“Hey, John, you’re here early. Emily have prayer group this morning?”
“Yes, she’s there now. I thought I’d just come by and see how you were.”
“I’m great.”
“I can see that.” John leaned against one of the supportive posts with his hip and slipped a hand in the opposite pocket.
“So, are you and Emily going to work on that charity benefit?”
“Oh, yeah, sure, we decided we’d help out. I think Emily is even trying to recruit you some extra help.”
“Good ‘ole Em.”
“You might like to know we brought Kari Montgomery today.”
The last few song booklets in Randy’s hands fell to the ground. He kneeled down to pick them up. “Really, she’s here today. And why is that?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
“Emily told her you were preaching, and she said she couldn’t miss that.”
Randy stood up and placed the books on a shelf in the back of the room. “Great, it will be…um…good to see her again.”
“So, tell me, now that you’ve spent time with her, what do you think of her?”
“Does this mean you think this one is worthy of your old friend?” He tried his usual teasing smile but he wasn’t sure how convincing it was. He was sure John could see right through his game and figure out how much he really thought of Kari.
“Sure she is. Kari’s a special person. Actually, I’m trying to figure out why Em and I didn’t introduce you two years ago.”
“You were hiding her from me.”
“No, I guess between her being off at graduate school and you off at seminary, we never got around to it. You know you never answered my question.”
“What question was that?”
John raised his hands up to Randy as he stood straight again. “All right. I get it. You don’t want to talk about her.”
Randy eyed his friend thoughtfully for a moment as he mulled about in his head the best way to respond. “Kari Montgomery is special. I enjoy being with her and, yes, she’s interested me more than anyone I’ve ever met. There have I answered the question now?”
A small smile appeared on John’s face. He crossed his arms in front of himself “Wow. Finally, a straight answer.”
When the teenagers started filing into the youth room, John took that as his cue to make his exit. “I guess I’ll see you after services.”
“Sure, I’ll catch up with you later.”
Randy turned his attention to the kids coming in, asking what they did this week and following up with a funny story he’d heard on the Christian radio that morning. But even as he spoke the words to the story, he was thinking in the back of his mind about Kari being here and how he was ever going to get through his message with her sitting in the pews listening to his every word.
****
After Sunday school, Kari sat alone in a row half way from the front of the sanctuary since Emily and John were busy working as greeters that morning. Her eyes moved around the building starting with the cross, the pulpit and the stained glass windows which graced the front of the structure. She started imagining how she was supposed to look at Randy when he preached. She’d never thought about it before. When you came to church, it was to learn from your pastor, but she realized today she was here to watch Randy and see how well he did.
When Randy came in the room through a door near the front, her stomach fluttered and she couldn’t figure out what to do with her hands. Up front, Randy shook a couple hands and then made his way onto the platform. As well as she tried, she couldn’t help staring right at him. He took his seat and started making small talk with the music director who sat in a chair next to him. When Randy turned and looked forward, his eyes somehow found hers. He quickly walked down off the platform, making a beeline for Kari.
Since she was sitting in the last seat in her row, Randy was able to walk right up to her, standing in the aisle next to her. “Hey, Kari, glad to see you this morning. This is a pleasant surprise.”
She smiled at him. Several young women walked past them observing her with Randy. They weren’t very subtle as they eyed her suspiciously, making her feel like she was doing something wrong. “Well, I’m glad to be here. I’m looking forward to hearing you preach.”
“Then you’re in for a treat.” The pianist began playing Blessed Be Your Name . Randy turned toward the piano and then back to Kari. “Well, I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you all later. We’ll talk.” She smiled at him again before he went back to his seat on the stage.
The music director came forward and everyone stood and started singing. Emily and John joined her now in the row. After more singing and announcements, it was Randy’s turn. He walked to the pulpit, put his Bible down and looked out at the congregation with determination yet there still seemed to be a hint of humor in his eyes.
“Good morning.”
Many of the members in the seats replied “Good morning” in return.
“As most of you know, I like to liven things up and have fun which is probably why Pastor Wells has placed me with the teenagers.”
Laughing commenced around the auditorium.
“I thought about doing a visual lesson with you this morning, but I decided to try it out with the young people first. This is how it went. I attempted the old visual with the jars of smoke, alcohol, chocolate, and soil with a worm put into each. At the end of the lesson, I didn’t get the usual response. Instead, the girls screamed because the boys were dangling worms in front of them, two girls ran out of the youth room, and a third one with arms crossed said to me ‘I refused to touch a worm in Biology; I’m not doing it at church.’ As you can see the lesson was a complete success.”
Everyone rolled with laughter.
Randy smiled and continued. “So with those results, I decided it was best to skip the illustration and just dive right into the sermon today. If you would all please turn in your Bibles to the book of John chapter three and verses seventeen through twenty-one.
“Working with teenagers, I try to address issues that affect them so they can see how the Bible is as much for them as anyone else. I’ve found that one of the biggest concerns they contend with is self-acceptance. So, when I thought about what to preach on today, I came back to this topic because I don’t think this is something we just grow out of. It is something we struggle with for the rest of our lives.”
Kari’s body stiffened as she stared at him intently. It was as if he was preaching directly to her. His eyes seemed to be probing whenever they crossed hers as if his message really was intended just for her. She knew she had been struggling with this precise issue since ending her relationship with Geoffrey. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she had never given this conflict to the Lord. She continued to carry the burden alone.
“Read with me please in verse seventeen. ‘For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.’ I have a question for you. Is Jesus a judge or a Savior? I’m sure if we asked around some of you would say He is our Savior and some of you might say he is both our Savior and our judge. Well, Jesus was sent into this world not to judge us but to save us. He was sent to show the love of God to the whole world.
“Let’s move on to verse eighteen. ‘He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ This verse makes it clear that if we have accepted Christ into our hearts, we are not judged. It is the ones who have not accepted Him that will be judged. It isn’t the kind of judgment we are anxious about on a daily basis that is better called criticism. No this is the judgment of hell and damnation.”
Randy continued his sermon expelling his message of hope and recovery for those who had forgotten God loves them and accepts them. Kari knew she was one of the people he was talking to. Conviction swept over her. She knew she hadn’t given over to God all her negative feelings of insecurity. Ever since Geoffre
y had revealed his true self to her, or more accurately since she had allowed her eyes to be open to what she refused to see, she had been shaken as to her self-worth and what she had to offer anyone. Staring at Randy, she saw in him what she had always wanted in Geoffrey—a man strong in his faith who would accompany her in a closer relationship with their Lord. She was still so shaken from her last experience, though, that she just wasn’t sure if she had anything left to give.
She slipped out of the auditorium during prayer and walked out the front door toward the train station. She knew Emily would bring her things back to her since she was coming over on Monday to pick up the rest of her belongings from storage. All Kari knew was she needed to get away. She couldn’t face Randy right now, not now. She decided to just delve into the things she knew such as her schoolwork, her book, and her church. That would keep her busy until she was ready to deal with these other issues in her life.
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Your Wedding
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Your Wedding
Chapter Nine
Dear Kari:
Sorry I missed you after services today. I’m sure you had a lot to do this afternoon to prepare for your week. I have an idea I wanted to throw out at you. You spoke about wanting to do more Christian service. Well, I’m heading up a charity benefit for the Angel Wing Shelter. It’s a shelter for abused women and children in the inner city. As I started to compile a list of volunteers, I thought of you. The initial meeting is this Thursday to assign committees. The dinner is in six weeks. I also have an idea of something extra special you could work on. Let me know if you’re interested.
Take care and God bless your week,
Randy
Kari sighed deeply as she finished reading Randy’s e-mail, remembering how over the weekend Emily had talked her into working on this very same charity team. I guess Emily has her reasons for trying to get me together with Randy. She only wished Emily would leave well enough alone. So much for steering clear of Randy Steele. Sitting closer to her computer, she replied to Randy’s message.
Dear Randy:
Sorry I couldn’t linger after services but I really did need to get home early today. Busy, busy, busy. As for working on that charity, I’ll let you know Emily already talked me into it over the weekend. So, I guess I will be seeing you very soon and very often for the next month and a half.
Kari
P.S. What’s this extra special something you want me to work on?
****
Randy stood in his living room next to the fireplace, waiting for the rest of the charity committee to arrive. His eyes restlessly glanced at the clock on the mantle, his “Randolph” Seth Thomas clock. It was the one tangible reminder of the inheritance he’d received along with his hefty trust fund after the death of his grandmother. The intricate vine patterned dial showed five more minutes until the other members should arrive. He had hoped Kari would’ve arrived early. She’d rushed off so quickly on Sunday he hadn’t had a real chance to speak with her.
“Randy, what are you so antsy about?” asked Alice as she came into the living room with a glass of lemonade in her hand.
“I’m fine. I guess I’ll go make some coffee,” he said, not knowing what to do with himself. “Everyone should be here soon.”
“What are you all doing tonight anyway?”
“I told you we’re working on the charity dinner for Angel Wing.”
“Oh, that’s right, Angel Wing. How is the shelter doing anyway?”
“Great. Mrs. Wilson is still running it, but now that our church has gotten involved they’ve been able to help a lot more women.”
The sound of the doorbell rang off in the distance. “Hey, Randy, you want me to get the door?”
“Sure. Are you staying here tonight?”
“No. Chloe should be by to pick me up in ten minutes.”
“Stay safe, sis. I’ll be in the kitchen if anyone asks.”
Alice crossed her arms in front of herself. “You are so domestic these days. I better get you a wife before you lose all masculinity.”
Randy laughed quietly at his sister and then pointed at the door as the bell rang out again.
In the kitchen, Randy made some coffee and then set out the sugar, powered French vanilla creamer, mugs, and spoons. As the coffee percolated, he filled a large bowl with potato chips. After opening the refrigerator, he pulled out the tray of finger sandwiches the senior pastor’s wife had made especially for tonight. As he situated all his snacks on the counter, the lights turned off.
“Hey,” he yelled as he turned in the direction of the door.
“Well, I heard a horror story from Alice, and I just couldn’t bear to see it with my own eyes.”
“Kari, it that you?”
The lights flipped back on. “In the flesh.”
Her smile made him want to forget the whole evening and just take her away somewhere so they could be alone.
“You are working in the kitchen,” she said with mock dismay. “Anything I can do to help?”
He couldn’t help but smile at her. “Sure. Help me carry these things into the dinning room.”
“At your command,” she saluted.
Kari picked up the bowl of chips and the pitcher of lemonade as Randy carried the tray of sandwiches.
“Wait here, I’ll be right back,” said Randy as he hurried back into the kitchen. When he returned with napkins and paper plates, Kari was busying herself arranging the food decoratively around the small table. Randy smiled at her touches to his humble spread. She was dressed in jeans and a pink sweater with her light brown hair tied up in a ponytail. He thought she looked cute, almost like the college girls she taught each day.
“Thanks for the help, Kari.”
She glanced up with a particular smile and a gleam in her beautiful green eyes. “Not a problem.”
“You seem to be in a good mood today.”
“I am.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Not exactly. I just have felt really good these past couple days. I don’t know…I guess maybe God is finally getting through to me to get over myself. Your message last week really helped.”
“Hey, you two,” said Emily, as she poked her head into the dining room. “Are we going to have this meeting or not?”
“Sure,” said Randy. “Have everyone grab a plate of food and meet back in the living room. There are also sodas in the fridge and coffee in the kitchen.”
****
Everyone huddled around the food, selecting what they wanted and then later settled back into Randy’s snug living room. Kari liked the room. It was cozy yet comfortable enough to hold the ten volunteers that night. She glanced around the room at the personal touches Randy had made to the house and wondered if she knew another guy with such great taste. She especially liked the beautiful clock on the mantle. It looked old and spectacular with its cherry wood veneer and antique hands.
When everyone was sitting either on furniture or the floor, Randy spoke up. “Well, I’m glad you all could make it. I’ve been looking forward to this night. This benefit we’re planning will help Angel Wing. For those of you unfamiliar with the shelter, let me fill you in on it. It was started by Marge Wilson about twenty years ago. The main purpose is to aid and minister to women and children running from abusive situations. They do really great work and have been able to see to the needs of a great number of those in trouble since several churches have come together to help them. I hope and pray this benefit will allow them to stay in operation for another strong year.”
“I’m hoping the benefit will get them media attention so more people will be aware of the work the shelter does,” said John Richards. “I’ve been working on that side of things already. Should I share what we’re doing, Randy?”
“Sure, go ahead. After that I’ll let everyone know what committees we have and then you all can decide where you think you can serve best.” He smiled at the group as he finished up, hi
s eyes ending on Kari.
She was caught in his gaze, held prisoner for a moment until John began to speak. After veering her attention toward the speaker, she couldn’t help but turn back and examine Randy some more. She could see in his face how much he enjoyed all this. Here was a man who gave his whole heart to helping others. Kari returned her eyes to John and listened to the plans they were making to publicize the benefit. Afterwards, Randy had them sign up for the different committees.
An hour later, everyone sat in their committee groups, making plans when Randy announced there was dessert.
“Come on, Kari,” called Emily. “I brought a chocolate cheesecake.”
“Chocolate cheesecake? What made you bring that?”
“I asked Randy if I could bring a dessert and he suggested it. It sounded great to me. I never knew a man who loved chocolate as much as a woman.”
After dessert, everyone started taking off for their respective homes while Kari stayed behind to help with the clean up. She was in the kitchen rinsing out coffee mugs when Randy came in.
“You really don’t have to do that, Kari.”
“I don’t mind. It’s the least I can do after you opened your home up to everyone. It was really nice this evening.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh and tell your parents for me that this house is great.” She smiled as she placed another mug in the drain board.
“I’ll do that.” He leaned back against the counter opposite from her. “So, you really like it?”
“Sure, it’s charming. I mean it is small but it serves its purpose and it seems to have the character all these new track homes lack.” She placed the last mug down and dried her hands with a dishtowel.
“I completely agree with you. One day when I buy my own home, I plan on getting one that is well broken in with lots of character.”
“Emily is the exact opposite. She wants a brand new home with nothing wrong with it. I kinda like the homes with broken fences and drooping curtains.”
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Your Wedding Page 7