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

  AN INTEREST IN IRELAND (A mini sequel to "Whispers of Wales.) Here is the link to that story in case you haven't read it   Link *** James Mac Kay opened his laptop, ready to search one more time. He was sitting on the deck of his antique- cum- coffee shop prior to opening time.The waves crashed noisily beyond the railway line but James ignored them. His time was limited. Inspired by his girlfriend Ruby's success, he wanted to search the ships' lists once more. His great-grandfather, Henry Mac Kay, had been born in Belfast. He'd come over to South Africa from Ireland as a young man. James knew he had been a carpenter, just like Ruby's great-grandfather. What's more, James actually owned a book case made by his Irish ancestor. He quickly found the site he liked to use, and typed in the details. James had searched several times in the past with no results. But new records were constantly being added to the site and he hadn't checked in a while. He search...

  WHISPERS OF WALES A NOVELETTE BY ALISON LAWRENCE CHAPTER ONE Ruby merged with the traffic taking the city off ramp. It was a cloudless summer day in Cape Town; Table Mountain was devoid of its famous tablecloth. It felt good to be free on this early December day, with Mercy Me setting the tone with one of their upbeat songs. Ruby's fourth grade class had wished her a happy Christmas and she and they were on holiday until mid January. The traffic light ahead turned red and Ruby tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. She thought of all the things she wanted to do in her off time; cleaning her apartment was on the list, along with shopping and going to the beach, but as far as she was concerned, she had begun with the most pressing item: paying a long -overdue visit to the city archives.                                        It took a few turns around the stately building before R...

  First Love Everlee Lewis reluctantly placed her Bible and notes on the bedside table. As she brushed her almost blonde hair into a ponytail and applied just a whisper  of make-up, Everlee's thoughts returned to Ruth of the Bible. How faithful, determined, and brave the young woman had been. It must have been incredibly challenging to set out for an unknown land with only her mother-in-law beside her. And yet she had. Ruth's courage and determination now lived on in the small book which bore her name. Everlee pulled a sky blue cardigan over the simple ankle length dress she wore. It didn't take long to gather up her bag and secure the windows and door of her compact apartment. Down on the street, the busy work day was well under way. Everlee found herself yearning for the relative peace of her small home. The sounds of the city rushed to greet her: clanging, beeping, squealing, and hollering. She wrinkled her nose at the exhaust fumes of the passing traffic. At least Ruth ...

    A Legacy for Lissa and other Stories By Alison Lawrence Copyright owner: Alison Lawrence. 2023. A Legacy for Lissa and Other Stories is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people is coincidental. Bible quotations from: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ® ESV ® Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Cover Photo by: Lance Reis. Unsplash. Dedication: To my Dad, Errol Foxcroft. Contents: A Legacy For Lissa Days of Lack, Days of Love Willow Song In His Footsteps Afterword A Legacy for Lissa Lissa found the card when she was packing her room up. She was leaving home. Long cherished memories tugged at her heart as she opened the old birthday card. "I will always love you." May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His peace." All my love, Granny."  That was the last time she'd heard from her gran. On her...

    Lily's Journey. A Free Inspirational Short Story LILY'S JOURNEY By Alison Lawrence Copyright: Alison Lawrence. 2023.All rights reserved The sun glimmered gold in the eucalyptus trees surrounding the old farmhouse. A gentle breeze made the shimmering leaves sparkle against the evening sky. Lily was on her way to feed her chickens and close them up for the night, but she paused for a moment, grateful for the feel of the cool breeze on her face. What was it about eucalyptus trees? They seemed to stir a certain nostalgia in her soul: a longing perhaps. Telling herself off for daydreaming, she returned to the task at hand. Her chickens were healthy and laying well. They brought in a side income, but Lily would have kept them even if they hadn't. The farm wasn't the largest on the West Coast, but it was perfect for them. Caleb's parents had retired from farming leaving the family farm to Caleb and his young bride. They now lived happily in a small coastal town. Lily s...