Love Indeed | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Love Indeed | Previous Challenge Entry
By Glynis Becker
02/23/08
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She smiled. She sang. She even clapped during a couple of songs, when she was sure she had the right beat. Her heart lightened a little as she closed her eyes. Yes, this world weighed her down--the bills, the long hours at work, trying to be a mother and father, the loneliness--but she was sure that this wasn't to be forever. Glancing down at Isaac working a maze in the children's bulletin she was sure, even if she didn’t know how, God would take care of them.

The music came to an end and the worship leader enthusiastically said, "Look around and greet one another in the love of Jesus this beautiful morning!"

As the noise level in the sanctuary rose she heard someone nearby say, "How are you, today? Frankie, is it?" The man sitting in front of her had turned around and stuck out his hand.

"It's Frannie. I'm fine, thank you," she said, realizing the man probably hadn't heard. He was already shaking hands with someone else.

She greeted a few more people, then sat as the room began to hush. The pastor walked to the pulpit for the morning's scripture reading and sermon.

" 'And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.' (Col 3:12-14, NASB)

He began with, "We need to love each other. We need to encourage each other. We need to build each other up!" His fist in the air with that third statement perfectly punctuated the 'amens' that popped up around the room. His meditation made several more thoughtful points on the way to the ending sentence of "If we can't love on each other, then how are we ever going to show Jesus' graceful, amazing, perfect love to this desperate, fallen world?" Pause. "Amen." More 'amens' followed.

Time for the closing chorus and off to the parlor for coffee and cookies. She looked forward to a time of real fellowship with her church family. "Come on, Isaac. Let's go get Ella from the nursery and then you can get a cookie."

"Frannie. Great to see you!" One of the young women from Frannie's Bible study stopped her in the hallway. "Wasn't that a fantastic sermon? I mean, he's right. How are we supposed to love them if we can't love each other? How are the kids?"

"Well, Ella's got this ear--"

"I'll be right there!" She waved at someone behind Frannie's shoulder. "Sorry, Fran. I've got to go. Let's get lunch sometime this week, okay?" And she was gone.

Frannie opened the bright yellow door to the church’s large nursery. “There's my girl." Frannie leaned down, scooping up a toddler in a ruffled dress. She waved at the nursery worker on the way out. "Thanks!"

Isaac raced ahead to get in line for cookies and Frannie looked around to find her friends. Boy, did she need some adult conversation this morning. She stepped toward a group of her Bible study girls.

"--and you wouldn't believe the mess they left in the kitchen. I mean, who do they think is gonna clean that up? They may be making food to take to the shelter, but somebody ought to tell them it's not my job to pick up after them!" She sniffed, then seeing Frannie, started to smile. "Well, how are you this morning? And how's Miss Ella?" she asked in the sing-song voice universally common to woman when little ones are nears.
"Oh, I'm tired. She was up all night, although you wouldn't know it to--" Before Frannie could finish, one husband walked up and said, “We have to get going if we’re going to make it to the soccer game on time.” And with a chorus of ‘See you laters’ the group disbanded.
Frannie found herself standing alone with Ella and Isaac. With a sigh, she said, “Time to go.” Earlier, her heart had been momentarily lifted, but as the discouragement landed on her again, it seemed more palpable and slightly darker than it had been before. Frannie squared her shoulders, breathed in deeply and opened the heavy doors that led her back into the world.

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