A Rainbow in my Heart

By Russell Brandon

A kind word, a sweet smile or something more practical; we never know where an act of kindness will lead. Even a small child can achieve great things by grasping onto the love of Jesus and following His leading to love one another.
This is a story about a little girl who had a big impact on the lives of many, many people simply because she saw a sad boy and wanted to be his friend and cheer him up. The story that follows has some important lessons for young people, teens and their parents.
Ellie didn’t know that when she smiled at Jack on her first day at school that her sphere of influence would expand exponentially and continue to expand.
That’s the way it is for those who seek to live life the way Jesus wants people to live.
It is easy to think that we are not capable of changing things. We are too young, nobody listens, there is just too much evil in the world, people will laugh. There are simply too many excuses for not trying.
Ellie and Jack have a simple message. Accept the Bible as God’s Word given to show us how to live a life that makes a difference. Love the way Jesus loved and try as hard as you can to live the way Jesus taught us to live.
Only then can we hope to achieve great things and only then can we make a real difference.
That’s the message of the story of Jack and Ellie.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Russell Brandon
• Release date: Feb 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310071331

Russell Brandon

Russell Brandon is a grandfather who lives near Brisbane in Australia. He has written plenty of business proposals, training materials, industry submissions and reports. One day he looked at the world and said, “This is not the world I want for my grandchildren”. Night after night, the News is full of violence and hatred. It was violence against women and children in particular that gave Russell a heavy heart.He believes the Bible holds the secret to a better world. So he wanted to use the writing skills he picked up over the years to compose a little piece of fiction. It was to be a tale that would help his grandchildren understand the joy of living a life that follows the example that Jesus set.So “A Rainbow in my Heart” became a reality and Russell has since completed more books.

Book preview

Jack meets an angel

Jack remembers the first day he met Ellie. It was his first day of school and he could remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday. Mum had said goodbye, kissed his cheek and had gone. He was alone.

He was a big boy and didn't want to cry but tears began to well as he felt truly alone for the first time in his life. Suddenly an angel appeared in front of him. Well, she looked like an angel to him. There was a huge smile and big blue eyes surrounded by long curly blond hair.

Don't look so worried, said the angel. "My big sister has been right through school and she reckons it's going to be cool.

I'm Ellie, she continued, holding out her hand. What's your name?

Jack, he said shyly, shaking Ellie's hand.

C'mon Jack, let's find a desk we can share.

Ellie held on tight to his hand and skipped off to find a desk with two vacant chairs. Jack had no choice but to go along. Together they stored their pencil cases and pads in the desk drawers just as the teacher instructed.

Ellie had seen Jack and thought he looked really sad standing alone. She wanted to make him feel better.

Jack felt sad a lot lately. He missed his dad terribly. He was an only child and today he felt really lonely because he had never been away from his mum for long. The family had moved around a lot in his first five years because his dad had been in the army. Jack had never made any real friends.

Dad was Jack's hero. They used to have long talks and dad told him great stories when he was not on manoeuvres or away with the army. Jack had really missed his dad when he was in Afghanistan for a year but was so proud because mum said he was serving our country to protect our freedom.

It was during his second time in Afghanistan that Jack’s dad died during a battle with the enemy. They said he was a hero and died saving his mates and Jack was even prouder of his dad.

He got to sit between his mum and the Prime Minister for dad’s funeral and it was all on TV but he really would rather have his dad back. He missed his dad and felt sad all the time.

Would you like to be friends, said Ellie. My big sister says I should make a friend on the first day.

I guess, said Jack, but I don't really know what that means.

It means we look after each other. We smile and say something happy when the other feels sad, just like I did when you looked scared before.

I thought you were an angel, said Jack, then blushed as he realised he had said it out loud.

Ellie giggled.

*

The first day ended all too soon. They had made more friends but it was Jack and Ellie who came out together to meet their mothers. He ran to his mum who bent down and hugged him tight. Jack noticed a quiet sob and felt his mum’s tears. He stepped back and looked at her sad face.

What’s wrong mum? he said.

Oh Jack, she replied, I missed you so much today. I’ve never felt so alone in my whole life.

You need to find a friend, like I did today. Come and meet Ellie.

Jack took his mum’s hand and led her over to where Ellie and her mum were standing.

Ellie, this is mum, he said. She needs a friend even more than I did this morning.

Jack, please. said mum.

Hello Jack’s mum, said Ellie. This is my mum.

Ellie’s mum laughed and held out a hand to Jack’s mum. I’m Sarah, she said. It’s so nice to meet you.

Glad to meet you. I’m Mary, said Jack’s mum, shaking Sarah’s hand.

Jack got suddenly serious. My dad died in Afghanistan and we really miss him a lot, he blurted out.

A look of realisation came over Sarah. Of course, I knew I recognised you guys from somewhere, it was all over the TV. You don’t need a handshake, you need a hug. She opened her arms and hugged Mary tight.

Ellie saw this and immediately grabbed Jack in a bear hug. That’s so sad, she said and a tear formed in her eye.

Jack looked at Ellie.

Don’t be sad. I need you to smile, he said urgently. Then he went on more shyly, when I see you smile, it makes me feel like I’ve got a rainbow in my heart.

Ellie smiled broadly and said, mum, can we take Jack and his mum to Maccas on the way home?

Sure, said Sarah, if they would like to come. She turned to Mary and asked if she would like a coffee on the way home.

Mary and Sarah shared a table over coffee and Mary opened up about her life for the first time since the funeral. She and Jack had moved here to be nearer to her parents and her in-laws after they settled their affairs near the army base. She just didn’t realise how lonely she would be, particularly when Jack went off to school.

Sarah was the local pastor's wife and had a wide network of friends. Mary would soon become part of that circle of friends and that would help change her life.

Jack and Ellie had taken their milkshakes up into the playground climbing tower and sat in what was intended to feel like a helicopter cockpit.

What’s the Prime Minister like? Ellie asked. She had remembered Jack sitting sadly between his mum and the Prime Minister on the TV news.

Okay, replied Jack, talked mostly to mum and seemed to think I was a baby but it was all okay. Except that dad couldn’t be there.

Tell me about your dad.

He was great, said Jack. He went on to talk about the long walks he and his dad took and how his dad talked about life and the things that would be important for Jack to know as he grew up.

He said girls were special people and that boys should always treat them kindly and with respect, Jack said with a sad smile. I knew you were special as soon as I saw you smile at me this morning.

He talked about how his dad was big and strong but always cared for his mum and looked after her so well but now it was his job to protect his mum and make her happy.

He told her how after the first trip to Afghanistan his dad had told him about some friends who had been hurt and how the chaplain came to talk with him and others. Dad had told him that the chaplain had eventually told him about Jesus and he had later learned to love Jesus and accept Him into his heart.

I don’t know what that means, he finished.

Jack, Ellie said with such excitement that Jack jumped. That means that your dad didn’t just die. He went to heaven to live with Jesus forever.

Huh, said Jack. But just then their mums called up that it was time to go and they scurried down the tower together, hugged goodbye and went home.

Ellie seems nice, mum said as they went inside. Talking to her mum really made me feel better. She says I can talk to her any time I feel down.

She is so nice, mum. I think I had forgotten how to smile until I met Ellie. Now I can’t stop. he replied.

Chapter 2

Jack feels sick

Some months later, Mary noticed that Jack had lost his appetite and was listless and pale. She took him to the doctor. Jack needed to go from there to get some blood tests done.

Next day they went back to the doctor to get the results.

So were you a brave boy getting blood taken? asked the doctor.

Jack scowled.

That’s not brave. Brave is what my father was, he said sharply.

Of course, said the doctor. Sorry. You are absolutely right, but most kids your age just don’t think like that.

He then turned to Mary. That’s a special boy you have there.

I know, said mum, smiling.

He has a serious virus. It’s not contagious but he needs to stay home and do nothing but rest for at least a week. Give him plenty of fluids because he won’t feel like solids. It’s usually not wise to give kids energy drinks of any kind but this is one situation where it can help him take in some nutrients.

*

The first day Jack was away, Ellie rushed up to Sarah after school with tears in her eyes.

Mum, she cried. The teacher said Jack is sick. Can I go to see him?

Sarah knelt down and hugged her saying, Yes Ellie, I've talked to Jacks mum and he is going to be okay. He just needs to rest but we can go to visit now.

Jack smiled weakly when he saw the worried look on Ellie's face as she came in.

I missed you today, Jack, she said and took hold of his hand.

Mary and Sarah smiled at each other and went off to the kitchen to share a chat over a cup of coffee, leaving the kids sitting side by side watching TV and holding hands. Jack didn’t feel much like talking but it certainly was nice having Ellie around.

An hour later, they were still in the same position and still holding hands when the mothers returned to announce that it was time for Ellie to go.

Can we come back every day, pleeeease?she said.

Sarah looked at Mary who smiled and nodded. Ellie yelped and then reached over to hug Jack and gave him a peck on the cheek.

See you tomorrow, she said with a giggle. Then she gave Sarah and Mary thank you hugs. She gave Jack a big smile and a wave while Jack formed his hands into a rainbow which had become their own private signal.

Ellie did come back every day and when Jack started to feel better, they talked about what had happened at school and played some quiet games but were always happy to just watch some of their favourite shows and be together.

One afternoon Ellie looked a little sad. Jack asked her why.

Jessica said she isn’t my friend anymore and I don’t know why, she replied. My big sister said that girls are just like that sometimes and that I can always rely on Jesus to be my friend.

I told her I can always rely on you to be my friend too. Promise me you will always be my friend, Jack.

Of course I promise. We are friends forever, Jack replied and made the rainbow sign.

That was all it took for Ellie to feel happy again. Jack produced a pack of cards and they set about a serious game of snap. They laughed and played until it was time for Ellie to go home.

I’ll sure be glad when you are back at school, said Ellie as she said goodbye. It’s not the same when you’re not there.

I miss it too. I specially miss you, but I’ll be back soon.

One day Sarah came over for coffee with Mary and she brought some friends. Mary brought Jack some juice and cake and went back to the kitchen to talk with her friends.

When Jack had finished, he got up and carried the cup and plate back to the kitchen. He was surprised to see the ladies had their eyes closed and seemed to be talking to someone who wasn’t there. Sarah and another lady had their arms around mum’s shoulder. He hoped mum was okay.

He snuck back into the TV room and tried to figure out what was happening. Ellie might know, he thought. I’ll talk to her this afternoon.

Jack watched his mum carefully for the rest of the day, just to make sure she was alright but he decided she looked happier than he had seen her in a long time. He couldn’t wait for Ellie’s daily visit and as soon as they were alone he told her what he had seen that morning.

Ellie smiled. I think they were praying. I told mum about your dad and she said she would talk to your mum about it.

She has been so happy all afternoon, said Jack. I hope it lasts.

You should talk to her about it, replied Ellie.

The next day was Saturday and Jack was going back to school on Monday. He felt much better and was up and helping his mum around the house. They were side by side doing some baking when he looked at her happy face and smiled.

Mum, I haven’t seen you so happy since we last had dad at home. What happened yesterday? he said.

Mary looked at him and the sparkle in her eyes melted his heart. After a second, where she seemed to be deciding how to tell him, she said, We can finish this later. She took some plastic wrap and sealed the cake mixture they had just finished mixing.

Come and sit down. This is really special. She settled on the couch and lifted Jack onto her lap. Sarah told me that you told Ellie about dad and Jesus and she brought her friends around to talk to me more about it.

Mum told him how the more they talked about Jesus, the more she understood what dad had been trying to tell them before he went away again.

I suddenly realised that dad is in heaven which is a happy place where there is no war, no fighting and no death. It’s a place where there are only good things.

Then I wanted to know Jesus myself. They showed me how easy it was to pray and ask Jesus to help me be happy. I did and now I am. She smiled at Jack who appeared to be trying to work out what it all meant.

We’ll go to Ellie’s church tomorrow and both learn more about what it means to be a Christian, she said. Would you like that?

You bet, he replied. Ellie has told me so much about it. It sounds really cool.

*

Jack put on his best jeans and a button-up shirt on Sunday morning and went off to church with his mum for the first time. Ellie had been tipped off by Sarah and was watching for them to arrive. She bounded up to meet them before they even had a chance to get out of the car.

I hoped you would come, she said. Come and sit with mum and me because we go out to Kids Group after the singing.

She took Jack’s hand led them to where Sarah was saving some seats for them.

Jack always enjoyed listening to music. He had loaded his iPod with dad’s Bon Jovi songs. He liked to listen to it at night as it helped him relax while he was going to sleep, but he had never heard anything like this.

He had never seen live music before and here on stage were guitar players, drums, keyboards and singers who were leading the whole congregation, and all were making great music. It was better than having Bon Jovi in his ears, as his whole body felt like it was experiencing something special. He just sat and watched, open mouthed, as all around him people sang.

When it all quietened down, Ellie took Jack out to a smaller room where all the kids gathered to listen to stories and do some activities.

He heard the story about a man named Job who had all sorts of bad things happen in his life but who, through everything, still loved God. He heard how God had looked after Job and how after the bad things stopped, only really good things happened to him.

This was a story that Jack remembered his whole life because he learnt that, even if he loves God, bad things can still happen but he would never have to worry about them again because God would look after him.

He thought losing his dad was the worst thing that could happen to him so maybe God sent Ellie to help him when he felt really sad.

*

Wow, that was so cool, Jack told his mum on the way home. Can we go to church every Sunday?

I sure hope so, his mum replied.

Mum, he said. Can I learn to play the bass guitar so I can play on stage one day?

We’ll talk about it when you get big enough to hold a guitar, she replied with a smile.

Chapter 3

Ellie has a birthday

I’ve never been to a real birthday party, said Jack as he re-read the invitation on the pretty pink paper adorned with balloons and beautifully wrapped presents.