A Christmas Story

Blogging Friends.... I wrote this Christmas-themed story years ago. It was inspired by our cat. This is a true story. Well, sort of!! My creative Brain Juices and I fictionalized this story!! Then, sometime during a minor mood swing in early November, I strangely needed to fight hard for my love of writing. So it was rewritten!! And boy, did I made several changes!! Heads up. This is my longest children's story yet!! So far!!  

"Creating beautiful mosaic artwork" with the broken, shattered pieces of my dream to be a published author....

 For my dear Blogging Friends who have children. You may print this story off and read it to them!! I am alright with that!! Enjoy!!

"A Very Important Journey"

It was Christmastime. Festive holiday songs were being played on the radio. Sweet-smelling cookies and candy had just been made. Seasonal decorations were displayed all over the house. And in one bedroom, there was a cute tiny Nativity Scene set up on Ramona's dresser. Mary wore her red dress. The loyal grey donkey which safely carried Mary to Bethlehem lie down, resting. Joseph wore yellow. Baby Jesus slept cross-legged in his manger. A brown cow lie on the ground. An angel wore her blue dress. A shepherd carried this little grey lamb over his shoulders. He wore ragged clothes. One little grey lamb lie on the ground. Three Wise Men held their gold, frankincense and myrrh. One day, Ramona's curious long-haired, yellow-eyed, grey kitten, named Noel, jumped up onto her bedroom dresser.

"Oh!!" Noel excitedly said, "Something new to play with!! All for me!!"

She then bit into a tiny Wise Man. Noel's sharp teeth touched him. She was playfully batting the Wise Man around with two paws, throwing her new toy across Ramona's bedroom. Oh, what fun!! Noel thought. She had been running after the Wise Man, when, to her surprise, it suddenly came alive and talked!!

"What are you doing? What are you doing?" the Wise Man asked in a deep voice, "Leave me alone!!"

Noel jumped back in surprise. She stopped playing. The Wise Man cannot talk!! Noel thought, It is a piece of decoration!! Now Noel was scared, her yellow kitten eyes open wide. She just sat in a corner of Ramona's bedroom, still and quiet.

"What were you doing?" the Wise Man asked again, "I am on a very important journey!! Well, I was. Until you stopped me!!"

Still scared, Noel slowly walked toward the Wise Man. An important journey? she wondered, You are a Christmas decoration!! What "important journey"? Understandably, Noel did not believe anything that this Wise Man was telling her. The decoration talked? And it was on an "important journey"? she thought. Everything felt like some wonderful mystery to be solved. And, as a curious kitten, Noel loved this!! She slowly stepped closer to her mystery Wise Man. Closer and closer and closer. She kept her distance, reached out a long front paw, then batted at the Wise Man three or four times.

"Ouch!! Ouch!! Ouch!!" the Wise Man cried, "Wait just a minute!! Now what are you doing?"

"I am playing!!" said Noel happily.

Wait, Noel thought, Did I just talk to a Christmas decoration?! I must be going crazy!!

The Wise Man kept talking. "Let me go!! I must leave!! I have somewhere to go!!"

Finally, Noel answered the Wise Man. "W-w-what very important journey? Where are you going to?"

Suddenly, Noel was not scared anymore. Noel felt more curious than she had ever been in her entire life!!

The Wise Man then raised his deep voice, as though he was proudly shouting an announcement, loud and clear.

"I am going to Bethlehem," the Wise Man answered, "There I will meet a Baby. He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords. This Baby is our Savior. He will save a world of lost and hurting people."

"Wait. What?!" interrupted Noel, "A baby is King? You are kidding me!! A baby? A baby will save a world of lost and hurting people? How so?"

Now, the Wise Man had captured Noel's undivided attention. She was listening.

"His name is Jesus," the Wise Man continued, "See, God sent Him, a human Child, and placed this Baby inside the tummy of Mary. It was an incredible miracle!! And all a part of God's wonderful Plan."

The Wise Man had been slow and patient with explaining everything to Noel. At first. But suddenly, this Christmas decoration was in a hurry.

"I must go!!" the Wise Man said, "I need to find the other two kings!! I must go!! Together, we were walking many, many, many miles while following a very bright light in the skies called Yonder Star!! And you carried me away from them!!"

The Wise Man looked up. Both he and Noel were standing on grey carpet. To the Wise Man, Ramona's dresser looked like a high, tall, scary mountain.

"They are up there, somewhere!!" the Wise Man said, "They are up there!! Trying to find the Prince of Peace without me!! And, where am I? Where am I? Down here on the floor!! How am I supposed to get back up to that dresser? Jump?"

Noel looked at the Christmas decoration. He was small, helpless, and seemed very, very worried.

"I will help you!!" Noel said, "After all. I was the one who got you into this problem. It is my fault. I can carry you back up to the other kings!! It is no problem!!"

"Oh, thank-you!!" the Wise Man said, "Thank-you!! Thank-you!! Thank-you!!"

Noel paused for one second.

"But," Noel said, "You have to let me come with you on this important journey!!"

The Wise Man smiled. Noel, with a childlike heart, wanted to meet Baby Jesus, as well!!

"I'd love for you to come along!!" the Wise Man said, "I truly would!! Just help me back up to the top of that dresser. We shall then follow Yonder Star!! This will lead us to Baby Jesus!!"

Noel opened her mouth, and the Wise Man walked inside. He was safe. It felt wet inside Noel's mouth, and everything smelled like fish. But the Wise Man was well on his way to meeting Baby Jesus. Once Noel reached Ramona's dresser, she saw them. The other two kings!! They were slowly walking, their tiny eyes staring up at Yonder Star. And what a sight!! Yonder Star was so very bright, it looked as though angels were pointing some flashlight from dark, dark skies!!

Noel bent down, opened her mouth, and gently set the Wise Man free.

"Wait," Noel said, sounding energetic, "That is Yonder Star?! It's huge!!"

The Wise Man smiled big.

"Yes," he said, "Yonder Star is unlike anything that we have ever seen in these nighttime skies!! Unlike anything. This is how we know that a Savior has been born!! See. Yonder Star was placed in these skies by God, as a sign from Him, so that we will know where to find Baby Jesus!!"

Now the three Wise Men, their camel, and Noel walked. They walked. And walked. And walked. For many, many, many miles. They were on their way to meeting Baby Jesus!! The journey was long and hard. Dry sand seemingly covered everything, like one big beach without water. Many times Noel felt thirsty. And hungry. Sand crawled into her little paws. Every part of Noel's body hurt. Sand blew into her pointy ears and yellow eyes. She could hardly see anything, except for Yonder Star. But the kitten did not complain. She could not complain. Noel kept walking. Her yellow eyes continued to stare up at Yonder Star. For Noel knew that she was on the adventure of a lifetime!! And after about two or three years of walking, they entered Bethlehem, this small town.

"Interesting," the Wise Man said, his deep voice confused, yet still full of faith, "I do not understand. Where is He? Where the King of kings, Lord of lords?"

"Now, wait just one minute," Noel said, "You mean to tell me that we have walked all this way. I've left the comfort of my own warm home. And you do not even know where Baby Jesus is?!"

Noel was very upset. But the Wise Man just smiled. He was calm. They looked around town. But Jesus was nowhere to be found. Nowhere. See, Joseph and Mary had to take an important journey much like theirs, with many, many, many miles and dangers. Because there was a very, very, very bad man, named King Harod, who wanted Baby Jesus dead. They walked sandy grounds while Jesus was growing inside Mary's tummy, then some more after His Birth. Which explains why the Wise Men and Noel could not find their Savior. Then.... They saw them!! Joseph, a carpenter, was carving something out of wood. Mary protectively watched Jesus closely. And Jesus was not a little Baby anymore!! No. Jesus was a Toddler!!

Upon seeing Noel, Jesus' little Hands gently touched her soft, long, grey fur. She purred loudly and proudly.

"What comfort of my warm home?" Noel whispered, "I have made it!! I've met my Savior!! Nothing else matters."

 

   

   

Thanksgiving!!

Dedicated in memory of my dear, dear friend, Amber, who passed away from multiple sclerosis at age 19 on September 27th, 2008.

Blogging Friends.... I never pictured myself as being someone who writes fictional children's stories. It just sort of mysteriously happened!! Not that I am complaining. I love writing children's stories!! Each time I do, I'm "creating beautiful mosaic artwork" with the pieces of my broken, shattered dream!! This children's story began as a poem. Which, I'm afraid, sucked!! Well, I turned the poem into a children's story!! For my dear Blogging Friends who have kids. You may print this story off and read it to them!! I am alright with that!! Enjoy!!

  

"Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims"

It was a freezing cold November morning, with clear blue skies, no white fluffy clouds in sight. Thanksgiving Day. Smells of plump turkey, seasoned stuffing, and creamy mashed potatoes filled the house. Yum!! Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was on television, with famous singers, character floats, dancing, plus, of course, Santa Claus. Phaedra and her brother, Moses, were sitting in the living room, watching it. Well, Phaedra seemed a bit distracted. Something was clearly bothering her, and sweet, sensitive Moses knew.

"Are you alright?" asked Moses, "You're not watching the parade!!" He then pointed to a character float. "Look!! It is Clifford the Big Red Dog!!"

"I am just thinking about and missing Amber." said Phaedra.

Amber was a dear friend of Phaedra's. They used to write letters back and forth. But Amber was very, very, very sick. First, she lost her eyesight, and became blind. Then, Amber could not walk anymore. She needed a wheelchair. And, sadly, just two months ago, on September 27th, Amber died.

"I wonder if Amber misses Thanksgiving?" asked Phaedra, "She always loved holidays and her family. I wonder if Amber misses the tasty food?"

Phaedra looked sad, like she was going to cry. Then, as some famous singer from a Disney Channel show sang on the television screen, Moses stopped watching, and looked at his sister. But he smiled. Because a warm, happy thought just crossed Moses' mind.

"Oh, but Phaedra," he said, "Amber is in Heaven!! Do you know what that means?"

"No," answered Phaedra, tears now filling her eyes, "What does it mean?"

"Amber is having Thanksgiving dinner with the Pilgrims!! They lived a long, long time ago, remember? We learned about the Pilgrims in school!! Remember? They sailed far, far away in a crowded ship called "The Mayflower" from England to America. Friendly Indians lived there. One of them, named Squanto, even taught the Pilgrims how to hunt for deer, find berries and herbs, and plant corn!!"

"Then," Moses finished, "The Pilgrims invited their Indian friends to a huge Thanksgiving dinner!!"

Phaedra scowled, her face looking confused.

"What does all of this have to do with Amber?" she asked.

"Well. Many of the Pilgrims died of sickness, too, like Amber did," answered Moses. "Now, they are living in Heaven, with Jesus and singing angels!! So is Amber!! I believe that in Heaven there's a huge Thanksgiving dinner, even better than ours!!"

Moses' voice grew excited, as Phaedra listened. He had captured her attention.

"There is a long, long table, like the one they used in The Last Supper," Moses continued, "Picture this. There is a lot of food to eat. Plump turkey. Seasoned stuffing. Creamy mashed potatoes. Bright red cranberry. Soft sweet potatoes. Corn casserole. Gamey deer. Seafood-smelling lobster. Goose.... Without the feathers, of course. Crunchy onions. Sweet, healthy berries."

Phaedra's tummy growled. All this talk about Amber's Thanksgiving dinner with the Pilgrims made her hungry!!

"And then there is dessert!!" Moses went on, "Sweet, creamy cheesecake. Crunchy pecan pie. Chocolate. Lots and lots and lots of chocolate!! Spicy pumpkin pie. And so much more!!"

Phaedra licked her lips. The thought of such Heavenly desserts got her "sweet tooth" going!! Forget dinner. Now Phaedra only wanted dessert!! Yummy!!

"And that is just dessert!!" continued Moses, "Sitting around the long, long table are Pilgrims, dressed in their period clothing. Real-life Pilgrims, not somebody pretending to be them. Moms are wearing dresses and bonnets on their heads. They have been busy getting all this tasty food ready for eating. And now they're serving it in Heaven!! Dads are wearing baggy pants, buckled shoes, plus hats. They're patiently waiting for food. Angels are playing harps like little guitars, and singing lovely songs. Jesus is sitting at the head of this long, long table, smiling. And then there is Amber!! Blond haired, blue-eyed, completely healed from her sickness. She is sitting at the long, long table right next to Pilgrims!!"

Now Phaedra was smiling. Moses did just paint a neat picture!!

"See, Phaedra?" said Moses, "Amber has a lot to be thankful for this year. She is free from her sickness. Angels sing. She gets to have Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims. And, best of all? Amber is face-to-face with Jesus!!"

Both Phaedra and Moses smiled at such a beautiful thought. Amber having Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims. Such a beautiful thought, indeed.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Blogging Friends.... This story has been lingering about within my head for several months now. In a billion pieces, like broken, shattered china dishes. {Wink, wink!!} But, as my Brain Juices write this story, I shall create beautiful mosaic artwork!! {Smirk, smirk, smirk!!} October happens to be National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We, personally, know a dear, dear friend who is currently battling it right now. Also. I "know" at least twain Blogging Friends whose lives have been deeply touched by this horrible disease. Sandy. And Rama's Mama. Our personal friend has four young children at home. I know that Rama's Mama is a mother, as well. In such circumstances, breast cancer does not only effect its patient, but her family, as well. To our personal friend's children. S. G. A. and N., this story is for you!!

Two days later than promised, here it is!!      

"Bubbles the Bubblegum Bunny"

"Children, let me tell you a story," Daphne, this kind, soft-spoken librarian said. "One that has not been written in any book that you will find on these shelves." The children were wide-eyed in curiosity.

"There is a legend which likes to be told, an old story, about this bunny rabbit named Bubbles."

Then, every one of the children laughed out loud until their tummies hurt. "Bubbles?!", they squealed. "That is a funny name!! Bubbles!!" And every one of the children kept laughing. Their Moms had to quiet them!! Because, after all, they were in the library where its only rule is silence!!

But there was one sweet boy, named Seth, who never laughed. "Bubbles?", he said in a shy little voice. "I have never heard of him. Who is Bubbles?" Then Daphne said, her voice sounding shocked, "What?! You have never heard of Bubbles the Bubblegum Bunny?!"

Suddenly, every other child stopped laughing. Daphne had captured their attention like the good librarian that she was. "Well, sit down," said Daphne. "And listen!! It is a good story." And listen every one of the children did.

 "It all started in a rabbit hole, this underground house....", Daphne began.

"Bubbles was just like any other bunny. He had ten brothers and ten sisters, a big family. His favorite food was orange carrots pulled out of farmers' gardens. He lived in a rabbit hole, and had lots of bunny friends. 

Plus his fur was brown, normal for bunnies. One afternoon, Bubbles hopped outside his rabbit hole to play with friends. And. His fur was not brown, anymore. No. It was a light pink color!! Upon seeing this, every one of Bubbles' bunny friends laughed and called him names. They were mean, hurtful words, too.

'Bubbles?!' 'Is that you?' 'Look at his pink fur!!' 'Bubbles thinks he is a girl!!' 'Yeah!!' 'Hey, I know!! Bubbles is the color of Bubblegum!!' 'Yeah!!' 'He is Bubbles the Bubblegum Bunny!!'

Then they all chanted this together, their voices becoming one.

'Bubbles the Bubblegum Bunny!! Bubbles the Bubblegum Bunny!! Bubbles the Bubblegum Bunny!!'

Then they all hopped away together, laughing, as though some funny joke had just been told, leaving poor Bubbles all alone.

There is a saying that goes like this. 'Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.' Whoever wrote that must have never been called mean, hurtful names. Because, those words left Bubbles with fresh wet tears falling down his pink fuzzy cheeks. He then slowly hopped back into his rabbit hole. It was not long before Irena, Bubbles' Mom, saw him.

'What is wrong? I thought you were going outside to play with your friends!!'

Then, wet tears still touching his pink fuzzy cheeks, Bubbles told Irena the story.

'I see', Irena said, a soft sadness in her voice. 'Where are your friends now? Come on, Bubbles. Let's go find them, you and me.'

So. Irena and Bubbles hopped outside their rabbit hole on a search to find these bunnies. This did not take very long. Because every one of Bubbles' friends were playing together.

And then they saw Irena. She did not have brown-colored fur. Or pink, for that matter!! As though somebody had shaved her, Irena was completely bald!!

'I have breast cancer,' Irena boldly explained. 'My doctors are giving me a medication, called chemotherapy. It helps fight the breast cancer. But chemotherapy can also make you lose your fur. See. Bubbles was not trying to be weird--or girly--by dying his fur pink. That is the breast cancer color!! Bubbles was simply trying to make a statement. He wanted you all to know about breast cancer. Bunnies, do not laugh at and make fun of someone just because he is acting a little different. Please. Because until you hop a mile in their feet, you'll never understand what they are going through.'

Then, every one of Bubbles' bunny friends stopped laughing and making fun. They even invited their pink-furred pal to play!! The end.", finished Daphne.

"So see, children. Do not laugh at and make fun of someone just because he is acting a little different. Remember that. Because until you walk a mile in their shoes, you'll never understand what they are going through."

Then, every one of the children nodded their heads in agreement. They, too, were not laughing anymore. For the children had learned a good lesson in Daphne's "Bubbles the Bubblegum Bunny" story!!  

Happy September!!

Blogging Friends.... Thank-you again for every comment on this new Blog's first post the other day!! I truly appreciated it!! September. I love this time of year!! As I promised, here is the children's story that I wrote during our cabin stay last month. Which was inspired by my niece, Little Munchkin. A huge fanatic of Curious George, she kept pointing at monkeys!! They were everywhere!! For my Blogging Friends who have kids, you may print this story off and read it to them!! I am alright with that!! Enjoy!!

"Monkeys In The Woods"

There are a lot of things that live in the woods. Like towering, pine-scented trees. Many of their branches are covered with soft, feathery moss. And there are a lot of things to see in the woods. Like an ever-flowing creek. You can throw muddy, dirty rocks in the water!! But. Did you know.... That monkeys live in the woods? They do!! Just ask Little Munchkin!! Did you know.... That monkeys climb those towering, pine-scented trees high, high, high up on their soft, feathery moss-covered branches? They do!! Just ask Little Munchkin!! Did you know.... That monkeys swim and take baths in the ever-flowing creek? They do!! Just ask Little Munchkin!! "Now wait just one minute." You might say. "Monkeys do not love in the woods!!" They don't? "No!! They live in the jungle, and swing from green vines. Have you ever been to a forest?" You might ask. "Forests do not have green vines!!" Ah, but Little Munchkin's monkeys are magical. Like Fairies. Or unicorns. And if you do not see Little Munchkin's monkeys, then you simply don't believe in them!! Where is your imagination? There are a lot of wild animals that live in the woods. Like graceful deer. Plus hungry bears. And monkeys!! Just ask Little Munchkin!! Can you see the monkeys?

Testing.... Testing.... RDJ

Blogging Friends.... I think I must be going insane. No, I am not suffering through any mood swings!! Correction. I am going insane!! Lately, I've been struggling with the concept that I lead a small existence. Which, honestly? I like. I truly do!! I live at home. That's right. I am a 29-year old learning disabled individual who lives with her parents. I never did attend college. I do not even work outside the home. Oh, but I write!! Yes, I write, expressing myself with words!! And, lately? I have also been struggling with the concept of yet another broken, shattered, unobtainable dream. A cosmic broken, shattered, unobtainable dream. However. This does not make me a failure. Quite the contrary!! Because, I am a writer with nearly an entire page-ful of diverse Writing Project ideas just awaiting to be created!! You know what? No matter how many dreams or ambitions or broken aspirations I have possessed throughout the years, my heart and soul always, always, always returned to writing. A doctor? No. I want to be a writer. A Hollywood actress? No. I want to be a writer. A search-and-rescue helicopter pilot? No. I want to be a writer!! No matter what it was. Anything and everything I dreamed. I returned back to my love of writing, like a boomerang. Which means. I was simply meant to be an artist!! And lately? This particular Robert Downey Jr. quote from 2010 has resurfaced within my mind. I have meditated on it, pondering his words. So. It's the title of my new Blog!! "Minuscule is good!". Yes, you read that correctly!! I am now maintaining twain Blogs!! I will explain on its sidebar why, exactly, I chose "Minuscule is good!". Just because. This Blog will be posted on monthly, with Internet-worthy Writing Projects. So, be certain to check it around the first!! Thank-you, dear Blogging Friends. For all your support. I need it.

This is a reposting. Of my Robert Downey Jr. poems. But since he has inspired this new endeavor....    

 "Chocolate Diamonds"

Written on 7-23-13

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul;

The eyes are the windows to the soul;

Well, his reflected despair, and were sorrowful;

So much despair, they were sorrowful;

As a "bad boy" he glared at cameras with those eyes;

He glared at cameras with those brown eyes;

Reflecting a lost, lost, lost addict in disguise;

Reflecting an addict in disguise;

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul;

The eyes are the windows to the soul;

His now reflect such happiness that they twinkle;

Oh, such happiness that they twinkle;

Like chocolate diamonds, his eyes glisten and sparkle;

With joy, his eyes glisten and sparkle;

Now, they reflect one decade of living drug-free;

Yes, one decade of living drug-free!!

"Roads"

Written on 7-18-13

My, he has an incredibly attractive smile;

An incredibly attractive smile;

Which has travelled with him upon dark roads for miles;

For miles, miles, miles and miles;

Wayward roads tampered by life choices, plus addictions;

Tampered by life choices, plus addictions;

On such roads, his death was many people's predictions;

His death was many people's predictions;

My, he has an incredibly attractive smile;

An incredibly attractive smile;

Which has travelled with him upon sweet roads for miles;

For miles, miles, miles and miles;

Ah, those dark roads which could have ended his film career;

Roads which could have ended his film career;

He has now been drug-free for ten miraculous years;

Yes, drug-free for ten miraculous years!!

Do, Please, leave comments, so I know you have visited!!