Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: SHIFT (05/27/21)
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TITLE: From A Mother's Heart | Previous Challenge Entry
By Sue Botte
06/02/21 -
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Leah was putting the last of the unleavened flat bread and challah in one of the community clay ovens built on the outskirts of the village, Jerusalem, in which they reside. Her two roomed house has been a challenge for some time; caring for a lame child, now a young adult put strain on her. Noam was not home often.
Although her son Liam could not walk, Leah prayed to the God of Israel, never questioning, only believing. Whilst working in and around her home she sang praises to Him and especially when she was baking. From oil, flour, salt and a few selected herbs, which she collected from the fields, she made bread and sweet cakes for her family.
Her singing interrupted, Leah looked up turning her head in the direction from whence the noise came.
It is the hour of prayer; what is all the commotion about? Leah wondered.
Her heart pounded for a few seconds, she took a few deep breaths; a heavenly peace came over her. She felt an urge to go to the Temple; quickly she scraped the hot coals away from the still very raw bread. She took her shimlah, which is always close by, threw it over her shoulders also covering the lower half of her face, and set off in the direction of the Temple of Herod.
Is that Liam, leaping…it sure looks like him, can’t be, he has been lame since birth. Tears rolled down her face. Now close to the commotion, Leah changed pace. She walked slowly, squinting into the scene.
What happened at the Beautiful gate that morning was now everybody’s business.
She heard a young lady shout: ‘Liam is walking, look at him. There, over there, he is leaping into the air, kneeling, and praising the God of Israel!’
That morning, a few men from the village, as usual, came to pick him up and carry him to the entrance at the Temple where he was put down. That was last she saw him.
Leah kept her eye on the young lady who shouted and walked to her whilst still watching the crowd.
Cautiously she approached. She saw Yochanan, and Kefa at the Portico of Solomon where he was chastising the people, or was he preaching?
Two of Jesus’ disciples…something must have happened.
Palms sweating, shallow breathing and a pounding heart, not wanting to fully take to heart what she had heard and thought she saw, Leah approached the young lady. She recognized her as Alya, the daughter of her neighbour.
‘Em* of Liam, how blessed you are. Your son is walking, look.’
Leah looked in the direction Alya was pointing. Having spotted his mother Liam came walking towards them. Surely this is my Liam, walking. Fresh tears washed more dust streaks on Leah’s face. Her knees folded in under her; slowly she sank to the warm and dusty ground. The heavenly peace she felt earlier freshly enfolded her, she sincerely knew she was in Jesus’ fold, securely part of the flock.
Liam gently pulled his mother up; he embraced her, kissed both her dusty streaked cheeks. Softly she whispered, ‘Tell me…’
‘Em, I am so grateful to the God of Israel; the disciples of Jesus…’ He beamed.
‘When I saw the disciples this morning I had this urge to talk to them; I did not know what to say, so I asked for alms. Then Kefa said “Look at us.”’ Fresh tears of joy filled his light brown eyes.
Liam, putting his slender dusty hand on his heart continued, ‘I looked them straight in the eye. In my heart, I felt something unfamiliar, but I was at ease. Then I heard Kefa say “…but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Then Kefa took my right hand and lifted me up. My anklebones and feet became heavy, no, no, more like a solid feeling, strengthened…here I am Em, walking, and leaping, praise God.’
Leah started to sing Psalm 145, A Song of God’s Majesty and Love.
Together they walked home. From afar, they could see Noam Liam’s father, walking towards them.
____________ .
*Em or Am - Mother in Hebrew
Based on Acts 3 v 1-11 – KJV Spirit Filled Life Bible for Students page 1396
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I suggest reading your entry out loud to yourself to catch its flow, and it seemed as if your verb tenses may have shifted several times.
I'm not qualified or educated grammatically, however, I read a lot.
Good storytelling though.