Temple of Praise

[searchingsoul]

"Don't worry about it. I'm always up to listen. Besides, I've got problems too. I've been doubting my faith for nearly a year and a half. I still have no idea what I want, deep down." Kirsten said, feeling like she was relating to him.

 

[Twelve]

"What d'you mean, 'what I want'?" he asked, calm once more. He wasn't sure what she meant, but it couldn't be too unrelated to the church's condition.

 

[searchingsoul]

Apparently now it was her turn for confession. "Well, I struggle to know what I want, deep down. Whether or not I even wanted to become a Christian two years ago. And whether I still want God in my life. It's hard. I only know my bible stories through Sunday school and church. Otherwise, my bible is tucked away in a drawer at home. I feel like such a fake Christian, it's pathetic." She said in a sad, low voice.

 

[Twelve]

"So you're asleep," Chad said, quickly correcting himself, "Well, asleep spiritually, anyway."

He smiled as the thought occurred to him that Kirsten's problem was not necessarily unlike the church's state. As a matter of fact, the two seemed connected. If a Christian lives in a dead church long enough, eventually, that Christian's faith, like a flame in a closed area, would begin to die out.

"So, all you need to do is wake up," he reasoned, "You know, see Christianity in a new light..."

 

[searchingsoul]

"Yah, but where does one start? And how do you stay spiritually awake when the environment is dark as night?" Kirsten asked, plaintively as a child. She knew he wasn't the best person to ask, but at least it was someone.

 

[Twelve]

"I guess one would have to bring light into the dark," Chad said, keeping up with the analogy, "and although the environment back home is dark, we're currently in a well-lit environment, so we just need to take some light back with us. One simply needs to become in and of the light here, and when one returns to the world, in, but not of the darkness there."

This sounded confusing - he hardly believed he was actually speaking like this.

 

[searchingsoul]

((lol. I had to read that a few times to get it. Especially the last half.))

"It would be so much easier if I didn't have to be nearly the only light in that darkness... Could you promise me something? Promise me that, when we get back, we won't let eachother's lights go out, or fade. If we do, we can go to the park with our bibles and do a bible study, on our own."

 

[Twelve]

((When I looked back at what I had written, I wondered if it even made sense. ))

"Alright," he agreed, smiling. Smiling? Odd. For Chad, anyway.

"You like music?" he asked suddenly. An idea was forming itself in his mind.

 

[searchingsoul]

"Of course I do!" Kirsten exclaimed, surprised that he even had to ask. "I play piano after all."

 

[Twelve]

"Good," he said, "You know, there's a music contest tomorrow. I've found that music really helps with a church's 'light.' I was thinking you and I could enter. I can try to sing, and you can play piano. Sound good to you?"

 

[searchingsoul]

"Sure! Sounds fun. What song are we doing?" Kirsten said enthusiastically.

 

[Twelve]

"Actually, I haven't really thought about that yet" he said, pausing for a moment, trying to bring to memory songs that were accompanies by piano...that weren't hymns. "How about Welcome Home, by Shaun Groves?...Or we could each enter separately. 't's up to you."

 

[searchingsoul]

"Sounds good to me. I think it will be more enjoyable together." Kirsten said, agreeing.

 

[Twelve]

((Time-skip?))

 

[searchingsoul]

((yah, to the concert, I guess...))

 

[Twelve]

((Skipping to the next day.
Now the plot starts to move...))

It was after lunch, during free-time that the competition would start, according the the schedules everyone had been given. Chad stood back-stage next to Kirsten, with all the other musicians. In a few moments, the competition would start. He looked around.

"Wow," he said to Kirsten, "Lot of people..."

 

[searchingsoul]

"Yah, my stomach is doing backflips. Are you nervous?" Kirsten said. She herself got nervous in front of everybody. Sometimes her foot would shake like a dog's would when you scratch its belly. She forced herself to do it, because it was experience and with luck, it would dissappear.

 

[Twelve]

"Yeah, a little," he said, "I've done this sort of thing before, so I should be accustomed to it by now, but it's still hard not to be nervous..." To tell the truth, Chad wasn't sure he could sing very well. He hadn't for a year, now.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to start our music contest!" announced one of the speakers. "Remember, keep as quiet as possible during the performances..." He listed off a list of rules before introducing the first musician. Someone with a guitar stepped out onto the stage.

"A guitar. How original...," said Chad to Kirsten, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

He didn't care about the guitar. All Chad's focus was on the large audience. It seemed as though everyone was there, but in reality, less than half of them sat in the chairs -- not enough people to need stands. Everyone else was enjoying their free-time. But Jeff and his youth group were all there, which were the only people that mattered, considering they were the only ones Chad could recognize.

Chad's focus then turned to the guitarist on stage, who was also singing. He had an impressive voice.

"Wow," he said, "We've got competition..." He mainly worried because he and Kirsten were third to perform, and after a performance like that, it would be difficult to impress the audience.

 

[searchingsoul]

"Don't worry. If it gets to be too much, you can just close your eyes and imagine yourself in an empty room. That's what I do when I've memorized a peice that I have to perform in front of an audience..." Kirsten said reassuringly. She also made a mental note that she should follow her own advice...

 

[Twelve]

Chad nodded to Kirsten in agreement with her advice, as the guitarist walked off-stage, and the next person walk on. Chad was a bit surprised when the guitarist walked straight to he and Kirsten.

"Wow. That was nerve-wracking," said the guitarist to Chad and Kirsten, "Hi, I'm Mark." He offered his hand.

As strange as it was, a stranger introducing himself out of nowhere, Chad shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mark. My name's Chad--some call me Chab. And, uh, this is Kirsten."

"Nice to meet you Kirsten," said Mark, offering his hand to Kirsten, "Where're you guys from?"

Chad let Kirsten answer this time.