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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Before and After (05/14/09)
A wooden pew its seat smoothed to a light brown in contrast with the mahogany stain that covered the rest of it let out a low creak as man shifted trying to find a halfway comfortable spot in the stuffy summer morning sanctuary. The slow agonizing turn of the dusty ceiling fans could be heard as feet shuffled and the old clocked ticked in what seemed like a heartbeat of perfect boredom.

The few faces that actually looked up towards the pulpit were for the most part one of two extremes either heavy and wrinkled with decades of hard and tiring life among the fields and dirt roads of rural Midwestern farmland, or young unhappy faces sweaty and dirty from the van ride to the small country church. The faces not looking towards the pulpit gazed mostly at the worn carpet and its pattern of squares with small blocks in them, or read bulletins printed on the old inkjet printer hidden in the back Sunday school room.

The whoosh of a passing truck heard through the slightly open windows made the young woman who apprehensively approached the front of the stage and let out a half heard greeting repeat herself, as the congregation glanced in her direction and muttered a reply that could have been good morning but sounded more like a long disappointed sigh than anything else.

Undaunted, the raven haired teenager raised her chin high and brushed her hands swiftly down her pastel blue floral skirt and turned her head towards the lone musical instrument in the room and nodded once swiftly. Slowly wrinkled chestnut fingers gently pressed into ivory keys and a soft melody began to flow as the pianist lowered her head squinting at the notes on the page.

Pink lips pursed together and then parted a delicate yet beautiful sound escaping them as words crystal clear and beautiful began to flow from the heart of the young woman standing in front of that slight congregation. The words of the old hymn flowed effortlessly through the space and it seemed as if the sunlight through the stained glass windows shined brighter as she sang.

The verse faded into chorus and previously hard and unsmiling lips around the room began to part and smile as they mouthed the words of the song so familiar no page number or hymnal was needed to encourage their singing.

The final note faded and the brown eyes which during the song had looked up toward the heavens lowered to survey the room. Then a smile touched those very same eyes increasing their brightness a hundredfold as she looked about the crowd.

Voices both young and old, sounded amens and praise-the-lords as hands, calloused and tiny, wrinkled and dirty, clapped in bright happiness. Smiles graced every face that could be seen. Eyes twinkled with happiness and joy. Hearts leapt in praise to the Lord.

The minister rose to his feet still clapping and walking to the front of the stage laid his hand on his daughters shoulder affectionately, then looked up at his transformed congregation and said, “It is good to be in the house of the Lord.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Jeanne E Webster
05/25/09
Slow moving and wordy, but a beautiful piece! Makes me wonder if the lady was you? This was a visual blessing as it bears true reality. It took me back to my younger days. Blessings!