Sierra Jensen Collection, Vol 3 Sierra Jensen Collection, Vol 3

by Robin Jones Gunn

  “And you don’t know if that’s what you want to do?” Sierra ventured a guess, trying to read Randy’s expression.

  “I have to look at my reason. I told them it was so I would fit into my community and be accepted with the band and everything. But you know what? If you think about it, no one in the band cares. No one in my little community of musicians cares if my hair is short or long or if my head is shaved. It’s only the administration at the school that cares. I don’t think I have a very strong argument, really.”

  “Randy, they gave you freedom to do what you want,” Vicki said. “I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just let it grow and be happy they saw your point.”

  “That’s it, though. I don’t know if I have a point.”

  “Now is a fine time to decide that.” Sierra glanced at the clock and felt annoyed that her break was already half over. “Can’t you walk away from the whole thing and be done with it?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Vicki shook her head. “Some people think they should impeach the student body president and elect Randy. As they see it, he caused the board to break down and do things the way the students want them done by letting us make the choices.”

  “I don’t want to make anybody stumble and fall over this. That’s the verse from Romans I was telling you about, Sierra. Shane talked about it last night.”

  “I remember that verse,” Vicki chimed in.

  “What was it?” Sierra was frustrated she didn’t have the inside scoop on this verse they were talking about, but even more frustrated that she only had three minutes left to her break.

  “It says something like ‘Make every effort to do whatever leads to peace.’ “Randy sighed. “Whatever I do, it should lead to peace and not more division at the school.”

  “I have to get back to work,” Sierra said, pushing her barely eaten cinnamon roll in front of Randy. “You want the rest?” She stood and put her arm around Randy’s shoulders. “I know you’ll make the right decision.”

  Randy looked up at her and rippled his eyebrows with skepticism. “And how do you know that?”

  “Because,” Sierra said, her smile pouring over Randy like a blessing, “I’m going to be praying for you.”

  eighteen

  SIERRA PRAYED LONG and hard for Randy on Thursday night. She also studied for hours. When she was going over the material for her English test the next day, she came to a portion in the material about Emily Dickinson. She read it eagerly, hoping to know more about this woman who wrote the poem about the “immortal Alps” and “picking locks” on special letters. What she read startled her.

  “ ‘As a child, Emily Dickinson attended the First Congregational Church of Amherst with her family. Of all her family, Emily alone resisted the revival that swept through the town in the mid-1800s. She stopped going to church sometime in her late twenties. Emily had few friends and kept to herself, spending nearly all of her fifty-six years at the Dickinson homestead.’ ”

  Sierra looked up from her reading and felt sad. She knew from reading some of Emily’s poems that she had a gentle reverence for God. She even had written about how God keeps His promises to sparrows and feeds them. She referred to Christ as “our Lord” and wrote of the love of Calvary.

  So why had she stopped going to church? What had happened to her? What kind of friends did she have? Did they judge her or love her?

  Sierra made a firm commitment that she would stick with Amy, no matter what. She wouldn’t give up their friendship as if it were of no value to her. Her thoughts also turned to her friendship with Paul. Was Paul the kind of guy she would remain friends with no matter what? She hoped so. It was certainly that way with Randy. Why wouldn’t it be that way with Paul?

  Her homework wasn’t finished until after ten. Sierra crawled into bed and eagerly opened to Romans 13. She wanted to get to chapter 14 where Randy said he had found the verse on trying to make every effort for peace.

  Chapter 13 didn’t end up being a quick read. The whole chapter was about having the right attitude toward those in authority over us. It all seemed to apply to the events of the past week, especially since Randy handled things so well by telling the board he would go by their final decision, whatever it was.

  By the time Sierra had read through chapter 14, she understood why Randy was having a hard time deciding what to do. The chapter made it clear it wasn’t always a matter of what was right for us as individuals. The test of love, the kind of love God calls us to show to others, includes being considerate of the weaknesses of others and what would be an obstacle for them in their walk with the Lord.

  Sierra was so into the passage that she went on to chapter 15. When she reached verses 5 and 6, she pulled out her pen and underlined them, reading aloud as she drew the straight line with the edge of her book marker.

  “ ‘May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ”

  Even though it was nearly eleven o’clock, Sierra hopped out of bed and trotted to the phone in the hallway. She brought the phone back to her room, and sticking her cold feet under the covers, she dialed Randy’s number. He answered on the second ring.

  “Hi. Were you asleep?”

  “I wish,” he said.

  “I found a verse. Listen, you have to hear this.” Sierra carefully balanced the Bible on her upraised knees and followed the verse with her finger as she read.

  “Did you get that part about the unity among yourselves?” Sierra asked. “That’s what we need at our school. Not a revolution. We need to come together and be of one heart and one mouth. That’s how we’ll be an example in our community. We need a spirit of unity.”

  “Read the verse again.”

  Sierra read, and she could hear the pages flipping on Randy’s side of the phone line.

  “Sierra,” Randy said slowly, “you’re right. You’re 1,000 percent right. Will you help me out tomorrow?”

  “Sure. What do you want me to do?”

  “Stand up in chapel and read that verse.”

  “What?”

  “I agreed to say something in chapel tomorrow morning, since this has become such a big deal. But I’m not going to be there.”

  “What do you mean you’re not going to be there?”

  “I’ll explain tomorrow. Just promise me that when you get to school you’ll tell Mr. Ackermann I asked you to speak on my behalf, and I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

  Randy, whose favorite word was “Whatever,” had turned from complacent to wired in minutes. Sierra couldn’t believe how excited he sounded.

  “Would you mind giving me a little more information to work with here?”

  “It’ll make sense tomorrow. Trust me. Sierra, you’re amazing. You’ll never know how glad I am you called. Thanks a million. I owe you big time.”

  “Does this mean you’re agreeing to pay for Anthony’s Steak House tomorrow night for Vicki and me?”

  Randy laughed. “Okay, okay. I’ll pay. I’ll see you at school.” He hung up without saying good-bye.

  Sierra held the receiver away from her and looked at it as if the beige piece of plastic had jilted her. “What was that supposed to mean?” she asked the silent phone. It did not answer.

  The next morning before she left for school, Sierra tried to call Randy again, but his mom said he had already left.

  “Oh, and Sierra,” his mom added before Sierra could hang up, “thanks so much for your help. Randy said you gave him a verse last night that cleared everything up. You don’t know how hard we’ve been praying.”

  “Can you tell me what’s going on with him this morning?”

  “I think he would prefer to tell you himself.”

  Sierra hurried to school. A dozen students were already inside the building, gathered around Randy’s locker, apparently waiting to congratulate him for having broken thr
ough the rules of the PTB. One of the girls held a fistful of helium balloons. Sierra remembered the girl because she had worn a small silver ring in her pierced right eyebrow on the first day of school. The second day of school she wore two earrings there. The talk was that she had been sent home. Sierra didn’t remember seeing the girl with earrings in her eyebrow since then. Today both earrings were back, and she was waiting expectantly for Randy, her new hero.

  Even though Sierra felt like going over to Randy’s locker and telling all of them he wasn’t coming, or at least wouldn’t be there until later, Sierra resisted the urge. They would only ask questions to which she had no answers.

  First period went slowly. Chapel came right after first period, and Sierra hurried to get a seat near the front. She had talked to Mr. Ackermann, and everything was set. Vicki caught up with Sierra and sat beside her. The principal began chapel by asking all the students to stand for the flag salute. This had not been the habit, and everyone was surprised. He asked them to remain standing for the Scripture reading and for prayer. The freshman English teacher read from Psalm 8, and the football coach prayed. It was refreshing to see their teachers participate in chapel like that and lead the students spiritually. Sierra wished Randy were here to see how the suggestions in his letter had made a powerful change already.

  After some general announcements, the principal introduced one of the men on the school board. An elderly gentleman wearing a tweed jacket stepped up to the microphone.

  “It’s the PTB,” Vicki whispered to Sierra.

  “He doesn’t look so threatening, does he?” Sierra whispered back.

  “As most of you know, one of Royal’s students has written a letter to our board this week. That letter has prompted much discussion. I must say, the discussion has been good. The board has decided to make one exception and to allow Randy Jenkins, for the benefit of his ministry, to keep his hair long. None of the rules in the student manual have changed, and no other student will be allowed this same privilege.”

  An immediate rumbling rose from the student body. Sierra felt that yucky feeling she had experienced in the parking lot when everyone was coming up with plans of what seemed right to him or her. It was as if a little ball of fire had ignited in the room, and she felt uncomfortable thinking about what might happen next.

  The administrator continued. “I’m told that one of our students has something to say.” He checked his notes. “Sierra Jensen, will you come up, please?”

  Vicki reached over and gave Sierra’s arm a squeeze. Sierra held her Bible with sweaty palms. As she stepped onto the stage, one of the students called out, “You tell ’em, Sierra. Equal rights for all of us.”

  The administrator stepped over to the microphone and loudly called the room to order. He motioned for Sierra to step forward.

  Opening her Bible to Romans 15 and swallowing hard, Sierra addressed her peers. “Randy asked me to read this verse this morning. It’s Romans 15:5–6. ‘May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ”

  Sierra looked up at the sea of waiting faces. She had the microphone and felt she should give some explanation as to why last night at eleven o’clock it sounded like such a great idea to read this verse to the school. “You guys, we have to be united. The only thing that will show our community that we’re true believers is if we have one heart and speak with one mouth rather than taking sides about things that only matter on the surface.”

  She had just finished the last two words when she saw Tyler rise in his seat. Before he could do or say anything, the back doors swung open, and someone came rushing in wearing a baseball cap. Sierra assumed it wasn’t anyone from her school, since hats weren’t allowed—another one of the frequently challenged rules in the student handbook.

  The guy ran down the center aisle of the auditorium and walked up onto the stage. Not until he was next to her did she realize it was Randy. He wore a black baseball cap and from the back hung his blond ponytail.

  When the student body realized it was Randy, they began to applaud, as if he had scored a glorious victory for all the wannabe individualists. Not only had he conquered the hair rule, but now he also was blatantly breaking the hat rule.

  Sierra cast him a skeptical glance. The principal stepped onto the stage briskly and headed for the microphone.

  Randy turned to Sierra and, with his crooked grin, said, “Watch this.”

  “Mr. Ackermann,” Randy began. “Fellow students.”

  The principal marched over next to Randy at the podium. Sierra stepped back and then, deciding she was conspicuous, made her way down the three stairs and sat next to Vicki.

  “What’s he doing?” Vicki whispered. “What’s with the hat?”

  “I don’t know,” Sierra said. She suspected she was about to see her buddy do something crazy that would bring his new fan club to their feet with applause. If that happened, Randy could quite possibly be expelled from school.

  “Don’t do it, Randy,” Sierra whispered under her breath. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret later.”

  “Did Sierra read that verse to you?” Randy asked, leaning too far into the microphone, causing it to feedback with a horrible squeal.

  He leaned back. The principal stood right beside him, his hands folded in front of him, looking like a secret service agent.

  Randy had everyone’s attention, and so he began to speak. “I want you guys to know that the most important thing to me during this year at school is that we learn how to work together as a team. Like that verse says, we need to be one heart with a spirit of unity. I said in my letter to the board that I was growing my hair out so I could fit into the music community of Portland where my band plays, because that’s my mission field. But the truth is, those people accept me exactly as I am, no matter how I look.”

  Sierra pursed her lips together and kept listening. Randy sure had everyone’s undivided attention.

  “This is my senior year,” Randy went on. “Only one more year of my life will be spent here at Royal. Or actually, only nine more months. I want to thank Mr. Ackermann and the school board for granting me the freedom to choose what to do with my hair. And this is what I’ve decided.”

  With that, Randy ripped off the baseball cap and stood tall before a hushed crowd.

  nineteen

  SIERRA’S MOUTH FELL OPEN in surprise. Randy had cut his hair—short. It wasn’t a severe, military-style short, but it was short. His ponytail had been cut off and was attached to the back of the baseball cap.

  Randy waved the cap in the air and said, “I can wear this for concerts. For the next nine months of my life, I choose to go by the rules here at Royal and wear my hair like this.” He leaned forward and used his left hand to rough up his inch-high hair. “What I want to say to you guys is unity. That’s how people will know we’re believers. Not by how we look, but by the way we act.”

  There was a pause, as if everyone were trying to evaluate Randy’s actions and statements and decide whether to agree or not.

  Sierra rose to her feet and began to applaud. She didn’t care if anyone else joined her. Friends support friends, and right now she wanted everyone to know that she totally supported her buddy.

  Vicki joined her. Then the rest of their row. Not everyone stood. Sierra noticed that Tyler didn’t. Several guys were huddled together, murmuring and looking as if they were making fun of Randy for being so dramatic.

  Mr. Ackermann stepped to the microphone, his expression showing his relief. “Thank you, Randy. You are a fine example of Christian maturity in a teenager.”

  Sierra heard that phrase used again after school, only this time it was said by two girls who stood across from Randy’s locker.

  “There’s our school’s fine example of Christian maturity,” one of them said sarcastically.

  “We were counting on you, Randy,�
�� the other girl said. “You let us down.”

  Sierra felt like tossing a smirk toward the girls and walking off. Randy went right over to them and started to talk with them, taking their verbal jabs in the face. It felt uncomfortable to Sierra to go over there now, since she would look like a snoop. So she went on to her locker and tried to figure out what books she needed for the weekend. Randy was still talking to them when she closed her locker door.

  At lunch Randy, Vicki, and Sierra had decided they would meet at Sierra’s at five-thirty, go out to dinner, and then go to the football game. Sierra didn’t need to hang around to talk to Randy about anything else. Obviously, he wanted to keep the conversation going with those girls.

  Sierra glanced over her shoulder at Randy one more time and then headed down the hall to the parking lot. Something gnawed at her. It was that verse. The part about the spirit of unity. She wasn’t even trying to show unity with those girls.

  Drawing in a breath of courage on the wings of a prayer, Sierra turned around, went back to Randy and the girls, and approached them with a smile.

  “You’re right,” Sierra heard one of the girls say to Randy. “I know what you’re saying, but people aren’t like that. You can’t tell people to be a team and think they’re going to automatically do that.”

  “Hi,” Sierra said, breaking in. “I’m Sierra.”

  “We know. We saw you up there today.”

  “I don’t know your names,” Sierra said, trying to sound genuine. Both the girls were new to the school this year, but Sierra hadn’t paid much attention to them.

  “I’m Tara, and this is Jen,” the quieter one said.

  “Are you guys going to the football game tonight?” Sierra asked.

  They looked at each other.

  “We hadn’t thought about it,” Jen said.

  “We might go,” Tara said hesitantly.

  “We’re going,” Randy said. “I’ll look for you and save some seats if you want to sit with us.”