The story begins ...not as much a case of class warfare, as it is class despondency.

A single dad struggles with his own inadequate feelings as a dad, and a provider ...wanting so much more for his daughter than he could ever offer.

She appears satisfied with the wholesomeness that often accompanies having less, but the words of her dad keep ringing in her head.

Though the words don't ring true ...they do continue to ring, over and over, until she finally answers.

Life provides many answers ...answers that provide a broad spectrum, of choices presented.

That broad spectrum of contrasting choices often challenges us in the most difficult ways, though the solution can be rather simple ...if we realize the concept of owning up.  It is a concept which involves accepting responsibility for our actions, and placing value on things beyond and not limited to ourselves.

A part of that sometimes involves holding others accountable too.

Sarah accepts the fact that it was partly her doing ...that she's about to bring a child into this world, and she is easily a part of that mentality, but she cannot be a part of a world that is not a part of her.  She is not to be swayed by the variable wisdom of those who provide options ...she is unwavering with the decision that she is going to have her child.

Sarah values how she's been brought up ...and that involves values.  The wholesomeness of one's heart shines through when one doesn't run away from what may prove to be difficult.

Rich comes from one of the wealthiest families, not only in the state of Washington, but in the world.  The Tressels don't run away either, but the shine they have doesn't shine outside their own polished pride.  They are very proficient in manipulating, intimidating, or conniving to get their way.  But, in spite of his parent's drastic contrasting values, Rich marries Sarah, and now over a half dozen years later, they are about to have their second child.

As Sarah delivers a healthy baby girl, she has complications of an unknown nature.  She quickly becomes progressively worse ...and eventually slips into a coma.

Their son, Stephen, now in elementary school, ends up taking a short-cut through another schoolyard on his way to the hospital to visit Mom.  A group of boys bully him for crossing their playground, throwing him to the ground, and giving him a thorough thrashing.  As Stephen leaves the playground, a young girl named Ruth expresses how wrong she feels the boys were.

Through the negligence of Rich, his daughter dies; and as his wife shows no improvement in her condition, she is transferred to a hospital on the other side of the state.  Now, Rich is at home with only his only remaining child, except while he's at work there's a friendly sitter for Stephen ...though this young woman is friendlier to Rich.

Stephen clings to the only true friendship he feels he still has ...that he can relate to.  It is that sweet little girl who'd befriended him on that neighboring schoolyard at the aftermath of the bullying.

Stephen is then told that his mom had died, shortly after the transfer to the other hospital.  He is told that she was cremated.  There are many who soon conclude that God is not lovingly watching over young Stephen ...because adding to all of that, his dad then dies, soon to be followed by the death of his grandparents.

And to put the finishing touches on this poor young child's life ...his best friend, Ruth, tells him that she is moving out-of-state, her dad having been offered a job in Michigan.

A friend and financial adviser to the late Tressels, had investigated into Sarah Tressel's death, claiming negligence as part of the cause of her death.  But it led George Olitz to find out even more.  George was led to a ranch in Montana where he finds Sarah alive ...barely alive, but alive!!

Drugs are found in Sarah's system that had aided in the prevention of her recovery.  Sarah is indeed alive, but not well.  It will require a lot of time for recovery.  

It is decided that it is best at this time for Stephen not to know, having to deal with insurmountable grief ...having to cope with all this tragedy, beginning with his mom's reported death. 

No, it clearly seems best that he not know at this time. After all, what if she doesn't recover?

Stephen is taken in by Pastor John, while Ruth tries to adjust to her new home in Michigan.  Ruth and Stephen continue their long distance friendship through writing letters.

Ruth's life has changed.  Ever since her dad had taken this new position in Michigan, things have changed. And he puts a stop to Ruth's letter writing ...attributing that to her dropping grades in school. 

Ruth's dad finds it too burdensome to have to continue the daily routine of parenting ...and considers it worthy to look to professional help for their recently deemed troublesome child.  And soon Ruth is placed in a Mental Institution for short-term evaluation.

Eight years later, Stephen has just finished high school.  He is not pursuing the furthering of his academic education ...but he aspires to another institution of higher learning.  He has been an excellent student of Pastor John.  He has planned his own community outreach, testifying to the love of his Lord, our Savior.

Sarah had taken quite a long time to recover.  But then she saw how well her son was doing ...without her. She decided to change her name to Rebekkah, and live in close proximity ...to watch her son grow up, from a close, safe distance.  She does not reveal who she is, and because she is believed to be dead, the ever expanding Tressel estate is in Stephen's name ...to be turned over to him in regulated stages, unbeknownst to him the name of the person who is managing it.  After all, Stephen is not that interested in building a financial kingdom for himself ...he is concerned with the furthering of God's Kingdom.

Pastor John is proud of Stephen ...yet that does not diminish his concern for Stephen's happiness.  He feels Stephen is being held back by unresolved emotions. Pastor John knows how much Stephen loves him as a dad...yet, there is a strong feeling that runs deep within the soul of Stephen that brings with it an empty longing.  It is a big part of who Stephen is; who Stephen has been ...and Stephen is not the type of person who can readily dismiss those sort of feelings. Pastor John challenges Stephen to revisit those feelings ...to not merely dismiss them.  He tells Stephen to fly to Michigan.

Ruth's dad has become increasingly more abusive to both Ruth and her mom.  Ruth's mom feels that continuing to conceal the problem, and not exposing it, only enables her husband to continue ...but she is afraid.  And he seems to be thirsting for more power and control.  Lately he'd become more insane with his demands ...and his abuse towards them.  A counselor provides advice, but when Ruth's mom tells of how she invited Stephen for a surprise visit ...the counselor says that she fears that a surprise of that nature may only provoke more anger and violence.  The counselor suggests that for Ruth's safety, she be temporarily placed back into the Mental Institution. And the counselor promises to help get a personal protection order against Sarah's husband ...for her and Ruth's safety.

But before the police can present him with the personal protection order, Ruth's dad gets a call that is not intended for him, and this mistaken phone call alerts him to Ruth's whereabouts.  Ruth's dad goes to the Mental Institution and demands of her to tell him what is going on.  He gets violently angry when Ruth says she does not know where mom is.  He lashes out at Ruth ...but she escapes.

When Stephen arrives, no one is there ...except the neighbor, who tells him that Ruth has run away.

Ruth's mom constantly fears for Ruth, but Ruth also fears for Mom.  Ruth manages to get all the way home, only to find that no one is home.  But the neighbor is home ...and tells Ruth that Stephen had been there. Knowing the desperate reality and danger that could be involved ...he gives Ruth a large sum of money he had saved up, telling her to use the money to catch a flight to Seattle.

Ruth flies to Seattle, managing to find Stephen.  He has changed so much, but still seems to have the qualities she'd been so fond of.  He doesn't recognize her, but when he comes to find out who she is, they embrace each other as they had so long ago as children ...but this time with many tears.

Ruth explains that she is classified as a runaway, and that she knows she will have to go back.  Stephen doesn't want her to go back, but understands.  He also understands that she will be eighteen years old in a couple months, and can legally sign herself out then.  Stephen says he will pick her up on her birthday, if she wishes, and asks her if she will marry him.

Those two months seem so long, but Stephen keeps himself busy.  He works on an evangelical event in the Seattle area.

When that special day comes, Stephen flies to Metro Airport in Michigan, then gets a rent-a-car.  He is on his way to pick up Ruth from the Mental Institution, when he gets into a terrible car accident.

Stephen's mom hears about it, and takes an immediate flight to Michigan.  As she arrives at the hospital, she joins Ruth's mom.  Ruth had been picked up by her mom, and was there too ...but where?  She had just stepped out for a couple minutes to use the bathroom ...but that was quite a while ago, and long enough to begin to get a little concerned.  

When they find Ruth, she is on another floor, in a hospital bed, unconscious ...having been raped.

As Ruth recovers from that violent ordeal, she is told not only of Stephen's death ...but also soon has to deal with the fact that she is pregnant.

How does Ruth cope with this?   She busies herself with helping others who are in similar circumstances, in the Seattle area, including twelve year old Tammy.

Ruth befriends Tammy, and is there by her side to provide the only comfort she can imagine.  Not even understanding what is about to happen to her, at 12 years old, Tammy, painfully and with much anxiety, delivers a healthy baby boy.

When it becomes Ruth's turn to deliver her baby, she tries to be strong.  She'd been strong for everyone else ...now she tries to be strong in her own situation, but it is more difficult than even she'd imagined.  She passes out, just as she delivers her baby.

Ruth's mom sees the baby before Ruth does.  All at once, it hits her ...that which they'd not really talked about. The horror of the rape hits her at this moment.  She has a nervous break-down.  Not only hadn't she been in the room when the delivery had taken place, but now she can't even bring herself to be in the room when Ruth sees her baby for the first time.  She hates herself for not being strong enough.   Burdened with her failure as a mom every time Ruth had needed her ...she collapses in her chair, and sobs uncontrollably.  

Ruth is eager to see her baby ...and when the nurse hands Ruth her dark-skinned baby girl, Ruth could not be happier.

Ruth's mom is not happy though.  She falls deeper into depression.  All she can think about is how she has been a failure ...how she was unable to protect her own daughter from all the abuse her dad had put her through.  Now, day and night, all she can think about is the torment he also put her through ...but she can't escape the guilt of constantly being so overwhelmed by her own battered past, instead of being strong for a daughter who must have suffered tremendously more than she had.

She is tormented by the fact that she was not strong for Ruth, and now Ruth is trying to be strong for her ...and that makes her feel even more of a failure.

Ruth sees things differently though ,,,

It is late at night.  Ruth gets a flashlight to show her mom the morning glories in their yard ...they had remained open in the dark of night.  She tells Mom that she loves her.  She says Mom has been like those morning glories, remaining for her in the darkest times.  And she had been able to draw strength from the fact that she always knew someone loved her ...her Mom!

But there also is a message that Jesus is always there during our darkest times ...and He wants us to bloom again.

So Loved ...

....................So Loved ...