruin lives.

Sophia had been so relieved when she talked Natalie into letting her have permanent custody. It hadn’t been easy. For some reason Natalie believed that giving up her child made her a bad mother, not the neglect and abuse. Sophia found she had to resort to manipulation to get Natalie to see that she would be the better caregiver. Natalie, if you don’t have to worry about Jenny, you can do what you want and come and go as you please. You won’t have to try to remember to get her up for school or get her to bed at night. She didn’t like to have to manipulate her sister, but it worked. In seeing how it would benefit her, Natalie finally agreed.

“Aunt Sophie, are you going to cook for me? ‘Cause sometimes Mommy would forget and I would be hungry, sometimes for days.” Jenny was finishing the last of her fries. The child never left anything on her plate. Just in case.

“Yes Jenny, I’m going to cook for you and I promise I won’t ever forget, ok? And on top of that, you and I are going to have a lot of fun too!” said Sophia. Jenny smiled and drank the rest of her shake.

As they were leaving the diner, she slipped her hand into Sophia’s. “I love you too, Aunt Sophie.”

When she heard that, Sophia knelt down and hugged her niece. “I’m so glad” she softly whispered.

They walked to the car holding hands and they both knew things would be different now. It was time to go home. As Jenny was climbing in, she asked, “Aunt Sophie, can I get a kitty?”

Sophia laughed, “We might be able to arrange that.” As she walked around the car, she thought, we’re going to be ok. It will take time and effort, but we’ll be ok. Thank you Lord, for this amazing child, please help me to care for her the way she deserves to be. Lord, help her to feel safe and secure and happy. Help her to laugh and be a child again.

As Sophia started driving away, she looked over at Jenny. “So Jenny, what kind of kitty do you want?”

Sick Baby ~ Thankful Thursday

Well, here it is again - Thankful Thursday! I’m so happy to be able to offer up “Thanks” regularly for the many wonderful blessings I have, whether large or small, significant or mundane. I’d like to offer a special thank you to Iris at her blog, Sting My Heart for hosting this wonderful Meme. If you would like to participate or just read from more thankful hearts, pop on over to Thankful Thursday and join us.

This week I haven’t gotten much done with writing for my own blog or reading others. I didn’t even get the FaithWriters Writing Challenge finished. It seems as though there’s been a lot to distract me this week. The most significant of which is that my 10-month old little Sweet Pea has come down with her first cold. It’s just a cold, but she’s miserable and is requiring a lot of extra TLC from Mommy. So this week I am thankful for:

~ Facial tissue. Her poor little nose is running terribly.

~ Veggie Tales, which somewhat distracts her from how she is feeling.

~ Baby Tylenol, which is keeping down her fever.

~ Good health. I am soooo thankful that she has always been healthy and that this is a minor illness – I know it can be so much worse.

~ Good temperament. Even while being sick, she’s in pretty good spirits.

~ Being a SAHM. I realize how blessed I am to be able to stay at home with her always, but especially when she is sick. I know there are many who don’t have that option.

Truly Amazing Video

Currently I am working on my first “Choose Life” post, but will continue to post other blog entry’s as led. This awesome video was sent to me via email and I just had to share. It’s amazing! I am constantly astonished at the talent and creativity that is out there. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Choose Life ~ New Series

It is time, once again, for me to delve into another series. My last series, based on The Fruit of the Spirit, was thoroughly enjoyable to do, and was a great way to bring a healthy dose of fresh Fruit into my life. According to the many wonderful comments I received, my Fruit series was very well-received by my readers, and I’ve had several mention that they were awaiting the next one. After careful consideration and prayer, here it is: Choose Life.

I really believe in the power of this subject. And I think God does too. In life, we all face many different tests and trials. Some we may see coming, like finals or mid-terms, others may be more like the dreaded pop-quiz, but all are open-book. And because of His great mercy and grace, He has given us the ultimate resource book for all of these tests – the Bible.

Everything we do, say, think, feel, believe, etc. either leads to life or to death. It says in Deut. 30:19, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” Life happens all around us, and we can’t control the circumstances that confront us, for good or for bad. But we can control the way we react to those circumstances. We can control our attitude, and consequently our altitude. We get to choose whether we rise above our circumstances and soar like the eagle, or stay down in the dumps, wallowing in our circumstances like a pig that wallows in the slop of its environment.

So now I invite you to join me on this new journey to see how we can choose life and blessings over death and curses in our daily lives. This is not some New Age or humanistic philosophy, but rather it’s what the Lord teaches us through His Word. God not only created us, but He has given us free-will, which is the power of choice. He desires for us to live with the fullness of life and blessings that He has to offer, but ultimately it is our choice.

Unlike the Fruit of the Spirit series, which had a predetermined number of posts based on the named Fruits, the Choose Life series is more open-ended. Some of the topics will be based on words, thoughts, emotions, attitudes, relationships and actions, with the possibility of more being added, as the Lord leads. I am eager to see where this journey will take me, and I hope you are too. Thank you for continuing to read and support my blog and thoughts.

Fearfully and Wonderfully ~ Scrapblog

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm139:13-14

I truly love this bit of Scripture because it is a reminder that God created me specifically the way He wants me to be. When I am feeling down or insecure about myself, this is what I think of and it brings me great comfort. I am a special and unique individual, created by the God of the universe, and He treasures me as His child. The same goes for you too! How wonderful is that?

It's Too Late ~ Fiction Friday

It is time once again for Friday Fiction, hosted by Patty at her Patterings blog. This was another early entry in the FaithWriters Weekly Challenge. If you would like to read more great fiction, or participate, please go to Friday Fiction. I hope you enjoy the story.

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“It’s too late. I always thought I’d have more time. I didn’t realize how precious it was, till now. It’s so easy to spend, fill and waste, but it’s limited. I never realized that”, Abigail said to her sister Alanna on the phone. She was completely stunned as she sat there looking out the window of her tiny apartment. There was so much yet that she wanted to do. To do, not accomplish or excel at, but do. “I want to get married, have a family, travel, learn to dance and go skydiving, I want to… There’s just so much!” she cried into the phone, tears falling down her face.

Alanna was equally stunned. “Are you sure? I mean doctors can make mistakes, have you gotten a second opinion?” She was trying to control the fear and trembling she felt.

“Yes, a second and a third. They all say the same thing – six months at best. Of course we can pray, but I’ve been doing that all along and I still got the same prognosis. I just want more time! I’ve been working so hard to get where I am. I wanted to be the youngest woman to make partner. I’ve given up so much to achieve that. Oh sure, the money is great, but I just never realized the cost. I haven’t dated, traveled, bought a home, or anything else I wanted to do. I don’t even own a cat, for pity’s sake! I just thought I’d have more time!”

“Abigail, I don’t know what to say! How can this be happening? How can I lose my sister?” Alanna was openly crying now, overwhelmed by the sorrow she felt. I have to get control of myself and be strong for Abby, she thought. “What can I do for you? I mean of course I’ll pray, but is there anything else I can do to help? I love you and I’ll do anything for you,” she said, taking a big breath.

“I don’t know. I’m leaving the firm immediately. Money’s not an object, that’s the one thing I have plenty of. I guess now it’s just a matter of time. Time, there’s that word again! I’m through waiting! Doesn’t the Bible say something about ‘redeem the time’? Well, I’m not going to just lie down and feel sorry for myself and wait for the end. I may not have long to live, but I will LIVE the time that I have! I know I’m ready to meet my Savior, but I’m not ready to leave this life, to leave you and mom and dad. Oh, I can’t bear telling them!”

“When are you going to tell them?” asked Alanna, still trying to control her tears. “I wish I were closer so I could be with you. I wish I could spend more time with you.”

“I need to tell them right away. This is going to hurt them so badly. They’re going to need to lean on you. Help them to see that God has a plan. And Alanna, I need you. I’m going to start living before I die. Will you join me? I have plenty of money to pay for both of us, but I want to do things and go places. I’m sure Steven won’t mind. Can we go away for a while? Just the two of us?”

“Oh Abby, I wish I could. It’s not Steven, of course he wouldn’t mind. It’s just I can’t leave the ministry. This place would really fall apart without me. I can only get away for a week or so. But you can come here and visit me and we can spend time together when I’m not working. Besides you should rest now. Keep your strength up, so that you’ll have more time with us. Please understand.”

“Of course. I have to call Mom and Dad.” Abigail responded, hanging up. She realized Alanna’s work in the ministry was just like her work at the firm – all-consuming. She never took time away from it to actually enjoy the life God had given her. Sadly, Abigail prayed, Oh Lord, help her to see that there is so much more to life than work, even if that work is for You. Help her to realize that her time here is limited and You came to give us life more abundantly, not just work. Open her eyes Lord, so she doesn’t make the same mistake I did.