Niagara Falls

Melanie knocks on the door, Susan says come in, give me a minute, I’ll be right back. Ben Melanie is here, can you give me a minute? Sure, I have a few calls to make. Mel come on in the kitchen, Mel sits down as Susan goes to the fridge and pulls out a half empty bottle of wine and pours a tumbler full. Okay Mel says with concern, something's going on? After slurping down a huge gulp of wine, Susan begins pouring out like Niagara Falls on a rainy day.

Silly Women

There’s a silly need all women are born with, and men just don’t get it. They like men to listen to them while their talking. Heaven knows Ben tries, but he seems to be preoccupied beyond repair. Susan was telling him about the time when she first told him about Carrie getting sick, and he absolutely denied ever hearing it. The discussion turned into a battle and the battle ended in a slammed door. One minute Christmas bells are ringing, the next minute fog horns are blowing. Where will this tumble - a -thon lead. There’s a hint of apology in the air. The sediment is still stirring,  and the pond is alive , and at work.

A Light Is Shining

The need in this family for love has been growing to a disproportionate level of mammoth proportion. The wife, home with the kids, but abandoned by the love of her life has turned to a bottomless glass of wine for comfort The children are missing their absent Father as he works relentlessly to save his company. Ben’s only companion as of late is his inbred fear.The loss of love and intimacy has taken a toll that has become a farce of isolated behaviors driven by emptiness. But Christmas bells are beginning to ring, and a light is beginning to shine from the pond.  

Christmas Glow

Here it is coming up on Christmas and the Stones wasn't feeling it. Then out of nowhere this bit of good news shines like the light from the pond as the Stones break thru the pull of the unquenchable darkness of the dark depths of the call of the world. There’s a place waiting on the marker of hope to be filled by a new and exciting journey never before experienced by this broken family. Yes, the thirst for the water from the pond is beginning to soar, and the fire is growing.

As the Christmas tree stands tall in the living room, the fireplace puts off a glow of warmth that in many ways have never been experienced by this loving family. As they gather around the tree, with all of the presents, their eyes are drawn to the ornament riding on top of the tree like a cowboy sitting high in his saddle. For the first time, it glows with a presence of glee that creates a presence of God that has never been experienced in this home. Ben without thinking begins to pray. The taste of the glow is satisfying, fulfilling, and calling. Will they answer the call? The pond is talking, listen!

There's a flame

The phone rings, Susan picks up, it’s Reid. Hello Reid what’s up? We have a court date in three months,we need to prepare. Good says Reid, I think we can get you out of this with no jail time. I sure hope so, if not for me, for Susan and the kids. We need to get together to discuss how to close out the business. Well, I have some possible good news. Ben says I could surely use some. The employees want to get together and talk about investing to keep the company afloat. There’s silence on the phone, Ben can barely talk he is so overwhelmed. After what he did he can’t fathom how they could want to help. The smoke is increasing, and the flames are beginning to grow.

Something's Burning

As Ben and Susan come up for air, immediately their eyes are drawn away from the pond to the  smoke billowing in the distance. Susan screams that’s our house, but an eerie calm sets in and she realizes something different, something out of the ordinary is happening, could it be she has finally cracked? Ben shakes his head, clears the water from his eyes, and falls into a trance of concern with a sigh of relief only to be countered by the shock of what he’s seeing.. Something is smoldering at best, could it be a fire is about to blaze up into a devouring monster. Something's burning!

Stoke The fire

As Ben and Susan get closer to the top of the pond they begin to see a pale light. Even with the dimness of their view they can tell the answers to their dilemma is waiting for them just above the surface. The draw is intense, will they make it to the top before the bottom sucks them down. By all rights they should have already been swallowed up down into the mirk and mire of the bottom, but there is still light shining, and they still have faith in what’s waiting for them above the surface. Finally they break through and take a deep breath of fresh air. A fire of hope and faith is beginning to kindle in their hearts. Throw on some wood, the fire needs stoking!