The Storyseekers Part 5: Naomi's Hope

"If I could make just one perfect shot..."
Naomi aimed her arrow slightly to the left, trying to find the perfect position. Pulling back on her bowstring, she wondered why in the world she was talking to herself. Someone might hear and think she was crazy...if they didn't already.
"Naomi!"
barely one half second after she let the arrow go, Naomi heard her mother's voice calling her name. Startled, Naomi realized she should have kept better track of time. Hiding her bow and arrows under a mound of hay, she glanced quickly out the barn window. Judging by the position of the sun, supper was in less than an hour...and Naomi hadn't nearly finished her chores yet. Pushing her "target" (a.k.a.- unused hay bale) back in place, she pushed open the heavy barn door, the latch clicking behind her.

Naomi made it inside just in time, trying to remain unnoticed. Of course, she knew that was too much to hope for. Though she was the youngest, Naomi's eight siblings always knew when she was missing.
"You're always late, Naomi. Where were you this time?"
Closest to Naomi in age, Mariana seemed to find great joy in pointing out the mistakes of others, especially Naomi. Sighing, Naomi looked down at her plate, hoping her sister didn't expect her to answer. Of course, that was also too much to hope for.
"I said, where were you?"
Naomi's oldest sister, Elise, glared at Mariana across the table.
"Leave Naomi alone."

Naomi's favorite time of day was evening, when the sky couldn't seem to decide which color to turn. Walking toward the edge of her family's farm, Naomi came in sight of the one lone tree that marked the farthest corner of the property line. In one terrifying moment, Naomi realized she wasn't alone. Three people, somewhere around her age, were sitting under the tree. Drawing closer, Naomi realized she didn't recognize any of them. The three of them were deep in conversation, and didn't notice her for quite a while. Naomi watched them carefully. The person closest to her was a girl, about fifteen, with green eyes and a long brown braid. The blond-haired, blue-eyed boy next to her had a certain cheerful look to him, almost as if he always smiled. The clothes he wore were made of animal skins, though not animals Naomi was familiar with. The third person was also a boy, with jaggedly cut black hair and a somewhat bitter and angry look. His eyes were also green, though not nearly as bright as the girl's. Whenever he spoke, which wasn't often, he made the girl look angry. Stepping closer, Naomi was finally noticed by the other three when she spoke.
"Who are you?"
The black-haired boy looked up, frowning when he saw her. "I might ask the same of you." he replied shortly. The girl rolled her eyes. "Pay no attention to Dallian. He doesn't trust anyone."
The blond-haired boy smiled. "She's right, he doesn't." He smiled again, although Naomi was almost sure he never stopped smiling.
"What is your name?" She asked, finding him the easiest of the three to talk to.
"Please call me Cheydine. What's your name?"
"I'm Naomi."
Cheydine's eyes lit up. "I like that name." Turning, he introduced the other two. "This is Jayrin, and...well...you've already met Dallian."
Jayrin giggled, quickly hiding it when Dallian glared at her. Naomi was intrigued by all three of them. For the first time, she realized how different they were from the people she was used to seeing.
"You aren't from here...are you?" she asked curiously. This time, Jayrin answered.
"Far from it. I was raised in Stellin," she motioned toward Cheydine "Cheydine is a forestdweller,"
"From the Spearhead Forest." Cheydine interrupted. In the silence that followed, both Cheydine and Jayrin turned to look at Dallian. Dallian just rolled his eyes, completely ignoring his companions. Jayrin sighed in exasperation.
"Dallian is from the Skhi Mountains." she said, looking as though she wished he were there instead of here.
"As if it concerns you." Dallian interjected, glaring at Naomi with eyes that resembled cold, hard, green ice. Naomi backed away a step.
Jayrin rolled her own eyes in Dallian's direction. "Pay him no mind." She said, speaking to Naomi though not looking at her.
Now Naomi had another question. "So, if you come from so far away, why are you here...on our farm?"
Jayrin suddenly looked excited. "You live here?!?!"
Naomi was confused. "Yes. Why?"
Jayrin's answer tumbled out so fast, Naomi could barely understand her. "Melodica said that we would find the fourth Storyseeker on this farm! You must be her! Now that we're all together, we can begin our mission! I knew we would find you! I knew it!"
Now Naomi was really confused. "Wait, wait, wait. Slow down. So...you three are Storyseekers...and you think that I'm one too?"
Jayrin nodded. "Exactly."
Naomi was sure that Jayrin must be mistaken. "My mother used to tell us legends about the days when all Estrellicans followed Shaddi. HE even wrote them a book called...um...the Story of Shaddi, I think. But, Mother said that the book was lost when Estrellica turned away from Shaddi. She said that when the time came, Shaddi would appoint the four Storyseekers to find the Story of Shaddi, and bring Estrellica back to HIM. Mother has been telling those stories for years. Even if the age of the Storyseekers has come--and I'm not entirely sure it has--why in all the world would Shaddi pick me?"
Jayrin smiled gently. "I thought the same thing when Princess Melodica found me. I was sure that she must have made a mistake. It soon became clear, however, that she didn't. I even found out that my parents had always known the truth...but hadn't told me because the time had not yet come."
"I was surprised to find that my parents knew too." Cheydine added. "Shaddi placed me with them for a purpose. HE placed you with your parents too."
It was all too much for Naomi to take in. "So...if Princess Melodica told you all of this, where is she?"
Jayrin nodded toward Naomi's cottage. "Inside. She went to tell your mother that the time has come."
Naomi's mind whirled in a million directions as she spoke. "You're really serious about this, aren't you? But, are you sure I'm the one? I have four sisters and four brothers--all of whom are much more qualified for this position than I am."
"All the same, Shaddi picked you." Everyone whirled around in shock when Dallian spoke, though he didn't seem to notice. "If Shaddi were picking the best Estrellicans for this position...HE never would have picked me. Not in a million years."

"And you're sure that all of your children are here?" Melodica again searched the eyes of each of the eight teenagers in front of her. Elise, Thomas, Peter, Rachela, Ethan, Josiah, Reina, and Mariana. There had to be one missing! All the ancient Storyseeker legends pointed to the fourth Storyseeker living at this exact location. Still, Melodica was sure that none of the eight in front of her were who she was looking for. Melodica turned toward Mrs. Archer, hoping against hope that she might actually have nine children instead of eight. Before her mother could answer, however, Mariana interrupted.
"Mother," she said, her voice dripping with an artificial sweetness. "Shouldn't Naomi be here?"
Mrs. Archer only smiled at Mariana's words.
"Yes." she said, looking at Melodica. "Please, Your Highness, come with me."

Once safely out of the earshot of her other children, Naomi's mother revealed the truth to Princess Melodica.
"The girl of whom you speak was placed under the care of my husband and I fourteen years ago by Shaddi Himself. Her name is Naomi. I would have told you earlier, but it is a secret which I did not yet wish to reveal in the presence of my biological children."
Melodica understood. "Where is she?"
Mrs. Archer nodded toward the door. "Outside. Come, I will show you."

"Alright, Commander. If we are ever going to make any progress on this mission, you will have to cooperate." General Sebel's eyes flashed as she spoke. "And when I say cooperate, I do not mean that you take charge of this mission. I mean for you to realize that I am in charge!"
Commander Kylin shrank back. "Yes, General."
Sebel turned to address the small group of dark warriors who accompanied them. "King Lucien gave us one week to follow Princess Melodica and make sure she found the last two Storyseekers. Our time is running short, and I have had enough foolishness from the lot of you!"
"When will we be able to go back to camp?" one warrior complained. General Sebel fixed him with her sharp grey eyes, looking as though she could spit fire.
"We will return when you fools stop complaining and begin following orders!"

Pronunciation Guide:
Naomi: nay-o-me
Elise: el-ees
Rachela: ra-shell-uh
Reina: rain-a
Mariana: mari-ahnah

Four Questions From A Reader

Dear Readers,

This is a post reply to a few questions that one of our readers had about courting vs dating, an courting and dating in general. Instead of answering in a comment, we answered in a post because of two things. First, our answer (as you can see) is long. It wouldn't fit in a comment. And second, our reader had some questions, questions you might have yourself. In this post we hope to answer some of those questions.

Blessings,

Princess Catherine ~*~

Princess Izori

Princess Melody

Princess Gloria

Princess Sapphire

Princess Jade

Princess Alicia

The Comment:

Alright I am really confused about some things. Hopefully you'll be able to help me (:

Ok, one, if something is "old", (Like courting) and something "new" (Dating, in your opinion) is available, why not use the "new" (dating)? You used the "mailbox and door" example, but really a door is plain and boring, so is a mailbox, and in my opinion so is courting. Why court when you can date?

Two, dating really isn't "new". It's been around for awhile and most people don't even know what courting is. I asked my friends if they've ever heard f courting and most of them said either, "No." or "OMG! Yea I've heard of it! Ew!!" Or something to that effect. So I don't really think dating is a "trend" I think most people don't know what courting is or they think it's boring... Any thoughts?

Three, is there a reason you attack dating consistently? You said there are only two "benifits". I'm sorry but I can not agree. All dating ISN'T bad, I've actually dated some really great guys. Christian guys with good morals. Anyway, I believe there are more "benifits" than just those two. People USUALLY love their bf's/gf's (: It's not just a fun "party" if you will.

Sorry if I sound like I'm attacking your veiws, I'm not trying to I'm just confused about why you are so against dating. So could you answer these questions for me?(:

1. Why court when you can date? Dating is a ton funner.

2. What are the benifits of courting versus dating?

3. Are you against dating all together? Not all dating is bad.

4. Do you think perhaps dating has any REAL benifits in your opinion?

That's all for now. Thank's so much! :D (Again I appologize if I offended you, I am NOT trying to attack your views. :) )

Our Answer:

1. Why court when you can date? Dating is a ton funner.

In our culture, dating seems to be short-term, while courting is more of a long-term commitment.

It can also be hurtful. Dating can easily get you off track in your walk in purity. Since we are like

rosebuds, we have to wait 'til we fully open; if we don't, each time you give your heart away it's like

plucking a petal off your flower, then you won't bloom properly. In dating, this is so easy to do, where

as courting is different. In courting, the guy who asks your family if he can get to know you, and (if they

say yes) they know that he is planning to marry you. They also know that he is not giving his heart to

someone else and hurting you or vice versa. Plus he has to pass all the standards of your whole family

and that is an extra guard. This isn't all about fun. Fun can be deadly, most of the time figuratively, but

sometimes in reality as well.

Has anyone else heard about the dating violence that has killed many teens? In these cases, the parents

were not informed of behavior that was hints of the violence to follow because, like the 'traditional'

dating method, the dating couple was unattended. In 'traditional' dating, two people go out to

the movies, a restaurant, or some other place without their parents. Thus, the parents know nothing of

what goes on between the two, including violence and ungodly behavior. Sure, there are some great guys

who date, and there are also some not-so-great guys. I'm not saying that any guy you date is awful, but

you can run into a “bad apple”...with tragic results. Yes, dating can be fun. Dating definitely is popular.

But is it wise? Think of 'crack' or 'pot'. Is taking those drugs fun? According to addicts, it sure is. Is it

popular? Sadly, yes. Is it dangerous? It can be lethal, not to mention it is illegal. Of course, there are

important differences. Dating only has the potential to be dangerous, where as taking drugs is basically

killing yourself. Dating isn't illegal, where as drugs are.

Ultimately, all girls have a right to make their own personal choices about dating.

But my thoughts are headed towards lots of prayer and a close involvement with my parents and brothers

(when God brings my future husband into my life).

2 .What are the benefits of courting versus dating?

We have a post that talks about the list of the benefits courting has to offer. Click here for the post. It is in two parts, so to read the first part click here. We also had a post that was directly before these

two posts that are mentioned, and they are

Is Dating Dangerous? Part 1 and Is Dating Dangerous? Part 2

. I hope they help answer this question that you asked. If not, we will be happy to help you more. :)

3. Are you against dating all together? Not all dating is bad.

It depends on the definition.

If it means “a meeting with someone of the opposite gender who you really know nothing about, without

your or their parents”, then I say it's dangerous and foolish. On the other hand, "dating" when both parties

are serious about a relationship is "fine" in my opinion, but just for fun can be not such a good idea. And

if you know that the other person is trustworthy and won't do anything that will put you (or them) at risk,

not to mention your parents are okay with you being with them and, even better, are in attendance, then I

say it's fine. As a matter of fact, I think that sounds a bit like courting! :)

4. Do you think perhaps dating has any REAL benefits in your opinion?

You asked if there was a reason we were attacking dating constantly. We are not 'attacking' dating. We

are speaking out against it and offering a better solution. Dating might have some benefits, but we think

that overall dating can be hurtful and you can give away pieces of your heart. With dating, you won't keep

your heart as guarded as one could when you're courting. In our opinion, dating doesn't make much sense.

Why would you want to be in a relationship with someone when you either don't plan on marrying them

or aren't ready to make the commitment yet? Yes, it may be more private without the chaperons breathing

down your neck, but honestly (in our opinion) that's not enough of a benefit to be willing to compromise

your safety.

Thank you again for your questions and honest comments!

Blessings,

The Storyseekers Part 4: Cheydine

"Where in the world are we?" Dallian glanced quickly around him, hurrying to catch up with Melodica and Jayrin. "This doesn't even feel like Estrellica."
He's right. Jayrin had to admit to herself. Spearhead Forest definitely felt like a different world from what any of them were used to. The muddy ground beneath their feet was scattered with leaves and a few wild flowers. The trees had thick, wide bases and moss hanging from the branches, sheltering the undergrowth of ferns and other exotic looking plants. Strange bird calls echoed through the air, and the plant life around them rustled as unseen animals passed through them. Fear pricked Jayrin's mind as she considered what kinds of carnivorous creatures lived here, but her adventurous spirit kept her going.
Melodica looked around, trying to decide how much further they had to go until they reached civilization. "If you prefer to stay here, Dallian," she said with a mischievous grin, "Then I'm sure I could leave you and Jayrin together."
Glancing quickly at Jayrin, Dallian shook his head. "No thank you!"
Melodica laughed, but Jayrin obviously didn't think it was funny.

It had been two hours, and Melodica was beginning to wonder if any of the forestdwellers still lived here. Just then, a long spear flew out of the trees in front of them. Melodica, Jayrin, and Dallian all jumped to the left as the spear whizzed past their heads, embedding itself in the soft ground behind them.
"What was that?" Jayrin gasped, looking toward the tree from which the spear had come. Just as she began pulling back leaves to search the branches, something hit the ground behind her. Turning with a start, she realized it was a blond-haired boy about Dallian's age. Jayrin looked back at the tree, which soared high into the sky, and then back at the boy.
"Did you jump out of that tree?" She asked, wondering how he had done it so expertly. He just smiled.
"Sure. I do it all the time." Watching the three of them closely with his bright blue eyes, the boy nodded toward the spear. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't notice you were there until I threw my spear. I promise I wasn't trying to hit you."
Dallian looked suspicious. "And just why should I believe that?"
"Because if I had been trying to hit you, you would be dead right now." The look on the boy's face told Dallian that he was serious.
"Who are you?" Melodica asked, speaking for the first time since they met the boy. His countenance brightened immediately.
"My name is Cheydines Estrasis Treesis." He replied with a smile, "But everyone just calls me Cheydine."
Melodica felt relieved. This quest had been much easier than she had thought! This must be the third Storyseeker, and it had taken her no time at all to find him. "Tell me, Cheydine," she said, "Where do you live?"
Cheydine pointed behind him. "Back there, in the village. All of the forestdwellers live there."
"He's the one we're looking for!" Melodica turned to Jayrin and Dallian. Cheydine looked confused.
"Why are you looking for me?"

Cheydine's excitement grew with each word. By the time Melodica was done telling the story, he could barely sit still.
"Mama used to tell me stories like that when I was little! Are you sure I'm the right one?"
Melodica nodded. "Positive."
Cheydine bounced up onto a tree branch above them. "Then come on! We have to tell my parents!" He raced off through the trees so fast, Melodica, Jayrin and Dallian could barely keep up.

The forest opened into a large open area surrounded by trees, a bare circle in the midst of the dense forest. While Dallian would have expected the buildings to be on the ground, he was surprised to discover that they weren't. All of the houses-more like tree houses-were built into the leafy treetops. For the first time in his life, Dallian wondered if maybe there were others in Estrellica who would understand how his people lived. After all, living in a treetop wasn't that much different than living on a a mountain. At least Cheydine was as far from living in a city as Dallian himself was. As far as he knew, cities were terrible places. Oh sure, Jayrin was raised in a city, but he didn't really like Jayrin, so that just supported his view. Turning, he watched Jayrin land on a tree branch beside Princess Melodica. Watching her, Dallian wondered how Jayrin could possibly have kept up with him and Cheydine. They were used to climbing, she wasn't. Still, she seemed to believe that she could do anything.
Throwing aside her brown braid, Jayrin's green eyes sparkled with adventure. For the first time, Dallian wondered what color his eyes were. Of course, he couldn't see them. People said they were green, but he really hoped they weren't. That would mean he had the same eye color as Jayrin.
Dallian looked up when Cheydine landed beside him.
"Do you not...like Jayrin?" Cheydine asked cautiously. Dallian shook his head.
"Not really."
"Why not?"
"Because she's a stuck-up city girl." Dallian looked angry at the thought of it. Cheydine looked confused.
"I don't think so. I like her. I like everyone."
"Never would've guessed." Dallian's answer sounded more sarcastic than he meant it to, though Cheydine didn't seem at all angry. He watched Dallian intently for a moment before speaking.
"Dallian, there's only one thing you're missing."
"What's that?"
"A friend."
Dallian tried not to let his surprise show in his face. "What do you mean?"
Cheydine's face remained completely serious as he answered. "I mean that you need a friend. You seem lonely to me...don't you have anyone to talk to?"
Dallian wasn't able to answer the question at first, as he had never been asked it before. "Well...not really...no. My parents died when I was little. Most of the children in our village were orphans. I was always the oldest, so I looked out for all the rest of them. That's why I hated to leave. I really don't know what will happen to the others..." Though he didn't want to, Dallian began to think about the other children in his village. He tried to push their memory out of his mind, but it was much harder to do then it seemed. Suddenly, he wondered why he was telling Cheydine all of this. Why was it any of his business? Still, Dallian felt as though he needed to finish answering the question. "So, like I said before, I talk to no one because I don't need anyone. I 'm fine on my own."
Cheydine sat quietly, thinking about what Dallian had said. "You need us to help you find the Story of Shaddi." he said finally. Dallian shrugged.
"We'll see."

Though Cheydine and Dallian believed no one could hear them, they failed to see the glittering black eyes watching them through the thick foliage. Commander Kylin was so engrossed in the scene before him, he forgot to be careful. Letting go of the branch he was holding back, he carelessly let it fling backwards into General Sebel's face. Upon realizing his mistake, the commander turned quickly around.
"Forgive me, General." he apologized immediately, fearing the evil look in the Sebel's grey eyes. "I wasn't paying attention."
General Sebel narrowed her eyes. "Obviously, Commander. Be sure it doesn't happen again, or it could be your last mistake."
Kylin shuddered, turning his gaze toward the ground before looking through the trees once more.
"General, the Princess and Jayrin have joined them now. It appears that they are making plans to find the fourth Storyseeker. We must report this to King Lucien! The only reason he couldn't guard the fourth Storyseeker is because he could never find her!" Kylin's enthusiasm was cut short by a glare from General Sebel.
"No, Commander, we will not tell Lucien. It is imperative that only I receive this information." Sebel leaned in closer, straining to hear what Melodica said. After a few moments, she leaned back to address the small group of warriors surrounding her.
"The fourth Storyseeker has been placed on a farm in western Estrellica. There are few people living in that region, therefore, Lucien never looked very hard there. That, of course, is why he never found her. Furthermore, he never will. None of you are permitted to tell him. Ever!"

When the others had left, Sebel remained alone. Peering through the trees again, she laughed to herself. "King Lucien is foolish enough to believe that I will actually help make him king. Of course, he won't ever rule Estrellica. As soon as he wins this battle, his blood will adorn my sword."

Pronunciation Guide:
Cheydine: chay-din
Kylin: k-I-lin

The Storyseekers: Dallian

Melodica had always known the Skhi mountains were tall, but not nearly this tall. It looked as if it would take someone weeks just to make it to the top! She was glad she only had to go part way. This journey, though necessary, had turned out much more difficult than it initially appeared to be. First she had to find Jayrin, then she had to convince Jayrin's parents to let their daughter go, and now she had to search some obscure mountain village. Knowing Lucien could attack any time, she tried to climb faster. It appeared, however, that she was getting nowhere quickly.

Hours later, Melodica finally found herself standing at the edge of a tiny village. Why in the world would one of the Storyseekers be placed here? she wondered, glancing around her. The village was...not quite what Melodica was used to seeing around Stellin. The houses were simple mud huts; surrounded by piles of sticks and branches. Drawing closer, Melodica realized that all the branches were barbed with dangerously large thorns. Shivering, she realized that the villagers must be trying to protect themselves from the Alunsian. If I lived around that monster, I would want to protect myself to. Melodica thought fearfully. Then, trying to push aside her anxious thoughts, she remembered the reason she was here. All she had to do was find one boy, and then she could leave.

Many children ran through the muddy streets; barefoot and dressed in rags. Watching them play, Melodica wondered how she would find the one person she was searching for. She knew his name, of course, but that didn't give her much to go on.
"Who are you?"
Startled, Melodica spun around. The boy standing behind her must have been at least fifteen years of age, though Melodica couldn't tell for sure. She wondered how long he had been there without her noticing.

"I said, 'who are you'." he repeated, irritation in his voice. Jolted back to reality, Melodica answered without thinking.
"I'm Princess Melodica." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Melodica realized that she probably shouldn't have said that. The teenage boy backed away a step.
"Then what are you doing here?" the sound of his voice told Melodica he wanted her to leave, but she couldn't turn back now."I'm looking for someone." She answered quickly. "Please, could you tell me your name?"
"It's Dallian." he replied simply.
Melodica's heart jumped. He had to be the one she was looking for! "Who are your parents?" Melodica was so excited to have found the second Storyseeker, she didn't even think about what his reply might be.
"I don't have any parents." He turned toward the other children playing in the street. "Most of us don't...but why do you care?"

"I said I was looking for someone. You are that person."
Dallian took a step back. "I'm who?"
Melodica tried to hide her elation and answer seriously.
"The second Storyseeker."

"What took you so long?" Jayrin had been left at the bottom of the mountain for quite a while, and her irritation spilled over with every word. Without waiting for an answer, she looked past Melodica to the boy behind her.
"Who is this?"
The boy's green eyes narrowed. "I have a name."
Sure he did, but what did Jayrin care? He was just some poor mountain villager. "Alright then, what is it?"
The boy pushed his black hair out of his eyes, annoyance clearly etched across his face. "I'm called Dallian."
Well, his name was alright, but Jayrin couldn't say the same for Dallian himself. She made no effort to introduce herself, but Dallian noticed immediately.
"It's only fair that you tell me your name. Even if it is some fancy city name."
Jayrin was shocked. "How did you know I was from the city?"
"You can always tell city people from everyone else. They're more arrogant."
Anger stabbed Jayrin's insides. "I'm not arrogant!"
Dallian looked just as angry. "Are to. So are you going to tell me your name or not?"
Though she didn't want to answer, Jayrin knew Melodica was watching her. Rolling her eyes, she tossed an answer in Dallian's direction. "Whatever. I'm Jayrin. I'm from Stellin."
"What are you doing here, then?" Dallian's question shot out like an arrow.
"I'm a Storyseeker."
Dallian sighed in frustration. "Perfect. Not only do I have to spend who-knows-how-long searching for some book, now I have to do it with you."
At that point, Melodica stepped in. "That is enough! You are both Storyseekers, and you both need to get along. Now we have to go. We still have two more Storyseekers left to find."

"She's found two of them, Sire." General Sebell felt as pleased as King Lucien seemed to be. "She only has two left to find."
Lucien nodded. "Perfect, perfect. Estrellica is on the verge of total domination! Are the troops prepared, General?"
"We are ready to attack any day, Your Highness."
"Excellent. We know have only to wait for that foolish princess to send those four children right into our trap."
General Sebell smirked. "She is doing just as we wish, Sire."
"Yes." Lucien waved a hand toward the tent entrance. "General, I want you to alert the army. Tell them to be on the lookout for the four Storyseekers. They should be unsupervised and easy prey. Set invisible guards along the roads to alert me of their intentions. You are dismissed."
Black cape swooshing against the floor, Sebell rose. "As you wish, Sire." Turning to leave, she suddenly stopped. "Sire, won't Eyris be watching the Storyseekers? What do we do if we run into her?"
Lucien appeared unconcerned. "We will deal with her easily."


Pronunciation guide:
Dallian: dall-ee-in
Skhi Mountains: Sky Mountains
Eyris: air-is
Alunsian: aloon-see-on

Attitude--Part 2

Click HERE for Part 1.

Attitude. We all have it. Sometimes, it can get pretty nasty. I think attitude is a combination of pride, selfishness, and ungratefulness. It comes from anything--we could be going through a spiritually rocky time, we could be tired from a late night, or we could simply have a headache like Ruth did in our story. When we have attitude, we are only thinking of one person: ourselves. We also blame it on other people.

It's amazing what we humans can disproportion to fit into our own theory. Did mom tell me to do the laundry while I tried to read an exciting book? She doesn't care about my relaxation at all! What a selfish person!

Or could it be possible that mom is concerned about getting the clothes clean so that the whole family will run smoother? Even though it's my fault that I'm not doing my job, I'm seeing it as mom is provoking me out of cruelty. Sounds twisted?

Guess what. This selfish, prideful attitude doesn't only effect you; it effects everyone around you.

God created the family for a high purpose--to serve Him. The family is one of the best weapons for combating Satan. But how can we carry out this plan if even one of us is grumbling on the couch, thinking selfish thoughts? Even with one piece missing, a machine can't work. One bolt gone--and everything falls apart.

Compare that to your attitude. If you are whiny, do other people tend to follow your example? What about if you're gracious and considerate? Does everything run better?

Remember, when you have a bad attitude, you're doing Satan a favor. In our story (click on the link at the very top of this post to view it) Ruth's retaliation to a whining sister eventually lead to a family meltdown.

Maybe the problem isn't with you. What if it's not you, but a sibling, who has the attitude issue. In that case, remember the 'log vs. speck' rule. Are you having a holier-than-thou attitude toward your sibling? Do you have a log in your eye, so to speak? You are in charge of your attitude. If you respond in gentleness to your sibling, they will follow your example eventually.

Remember, above all, our attitudes and responses to situations should show people that we belong to the Lord Jesus!

In Christ,

Princess Izori

Blog's First Anniversary

Dear Readers,

July 3rd was the official first anniversary of White Rose Valley! Thank you all for the wonderful comments, insights, and questions!

Blessings,