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Hi! I made it back last night. It was good to sleep on my pillow!

The Scrabble marathon went 34-29-1: I won! Good thing we ended when we did! I was starting to really fall apart. Nelson said I shouldn't beat up on my mom so badly--I said if she even thought that I was not playing all out she'd bop me good and hard right on the head!

This morning for church I did one of my monologues. This one doesn't have the depth of the Peter monologue, but it allowed me to be playful and I really enjoyed "hamming" it up. This one is about the Pentecost Experience.


(Comes in singing and rejoicing)
I know the Lord is always with me. (hmmmmmm)He is right beside me...No wonder my heart is filled with joy.

Oh, I'm sorry, I must look a sight. I just can't help myself. I was down at the river with the others and...Why? At the baptisms , of course. With Peter and the others.

Who's Peter? Oh my, you're not from around here, are you? Travelers? Just a guess. Surely, if you had been here any length of time you would know. But don't feel bad, I was a stranger here myself not long ago.

Micah and I had come to Jerusalem to trade spices. Micah had made the trip many times. I had wanted to see the city. I had begged so many times to come with him. I'm not sure why he finally agreed, but neither of us regret the decision!

Shortly after we had arrived we heard some of the venders in the market talking about a group of believers who had been meeting together. Many rumors had been spreading about them. They just stayed locked up together in this upper room.

The venders told us they followed a teacher who had been crucified. They said he had healed many. They even told how he fed over 5000 people with a couple bread rolls and sardines. While Micah did his business I listened to the stories and moved closer and closer to the room.

Then right on the day of Pentecost, as the believers were gathered singing and praying, there was a noise like nothing I had ever heard...or felt.

But it was more than noise--it was energy: POWER! Micah came right over to me. We saw the people come from the house. It was like they were on fire. For a brief instant I felt fear but then I heard them speaking...in all different languages--even mine!!

Some around us tried to explain it away by saying they were drunk. That's when Peter stood up. I was so drawn in by what he said.

It all began to make sense. I had heard the stories from when I was young. We had made up songs to keep us remembering. Now, no longer were they the songs of children.

Peter's words pierced my heart as he spoke of the death of Jesus. Can you believe from the beginning of time it was God's plan to save me...and you too! His love is that great.

Peter told us to turn from our sins and be baptized THEN we would recieve the Holy Spirit.

You wouldn't have believed the way the crowd surged towards Peter. We were SO tired of feeling powerless. So many headed to the river.

It took a couple of days for us to finally get the river's edge. While we waited, we listened with the others to the teachings. We made so many new and special friends. And the times of prayer!! I could almost feel God pressing his ear in to hear us while at the same time he wrapped his strong arms around us.

So there we were surrounded by new friends, more like family. When I finally knelt beside Peter in the water I was just a flutter of emotions. He put his hand upon my head. I went under the water. It was like the heaviest, darkest blanket of winter was lifted off me. I felt like I could fly! I let out a squeal and spun around making quite a splash.

It's been about a week. I spend everyday down at the river, mostly telling my story to those who are seeking. It has been amazing the way everyone has pooled their resources. We know we will go back home--there's a bit of sadness to leaving our new friends...new family. It's hard to leave when so much is still happening.
But, Micah is right; there are friends and family back home who need to hear this. So we will go. Go, with new found power and praise, new found hope, and with hearts filled with joy!!!