Cupid's Arrow

New Years Eve - 2010

Charlotte stood amongst a crowd of people, shivering as the cold began to work itself into her bones. She pulled her coat tighter around her and shuffled from one foot to another trying to ease the numbing pain that had began to grace her feet. She tipped up onto the toes of shoes and craned her neck every so often to try and catch a glimpse of what was going on.

She had always preferred to spend New Year's Eve at home with a couple of friends reminiscing about the year before, wondering how this year could be better. Charlotte disliked the yobs and the strangers that felt they had a right to breathe all over you. But this year her good friend Adele had told here that there was absolutely somebody that she had to meet, a certain guy called Quinn who Adele was sure would light up Charlotte’s life.

''This is crazy.'' Charlotte mumbled to herself. ''I don't even know why I’m out here!!''. She groaned as the rose she had decided to wear in her hair fell out from behind her ear. She picked it up and plucked it back into place. She bit her lip to stop herself from kicking her own shins at totally abandoning her usual night in and succumbing to Adele’s idea of a 'great night out'. Well, actually, she knew why she had ventured out. Adele’s proposition of meeting up with Quinn had caught Charlotte’s attention. She figured she could do with something different in her life. But knowing life, and knowing Adele, it would most probably be a date for disaster.

''Silly rose!'' Charlotte scowled as the flower fell out from her hair again. She positioned it back behind her right ear. After pondering whether to actually get up off the sofa and get ready to go out to the London Eye, were there was a scheduled exquisite firework display to celebrate the New Year - and finally making it there, Charlotte had lost her friends after a drunken mob had insisted on walking through the crowd hand linked, challenging anyone that stood in their way to try and break them up. She had stumbled and fell under the affront, and after she had picked herself up, she found herself looking around her, totally lost and alone amongst a sea of excited New Year Goer's blowing vuvuzela’s and popping party poppers.

''You really should have worn something a little warmer if you're that cold'' a voice whispered in her ear. Charlotte jerked back and turned to see a handsome man looking back at her. He had closely cropped hair and a fitted tan leather jacket on that complimented his tan shoes and jeans. Un-phased by his appearance, she smirked at him and turned her attention back to trying to keep warm and finding her friends.

The voice whispered in her ear again ''Your fr….''. Before he could finish his sentence Charlotte had jutted her elbow out. She turned to see the man huddled over clutching his stomach.

''Serves you right!'' She shouted at him. She turned and wove her way into the crowd.

She peered left and right, fighting to get through the crowd to find her friends. She was ready to leave now and head home if she had no luck in her search. She felt a vibration in her handbag and reached down to find the source. With her phone in her hand she saw Adele’s picture grinning at her as her number rang through to Charlotte’s phone.

''Adele where are you?'' Charlotte answered the phone sharply. ''I'm here all on my own with strange people talking to me, I'm ready to go now to be honest''.

''Wait a sec Char, where are you?'' Adele asked. ''Meet me by the burger stand, there's a guy with a red hat on stilts, you should be able to spot him a mile away.''

Charlotte stood waiting, grasping her coat close to her and shuffling from foot to foot. She was tempted to buy a burger, but at £5.50 for one she declined. She stared at the guy on stilts balancing his red hat as he prepared to do a handstand. She breathed out restlessly and made patterns out of the frosty breath that came out of her mouth.

''Nice pattern you’re blowing there''. A voice called in her direction. Charlotte turned to see the good looking short cropped haired guy with the tan jacket and jeans that she had elbowed not so long ago. He was standing from afar.

''I didn't want to get elbowed again, so I figured I would keep my distance''. He held up his hands in surrenders as he smiled warmly at her.

''Oh gosh, not you again!'' Charlotte cried out, ''Won't you just leave me alone?'' She turned and started to walk away as the stranger walked over and grabbed her arm gently.

'Hey, hold on for a minute'' the guy replied. ''Sorry if I scared you before, I was just trying to let you know that Adele had spotted you from afar and she had sent me to get you. I guess I didn't really do much to let you know I was part of the gang''. Charlotte looked at him puzzled.

''You know Adele?'' she asked.

The guy nodded and grinned, ''Yeah.'' He stretched out his hand in a handshake ''I'm...''

''Finally, we found you!'' Adele cried running up to Charlotte with a few friends in tow interrupting the guy in mid flow. ''Girl, where did you get to? One minute you where there, the next you weren’t, and we were looking all over for you, I even sent Quinn to come and look for you. I told him to look out for the girl with the red rose in her hair.''

Just like Adele to speak a word a second. Charlotte hugged her, glad to be back with her friends.

''This is Quinn?'' Charlotte asked. She looked down at the floor embarrassed by her behaviour.

''Not to worry'' Quinn replied, ''It was a reaction to be expected. I didn't mean to scare you.''

''Do you guys know each other?'' Adele asked. ''Charlotte this is Quinn, the guy I wanted you to meet.''

''Oh yes, we've met'' Charlotte smiled. We were well acquainted''.

_______________________________________

New Years Eve 2011

''Wasn't that some new year?'' Charlotte laughed at Quinn. ''Who would have thought.''

''Yeah, who would have thought?'' Adele chimed in, ''That I would make the perfect Cupid!''

Charlotte and Quinn laughed as they held up their glasses.

''Here is to Quinn and Charlotte on their engagement!'' Adele toasted.

''Now,'' Adele raised an eyebrow. ''Cupid could also play the role of a bridesmaid right?'' She winked at Charlotte as they all laughed.

''Happy New Year!'' They cried in unison.

For The Days Ahead

So it's that time again, where we say goodbye to yesteryear and get ready to embrace the new year. 2010 may have been eventful, some may have enjoyed it immensely, some not so much, but no doubt it will leave mixed memories of both good and bad, tough challenges and easy escapes.

The beginning of 2010 was one where so many vowed to see many changes, and now it's that time again as we enter into yet another new year. I pray that all you have been waiting for, things you wanted to see but haven't yet will begin to come into fruition this new year. Any setbacks that we may face, let us see it as simply a mountain that we can move, any obstacles we face will be those we can step over, and face that which is truly ours to experience.

May it be a good year for us all.

God bless!

***************

FOR THE DAYS AHEAD

For the days run into one another like the heavy rainwater mixed with the dirt on the side road

The beginning of a promise to say no to the little turns into a sprint to say yes to so much

The weeks run into each other like dominoes falling on top of one another

The excuse of 'just one more day' leads to a lifetime of never to be's

The months run into each other like water and shampoo when washing one's hair

There is no longer a distinction between a mind made up or a mind indecisive

The years run into one another like the beginning of time until the end of eternity

There is no longer the knowing of the difference between yesterday and tomorrow

The new year is ahead, and there presents a chance to start all over again.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all an absolutely wonderfully delightful Christmas time! :)x

May it be a time to not only eat drink and be merry, but to be thankful for the little things, and be prepared for bigger and better things which are to come.

It may have been an extremely difficult year for you, numerous prayers unanswered, not seeing what you wanted to see, things seemingly getting worse, rather than better. It may have been an extremely amazing year, experiencing all that you had ever asked and more.

Season by season we live, so prepare. Whatever your season may be, enjoy the moment you are in, always in fervent hope and expectation for more than what you have right now, for that which exceeds your unanswered prayers and imagined desires and your dreams, and that which you have already seen, and not seen.

If you are alone right now, I pray that God would comfort you first, then send others to you to replicate His source. If you are basking in the delight of family and friends, enjoy and thank God that He is good.

Thank you Father God, for the birth or our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that through Him, the world may not be condemned, but instead be saved. Thank you for Him who gave His life away in the form of love.

Merry Christmas!!

Her Tears Fall

Her tears fall because she looks deep into the eyes of another and feels their pain

The suggestion of another makes her feel that she must do, rather than feel free to do what has been suggested

Bound by the words of another according to their own standards and conviction

Her tears fall because her heart connects with another heart and knows when it skips a beat

The effort made to be the void of the skipped heartbeat goes unnoticed, because she does not have the capacity to be the void

Her efforts are clouded by one that believes their efforts are more

Her simple gesture to be there for another is brushed aside by her best not being enough

Yet her tears fell because she looked deep into the eyes of another and felt their pain

She did what she knew to do rather than what must be done

Freed by the ability to live by His standards and His conviction

Her tears fell because her heart connected with another

The skipped heart beat was met with the fullness of Him

Clouds disappeared because her efforts were applauded by Him the moment she tuned into His voice

Her simple gesture was simply enough according to the One that matters the most

I Saw Santa!

A little seasonal fun, for the kids and for you.

********

It was a cold winter’s night. Freda looked out her window and marveled at the pure white snow flakes, each a pattern of its own, as they made their way down to cover the ground below in a beautiful blanket of untouched beauty.

It was definitely Christmas time. The snow confirmed it. As she stared at the beauty of the frozen raindrops, Freda was amazed to see what looked like Santa's sleigh headed by his reindeer flying through the sky. She looked closely, she was sure Santa had just winked. Freda shook her head and looked again. Silly girl, it was just an airplane…and a star! What an imagination she had!

Freda had been looking forward to this the whole year since the last. Last year there had been no such beauty, the snow was reluctant to make an experience. Last year there had been no added extras.

''Where is Santa?'' She cried as she saw her mother putting up the stockings filled with goodies, sweets galore. “I thought Santa was supposed to put those there?” Her Mother had flushed red in the face as she realised she had been caught out.

''Is Santa even real?'' Freda asked.

School friends had told her stories of how the big jolly man clad in red was actually a fiction of the imagination.

''Grow up would you?'' They teased when Freda talked about him. ''Santa doesn't exist. Santa is Dad's dressed in red!''

Freda slowly began to believe their words as year after year she saw no sign of Santa. It was fine seeing him on TV and at the local shopping mall, but what about in real life, in her home…? She eyed her Father up and down suspiciously as he made his way out one day.

''I know your game Daddy dearest!'' She pointed a knowing finger at him. ''You can’t fool me! Going to get that red Santa suit ready huh?!''

Climbing down from her window and out of her room on that cold winter’s night, Freda crept downstairs and sat on the stairway. She had decided to hold a vigil all night to see what really was the truth. As much as she had heard from her friends, she had to prove her growing doubt of this so called Santa.

Lost in between sleep sitting on the stairway, Freda was suddenly awakened by a noise. She pulled herself up along the banister and heard some unusual activity downstairs. She climbed a little further down the steps and there she saw it.

Right by the fireplace!

Big fat legs clad in red…..She saw her Father's, Santa clad make believe big fat padded Santa suit legs sticking out from the fireplace!

Freda remembered the white beauty that lay outside. At least there would be one Christmas memory of something that was real.

She stopped, and paused for thought. ‘’But...what if…?’’ What an idiot she was!

She laughed out loud and cried out.

“Mum! Daddy's coming through the chimney!”

Freda expected to see her Mother come running out, instead she saw her Father standing at the top of the staircase.

''What is all the noise?'' Her Father cried, rubbing his eyes from the interrupted sleep. ''What are you playing at young lady?''

Freda stared at her Father, she was left dumbfounded and confused.

“Daddy?” She questioned. “But Santa…?” She said weakly pointing to the fireplace. Freda’s father held her close and patted her head.

''Sshhhh, sweetheart, It's OK,'' Daddy understands, and Daddy loves you very much''.

Freda continued to point at the fireplace, but there was nothing there. No big fat padded Santa clad legs climbing down the chimney. No nothing.

Freda went back to her room. Her Dad tucked her in wiping away the tears running down her face.

She woke up with a start in the morning, looking out of the window she was glad to see the snow was still there, the blanket of beauty. Had she dreamt it all?

But Freda remembered the night before.

''Santa!'' Freda whispered into the curtains as she looked out of the window. ''Daddy wasn’t you! So you are real!''

Fast asleep in la la land, Freda had not seen the rest of the story unfold.

She had not seen her Father run down the stairs after he had put her to sleep, and pull her Mother out from the fireplace. Freda didn't see her Mother dressed in a red padded Santa suit fall out from the fireplace.

''We got her good didn't we?'' Her mother preened.

''Oh yes'' Her Father replied. ''At lest she still believes in Santa!

Good thing Freda hadn’t seen Daddy kissing Santa Claus. Now that would have really confused her! :/

********

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas!

Whatever you may have planned for this season, I hope and pray that you are blessed immensely, and never forget, even if you do not believe or feel you are too old to believe, and those that do believe - know that Jesus loves you. x

A Christmas To Remember

Sarafina lay shivering on the cold concrete floor. Loud noises sounded all around her, as she pulled the tattered cloth that covered her closer to her tiny body. Her big brown eyes were shut, she preferred them closed.

She didn’t need open eyes when her ears could so easily tell of all that was going on around her, and with her eyes closed she could dream. She covered her short cropped hair with her tattered cloth and dreamed.

************

Rebecca stared up at the lights in awe and smiled. She flicked her long blonde hair in anticipation. The best thing about Christmas had to be the big beautiful lights.

She clapped her hands as the lights were turned on, and with a myriad of other spectators, her big blue eyes held pure wonderment at the beauty of the city of London swathed in bright twinkling multicolored lights that simply shone.

At night, Rebecca climbed into bed after being tucked in by her mother. A warm mug of chocolate milk and a biscuit, along with the memories of those magical lights put a smile on her face.

‘Don’t forget my quilt!’ Rebecca cried to her mother. Her mother rolled her eyes as she placed the quilt over Rebecca body.

‘That old tattered thing,’ her mother sighed. ‘May be time for a new one.’

Rebecca simply smiled as she smoothed her long blonde hair over her face, held her quilt close, and closed her eyes to dream.

************
Sarafina dreamed of a place that was clothed in happiness.

A big green tree, like the ones she had happened to see in the tattered children’s books that had been donated by so many. Her dream tree stood by a window and glittered, adorned with baubles of all shapes and sizes. Under the tree were a myriad of multi coloured gifts. She stared wide eyed, having never seen anything like it, the mountain of carefully wrapped boxes of all shapes and sizes stared back at her.

Sarafina saw a young girl bent low flicking her long blonde hair as she inspected the heap. The young girl held various boxes up to her face as she inspected them carefully, turning them around. Grunting, she threw each one back into the pile. Having found one that fit her expectations, the blonde haired girl clapped her hands merrily.

‘Here’s one that has my name on it!’ She smiled gleefully. She held the package in her hand and read the greeting card.

‘Rebecca, this is from me to someone very special. Love from Grandma. x’

Sarafina hid behind the shadows of the door so that the serene young girl she watched would not see her. She stared down at herself. Her clothes were blackened with dirt and decay, and she looked a mess. If this young blonde haired girl saw her, there would be much trouble no doubt. She would alert her family to the presence of an ugly looking dirty intruder. She did her best to hide behind the shadows.

Sarafina saw the young girl run over to her mother and tugged on her skirt.

‘Sweetheart, do mind? I'm trying to braise the turkey’. Her mother chastened.

The blonde haired girl peered from behind her mothers skirt and was astounded by the sight of the big pink bird that was being stuffed with garlic, onions and ginger.

‘Yuck!’ the young girl exclaimed. ‘What an ugly looking thing. Are we meant to eat that Mama?’.

Sarafina closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

The young girls mother smiled and continued to prepare an astounding meal of braised carrots, honey glazed parsnips, rice, baked salmon, fried chicken, steamed veg, Greek salad and so much more as Sarafina eyed the immense display.

Her mouth watered as she breathed in deeply. What she wouldn't do for a mouthful of one piece of a raw carrot.

The blonde haired girl skipped and clapped as she sang a song, happily watching her mother prepare all the food.

‘What a wonderful Christmas this will be,’ she sang.

Tears slid down Sarafina’s face as she yearned for just a memory of such abundance.

************

Rebecca tossed and turned. Her pillow was damp with perspiration as her brows furrowed together.

She was dreaming a dream of things she had never seen before.

She ran with sheer determination to reach the light that she saw ahead. She knew that the light was her safety.

Along the way she ducked and hid as buildings fell around her. The earth below her feet trembled and left her unsteady, yet she had nothing to hold on to as she fell to her feet amongst the chaos. She saw a man lying at her feet in front of her, she was no fool to know that he was clearly dead.

She continued to run, her long blonde hair flowed behind her. She was in stark comparison to her surroundings. She was aware that the white of her gown illuminated her very being. She ran even faster to find some shelter.

She spotted a cove, and ran deep into it. She lay on the floor and cowered, whimpering. She heard a sound and saw a girl sniffling, covered by an old tattered cloth. The girl's eyes were closed, sleeping, deeply in another world.

A tear rolled down her face as she watched the girl. The girls short cropped hair peaked out from beneath an old worn out cloth. As if aware of silent eyes upon her, the girl opened her eyes. Seeing the stranger next to her, and though she was cold and afraid, the girl was welcoming. She extended her old tattered cloth to invite the blonde haired stranger to share the covering.

Thankful Rebecca rushed forward and lay beside the girl who covered her in her cloth of comfort as they cowered at the heavy footsteps approaching, which grew louder by the minute. They both knew they were surrounded by danger, but did not know what to expect. One encased in dirt, the other illuminated by white clung to each other as they cried.

‘In here!’ A loud voice cried out. Footsteps approaching, another voice sounded, ‘Two bodies in here!’

Both girls were thankful when they were lifted and carried away, assured that they were in safe hands.

************

‘Merry Christmas!!’ Came forth the shouts.

Rebecca’s house was full of warmth and laughter. Auntie’s and Uncles, Cousins and friends all gathered together, singing carols, opening gifts, eating food and playing games.

She was quiet, unusual for her. The dream that she had the night before had left a lasting impression. Rebecca held up her gifts, and eyed the packaging, brightly wrapped, with bows and ribbons. That which she was so eager to open the day before no longer held the same attraction.

She opened one, the one that she had sifted out the night before and knew was from her Grandma. She read the greeting card again.

‘Rebecca, this is from me to someone very special. Love from Grandma. x’

Rebecca was moved to see a replica of the ‘tattered quilt’ her mother so hated. She held up the large, warm hand knitted quilted gift from her Grandma as she unfolded it and covered her body with it, indulging in its warmth.

'Your Grandma spent so much time knitting that quilt' Rebecca's Mother said. 'She was so young when she started it, it was even before you were born, and I was just little girl! But I can see her now, concentrating so hard. She always would say 'this is for someone very special!'

Rebecca smiled, a solemn smile as her big blue eyes stared at her gift. She knew what she had to do.

************
Sarafina sat smiling. She had been fortunate that she had been found in the cove. Her tattered dirty cloth had been replaced with hot warm towels as she was lifted up to safety.

She sat in the home of her Mother who had spent so long searching for her. Christian Aid had sent donations to Haiti after the earthquake had hit, and Sarafina was fortunate that she had survived the devastating experience, being able to enjoy the added extras. It had been a tearful and heart wrenching reuniting. She would always remember the girl that was sent to her. Blonde hair flowing, encased in light, the girl that held her close and offered comfort.

‘My angel in disguise.’ Sarafina had said.

'’Merry Christmas.’ Her Mother smiled at her handing her multiple gifts. ‘This was from a young girl that wanted to send a donation.’

Sarafina’s small fingers carefully unwrapped a brightly coloured gift to find a hand knitted quilt. She wrapped it around her and was ecstatic. She closed her eyes and indulged in the warmth and comfort it brought. She danced, and twirled and sang. She opened the card that came with it.

She knew exactly who it was from, for she had seen this girl in her dreams. Her Angel in disguise.

‘Merry Christmas for those less fortunate’ the card read.

‘Thank you for the covering you gave to me. This was intended for someone very special! Love the blonde haired girl. x'.