Friday Fiction: Come Harvest Time

It FINALLY feels like fall today! Not that I mind summer weather lasting until the end of October, but wearing short and flip-flops on Halloween just doesn't seem right.

This poem was my entry for the "Fall" challenge at Faitwriters.com last September, and I thought I'd share it in honor of the changing weather.

Be blessed,
Cat



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COME HARVEST TIME


Ava wakes to sparrow’s song
heralding dawn
and the balm of fall
fluttering in on dawn’s wing:
a harbinger
of harvest time.

Rising from her slumber,
she welcomes another day’s breaking,
but Ava is not mistaking
the herald’s proclamation of fall
riding in on dawn’s wing
with the hope
of harvest time.

Twas twelve months past
she last awakened
heart breaking open
and taking wing at dawn
to welcome fall,
recalling once more
his promise to come home
come harvest time.

The words he whispered
before he closed the door
behind him,
sealing off before from the morrow,
echo in her heart the year round.
“I’ll be back, you’ll see.
Pray for me.
And look for me this fall
come harvest time.”

Holed up in their shanty
Ava waited, marking time
by moon’s phases
and lines scratched on the door
that sealed off tomorrow from before
his promise to return
come harvest time.

Far too many
years
of months
of empty days
and lonely nights
have passed
for Ava to grasp
how long she’s been biding time
marking days
and seasons
waiting for
another
harvest time.

On this morning Ava rises
answering the sparrow’s call
with psalms of praise
and promise
of hope restored,
of bounties
stocked up for the morrow
that could be waiting now today
just outside the door.
It’s harvest time

She bathes and powders,
dresses in her Sunday best
dons jewelry, bracelets, rings,
adorns herself in finery,
and perches on the front porch swing
to watch, and listen, for signs
of his return
riding in on fall’s wing.
It’s harvest time.


There Ava passes
from today
into the harvest
of evermore.

© 2009


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Christina Banks is hosting Fiction Friday today at

her blog, With Pen in Hand. Please come join us!!

Catrina Bradley
"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes." Psalm 18:24 (Msg)

Friday Fiction: Sunday School Sendoff

A light piece of fluff today for Fiction Friday. (and a shout out to my Canookian friend, Timmy Boyle.) Have fun! And don't forget to follow the link below to more fiction!

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SUNDAY SCHOOL SENDOFF

Macy lifted a 6-foot long, L-shaped package from the top of the pile of presents. "Gee, I wonder this one is?" She caught the card dangling from the end. "From John and Debbie. Seriously, guys. A hockey stick?

"Everyone plays hockey in Canada, eh hoser?" John snickered, and poked Dianna with his elbow.

"John's right. I think it's a law there. 'All Canadians will participate in the game of ice hockey.'"

"And what kind of impression would that make on your new church, the pastor's wife breaking the law right off the bat? They might send you back."

Macy tore the last of the bright red wrapping from the blade. "Ha ha. Watch it or I'll find another use for my new hockey stick." She waved it toward them and scowled before bursting into laughter and grabbing another present from the stack.

"From Jerry and Linda." Macy ripped the paper off the box and opened the lid. "Oooh!! Did you make this?"

Jerry piped up, "Yeah, I slaved for hours knitting under a hot lamp. Killed my arthritis."

"Riiiight." Macy extracted the end of scarf created from the softest, deepest blue yarn and brushed it across her cheek. "Mmmm, nice. So, seriously. Did you make this, LINDA?" She continued unwinding the scarf out of the box and wrapped it around her neck, and wrapped it, and wrapped it. "And did you make it long enough?"

"We know how cold it is up there in the Great White North. We wanted to make sure you were covered."

"Thanks, guys, I love it. And I love you. I love all of you." Tears started shining in her eyes. "I can't believe you did this for me."

"You've been the best Sunday School teacher we've had, and we're going to miss you. We wanted to do something special for you, as a class." Linda had to grab a tissue and dab her own eyes.

"Don't worry, the church will have another party for you and Pastor Stephen," Jerry said. "You know us. Any reason to get together and eat." As if to prove his point, he plucked another donut off the plate in the center of the table bit off a mouthful.

Laughter danced around the room, and Macy was grateful the somber moment was over. She dreaded breaking down in front of her class, her family, and she had come precariously close. The day was nearing when she would have to say goodbye to them, but until then she wanted to fill every minute with joy.

She opened another brightly wrapped box. "Electric socks? They make electric socks? Oh, I forgot, this one's from Deb and Ernie. Very cool, guys. Thanks!"

"Oh, you betcha," Ernie said. "Can't have you getting frostbite, now can we, eh? Mighty cold up there like Linda says."

"You guys crack me up. Ok, this one is from Amelia. Thanks for missing your youth class to come to my party today, Amelia." She removed the delicate pink tissue paper from the box. "Oh, a book light! Thanks, sweetie."

The girl seemed transfixed by the button on her jacket she was fidgeting with. "I wasn't sure if they had electricity up there yet, and I think it's like completely dark for like 10 or 11 months out of the year, and I knew you wouldn't want to go that long without reading your Bible, so I figured it would come in handy, you know?" She finally lifted her baby blues to look at Macy.

"Beauty."


"Ernie, hush."


"Sorry, Deb."

Macy wasn't sure which part of Amelia's answer to tackle first. "You're right - I sure wouldn't want to go that long without reading my Bible, but I'm almost positive they have electricity where we're going. It will be great for reading in bed, tho! I'm going to love it." She opted to let the rest of it go.

"See, Mrs. Macy, that's why I'm going to miss you so much. You're always so nice even when you're correcting me. What am I gonna do without you?"

"Oh, Amelia, you'll be just fine. See, I've been teaching Mrs. Deb and Mrs. Diane and Mrs. Linda for a whole lot of years now. They're just as nice as I am, I promise. Give them a chance to show you."

"And the rest of you, the bell's about to ring. So, take off hosers! Wait! Just kidding. I need you to help me clean up this mess."

© 2009




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Karlene is hosting Fiction Friday today at

Homespun Expressions. Please come join us!!

Catrina Bradley
"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes." Psalm 18:24 (Msg)

Book Review: Cardan's Pod

Cardan's Pod
by Rick Higginson

I was intrigued by the premise of a book about mermaids, and being familiar with Mr. Higginson's work, I've been especially looking forward to reading "Cardan's Pod."

It exceeded all my expectations.

I didn't expect the "mythical" creatures to be so human - complete with emotions, needs and desires. Mr. Higginson makes the unbelievable easy to believe.

But this isn't just a sci-fi story about mermaids - also it's a murder mystery, love story, adventure novel, and medical thriller, where mermaids happen to play central roles in the unfolding drama.

I only wish the ending hadn't come so soon. The last few months covered in the book were skimmed over, and I wanted more details! That is a compliment to the author - he drew me so into the life of the Pod, I felt let down when I was shut out of their lives.

Cardan's Pod is a quick read, but is by no means shallow. You will not regret reading this book.


My rating: 4.5 out of 5




Catrina Bradley
"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes." Psalm 18:24 (Msg)

Friday Fiction: Genesis: Morning Has Broken Me

The stunning rainbow God painted this week made me think of this story I wrote for the "Wow" challenge topic at FaithWriters. I've done a little tweaking - hopefully I helped it instead of hurting it. Enjoy!

GENESIS: MORNING HAS BROKEN ME

"Mommy, come look!" Bounce. "You gotta come see." Bounce bounce. "Come on Mommy, get up!" bounce, "get up!" bounce, "get up!"

Grrr. Seriously, God? My grand plan to sleep in on my Saturday off has been thwarted. My exuberant five-year old is causing a small earthquake in the region of Ma Bedville.

I yank the covers over my head and growl for real. "What little Bear is bouncing on Mamma Bear's bed?" My attempt at a ferocious roar is cut short by a squealing, 24-pound Beatrice plopping on top of me.

"Momm-MMY! Come ON!" She yanks at the covers, starting a wrestling match that, of course, I let my Beatle-Bear win. How can I not? Losing means I get to harvest joy from looking at those big brown eyes swimming inside her swarming halo of golden tresses.

"Whyyyy?" I whine, "I don't wanna get up. Come on, snuggle with me, Beatle-Bear." I try to pull her into a spoon, but she won't have it.

"No, Mommy, you gotta come see. It’s a wow!"

She bounces off of me and out of the bed and tugs on my hand. I tumble after her with a flop and let her drag me to her room. She prances to the window and jabs her finger at the glass. "See? See the wow?"

I stand beside her and gaze out at the new morning. The sun has just peeped over the trees, painting a pastel backdrop on the sky, and dew sparkles like a web of diamonds spun over creation. God had, indeed, painted a wow.

I rnn my hand over her tousled hair. "Thank you for showing me the sunrise, Beatrice. That's a pretty good wow." I bend down and kiss on top of her head, stifling a yawn.

"NO, Mommy, over there. See?" She’s jumping up and down and pointing across me, to the right.

I sidle over to stand behind her so I can see what her pudgy little finger is pointing at.

"See the wow?"

"Oh, wow! Yeah, Bea-Bea, now I do."

I pull her warm little body into my arms and stand hypnotized by the sight. A dancing prism of color spans the dew-bejeweled trees at the side of the yard, creating a glittering rainbow across windbreak.

My little Beatle-Bear spins around and turns her face up to mine. "You always show me the wows, Mommy. An' I wanted to show you this time, kay?"

She grabs my hand again, spins around, and points out the window. "Wow! It's the raimbow of God's promise." She turns back and looks up at me. "Now, I'm gonna pray just like you do, 'kay? Bow your head, Mommy." She takes my other hand and watches to make sure I obey.

Tears drip onto the front of my rumpled sleepshirt as my little one leads me in prayer.

"Dear God, Thank you for wows. Thank you for raimbows and for promises and for loving us. Thank you for Mommy. Please tell Daddy I love him. And thank you for Jesus. Amen."

Wow, God. I snuffle in and swallow. That's my girl. That's Your girl. Thank you.

I squeeze her hands. "Dear God, Thank you painting beautiful sunrises and rainbows for us, because sometimes we need a wow to remind us how very much you love us. Thank you for Beatrice, God, my precious little Beatle-Bear. Please take care of Daddy. And thank you for Jesus and for our home with You in Heaven, the forever treasure at the end of your rainbow. Amen."


***

"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." Genesis 9:16 (NIV)

© 2010

Our host for Friday Fiction today is Rick Higginson (Hoomi) at Pod Tales and Ponderings. Add a link to your own fiction (after reading his story, of course), or just follow the links and read along. Don't forget to leave an encouraging word to let the writers know you are reading! 

Catrina Bradley

"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes."
Psalm 18:24