Once there was Darkness

Sandstorm

Part 3

Once everyone was inside the shelter, the screaming stopped. Rajaf and Frego started tending to the wounded.

As the wind ripped through the city, several people started praying to heathen gods. “That stops now. You are in my city and you will pray to our God or you will not pray at all.” Kol roared with great authority. He started a chant all Meccians knew. It was quickly taught to the new comers.

The wind continued to roar.

Kol was worried about Kessa. He knew that Rajaf was. He got up walking around the perimeter of the room.

“How long as it been?” A young female voice asked.

No one answered.

A small faction of the court gathered in one corner of the room, whispering amongst themselves. Kol asked in front of everyone, “what are you whispering about?”

They looked at each other, startled. “Well sire,” one gentleman bowed. “We are praying to God and the storm is getting stronger. Perhaps we should pray to a different god? Ours seems to have abandoned us.”

“I disagree.”

“How so?” The young lady that had asked about the duration of the storm questioned.

“God knows what he is doing. It is up to us to have faith in his plan. His storm is happening for a reason. Only time will show us what those reasons are.”

“That seems like a pretty weak answer.” She snorted.

“You are?”

“Emona.”

“The grand dukes daughter. You’ve been away for several years.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Rajaf rolled his eyes.

“Emona,” the grand duchess scolded.

“Sorry, sire.” Emona stared at the floor.  

The wind knocked something loose and it shattered close to the shelter. A singular gasp overtook the room.

Kol spoke again, “I’ve watched this court, it has started drifting away from God. And I have done nothing about it. I’ve even done a great deal to make it happen. It stops now. If you have an issue with this,” he took a deep breath before shouting. “LEAVE!”

Rajaf elbowed Frego and winked.

Some of the people in the room flinched at his elevated voice. Others still tried to make their bodies small. His mother looked shocked by the outburst.

“One hour.” Someone spoke. “We’ve been in here one hour.”

“Thank you.” Kol replied.

They all continued to set there in silence. It was a long time before anyone spoke. A female stood, “it has been a long time since we have heard the wind. Should someone go check?”

“And who are you?” Kol asked.

“Emma, my lord. I am a friend of Emona.”

“Emona has done you a great disservice.”

“I don’t understand, sire.”

“Frego.” Kol looked at his son.

“It has been a law in this kingdom that no one is to be called lord. That is a term reserved for God and God alone.”

Teal Twig

Growing up I remember watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.

My best friend and I (mostly her. I was playing with the dogs.) were painting tomato cages in the back yard. When inspiration struck.

Teal Twig

“Here we are folks, in the wilds of the East Bernstadt jungle. We have found the ever elusive Teal Twig. Wait! What do we find here? The Teal Twigs mate? This will definitely go down in history.

The Teal Twig is a shy creature. And to see 2 in one day – better go buy a lottery ticket.”

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fHTftC3ELSk

Shot with an iPhone in my best friends back yard.

Dare to dream?

Is it okay to dream?

Is it “better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all?”*

Is it okay to dream?

About the dreams that will never come to me.

They seem just out of reach.

Just. There. Just. Those dreams.

I feel like “I’m running down a dream that never would come to me.”*

Will it? Will it ever come to me?

Can I touch it? Does it cause my skin to tingle?

Can I taste it? Does it cause me to salivate?

Can I see it? Does it cause temporary blindness?

Can I feel it? Does my body shut down from the joy of it?

Dare to dream?

Is it okay to dream?

Am I giving my mind something it can’t have?

Just because I dream it? Name it. That doesn’t make it real?

Is it okay to dream?

Do I dare to dream?

* Alfred Tennyson

*Tom Petty

Once there was Darkness

Sandstorm

Part 2

Another explosion. “Two days on horseback.” This time the message came to her. She repeated the message. “The city can see it.” Two rings from the bell. The storm in the distance was a dark cloud on the ground destroying everything in its path. Another explosion, bigger than the last. “Wow!” Kessa hissed.

“That one was louder.” Beth stopped writing.

“Two poles, day and a half on a horse.” Again, the bells rang twice.

“Why two poles.” Kol asked.

“One follows the path of the river. The other one was in the middle of the desert between us and the forest.” The messages from Mecca were coming faster and faster.

The sand cloud from their angle looked like nothing Kol had ever seen before. It was amazing and terrifying at the same time.

Another explosion. More messages. This time the bell didn’t stop ringing.

“Come, we must go.” She sounded.

Once they were at the city wall “protect our people and the city as best you can.” Rajaf hugged his daughter.

She kissed him on the cheek.

She moved to run but Kol grabbed her, kissing her. Now she was panting for a different reason. For a moment, both their minds were removed from the storm almost upon them. She was able to shake it off first.

She joined the garrison at the wall. “Move!” She shouted above the wind from behind them. They ran in every direction getting the elderly that couldn’t move fast enough and animals into shelter. For the most part, the streets were deserted. This was a blessed sight to her.

Mecca allowed all people to travel within its city walls. You could even spend a night or two. Kessa noticed a group of travelers had gathered under the city wall. This would offer little protection from raging sand. She knew first hand (being a soldier) what wind-blown sand could do to the human body. Six soldiers went to cover the group with a large piece of fabric. The soldiers acted as anchors at the corners and middle of the fabric. She prayed it would be enough.    

Then she remembered the wall people. She sent more soldiers to protect them.

When Kol entered the palace, screaming came to his ears. “Frego, take them to the shelter.” Frego took Rajaf and the Queen Mother to the shelter.

Kol ran toward the sounds. He stopped; his heart pounding. Everyone had gathered in the court room. Most everyone was kneeling or laying on the floor, with their heads covered with capes. People were screaming. Others were praying to heathen gods. In that moment, he was outraged.

He shouted above the wind and noise, “you deserve what you get! Whom are you praying too? What is this filth that comes to my ears?” People started rising up, amazed that he was standing before them. “From what I hear, you’re praying to the wrong god. I am disappointed, enraged, and deeply distressed over this. There is a shelter on the far side of the palace. This is not the place.” About that time, the shutters covering one of the great windows shattered. People were hit with the debris. The screaming started all over again. Everyone followed him to the shelter.

Monday School

Monday school unit: Little People, Big Messages: the kids of the Bible and what we can learn from them.

Boy with loaves and fishes (John 6)

This was written from the perspective of the little boy.

You would think that my parents would get tired. Every year, we travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Sand, walking. Walking, sand. Sand, walking. When I was smaller, I got to ride on the donkey with mom. Now I’m a ‘big boy’ and have a baby sister. I get to walk with the adults and pack our food. Dad said I needed to protect the food the same way I protect our sheep.

As we walk; dad tells us, once again the story of Moses and Pharaoh. About the plagues God brought down on Egypt because God wanted his children to be able to worship him and not the idols of Egypt. At least that’s what dad says. I don’t get to read much. Yes, I’m a ‘big boy’ and watch the sheep but reading isn’t the most important thing when you have to be on high alert to protect the sheep.

As we walk, people are moving toward a mountain. Some people are running. This one man ran past us screaming, “it’s Jesus! It’s Jesus.” He’s waving his arms, running backwards, mostly stumbles. “It’s Jesus!” I smile. It was funny watching him almost fall. But his joy is catching. I’ve heard stories about Jesus. Stories around the night fires as we watch the sheep. Fantastic stories about a man that can heal the sick. Wow! And why not? If that Moses man (with God leading the way) can part the Red Sea, then why can’t this man Jesus do great things? I’ve tried to use my hands to part water in some of mom’s cooking pots. It didn’t work. Oh, to be like Moses.

I run as fast as I can to see this man called Jesus. He was surrounded by other men. They were talking about food. This man Jesus asked that everyone sit down. And they did. Wow! From the least to the greatest, they all sat down. Dad sometimes has to chase me to get me to sit down. Is Jesus a king or something?

Wait! I have food. I’m packing our families food pouch. It’s not much. But Jesus can have it. John 6:9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish.” I got to stand in the presents of this man called Jesus. When he smiled at me and took the pouch, I felt like I was holding one of our new born sheep. It was…

I once asked dad if the sheep could feel. He said, “I’m sure they can but not like us. They scream when they are hurt.”

“But they know to come to me.” I said as a baby licked my hand. “He knows I’m not going to hurt him.” Dad just patted my head, “whatever you say son.” That’s how I felt with Jesus. He wasn’t going to hurt me. I’d never felt that from another person. Sure, mom and dad love me. This was so much more.

The men around Jesus started saying the food wasn’t enough. John 6:9 “but how far will they go among so many?” I felt a moment of anger and disappointment. Jesus winked at me and prayed over the pouch. After he prayed, I got to help hand out the food. Just when I thought we would run out more appeared. And more. And more! My dads face lit up when I (me) presented my family with food.

John 6: 13 “So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”

Twelve baskets! Wow! Who would have thought my families simple meal could have fed so many mouths. This man Jesus is awesome. Oh, to be like Jesus.

Once there was Darkness

Sandstorm

Part 1

As they were eating dinner, Beth appeared at the door. “Everyone should come outside.”

They all went outside. Beth pointed toward the Forest of Shadows, a storm was brewing. As they watched, the storm grew.

“A sand storm,” Kessa gasped. She walked over to a strange board that was standing chest high to her and angled down toward the city. It looked like a mirror and she lit a candle. She watched the city. Kol saw a similar light below.  She took another board and blocked out the light in patterns.

“What are you doing?”

“Alerting the garrison that a sandstorm has started in the deep desert.”

They in turn started sending back a message. In the distance, they heard one ring from the temple bell.

“I thought this system was in place long before both our lives.”

“That’s the beauty of it. It works that well.”

They sent her a message back. “What are they saying?”

“Can’t see.”

“I am sending back, growing. Watch for explosions.”

He was stunned, “what explosions?”

“You know those poles that we passed on the way to Garrard?” He nodded. “They are connected to explosives. When the wind rips them out of the ground, they will set off an explosion. There are five. They are placed to give us distance and width.” Beth brought out a board of some kind, an hour glass, and what looked like scribe tools.

“What are those for?” He sounded exasperated.

Frego was watching with great interest.

“Measure speed.” Kessa answered.

Beth pulled up a chair and sat down. The hour glass looked different than any hour glass he had ever seen. It had markings on it in intervals. “Beth we may not need that.” An explosion pulled their attention back in the direction of the storm. “Three days on a horse.” Beth turned the hourglass as Kessa sent a message. The bell sounded again. She paid no attention to Beth, who was writing on the board.

Kol was in shock. He glanced at his mother, who was watching the storm. He was thinking to himself; what else had Kessa done that he had no idea about? He stopped himself. Her mission was to protect him, look at the job she was doing. Not only did this work to protect him but his people. His home. Though he had done it many times before, in that moment, he thanked God that she was in his life.