“It's Saturday – you haven't become Adventist or something, have you?”
“No! The Church in the Midst of Life is open every day, and I go during lunch time, after work … ”
“That's good – it's not the kind of church that can afford to judge and gossip about broken people – folks would get blown away every day of the week.”
“Margie – what a terrible thing to say, with all the shootings there have been!”
“I'm really done, Maggie, with all the fake church stuff – where were the church people, and God, when I was getting beat on?”
“You came here to me, a Christian, and a Christian went in the middle of the night and took care of business with Brett. That's the answer to your question! Get up! You need a support system beside me, and don't even bother repeating that shooting stuff again. Captain Lee is an attendant there too, and as you have seen for yourself, he does not play when people are threatened!”
So, Ms. Maggie Thornton got her cousin Mrs. Margie Bell together and to the Church in the Midst of Life, which had a ministry especially to battered women that was open every day of the week. After Mrs. Bell was received with love, and after someone showed her how to connect with pro bono legal representation that actually had a track record of success, she was willing to come in and hear just a little of the afternoon service.
Mrs. Bell and Ms. Thornton of course ran into Captain Lee.
“Thank you again for what you did, sir,” said Mrs. Bell. “How did you get out of bed so fast?”
“I was not in bed, but in my sitting room. I was blessed with insomnia 25 years ago.”
“Blessed?”
“Yes, ma'am. In my line of work at that time, it made it easier for me to watch over my men. So, listening to whatever the Lord has me to listen to – it's what I do at 2:30 in the morning when I can't sleep. Occasionally, I will go out to my favorite 24-hour diner, but the Spirit told me to stay home on the night in question. God was thinking of you, Mrs. Bell.”
Mrs. Bell blushed, knowing the angry question she had asked her cousin just three hours before.
Ms. Thornton saw her cousin's embarrassment, and the knowing compassion in Captain Lee's eyes.
“Well, thank you again, Captain Lee – we'll see you Monday,” said Ms. Thornton.
“If you have need of anything, let me know,” he said.
“Thanks for the extra groceries, too,” she said, just to test her theory...
“My pleasure and honor, Ms. Thornton,” Captain Lee said, without even thinking about it.
“If he's single, you ought to get him,” Mrs. Bell said as the two women were walking home. “Look, Margie,” said Ms. Thornton, “you can't just pick up a man like that. Twenty women in the office are trying to get him. It's like water off a duck's back. He doesn't respond to all that.”
“He isn't … is he?”
“Like that's my business, Margie! It's more likely that he is picky. He can have any woman he wants, and it will be his choice.”
“You ought to try harder to get chosen.”
“Margie, do this for me. Focus on getting free from your choice right now – no distractions trying to match-make for me.”
How come people feel miserable and still are in for match making?
I experienced the same in hospital. 🤔.
💕
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I went through that in hospital too... people find distractions from the trouble in their own life by trying to remake yours ...
As a friend of mine who had a failing relationship once said to me, "Well, I gotta go to SOMEBODY's wedding ..."