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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: The Church (12/06/07)
The stained glass is calling me.

Today I will not refuse.

I will be more than shattered if I stay here.

It does not take long to reach the church. I let myself in through the side door with the key from my velvet necklace.

Everywhere is dark and empty.

Like my life.

The steps to the loft are shadowed and dusty, but I don’t mind.

I would wade through clouds of dust and darkness to find the comfort here.

Once I am past the storage boxes, I see the circle on the floor. A round kaleidoscope of color brings the tiniest bit of cheer to my soul.

A yellow sliver of light illuminates an old pillow, my throne.

Holding my breath, I ease into the light and then sit down.

For a moment, everything is magical and silent. I envision Angel whisperings floating through the wooden rafters, a delicious shiver runs up my arms.

How thrilling to be a real princess.

Even better to be God’s princess.

I find my breath and my flower journal.

Curling up under the window, I ration out a handful of jellybeans.

One of each color, my treat for this special time between my soul and God’s love.

The sunlight warms my hands as I open the journal to a blank page. Pen in hand, poised over page, I take a deep breath and let everything out.

Dear Heavenly Father, I wish that I could see my bottle. The one with all my tears inside. Is it made of stained glass? I bet it’s half full by now. I feel like the millions of tiny rainbow pieces that are fitted together to make something beautiful. I don’t feel beautiful right now. I hurt. All over inside. I miss Mom and Dad so much. I know you gave me some great foster parents, they really are awesome. I’m just having trouble with my foster brother.

I only have eight jellybeans left. I choose a blue one, to help me keep a cool head while I write about J.P.

J.P. doesn’t seem to care about anything. I don’t understand how he can be so cruel. I lend him my things all the time. I thought that’s what brothers and sisters do, but when I asked him for my pastels back, the ones Dad bought me, he threw such a fit I didn’t know what to do.

Sometimes I think you made me to be a statue. I can stand so still and silent in the middle of anything, almost, it seems. This is where I feel like the solid piece of glass, thrown to the ground and smashed to pieces. I am always getting into trouble…for helping him. I’m so tired of being called stupid, bratty and spoiled.

Every word is a hammer on one broken shard. Grinding the slivers into flecks of dust. You know who and what I really am, even when I don’t want to know anymore. Sometimes I think it would be nice to be spoiled. No more hand-me-downs. For once, to have almost everything and not have to want practical things like a new toothbrush and matching socks. A sock full of jellybeans would be nice too.

There are two jellybeans left. A yellow and purple. I suck on the purple one.

Stained glass windows are stuck together to make a mosaic of beauty. Daddy, whether this makes sense or not, pick me up and put me together the way you want me to be. Let your light shine through me to be a rainbow to everyone I see. Thank you for my special place here in your house. Thank you for wanting me for choosing me. It feels good to be wanted.

A tear splashed on the yellow jellybean.

Popping the bit of sunshine in my mouth, I close the journal, threading the pen through the wire rings.

Salty sweetness explodes in my mouth.

I close my eyes and let the rainbow fill me.

Copyright 2007
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This article has been read 2700 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Marilyn Schnepp 
12/15/07
My first thought was "so creative"; but also so sad, lonely, lost and alone. What a powerful, entertining and unique take on the topic at hand...and I close with the same thought...so creative. Very nicely done.
Marita Vandertogt
12/15/07
I like your illustration of the tears in a bottle. Lots of us could ask that question. Thank God for the healing power of who we are in Him. This is really well written, a very creative take on the topic.
Joanne Sher 
12/15/07
Beautifully written - and so sad. Great descriptions.
Laury Hubrich 
12/16/07
This might be my only read this week, in hospital, so glad yours is what I read:) I can so relate to this girl, I can change her pain to mine and relate:) So sweet. I can remember lots of times when I was a teenager pouring out my problems to God in a journal. You did an AWESOME job! Maybe I need a yellow jellybean, you think?!
Laury
Dee Yoder
12/17/07
Beautifully written! I love the tie-in to the stained glass window and the colorful handful of jelly beans. The prayer for God to put all the pieces together is wonderful.
Verna Cole Mitchell 
12/18/07
This beautifully written story made me so sad for all the lonely children who are loved only in God's sight. Great job.
Karen Wilber
12/18/07
This is so poetic and beautiful. Even the sadness carries a note of hope.
Tim Pickl
12/19/07
This story made me cry...probably because I can relate to it, as a foster parent. Thank you for posting it. Merry Christmas and have a blessed, great 2008!
Temple Miller
12/19/07
Beautiful, poetic writing. I love the imagery, even the sad, because it leads to the brilliant hope in the last jellybean.

Stunning entry.
Loren T. Lowery
12/19/07
I sense a truly great breakthrough in your creative writing style in this piece. It is wrought with wonderful allegory that is at times, gut-wrenched in raw, tender emotions. Great job - beautiful!
Paula Titus 
12/19/07
So honest and passionate, wonderful writing.
Janice Cartwright
12/20/07
This is like a [sensory] palette of colors, some bright - others in smokes and duns, squeezed out of the MC's soul and squirted on the page.
Shelley Ledfors
12/20/07
Wow. Incredibly beautiful...and sad at the same time. It captured my interest immediately and held it throughout. Well done.
Betty Castleberry
12/20/07
You truly have the heart of a writer. I love reading your pieces. The descriptions were beautiful. Very well done.
Sharlyn Guthrie
12/20/07
This is quite beautiful and creative. You have so much excellent imagery here. I felt like I was there.
LaNaye Perkins
12/21/07
I always love your writing, but I think this has to be my favorite of yours. You did a wonderful job writing this. Great writing my friend.
LauraLee Shaw
12/25/07
Daddy, whether this makes sense or not, pick me up and put me together the way you want me to be. Let your light shine through me to be a rainbow to everyone I see. Thank you for my special place here in your house. Thank you for wanting me for choosing me. It feels good to be wanted.

That this could be our prayer everyday, no matter the circumstance. Just a bit of beauty inside the sadness. Well done.

Susan Michaels
06/20/08
Powerful, powerful expression and imagery...a remarkable gifting and imagination. Utterly inspiring!