Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Telephone (07/17/08)
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TITLE: The Stuff Of Life
By Deborah Engle
07/22/08 -
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Glistening dewdrops, clinging to the leaves of the elm tree, catch her eye. With her hand still resting on the receiver, she turns to the window, but the view before her can only hold her attention for a short time. Instead, the voice of her young man, lingering in her ear, quickens her pulse. He’s coming!
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Her stiff joints sometimes complain with the motion, but her familiar old rocking chair offers a convenient place to pass the long hours of the afternoon. The feeble winter sunshine, filtered by the bare branches of the massive oak tree, manages to penetrate through the windowpane, and she gratefully allows the warmth to surround her. The telephone is there on the table, but it doesn’t ring. Hour after endless hour crawls by. Resigned to this inevitable season of life, she waits patiently, occasionally nodding off. At long last, the hands on the clock tell her it is time to fix supper. She rises slowly and makes her way into the kitchen.
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Heart-wrenching sobs summon her to the aid of her toddler. Once in her arms he nestles into her shoulder, but the sorrowful wails don’t diminish. Her rocking chair is in view, but a loud crash from the kitchen and a startled “Oh, no!” from her preschooler changes her course. The clamoring of the persistently ringing telephone barely penetrates through the chaos, but today, the caller will have to settle for the answering machine.
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The sound of excited footsteps bounding down the stairs mingle with the ringing of the telephone. “Hi! …Mom said I could. It’s gonna be fun! …Who else is coming? …Sleeping bag-check. …Diary-yep…oh, and I have to bring my floppy dog, Cocoa!” Little girl giggles fill the air.
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The clock reads 5:12 am, but she pulls on her robe and steps into her slippers, regardless. The call she has just received on her bedside phone has left her thoroughly awake and rejoicing in the arrival of her first grandchild. A girl - wonder of wonders - a little girl! She watches through the picture window as the darkness of night gives way to an amber dawn-what a beautiful sight on this special day.
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An unexplainable sense of unease has settled over her, sabotaging her efforts to reduce the stack of work still piled on her desk. She jumps at the sudden ringing of her phone, and for a moment, is unable to do anything more than stare at the intimidating instrument. Finally, she lifts the receiver to her ear. “Hello? …This is she… How can I help you, Officer Cooper? …Yes, he is my husband. …You’re taking him where? …Grace Memorial Hospital? …I’ll be there as soon as I can. …Yes, I’ll hurry.”
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You’ve been there, just like I have. The “stuff of life” is what makes us who we are. We know what we believe, we know who we want to be, but without the trials and hardships, without the joys and delights of life, we are untested. Our real character is only revealed as we confront the challenges and respond to the blessings that come our way.
Whether you identify with the young girl who is just beginning to explore life, or the lonely, forgotten woman, God wants your life to reflect the grace He has demonstrated in you. To do that, the lines of communication need to be open. Listen to God by reading His Word. Speak to God through prayer. Look to God for direction and strength, and your spirit will be ready to respond to “the stuff of life” in a way that will draw others to Him. What a triumphant life that will be!
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Big time kudos!
"She watches through the picture window as the darkness of night gives way to an amber dawn-what a beautiful sight on this special day."
How sweet and symbolic -an "amber dawn..."