Chapter One

                Saturday Morning

        I woke up tangled in my sheets. I groaned. Why did my body wake me up now?

    Mom likes us to get up when our body wakes up and we’re not tired. I’m not too tired, but can I sleep in through 6:20 for once?! 

    Ten minutes later, I was dressed and ready to go to church. Yes, it’s Saturday. And we’re going to church. 

        You’re probably wondering, ‘Isn’t church day Sunday?

        Let me explain.

        Mom likes following the rules in the bible. Like, for she has the ten commandments everywhere. I can’t even look up without seeing, you shall not lie, or, you shall not steal. I admire her effort, I really do, but don’t you think she’s obsessing a bit-?

        Anyway, as I was saying, Mom likes following the rules. And the bible says to keep the Sabbath day holy. Which is the seventh day.  Everyone thinks it’s on Sunday, but Sunday is the first day of the week. The seventh day of the week is Saturday. Do you understand now? Sort of?

        ‘’Breakfast!’’ Mom shouts so loudly that it makes everyone in the neighborhood jump. I can literally feel our house shake by her loud voice and our hard jumping.

        Most of my friends have cold and uncooked food for breakfast on their worship day (my friends still think the Sabbath is on Sunday,) but my mom makes delicious and yummy meals. She explains it this way, ‘’Imagine if Jesus was sitting at the breakfast table with us. Would you give him an uncooked meal? And the Sabbath doesn’t mean being lazy. It just means not to labor, and to give

the day to Him.’’ 

        By Him she means Jesus.

    '’I said BREAKFAST!’’ Mom shouts even louder, making the whole continent shake. Seriously, I think even my friend Abilene, who lives in Florida, felt that.

    ‘’BREAKFAST!’’ Mom screams at the top of her lungs, trying to wake up my older brother. Now she makes the whole EARTH shake.  How does he sleep through that?

    My brother sleepily walks to the table, sits down, and falls asleep.  

    ‘’WAKE UP!’’ My Mom yells for the final time, making the Earth and the heavens shake.

    The mailman quickly delivers the mail through the little mail slot and ran away. I hit my head on the table. SO. EMBARRASSING.

I groaned. 

    My mom glances at me. ‘’No groans, please. Don’t you see that extra chair for Jesus? Be respectful.’’ 

    My older brother goofily waves at the chair- oops, I mean, Jesus. ‘’Hi. Can I get that bike I’ve been wanting?’’ 

    My mom carries all the plates to the breakfast table. ‘’I told you many times-’’ My brother and I finished her sentence. 

    ‘’I told you many times, Rocky, Jesus isn’t a gift machine.’’ 

    Mom smiles. ‘’Very good, Rocky and Kendra.’’ She started boiling water for her vanilla tea. ‘’Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no. NOOO!’’ 

    ‘’What, mom?’’ Rocky asked, eating a hashbrown. Mom glares at him. ‘’Did you pray for your food?’’ Rocky motioned to me. ‘’Kendy prayed for me.’’ 

I groaned. ‘’HOW MANY TIMES DO I TELL YOU TO STOP CALLING ME THAT?’’ I nearly shouted.

   ‘’It’s a cute nickname,’’ Rocky said.

    His nickname is Abraham. Our last name is Lincoln. So, his full name is Rocky Abraham Lincoln. 

‘’Hey, Abraham Lincoln, can you pass the ketchup?’’ 

    Mom turned to us. ‘’No more nicknames. Now… OH NO!’’ 

‘’WHAT?!’’ Rocky and I said. 

    Mom stared at us sadly. ‘’I-I-I-I-I-I-I- I DON’T HAVE ANY MORE TEABAGS!’’ 

    Rocky shook his head. ‘’You’re too crazy about tea, mom.’’

                    Chapter Two

                        Church