Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Sunday School (10/25/07)
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TITLE: The Gospel According to Maggie June | Previous Challenge Entry
By LINDA GERMAIN
10/29/07 -
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Eight-year-old Maggie June grabbed the small plastic doll seats and placed them around a little pink table on the first floor of the huge dollhouse.
“I am not a dumb girl. Momma says I’m your baby sister and you have to be nice to me. I heard her.”
Maggie stopped the miniature makeover long enough to exude annoyance and to explain a few things to her sibling.
“I am the one who wants to play Sunday school and pretend this is the church. “
She patted the dollhouse with the self-confidence of a boss in the making.
“And this living room will be where the little children go to learn about God.”
Carolee pouted for a few seconds but was drawn back to the project when she saw her big sister carefully placing the class members in the tiny chairs.
“Can mine be the one with the pony tail?”
“I don’t care, as long as mine’s the teacher. She’s gonna be Miss Lord.”
Carolee’s eyes registered complete disbelief that someone would dare to call herself such a thing.
“Hey! You can’t say her name is Lord. Only the Lord’s name is Lord and He won’t like it one bit.”
Maggie glared daggers as she used her most obnoxious voice to set her sister straight.
“Too bad -- so sad. Now, what’s your student’s name going to be?”
The baby of the two knew she had to follow the rules if she wanted to be included in the pretending. She held the beautiful, long haired doll up to study her face while she pondered.”
“I think mine will be, uh…Cinderella.”
“Cinderella didn’t go to Sunday school!”
“How do you know, Miss smarty pants? I’ll bet she did after she became a Princess and could do what she wanted.”
Maggie June rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Okay, Okay.”
She picked up a small bell and shook it with great vigor and authority.
“Hurry up children,” she admonished, “You’re almost late. If you’re not on time you’ll go to the bad place when you die.”
Cinderella, propelled by innocent hands, hopped up on a ridiculously tiny chair. Immediately, she was in big trouble.
“You may not stand on the furniture, people!”
Carolee’s voice trembled as she spoke for Cinderella. “But…but, I don’t bend in the middle, what’ll I do? I can’t sit down!”
The dictator-instructor had to think fast. “Well, since you’re so disobedient, just stand up in the corner. Now let’s have our lesson.”
Maggie’s doll was bigger than any of the others. A pocket size New Testament lay open on the dollhouse television-podium. She began her monologue.
“Now I’m going to tell you who God is.”
The pony-tailed doll in the back stood perfectly still as if listening with her whole heart.
“First, there are two gods. There’s Godzilla, and then of course, the God up in Heaven where Mimi went last year to live in a big, gold condo…condo-mim-mee-yum.”
Maggie never let big words or their meaning stop her from barreling on to make her questionable point. Her little sister appeared to be fascinated with this new information. Carolee was tired propping up Cinderella so she quietly laid her on the little orange sofa that was pushed against the plastic wall with painted on windows.
She raised her own small hand and spoke softly. “Teacher, I don’t think that’s right.”
Maggie June stood up from her kneeling position to better confront Carolee. She squinted her eyes and tried to sound stern and knowledgeable as she put the teacher-doll right in her sister’s face.
“I get to say what’s right and what’s not. You have to listen to me and then we’ll color and have a nice snack.” She emphasized each word in a threatening posture, “Do you understand, Miss Rella?”
Little Carolee stared at her sister before making one last quiet declaration.
“No, you can’t make me believe a lie about God.”
She grabbed Miss Lord from Maggie June and hurled her across the room. By chance, the pushy doll landed in the trashcan. Carolee picked up her pony-tailed beauty and announced her serious decision.
“Come on Cinderella. We’re leaving this Sunday school. They make up stuff.”
Big sister could hear little sister’s voice in the kitchen. “Momma, I need to ask you a question.”
Maggie June tiptoed into the hall to listen. Hopefully, she would learn a thing or two.
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Luke. 20:21
“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully.”
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The dialogue is believable. Thanks for a fun read.
Laury