Radiant Tales: Chapter Thirteen

Here's to the music, the Sunday duets,

The violin strings and the hymn minuets.

 

The days we were younger, the days that we played,

The parties we had and the games that we made.

 

The stories you told and the times that we talked,

The hills that we biked and the places we walked.

Here's to the smiles, the tears and hugs too;

My sister and friend: Oh how I love you.

I miss you!!!

Love,

Sunshine

Radiant Tales: Chapter Twelve

It began with the Temple.

Which unfortunately took longer than I thought.

Which led to a put-your-head-under-the-faucet-and-run type shower.

Which made me late to pick up Christa for early morning seminary.

Whoops.

I walked into the classroom while the last line of the song was being sung. Then, the only chair I spotted was to my left. The chairs were put together in pairs, one chair being easily accessible, the other…not so much.

The only empty chair in the room had the bar on the side of the chair facing outward.  Resulting in me having to carefully jump/step over it in my jean skirt.

That would happen to me.

During our get to know you activity, we had to walk around and talk to people and find out what we had in common. While looking around for someone to talk to, a really tall guy walks up to me and wants to be my partner.

:)

. . .

He’s probably a foot and a half taller than me. Which is fine, I mean, no biggie. But what he says next completely caught me off guard.

“You’re Alissa Murdoch?! Are you a senior?” (He sounded really excited)

“Yeah!”

“Do you remember when we were sophomores and everyone filled out that fundraiser questionnaire about ourselves and you could pay to find out who you were compatible with? I got you!”

Oh man.  

I would be put in as compatible with someone a foot taller than me, who already has a girl friend, and whose name starts with a J.

Good. Gravy.

If you haven’t heard my “J” story, just know that I have an accidental non intentional affinity for guys whose names start with the letter J.

I thought it was over.

Apparently not :)

It’s fine though. That was the morning of my first day of school.

The rest was chaotic and long. Which I guess I was sort of expecting, what with me being a senior.

But these past few days have been, in a word, unpredictable.

On Thursday I forgot to study for my Calculus class policies quiz, only to find, upon arriving to class, that my teacher had forgotten to take the quiz to the copy center.

:)

Today in French, my French teacher talked too much and so we didn’t have enough time to present our orals.

:)

In my college writing class, I got a 9/10 on my quiz, even though I only answered 2/3 of a question.

:)

I didn’t feel prepared at all for today. I felt anxious and nervous and scared. I can’t explain why; mostly because I don’t know why. But Heavenly Father knew that. And He reminded me that He’s got my back, so to speak. He’s got it under control when I seem to have lost my grip. And while these things may seem very small,

“There are no coincidences with an omniscient being.”

In the words of my best friend, “Chin up, pip pip! “

And it’s almost Sunday.

Love,

Sunshine

The Rainbow Connection



Idea credited to Ashley Larson :)

A rainbow from Stirling.

I miss you Scotland. Today more than anything in this world.

Love, Sunshine

with a Cloud on her head

You Are Special.

He walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big shop. His wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tiptoes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard. "I'm not staying here!" and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name.

"Punchinello?" The voice was deep and strong. Punchinello stopped. "Punchinello! How good to see you. Come and let me have a look at you."

Punchinello turned slowly and looked at the large bearded craftsman. "You know my name?" the little Wemmick asked.

"Of course I do. I made you." Eli stooped down and picked him up and set him on the bench. "Hmm," the maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles. "Looks like you've been given some bad marks."

"I didn't mean to, Eli. I really tried hard."

"Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me, child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think."

"You don't?"

“No, and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They're Wemmicks just like you. What they think doesn't matter, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special."

Punchinello laughed. "Me, special? Why? I can't walk fast. I can't jump. My paint is peeling. Why do I matter to you?"

Eli looked at Punchinello, put his hands on those small wooden shoulders, and spoke very slowly. "Because you are mine. That's why you matter to me."

Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this--much less his maker. He didn't know what to say.

"Every day I've been hoping you'd come," Eli explained.

"I came because I met someone who had no marks."

"I know. She told me about you."

"Why don't the stickers stay on her?"

"Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what they think. The stickers only stick if you let them."

"What?"

"The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"You will, but it will take time. You've got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care." Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the ground. "Remember," Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. "You are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes."

Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought, "I think he really means it."

And when he did, a dot fell to the ground.

 You Are Special by Max Lucado

Radiant Tales: Chapter Eleven

(this is what I would have posted in June :) deal with it.)

Soooooooooo . . .  Once upon a time . . .

I went on a date. T'was a splendid date - - with a splendid boy of course :)

but.

After he dropped me off, I flounced into the house, talked with my parents for a while, and bounced into my room,

and then stopped dead in my tracks.

The determinant of my college career in biology was sitting peacefully on my pillow.

You know, I've never liked english, but this was the biggest juxtaposition I have seen all summer.

Pillows and AP Results do NOT go together.

After staring at it, heart beating and all, I picked it up . . .

Got ready to bite . . .

And then stopped.

WHAT?????

I flipped it over again and again in my hands, wondering, could this be possible? Is it actually happening???

Yes, my dear scholars. The

 has made a big mistake and professed it to the entire country. Believe it or not, these ADVANCED PLACEMENT adjudicators might need some help of their own.

I couldn't contain myself and burst out laughing :P

 Forget us students, someone needs to inspire them to check their envelopes before they print five billion copies.

The front of the envelope was printed upside down. Not only that, but the envelope itself was made wrong.

Five minutes later.

. . . . . . .

Should I open it?

I thought about ripping it up, seeing as I didn't want to worry about biology in the middle of the summer.

in the words of a dear pirate pal of mine:

"I DON'T WANT TO SPEND ALL OF SPRING BREAK IN THE GILDED AGE!!!!"

ok. it's not spring break, and it's not the gilded age I'm talking about. But while we are on the topic of gilded, this envelope, quite unlike a gilded object that actually looks beautiful on the outside,

this envelope had pssibly just told me the truth of what was inside.

Do I want to spend all of summer worrying if I ever passed my test?

Hardly.

Furthermore, do I trust this Reversely gilded envelope?

. . . it's difficult to say. . .

Love,

Sunshine