Love Finds a Way

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Another change, which was definitely for the better, was the fact that Dad had asked to go to church again. Wendy, wanting to please her father, was willing to accompany him. She hadn’t completely dealt with her feelings of mistrust or self-doubt, but at least she was being exposed to the Word of God each week. That fact made her feel somewhat better about herself and her circumstances.

  True to his word, Kyle Rogers had become a regular visitor, both at the Campbell home and at Wendy’s barbershop. A few times Kyle had taken Dad out for a ride in his Bronco and had even made a commitment to see that he would go fishing in the spring—with or without Edna Stone.

  “There’s no reason your dad can’t keep on doing some fun things,” Kyle informed Wendy when he stopped by the barbershop one afternoon.

  “I doubt that he could even bait his line, much less catch any fish.”

  “He doesn’t have to,” Kyle asserted. “I’ll do everything for him, and all he will have to do is just sit in a folding chair and hold the pole.”

  If another customer hadn’t come in, Wendy might have debated further. Instead she merely shrugged. “Spring is still a few months away. When the time comes, we’ll talk about it.”

  Kyle flashed her a grin and sauntered out the door.

  Wendy frowned. She found his warm smile and kind words unnerving—right along with the verses of scripture he’d quoted on his last few visits. One verse in particular had really set her to thinking. It was Proverbs 29: 25: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. “Wendy’s trust hadn’t been in the Lord for a long time. She wasn’t sure she could ever trust again. After the loss of her mother, her father being diagnosed with crippling arthritis, then the episode with Dale, how could she have faith in anyone or anything?

  There was also the matter of all the crude, rude men and boys who came into her barbershop. She wasn’t a “perfect” Christian by any means, but it was difficult to look past all these men’s bad habits and sometimes downright sinful ways. How could she ever believe that any man, except for Dad, could be kind and loving?

  “Hey, Wendy, are ya gonna cut my hair or not?”

  Jerking her thoughts back to the job at hand, Wendy turned toward the barber’s chair. Gabe Hunter was eyeing her curiously. It had only been a few weeks, but the egotistic Romeo was back for another haircut.

  He probably came in just to bug me, she grumbled silently. Well, this time I refuse to let him ruffle my feathers. If he thinks he even has half a chance with me, he’s in for a rude awakening!

  Kyle left Wendy’s shop feeling more confused than he had in weeks. She seemed interested in the scriptures he’d been sharing with her, and on one occasion had even told him that she and her dad were going to church again. That should have had him singing God’s praises. It had been his desire to help both Wendy and Wayne find their way back to the Lord. In a roundabout way, he’d accomplished that, too.

  “Then why am I feeling so down?” he vocalized as he headed toward his Bronco.

  “You’re lonely, Kyle,” a little voice nudged. “You’ve convinced

  yourself that there is no room for love or romance in your heart. You’re not trusting Me in all areas of your life either.”

  “What do you want me to do, Lord—ask Wendy on a date?”

  No answer. That still, small voice seemed to have vanished as quickly as it had come. Kyle scratched the back of his head and grimaced. He needed time to think. He needed time to pray about this. A drive up to Plumers Pond sure seemed to be in order.

  “You’ve got a phone call,” Dad announced as he hobbled into the kitchen where Wendy was cooking.

  “Who is it? Can you take a message? Supper’s almost ready, and—”

  “It’s Kyle,” her father said with a smirk.

  Wendy turned the stove down, put a lid on the spaghetti sauce, and headed for the living room. “Hello, Kyle,” she said into the phone. “What’s up?”

  “I—uh,” Kyle stammered.

  “You sound kind of nervous.”

  “Yeah, I guess I am.”

  “Well, you needn’t be. I don’t bite, you know.” She chuckled. “Some of my customers might think I am pretty cutting, though.”

  Kyle laughed at her pun, which seemed to put him at ease. “Listen, the reason I’m calling is, I was up at Plumers Pond today, and it’s still frozen solid.”

  “I’m not surprised,” Wendy replied. “It’s been a drawn-out, cold winter, and I’m beginning to wonder if spring will ever get here.” There was a long pause, which left her wondering if maybe Kyle had hung up. “Are you still there, Kyle?”

  “Yeah, I’m here,” he said with a small laugh. “I was just trying to get up enough nerve to ask if you’d like to go iceskating with me on Saturday night.”

  “Ice-skating?” she echoed.

  “I just found out that the singles’ group from my church is going out to the pond for a skating party. I thought it might be kind of fun, and I’d really like it if you went along.”

  Wendy’s mind whirled. Was this a date he was asking her on? Not Kyle dropping by the barbershop for a short visit. Not Dad and her going to a Christian concert—but just the two of them, skating with a bunch of other people their own age. She did enjoy Kyle’s company; there was no denying it. In all the times she’d seen him, he’d never once said an unkind thing or done anything to make her think he was anything less than the Christian he professed to be. Still—

  “Now it’s my turn to ask. Are you there?” Kyle’s deep voice cut into her troubling thoughts.

  “Yes, I’m here,” she said in a trembling voice. “I was just taken by surprise, that’s all.”

  “Surprised that I ice-skate, or that I’m asking you out on a date?”

  So it was a real date then. Kyle had just said as much. Now her only problem was deciding whether to accept or not. Wendy hadn’t been on a date since she and Dale broke up.

  Could she really start dating after all this time? Could she trust Kyle not to break her heart the way Dale had? Of course, that could easily be avoided by simply not allowing herself to become romantically involved again.

  “How about it, Wendy?” Kyle asked, invading her thoughts once more. “Can I pick you up around seven Saturday evening?”

  Wendy licked her lips and swallowed hard. She opened her mouth to decline, but to her surprise, she said, “Sure, why not?”

  “Great!” Kyle said enthusiastically. “See you soon.” Wendy hung up the phone and dropped onto the couch with a groan. “Now why in the world did I say yes?”

  Being with Kyle and the other young people turned out to be more fun than Wendy expected.

  “You’re a good skater,” Kyle said, skidding to a stop in front of Wendy, nearly causing her to lose her balance.

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” she shot back.

  “Are you having fun?” He pivoted so he could skate beside her.

  She nodded. “It’s been years since I’ve been on skates. I wasn’t sure I could even stand up on these skinny little blades, much less make it all the way around the frozen pond.”

  “How about taking a break?” Kyle suggested. “One of the guys has started a bonfire. We’ve got lots of hot dogs and marshmallows to roast.”

  “I admit, I am kind of hungry. Guess all this cold, fresh air has given me an appetite.”

  “Yeah, me, too. Of course, I could eat anytime. While I was growing up in Northern California, Mom used to say all three of us boys could eat her out of house and home.”

  Wendy giggled. “So is a voracious appetite your worst sin?”

  He eyed her curiously. “You’re kidding, right?”

  She shook her head and reached up to slip her fuzzy blue earmuffs back in place. “You seem so nice—almost perfect. Dad thinks you’re about the best thing to happen since the invention of homemade ice cream.”

  “Whoa!” Kyle raised one gloved hand. “I don’t even come close to being perfect. I may stri
ve to be more like Jesus; but like any other human being, perfectionism is something I’ll sure never know.”

  Wendy shrugged. “Maybe I expect too much from people. Dad says I do anyway.”

  “Part of living the Christian life is being willing to accept others just as they are, Wendy.”

  Kyle reached for her hand.

  Even though they both wore gloves, she could feel the warmth of his touch. It caused her heart to skip a few beats. Kyle’s serious, dark eyes seemed to be challenging her to let go of the past and forgive those who had hurt her. She wanted so badly to believe Kyle was different from Dale or any of the guys who came into the barbershop, wanting more than she was willing to give. How good it would feel to accept folks for who they were and quit looking for perfection. Most importantly, Wendy would have to learn to trust again, and that frightened her. She might be able to trust the Lord, but trusting another man would put her in a vulnerable position. Wendy wasn’t sure she could risk being hurt again.

  The ride back to town was a quiet one. Both Wendy and Kyle seemed absorbed in their own private thoughts. Only the pleasant strain of Steve Green’s mellow voice singing “My Soul Found Rest” filled the interior of Kyle’s Bronco. Wendy struggled with tears that threatened to spill over. She wondered if her soul would ever find rest amid the turmoil of life.

  “This is my favorite CD,” Kyle said, breaking the silence between them. “Steve Green has so many good songs. I always feel as though the Lord is speaking to my heart when I listen to contemporary Christian music.”

  Wendy could only nod. She didn’t want to admit it to Kyle, but she rarely ever listened to any type of music. In fact, some music actually grated on her nerves, but the song that played now had a serene effect on her. She was beginning to think maybe she should start playing some Christian music in her shop. That might even deter some of the crude lumberjacks from telling all their lewd jokes and wisecracks, she mused.

  “I’ll bet someone could even get saved listening to Christian music like what’s on this CD,” Wendy said, hardly realizing she’d spoken her thoughts out loud.

  “I think you’re right,” Kyle agreed. “In fact, some of the teens at my church found Christ at a Christian rock concert not so long ago.”

  Wendy frowned. “I’ve been a Christian since I was a child, but I strayed from God a few years ago.” She had absolutely no idea why she was telling Kyle all this, but the words seemed to keep tumbling out. “After a bad relationship with a so-called Christian, I was terribly hurt and started to get bitter about certain things.” When Kyle remained quiet, she added solemnly, “God could have kept it from happening, you know.”

  “God doesn’t always make things go away just so we will have it easy,” Kyle put in. “Part of growing in our Christian walk is learning how to cope with life’s problems and letting Christ carry our burdens when the load is too heavy for us.”

  “I don’t do too well in the trusting department either,” Wendy admitted, leaning back in the seat and closing her eyes.

  “Who don’t you trust?” Kyle glanced over at her with a look of concern.

  “Men,” she announced. “I don’t trust men.”

  Kyle’s forehead wrinkled. “Not even your dad?”

  She opened her eyes and shrugged. “Until he started making false 911 calls, I had always trusted Dad implicitly.”

  “But he really feels bad about all that and has promised it will never happen again,” Kyle reminded. “Just last week, when I took him for a ride up to Plumers Creek, Wayne told me how guilty he felt for telling all those lies.” He reached over to pat Wendy’s hand. “Your dad’s a Christian, but he’s not perfect either. Like I was telling you earlier tonight, we all make mistakes. It’s what we do about our blunders that really counts.”

  “I think I can trust Dad again,” Wendy said thoughtfully.

  “It’s other men that give me a problem.”

  Kyle grew serious. “Other men, like me?”

  She laughed nervously. “You get paid to be trustworthy.”

  “I’m not always working though,” he reminded. “I have to try to be a Christian example whether I’m administering first aid to an accident victim or teaching a sixth-grade Sunday school class full of unruly boys.”

  “You teach Sunday school?” she asked in surprise.

  He nodded. “Yep, every other week—on the Sundays when I’m not scheduled for duty. Sometimes those rowdy kids are enough to put anyone’s Christianity to the test.”

  Wendy thought about the hyperactive, undisciplined kids who came into the barbershop. They needed to be shown the love of Jesus, too. There had to be a better way to deal with her customers than merely pretending to be friendly, or snapping back at guys like Gabe. At that moment, Wendy resolved in her heart to find out what it was.

  CHAPTER 8

  Wendy brought her Bible to the shop to read during lulls. If she was going to find a better way to deal with the irritation she felt with some of her customers, she knew the answer would be found in the scriptures. She also planned to buy a few Christian CDs so she could play them at work—both for her own benefit as well as the clientele’s.

  Today was a cold, blustery Tuesday, and she’d only had two customers so far. She didn’t really mind though, because it was another opportunity to get into God’s Word. She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter, dropped into her barber’s chair, and randomly opened the Bible to the book of Matthew.

  Chapter 7 dealt with the subject of judging others. Wendy was reminded that instead of searching for sawdust in someone else’s eyes, she should be examining her own life and looking for the plank that would no doubt be there, in the form of her own sin. She chewed thoughtfully on the Red Delicious apple and let the Holy Spirit speak to her heart. Instead of enjoying the unique variety of people who frequented her shop, she’d been judging them. Rather than allowing herself to get a kick out of the clean jokes and witnessing about the Lord to those who told off-color puns, she’d been telling herself that all men were bad. Even though Kyle Rogers had made an impression on her with his tenderness, patience, and kind words, Wendy had questioned his motives. This was judging. There was no getting around it, and according to God’s Word, Wendy was no better than the worst of all sinners. If she didn’t get herself right with the Lord, she, too, would be judged.

  Without a moment’s hesitation, she knew what she must do. Wendy bowed her head and prayed fervently, “Father, please forgive me for my negative, condemning attitude. Heal me of the hurt deep in my heart, and help me learn to love others just as You do. Help me to trust You and become a witness of Your love and grace.” A small sob escaped her lips. “And if Kyle Rogers is the man you want me to love and trust, then please give me some sign.” When she finished her heartfelt prayer, Wendy opened her eyes. For the first time since her broken relationship with Dale Carlson, she felt a sense of peace flood her soul. She was released from all the pain of the past and knew that with God’s help, she could finally be a witness for Him.

  Wendy glanced out the front window and caught sight of Harvey, the mailman, slipping some mail into the box outside the shop. She stepped down from the chair. Taking one more bite of the crisp, juicy apple, she headed outside, not even bothering with a coat.

  Kyle was just rounding the corner, heading up the street toward Campbell’s Barbershop, when he saw Wendy come out the front door. His mouth curved into a smile. He hadn’t seen her since their date last Saturday night. He could only hope that she’d be as glad to see him as he was to see her now.

  Kyle had spent most of the weekend thinking about Wendy and the way she made him feel. His resolve not to get romantically involved with any woman was quickly fading, and he seemed powerless to stop it. He’d read the scriptures and prayed until there were no more words. He’d petitioned God to show him some sign that Wendy might be able to respond to his love. He didn’t have a clue what it might be, but just the same, he’d made up his mind to come to the shop tod
ay and have a heart-to-heart talk with Wendy. If she would agree to at least give their relationship a chance, then he was going to trust God to work out all the details that seemed impossible to him. After all, if he was really trying to do the things Jesus would do, it wasn’t his right to make decisions about the future. Fear that his job would get in the way of love or marriage could no longer be an issue.

  Kyle watched in fascination as petite little Wendy, wearing only a pair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved blouse, covered with a green smock, reached into the mailbox. It was a cold day, and there was still snow on the ground. The sidewalk appeared slick, like the frozen pond, with ice glistening in the sun’s golden rays. Kyle was about to call out for her to be careful when the unthinkable happened. Just like an ice skater who’d lost her balance, Wendy’s body swayed first to one side, then the other. Her feet slipped and slid while she tried hopelessly to regain her balance. There seemed to be nothing Kyle could do but stand there and watch as beautiful little Wendy went down, landing hard on her back and hitting her head against the icy, cold sidewalk.

  Doing a fair share of slipping and sliding himself, Kyle raced down the sidewalk to Wendy’s aid. When he discovered that she wasn’t conscious, his paramedic skills kicked in. From the evidence of the apple core lying nearby, Kyle was quite sure Wendy not only had the wind knocked out of her, but was probably asphyxiating on a piece of that apple. He knew what he had to do, and it must be done quickly, or she would choke to death.

  Kyle positioned her head and knelt closer. Look, listen, feel for air…. His training ran through his mind.

  Nothing!