PROLOGUE
A/N: This is not going to be your typical Christian Harvest Moon fic, ok? Don't categorize it with the others (as good as they are!). I have had this storyline in my head for a really long time, and it will probably take me a really long time to get it out. So, with that said, go ahead and read.
Disclaimer: I don't own a golf-cart, a tennis racket, a purple balloon, or $100. So do you still think I own Harvest Moon?
~oOoOoOo~
"Hi, Karen." Ann sat down next to me on a pew in Flower Bud's now empty church. It was Sunday afternoon, the invitation hymn had been sung, and the village's inhabitants had flocked out the door to socialize in the bright summer sunshine. But I still sat there, staring at the wooden cross behind the pulpit that had replaced a stone statue of the flower goddess a few years back. "What's the matter?" Ann questioned, nudging me with her elbow.
"I'm just thinking," I said, moving my hand across the cushions of the pew. This church had come such a long way. For years the village had idolized a "goddess." But now, I could smile and think of the God we now worshipped. The real, true God, who sent his one and only Son to die. For us. For us. The two words echoed in my head. It blew my mind that God would do such a thing for such unworthy peoples. Just thinking of the Lord's grace and mercy made me love Him all the more.
Ann ran her hand across the pew as well. "What are you thinking about?" she said after a brief silence.
I looked up at her and smiled. "About how God has touched this village."
Nodding, Ann answered, "I was just thinking earlier this morning. . .about how we found Him. There's a lot more to that story than people know."
I grinned, my mind reeling with scenes of my childhood, teenage years, and other memories. Ann, me, and some of the other villagers our age had been a big part of how Christ washed over Flower Bud. "I love remembering that."
"Me, too," Ann nodded. "It was like a fairy-tale almost."
"The romance, the drama, the angst. . ." I closed my eyes as Ann and I spoke in unison:
"And a million pink roses, as beautiful as they are, could never describe how much I love you."
We smiled at each other, both remembering that sentence, that one sentence, that had changed our lives forever. "Gosh, I love to say that," Ann said.
I nodded and stood up from the pew. "I had better go. Mom will be waiting." My mother was probably waiting outside with Jade, my new baby girl. My husband (who shall remain anonymous because I don't want to give away the story) had just left to go fishing with the guys, and he probably wouldn't get home until supper time.
"Karen, wait," Ann said, standing up and following me to the door just before I left.
"Yeah?" I asked, shouldering my purse.
"I think you should write it all down."
All the thoughts in my head stopped. "Me?" I managed. "Why me?"
"Because you were one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle." Ann looked at me with pleading eyes. "Please, Karen, just do it. I will help you if you need it."
I nodded reluctantly. "I'll try," I said, not entirely sure that I actually would. It was a good idea, though, to write it all down. We could make a book out of it if we really wanted to.
"Today?" Ann asked with her all-too-familiar puppy dog eyes.
"Today?!" I exclaimed. "Gosh-lee, Ann!"
"Ok, maybe not today, but. . .soon right?"
"Soon, I promise." I gave Ann a hug good-bye and walked out the door.
~oOoOoOo~
Fifteen minutes later, I was walking into my home with Jade, my baby, in tow. My husband had left a note on the door, saying, "Hey, sweetie! I'm sorry I had to leave church right away, but we can talk about the sermon at dinner, ok? I love you, dear!" I smiled at his note and placed it on the phone table.
I knew Jade was hungry, and so was I, so I fixed myself a sandwich after feeding Jade some baby food. "Do you think I should write it down?" I asked my baby through a mouthful of sandwich.
Jade just looked at her own tiny fingers and wiggled them. But her dazzling green eyes had a sparkle to them; a sparkle that told me I should. I should write down our story.
After gently putting her down in her crib, I kissed my daughter's forehead and tickled her a bit. I handed her a rattle to stick in her mouth before walking over to the computer desk, where I turned on the machine.
"Well," I said aloud. "Here goes nothing."
~oOoOoOo~
Author's Note: I know it was short, but it was just a prologue. The rest of the fic will be what Karen is writing. And believe me, the chapters will get much longer. Please review! Love ya!
A/N: This is not going to be your typical Christian Harvest Moon fic, ok? Don't categorize it with the others (as good as they are!). I have had this storyline in my head for a really long time, and it will probably take me a really long time to get it out. So, with that said, go ahead and read.
Disclaimer: I don't own a golf-cart, a tennis racket, a purple balloon, or $100. So do you still think I own Harvest Moon?
~oOoOoOo~
"Hi, Karen." Ann sat down next to me on a pew in Flower Bud's now empty church. It was Sunday afternoon, the invitation hymn had been sung, and the village's inhabitants had flocked out the door to socialize in the bright summer sunshine. But I still sat there, staring at the wooden cross behind the pulpit that had replaced a stone statue of the flower goddess a few years back. "What's the matter?" Ann questioned, nudging me with her elbow.
"I'm just thinking," I said, moving my hand across the cushions of the pew. This church had come such a long way. For years the village had idolized a "goddess." But now, I could smile and think of the God we now worshipped. The real, true God, who sent his one and only Son to die. For us. For us. The two words echoed in my head. It blew my mind that God would do such a thing for such unworthy peoples. Just thinking of the Lord's grace and mercy made me love Him all the more.
Ann ran her hand across the pew as well. "What are you thinking about?" she said after a brief silence.
I looked up at her and smiled. "About how God has touched this village."
Nodding, Ann answered, "I was just thinking earlier this morning. . .about how we found Him. There's a lot more to that story than people know."
I grinned, my mind reeling with scenes of my childhood, teenage years, and other memories. Ann, me, and some of the other villagers our age had been a big part of how Christ washed over Flower Bud. "I love remembering that."
"Me, too," Ann nodded. "It was like a fairy-tale almost."
"The romance, the drama, the angst. . ." I closed my eyes as Ann and I spoke in unison:
"And a million pink roses, as beautiful as they are, could never describe how much I love you."
We smiled at each other, both remembering that sentence, that one sentence, that had changed our lives forever. "Gosh, I love to say that," Ann said.
I nodded and stood up from the pew. "I had better go. Mom will be waiting." My mother was probably waiting outside with Jade, my new baby girl. My husband (who shall remain anonymous because I don't want to give away the story) had just left to go fishing with the guys, and he probably wouldn't get home until supper time.
"Karen, wait," Ann said, standing up and following me to the door just before I left.
"Yeah?" I asked, shouldering my purse.
"I think you should write it all down."
All the thoughts in my head stopped. "Me?" I managed. "Why me?"
"Because you were one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle." Ann looked at me with pleading eyes. "Please, Karen, just do it. I will help you if you need it."
I nodded reluctantly. "I'll try," I said, not entirely sure that I actually would. It was a good idea, though, to write it all down. We could make a book out of it if we really wanted to.
"Today?" Ann asked with her all-too-familiar puppy dog eyes.
"Today?!" I exclaimed. "Gosh-lee, Ann!"
"Ok, maybe not today, but. . .soon right?"
"Soon, I promise." I gave Ann a hug good-bye and walked out the door.
~oOoOoOo~
Fifteen minutes later, I was walking into my home with Jade, my baby, in tow. My husband had left a note on the door, saying, "Hey, sweetie! I'm sorry I had to leave church right away, but we can talk about the sermon at dinner, ok? I love you, dear!" I smiled at his note and placed it on the phone table.
I knew Jade was hungry, and so was I, so I fixed myself a sandwich after feeding Jade some baby food. "Do you think I should write it down?" I asked my baby through a mouthful of sandwich.
Jade just looked at her own tiny fingers and wiggled them. But her dazzling green eyes had a sparkle to them; a sparkle that told me I should. I should write down our story.
After gently putting her down in her crib, I kissed my daughter's forehead and tickled her a bit. I handed her a rattle to stick in her mouth before walking over to the computer desk, where I turned on the machine.
"Well," I said aloud. "Here goes nothing."
~oOoOoOo~
Author's Note: I know it was short, but it was just a prologue. The rest of the fic will be what Karen is writing. And believe me, the chapters will get much longer. Please review! Love ya!