Not appropriate!
You need to say something ....32 total reviews
Comment from karenina
I'm always impressed reading "Dialogue Only' pieces, as,I find them impossible to write myself!
Great job here! I thought Suzy was being a concerned Christian rather than a busy body, and that held my interest!
Good for her to speak to her Pastor husband rather than crank up the rumor mill!
My son and daughter look as different as could be! It happens!
Glad this had a happy ending and all can laugh about it now!
Karenina
reply by the author on 29-Dec-2022
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I'm always impressed reading "Dialogue Only' pieces, as,I find them impossible to write myself!
Great job here! I thought Suzy was being a concerned Christian rather than a busy body, and that held my interest!
Good for her to speak to her Pastor husband rather than crank up the rumor mill!
My son and daughter look as different as could be! It happens!
Glad this had a happy ending and all can laugh about it now!
Karenina
Comment Written 29-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 29-Dec-2022
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Thank you so much! That's a very understanding review. Yes, she was just concerned, but many assumed she was gossiping. She was a relative newbie to the church, and was probably the only one who didn't know they were siblings, and it would have been an easy mistake to make. (She only spoke privately with her husband, who of course later told my son, and they both thought it was hilarious.) She's actually a lovely young lady, and they are all good friends.
Wendy
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How nice all were understanding and friendship grew instead of resentment!
Comment from Dawn Munro
I so despise gossip, no matter from whom -- it can literally destroy relationships.
"It's not a good look for the church, Jack. So open and ... brazen! They don't seem to worry what people might think! I think you need to say something!"
He does indeed 'need to say something' -- to her! And more than just explaining that the 'couple' are brother and sister.
Well done. So believable, my stomach tightened.
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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I so despise gossip, no matter from whom -- it can literally destroy relationships.
"It's not a good look for the church, Jack. So open and ... brazen! They don't seem to worry what people might think! I think you need to say something!"
He does indeed 'need to say something' -- to her! And more than just explaining that the 'couple' are brother and sister.
Well done. So believable, my stomach tightened.
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thank you Dawn for reviewing. I appreciate your thoughts. I don't think she was meaning to gossip as she only spoke to her husband, and wanted her husband to say something to him in his role as pastor, for the honour of the church. If she had shared her thoughts with anyone else, they would have set her straight, as everyone else knew they were siblings. It was more a case of making assumptions, being new to the church and not knowing all the relationships - and she was very embarrassed when she realised. They all became great friends, and laugh about it now. Lesson learned!
Wendy
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I believed this to be fiction, but perhaps it is based upon more truth than I realized.
Regardless, gossip is gossip, and it is harmful -- as Christians, we need to be concerned with what God thinks of us, not what people think.
We are not to judge others, and we ARE the church -- a pastor, assistant pastor or chaplain is still human. If Suzy was convinced that Isabella needed correction, then she should have spoken directly to Isabella, IMO -- certainly NOT to Isabella's husband (even though he would have known that they were siblings).
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LOL -- and you are welcome. It's well written.
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:)
Comment from T B Botts
Hello Wendy,
Well done on your entry. How easy it is to judge others without knowing the whole story. It happens all to often, and I fear that I've been guilty of it myself. Thanks for the reminder. It could save a lot of embarrassment if one gets the facts before speaking.
Have a blessed day gal.
Tom
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Hello Wendy,
Well done on your entry. How easy it is to judge others without knowing the whole story. It happens all to often, and I fear that I've been guilty of it myself. Thanks for the reminder. It could save a lot of embarrassment if one gets the facts before speaking.
Have a blessed day gal.
Tom
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thank you very much Tom! I appreciate your thoughtful review very much!
Wendy
Comment from Mary Shifman
This is another example that people really should mind their own business. At the very least they should get all the facts before jumping to conclusions. I hope the worry wart fell through the floor when she learned the truth!
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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This is another example that people really should mind their own business. At the very least they should get all the facts before jumping to conclusions. I hope the worry wart fell through the floor when she learned the truth!
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thank you Mary for reviewing. She wasn't a bad person, and only asked her husband as the pastor. So she didn't spread gossip at least. All the church people knew they were brother and sister and would have set her right, but they were still fairly new in a big church. But making assumptions and jumping to conclusions is something to be very wary of, for all of us. Thanks again.
Wendy
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Well, I'm glad she wasn't a gossip. Glad it turned out okay.
Comment from LJbutterfly
Haha! That's why you should mind your own business, and not condemn others when you don't snow the whole story. This is a realistic and believable dialogue only story. Best wishes in the contest.
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Haha! That's why you should mind your own business, and not condemn others when you don't snow the whole story. This is a realistic and believable dialogue only story. Best wishes in the contest.
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thank you very much. Fortunately she only spoke to her husband in his role as pastor - all the other church members knew they were brother and sister! But making assumptons is never good. Thank you for a fine review.
Wendy
Comment from royowen
Isn't that always the danger? That sometimes gossip gets out of hand, only in this fictional case it was arrested before it went anywhere, Sp many fictional stories are based on actual events, beautifully written and fictionalised, well done, HNY Wendy to you and yours, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Isn't that always the danger? That sometimes gossip gets out of hand, only in this fictional case it was arrested before it went anywhere, Sp many fictional stories are based on actual events, beautifully written and fictionalised, well done, HNY Wendy to you and yours, blessings Roy
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thank you Roy for reviewing. Fortunately it was not gossip as she only spoke to her husband in his role as pastor. Everyone else knew they were brother and sister, so if she had spoken to anyone else in the church they would have set her straight. They were still fairly new at the fairly big church, but it was a good lesson not to make assumptions. Happy New Year to you as well. Thank you!
Wendy
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I guess that?s where it starts, it?s tough not to make assumptions, but you?re right, Elaine and I will discuss these things with each other, Elaine is the least gossipy person I know.
Comment from Jim Wile
Great job, Wendy. Very well-written with a nice surprise ending. I was thinking that Tim was going to be the sperm-donor for a couple that couldn't conceive through normal means, but I like your explanation better.
That is how gossip and misunderstandings begin--when people make unwarranted assumptions. A good lesson to us all.
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Great job, Wendy. Very well-written with a nice surprise ending. I was thinking that Tim was going to be the sperm-donor for a couple that couldn't conceive through normal means, but I like your explanation better.
That is how gossip and misunderstandings begin--when people make unwarranted assumptions. A good lesson to us all.
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thanks so much Jim. Great review. She was still fairly new at the church and everyone else knew they were brother and sister (and would have set her straight), and fortunately she only spoke to her husband in his role as pastor. But yes, misunderstandings and assumptions can spoil relationships and cause much pain. Fortunately too, they all found it very funny and became good friends.
Wendy
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That's nice to hear!
Comment from Begin Again
Good Morning, Wendy
Sending you New Year Wishes and hoping it is filled with peace, joy, love and happiness.
One of those - "Never judge a book by its cover" stories... Life has a funny way of stopping us in our tracks and telling us to look and learn instead of assuming the worst.
Hugs, Carol
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Good Morning, Wendy
Sending you New Year Wishes and hoping it is filled with peace, joy, love and happiness.
One of those - "Never judge a book by its cover" stories... Life has a funny way of stopping us in our tracks and telling us to look and learn instead of assuming the worst.
Hugs, Carol
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thank you Carol. Excellent review. Good to see you again, and I hope your new year is an improvement on the last couple of years for you. Can?t get much worse probably!! Very best wishes.
Yes, assumptions can be so detrimental. Fortunately she only expressed her concerns to her husband in his role as pastor, although anyone else in the church could have set her straight. They all later found it very amusing and became good friends.
Wendy
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
These concerns have nothing to do with strangers and they should really keep their opinions to themselves as what goes on behind closed doors is private business. I can't help thinking this is gossip and stirring the pot to make trouble for other people is not very Christian is it? I read your notes and you made me smile. My two girls are very different and don't look much like sisters either! Love Dolly x
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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These concerns have nothing to do with strangers and they should really keep their opinions to themselves as what goes on behind closed doors is private business. I can't help thinking this is gossip and stirring the pot to make trouble for other people is not very Christian is it? I read your notes and you made me smile. My two girls are very different and don't look much like sisters either! Love Dolly x
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thanks Dolly for reviewing. The assistant pastor and his wife were fairly new to the church. She couldn?t understand why no one else noticed or cared. She only spoke to her husband in his role as pastor so not really gossip. If she had spoken to anyone else they would have set her straight as everyone knew they were brother and sister except her! Anyway it got sorted, fortunately, but the lesson for her was not to make assumptions.
Wendy
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
You would think busy body Suzy would have known this about Tim and Isabella, as she seems to make it her business to know everything - or think she knows everything.
Years ago, there was a woman in my church who started rumors about a man whom she thought was having an affair with another woman in the church. That woman was me, and there was no truth to the rumor. I went to the pastor about it, he spoke to the busy body, and she never gossiped about anyone again.
Things are not always what they seem, and you did a good job of telling this story through dialogue only.
Good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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You would think busy body Suzy would have known this about Tim and Isabella, as she seems to make it her business to know everything - or think she knows everything.
Years ago, there was a woman in my church who started rumors about a man whom she thought was having an affair with another woman in the church. That woman was me, and there was no truth to the rumor. I went to the pastor about it, he spoke to the busy body, and she never gossiped about anyone again.
Things are not always what they seem, and you did a good job of telling this story through dialogue only.
Good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 28-Dec-2022
reply by the author on 28-Dec-2022
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Thank you for reviewing and for your good wishes Pam. It?s very easy (too easy!) to jump to wrong conclusions without knowing all the facts, and it can cause a lot of pain and hurt.
Wendy
