XXXIX

IN THE WORLD YOU SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION: BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.

(JOHN 16:33)

DESTINY KNIGHT-STORM

“Hi Dee,” Sevenia greeted cheerily as she entered my kitchen wearing a bright yellow summer dress and red converse sneakers. My heart soared with hope. For the last few weeks, she just hadn’t been the same. This was understandable because 22 days previously she was nearly raped by a male friend of hers. Said assailant ended his life an hour after the attack. Then three days later, her aunt was murdered.

“Hi Sweetie,” I sang right before I hugged her. She plopped into a chair at the kitchen table, pulled a Granny Smith apple out of a fruit bowl, took a big chomp out of it and chewed happily. “How are you?”

“I’m good. How about you?”

“Just peachy,” I replied as I studied her eyes to see if the twinkle I thought I detected was genuine. It appeared that the familiar, optimistic light was back after day upon day with her lovely emerald windows to the soul shaded with gloom. “So what’s up?”

“I’ve made a decision,” she said boldly, and then frowned. “Actually a couple. Maybe a few. ”

“I see,” I said, even though it occurred to me that I didn’t. “Tell me about them.”

“Have you ever purposely yawned to make somebody else yawn?” she asked with a straight face.

“No,” I replied slowly and cautiously, then I realized she wasn’t joking. Yet I laughed. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s something I’ve always liked to do,” she giggled. “Even if you pretend to yawn, three out of four times the person you are with will yawn right after you.”

I frowned as I contemplated. Then I realized that most of the time that I see someone yawn, I yawn as well. “Okay Sweetie, what’s your point?”

“It’s a deception.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I suppose it is.”

“That’s lying.”

“Huh?”

“Pretending to yawn when I’m not really yawning,” she said earnestly. “That’s lying. And I’ve done this trick hundreds of times, to dozens of people.”

“Sweetie, I hardly think that’s bearing false witness in the strictest sense. You were joking, not deceiving.”

“Ah, I beg to differ. I was deceiving, albeit joking, for my own pleasure.”

“Talk about innocent pleasure,” I laughed.

“You think?” she asked so seriously I frowned, yet smirked.

“I think.”  

“Well, it got me thinking that maybe minor infractions aren’t so different than serious ones. Regardless of whether Captain Kirk’s speculations are right or not, we live in a sin polluted world, no question. Thankfully, Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of which I’m chief.”

“If you Sweetie,” I interrupted. “Are gonna claim to be chiefest of sinners like the Apostle Paul, I’m the devil himself.”

“You’re more than kind,” she giggled. “If you’re the devil than I’m… Never mind, this is stupid. The point I’m trying to make is we’re all flawed. We’ve all sinned and come short of the gory of God. The point I was trying to make is selfishness. Which is sin. Can be incredibly simple, yet deep, and subtle.”

“I agree,” I agreed.

 “I realized I can be incredibly judgmental, when I’ve always flattered myself that I’m not,” she said. Then she got up, went to the fridge, grabbed a grape flavored sparkling water, kicked off her shoes, sat back down and crossed her legs. “Dee, I need to apologize.”

“For what?”

“I was just at the pastor’s house,” she replied. “He told me you were worried about me. I’m sorry, Dee. The Captain pointed out how quiet and aloof I’ve been lately. It was so self-absorbed of me to not realize my depressed state of mind the last couple of weeks was not noticeable.”

“You’re such a beckon of light to so many, Sweetie,” I told her. “It’s pretty obvious when that precious light isn’t shinning.”

She looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. The girl was so selfless, it truly didn’t occur to her that people noticed she was hurting. “Thank you Dee, that was kind of you to say.”

I sat down next to the girl that was like a daughter to me. I squeezed one of her bare feet and said, “You need not apologize, but I do.”

“What for?” She asked with arched eyebrows.

“I prayed and prayed for you,” I told her. “Yet I never knew how to encourage you.”

“Your love and friendship is all I ever need to encourage me.”

“Thank you, Sweetie.”

“I knew the Lord was with me,” she said. “I was just experiencing Psalm 23 for real. It took some time and a lot of prayer to get my head around everything. But I clung to verse 6 as if it were a life preserver.”

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (Psalm 23:6),” I quoted. “I end up reading Psalm 23 every time I’m discouraged.”

“I guess that’s the reason it’s the most famous Psalm,” Sevenia said. “It always reminds me that the kingdom of God is within us.” (Luke 17:21).

“Yes,” I replied, and then we grinned at each other. “So tell me about your decisions.”

“Well, my dad has been wanting me to do a series with Lexi on his podcast about the occult. After reading Captain Kirk’s book about the war in heaven, I decided to do it.”

“What was it about the pastor’s book that changed your mind?”

“I guess between reading his book and what happened a few weeks ago, it really brought home Ephesians 6:12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

“And nobody at Cotton Creek knows more about that verse than Lexi,” I added.

“Right, I’m gonna go see her after I leave here.”

“Well, you’re really making the rounds today.”

“Yeah,” she laughed. “I guess after playing a hermit for the last dozen days, I’m longing to see some peeps.”

“So, do your other decisions have to do with your dad’s podcast?”

“No, the other two aren’t related.”

“Alright, tell me about the other two.”

“Well, one of the reasons I’ve been playing the hermit, is the thing with my Uncle Six initially being a suspect in Aunt Charley’s murder. But I’m ashamed to say, even more than that, my Uncle Six and his relationship with Salena, my forever bestie’s mother. It was their family, and their holy living, that made me become a diligent seeker of truth myself. Then I find out she had an affair with my Uncle!”

“Sweetie, you don’t know that,” I said.

“But I do, Dee,” Sevenia said sadly. “I talked to Salena on the phone right after everything went down. She admitted it. I sinned in my quick judgement of her, and I told her I never wanted to see or speak to her again. She started crying, Dee, and was saying let me explain, please let me explain.”

Suddenly Sevenia burst out in sobs.

“It’s okay, Sweetie,” I gently soothed. “I understand.”

“No, you don’t,” she croaked, as she quickly composed herself and continued. “I was so disappointed with her I hung up on her. I so missed Anna and her sweet, uplifting presence, I ignored her mother’s calls and texts in the days following until yesterday. I agreed to meet with her tomorrow in Clear Lake and discuss what happened between her and Uncle Six.”

“I see, is Branch taking you?” I asked.

“He wanted to, but my relationship with him is my third decision.”

“Okay,” I replied cautiously. “Say on.”

“I think I need to end things with him.”

“Why?” I blurted, causing her to look a little startled. “What did he do?”

“Nothing,” she replied meekly. “It’s just, with everything that’s happened with my uncle and Salena, and what not. I mean how can you ever trust anyone? I decided I want to just serve the Lord and not yoke myself with another human being. The Apostle Paul even recommends flying solo.”

“But Sweetie, Branch is a good man,” I whined. “And good, Godly men are hard to come by.”

She nodded slowly, and then bowed her head and fidgeted uneasily with her fingers. The couple were supposed to be baptized together, but then Sevenia’s aunt died and the ceremony went into limbo. My heart ached for Branch. I thought of him as a combination between my own husband and Billy Bob Booker.

“One more thing,” Sevenia told me as my brain whirled. “About Salena I mean. This is what pushed me over the edge and to behave so irrational with her.”

“Okay.”

“Salena’s pregnant with Six’s child.”

My mouth did the proverbially drop to the floor.