A Mother's Promise

Lisa exchanged a general greeting with the others, too nervous to offer a smile, and sat down in the second row on the end seat. Michael stepped up to the podium and welcomed them all, waited for the low hum of chatter to quiet, then opened the meeting with prayer. True to her word, Beth Anne slipped silently into the chair next to Lisa, giving Lisa’s knee a reassuring pat as she did.

Lisa sighed and let her thoughts join in as Michael’s rich, deep voice intoned an earnest praise of God’s presence in their lives, their rock in time of trouble, then sought God’s attention, help and blessings for them all.

Yes, Lord. Do You hear him? He’s a minister, so I guess You just have to listen to him. And I guess he’s first in line for receiving Your help. But I’m here, too, and I’m one of those who needs all the help I can get. I can’t afford to mess up again. Oh, by the way, thanks for the job. I can get tips as a waitress. If the court had let me work in a place that served drinks, I’d earn more, but that’s okay. I’ll work as hard as I need to, You’ll see. If only Aunt Katherine will see reason…

Fifteen minutes later, as the musicians let the opening music drift to a close, Lisa conceded that Ethan knew how to use his guitar. The man could play.

So what? Lisa mused. That didn’t cover much by way of character.

She was into character study these days—good, bad, weak, strong. Her observations of those around her had become an obsession.

The meeting covered a lot of ground. There were announcements of planned activities, most of them strictly for fun and bonding, Bible studies held in small groups, and the private counseling services that Michael offered.

Maybe she should go see him, Lisa thought. Would Beth Anne go with her?

“We officially launch an ad in two weeks,” Michael went on, “for our first big event. An all-day seminar entitled What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life? and subtitled, Following God’s Blueprint.”

She certainly needed that. But it was on a Saturday… Her thoughts drifted; she’d have to work.

“Blueprint?” commented one of the men. “Guess I was standing behind a door when they was passing out them things, ’cause life has sure passed me by.”

Chuckles greeted the remark, and another man answered, “Ken, you haven’t enough life in you to make a blip on the charts in the first place. Life can’t help but pass you by when it can’t even find you.”

“Then it’s an all-fired surety that God’s gotta give me something to work with for the next few years, isn’t it?” Ken parried, the lines in his face crinkling as he talked. “I’ve gotta make up for lost time. Maybe it’s a good time to ask Cindy here for a date.”

Cindy turned toward the man in cut-off jeans, his short brown hair flying every way but straight. Lisa’s gaze followed Cindy’s carefully narrowed stare.

Ken gave an exaggerated groan.

While those around her laughed, Lisa found herself wanting to smile, too. She could see this crowd liked to tease, but their friendliness included a real compassion. Slowly her muscles relaxed, and she began to enjoy the meeting.

Then Michael regained their attention, explaining who the speakers would be at the seminar, and what they hoped to cover.

“It’s a dynamite program, so it’s a good time to invite other people to come. We want to serve each other here, folks, while we’re finding or expanding our own walk with the Lord. Even though we’re a little out of the way here in River’s Edge, I don’t think people will mind if we can give them what they need. We can still become an effective force for boomers at a crossroads.”

“Sounds cool, Michael,” Pam said. “What can we do to help set up for the day?”

“We need to get the word out, mostly. And Beth Anne will need some help in taking reservations and organizing the kitchen. We’re contracting with Buck’s Barbecue for lunch, but we’ll still need some set-up and clean-up help.”

After that, Michael launched into the serious side of the meeting. He gave a message from Romans, and Lisa stilled her wandering thoughts to concentrate.

“Most of us in this group are reaching for higher gains now, more than just the material things that topped our list of needs in our twenties and thirties. We’ve somehow missed the narrow road.

“Those decades have also shown us how vulnerable we are to human mistakes. What the Bible calls sin. We’ve discovered our own weaknesses and deeper needs, and often we are anxious or depressed, and we’re desperate to feel God’s love and forgiveness. I’d like to remind you all that loving us is what God does.

“As we wrap up the evening, let’s go home with these words from Romans 8:35-39. ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

‘As it is written, For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

‘No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’”

Nothing? Lisa wondered. Not even her sins? The thought was reassuring, as Beth Anne had told her.

But what about this terrible thirst for revenge?

Lisa pushed the thought down, along with all the ugly reasons for feeling that she was unlovable. She clung to the soothing words of love and forgiveness. Perhaps Beth Anne was right about her needing this group.

They adjourned for coffee and refreshments, which were set up toward the back of the room. It was someone’s birthday, and Pam had brought a cake. Everyone made a production of singing “Happy Birthday,” then the people milled around, talking among themselves.

Lisa glanced at her watch. This was the point at which she wanted to run. She had to be home by ten, anyway. But with Beth Anne’s eagle eye on her, she didn’t have a chance to slip out unnoticed. When Cindy came up to speak with Beth Anne, Lisa nodded and smiled, then moved to stand at the end of the table.

Ten minutes. Then she’d leave.

“So it’s Lisa, huh? What’s the last name again?” Lisa turned to see Ethan standing behind her. She noted his brown eyes had warm amber glints, like the amber earrings she’d once owned.

“Marley.”

“I’m Ethan Vale.” He picked up a foam cup and offered, “Coffee?”

“No, thanks.” She glanced at the exit. Five. She’d give it five minutes more.

“You don’t drink coffee?”

“Sure. Sometimes.”

“But you don’t want any now? Actually, I like to watch my caffeine intake, too. Does it keep you awake? I can get you something else.”

“No. Um, thank you.” Her truck keys made a nice satisfying lump in her denim pocket. If she left now, she’d have time to run by Aunt Katherine’s house. Just to look at it. These days, she could come and go at her own choosing—as long as she was home before curfew.

“I think the kitchen has a supply of tea,” Ethan said. His inviting gaze urged her to make her request known. “Or lemonade wouldn’t bother you. How about some cake?”

“No, thanks.”

“Why not? You can’t be one of those women always on a diet.” His quick glance down her form-fitting jeans held an admiring glint.

“You can’t be one of those men who never turns down a sweet,” she countered. Everything extra she ate went right to her hips, but she wasn’t going to tell him that.

“Aw, come on. It’s chocolate.”

“So?”

“So, chocolate is one of my favorite vegetables, and I always eat my vegetables.”

Yeah, this guy thought he was cute, all right. At least two of the other women thought so, too, from the envious glances tossed her way.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” she muttered. “I have to go.”