ONE
It was three days before New Yearâs Eve. Things were popping on Blossom Hill Lane.
Stacy Henry was buzzing with an idea. Her real cool idea had started out teeny-weeny. But during the Cul-de-sac Kids club meeting it grew. And grew.
And grew!
She couldnât keep it to herself any longer.
âLetâs do something really fun for the New Year,â she suggested.
âYay!â the girls shouted.
âLike what?â Jason Birchall spoke up.
Stacy twirled her hair. âItâs that time of year, isnât it?â
âWhatâre you talking about?â asked Jason, pushing up his glasses. â What time of year?â
âIâll give you three guesses, but only three.â She squeezed in next to Abby Hunter in the presidentâs seatâa bean-bag chair.
Abby was the president of the Cul-de-sac Kids club. A neighborhood club with nine members. Each club member lived on Blossom Hill Lane, which was really a dead-end street. A cul-de-sac, shaped like aU.
Abby grinned. âI like guessing games. Who wants to guess first?â
âI will!â Dee Dee Winters stood up. She pulled up her knee socks. Then she put her finger on her lip. âMy guess is itâs time to go group sledding. Thatâs really fun!â
Stacy nodded her head. âYouâre right,going sledding together is lots of fun. But thatâs not what I was thinking.â
âWhoâs next?â asked Abby. âThis is the second guess, remember.â
Dunkum Mitchell raised his hand. âItâs time to think about the New Year? Maybe write down some goals or something. Thatâs my guess,â he said.
Stacy looked at Abby and whispered, âHeâs almost got it.â
Abby grinned at Dunkum. âStacy says youâre real close. Wanna guess again?â
Dunkum, whose real name was Edward, shook his head no. The kids nicknamed him Dunkum because he was tall. So tall he could dunk a basketball. Every time . . . almost.
âOK,â said Stacy. âSince Dunkum nearly guessed it, Iâll tell my idea.â
The kids leaned forward. Their eyes were big as bowls.
âI want to make some changes in myself,âStacy said. âLike grown-ups do every New Year.â
âOh, no. Not grown-up stuff!â Jason complained. He rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue. âThatâs so dumb.â
Eric Hagel frowned at Jason. âDonât say âdumb.â Itâs not cool. Besides, Stacyâs idea might be more fun than you think.â
CarlyâAbbyâs little sisterâgrabbed Dee Deeâs hand. They were best friends. âI donât care what Jason says. I wanna make some changes for the New Year, too. Just like Stacy.â
âWhat kinda changes?â sneered Jason.
Stacy said, âThings like asking God to help make me kind and loving. Good changes like that.â
Jason clutched his throat when she said âloving.â
Yikes! Stacy worried that a full-blown fit was coming.
Quickly, Abby called the meeting to order again. âI like Stacyâs idea, too. Keep talking,â she told Stacy.
âCan we name the fruits of the Spirit?â asked Stacy.
Lots of hands went up.
All but Jasonâs.
Stacy was pretty sure he could say them, too. Jason was just being a pest. But that was normal for him.
âHow many fruits of the Spirit are there?â Stacy asked.
âThatâs easy. Nine!â Dunkum said.
âI almost say that,â Shawn Hunter said in broken English.
Shawn was Abbyâs adopted brother. Their little brother, Jimmy, was nodding, too.
âWe know lots of fruit from Bible,â Jimmy piped up. âAmerican mother teach us.â
Abbyâs eyes were shining. âShawn and Jimmy are right. And I think we all know the fruits of the Spirit.â
âCan we say them?â Stacy asked,searching for some chalk. âOr maybe we can write them on the