Pencil in His Hand: A Mother's Journal of Stories, Thoughts, and Poems.

  Why Short Stories? Dear Readers, Welcome back to the blog. Why short stories? I have asked myself that question quite a few times. Why write  short stories when you could do something much more impressive, like write a novel or a non-fiction book? 1) Short Stories are just that: short. They take much less time to write and to read. Yet they can still transport the reader to another world and make you fall in love with, or at least relate to their characters. 2) Short Stories make good platforms for getting your message across whether subtly or more obviously. Many short stories contain a moral or lesson, or perhaps just a comment. 3) Short stories are often fun to read as they are fast paced and use words economically. 4) Short stories are less likely to cause the Christian reader to neglect his/her Bible. You may not have thought of this, but as enjoyable as novels are, they take a great deal of time to read, with the result that we may neglect Bible reading, prayer, and ch...

  Changed Lives Part Seven "Sixteen weeks along, now, Wren. It's time for your first ultrasound." Wren's doctor opened her file. "Would the two of you like to know the sex the baby?" "Yes. We would. Gretchen is dying to know if she can buy pink." Wren laughed. "It would be nice, doctor, but it's OK with us if you can't see." "Girl or boy is fine with us." Jasper added. Once gel had been smoothed over Wren's belly, the doctor began his examination. Wren and Jasper's eyes were glued to the screen.  "There's the heart." The doctor told them. "And it's beating good and strong." With his help, Wren and Jasper's baby appeared before them as it floated in its temporary home.  "Ah. I see." The doctor took a second look, then nodded. "It's a girl. Definitely a girl." "A girl. Oh, Jasper. A girl." Wren stared at the screen. She was really having a baby. A sw...

  Changed Lives Part Six (A little early. :) The last part will be posted tomorrow, and stand alone stories and other posts will commence again from Monday, God willing.) Eli's heart felt a great deal lighter as he entered the Chapel. He was no longer bound to the legalistic church he'd attended for so many years. Perhaps now, he would finally be able to settle down. That is, once he'd spoken to Pastor Roberts. He felt the need to be part of a church, and something about the Chapel felt right. After the service, Eli shook hands with the pastor. The man's friendly handshake put him at his ease. "Pastor, I'd like to become a member here. You see, I've left Mount Sinai officially. Now I need a new church home." "Have a seat, Eli." Pastor Roberts gestured to a pew. "It always makes me happy when people say they need a church home. If there's one thing people need apart from sound Biblical teaching, it's fellowship. I need to ask you ...

  Changed Lives Part Five A couple of weeks later, Gretchen headed to the popular farmer's market. She'd fed her guests well with a full English breakfast: now the dishwasher was loaded, and Gretchen was looking forward to her outing. Homemade preserves were on her list, as well as free range eggs, and the usual vegetables. She smiled as she wondered what else she might find. Perhaps a handmade baby blanket? Wren was about four months along now and Gretchen could hardly wait for the little one's arrival.  The thought of buying something for the little one was so much on her mind that she stopped by the crafters' stands first. There were plenty of booties and other hand knitted baby clothes on display, but Gretchen's eyes were drawn to the crochet afghans. One made up of pink, gray, and white granny squares caught her eye. She wished she knew whether the baby was a girl or a boy. She selected a pretty white matinée set instead to put away. Gretchen decided to wander ...

  Changed Lives Part Four Eli had settled on a hire tractor for the moment. That Monday, he put it to good use leveling and grading the sizeable piece of ground he'd marked off for his barn. As he worked he mulled over the weekend. First, his visit with the Merton's and Gretchen, the happy news, and the interesting conversation they'd had over coffee. That conversation had led him to do something he'd never thought he'd do. He had attended not only one, but two services at the Chapel on Sunday. He'd come away convinced that something was seriously wrong with his own church. At the Chapel, he'd met up with the Merton's and with Gretchen again. They, along with the pastor and other folk, had welcomed him warmly. After the service, Eli had spoken for some time with the Pastor, and he'd come away with a great deal to think about. *** Eli finished grading, then headed for his truck. He needed to fetch his first load of timber from the hardware store. Putt...

Changed Lives Part Three It was Monday, and all the bed and breakfast's guests had left that morning. Gretchen felt free to sing "Blessed Assurance" as loudly as she wanted to whilst she changed the sheets. Her bed and breakfast, Gretchen's Getaway, boasted three double rooms and two singles. All of the bedrooms had at least a partial mountain view, as Kelby was encircled by them. Shade and fruit trees also graced the view, along with flowering shrubs and an ample lawn. Gretchen's guests could enjoy the country sunsets from the gazebo or enjoy the splash pool on hot days. The house, a gracious old lady, had been in her family for years. Gretchen, who'd never married, lived in the granny flat, but she loved pottering about in the house, cooking in the spacious kitchen, and making her guests feel at home. Her next guests would only be arriving on Wednesday, so she had plenty of time to give all of the bedrooms and bathrooms a good clean. If she worked quickly, s...

  This cottage is just the kind that I was imagining. :) Changed Lives Part Two Eli Walker left his stand in the care of one of his farm hands, and walked steadfastly past the tempting treats on display at the market. There was a tractor show going on this week, and he was in the market for a new one. It needed to have all the attachments too, for he was getting ready to clear some of his land for a new barn. Unlike many other farmers in the area, Eli didn't grow fruit. Instead, he raised free range meat birds and laying hens. He kept goats too, as well as cows and a couple of horses. That's how he'd gotten to know Harvey Blakeway: the best farrier in the area. Or at least, he had been. Eli sighed as he remembered his good friend, gone for more than four years now. He missed stopping at the forge for coffee and a chat with the soft spoken man, who'd often had wise advice to give. Eli walked up and down the rows of shiny machines. He wondered which one Harvey would appro...

  Introduction Dearest Readers, Welcome once more to Kelby, the quaint town we recently visited as we got to know Wren, from Wren Comes Home. I thought that you might enjoy spending more time in this peaceful place. Who can resist blue-purple coloured mountains, fruit trees, and grape vines? Don't forget Wren and Jasper's spot, the stream, which bubbles along near old fruit trees. Of course, you'll enjoy strolling through Kelby itself, with its Victorian cottages complete with broekie lace, oak flooring, and deep cool verandahs. These old houses were built a long, long time ago using local stone, which keeps them lovely and cool during the hot summers. Wren has moved into Jasper's house, which is a lot like the one I've just described. It has a breathtaking view of the mountains on the other side of the valley, and has a garden filled with peach trees. You will often find Wren and Jasper enjoying the cool of the evening on their verandah. I'll let you pop in and...

  Author's note: This short story is a little epilogue to my novelette, "Whispers Of Wales," which can be bought here: Link This story has been translated from Afrikaans. It's good to remember, that translating can be a bit tricky. I hope you still enjoy the story, and that it will give you a peek into Whispers Of Wales. :) A Walk In Wales James and Ruby were driving from Cardigan to Llangdygydd. Newly wed, they were on their dream honeymoon. Both were seasoned genealogists, having done months of research into their family backgrounds. A couple of James' ancestors had immigrated from Ireland to South Africa, and Ruby's Great Grandmother had been born in Wales. Now, they were actually there, and Ruby couldn't believe that she was about to see Llangdygwydd. The little place with the unpronouncable name was the birthplace of her Great Grandmother. "It's unbelievably green." Ruby drank in the passing scene. "Look! Sheep!" Her forefather...

  Author's note: This story has been translated from the original Afrikaans. Translation can be a tricky thing, and sometimes things get lost. :) I hope you are still encouraged by this Haifa inspired read. I lived there for a while as a little girl. An Au Pair In Israel It sounded as though the doves in the fir trees knew that it was nap time. Their soft and tender song echoed through the garden, a fitting soundtrack for a toddler to nap by. Adeleen Pelser was relieved to reach the apartment as she carried a sleepy toddler on one hip whilst carrying the stroller. Here in Haifa, she thought, you had to be fit. It's a busy city built on a hill, that even has a cable car. But Adeleen was young, and she'd excelled at netball at her South African school. For most of her life, she'd dreamed of seeing the world and writing and vlogging about her adventures. She'd saved nearly all of her waitressing money from the age of sixteen. With a bit of help from her parents, she...