Category Archives: Short Story

A Poem, Ruth Graham

Prayer, Short Story,

Had I been Joseph’s mother
I’d have prayed
protection from his brothers:
“God keep him safe;
he is so young,
so different from
the others.”
Mercifully she never knew
there would be slavery
and prison, too.

Had I been Moses’ mother
I’d have wept
to keep my little son;
praying she might forget
the babe drawn from the water
of the Nile,
had I not kept
him for her
nursing him the while?
Was he not mine
and she
but Pharaoh’s daughter?…

Had I been Mary –
Oh, had I been she,
I would have cried
as never a mother cried,
“…Anything, O God,
anything…
but crucified!”
With such prayers
importunate
my finite wisdom
would assail
Infinite Wisdom;
God, how fortunate
Infinite Wisdom
should prevail!

This poem is from Ruth Bell Graham’s “Collected Poems.” It’s also available in This Christmas Night: Reflections from Our Hearts to Your Home.

Tales Magic Monastry by Theopane the Monk

Quote, Short Story

“Here, the charming, mature stories from the internationallly beloved monk are accompanied by original art. Like the parables of Jesus, these tales repeatedly unfold new levels of meaning if we are willing to sit with them.” By Publisher

I agree. One tale that keeps me in a meditative state is: “I sat there in awe as the old monk answered our questions. Thought I am usually shy,…I found myself raising my hand. “Father, could you tell us something about yourself? He leaned back. “Myself?” he mused. There was a long pause.

“My name used to be Me. But, now it’s You. “

Our Adopted Socrates

Our Adopted Socrates

Little White Dog by Gary

I wonder if the little fella ever has any fun in life? There he is a little, white, scruffy looking dog. How we got him is a story.

He came to us from a nice family, husband, wife, two kids maybe three the youngest a baby. He was too much for them. The kids loved him, he was a lot of fun for them. But mommy and daddy, well he was too much for mommy and daddy. Somebody had to walk him, the yard wasn’t fenced, and he had to be walked. Then he had to go to the vet, a lot. Expensive to take him to the vet. Yet the fellow had to have help. He was always scratching, itching never stopped scratching himself. He scratched the hair off his legs it hurt him so much.

They were his second family, the first one was just one guy from what I’ve been told. But the dog had to go because the guy had to go to live in another part of the world for work. So he gave the little fella away.

Now, I’ve been told that dogs never forget. That if you are mean to them as a puppy they remember, if you are nice to them as a puppy they remember. I think the little fella remembers being brought home by that guy, loved, cared for, taken for walks, given treats and toys. Then one day for the little fella it was all over. He was picked up, put in a car driven over to another house, dropped off with all the toys and treats and dog stuff. But he wasn’t the only one there. There were kids there, he loved the kids. He played with them. I never witnessed him playing with the kids. But, I know he did, because when he came to us he would bring his toy to us and nudge our leg with it to play tug of war with him and to throw so he could retrieve.

Then the little fella’s world with the father, mother and three kids came to a crashing stop, he was put in a car again with all the dog stuff, food, toys, leash, bed, blanket, pills, and treats and he came to us. I think when we got him, he remembered being given away the first time, and I think he was thinking, “not again”. I think it made him nervous and have a rash and scratch and itch and dig his skin. I think he was in awful pain. He’s getting over that now with a lot of help from the vet and getting him to take a bunch of pills. Maybe he will settle in. He’s never done anything like have a “mistake” in the house. But I think in his mind he wonders, “how long will this last? Will I get sent away again?”

It must be awful to have thoughts like that.
I think I’ll try to help the little fella have a little fun in life.

Rena’s Doll Story

Rena's Doll Story

Told and illustrated by Rena Oynes from her Journal pages of “The Doll Within Me” from Sara Craddock’s Doll Book. I hope all that read this book will write their story and share.

When I was young my Dad would always wait until Christmas Eve to get a doll for each of his little girls. As I have thought about it there was never really enough money for the dolls so the last minute shopping meant the dolls were at a much lower price. There was no getting the doll everyone else had, but at least it was a doll. Later as time went by he would place the doll under the Christmas tree to remind him of us as we sometimes did not come home for Christmas. How precious. My own Mom would make dolls for people who needed a special touch. She was drawn to people who had children with cancer and would make dolls with their clothing for them. One little girl was buried with her doll. My mother made dolls for her future grandchildren and made one to be baby Jesus when Christmas pageants occurred. Recently one was used to tell the story of baby Jesus at a BSF Children’s meeting. Somehow dolls seem to grab hold of our emotions.

I was so fortunate for so long to work with children in the public school setting. With retirement I find myself going back to my roots with a Mom who had a love for children of all ages and loved to see them happy with each doll given. A few years ago Dorothy who was a Lily and I designed a pattern for a doll that we liked that was put into Samaritan Purse Christmas boxes. Many wonderful Lilies participated and we all had great fun doing a project that we knew would touch the lives of the children who received them. I even saw a husband of one of the wives who was deligently working on a doll sit in the floor listening and observing his wife’s delight over the little doll. At that time I never thought I’d be making dolls again. Here I am and when the call came, I thought yes Lord, I like my Mom, would love to touch another with a special gift of a doll. My mother crocheted hers but I can sew and paint so as you see this little creation is sewn and painted to bring about her character. I pray the woman who receives will be so excited as I was to see her take form in my hands. Poor thing had to take many a scissor and needle, plus globs of paint, cloth, lace and yarn. Yes this is a new season of my life. I can say honestly that God has something for every season of our lives. What a precious God we serve. I would have never guessed that God would have moved me to Alabama and used my love of HIS children of all ages, sewing and painting to bless his people. Thank you God. I LOVE YOU.

Karen Langford Brown ‘s Story

HI SARA,

I have read and reread your book, “The Doll Within Me,” for several weeks, and asked God to send me His message for me to write. You see, I have to wait on the Lord and not try to go ahead of Him. 🙂 The ego likes to suppose things that aren’t necessarily so. I have always loved that Dr Dyer described the ego as “Edging God Out,” so I try to go slow and easy before proceeding.

Very, very surprised at the writing that came after much contemplation. Hope you enjoy.

Love & Blessings,
Karen

Twin meaning: one of two offspring born at the same birth. A counterpart.

THE TWIN WITHIN

When I was young and there was no money
for frivolous things such as a doll
Actual needs were so much greater
as I look back and do recall.
But then I was but a little girl
wishing for just a Barbie doll
Not understanding or realizing that
my wish was Oh, so small!

God has brought me to a time in life
where He showed me that within
He had created a beautiful doll
that was actually my twin!
He said that when I was born
her spirit was with me
She would abide with me forever
and one day I would see…

The beautiful doll that is my spirit
was always there to comfort me
Because she was sent from Heaven
to always help me be
All that He created and
that He would have me be…
Has always been in His Hands
and I am really three!

(c) 2013 Karen Langford Brown 
http://www.MySpiritWind.com

“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit
gives birth to spirit.” John 3:6 NIV

Meet Dawn Collins

Health, Health and Beauty, Natural Remedy, Short Story

ImageAdmittedly, I am a hippie. A yoga practicing, Birkenstock wearing, tree hugging, vegetarian, peace, love and happiness hippie. I’d rather go the holistic route than any other because that’s what works for me. I don’t want or even try to impose my ideas on others, I don’t want the responsibility for one thing and who am I to tell anyone what to believe or how to live. All I do is offer my views when asked for them and sometimes when not asked for them and share my experiences. Here’s one of the things I have learned. Mind is over matter. Don’t believe it? That’s ok you don’t have to. But here’s the thing. It’s easier, I think, to allow something to happen if you first believe, BELIEVE, it can actually happen. If it could happen then it just may actually happen. The mind has to be open and accept the ‘thing’ for it to happen though. If someone said to me that I would get a million dollars next June I would be like, ‘yeah right’. My mind can’t accept that, it won’t although I wish it would! I think you have to start with something you actually believe. I believe I can get well, I believe I can find love, I believe I can be successful, I believe I can make that move. My mind finally became willing to accept that my path, my gift was that of an artist and you know what? I started selling my art. I went from painting and stacking my work against the wall to gallery shows where my art sold for 500.00! A piece! Just because my mind believed it could happen and gave me the courage to approach galleries and show my work. I think with life and all it’s clutter it’s easy to go through the motions and tread water but what if you carved out just 10 minutes a day, just 10! and started to meditate. I’m not talking about sitting in a twisted yoga pose on the floor in silence, that’s ok for some but for me the best meditation is outdoors by the frog pond or out walking or getting lost in music. Meditation isn’t meant to stress you out by trying to do it. The toes twitch, the nose itches, the phone rings and meditation becomes an unwelcome chore rather than a spirit booster. So don’t stress over meditation do something you enjoy and let the meditation happen. I used to teach relaxation and meditation at a wellness school for massage therapy students. I would guide them through meditation relaxing the body limb by limb and guiding them toward enlightenment for lack of a better word. Pictures would unfold differently for all of them but show them little insights and nuances they were too bogged down to notice. When the mind slows down and focuses only on the here and now and actually allows the mind to open and show images like a movie on a screen they’ll see all they need to know. Maybe it won’t even be images it just be a knowing, a feeling that runs through you, head to toe and leaves you not, but spurs you on till next time. I had a student who suffered from migraines and would sometimes get an attack in class. She would stop, focus, acknowledge the pain she felt so she could focus on letting it go. Breathing in and out, letting the body relax and release and allow the mind to accept healing. It would subside and she would feel better and better. If she hadn’t first believed it would work, it wouldn’t have. The mind needs to believe it can happen, it is true, it is feasible. Convincing the mind is half the battle. If you are in chemo or on a dating site or thinking of new career or going back to school or writing that novel, then make sure your mind believes it all can happen, own your truth and believe your treatment will work, believe you love is out there, believe you can have the job you want, believe you can start school again, believe you do have a novel in you. You already have the answers, you already have the healing, you already have the love…you just need to accept it, allow the heart and the mind to accept it as truth and watch the magic happen. Don’t be afraid to get your hopes up, hope is a lot to grow on, yes I meant grow on, because hope gives us something to hold onto when all else seems to be slipping. Hope is like roots that lets belief grow and bloom into the ‘thing’ we hoped for. See how that works?! I think that’s where God is, He is in the hope, it’s his gift to us. I think he left us with all we needed…the earth, it’s trees, it’s herbs it’s beauty and love and the hope and each other. When we, body mind and spirit, are open and ready to see, believe and accept then the sky is the limit! I believe, do you? Peace & Hugs y’all 🙂 zetasatticart.blogspot.com

Lent!

Short Story, Talking Points, , ,

DSCN0450(a Valentine gift from my son 2013)

“Sarah Parsons (Bio) recently completed a master’s degree at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work and intends to become a psychotherapist. She holds a BA in Religious Studies from Yale University and a master of divinity degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School.”

Impressive, don’t you think? I do! I love the words she shared recently in one of my devotions:

“Lent…The goal is to make a change that sinks deeply into life, drawing us closer to self, others, and God. Lent is about intentionally opening ourselves, preparing to receive God’s goodness.”

I paused to reflect early this Saturday in the dark and cold of the morn and thought about Sarah’s words I shared above. I know little about Lent. But, I desire to know more about “drawing closer to self, others and God.”

I thought about my two last posts here. First,  writing mine… and then asking others to tell their story of ‘what they wanted to be when they grew up.’ Secondly, share and give a yell out to someone(s) a written line of Valentine Love.

I had to struggle a little, sure not thinking of lent, just a struggle to express something! I was asked by a stranger on another website to tell my story.  I had to share story to myself and then to others and if and when I did I knew deep within it would draw me closer to God and give me a deeper recognition of Him. My story might show that I could be a little angry with Him, and that being God. Or, I might find He was even greater than my finite mind thought since I had to open my heart to acknowledge Him.

I overcame my struggles and wrote my little simple words and I have been in awe from responses of those I know and those I know not.  And, so amazing how goodness and mercy surely have followed my words.  I am in awe of a stranger, Sarah Parsons, whom I have never read to my remembrance had a line just for me on this cold and dim Saturday AM!

Hope you will find the blogs below and write your story and show your love. It’s never too late in the seasons of life to live out a lent of giving up a little of the old self (maybe shelf)  life for the divine!

What did you want to be when you grew up? Or when you grow up?

Children, Christianity, Short Story
 I wanted each child to have enough bread to eat, beautiful dress and bonnet to wear. And, yes, a perfect match of purse and shoes. The color and match suited for each child and not what another thought might be right for them. I would dress the little goats and lambs alike. (Literally the animal) I was shy@times so my voice could not express my heart. So off to the little Creswell stores to convince the owners to charge to my Mom’s account enough food and other to feed and clothe a hungry child. I would take my Mom’s crochet, and colorful fabric she needed for her own child and turn them into wraps that were weird, to say the least, but thrilled many a child. I have been able to continue my joy of being a grown up dressing and feeding the hungry child. I’ve travelled to Nations and given from my heart hoping to develop a gift of another’s heart. Yet, little it seems in the light of the needs. But, I won’t lose heart of wanting each child to be feed and clothe in beauty and loved regardless of _____? I believe your poetry, your art, your song, story and other’s gifts coupled with love continues to make a road for others to travel and reach their destinies and goals.Maybe I’m just a dreamer!