That Bunch of Carrots

I was delighted when Raymonde Fauchard Newman of Everyday I Walk With You sent me her story that used my November Writing Prompt. I was even more pleased when she granted me permission to print it. Here is her wonderful story.

Carrots!!!

"How much is this bunch of carrots? Lydia asked.

"Seventy-eight cents," answered the farmer smiling at her, with a quizzical look on his face.

"I also need 12 figs and 3 pomegranates, how much are they?"

What he was looking at was totally out of his ordinary. This beautiful woman was radiating joy, but whilst she was counting her coins, he spotted her hands, they were out of place so totally different to the rest of her face in colour, they were purple. He was intrigued and puzzled.

Lydia was unaware of the attention of the stall holder. She just had a single thought in her head: I must be ready. She had had this thought for a while now. Actually ever since her meeting by the river with the little short wiry man named Paul and his companion Silas...

She stopped for a second, reviewing in her head her shopping list. She had everything else she needed. She just wanted to hurry now, get home and prepare her meal. Today was the day.

Her thoughts drifted whilst she put the various items in her basket. One quite ordinary day by the river, had turned her world upside down. She was there that day to wash her cloth, her purple cloth and also praying with other women from her village and suddenly after hearing this man speak, she later learnt his name was Paul, her heart had opened and what happened she can only describe as if scales fell from her eyes, her ears heard words of life: God had made a way for her, she was saved. That same river which minutes before had been a convenient place to wash her cloth had become the place of her baptism; she had been plunged in a dye of purple, colour of royalty, to rise up the daughter of the King. The same could be said of her daughters, her maids and her younger sons. They all had heard the same good news and had become followers of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God.

So after the initial excitement of the baptism, she had invited Paul and Silas back to her home. And nothing had happened yet, she had heard rumours of troubles and arrests, but each time she was trying to find out more, no actual news were coming forth, it had been weeks now, it certainly felt even longer.

Till today, she had woken up with a new certainty: today was the day, so she had jumped out of bed, cleaned the house, made sure everybody knew what they were doing, but she wanted to go and get the best produce from the market and bring them back to prepare.

On the way she was going to pick up the warm bread, bread she had kneaded herself very, very early this morning and dropped off at the common bakery in the centre of the village. She knew she had enough wine and oil in her cellar, this is the day... Was she ready enough? The excitement she had felt since the day of her salvation was contagious. She had always worshipped the God of her Fathers, so knew the Old Book well and in her mind kept going over her favourite passages, now making even more sense to her, especially about the Messiah. She felt so blessed.

She rushed back to start on preparing her meal and lay the table and suddenly they were there Paul and Silas leaving prison and entering Lydia’s house... just in time for a delicious meal and to see the brethren, they encourage everybody and left. Lydia felt even more thankful to God.

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Thank you Raymonde!

Blessings and Happy Writing:)

Carrots!! Copyright Raymonde Newman, 2009.