God is Great

Here are the final few chapters of my book, Accept, that I wrote when I was eleven. This is the first book in my series The Eliza Rose Trilogy. If you want to hear more from Eliza, email me a smiley face at jd.betheblaze@gmail.com. Anywho, here are the remaining chapters, 7-9. Enjoy!

Chapter #7 Strange…

That night I lay in bed thinking over the day. So many things seemed to have gone wrong. I had lied to Cassie about not having a tutor, had gotten mad at soft hearted Leah, and after supper me and Charlie, of all people, had gotten into a fight. I sighed. With lying getting mad at Leah and Charlie, I had not done what Jesus would have done. And I had not let Leah help me, even though in knew it would be good for me. Suddenly I had an urge to please Leah. And not only Leah, but also mom and dad and Ms. Browning.

I rolled over in bed and grabbed my flashlight from my nightstand. I turned it on and opened my Bible, which was also on my nightstand, to Psalm 32. I read over the words again. ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.’ I had to accept what was coming with having a tutor. I could be bullied, and I couldn’t go to after school basketball on those two days. I might have to tell my coach what that was all about. Nothing in this predicament was clear.

But there was one thing that was evident. God would help me. He would guide me. And I would try again with Leah in two days.

..           ..

“Good morning, Eliza,” Mom said cheerfully when I walked into the kitchen the next morning.

“Hi, mom,” I responded, sitting down at the kitchen island.

“Mary’s asking if you want to come over after school,” Mom said, putting a bowl of dry cheerios and the milk jug in front of me.

“Ya, I do want to go. Can I text her to ask if Jane can come, too?” I asked as I poured the milk over the cereal.

“Sure,” Mom said, giving me her phone. Mary, Jane, and I have a three-way group chat on our mom’s phones.

“What are ya’ gonna do. Ride ponies all afternoon?” Robin taunted from the dining room table. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Today was no better. He was still acting odd. I kept quiet and texted Mary and Jane. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Robin’s angry face and I grinned. Take that, Robin!

School went by slowly, and finally it was time to go to Mary’s house. We did end up riding, but not ponies, horses. I do like riding, but not as much as Mary.

“Race you to the end of the pasture and back!” I called to the others, and we all urged the horses to a gallop, but instead of laughing with Mary and I, Jane was quiet the whole way, and she didn’t even smile when she won.

The afternoon snack was freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and milk, Jane’s favorite. Even when milk came out of Mary’s nose from giggling, Jane did not laugh. She just looked down at her cookies, miserable, as if these would be the last ones she’d ever eat in this house.

Of course, this idea was ridiculous! We got together often, but I couldn’t help but feel like there was something she wasn’t telling us.

Chapter #8 Jane and Leah

“Today is the day,” I woke up thinking that bright Friday morning. I jumped up out of bed and pulled open the blinds and window of my room. Taking a deep breath, I wondered what could be more beautiful than the sun rise. Leaving my window open, I quickly got dressed, then combed my frizzy hair and ran downstairs.

“Mom, my window’s open. Did Mary text me?” I asked her, sitting down at the table.

“Yes, actually. Here.” She handed me her phone and a bowl of cereal. The text message read, Can we talk at lunch? Jane’s been acting strange, and I want to ask her about it. If you agree, I’ll call her, and we can sit together.

I sent a message back, saying: I also noticed the change in her character. Sure, I’ll sit with you.

So, I sat with Mary and Jane at lunch. It began like any other day at lunch.

“Wanna trade my cookies for your granola bar?” Mary asked Jane, holding out two Salted Caramel Skor cookies.

“Hold it, Mary, will you trade my chocolate chip cookies for your Skor ones?” I asked. “Mmmm,” Mary said doubtfully.

“I’ll throw in my granola bar,” I added, grinning.

“Well. This is a pickle, isn’t it,” Mary said out loud, in a goofy adult voice.

“Do you even want the cookies, Jane,” I asked, looking at her. She didn’t answer.

“Hello! Earth to Jane, do you read me?” I said, waving my hands in front of her face. “What? Oh, sorry, um, I don’t care,” Jane answered, looking down at her hands again.

I stared at her. She really was acting weird. Skor cookies were her favorite food! Mary and I sat dumbfounded for a moment, then Mary burst out, “What is the matter, Jane?” I had a flash back to the bus that Tuesday morning when Mary had confronted me with almost the same words.

I looked expectantly when suddenly, she burst into tears and ran out of the cafeteria. Mary and my eyes locked, then we ran after her, Mary snagging the cookies to take along.  

We found her crying in one of the change rooms in the bathroom. When she heard us, she opened the door, drying her eyes with a piece of paper towel.

“Guys, I’m so sorry! I don’t want this to happen!” Jane burst out when the door opened. “What are you talking about?” Mary asked, sitting down beside her on the change room bench.

“I, well, I thought your parents told you and you were mad at me,” she said, sniffing. “Listen. We have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, sitting down on her other side. “Well, my family, we’re… moving. Away. To Ontario.”

“What?!” Mary practically screamed.

“You… you’re serious? You’re leaving Alberta?” I asked, looking into her eyes.

“Ya. I’m serious,” Jane said, looking back from me to Mary.

“When? Where? What?” Mary exploded.

“Ok, listen,” Jane said, laughing for what seemed to me to be the first time in days.

“We’re moving in two weeks to Alma, Ontario. We have a house, and everything planned out. It’s just, I don’t want to leave. I love it here!” Jane said, tears coming to her eyes again.

Right then and there, I wanted my friend to be happy. Happy about the move, even it I wasn’t.

“Think of all the good things, though. Don’t your grandparents live there, and what’s your house like? Maybe it’s really nice,” I said, trying to reassure her. Jane stopped sniffling and looked at me.

“You know what, I don’t even know what the house is like!”

Our conversation went on like this for a bit until we heard the bell.

“Oh no! We gotta’ hurry!” Mary called. And we were off, now all reassured.

Soon school was over, and it was time for my session in the library. I hadn’t had time to think about it, because of the Jane-moving-thing, but now I was feeling a bit unsure. I decided to act like I knew what to do and maybe my brain would catch on.

I thought back to how Mary and I had pointed out all the good things in moving to Jane, and now I saw something good about this tutor at last. The table was hidden by the bookshelves, making it that no one could see Leah and me.

I walked over to our corner, unexpectedly a lot happier. There sat Leah, reading a book with a colorful cover.

“Hi,” I said, uncertainly.

“Oh, hey,” Leah put her book away and looked at me as I sat down.

“I’m sorry for how I was acting the other day. It was unkind and unhelpful. Now I know that this is supposed to be good for me and you are here to help me learn something I’m struggling with. Please forgive me,” I said, surprised at how smoothly that had flowed out of my mouth so smoothly. Leah looked at me for a moment, then said, “I forgive you, Eliza, but if you don’t want to look at the Grade 4 stuff, that’s ok, I can-” I interrupted her saying, “No. I know this will be good for me. I don’t care anymore. Do what you have to do.”

It went smoothly after that. And I learned that Leah liked a lot of the stuff I liked, including piano and basketball! I realized the very moment she said that, that we would be friends, not only teacher and student. God sure works in mysterious ways.

Chapter #9 Jane Leaves

I lay awake that Friday night thinking about this week. So much had happened and I had learned so much from all this. I had learned to accept what God had put in front of me. And not only accept it, but accept it with a smile. I had first learned to accept God’s will when I learned I needed a tutor. Then, I learned to accept it with a smile when Jane told Mary and I she was moving. Now I was actually excited for her!

..         ..

As the days passed, we pretty much hung out with each other every single day. Jane and Mary came to my house the most so that we could take down some things from the fort that Jane could take with her to her new house. We also looked at pictures of their new house. Jane’s bedroom had a slanted roof and an enormous window looking out over the yard. They even had a hot tub! We talked about how Jane could decorate her room. We also set up a three-way email group so that we could use our family’s computer, not our mom’s phones. Jane promised to check everyday.

I also had Leah to think about. I did really like her. She was nice and I even invited her over a few times. I think Mom was surprised, and so was Mary and Jane. I even talked to her about Jane moving.

Finally the bitter-sweet day of Jane and her family’s move came. All of us Genesis kids and mom and dad went to help pack into a moving van.

“Oh, Jane, I’m gonna miss you!” I cried as I gave her a hug.

“Ya,” Mary agreed, brushing her short black hair behind her ear.

“I’ll email you everyday,” I said, stepping back.

“And I’ll check if you’ve emailed me everyday,” Jane responded, grinning.

“Me too,” Mary said. It was her turn to give Jane a hug.

“Don’t forget to tell me about school and how you’re getting along at Kingdom Seekers. Oh, and don’t forget to-”

“-we won’t, we won’t,” I interrupted her, patting Jane’s shoulder.

“Oh Eliza!” Jane suddenly burst out, clutching me as if her life depended on it.

“How am I ever going to make any friends? I’ve only made four friends in the whole time living here,” Jane said, looking from me to Mary and back again. There were tears in her eyes.

“Listen. Even if you don’t make friends there, you still have us.” Those were my last words to her before she and her family drove away.

“Bye,” I whispered, then smiled.

“Wanna go over to my house and ride?” Mary asked.

“Ya betcha!” I said with a grin.

God was incredible and I had finally learned to accept his will. God is great!