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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Spam (not the meat) (11/03/11)
“You’ve Got Mail”
“I have no idea where to start.” Tara said as she stood looking at the mountain of boxes. Taking a tentative step forward, she placed her hand on the U-haul moving box labeled ‘KITCHEN’ and took a deep breath. “This looks like as good a place as any.” She picked up the box, made her way through the archway separating the living room from the eat-in kitchen, and set it down on the counter-top.
The first thing out of the box was the small transistor radio that her grandfather had given her for her fourteenth birthday. She turned the dial and the radio came to life with a click filling the small kitchen with the sultry sounds of KIX96. Tara worked in rhythm to the music and in no time had the first box emptied and starting on the second. Deciding that she had a good thing going, she turned the volume up and immersed herself in her unpacking.
Once she had the kitchen in order, Tara picked up her laptop. “I have been working hard this morning so I do believe I deserve a break.” She informed the empty room.
She worked getting the computer fired up and then settled in to do a little internet surfing while she had her lunch. Pouring over website after website, Tara learned all the latest gossip on her favorite celebrities and then moved on to what was new in the fashion world. She then focused on the Chamber of Commerce’s site on things to do in Seattle.
Tara couldn’t believe she had actually done it! She had moved to the big city to start her new life and new career and all at the ripe old age of twenty four. Never in her life would she have dreamed that God would have sent her to such a ‘happening’ city when He called her into the mission field.
Tara said a quick prayer thanking the Lord for trusting her for such a momentous job and for her family and church for helping to make the move possible. She then dried her tears and refocused her attention to the computer screen in front of her, studying the hours for The Center on Contemporary Arts.
Bing…”You’ve got mail”
Tara looked at the alert in the bottom right hand corner of the screen and saw that it was marked as SPAM. Usually she would have deleted it without even opening it, but a deep needful draw caused her to go against her norm…click.
The screen filled with an ad for a local business. Curiosity got the better of her and Tara began to read.
Seattle’s Strong Tower - Youth Ministries
Come join in on the fun and fellowship!
Thursday, November 8, 2011 6:00 pm
“Interesting…” Tara thought out-loud. She then typed in the organizations name in the Google box and hit enter.
Seattle’s Strong Tower was ran by an area church and acts as a club for teenage runaways and local youth cast off from their families and peers. They mentor and rehabilitate the kids that come through their doors giving them a second chance on life. Most of all, they give them the Word of God and a strong foundation of love and support. Then, at the bottom of the page in big red letters…VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The words caused a stir deep within her soul caused her to leap from her chair. “I have to go to this thing!”
The butterflies in Tara’s stomach were doing something akin to the Samba as she made her way toward the West Avenue Baptist Church Events Building. Up ahead she noticed a man handing out pamphlets and decided she would approach him first.
“Good evening. My name is Tara Jennings. I am a missionary and have only recently moved here and I received an email today about the event and just wanted to offer my services.”
“An email?” He asked, looking very confused.
“Yes, I then checked out your webpage and I think this is exactly what I have been looking for.”
“Ms. Jennings, your help is definitely needed and appreciated, but I am the director here and we don’t have a webpage or send out emails. However you found us, I praise the Lord for it.”
Tara stood in awe at the realization that she had been a part of a real-life miracle. She decided that she would never delete SPAM again without checking it out first! It might just be from God!
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This article has been read 1135 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Verna Mull
11/17/11
Nice story but would be easier to read with spaces between the paragraphs.

Try entering twice so there is a space when you transfer it to the challenge. Hopefully you will take this as meant--constructive criticism.

Keep writiing!
C D Swanson 
11/17/11
Good Job on this! I enjoyed the storyline - and it was totally believable. I have too have received many a treasure in my SPAM folder! And, this was more than likely an "Invite from God" Himself. Nice job. You stayed on topic and brought it to a powerful conclusion.

God Bless~
C D Swanson 
11/17/11
Made an error on the previous one! Sorry. I wish there were ways to edit when we send.

It should have read:

Good Job on this! I enjoyed the storyline - and it was totally believable. I too have received many a treasure in my SPAM folder! And, this was more than likely an "Invite from God" Himself.

Nice job. You stayed on topic and brought it to a powerful conclusion.

God Bless~
Randy Foncree
11/18/11
I loved the message in this. it kept my interest from beginning to end. I got my start in ministry helping feed and clothe the less fortunate. God bless you and I can't help but believe you are involved in the Lord's work somewhere...
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
11/19/11
This was a great story and definitely on topic. I liked how you used Spam as something good. That is creative and quite different from how others are doing it.

I noticed some of your sentence felt just a little awkward. For example: had the first box emptied and starting on the second. would be better if you used started instead. This is a tiny thing that a critique group or challenge buddy would help you catch. There are some forming on the message boards.

Overall, you did a nice job and this is an interesting story with a satisfying ending.
Lillian Rhoades 
11/28/11
Great story and on topic! I like your opening, but from a practical standpoint, could not embrace your conclusion; although I realize its significance in the story line.:-) Creative? Yes. Well crafted? A bit of "housecleaning" in grammar, sentence structure, and wording("deep needful draw"), but overall the story flows well.

I also am impressed with the unique angle of Spam as hero rather than villain.