Afternoon Lord. I’m celebrating the start of the school holidays in fine style and have just woken up after a little nap (as you know) and still have the bedroom door firmly shut so I thought I would take the opportunity to spend a quick prayer time with you before I confess to being back in the land of the living.
I was only out until eleven thirty last night, but the way I’ve felt today, it may as well have been two thirty. I fear, again, that I’m getting old. You know things are out of kilter when not only can you no longer sleep in, you can’t stay up late either. I’m sure that false teeth and Zimmer frames must be right around the corner.
In the end (as you also know) last night was a good night. Linley was bearing up under the strain of being parted from Mark and made up for his absence by talking about him constantly. That Mark – he’s so fantastic it’s a wonder he doesn’t wear his underpants over his trousers and a shirt with a big S on it. Not only that, she loves the new job and loves being more in charge and is sure it’s only a matter of time before she starts earning a serious amount of money.
Strangely, I found myself quite immune to all of this glorious boasting. Maybe you are having a good effect on me after all, Lord. I just thought about all the things in my life that are more important to me than a flashy boyfriend and a high flying job and how my heart lay in the things we talked about on Thursday at Bible Study.
Perhaps it was thoughts of Caroline as well that made Linley’s chatter seem more appallingly shallow than appealingly attractive. She arrived (horribly late) looking tired and fractious and as though she wasn’t sure she should be there, let alone whether she wanted to be there. When she arrived she looked at me with the strangest expression, as though she had much to say but no words with which to express her thoughts. I just decided, right then and there, that no words were necessary. If she wanted to apologise (and I think she did) I didn’t have to hear the words. Her face said it all.
So I hugged her, Lord, gave her the most encouraging smile I could manage, and I said nothing. And in response she hugged me back like I was a life ring with Titanic written on it. I could tell straight away that she just wanted to forget about all her cares for the evening, and since Linely was in full flight about her wonderful life, and horribly oblivious to anything, Caroline was able to have a break and say very little of consequence whatsoever.
Well, I had better stop hiding, Lord, and get moving now. Once again I continue to pray for all the Wests, that your hand would be on them, and most importantly that your hand would be on Caroline.
Amen