I really couldn't resist.

Chapter 5, Part one

Short this time, I know.

When Bel woke it was dark. Not the city kind of dark she was used to, where there was still enough light to see some things. No, this was an all encompassing, blotting out all hope kind of dark.

The only light is coming from the moon, reflecting from the water. Bel drug herself from the deep darkness and into the moonlight. The ocean was relatively calm and the stillness was almost eerie. It’s a little better out here, she thinks, but a wave of hopelessness crashed over her as she recalled her predicament. Here she was, stuck in the middle of the ocean for all she knew on an island that might as well be deserted, and all she had with her was this stupid purple t-shirt (okay, and her bathing suit underneath, but that didn’t help any either).

As Bel walked alongside the ocean, she thought about what she could do. How could any one person be expected to cope with this? Her only experience with anything like this was watching that movie Castaway, and even Tom Hanks had more supplies than she did. Surely, she thought, when morning came, there would be boats that would pass by and see her. There would have to be. That’s it, she thought, If I just make it to morning, someone will be here to rescue me.

R!!

City of Ember

It's been so long since I've written about boring, everyday stuff! So, last weekend, I was off Friday, and I went flying!! With Jason's Dad. We had gotten him a gift certificate for a flight at the airport near our place. It was a tiny plane, the interior was smaller than my car. You guys know how small my car is. It was fun, and it had been sooooo long since I had been in a plane that size. You know, come to think of it, last time I was in one that size may have been in Jr High, and I got to fly it. Not take off or land, or do barrel rolls or anything like that, just keep it in a straight line in the air. Then we went to lunch, and I went home. We gave my Dad the same gift, and he needs to get up there too!

That night we went to see Margaret Cho!!! Jason had bought me surprise tickets, and we were in the front row. I mean, you could touch the stage. She was really fun, but not really up Jason's alley, so he's the most amazing man for taking me.

The next day, I worked, blah. Then on Sunday, we tried the scary church and went to see City of Ember. I had really liked the book, and I was excited to see the movie, but sadly, it didn't live up to what I expected. Do they ever? Bill Murray was very good, and I really liked the actors who played Lina and Doon. I'd read reviews that didn't like Doon, but he'd never been a really likable character at that point. I think the movie could have really done better if they' spent more time developing the atmosphere and less time wit giant bugs and moles. Overall a give it 7 out of ten cans of hoarded pineapple.

The Great Wallace Church Search continues

Okay, so at least we can cross one off the list. We went to the other church close to us (geographically) yesterday. Wow. It was unlike anything either of us had been to before. I was really convinced that the preacher might bring out a box of snakes. Not for us, to say the least.

A big message I got was to dislike several groups of people. Jason disagrees, he didn't get that, so it may just be me. BUT the scripture he chose to preach on was a strange and hard to swallow, heavily interpreted verse. I'm not going to get into it, but it really didn't come off as a good message. I really want the church I choose to believe as I do, that I have all the love in the world to give others, and there's no reason to leave anyone out of that. I don't have to approve, or like what they do, but I don't have to hate them. So, other than that, here's the lowdown:

The congregation was about the same size as the first.

The congregation was about the same age (overall) as the first.

The building was even approximately the same size as the first.

This church did have what seemed to be a more active church life, based on the bulletin.

4 people came up to us before the service, all associate pastors of some kind, and asked us for detialed contact information. All of these people seemed less interested in meeting us, and more interested in upping attendance numbers.



The strangest thing, was, during part of the service when we greeted those around us, one woman came up to me and said "please come back". But she didn't say it in the tone of a welcome. Honestly, she sounded desperate.

We were trying to give each church three chances, but the message there was so off-putting that I think we're done there. On to the next! We'll go back to the first one and give it another try. Thanks guys for all of your great suggestions, and we're open to trying anything! Okay, maybe not a voodoo church (they have those, right?)