Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Pros and Cons (08/14/14)
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TITLE: A Daughter's Dilemma | Previous Challenge Entry
By Sharon Eastman
08/21/14 -
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Anne shuddered. The suspense was killing her, like an old episode of Law and Order. What if . . she thought. No it couldn’t be! Kelsey’s too smart for that!
Anne’s reverie was broken by the slamming of the back door. There stood Kelsey dressed in Gothic black, which Anne detested. Anne had raised Kelsey as a Christian, but when Anne’s alcoholic husband deserted them, Kelsey rebelled. The black garments and make-up contrasted the innocence in her brilliant blue eyes.
“Well, Kelsey, what’s the verdict? Anne implored with a hammering heart. “An infection?”
“Yeah, an infection, all right! I’m three months pregnant.”
The most horrid words of a young girl’s plight rang through Anne’s head like the blaring of an air raid siren. “Oh, no!” she cried. “How could this be?!”
“The usual way. Jason and I were at a party, and we got high. Before you know it, we were in bed lost beyond control.” She sassed.
“Kelsey, how could you do this? You know we can barely survive on the money I make, let alone another mouth to feed.” Streaming, hot tears complemented the rage in her voice. “And how could you shame and disgrace us like this? You knew sex before marriage is forbidden.”
“Didn’t Dad disgrace us even more when he left? Besides I’m going to have an abortion. No one will ever know!”
“What about Jason? Does he know? What does he want to do?”
“Jason wants to get married and raise the baby, but I’m not ready for that. I don’t even know if I love him. Anyways, you can’t count on men; they leave when the going gets tough, like Dad.”
Anne, calming herself in silent prayer, put her arms around a shaken Kelsey and led her to the kitchen table. “Let’s sit down and talk about this rationally. A cup of steaming green tea would be good for you and the baby, anti-oxidants, you know.”
“What baby?! I consider it a mass of tissue. It can be swept away like dirt under a rug with a doctor’s tool.”
“Settle down, and don’t talk that way!” Anne distressfully said.
“Okay, okay,” and she broke down and wept. “I’m in a lot of trouble aren’t I?” Humility finally broke through her rebellious façade and voice.
“Yes. I think we should go to a pregnancy counseling center. There’re a few things I want you to consider before you do anything rash. I know you’re scared, and you’re not thinking clearly.” Anne took her precious Bible from the shelf and opened it reverently.
“Oh, no! Not the Bible!” Kelsey was intimidated.
“Yes. I want you to think about what God’s Word says about human life.”
“Okay, I’ll listen. You’re calling all the shots.”As Anne read Psalm 139, Kelsey was awestruck. She hadn’t read the Bible in a long time.
Anne said, “See, God formed us in the womb, knitted us together, and wonderfully made us. ‘All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.’ ‘’ Psalm 139:1-18 (NIV)
“That’s really cool, but I just can’t help thinking that abortion is my only way out.”
“Kelsey, God made your baby, not you. Even under the circumstances. He loves you and your child more than folks can understand. He knows your thoughts right now.”
“That’s all good, but what about my future. I can’t get married and raise a baby at this time!”
“I know, but there are options.”
“Maybe,” Kelsey sighed.
“Listen to me, Kelsey,” Anne said. “There’s a deep, dark secret in our family that I want you to know. I’m only telling you this because I love you.”
“Okay, Mom, spill it out. I won’t tell,” said Kelsey as she sipped her tea.
“My mother was pregnant with me before she was married. My grandmother forced my grandfather to marry my mom in a real shot gun wedding.”
A perplexed look crossed Kelsey’s face. “What. . . Grandma?!”
“Yes. That’s why she eventually divorced my father, and I was raised by Great Grandma. In those days trouble like this was very shocking and shameful.”
“I know.”
“If abortion had been legal in those days, I probably wouldn’t be here and neither would you.”
“Mom, I’m so sorry for you.”
“Even though it’s sinful, I think half the world began this way.”
“Mom, I’m going to my room, now. I have a lot of thinking and growing up to do.”
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Well done.
God bless~
Very well done.