Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Write something AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL (10/02/14)
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TITLE: Flying Colors | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jenni Starkman
10/05/14 -
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ADD TO MY FAVORITES
My husband works out of town most of the week and won’t be home until Thursday night. This gives me two days to get everything ready, and I need every minute of it.
Let’s just say I’m domestically challenged. Okay, I’ll ‘fess up, I’m extremely unorganized and I married a neatnik. I amaze myself on how fast I can mess the place up when I’m home alone. But my haphazard ways are only ‘til Wednesday, then I kick into high gear and by Thursday night—surprise—it looks like Martha Steward lives here.
Back to my story….
Today I have a doctor’s appointment, and, as usual, I’m running late. After my appointment, I plan to do my grocery shopping so I can spend all day tomorrow cleaning and doing some baking. I’ve got a full, busy schedule.
If I don’t hustle, I’ll be late for my appointment, but I decide I’ll just throw in a load of laundry before I go. And, since the dishwasher is filled to the brim, I flip the switch and get that running, too. I grab my keys and purse and head for the door.
Then I hear it.
The Voice.
I’ve never had such an experience before. Believe me, I’m totally sane.
“Go into the basement and get the flag,” it says.
It’s not really an audible voice; but it’s not just a thought in my head, either.
It’s a male voice but not someone I’ve heard before. He speaks with authority. My husband uses that same tone of voice when he instructs the kids and wants them to know he won’t be compromising.
At first, I just stop in my tracks, right there in the kitchen. But I know I’m going to be late for my appointment if I go get that flag. Although I plan to put the flag up for Memorial Day, there’s no rush to get it now. There’s plenty of time to retrieve it in the next few days.
So I brush it off and say to myself, ‘Nah, I’ll get it later,’ and continue to the door.
But before I take two more steps, I hear the voice again.
“Go into the basement and get the flag.” It has the same intensity, same tone.
That does it!
This voice is real! And it’s imperative that I get the flag—right now.
Our basement is unfinished and the only things down there are the furnace and water heater. The washer and dryer aren’t even down there; they’re on the main level of the house. We only use our basement to store unused things, but we have tons of boxes on the floor.
So I’m heading into our ‘dungeon’ to get the flag. The air cools more with every step I take. I have goosebumps now. Gotta watch out—spiders live down here. I’ll be quick. I know exactly where it is. In the far, right-hand corner by the cobwebbed window. I see it propped up behind that pile of moving boxes that we haven’t unpacked since we bought the house last year.
No spiders yet, and I’m almost there; I’ll just scoot by the furnace and water heater.
“Oh no….!” I shriek.
Soapy water is bubbling out of the sewer drain and steadily flowing toward the boxes and Old Glory.
I race back up the stairs and shut off the washing machine and dishwasher, grab the basket of towels I’d sorted earlier, rush back down and stop the flood from reaching the boxes just in the nick of time.
“Whew! That was close!” I breathe a sigh of relief. By discovering the broken sewer pipe quickly, it kept our personal property damages to a minimum.
Afterward, assuming it was God or his angel, I wondered why he would use such an indirect approach to tell me to go into the basement. Why didn’t he just say, ‘Go look in the basement, you have a broken sewer line.’?
I believe it was to test me. He gave me a command to see if I would follow it; a command that really didn’t make sense to me at the time. God wants our complete trust and obedience.
This is one test I pass with flying colors.
Every time I put up Old Glory, I remember what happened that day and smile.
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