Raising Faith Read Free

feel it’s my duty to encourage our club to be financially fiscal.”
    “Financially fiscal?” Morgan frowned at Amy. “What do you mean? We’re not a business.”
    “We’re sort of like a business.”
    “Oh, Amy,” said Chelsea. “Give it a rest, will ya?”
    “Yeah,” agreed Emily. “Now Morgan has something to tell us.” Emily turned and looked at Morgan.
    “Oh, I don’t know …” Morgan wasn’t sure she wanted to make her announcement now.
    “What’s wrong?” asked Emily. “I thought you were going to invite everyone —”
    “I don’t know if it’s such a good idea now.” Morgan tried to give Emily a look — a look that was supposed to say “I don’t want to talk about this now.” But Emily obviously wasn’t getting it.
    “Hey,” said Chelsea. “What’s the deal, Morgan? First you’re going to invite us to something, and then you change your mind and un-invite us?”
    “That’s not very polite,” added Amy.
    “Yeah,” said Carlie. “What’s up with that, Morgan?”
    “Fine, fine,” said Morgan, holding up her hands. “I’ll tell you. I was going to ask everyone here if you wanted to go on a ski trip with our youth group. It’s the week after Christmas, it’s for three days and —”
    “All right!” said Carlie, giving Chelsea a high five. “I’m in.”
    “Me too,” said Chelsea. “I can’t wait to show you guys my new board.”
    “I’d like to come too,” said Amy. “I’ve never skied before, but I’d like to try.”
    “How about you, Emily?” asked Carlie. “You’re coming too, right?”
    Emily looked down at her lap. “I don’t know …”
    “Why not?” demanded Amy.
    Emily looked up now, her eyes on Morgan. “Tell them,” she said. “Tell them how much it costs.”
    “Well, I was about to …” Morgan adjusted her glasses and looked at her friends. “But then I got interrupted. Anyway, the trip, which includes transportation, lift tickets, equipment rental, food, and lodging … is two hundred dollars.”
    “That’s not bad,” said Chelsea. “Count me in.”
    “Whoa,” said Carlie. “I don’t know about that …”
    “It’s a good deal,” said Chelsea. “Seriously, I heard my mom saying how much our weekend is costing us — trustme, two hundred dollars a person is not bad.”
    “Maybe for you,” said Carlie. “But I don’t have that kind of money.”
    “Two hundred dollars?” said Amy in a thoughtful voice.
    “Yeah,” said Morgan. “Is that too much for you too?”
    “No …” Amy slowly shook her head. “I think I can afford that. My parents have been paying me for helping in the restaurant lately. And I’ll work a lot during the holidays. Plus, tips are supposed to be good during December. I’ll go.”
    “Not me,” said Carlie sadly.
    “So, I’m not so sure,” said Morgan. “I’ve been having second thoughts about the whole thing. Maybe we should make some kind of pact. Either we all go, or none of us go.”
    “That’s not fair,” said Amy.
    “Well, I don’t know if I want to go …” began Morgan. “I mean, if Emily and Carlie can’t go too. It just wouldn’t feel right to me. It wouldn’t be fun. Maybe we should just forget it.”
    “Wait,” said Emily. “You didn’t tell them everything, Morgan.” She turned to Carlie now. “Our church has ways for kids to earn money.”
    “But I don’t go to your church,” said Carlie.
    “I don’t think that matters,” said Emily. “The youth pastor said we could invite our friends.” Then she told theothers about the Christmas bazaar and selling Christmas trees and wreathes.
    “Really?” said Carlie hopefully. “We could do that?”
    “But two hundred dollars is a lot of money,” Morgan pointed out. “And there’s not much time. And anyone who goes needs to pay a deposit of fifty dollars, and I’m guessing that needs to be paid pretty soon. Plus, don’t forget it’s Christmas … it can get pretty busy, you know.”
    Carlie frowned.