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This poem is being written in stages to highlight the things I do toward frugal living.
Dogs or cats?
Chapter 44
Part 2
Two years after Kessa had left, the tension with King Bram and the Shadow People was at an impasse. War had arrived. Kol and his army stood ready outside the wall. King Brum and his army was a stones throw away.
A thing came walking up the aisle created by the space separating the two great armies. This thing was followed by a rider. The thing stopped between Kol and Brum. It was a manmade beast. A person climbed out of the beast. A small man.
“Basea,” Bram shouted. “What is the meaning of this?”
With defiance, he refused to speak. The rider drew a sword. He shook his fist at the rider before addressing Brum. “All I wanted was to marry your daughter. We loved each other. But you found me unfit and forced her to marry someone else. I swore my revenge. So I built this to bring you to your knees.”
Brum jumped from his horse. “You killed how many of my people, for what?”
“Do your worst.” Basea boldly boasted.
Brum pushed him into the mass of Shadow People. “Oh, we will.” His entire army turned and left.
Kol and Max rode up to the rider. “Thank you.” Kol finally spoke.
As the rider lowered the hood of the cloak, Max couldn’t contain his joy. “Kessa!”
She bowed her head toward Max out of respect before turning her glare at Kol, “I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Mecca.” She turned her horse and rode away.
Kol was standing on the beach. Frego, Violet and his grandson were by his side. His hair was white now. He was a shell of his former self. This was his final act as king. Final, painful act. Rajaf was dead. His icorda was floating in the ocean for all to see. A ship full of strangers had just docked with their white flag blowing gently in the breeze. The strangers lined the dock. Only one approached the royal family.
From above everyone’s head, a flaming arrow flew from the bell tower striking the icorda.
They watched as the icorda with Rajaf’s body burnt into the water.
The stranger finally spoke, “where is your queen?”
“I have no queen.” Kol answered.
“Where is Lady Kessa?” At that moment, Kessa was standing beside the stranger bow in hand. He removed his hood showing everyone his snow white hair and piercing blue eyes. Just like Kessa. “This isn’t right. This isn’t God’s plan for you.” He pointed at Kol, “you are supposed to be his queen.”
Kessa thrust her bow at this stranger, “free will.” She hissed and walked away down the beach.
Kol woke with a start. He was covered in sweat. Kessa wasn’t beside him. When he lit the candle, it was Max that answered. “Where is Kessa?”
“She is at her house my king.”
Kol ran from the palace, up the mountain to her house. His chest was on fire as he threw open the door screaming her name. He went from room to room screaming for her. Nothing. He went back outside to find Max at the door. “You said she was here.”
“She was.”
Kessa came limping from the other side of the house. “I’m here.” Beth was following her.
Kol picked her up, hugging her. His heart was still racing. His skin covered in sweat.
“What’s wrong? I mean, I like it when you’re shirtless and covered in sweat. But not like this.”
He tried to smile. “Max, I’m sorry.”
He bowed and left.
“Kes, I love you.”
“Kol, I love you. Don’t forget that.”
“Feel free to give me flowers anytime.”
Lungs burning
Yelling
Screaming
~
Fists pounding
Yelling
Screaming
~
Lungs burning
Screaming
Blood pumping
~
The voices in my heart
Silenced by the voices in my head
Screaming
~
Lungs burning
Tears streaming
Screaming
~
Curled up in a ball
Stomach churning
Screaming
~
Lungs burning
Throat sore
Screaming
Miracles
Have you ever had a conversation with someone, Christian or not that said they don’t believe in miracles? Miracles are things from the Bible. They don’t exist in todays world. Today everything is luck or coincidence. All things must have an explanation.
I believe in modern day miracles. Yesterday, I saw two. Within seconds of each other.
From the far corner of my yard, I can see a fur piece down the road. As I looked up; a child (a young boy) blew through a stop sign on a dirt bike a split second in front of a car. I saw he was a young boy after he pulled off the road and took his helmet off.
Now, I said two miracles. Yes. Two. One that the driver was able to slow down. And this child didn’t get killed.
Luck? Coincidence? I say God was watching over both driver and rider.
Do you know Jack?
Max grabbed him by the shoulders, “Jack did you do this? Is this some kind of sick joke?”
Holmes focused our attentions back to the task at hand. He tore back the covers from the bed. In the middle was a spot of blood.
“I think you will find when you examine the body, there will be a wound on the left elbow.” Holmes turned to our young visitor. “And who might you be?”
“I’d ask you the same bloody question?” He struggled against the innkeeper.
“I am Sherlock Holmes; this is my friend and colleague Doctor Watson. I believe you know the innkeeper and this is Inspector Hopkins of Scotland Yard.”
“I be Jack Brookstead.”
“I am very sorry to have to inform you of this, in this situation Mr. Brookstead; however, your mother has committed suicide.” Holmes reported dryly. “I have lots of questions to ask you Mr. Brookstead. You can answer them here, or I can encourage Inspector Hopkins to give you a more suitable venue in which to talk.”
Max released his captive but placed himself in the doorway preventing any sudden escape. Jack looked wild eyed back and forth between the three of us.
“What be your questions?”
There was a chair beside the bed. Holmes moved it over for Jack to sit in. He sat down with curious caution.
“Jack?” Holmes questioned with the tone of his voice. “Your mother apparently hung herself. Why do you think she would have done that?”
“Sure I know not.” Jack turned his nose to the ceiling.
“We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. I had much rather do it the easy way.” Holmes walked over to the window with this hands clasped behind his back. Jack said not a word. “It is apparent that your mother hung herself in the backyard of a neighbor’s house. Adhered to her chest was a note written in red.” Holmes took the piece of paper from his pocket and held it up to the wall. “As you can see Jack, they were written by the same person. Judas, Jack, why is Judas important? The phrases in this room are pleading. She is begging someone to forgive her of something. What did she do Jack? What was so unforgivable? Who did she betray? What has happened to the person that she betrayed? Why did she feel compelled to betray in the first place? What are you hiding Jack?” With each question Holmes asked his voice became more elevated. Which was not his style at all. With the last word Jack, he hissed it out. “Would you like for me to read you the story of Judas, Jack? The night stand will no doubt produce a copy of the Bible.”
You hitched a ride on my arm when I wasn’t looking.
From point A to point B.
Then stung me before I noticed. 🐝
My latest Monday school lesson.
I would like to introduce you to a man named Joseph. Some people might call Joseph a fool. Some a saint.
“The test results are in; you ARE NOT the father!”
Where would Jesus be without Joseph? Most likely DEAD! Let that sink in for a minute. DEAD. Had Joseph not been a man of character and principles, quite possibly Jesus would never have been born. Not to Mary. Not in this time. The story of the virgin birth could have been very different.
Keep in mind, as you read that things were very different in Joseph’s day.
Joseph has asked Mary’s parents to have her hand in marriage. This process is very different from getting engaged today. For all intents, they were married. Joseph when off to secure a home for he and Mary. Usually about a year. You know he’s been dreaming. A year dreaming about being with his wife, holding each other. The sound of her voice filling their home. The family they will have.
When Joseph goes to collect his wife, she smacks him in the face with “honey I’m pregnant. Now don’t get upset. I’m still a virgin. This is God’s child.”
How would this statement make you feel?
Joseph was a just man.
Broken hearted, angry, sad, yes. Love? It is obvious Joseph loved Mary. “Matt 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. KJV” You may be asking yourself, how is this love?
Leviticus 20:10 the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife … the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death’. In John 8, Jesus saved a woman who was accused of adultery and was seconds away from being stoned. KJV
Joseph loves Mary enough that he doesn’t want to cause her shame or know that she’s going to suffer the horrible death of being stoned. It’s his legal right. He choose not to act on it.
Joseph is a Godly man.
Matt 1:20, But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. KJV Joseph was a Godly man. He is a Jew. He knows the storys about a messiah. In his dream, the angel goes on to say Matt 1:22-23 that this birth will fulfill the words spoken by the prophets.
Joseph taught his son the family trade. Mark 6:3 is not this the carpenter..? KJV If Joseph hadn’t loved Jesus and accepted him as his son, why teach him the family business? Why make sure he knew how to do something to support himself and any possible family?
Luke 2: 41-50 is the last we read of Joseph in the gospels. Why is speculation. It could be because Jesus says in v 49 I must be about my father’s business. Maybe he knew his roll in Jesus’ life was fulfilled. Or maybe he passed away. Some Bible scholars believe Joseph was much older than Mary.
Even broken, God choose his characters very well. He knew when he chose Joseph to be Jesus’ Earthly father that Joseph would stand up. Joseph didn’t need test results to know he wasn’t the father. Joseph had character, principles, great love, compassion, and was a Godly man.
The Bible
Chapter 44
Part 1
Kol had asked Kessa if he could be alone tonight. She gave him his space. His mind was pulling him in a million different directions.
With a shaking hand, he pulled a bottle of wine from the cellar wall. It was covered with a thick layer of dust. Kessa would be heart broken if she knew. He just sat staring at the bottle for a long time. This day needed to go away. “Talk to me, Max.” Max stepped from the shadows. “Does Kessa know about today?”
“We’ve never talked about it, my king. But I’m sure she does.”
“Why does it have to hurt?”
“All of the events that cause you so much turmoil happened a long time ago.”
“Are you suggesting that I should be over them?”
“I’m not sure what I’m saying, my king. Just talking.”
He let out a long sigh. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Let me get Kessa. Don’t be alone tonight. Talk this through with her.”
Kol stood, hurling the bottle through the air. It hit the back wall of the cellar, shattering. He walked to the barracks with his heart in his hand. General Marcus was the first person he saw. “Do you know where Kessa could be?”
“My king, she is in the temple.”
Kol nodded and left. He found Kessa. She bowed her head, “my husband.”
“Frego informed me that for years I have been getting flowers. What do you know of it?”
She stepped very close to him. “We are not alone. Do you wish to continue this conversation?”
He whispered, “Get rid of the flowers.”
“Done.” She was gone.
A week had gone by before he had any interaction with the Bejhar. When he gave the signal, a Bejhar answered that he didn’t know. “Who are you?”
He bowed his head, “Arron my king.”
“Where is my queen?”
“No one knows.”
Kol was startled, “asked Max to come see me.”
“My king.” He bowed and left.
Arron was telling the truth, no one knew where she was. Kol walked up to her house. Beth and Petro were still there but no Kessa. “It’s as if she was never here.” Beth said sadly. Taking the king to the back of the house. There was a pile of ash. “Everything in the house that had anything to do with her is gone.” Beth left Kol alone with the pile of ash that represented a live well lived. What did this mean? Kessa was gone.
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