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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Clothes (11/02/12)
Lily and Scarlett had become best friends during the summer. They lived so close to each other, it was inevitable that their paths would converge. After all, they shared garden space and received the same blessings of rich soil and alternating days of the sun’s warm embrace or the cool refreshment of rain showers. Scarlett’s outfits suited her name, ranging from diaphanous reds to pastel dark pinks in silky layers of ruffled magnificence that could vie with any clothing designer creations of the day. Lily, on the other hand, dressed in subtle shades of flowing whites, a true testament to her purity and innocence. Opposites in appearance, their hearts were like kindred spirits.

Down the block lived another acquaintance. Elmer Shade was the tallest figure in the neighborhood and he wasn’t one to hide his light under a bushel. He was a novel character, though, and known for his eccentric wardrobe. This would range in color from suits entirely green or play clothes in variegated shades or every color imaginable, not unlike Joseph’s coat of many colors. Other times, Elmer would go around stark naked to show off his splendid physique, reveling in the attention from gawking or blushing fellow citizens.

Birdie and Jay, a young couple three doors down, were flashy dressers. They were quite flighty though, and one never knew which house they would decide to visit on any given day. Their singing voices were grand, and their fashion sense, impeccable. Jay chose feathery blue creations for their concert performances, while Birdie wore subtler hues of browns and blacks.

Eclipsing them all was Skyler Yonder, a vision to behold in his massive array of sported costumes. He seemed to hover over them all, his apparel sometimes softly blue with fluffy changeable wooly patches sewn to his coveralls.

A mile away, there lived Lady Laker. Known for her waves and splashes of artistic garb, her finery enveloped the surrounding area, robes of watery linens trailing behind her. Her favorite color was blue, but sometimes she would don heavy threads of gray or white. One could always tell when Lady was angry, because her usual calm demeanor would abruptly change from smooth and glassy to stormy currents of torrential disdain, her dress of the day tangling and twisting around her like a whirling dervish.



They say God loves variety, and it is obvious by His creations that He is the Supreme Master of fashion. From Lily and Scarlett, flowers He has donned with gentle precision, to Elmer, the massive shade tree He dresses in leafy colorful wonders or strips bare in the fall as discarded clothes lay in a heap at his feet, God designs it all. Birdie and Sparrow and the blue jays are clothed without worrying about how they can afford it, by His hand. And Skyler domes over them all, God’s grand designs of horizons, clouds, sun, moon and stars accents to decorate his robes. Oceans and rivers, cascades and lakes like Lady are adorned in a vast array of fish-filled gowns of elegant evening dress to frocks of rags, another testament to God’s grand designs.

And we humans fret and fume and wrestle and labor to dress our outer bodies, while our souls remain indecently neglected.


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Matthew 6:28-29: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?. . .See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. . ." The Bible, NIV
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
11/09/12
This is a bit of brilliant writing. I suspected that many would use this verse and when helping some newer writers I suggested if they tackle this verse for this week's story, that they need to do it in an out of the box way. This is a perfect example of that type of imagination. I think it quite clever and unique and can merely say--Wow!
Myrna Noyes
11/09/12
What a delightfully descriptive piece! :) I enjoyed the humor used in so colorfully characterizing these objects of God's loving creation! But the last line gave me pause with its bold statement of truth. Nice job!
Myrna Noyes
11/09/12
Also, I loved this line: "One could always tell when Lady was angry, because her usual calm demeanor would abruptly change from smooth and glassy to stormy currents of torrential disdain, her dress of the day tangling and twisting around her like a whirling dervish." :)
Noel Mitaxa 
11/15/12
Very clever personification of the creatures around us, with a strong but gentle message to guide us home.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
11/16/12
Congratulations for ranking 9th in Masters and 11th overall!