CXXIII

TRICKY TRIANGLE

SEPTEMBER 1964

CHAPTER 3

Dawn was talking so low as she prayed, Hal could only make out about half of what she was saying. He thought it was probably a double sin to lust after a woman as she prayed. Then he smirked, he didn’t believe in God anyway so he continued to admire her backside. Then something she spoke caused him to tense.

“Please, if it be your will,  have him ask me out,” she prayed. “But only if it’s your will, all wise, all knowing Creator.”

Was Hal the him she spoke of? If he was, shouldn’t she have said again? He felt a pang of jealousy. But why, hadn’t he told himself he wanted nothing more to do with Dawn. Then a relieved thought came to his mind. He didn’t actually ask her out for last night’s date, Ed had arranged the rendezvous for the foursome.

Dawn rose suddenly, startling Hal. But he wasn’t half as startled as Dawn. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her breath caught as a hand flew to her chest. Then the stunned countenance turned to an angry one. “How dare you invade my privacy?”

“What do you mean? The county owns this property, I have as much right to be here as you.”

“Well, then, how dare you sneak up on me and spy?” she barked as she whisked past him.

He followed on her heels. “Who’s the him you want to ask you out?”

She stopped abruptly and turned. They collided, and then she shoved him hard in the chest. “Of all the nerve! Get away from me!”

“Who, Dawn?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Dawn began a brisk walk through the narrow trail with Hal once again on her heels. “Dawn, will you go out with me again?”

Dawn stopped abruptly, and Hal almost collided with her again. Her brain whirled in confusion. Her first instinct was to slap him. Then she realized that God not only answered her prayer concerning the guy she had prayed about, he had seemed to materialize as soon as her prayer ended. Was it a miracle? Coincidence? Fate?

Maybe she should be thankful instead of angry. Regardless, for some reason, she couldn’t seem to move. She felt Hal’s strong gentle hands on her shoulders. He guided her around to face him. “How about it, just you and me? We’ll go to dinner. At a nicer place than a drive in burger joint.”

“Why?” Dawn asked quietly.

Good question, Hal was asking himself that same very same thing. Then he shrugged. “Why not?”

“You’ve never liked me.”

“You’ve never been very nice.”

“And you think I am nice now?” She asked skeptically.

Hal refrained from saying nice looking. “That’s what I want to find out. Maybe I’m an optimist, and maybe it’s a case of opposites attract.”

“What makes you think I’m attracted to you?” Dawn asked coolly.

“You just prayed for me to ask you out,” Hal said with a coy smile.

“Did I?” Dawn replied patiently. His haughty attitude made her want to lash out, but she controlled herself. “Can you prove that?”

“I think I can,” Hal said.

“Oh, so you can read minds then?”

“No,” Hal replied, shaking his head. “But I have known you for over a decade. Granted, we never used to play at each other’s houses or anything. But you are the most honest, straightforward person I have ever known. So tell me then, if not me, who were you praying for?”

“That’s none of your business!” she barked. Yet she felt like what he had just said about her honesty was a compliment, and it thrilled her heart, even as his demand annoyed her. She was beginning to think the pursuit of love was the most confusing, anguishing endeavor known to humanity. At the same time it was the most exciting.

Hal went to his knees, and for the first time in years he prayed. Although, it was more for show than genuine communion with his Maker. “Dear Lord, whether I was the one Dawn prayed for or not, please inspire her to agree to an evening of fine dining and conversation with me. Amen.”

Dawn wondered if Hal was mocking her, but despite herself, she couldn’t help giggling as Hal rose. He grinned from ear to ear. The happy countenance on the most serious girl he had ever known was a beautiful sight.

“Are you even a believer?” Dawn asked, as her merriment slowly faded.

“I’m a confirmed member of the Catholic church,” Hal declared.

“I’m a citizen of the United States, but that doesn’t make me president. Are you a believer or not?”

“A believer in what?” Hal stalled.

“A believer in God, silly.”

“Not really.”

“The Bible says I shouldn’t be yoked to an unbeliever.”

“Going out on a date isn’t going to yoke us.”

“What’s the point then if a possible courtship is out of the question? I already told you that I’m saving myself for marriage, and you don’t seem like the type of guy that’s willing to wait.”

“That’s judgmental. The Bible says judge not, or else you will be judged.”

“I’m not judging you, I don’t know your heart,” she shrugged. “I’m just making an observation. You seem like the type of guy that wants a girl willing to fool around in the backseat of your car.”

“That’s just it, you don’t know me. I don’t want to use a girl just for sex. That’s why I’m suggesting we start seeing each other.”

“But like I said, I ultimately can’t be yoked to an unbeliever.”

“So make me a believer.”

She studied him for a moment. “You’re serious?”

“Yeah,” he said, spreading his arms in exasperation. “That’s part of getting to know each other. I want to understand what makes you such a spiritual person. Who knows, maybe it will make me one too.”

She chewed tentatively on her lower lip and gazed at Hal with her big beautiful brown eyes. He never wanted to kiss a girl more in his life.

“Listen,” he continued. “I don’t care if I was the one in your, you know, prayer. Regardless of that, I still want to go out with you. So how about it?”

“I’ll think about it,” she replied, folding her arms and eyeing him innocently.

“Oh!” Hal grimaced, clenching his jaw, and clutching her upper arms firmly. “Girl, you’re driving me nuts!”

Dawn didn’t really feel threatened by Hal, but on the other hand, she wasn’t used to being alone with a guy. Especially in a remote area. She kicked him in the shin and stepped past him, beginning a trek out of the woods.

“Ouch!” Hal bellowed and gave chase. “Why you little…”

Dawn squealed and began running down the narrow trail, laughing. But she didn’t get very far before her tender ankle began to bother her. Then a stab of pain brought her to her knees.

“Ya know, you should wait until your ankle heels before you go hiking into thick woods,” Hal scolded.

“Ow,” Dawn moaned as Hal helped her to her feet. “It was doing just fine until some lunatic started chasing me.”

“Here let me carry you,” Hal offered.

“No, I’m fine,” she replied. But Hal persisted and picked her up. “Put me down.”

“Oh, just be quiet,” Hal demanded. But Dawn continued to squirm in his arms as Hal walked them out of the woods. “Stop squirming.”

“Put me down.”

Hal stumbled, and their cheeks pressed together. He stopped walking, and Dawn stilled. She looked at him with her eyes looking extra huge and cute just inches from his. Without even thinking, he kissed her. Now they both looked startled, and he gently set her down.

Dawn gazed at him with a stunned expression, and then mumbled. “You kissed me.”

“I’m sorry, Dawn,” Hal said, lifting his hands in defense.

“You kissed me,” she repeated, touching two fingers to her lips and looking at them as if they might have come away bloody.

Hal remembered the previous night when Dawn licked a napkin and scrubbed dried catchup from the corner of his mouth. He put a finger where the moisture had been. “I’m sorry, Dawn, I had no right to steal your first kiss. I’m sure you wanted it to be with someone special, someone you love.”

“What makes you think it was my first?” Dawn asked with something like a coy smile on her lips.

Hal frowned. That was his first kiss, how could it not be hers?  “That wasn’t the first time you were kissed by a guy?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Yes, I would.”

“Well, I don’t kiss and tell.”

“I see, well, I’d like to rescind my offer of a date,” Hal said, as he began to walk past her. “I didn’t realize that you’ve been defiled.”

Dawn folded her arms, stuck her tongue in her cheek, and turned to watch walk away. “I hadn’t been defiled until just a minute ago.”

Hal stopped, turning to face her. “Once again, Dawn, I’m sorry.” He turned and began his trek out of the woods again.

“Hal,” Dawn called after him. “I accept your apology, and I also accept your offer of a date.”

Hal went back to her, placing his hands on his hips. “I just told you, I rescinded the offer.”

“Oh, I see,” Dawn replied, batting her eyelashes a little. She rose to her tiptoes, put her hands on Hal’s shoulders, and pressed her lips onto his. Then she attempted to brush past him, but he caught her hand.

“Dawn, I rescind my rescinding,” he told her with a grin.

“Too bad,” she said with a coy smile. “I rescind my acceptance.”

She turned and began a brisk walk out of the woods again. Hal took four quick, long steps, wrapped his arms around her waist, and whirled her around a couple times. “Oh no, you don’t.”

“Ehhhhh!” Dawn squealed and laughed as her shoe flew off. Hal set her on a nearby tree stump, and retrieved the black and white sneaker.

“Didn’t your mom ever teach you how to properly tie a shoe?” Hal teased.

“It was tied loose because I have a tender ankle. Now hand it over.”

“Not until you agree to go out with me.”

“Well, if that’s the only way I get my shoe back, I accept.”

“One more thing,” Hal demanded. “You have to kiss me again, too.”

“Oh, if I must,” Dawn replied with mock disgust.

Two hours later, Hal was shooting baskets in his driveway. He wore a satisfied smile as he thought about his encounter that afternoon with Dawn. Her feistiness, the kisses they shared, the long, deep conversation they had when he drove her home. Was this what love felt like?

“Hal, Ed’s on the phone,” his mother called.

Hal trotted into the house, anxious to tell his good friend about his afternoon encounter with Dawn. But Ed got in the first word, and it wasn’t good.

“Wendy and I got into a bit of a tiff today,” Ed explained.

“Over what?” Hal asked as his grip on the phone tightened.

“Religion.”

“Religion?”

“Yeah, but we were civil, we’re still friends,” Ed said, and then sighed. “As a matter of fact, she came up with a great idea.”

“Yeah, what’s that?”

“You’re gonna get your wish old buddy.”

“What’s my wish?”

“You know, Wendy.”

“Wendy, what are you talking about?”

“She and I both noticed how badly you and Dawn got along last night. Wendy and I also realized that she and I are ultimately not very compatible. So, she actually suggested we switch. You start seeing her, and I start seeing Dawn. How about that old pal?

“Yeah, how about that,” Hal mumbled.

(DESTINY’S BIBLE STUDY NOTES AND QUOTES)

(The LIFE and MINISTRY of JESUS Part 16)

As Jesus traveled through Galilee, teaching and healing, multitudes flocked to Him from the cities and villages. Never before have there been such a period as this for the world. Heaven was brought down to humanity. Hungering and thirsting souls that had waited long for the redemption of Israel now feasted upon the grace of a merciful Savior.

“In the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.” (Daniel 9:27). In the spring of A. D. 31, Christ the true sacrifice was offered on Calvary. The veil of the temple was torn in two, showing that the sacredness and significance of the sacrificial service had departed. The time had come for the earthly sacrifice and oblation to cease.

The one week—seven years—ended in A. D. 34. Then by the stoning of Stephen the Jews finally sealed their rejection of the gospel; the disciples who were scattered abroad by persecution “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4) and shortly after, Saul the persecutor was converted, and became Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.

It was Gabriel, the angel next in rank to the Son of God, who came with the divine message to Daniel. It was also Gabriel who Christ sent to open the future to John the Revelator.

The words of the angel to Daniel relating to the last days were to be understood in the time of the end. At that time, “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” “The wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:4, 10)

The Savior Himself has given signs of His coming. (See Luke 21:31-36)

So today the kingdom of this world absorbs humanity’s thoughts, and they take no note of the rapidly fulfilling prophecies and the tokens of the swift-coming kingdom of God.

(See Luke 4:16-21) Upon this Sabbath Jesus was requested to take part in the service. He stood to read. And there was delivered to Him a roll of the prophet Isaiah. The scripture which He read was one that was understood as referring to the Messiah. Jesus stood before the people as a living expositor of the prophecies concerning Himself.

But when Jesus announced, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears,” they suddenly recalled to think of themselves, and the claims of Him who had been addressing them.

Who is this Jesus? They questioned. He who had claimed for Himself the glory of the Messiah was the son of a carpenter, and had worked at His trade with His father Joseph. Although His life had been spotless, they would not believe that He was the Promised One.

Truth was unpopular in Christ’s day, and it is unpopular in our day. Do we not today meet theories and doctrines that have no foundation in the word of God? People cling as tenaciously to them as did the Jews to their traditions. Today, as then, as real piety declined leaders have become more jealous for their traditions and ceremonies.

In all ages, angels have been near to Christ’s faithful followers. The vast confederacy of evil is arrayed against all who would overcome; but Christ would have us look to the things which are not seen, to the armies of heaven encamped about all who love God, to deliver them. From what dangers, seen and unseen, we have been preserved through the interposition of the angels, we shall never know, until in the light of eternity we see the providences of God. Then we shall know that the whole family of heaven was interested in the family here below, and that messengers from the throne of God attended our steps from day to day