In my school I have a subject called Wordly Wise where I learn new words and their meanings. Several times I have to make sentences with the words in the list. Sometimes I have a theme going and I make a little story or dialogue with them. Here is a short story I formed with them a few days ago, minus the first two words. (If you don't know some of the words, look them up.)   NOTE: All of the words are in order as given in the book.

             Aideen stood on the shore, watching as the flotilla of six ships came into the dock. The gossamer that covered her dress was a stark contrast to the heaviness of her heart. While many women were rejoicing that their husbands and sons were returning from the war, Aideen's husband would never return to her. She blinked back the tears, trying to avoid an ignominious scene in front of the others. She knew that if she lost control she would incur malicious gossip. 

        In an attempt to calm her emotions she turned her attention back to the ships. The men were returning from the K---- War, having liquidated the evil magnate, O-----, and his conquering army.

                Aideen's somber face showed that her name, meaning pensive and thoughtful, was no misnomer. Sighing, she turned back to her wagon to complete the onerous task of loading her heavy goods onto her wagon. At that moment, pandemonium broke out on the dock as the first boat landed a group on the dock.

             As Aideen attempted to block out the noise, a notion broke across her mind. Perhaps her husband was not dead. Maybe it was a mistake. But she instantly dismissed it as a totally quixotic idea.

           Suddenly, arms encircled Aideen's waist. She tried to fight them off, but they held tightly to her with a tenacious grip. A voice came into her ear, "Aideen, it's me." Aideen whirled around, her throat tight. When she saw her husband standing there alive, every vestige of her self-control fled. She threw herself joyously into his arms. A zephyr swept across the dock ruffling their hair as they stood there weeping, each rejoicing in the reunion.

Here is a short story I wrote awhile ago for a contest. It is called Mandy's Miracle.

                                                                      Mandy’s Miracle



    



    Mandy Kline sat in the waiting room in the hospital. Her mother was giving birth to a baby. It was several months before the due date but for some reason the baby had decided to come out early. 8 year old Mandy didn’t know why.

    Suddenly Mandy’s father came into the room. Mandy looked at him expectantly. Sitting down next to her brother Will, he started to tell them something. Mandy didn’t understand most of it but she did manage to grasp that her mother was all right but the baby wasn’t.

    Phrases kept swirling in her mind. “Baby is dead. No more children.” Mandy started to cry.




    
    Mandy sat reading an article. Suddenly she threw the magazine down with a sigh.

    “What’s the matter?” her dad asked, looking up.

    “All I ever see in these magazines are happy stories about families with kids.”

    “I thought you liked those stories,” her father said.

    “It depends on what mood I’m in,” Mandy replied, pushing her dark-brown hair off of her face.

    It had been four years since her mother had lost the baby. Mandy could now comprehend the full implications of what her father had said that day. She understood the awful truth that her mother could no longer give her a baby brother or sister, the thing Mandy longed for most.

    

    
    Mandy left the room and entered the kitchen where her mother was busy preparing dinner.

    “Hi, Mandy,” she said. “Can you grate the cheese for me?”

    “Sure Mom.”

    As she worked Mandy’s mind went back to the magazine she had been reading and her face sank into a frown.

    “What are you thinking about?” her mom asked.

    “I was just thinking how nice it would be to have a baby brother or sister,” Mandy said.

    Her mother looked at her sharply. “You know that is impossible.”

    Mandy was quiet for a moment and then said, “You know I was just reading in the Above Rubies magazine about a family who adopted some children.”

    She was trying to sound casual but hoping her mother could take a hint.

    “That sounds like a nice story,” her mother replied.
    
    Mandy tried a little harder. “It’s really the responsibility of Christians like us to adopt and care for orphans and-”

    “Mandy, don’t be silly. Adoption would be out of the question for us. It’s much too expensive and I’m perfectly happy with the family I have right now.”

    “And besides,” Will said, entering the room, “A little kid would drive you crazy. It would cry and get in your stuff and annoy you.”

    Mandy was becoming upset. “Why were you listening?” she cried. “And a baby wouldn’t annoy me. Just because you are sixteen you think you know everything.”

    “Mandy,” her mother said reprovingly. “Is that the way God wants you to talk to your brother?”

    Mandy felt ashamed of her behavior and apologized. When she had finished grating the cheese she went to her room and threw herself onto her bed.

    “Doesn’t anyone understand how much this means to me?” she thought as tears came to her eyes. “Will I ever get a baby sister or brother?”



    That night as Mandy lay in bed she started to pray. First she prayed for her family and asked that God would help her to be a good sister and daughter.

    Then her mind turned to her longing for a baby sister or brother. She started to pray. “Dear Lord, you are the only one who understands how I feel. Please God, it’s so hard to go through each day seeing babies in the store and having to come home to nothing. I feel like I am going crazy with this longing.”

    Mandy closed her eyes and imagined the warmth of a little body pressed against her and little hands grasping her fingers. But the mirage was only there for a moment and she was left with an irrepressible yearning.

    Mandy’s eyes flew open and she screamed into her pillow. “WHY? Why, Lord?” She curled into a ball and started to sob.






    The next morning when Mandy rose she felt irritable. She spoke sharply to her brother at breakfast and pouted whenever her mother asked her to do something.

    By the end of the day Mandy was frustrated and tired. She had wasted a lot of time daydreaming and had finished her schoolwork late. Nothing seemed to be going right. She was fed up with everything and everyone.

    That night as Mandy lay in bed she felt shame and remorse for her attitude that day. She thought, “Oh, why do I have to be so horrid? Why can’t I just forget about this and go on with life?” She rolled over and started to pray.

    “Dear God, please help me. I feel so miserable. I know I should be content but I’m not. Please God, I want a younger sibling so much. Why can’t I have one?”

    Suddenly she realized, “I should be content with what I have. I’m letting this longing consume me to the point that I can’t even appreciate the family that the Lord has given me.”

    She rose from her bed and knelt on the floor. She poured out her heart to God, giving Him her desires. She asked forgiveness for not being content with her family. She asked that He give her a love and appreciation for them.

    Mandy rose from her knees with a wonderful peace. The longing was not completely gone but it had become bearable and less important.



    The next morning when Mandy went downstairs to begin her schoolwork she went to her mother and gave her a hug.

    “Mom, I am sorry I was disrespectful to you yesterday,” she said. “Will you forgive me?”

    “Yes, of course, Mandy. Thank you for apologizing.”

    “I love you, Mom.” With that Mandy skipped off to apologize her brother.


    A few weeks later on a Saturday morning the Kline family was sitting around the table eating breakfast.

    Suddenly Mandy’s father cleared his throat. Mandy looked up from the toast she was busy devouring.

    “Kids, I want to discuss something with you. Your mother and I have been praying about this for awhile and have decided that the Lord is leading us to adopt a baby.”

    Mandy choked on her toast and started coughing as the front legs of her chair came down with a bang. She stared at her father wide-eyed. She had no idea that her parents had even been considering adoption.

    “I want to know first if you kids are willing to adopt. We have to agree to this as a family,” he continued.

    Offering a silent prayer of thanks, Mandy nodded. Will hesitated for a moment and Mandy sent a pleading look in his direction. He grinned at her and assented to the plan.

    

    After breakfast Mr. Kline called an adoption attorney and requested the paperwork needed to begin the adoption process.

    Mandy couldn’t believe it. She had given her desire to God with no idea of what He would do. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that He would lead her parents to adopt. “He is so gracious,” she thought as she washed the dishes.

    A few months later Mandy was again waiting expectantly for a child to enter the world. This time she and Will stayed home while their parents were at the hospital.     

    Suddenly the phone rang and she rushed to answer it. But Will was faster than her and reached it first.

    “Hello,” he said, grinning at Mandy.

    “Yes.” There was a pause. “Great, I’ll tell her. Bye.”

    “Well?” Mandy asked.

    “It’s a girl. She was born an hour ago.”

    “How big is she? What does she look like?” Mandy asked.

    He shrugged. “Dad didn’t say.”

    “You men! You never think about details,” Mandy sighed.

    “Well, you will see for yourself soon enough. Dad is coming to get us. Then you and Mom can talk over every precious detail.”

    Mandy threw her slipper at him and smiled.

    
    
    A few hours later Mandy entered a hospital room. There she saw her mother sitting in a chair holding a little bundle.

    Mandy quietly approached the chair and looked at the little baby. “Do you want to hold her?” her mother asked. “We are going to call her Abigail.”

    When Mandy wordlessly sat down and held out her arms, Mrs. Kline placed the precious bundle in her arms.

    Mandy gazed into the little face and smiled. Abigail had fine blonde curls that were barely visible against her fair skin. As Mandy was examining her, Abigail’s blue eyes opened and stared straight into Mandy’s.

    Mandy hugged her close and knew that she would love Abigail for the rest of her life. Yes, there would be hard times, times when they would quarrel. But this precious baby had been given to her by God. She would never forget the miracle that God had given her.

Hi. I am going to post this author's tag that I found on Alyssa's blog. (This is my second time typing this. The first time I had just finished and it deleted it. Grrrr.)

Do you have a pen/pencil collection? How many of those are chewed? No I don't have a pencil collection. I have a box by my schoolwork with pencils in it, but they are switched out a lot. And no I don't chew pencils. I have braces and my orthodontist would kill me.

Do you prefer handwriting or typing furiously? Typing furiously. Although sometimes I like the satisfaction of sitting down and writing a story in a notebook.

How often do you get inspiration? Uh, it depends. It comes in spurts.

Are you blogging this on a computer or laptop? My laptop.

Do you get inspiration more in the early morning or late at night? I would say more often late at night. Especially since I like to imagine stories while I drift off to us.

Do certain movies/books/music inspire you? Yes, I often take an idea from a story I read or a movie I saw. And I like to have music playing in the background while I write.

How do you incorporate God into your stories? I like to either have characters become saved or go through faith challenging struggles.

Do you kill off your villains or make them repent? Um, I probably tend toward killing them off.

Is the majority of your characters magical beings, humans or halflings? Or something else? Human beings, period. I don't believe that as Christians we should be involved in magic.

What genre of writing are you most comfortable in? If you were to step out of your comfort zone, what would you write? I really like to write about people who have dramatic experiences. That is as close to a genre as I can come. I would probably try for an adventure novel. I have never really been able to do that type of thing.

Do you work better alone or with someone else? I work much better alone.

Do your stories make sense, or do they ramble wildly? Well I think that the first draft always rambles a bit, but with some editing manages to make some sense. Mrs. Marlow can attest to the fact that my e-mails really ramble.

Are your characters mostly Renegades, Peacekeepers or a mish-mash? I would probably say a mish-mash. I like to have some characters that are weak and cry a lot when I imagine a story in my head. For stories that I jot onto my computer screen I like stronger ones that have lessons to learn.

Are you a sucker for good grammar? Somewhat. I definitely try to give my stories a sense of being well written.

How is your handwriting? Bad. Really bad.

How evil are your villains? It really depends.

Are you long-winded or succinct? I am long-winded. I really like to add descriptiveness in my stories. I guess that is why I talk so much. :)

Do you have typical "writer" traits such as inkstains on your fingers or a pencil behind your ear? No but I do often get  a dreamy "writers" look. And I like to pace in a circle when I am writing in my head.

Would someone walking past you on the street consider you normal? Maybe. I like to dress modestly and I am not very good at matching colors.

Do you write mostly poetry, stories, novels or a mixture? Stories and novels mostly. And I write essay's for school.

Do your characters vary in accents, appearance and attitude or are they mostly the same? Yes. I have one character that is Irish and another one that is Scottish. I am having a lot of fun with those accents.

Do real people and/or places inspire your writing? Yes, sometimes.

How many blogs/websites do you have? I just have this one and my science blog, Biology is Fun. I haven't updated it in awhile but I may be able to soon.

What is your favorite character? Or do you choose to remain unbiased in case of a revolt? I have a few favorites. You always like the good characters over the bad ones, right. :)

Do you talk to your characters? Do they talk back? No I don't talk to my characters. I hope this doesn't sound weird to non-writers but I live through my characters and talk for them and think for them. So why talk to them?

Are you more comfortable with girl or boy main characters? I am much more comfortable with girl characters.

Do you follow basic overused plotlines with new twists thrown in or do you depart from the norm all the time? I really don't know. I try to use original stories.

Do you feel God has called you to be a writer/poet? Will you grasp "the power of the pen"? Huh? I don't really understand exactly what you are asking. I really enjoy writing and I try to write for God's glory. I trust that He will use my stories for His purposes.

Here is a story I wrote for the TOS short story contest. It is called, My Journey.





    “Julie!” Ana called.

    A few minutes later, Ana was rewarded by the young nurse entering the doorway.

    “What do you need, honey?” Julie asked.

    “Could you do something for me, please?” Her breath was coming in short gasps from the exertion of talking.

    “What is it?”

    Ana reached over to the table beside her bed and grabbed a notebook. She ran her hand over the leather cover of the book and handed it to Julie saying, “You know the doctor said it won’t be long until…” her voice trailed off and a faraway look entered her eyes. “I want to write down my story, but I am too weak. Will you write while I tell it to you?”

    Julie closed her eyes and Ana knew she was struggling with her emotions. A moment later, she nodded.

    Julie sat down at a small desk and with a pen held firmly in her hand said, “I’m ready.”

    Ana leaned back against her pillow and looked at herself in the mirror. Thoughtful, green eyes gazed back at her out of a pale, wasted face, making her appear older than her twelve years. Her thin body bore the marks of a long and painful illness. She sighed, remembering happier times, and began her story.


    I can still remember the day when it all began. I was playing in my room just after another doctor’s appointment. I hated those appointments. Doctors, nurses, and hospitals all made me nervous.

    Suddenly Mum called for me to come to the kitchen. When I entered the room I knew something was wrong. My parents were sitting at the table and they both were crying.

    “Ana,” my mum said. “We need to talk to you about something.”

    “What is wrong?” I asked.

    “At the appointment today the doctor said that you have cancer and-” here Dad’s voice broke.

    Mum finished for him, “You’re dying.”

    I was stunned by the news. But in a few moments the numbness was gone and something else had replaced it. Fear. Fear of what would happen. Fear of the world I knew that I had to face at the age of ten. A world full of doctors, hospitals, and tests.

    I ran to my mum and buried my face in her chest as I cried.

   
   
    The next year was a whirlwind of tests and procedures. There were days that I would just forget that I was sick, others when all I could do was lie in bed surrounded by my terrors.

    My parents tried to console me but in vain. Looking back, I think that the reason that they couldn’t provide comfort was because I was afraid to open up to anyone. I had locked myself in shell which no one could open.

     My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t go to heaven. My parents were Christians and I had always played the part, but I knew that it was an act. My “faith” wasn’t real, and I knew it.

    Those months were the worst in my life, or so I thought.

   
    My body was beginning to deteriorate when something occurred that drastically changed my life.

    I was home alone as Mum and Dad had gone to the hospital to talk to the doctor. He had been pushing them to place me in a hospital permanently because I needed full-time care. The thought filled me with dread. They were going to discuss the options with him.

    I had begged to stay at home and they let me. I think it was because I had been in good spirits lately and they thought that going to the hospital might make me depressed again.

    While they were gone the phone rang and when I answered it I heard a policeman telling me that my parents had been killed in a car accident.

     The phone fell from my hand as I dropped to my knees and sobbed.

    When a few hours later I had run out of tears, I thought, “What am I going to do?”

    I was alone in a cruel, miserable world. I had no friends, no relatives, and no idea of what would happen to me. Facing the battle with cancer totally alone was staring me in the face.

    In desperation, I called the only person I could think of; the doctor who had been taking care of me. He brought me to the hospital where I was placed in permanent care.

    There I drew further into my shell and soon all the nurses gave up trying to befriend me. All except one, that is.

    Julie was always kind and sweet to me. Even when I refused to talk to anyone and just stayed curled in a ball, she would manage to keep up a stream of chatter that made me feel a little better.

    Soon I began to enjoy her company. I would mostly listen while she told me about her family.

    I had been a part of a family like her’s at one time, but that world was slipping away from me. Lost in the dark with no light ahead, I found it hard to picture the happy life she described. 

    One morning when Julie came in to work I knew that something was wrong. She was acting normal but I could just sense that she was upset.

    I was lying in bed wondering what was wrong when I heard two nurses talking outside my door.

    “Did you hear about Julie’s sister?”

    “No.”

    “She was out walking last night and got hit by a car.”

    They moved further down the hall and I sat quietly for a few moments thinking about what I had heard.

    I was perplexed by Julie’s serenity, recalling my own hysterical response to my parents’ death.

    When she entered a few moments later, I asked her, “How do you do it?”

    She looked at me with a puzzled expression.

    “How do you stay so calm when…”

    She realized what I meant and pain swept over her face. But she composed herself and sat beside me. “I could never do it by myself. But the Lord Jesus gives me peace. I know I will see Emma again someday. It is hard, but Christ is my strength.”

    At that I burst into tears. Julie held me in her arms as I told her my story.

    “I don’t have the assurance that I will see them again,” I said, when I had finished. “I’m not a Christian. I am so sinful, how could God let me into heaven?”

    “He can’t. God is so perfect, sin cannot be in His presence,” she said. “None of us deserve to go to heaven. But God sent His Son, the sinless Lamb, to take our punishment and die.”

    I raised my head and looked into her face. I had heard the story before, but this time it pierced my heart. “He died for… me?”

    “Yes, Ana. If you repent of your sins and believe on Him, He will forgive you.”

    I threw myself at God’s feet and begged for forgiveness. It’s difficult for me to describe what happened then. God saved me that day, of that I am certain.

    These last months I have spent learning about the Lord and reading the Word. I have a peace that I never had before. I’m no longer terrified of dying for, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

    Each day I grow weaker in body and stronger in my faith. The Lord has given me strength to face whatever lies ahead. There are still moments when fears threaten, but spending time in prayer sends them flying away.

    My point in telling this story is that I want others to know that they don’t have to die without hope. Christ can save you and give you peace.

    It won’t necessarily mean that your troubles will be gone. I am still lying in a hospital bed dying. Others around the world are suffering for their faith in Christ. But Christ will help you through all trials and most importantly He will save you from hell. He saved me.

   



    Ana held the notebook in her hands. It was finally written down, just as she had wanted. Perhaps it would encourage other Christians in their walk with the Lord, and help them understand what sufferers go through. “Maybe,” she thought with a smile. “Some other girl will see it and will have the strength to endure whatever her trial is.”

    “What do you want me to put for a title?” Julie asked, interrupting her reverie.

    Ana struggled into a sitting position, wincing as a wave of pain swept over her, and reached for the pen that Julie held in her hand.

    Julie pulled back her hand. “No, I don’t think you should do that. You’re too tired.”

    “Julie, I have to do this.”

    Julie relented and Ana took the pen. Holding it between her weak, trembling fingers, she wrote at the top of the page:   My Journey. 

Hi all! It has been awhile since I have posted anything to do with writing on my blog. So I thought that I would post a short story that I wrote for a contest in, oh, November. It was a Patrick Henry College writing competion. It was themed and the younger kids category (the one I was in) theme was Pursuit of Purpose. I looked at that and thought "What?" Is it just me or is that a little vague. I had no idea what they meant but I did my best. I didn't win and I think my idea of purpose was a bit different than theirs. You can see the stories that won here.   The older kids had a much easier theme: Joy in Pain. Well here is my story. It is called For the Good of Those Who Love Him.

For my Promise Ring readers I have decided to make a story change. It is a slight one but I want to tell you. I said before that Crystal's father is a pilot. I have decided to change that and make him an ARMY pilot. I will go back in the chapter and change it,  but I thought I would tell you.

If you haven't read the beginning of the book start with Chap. 1

Chapter 7

Copyright © Saved Girl. All rights reserved.

                Crystal watched in terror as the car barreled down at her.  She glanced around and realized that she couldn't get out of the way. On one side of her the car blocked her escape, on the other there was a wall.

                The car came closer and closer, its brakes screeching as the driver attempted to stop the car. The car finally managed to come to a halt, inches from Crystal.

                Crystal felt her legs weaken and she fell to the ground. She heard several car doors slam and slipped into unconsciousness.

                Crystal woke lying on a couch in her house. She groaned and sat up.

                "Well I am glad to see that you are awake," came Miss Fanny's concerned voice. "Are you sure you are alright?"

                "Yes," Crystal replied. "And I am not going to stay on this couch all day."

                Miss Fanny nodded, "Alright. Perhaps we cou-

                Mary cut her off. "Could we play a game?"

                "Sure," Crystal said grinning. "But not on the couch!"

                Mary and Miss Fanny laughed with her and sat down to play a game.

                Later when Miss Fanny and Crystal were preparing dinner, Mary came up to the former and said, "Miss Fanny, could you come listen to me read?"

                "Go ahead," Crystal said. "There isn't much left to do."

                Miss Fanny and Mary seated themselves on the couch and opened a small book.

                As Crystal heard Mary read the words haltingly she smiled. She walked over to the opening that led to the room the others were in.

                She studied the scene before her. Mary sat curled up next to Miss Fanny, her head leaning against the latter's shoulder. Miss Fanny had her arm around Mary's shoulder and was listening intently to her.

                Crystal felt her throat tighten and a muffled sob broke through her lips. Mary didn't notice and kept reading, but Miss Fanny glanced quickly up and gave Crystal a questioning look.

                Crystal whirled around as tears stung her eyes and choked back another sob. She worked feverishly at the meal.

                Once the food was in the oven she called out, "Everything is in the oven so let's finish that game."

                The rest of the evening Crystal noticed that Miss Fanny was looking at her strangely. Mary however prattled on happily.

                After Mary had gone to bed Miss Fanny and Crystal sat down and chatted.

                Suddenly Miss Fanny asked her, "What was the matter when Mary was reading?"

                Crystal sighed, "It just kind of took me back. Mama and I used to read together like that."

                Miss Fanny said, "Go on."

                "I would rather not. It is just too-," her voice trailed off.

                "Sometimes it helps to talk. Tell me about it."

                When I was about Mary's age Mama came to me and told me that we were going to start reading together in the mornings. So the next morning we sat down and began what has been my favorite book since then. It was Caddie Woodlawn. Of course she was a little to tom-boyish for my liking but I suppose I am getting off the subject.

                We would sit and dramatize it as we read. We loved to just pick a person and talk for that person as we thought that person would speak. We kept doing it with other books until-until," her eyes filled with tears and she turned away, unable to continue.

                "Why don't you do something like that with Mary," Miss Fanny suggested. "I am sure she would love it."

                Crystal wiped her tears and said, "Well Mary isn't exactly what you would call an avid reader."

                "It doesn't matter. She would be glad that you took the effort to do it with her. She really looks up to you and wants you to do things with her."

                Crystal laughed shakily, "How do you know things like that?"

                "You forget that I was once a youngest child, too."

                "Alright. I'll do it."

                "Come on, let's go to bed," Miss Fanny said yawning.

                Crystal ascended the stairs with a peaceful heart. Miss Fanny was there and everything was okay.

I was hoping to get this posted this morning but we had a wheat weevil problem. In case you haven't read the rest of the story start here with Chap. 1 

Chapter 6

Copyright © Saved Girl. All rights reserved.

                The next day after breakfast Crystal picked up the phone and dialed the number of a woman that her father had asked to look after the girls while he was gone.

                "Hello, this is Miss Carter."

                "Hello, Miss Fanny. This is Crystal."

                "Oh, good morning Crystal. How are you and Mary?" came the sweet voice of Miss Fanny Carter.

                "We are fine. Listen, I was wondering if you had time to take us to the store today. We are running a little short on groceries and," she said lowering her voice, "I want to stop by the craft store to see what I can find to make Mary for her birthday."

                "Sure, I have plenty of time today. How about I pick you up at ten?"

                "That will be good. I will see you then. Thank you, goodbye."

                "Goodbye, dear."

                Crystal smiled as she hung up the phone. She loved the older woman. Miss Fanny Carter was single and about sixty. She had a beautiful infectious smile and a very sweet personality.

                "Mary," she called. "Miss Fanny is coming in thirty minutes to take us to the store."

                Mary came tumbling down the stairs. "Really? I love Miss Fanny."

                "Well then I expect you to look presentable. Go upstairs and brush your hair and change into your red jumper and put your white shirt under it."

                Crystal shook her head and smiled as Mary raced back up the stairs.

                When Miss Fanny pulled up in her car a little later, Crystal and Mary were ready to hop into the car.

                As Crystal slid into the front passenger seat she smiled at the older woman.

                "So where do you need to go today, Crystal?" Miss Fanny asked.

                Crystal ticked off the list of stores on her fingers.

                "My, I am glad I am not doing the shopping. If it is alright with you I would prefer to stay in the car with Mary," Miss Fanny said as she swept her long hair aside. She had beautiful, grey hair, and unlike most women her age kept it long and flowing.

                As they drove along Mary amused them with her constant prattling. After awhile she grew silent so Crystal and Miss Fanny conversed quietly together.

                Crystal looked up to Miss Fanny a great deal. She had been attending their church since Crystal had been born. She had helped Mrs. Penning around the house when Crystal was little.

                "How have you girls been doing?" Miss Fanny asked tenderly.

                "Alright. It's kinda hard, but we are getting by."

                "You just let me know if you want me to come over and spend the night sometime."

                "Thanks," Crystal said with a smile.

                "Crystal, what are you talking about?" Mary said inquisitively.

                "Miss Fanny just suggested that she come over sometime soon. She might even stay the night."

                "Oh Miss Fanny that would be so wonderful. Could you come tonight?"

                "Crystal?" Miss Fanny asked.

                "I would love to have you if you can come."

                "Alright. But you have to let me help you with dinner," was the smiling woman's reply.

                "You have to come next week for my birthday, too," Mary insisted.

                "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

                "Crystal is going to the craft store to find my present."

                "Mary! How do you always know?"

                "I can tell by the way you act."

                Miss Fanny pulled to a stop in front of the store. Crystal swung open her door and exited the car still chuckling at Mary.

                Suddenly she heard Miss Fanny scream, "Crystal, look out."

                Startled she looked up and saw a car barreling down on her, only fifteen feet away from her. She stood paralyzed, unable to run.

If you haven't read the rest of the story start with Chap. 1

Chapter 5

Copyright © Saved Girl. All rights reserved.

                The girls sat in silence for awhile as they listened intently to the weatherman. The tornado was only a few miles from Carrville when they heard the meteorologist say, "Well it looks like the storm is dissipating."

                Crystal breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Well I guess we can go to bed now."

                As she ascended the stairs Crystal thought, "This has been one of the most exhausting nights of my life."

                "Crystal," Mary said. "I don't want to go to school tomorrow. I am so tired."

                "I know. So am I."

                The girls wearily climbed the stairs and crawled back into their beds.

The next morning Crystal's alarm clock began its normal ritual of beeping her awake. Her hand hit the snooze button and she rolled over and groaned.  

                She rose slowly from her bed when she heard the ringing of the phone. She leapt out of bed, knowing that it must be something important.

                Looking at her Caller I.D. she noted that the call was from her school.

                "Hello this is the Penning residence, may I help you?" she asked, picking up the phone.

                "Yes this is Carrville Public Schools we are calling to inform you that our electrical system was knocked out so we are canceling school today. It should be back in order by Monday."

                Crystal could hardly contain her relief. "Thank you for calling. Goodbye."

                Crystal staggered back to her room and soon was asleep again.

                Crystal awoke again to sunlight streaming in her window and Mary urgently shaking her.

                "Crystal, Crystal."

                "What is it," Crystal muttered.

                "It is 10:00. Did you oversleep? Oh we are going to be soooo late."

                "Mary it's alright. They called this morning and said they were canceling school because of some electrical problems."

                "Oh. I was so scared. Mrs. Cally becomes very angry when anybody is late."

                Crystal rolled her eyes. They had never had to worry about that when they were homeschooled if they had a valid reason for starting late.

                "Crystal I am hungry," Mary said. Her stomach made a growling noise and the girls burst into laughter.

                "Alright I will go make breakfast."

                Crystal hastily dressed and entered the kitchen, as she found that she, too, was ravenously hungry.

                Crystal decided that since that day was sort of a holiday she would make some coffeecake.  She was reaching up to the cupboard to grab the cookbook, when she saw her reflection in the smooth surface of the oven.

                She paused for a moment and stood admiring herself. She loved her pretty, narrow face, although the light sprinkling of freckles across her nose gave her a bit of exasperation.

                Her eyes turned to her hair and she smiled. Here was one thing that she could not find any fault with. Her hair flowed gracefully down her back until it ended just below her waist. It was honey-blonde and had a slight wave to it. As Crystal stood looking at her hair a unpleasant scene came to her.

                She hurriedly acquired the cookbook, flipped it to the right page, and began cooking, trying to push the memory from her mind. But it kept coming back. So finally when the food was in the oven she allowed herself to be drawn into the reverie.

                Crystal and her parents were standing in the living room talking heatedly.

                "No," Crystal half-shouted. "I won't."

                Her parents had suggested that she cut her hair short and send it to a place like Locks of Love. She had quickly responded that she would never want to do something like that.

                They had asked her why and she said that she liked her hair long. They pursued it and she had finally shouted, "No, I won't."

                "Crystal, nobody can make you cut your hair. In fact we would be very happy if it could be your own decision," her father said.

                "But it would look terrible if it was short. I don't want to look ugly."

                "Crystal. It wouldn't make you ugly, which brings me to another thing your father and I have meant to talk to you about for awhile. You are becoming vain, Crystal," her mother said. "You look a good deal like me and, I confess, I struggled some with vanity when I was younger."

                "But, but-"

                "We just want you to think about it and start working on it alright."

                "Alright," Crystal said softly. "But I still am not ready to cut my hair."

                Mrs. Penning sighed. "That is okay. We would just like to know that you are working on it. Can you do that for us?"

                Crystal nodded tearfully.

                Crystal was snapped back into reality by the realization that her coffeecake was beginning to burn. She rushed to the oven and drew it carefully out. As she cut pieces for herself and Mary she thought over what she had remembered. It was now just a few months after the conversation, but oh so much had changed.

                She knew that she was vain, but whenever she thought about doing something like cutting her hair short to give to other kids who needed wigs something in her just rebelled.

                She wasn't happy that her parents wanted her to cut it as she rarely had quarreled with them.

                Pushing the thought from her mind she called, "Mary, breakfast is ready."

                                                                    [Read Chapter 6]

Wow! Well as I said I was hoping to finish and have the next chapter of my Andi story posted while I was on my trip, but alas, I failed. But now I have finished and Mrs. Marlow has posted the 5th chapter of Andi---Lost. You can read it here. 

If you missed the beginning of the story you can read Chapter 1 here.

Chapter 3

Copyright © SavedGirl

               Crystal walked into school the next day with a bulging binder in her book bag.  She had stayed up long into the night printing information and categorizing it in a binder. Mr. Dakins had said that they could bring any materials that they needed to help them in class.

                The class began with the students dragging themselves in and preparing to be bored out of their minds.  

                "Alright class. Today's lecture is about the origin of the earth. As we all know 8 billion years ago there was a huge explosion and over millions of years life formed."

                Crystal raised her hand, "Sir, were you there?"

                He coughed. "Well all respected scientists say that it happened that way."

                "Were they there?" she repeated.

                "Well everybody knows that-"

                "Sir you still haven't answered my question."

                "Crystal Penning, you are being disruptive. Sit down."

                Crystal sat down amid the titters of the class.

                Slightly shaken, the teacher continued his talk. Occasionally he would glance disapprovingly over at Crystal.

                As for Crystal she was amazed that she had had the courage to stand up and question him.

                After class a student came up to her and said, "Wow, you sure livened up that class. We all expected to be like sooo bored.  You sure changed that."

                When Crystal arrived home she found her father hastily packing a suitcase.

                "What is it Daddy? I thought your leave lasted for another week?

                "There was some sort of mix-up. They need me back now."

                Jason Penning was a pilot who worked for a commercial airline. He was one of their best pilots so he would often be gone from home for long periods of time.

                Crystal swallowed hard. "So we will have to be home alone for awhile?"

                He walked over to her and gave her a hug. "I know it will be hard, honey, but the Lord will give you strength."

                He continued packing while Crystal started making dinner. She was scared. She was secretly terrified of being left home alone. She was glad that she would have Mary to keep her company, but she knew that there would be times when Mary would not be there.

                Also she worried about her father. Anything could happen on a plane. She knew that the Lord was in control but she still couldn't keep herself from worrying. Before the tragedy had happened her mother's rock solid faith had been there for Crystal to lean on. Now Crystal would have to endure the strain alone.

                "No not alone," Crystal chided herself. "I will have Jesus Christ to strengthen and guide me."

                Later that evening when her father left she did her best to fight back tears. As he held her in a bone-crushing embrace he whispered in her ear, "Be strong. Trust in the Lord."

                He knelt down by Mary and said, "You listen to Crystal, Mary. In my absence she will be in charge."

                The little girl nodded her head and sniffed.

                Crystal watched him climb into his car and smiled weakly as she waved goodbye to him.

[Read Chapter 4]

Here is the second chapter of The Promise Ring. If you missed the first chapter you can read it here

CHAPTER 2

               Crystal stood in front of her mirror brushing her waist long, blonde hair. It had been two weeks since her mother died and this was her first day of school. She pursed her lips as she surveyed her outfit in the mirror. She was dressed in a black skirt and a blue tee-shirt.

                She leaned in closer to the mirror to study her face. "Why do I have to have brown eyes?  Why can't I have blue or green eyes?" she thought. She shook herself. "Don't think like that, Crystal Penning! Mama said that is vanity!" At the thought of her mother her eyes filled with tears but she willed them away. She needed to be strong for her family. She turned from the mirror and descended down the stairs. She started to cook the oatmeal. She hoped that breakfast would calm the butterflies in her stomach. She fingered her ring, swallowed hard, and willed that whatever happened that day she would not forget her promise.

                "Daddy, Mary, breakfast is ready!" she called. She smiled as she heard 8 year old Mary come galloping down the stairs.

                "Mmm that smells good," the younger girl observed.

                "Good morning, Daddy," Crystal said as her father entered the room.

                "Good morning, dear. Are you both ready for school?"  At the mention of school Crystal's jaw tightened.

                Breakfast did little to calm Crystal's fears. As she stood by the street with Mary as the bus to came towards them she felt the sudden urge to run away but managed to curb it. Mary seemed unaffected by fear as she jabbered away.

                When they arrived at school the girls separated to go to their separate classrooms. Crystal went into her classroom and laid her books on a desk. Some girls came in and she smiled shyly at them. They smiled and came over to her.

                "Hi, my name is Sarah," one of them said. "What is your name?"

                "Crystal."

                "You are new here, aren't you?"

                "Yes."

                "What school did you go to before?"

                "I was homeschooled,"

                "Oh," she said with a lift of her eyebrows. She backed away slowly and said, "Well I guess you will enjoy being in the real world now."

                "Actually I wish I could be at home right now studying with my mother."

                Sarah's face took on an incredulent and "what a weird person" look and she quickly left.

                "Alright class, take your seats."

                Crystal sank into her seat with a sigh.

                Crystal went through the rest of the day mechanically until her last class which was science. She sat in her desk and fidgeted in anticipation. Science was her favorite subject. When teacher came in Crystal could hardly keep from laughing.

                He was a little man about Crystal's height with fiery red hair. He had a closely trimmed beard and his gait somewhat resembled the goosestep.

                "Hello class. I am your teacher Mr. Dakins," he said in a deep voice. "As you might have noticed my name bears a striking resemblance to Richard Dawkins the renowned evolutionist and atheist. He has been a wonderful helper in showing that there is no God and that evolution is true. I am quite proud of the resemblance. In fact we shall be talking quite a bit about him. Now to our lesson for today."

                As he continued to ramble on Crystal sat in stunned silence. This teacher and his views would ruin science class for her. She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks and bit her lip. Looking around she was shocked to discover that nobody else seemed to care. She felt that she should say something but she was too shy and she wouldn't know what to say.

                After school was over she was walking in the hallways and met Sarah again. "Hi," Sarah said. "Hey I want you to listen to this really cool song I have on my ipod."

                Crystal hesitantly put the earphones in her ears and was surprised as the heavy metal rock music began to slam into her ears. The singing began and her eyes widened as she heard several bad words. Then she heard a blasphemy and she tore the phones out and ran.

                At home Crystal listened patiently as Mary talked about all the strange things she had seen at school. Finally she said, "I need to go read my Bible now Mary."

                She slipped into her room and opened her Bible to 1 Peter 3. When she came to verse 15 she read "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."

                The more Crystal thought about it the more she was convicted about not speaking up in class. She determined that she would collect answers to issues that would most likely come up in her class. She left her room and turned on her computer. She googled "Creation answers to evolutionists supporting Genesis" she found a site called Answers in Genesis and clicked on Get Answers. That section took her to a huge group of articles refuting evolutionary ideas. A slow smile spread over her face and she slowly nodded her head as she looked at the solution to her problems.

 [ Click here for Chapter 3 ]

Chapter 1

Copyright © Saved Girl

               Creakkkk. 12 year old Crystal Penning cracked open her door and crouched by it. It was late at night and she was doing her best to stay awake. She was looking at the door down the hall where her mother was in the process of giving birth to her third child.

               Crystal could hear her mother's agonized cries but those did not worry her. Mrs. Penning had sounded the same way when 8 years ago when she gave birth to Crystal's sister, Mary. What worried her was the way that her father and the midwife were acting. She yawned and rubbed her eyes and stretched in an effort to remain awake, all in vain. She was soon fast asleep.

                Crystal was awakened by her door bumping into her. She looked up into the face of her father and grinned sheepishly. "Uh, hi Daddy. How's Mama?"

                 He went over to her bed and sat down. "Come here, sweetheart," he said.

                 She sat on the bed saying, " Is something the matter?"

                   He swallowed hard. "The baby didn't make it and the doctor is afraid th-that your mama is  g-going to ----- die."

                     Crystal stared at him in shocked silence.

                     "She wants to talk to you. Come."

                     Crystal followed him to her mama's room. The news was starting to sink in. "No! It can't be true. What will we do without her." she thought. When she entered the room she was shocked by the pale, hollow look of her mother's face.

                      "Come to me, dear," she said in a wan voice.

                      As Crystal drew closer to the bedside her attention was drawn to a small, red, velvet jewelry box in her mama's hand. Crystal knelt bed the bed, took her mother's hand and looked at her with tear filled eyes.

                    "My dear I want to talk to you about something very important. There is no one but you to whom I could give over the reins of the house with more trust. Now that I am leaving there will be no one to home school you so you must go to public school. They teach bad things there such as evolution and tolerance. Promise me that you will not let yourself be tainted by these things. Remain pure in body and mind."

                   "I-I promise Mama," Crystal said in a choked voice.

                  "As a remembrance of that promise I am going to give you this promise ring. It was mine, and my mother's, and her mother's before her. We had intended to give this to you on your thirteenth birthday next week but now that I am leaving to go to be with Jesus I am going to give it to you now."

                   She opened the jewelry box and drew out a silver ring. On it were carved two lilies with their stems intertwined. "These lilies represent purity and the intertwined stems represent the promise you have made to me. Your name, Crystal, means pure. Live up to your name." She slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed Crystal's forehead.

                    Her father entered the room carrying Mary, Crystal's sister. He set her on the bed and Mrs. Penning talked quietly to the sobbing girl.

                    An hour later they were all gathered around her bedside when she cried out, "I can see the gates of heaven. I going to see Jesus!" and passed out of this world into the next. Crystal collapsed onto the bed and sobbed.

[ Click here for Chapter 2. ]

I am going to start a new story on my blog. I know, I know I'm crazy. 2 stories on my blog and one off. I will keep posting Motherhood at Ten. The story is called The Promise Ring. My main character's name is Crystal Penning. Here is her character chart.

NAME Crystal Penning

PHYSICAL TRAITS  She is 14. Long blonde hair. Narrow face with brown eyes. Her skin is smooth and her face is freckled.

CHARACTER TRAITS She is kind, creative, dependable, and diligent, but she is also fearful, stubborn, and thinks about her appearance too much.

LIKES & DISLIKES She likes keeping house for her father. She loves to read, especially her Bible, and do crafts. She likes to chew on her hair when she is thinking. She dislikes talking in front of people and going to school.

Here is the summary.

               The Promise Ring

When Crystal Penning's mother dies her world comes crashing down. She has to endure the pressures of running a household and she must keep her promise to her mother that she would not be tainted by the worldly influence that she will  face at public school.

This is also assignment #10 in the workshop. I don't believe it. I actually know the title to this story already.

                       Motherhood at Ten

                             Chapter 1

          "Owwwwwwwwww!" Sally Kimbal blinked back tears and hopped around on one foot on the beach.

          "What happened?" her sister Millie asked, concerned. 

         "I stepped on a rock and now my foot is bleeding." Sally hopped over to a large rock lying on the sand and sat down.

           "Maybe wading in the sea would help it," Millie suggested.

          "All right, I'll try it." Leaning on her sister she approached the water. Suddenly she screamed, "Millie, look."

          A battered lifeboat was floating in the water. A woman lay in it clutching a little baby girl to her chest. Sally timidly felt one of the woman's stiff, white hands. "She's dead," she whispered, "but the baby is still alive."

          Millie touched the baby's forehead and shrieked, "She's burning up with fever. We've got to get her to a doctor."

        "But we're an hour's walk from any kind of civilization," Sally objected.

        "We have to try anyway!" Millie gathered the baby into her arms and rushed up the beach with Sally limping after her.

         Forty minutes later they arrived in town. They made a strange sight with hair flying, bare feet, and a baby in rags. They stopped at their doctor's office and entered.

        Briiiiiiiiing. At the sound of the bell the old nurse at the desk glanced up and her eyes widened.

         "What in the world?" she screeched.

          "We need to see the doctor." Millie said ignoring her question.

          "What is going on?" the woman repeated louder.

            In desperation Millie said, "Please we nee--

            "What is going on?" the doctor's voice interrupted.

             "Oh Doctor Chatwick," Sally wailed running to his side, "We found this baby on the beach, she's burning up!"

              He ushered them into his office. The nurse started to follow but when Millie looked up at him with a silent plea in her face he said, "Miss Wiggins perhaps you should stay at the desk."

              "Thank you Dr. Chatwick." Millie said once they were safely inside the office.

               He quickly examined the baby and said "What happened?"

              They recounted the day's events and his face turned grim. "I am going to get your father," he said.

               He soon returned with Mr. Kimbal trailing behind him. "Girls, maybe you should go talk to Miss Nancy."

              Nancy Hebler was a nurse who worked at Dr. Chatwick's office but she was much younger and nicer than Miss Wiggins. She had red, curly, shoulder--length hair that glistened when a ray of sun fell on it. She had large gray eyes with long lashes and she was tall and thin.

               She proved to be an adequate listener as they told her their story. "Will she live?" Sally asked with a sorrowful tone.

               "I don't know, sweetie," she responded. "We will have to wait and see what the doctor says."

              Soon the doctor came out and said, "I think she is going to be okay. All she needs is some good nursing."

             Suddenly, Millie looked at Sally and could tell that she had just been struck with the same thought as herself. "Um... Doctor Chatwick, Daddy, could we take care of her?"

              "Please," Sally chimed in.

              Their idea was immediately rejected by the adults, the chief opposition coming from Miss Wiggins. Gradually the girls wore down the adults arguments and finally their dad said, " Okay, okay. You can do it but I want one thing understood: she will be your responsibility. Unless there is something that is beyond your ability you will do it not me.

            "Yes we will. We promise," the girls jumped up and down.

            "All right," Dr. Chatwick said. "Miss Nancy and I are going to give you a crash course in caring for a baby. Step into the office please."