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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: PUZZLE (11/24/16)
Slowly and visibly the darkness creeps across the land and night creatures come alive. Night sounds grow in intensity and crickets chirp, frogs croak, cats meow, and dogs bark. Doors are shut and windows are closed as candles and lamps are lit. Their glow could be seen for miles around. This is a time of peace when frantic activity slows down and heart are stilled as sleep calls.

In the rural places where nature rules, few fight the call of nighttime to lay down tools and rest. Our Father creates this time for man to cease from rhythmic daily work patterns that we all take for granted. He makes us one and all with the need to step aside and to recuperate as damaged organs heal and repair. Hearts diminish their chasing paces. Toxic wastes are loose and expelled.

Within a home hearts and hurts may be healed as families share meals and news of the day, do intimate things and maybe play joyful games.

While all are asleep, angels stand guard as dreamers dream and stay safe until the dawn breaks in the eastern sky. A rest-filled night is Medicine and a blessing from our Father God. Who but God would create night time because He knew as He foreknew all things that His children would need to rest.

*He himself rested and so must we.

*“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.” Genesis 2:2.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
12/02/16
Wonderful message.
Nicely done.
God bless~
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
12/04/16
This is quite lovely. I could picture the darkness creep over the land and almost hear the sounds. You painted a brilliant picture. I live in the country and so appreciate the night sounds. Walking under the stars is my favorite time. I struggled a bit in seeing the topic. I think maybe you were going for all parts fitting together as God, the ultimate puzzle maker, assures there is a piece for everything, but I felt it a bit of a stretch. Ideally, I'd be able to guess the topic without knowing it. You do have a poetic way about you. Your words have an artistic feel, and I enjoyed it a great deal.
Bonnie Bowden 
12/04/16
I liked the poetic quality of your piece. It felt like the night-time coming alive.

Watch that you don't change tenses within the same paragraph--present to past to present. You don't need to capitalize the word medicine because it is a common noun. I agree with Shann that the judges will probably mark you down for using this week's topic word throughout the piece.

I see much promise in your prose and hope you continue writing.
Jan Ackerson
12/07/16
Your writing is quite lyrical and lovely.

I have a very difficult time discerning the topic of 'puzzzle' in this entry, and I suspect that the judges may downrate it a bit, therefore. It's a difficult line to walk; you don't want to wave the topic in your readers' faces, but neither do you want to be so subtle that that topic can't be found. There's an article about writing to topic in the FaithWriters forums; that might be helpful for you in writing on topic. Because I believe you'd do well in this contest otherwise--this writing is rich in imagery, and quite pleasant to read.
Bonnie Bowden 
12/08/16
Congratulations, Gloria, for placing 2nd place in the Beginners level. I enjoyed your style of writing and look forward to reading more of your work.
Loni Bowden-Horn 
12/12/16
Gloria, Congratulations on your second place win in the Beginner category.

I liked how your writings seemed to come to life with the sounds of animals and insects alike.

If you focus on nailing the topic next week, I can see you moving up into another level fairly quickly.