Category Archives: Stories

Freedom to Twist #SixSentenceStories

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My older brother, James, loves to dance. Even at 5 years old, I was too self-conscious to try, until he taught me to do The Twist. That was quickly followed by The Limbo, The Chicken Dance, The Electric Slide, and the motions to YMCA.

Suddenly, the Saturday night dance was the highlight of our many family camping trips, along with the hot dogs, marshmellows–and s’mores–mountain pies, and anything else we could cook over the campfire.

These days I neither dance nor sit around a campfire, but I hold them fondly in the twists and turns of my memory. I’m forever grateful to my big brother for bringing me out of my shell.

—
My response to
Six Sentence Stories, Twist.

Rounding the Bend #SixSentenceStories

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I don’t remember the first bend I encountered on my journey through life. But I’m sure that whatever it was, some people thought I should take it, and others discouraged the idea. They say that history repeats itself, and I’ve found this to be true. No matter what we face in life, everyone has an opinion and will express it, if given even the whisper of a chance. However, it’s your own opinion, your sense, your knowing, your desire that is most important. Remember: It’s your choice which corners you turn, because it’s your life!

—
My response to this week’s
Six Sentence Story Thursday Link Up, Bend.

This is my first time participating, and I like the idea of a story so concisely written that it needs only 6 sentences. Here are this week’s stories from two of my blogging friends that inspired me to participate:
Abbie Johnson Taylor
Frank Hubeny.

Send the Light #Music

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Charles H. Gabriel wrote this hymn in 1890. The melody is a tune he entitled “Mccabe.” With its march tempo and evangelical lyrics, “Send the Light” is one of the most popular missionary hymns of all time.

Personally, I marched down the church aisle as a child, singing what lyrics I knew with the rest of the congregation, during the Alabaster Offering. Alabaster is an offering specifically designated for building mission churches around the world and is participated in by many traditional Christian denominations. I don’t mind admitting that as a 3-5-year-old, it was more of a play break from the usual order of service. 🙂

As time passed, I, too, had an Alabaster Box containing whatever change I had to contribute. I put my little box inside the one shaped like a church building and marched back down the aisle to one of the 2 back pews that my parents, grandparents, siblings and I filled to capacity.

Besides the marching, the most memorable part were our pastor and a young man who played trumpets, and the 2 ladies who played piano and organ. Needless to say, the semiannual Alabaster Offering became a treat of sorts, that I still remember many years later.

I’ve come to realize that “Send the Light” is not all about money. It’s about sharing whatever you do, whatever you have (your time, talent, and treasure), and above all, whatever you are. It’s not for their conversion to your belief system, but for the love of other people. We are all God’s creations, whether we want to admit it or not. Because God loves each and every one of us equally, the same Presence within us can help us love ourselves and others as much, if we invoke the Spirit of Healing and Love to work through us.

I hope you enjoy hearing this hymn on lyre! More importantly, I pray you send your own light to those you know, those you love, and those you haven’t met yet! We are all eternally connected in the Light of God, and that will never change!

The Ring of Power #Poem

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“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”
–Albert Einstein

Once upon a time was born a princess,
Royal, yes, and gentle, good and kind.
She wanted more than everything she had;
A ring of power, then, she sought to find.

One day beneath a jacaranda tree,
An ultraviolet sprite to her appeared.
The blackberries she picked turned to a ring!
(Outside of fairy tales, this would be weird!)

She put it on, and POOF! she had it all;
The mysteries of life she came to know.
The princess realized all the power she had,
If not used wisely, it would bring her woe.

When she awoke, the purple ring was gone,
The berries in her basket turned to mush.
The princess thought of what she may become,
Then went home in a great excited rush.

As royal as she was in life to be,
Her deeds would ultimately come to naught,
Unless she chose obedience to the King:
The One, Creator, loving Father, God.

This tale I tell in story, but it’s true.
It’s yours and mine and everyone’s, for sure.
We’re children of the King of Heaven and Earth,
And in His Will, we live a life of More!

—
My “once upon a time” for Linda Kruschke’s
Paint Chip Poetry Prompt #31

Bright Idea #Poem

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I had a bright idea once,
To get a little pet.
My nephews had a hermit crab,
And one fine day we met.

I put my finger in the cage,
A kind of little bowl.
I’m lucky when I pulled it out
The finger was still whole!

No hermit crab for me, it’s clear,
And no tropical bird.
A peacock, so I hear, is loud,
And must have the last word.

If not pets, then a garden full
Of flow’rs and fruits and trees,
Beginning with a lotus
And some pomegranate seeds.

The only baby’s breath I found
Was lost as my son grew.
Perhaps the pets and gardening
Are not my thing to do.

I had a bright idea once:
Don’t try to fit a mold!
Be happy in God’s plan for me:
Unique, authentic, bold!

—
My response to Linda Kruschke’s
Paint Chip Poetry Prompt #29: Long Lost

A Freeing Friend #Poem

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On the school bus we did ride,
Up and down, from side to side.

The apple of my eye was she;
I flourished in her company.

Ballet slippers? I couldn’t dance,
But that was of no consequence.

Jack and the Beanstalk was our tale;
Through endless dunes we blazed a trail.

And softer than a kitten’s nose,
The sawdust rose and fell and rose.

From home to school we made our tracks,
And then one day we made a pact:

To be best friends as long as time,
And she remains within my mind.

For she is me and I am she,
Imagination! Light and free!

—
For Linda Kruschke’s
Paint Chip Poetry Prompt #23

My Isolated Life #Poem

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Before this mass isolation,
I was already isolated.
For more than a year,
I’ve talked to the same person,
Been to just one place for someone else’s appointments,
And really had only myself as good company.

Before social distancing,
I was already more distant than ever.
I’ve had no contact with friends, family, or even acquaintances.
Social media? Oh no,
I dare not get involved!
I am my only antisocial outlet.

Before economic difficulties,
I was already broke,
And I don’t just mean not having much money.
Rather, I had no resources, still don’t.
I work plenty, but I’m not allowed to earn.
And only I know how I feel, being well and truly trapped.

Before everyone stayed home,
I was already stuck,
Imprisoned by past choices.
I cannot leave
Without support, finances, work and a home.
I am a caged bird, singing to myself.

Before wide-spread depression,
I was already depressed.
Yes, I have regrets, guilt, if-only’s.
There’s so much I want to share, do, and be!
The up-side? When you tell me of your isolation,
You know I understand!

“Coffee Conundrum” #Poem

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I’ve had so many bad cups of coffee;
That would surely put most people off it.
I’m accepting the fact,
For I now drink it black.
And the up-side? That makes it less costly!

This Limerick makes up for the poem I didn’t write yesterday. Why didn’t I? Because I was trying to get a supermarket delivery time before the 14th! Yes, a time less than 2 weeks from now! This wasn’t possible, and the 14th it is. I thought one benefit of having delivery service was timeliness. Apparently not!

This is on top of the other restrictions. Two cases of water per customer. A third of the items I usually order (not extras, mind you, but my usual items in usual quantities) are out of stock. Item substitutions are suspended until further notice. I.e. if the brand you chose isn’t in stock, instead of receiving a price-equivalent item, you get nothing. But you don’t know that until the delivery day, and can’t modify the order to choose something else. There’s also holiday time in between when there are no deliveries at all.

Now add explaining all this several times to my husband, and hearing him complain for the next two weeks. So, this is my life now?

Anyway, if you have coffee, food, and other essentials, and/or you can get what you need in a reasonable and timely manner, please be grateful! And help someone else if you have the nerve. Because it still takes some of us several hours to accomplish (if you can call it that) a seemingly simple, everyday task.

And do I really have to say this? Please, please don’t buy in excess! I guarantee you at some future time, the news will be broadcasting how much food people threw away because, guess what? they hoarded more than they needed, when they could have been sharing it with someone less equipped than they are!