Big thank you to Queen Su for bringing the number of reviews up to 50, and to hisanachan, who brought the number to 51.
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Christmas Tidings
Susan checked on her hair and make-up one last time before turning around and flying down the stairs. Father stood in the open doorway, shivering.
"It's about time," he teased. "I thought that you had gotten lost or something." He kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "You look wonderful."
Susan felt like the world could collapse and she would be just fine after hearing her father say that. It always felt good to have his compliments. She raced through the falling snow and squeezed in with her brothers and sisters into the vehicle, and they headed for the Christmas Eve service.
When they arrived, they met up with Miranda and her mother, and the 8 people entered the church. They took up a whole pew themselves, and sat down for the service. They sang songs like "Joy to the World", and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." The pastor then stood up and gave the Christmas story, how the baby Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, and of the star in the sky. But after he told the story, he began to talk about Easter.
"Easter!" Susan thought. "What does Easter have to do with Christmas?"
He continued to tell them about how Jesus was sent down to earth to die and save the world.
"God sent his only Son, Jesus, down to earth when we had gone to our lowest. He sent him not to live, but to die in our place. Us, who are liars, murderers, traitors, thieves, and like filthy rags in his sight. Jesus died to save us from the penalty of eternal separation from him; from eternal punishment in the pit of hell."
Susan heard a sob beside her. She turned to her left, and was surprised to see that there were tears streaking down Edmund's face. He was close to breaking down. She looked past him to Lucy; who's eyes were lifted up with joy, and a smile lit her face. She turned to Peter. He too had tears in his eyes, silently rushing down his face. But a regal smile lit up his face that she had not seen in years.
Susan's brow knotted in confusion.
"What's wrong with them?"
She looked past Peter and her parents to see if this had any effect on Miranda at all. Miranda's eyes were closed, and her lips were moving as if in prayer. Susan looked down at Miranda's hands. They were clasped close together.
"I know that this has not been a normal Christmas Eve service," the pastor said.
"You got that right," Susan thought. "Now everyone's acting strange."
"I would now like to give an open invitation. If there are any here that have not accepted the truth, have not confessed their sin, and who would like a new beginning, please come forward as the congregation sings "Amazing Grace"."
Susan stood with the rest of her family, and was surprised to see Peter leave the pew beside her. She ignored it, until she heard:
"Excuse us Su."
Susan turned to both Edmund and Lucy, trying to get out of the pew. She raised her eyebrows, but let them pass, figuring her parents would stop them. But to her surprise, they let them right through. Just before Lucy left the pew, she gave Miranda a big hug. Susan caught sight of tears in Miranda's eyes.
The three went forward, and the congregation sang. Susan turned her head one last time to Miranda. Her eyes were closed again, and she had both hands raised and a smile on her lips as she sang the words to the song.
After the song ended, the service was done, and the three others came back to the pew. Edmund, Peter, and Lucy were crying and laughing, and all three gave Miranda one large hug, so that she completely disappeared in the midst of them.
"7:00 tomorrow morning Lynn," Susan heard mother telling Mrs. Kellen.
"Don't worry Helen, we won't be late. Believe me, Miranda's more excited about this than I am, and she won't let me be late."
The two shared a laugh, and the two families left the church, with Susan more confused than she had ever been in her life.
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"WAKE UP SLEEPYHEAD!!!!"
Peter jumped up as Edmund and Lucy yelled into his room. A grin lit up his face.
"You two are gonna get it!" he yelled. And he shot out of his bed, giving chase.
It took him less than 5 steps out of the room to catch the two, and when he did, they all landed in a huge pile on the whole floor. Peter reached out both his hands, and began to tickle their bellies.
"No! No Peter!" they squeeled amidst their laughter. "Stop!"
Peter grinned, and tickled some more. But the two gained up on him, beginning to tickle his feet.
"Hey, no fair!" He shouted as he began to laugh. "No feet allowed!"
Lucy and Edmund didn't stop until they heard mother's voice downstairs go;
"They're here!"
The three jumped up and raced down the stairs, still in pajamas, slippers, and robes.
Susan, Mother, and Father were already downstairs, dressed much more nicely than the others were. They waited at the door until Mrs. Kellen and Miranda came up. To everyone's surprise, Miranda was still in her pajamas as well.
"Well, it's Christmas," she said when everyone stared at her. Everyone laughed, and the gift-giving began.
There were "oohs" and "aahs" over what everybody received, and little shrieks from Lucy, "thank-yous" from Susan, and "wows" from Edmund.
When the last present was opened, everyone crowded around the fire with cups of hot chocolate and cinnamon buns for breakfast (or brunch perhaps). They joked and laughed until they couldn't eat another bite. The parents decided to clean up, while they urged the others to go and enjoy their new things.
Grins on their faces, the five young ones raced to the back room, each carrying a small brown parcel. This was their last gifts.
They went into the back room and closed the door. Edmund, Lucy, and Susan piled up on the couch, while Miranda and Peter took the armchairs.
Peter went first, being the High King. To Susan, he gave a gold necklace with a green leaf pendant. It had reminded him of a necklace in Narnia that she had loved. To Edmund, he gave a miniature lion. Edmund looked quite speechless. To Lucy, he gave a painting of a very familiar faun, whom he had begged a good friend to paint for him. Lucy shrieked and threw her arms around Peter's neck. And to Miranda, he had found a gold and silver ring with a ruby embeded in it. Tears welled up in her eyes as she recognized the resemblance to her sword.
Susan went second, the Gentle Queen. To Peter, she gave a letter opener that was shaped like a sword. Peter said that he would never open letters with his fingers again, and that paper had better beware his sting. To Edmund, she gave a blue scarf that she had found, made out of fine yet comfortable fabric. A smile lit up his face. To Lucy, she gave a picture book of faraway placed that had green forests and waterfalls. And to Miranda, she gave a gold and red leather bound Journal.
Now Edmund, the Just King. To Peter, he gave a large bookmark, with the word "Magnificent" written into it. To Susan, he gave a charm bracelet that said "Gentle". To Lucy, he gave a bangle bracelet, with "Valiant" upon it. And to Miranda, a silver necklace with the word "Courage" on the pendant. Everyone loved them, and Edmund showed them his own large bookmark with the word "Just."
Lucy, the Valiant Queen. To Peter, she gave a picture of a lion roaring. To Susan, she gave a charm of a lion. To Edmund, she gave a book on "The Just Kings of Britian." Everyone gave a little chuckle, but Lucy knew that Edmund loved history books. Edmund kissed her forehead. And to Miranda, she gave a wooden cross that she had made. Miranda shrieked like she had and gave her a huge hug.
And last was Miranda, their Warrior of Courage. She gave each one a package, and said;
"Their all the same thing, but all different as well. I felt like this was what you would all most want and most need."
All four tore into the wrapper at once, and each was holding a beautiful bound Bible. But each one had a cover over it that made it look different from all the others. Peter's cover was entirely red, with gold letters that said "Peter, the Stone." Susan's was an emerald green, with golden letters saying, "Susan, the Lily." Edmund's was deep blue, with silver lettering. His said "Edmund, the Protector." Lucy's was a spring, grass green with silver letters. It said "Lucy, the Light."
"And though this is not exactly mine to give," Miranda went on, giving Edmund another parcel. Edmund gave her a surprised and confused look, and opened the package. He suddenly gave a loud bark of laughter, and couldn't stop.
"What is it?" Peter demanded. Susan and Lucy had both looked, and now they were laughing.
"Look!" Edmund exclaimed, and held up his battered torch. Peter started laughing as well.
"Like I said, it's not my gift to give," Miranda explained through her own laughter. "But I did put in some new batteries."
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Mother and Father were so good as to allow Miranda to spend the night. At 10:00, Mother and Father had said "lights out", and everyone went to their rooms; with Miranda going to sleep on the floor of Lucy's room. But Edmund grinned, knowing that at any moment there would be a ....
Tap. Tap.
Edmund jumped off his bed and opened the door. Peter stood outside, his new Bible in his hands.
"We won't have to wait too long," Peter whispered. "They're coming."
Two minutes later, Miranda and Lucy crept into the room, also holding Bibles.
"Come on," Edmund whispered, lighting the way with his newfound torch. The two girls tip-toed over, and the four sat in a small circle, pillows and blankets around them.
"Do you think Susan is coming?" Lucy asked.
"I don't know," Peter answered. "We'll wait a moment longer."
But after waiting ten more minutes, they decided that Susan must not be coming.
Miranda gave a huge grin.
"I'm so glad that you all found his name," she whispered.
"When did you?" Edmund asked.
"It was actually the same day, or night, that I got back home. When I woke back up in my bed back in Georgia, I saw my Bible on my nightstand. I picked it up and turned to John 3:16."
The others hurried to find the passage in their Bibles.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life," Edmund read out of his Bible.
"He also showed me Romans 5:8," Miranda continued. The three rummaged through their Bibles.
"And God commended his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," Peter read.
"Now, look a few passages before, Romans 3:23."
Lucy read;
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord."
"Note the "Lord" part," Miranda added. "He is to be our Lord, and we are to give submission to him. Now, turn to Romans 10:9."
All three turned a few pages more. With clear voices, all read;
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, than thou shalt be saved."
All three looked to each other. They each had a calm, peaceful look about them, as if something big and strong were protecting them. At that moment, they felt that nothing could ever stand in their way.
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Susan heard the group talking across the hall. She had half a mind to let her parents know, but quickly abandoned the thought. It was Christmas after all.
Turning over to find a more comfortable position, her eyes found the Bible that Miranda had given her. The cover was beautiful. Not feeling quite so tired anymore, Susan reached over and picked it up. She admired the colors and the words printed over. She began to slowly turn the pages of the great bound book. But she closed its pages and quickly put it back. She knew all that needed to be known about that book. Why should she bother with it now when there was nothing else to get out of it?
Feeling suddenly drained, Susan lay back down. The voices had stopped, and the world was silent.
But where no one could see it, a war was waging for the heart of one person.
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Okay. This is where you click on the review button down below, and review the chapter. I know that 14 people have this story as a favorite, and 10 have it on story alert. I don't care if the review is two words like "Good chapter", or "Nice Job." Just at least let me know that you are reading it.
Thanks to Queen Su and hisanachan again for faithfully reviewing.