It was his turn to light the fires that night.

They ranged around the base of the blank wall of stone etched with the small carvings, the memories of those who had come back.

So many had not.

He could still remember when their little corner of the world had been discovered by the Empire, the little corner where it was ordinary to be extraordinary, where everyone had a gift. They had been useful, of course.
Too useful. And even when the old autocrat had fallen and they were finally free, too few of them had come back. Far too few.

I recently picked up an English translation of the Quran. I’ve heard lots of mixed messages on how Christianity and Islam relate. I’ve heard that Allah is a monster who calls his followers to sacrificial jihad against infidels (including Christians). I’ve heard that Mohammed was a prophet after the pattern of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus and simply extends the tradition of the People of the Book. I’ve heard that Islam is peaceful, that it’s extreme, that Mohammed was a pedophile, that he was a hero, that the Quran teaches compassion, and that the Quran teaches hatred.

Having recently finished up a science-y degree, I am obviously well qualified to thoroughly and accurately discuss the cultural impact of fairy tales. Well, perhaps not. But perhaps my fresh memories of deep dives into the murky waters of f-ratios, geostrophic balance, sediment cores, and DNA cleaning have made me hungry for exploration in waters of a different sort.

As Christian women, we are often encouraged to dress modestly. There are plenty of reasons that are given for this virtue, but some reasons seem to have a tendency to be warped into something nasty or nonsensical. Attempts to teach girls about modesty have been used to shame them or deluge them with a long list of rules – rules that can sound a lot like “Touch not; taste not; handle not” (Colossians 2:21).*

Disclaimer: The author does not, by recording the actions of the main character, endorse the actions of said character, or any other character in this work.

CHAPTER SIX: A Student Again

You have been approved for the Federal Pell for the school year 2013-2014. Please access your student account to accept Federal Aid.

Allie Holmes. Track: LVN. Class of 2015. Houston Community College.

That felt good.

Hey, it might just be community college, just an LVN, and just an associates’ for now. But it was still nursing school. I was going to be a nurse.

CHAPTER FIVE: University

I sat on the bench, nervously. I clenched my sweaty palms, as if that would release some of the itchy tension in my veins. Rolling my eyes back slightly, I could see the entirety of the room, crowded with students. My fingers smoothed over my report card, though it was pressed to perfection.

Would the advisor say I was finished? Could I graduate this coming May?

Francis Schaeffer wrote Art and the Bible in response to an attitude running through the church that troubled him: Christians were shying away from the arts.

There were other things, too: pastors preaching to their congregations in King James English. Christians certain that rock music and abstract art were less holy styles than the music and paintings of the past. Concerns that an emphasis on beauty was shallow or that artistic pieces could fuel idolatry.

Theism had a critical influence on America’s development of law, government, and culture. America’s beginnings, under the King George III’s heavy hand of tyranny, gave birth to patriots who worked hard, sacrificed much, and held liberty dear. They valued a form of government that fit with this mindset. This form of government and culture was, as John Adams said, “made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”

The evening was the fourteenth of December. The year was 1873. It was bitterly cold outside, yet I sat comfortable inside, warmed by a fire, and content and happy. But I could have been outside, chilled by the frosty fingers of the wind, and been just as content and happy. How could anyone not be who was in my place? God had blessed me, immensely. I was not yet twenty-three years of age and I had more than I could ask for.

Modern America is all about love. That love expresses itself in many different ways, but on a societal level it is all about embracing who you are, loving yourself so that you can better love others, and loving others by showing them tolerance, no matter what their beliefs or lifestyle may be.

Tolerance. Since when did that become such a positive word?

"Hey, we're all going to hang out at my place after school. Wanna join us?"

"Sure, I think I could tolerate being with you guys for a few extra hours."