Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Bleats - Stable – Tables (09/04/25)
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TITLE: Old Friendships | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ellen Janson
09/11/25 -
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”Oh my gosh! Look at what Linda is wearing! She looks like she just stepped out of the circus. Those shoes…good Lord!”
Donna laughed, but felt a little bad. She knew that Linda was doing the best she could with what she had. And she knew that Carrie had been beautiful and pampered since the day she was born.
”Did you hear about Nicole?” Carrie asked Donna. “Talk about juicy. She found her husband cheating on her. As in, caught in the act!”
Donna felt terrible for their mutual friend Nicole. She had three young children and Donna knew her heart must be broken.
”My Thomas was named MVP of his soccer team. If his team wins the state cup, he could win All State!” Carrie bragged to Donna.
“That’s great,” Donna said - truly happy for her friend’s son - even though her own son had been devastated by his own team’s loss in the final game of the State Cup championship.
”Kurt and I are having a party next month. I know you’re going to hear about it, but we can’t invite you and Doug,” Carrie told Donna. “It’s all the big wigs at Brown, and, you know I love you, but it just wouldn’t be appropriate for Doug to be there. I know you understand, but can I borrow that large salad bowl of yours? It would look perfect on my table.”
”Sure,” Donna replied, pretending she wasn’t hurt by her friend’s comments.
When Donna complained to her husband Doug about Carrie’s behavior, his response was only frustration.
”I don’t know why you associate with her, babe. We’ve both known Carrie pretty much her entire life. You know she was born in the spotlight. She’s always been completely self absorbed.”
”I don’t know….” was all Donna could come up with. “I’ve just always known her. We’ve been friends forever.”
“Yeah. Well she doesn’t sound like a very good friend to me,” was all Doug could say.
Slowly, and with more “Carrie encounters” (as she and Doug began to call them), Donna began to see her husband’s wisdom. She started keeping a little more distance between herself and Carrie. Their lives still occasionally crossed paths, but Donna protected herself more and made no efforts to fit into Carrie’s world.
At this same point in Donna’s life, she and her husband started going to a new church. Donna was growing in her faith. Things of this world were becoming less and less important to her. She and Doug were quietly raising their family to follow Jesus and His Word. She was content.
The friendship between Donna and Carrie had slowly dissolved, until one day the two women ran into each other at the grocery store.
”Oh my gosh! Hi. How are you?!” Donna said as she embraced her old friend.
Carrie couldn’t mask her anguish; couldn’t contain her tears. Her husband had lost his job, and they were being forced to sell their home. Kurt was having to settle for a job in “the boonies”, and their son was very upset that the move would cause him to lose his status in the soccer world.
“And, on top of everything else,” Carrie sobbed, “I’m turning 50 next month and none of my clothes fit me anymore!”
It seemed life had finally happened - even in Carrie’s world, and the tables had turned a bit. Donna’s heart hurt for Carrie, but she knew from experience that God would use this to grow her.
“How about we go out to lunch one day next week,” she invited her friend. “Before you move.”
”I would like that,” Carrie said. “Thank you.”
Carrie’s entire life, she had had a seat in the spotlight. Maybe Donna could help her friend see that there was a better seat waiting for her at her heavenly Father’s table.
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Nicely done,
God Bless~