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Topic: Elementary School (07/19/04)
TITLE: A Time to Shine By Brenda Fletcher 07/24/04 |
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“Are you ready for bed Jilli?” her mom asked as she peaked in the little girls’ room.
“I guess so, Mom,” Jillian answered, “did you see the moon?”
“Sure did, it seems very bright tonight doesn’t it?”
“Yea, it’s funny how sometimes it seems brighter than other times,” Jillian added.
“Well, I guess everything has it’s time to shine,” her mom stated as she opened Jillian’s top drawer to lay out a clean undershirt for the next day.
“Except me,” Jillian sighed.
Her mother’s heart sank as she heard those words.
“Jillian, you are a child of God,” her mom began, “you know your ADD makes it hard for you to learn at school, but that doesn’t mean you’re not smart, and it certainly doesn’t mean you don’t shine like a diamond!”
“I know,” Jillian sighed. She loved her mother, but she really couldn’t see how she shined at all.
“Mark my words, Sweetie; you are a beautiful, smart, loving young lady that will make a big difference one day. You’ll see,” mom said as she headed for the door. “Don’t forget to say your prayers.”
“I won’t, goodnight Mom.” Jillian looked out the window at the bright moon one more time. “If only I could shine,” she thought, “Elementary School, HUH, there’s nothing elementary about it to me.” She lay down and covered up, said a quick prayer and closed her eyes.
When Jillian opened her eyes, she had to shut them again right away. It was so bright in her room, she could hardly see.
“What’s going on,” she said aloud.
When her eyes adjusted a bit, she could see the light was coming from her, she was glowing! She stood up and stared down at her arms and legs. As she moved around she lit up every corner.
“Wow, I guess Mom was right, I’m shining,” she thought.
She stepped out into the hallway just as her mom came out of her room.
“Watch out Mom,” she said as her mom started down the hall. She almost tripped over some shoes, but Jillian’s glow lit the hall and her mom saw them just in time.
“Thank you Jillian.”
Jillian ran through the house lighting every corner. Then she went to school, shining the whole way.
Because of her light, two of her friends were able to end an argument because they could see each others point of view. Then she helped a boy in her class find his pencil and homework in a back corner of his locker. It was an amazing day!
The glow she gave off even lit her own thoughts, so she could see that she was special and had much to offer. She smiled.
“Jillian, time to wake up,” her mom’s voice came from the kitchen.
She sat straight up in bed.
“It was a dream,” Jillian thought disappointed. But as she looked down, she still had a little glow to her skin. “Maybe I can shine,” she whispered.
Jillian got ready for school that day with a sense of hope. She was ready to use the gifts that God had given her to make a difference. She prayed for ability to concentrate, wisdom to make the right decisions and a light that would help not only herself, but everyone she met.
She was a child of God.