The Colors of Our Hope

By Valerie Rorie Bailey

THE COLORS OF OUR HOPE is a patriotic novel about an adolescent boy whose military father has been called to serve his country in active duty during a time of war overseas. This story chronicles a year in the life of a boy and his mother through the usage of a journal given to him as a gift by his father prior to his leaving.
It is a timeless coming of age story where boyhood transitions to manhood as 13 year-old Geoffrey learns to tackle such issues of life as relationships, girlfriends, life difficulties, and puberty while holding on to faith and his hope that his father will soon return.
This story encompasses the central themes of military families, relationships, puberty, faith, overcoming life difficulties, hope, death, maturity, patriotism, and national pride. This book is designed to increase empathy and awareness of military families and the sacrifice that the entire family makes when their loved one serves in the military.
This book has 42 typed pages and 12,218 words. It includes 10 chapters, a last journal entry and an epilogue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 23, 2009
• ISBN: 9781469117140

Valerie Rorie Bailey

Valerie -Rorie Bailey: The Storyteller Valerie is first and foremost a masterful teacher and then a captivating storyteller. She enjoys captivating readers by weaving masterful teaching together with valuable life lessons. She takes you on a stunning journey filled with wonderful imagery throughout her literature. She writes for children of all ages from the young in age to the young at heart. This North Carolina native is the mother of two teenage daughters. She is a prolific writer and is the author of 50 Children’s stories, 20 Christian/Inspirational books and four novels. She has delighted her children’s elementary school classes for years by sharing her children’s books with them. Now, she is delighted to engage you on a fascinating literary journey through the vast imagination of - The Storyteller!

Book preview

Copyright © 2009 by Valerie Rorie Bailey.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

61416

Contents

Acknowledgements

A COLD

WINTER

Chapter One

The Day of Goodbyes

JANUARY

Journal Entry: The Day Dad Left for War

Chapter Two

Painting The Town Yellow

Journal Entry: Lessons on Hope

Journal Entry: Lessons on Faith

FEBRUARY

Journal Entry: The Valentine’s Day Dance

Chapter Three

Whispers from War

Journal Entry: Checking the Mailbox

MARCH

Journal Entry: The Big Game

Journal Entry: The Town Remembers

SPRING

A SEASON OF HOPE

Chapter Four

Hope Deferred

APRIL

Journal Entry: The Letters Stop

Journal Entry: Chests of Hope

MAY

Journal Entry: The Mother’s Day Meal

Chapter Five

Disaster Strikes

JUNE

Journal Entry: The Big Storm

Journal Entry: The Stress Effects Mom

Journal Entry: My Recovery Idea

A LONG,

HOT SUMMER

Chapter Six

The Wheels of Life Roll On

JULY

Journal Entry: The Annual 4th of July Celebration

AUGUST

Journal Entry: Coming of Age

SEPTEMBER

Journal Entry: Becoming a Man

FALL

A SEASON OF CHANGE

OCTOBER

Journal Entry: Making Our Way

Journal Entry: The Fall Festival Fundraiser

Chapter Seven

Hope Fulfilled!

NOVEMBER

Journal Entry: News from the Warfront

DECEMBER

Journal Entry: The Christmas Shoe Box Drive

Journal Entry: Christmas Surprise

Chapter Eight

The Town Celebrates

Journal Entry: The Town Rejoices

Chapter Nine

A Hero’s Honor

JANUARY

Journal Entry: The Town Mourns

Chapter Ten

Paint Yellow

Journal Entry: The Medal of Bravery

Last Journal Entry

Epilogue

The Colors of Our Hope—Poem

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my husband and daughters for making the sacrifice with me to write this book so that I could follow my dreams and for encouraging me to never give up. Thank you for loving and supporting me through the writing and publishing process. And thank you for enduring along with me the labor pains from the process of birthing this book. Thank you for believing in my writing abilities and understanding that there are stories within me that are yet bursting to be born.

I want to thank my friends and family for their patience while I burrowed away to write, for their listening and critical ear as I read, revised and re-read every word aloud and for their encouragement throughout this journey.

And deepest thanks to my parents for the encouragement and support you show me—I love you both so much. Thank you to my mother who first taught me how to read and then how to love reading. And especially to my dad, the English teacher, who taught me to find the story in everything. Thank you for encouraging my love of writing and for fostering that ever-important, endless imagination and for helping me to refine my writing and editing skills.

I would last but certainly not least like to thank my readers for choosing this book. It is my hope that it will increase your empathy and awareness of military families and the sacrifice that the entire family makes when a loved one serves in the military.

I would like to extend a special thanks to our troops who have dedicated their lives to protecting the values of our beloved America. We love you and pray that you all come home safely!

Dedications

image002.jpg

Harvey Lee Rorie

This book is dedicated to my father who served our American military proudly and to my grandfather, whom I have never had the privilege to meet, but who found it an honor to give his life as he served the Country he loved. And to my grandmother who found the strength to raise alone two young sons who later became military men and educators that have made significant contributions to the world we live in.

This story is written for and especially dedicated to all military families and the children of parents who have served in our country’s military.

winter.tif

A COLD

WINTER

Chapter One

The Day of Goodbyes

JANUARY

Journal Entry: The Day Dad Left for War

I remember the morning that I woke to the kiss of the sun on my cheek. I could smell the bacon frying and fresh homemade biscuits baking. I knew that there would also be fresh orange juice and orange marmalade. I love orange marmalade on hot biscuits. This meant that mom was preparing a special breakfast. I squinted and looked out at the day through the window beside my bed. The trees swayed gently in a soft breeze but the sun was bright and warm. It was going to be a beautiful, sunny day. But then memories flooded my mind as a sinking feeling suddenly brought the dark clouds over the sun in my heart.

Geoffrey! Time to eat! I could hear my mom call.

I turned over in my bed and faced the door. I didn’t want to get up and rush the day away. I could already hear the bumping of suitcases being set out in the hall. This was the day my dad, who was also my best friend, was leaving. Tears began rolling down my cheeks as I pulled the covers up over my head and wished hard that when I pulled it back down it would be last year, last week, even yesterday, any day, but this day.

The day before