Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Day and Night (07/10/14)
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TITLE: Light At Night | Previous Challenge Entry
By Milly Born
07/17/14 -
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I jolt awake. Sarah.
I struggle to sit up and push my feet around to search for my slippers. When all I find are cold floor tiles, I’m tempted to lay down again, until another pressing cry shatters the nightly silence.
“Mommy!”
My husband next to me moves and grumbles in his sleep. Stupid slippers. Shivering, I get up and tiptoe barefoot out of our room.
“I’m coming, sweetheart.”
The faint light from the corridor reveals tousled curls above wide-open eyes, a lonely tear glistening on a pink cheek. My little girl sits up straight in her bed, clutching her favorite stuffed bunny close to her heart.
“Here I am, honey.” I sit down next to her and wrap my arms around her tiny body. She presses against my chest and quivers.
“What happened?”
She whimpers. “I had a bad dream.”
“What was it about?”
“I don’t remember. Just that it was bad. I was so afraid.” Her tears flow freely now.
“Hush, it’s alright. Mommy’s with you. It was just a dream.” I rock her gently, humming a lullaby.
Slowly, she relaxes in my arms, and her sobs recede.
“Why does it have to be dark, Mommy?” Her voice sounds muffled from inside my hug.
“Because we need to sleep, honey.”
“But I can sleep just as well when it’s light. In the light, I wouldn’t be afraid after a bad dream. I could see.” She lifts her head, her teary eyes inquiring mine.
I stop rocking. “Well, it’s the way God made the world. The Bible says that in the beginning, when there was only darkness, He created light. He called the light Day and the darkness Night. I guess he didn’t remove all of the darkness, because He knew that we would rest better without light. You do close your eyes when you get sleepy, don’t you?” Sarah nods. “Well, that’s to shut out the light.”
I hope my explanation reassures her.
“Did God make the darkness too?”
Did You, God? Or is darkness merely the absence of light? How can I answer my 5-year-old?
A thought pops up. “Honey, did you know that Jesus watches over you both day and night?”
“Really?” Sarah’s eyes grow big with wonder. “But doesn’t He need to sleep?”
“No, the Bible says that God doesn’t sleep. In fact, He doesn’t even slumber. He is always watching over you.”
She frowns. “But how can Jesus see me when it’s dark?”
“Because He is God and He can do anything. To Him the darkness isn’t dark at all. The Bible says that for Jesus, the night is bright as the day.”
Sarah ponders my words, then gives me a smile. She looks satisfied.
Thank you, Lord. Within minutes, my little one will be back to sleep—and I as well. My feet are getting numb in the cold.
She lies down, drowsy now, and I pull the blankets up to her chin. With droopy eyelids, she mumbles, “Love you, Mommy.”
My heart warms and I kiss her on the forehead. “Love you too, princess.”
As I hobble away, I hear her little voice again.
“Mommy?”
I sigh and turn around. “Yes?”
“Can you please switch on the day?”
“What do you mean, honey?”
“The Bible says that God called the light Day. And I want it to be day now. So can you switch it on for me? Please?”
Just a fraction of a moment, I consider explaining she asks me for the impossible. Then I reach for the switch next to the door. The chandelier at the ceiling comes alive as its many crystal hearts capture the light and scatter sparkles across the room.
Sarah’s face glows with contentment. “Thank you, Mommy.”
Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will explain about the sun, the moon, and electricity. But first I need to get some sleep. And warm my feet.
As I snuggle under the covers—my husband’s still asleep—I send up a short prayer.
Lord, I don’t know the answer to every question, but I do know that Yours is the day and Yours is also the night. Thank you, for my precious Sarah—and for light bulbs that bring a bit of day to the night.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
This article refers to the following Bible verses (ESV): Genesis 1:3-5; Psalm 121:3; Psalm 139:12; Psalm 74:16.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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Your characterization of the child was spot on, and your dialogue and inner monologue were both effortless and natural.
I wanted to give you some constructive criticism, after you so earnestly requested it in your thrown brick, but I just wouldn't change a thing.
Excellent job!
“Mommy!”
I jolt awake. Sarah.
How could you not read on?
You make it hard asking for red ink when you write so well. lol
I agree with Shann about 5 vs five; I think it should read "... my five year old." But that is a small, small error and I may even be wrong.
Being really nit-picky, and this is the sort of thinking I apply to my own writing, I'd re-look at para seven.
In context, you see the tousled curls, wide open eyes and lonely tear (which I love) before the girl sits up; depending of course on how one reads it. I would either change those two sentences around, sitting her up and then seeing these things, or I would change the second sentence very slightly (My little girl is sitting up...)
But like I said, nit-picky just to try and help.
An excellent read.
Blessings.
"The form alright as a one-word spelling of the phrase all right in all of its senses probably arose by analogy with such words as already and altogether. Although alright is a common spelling in written dialogue and in other types of informal writing, all right is used in more formal, edited writing." I guess it depends on the house.
Nicely done.
God bless~
You did a wonderful job with the MC's 'lightbulb' moments.
Even in the dark of night the Holy Spirit can help us in knowing what to say. God was so good when he left the Comforter with us to help us.
I liked your style of story telling.
God bless~