quivered; a familiar feeling that meant an arrow shot from the pulpit had found its mark. I glanced sideways at Mama. Her attention was riveted on the front of the church. As Pastor Vick continued, my uneasiness increased. The river of God was both fearful and wonderful.
"The river is wide, the river is deep," Pastor Vick continued. "And only those whose eyes are fixed on Jesus can enter its waters. If that describes you this morning, the altar of God beckons you."
At the invitation, I was one of the first people to walk down the aisle and kneel in prayer. Being away at school for most of the year, I didn't have the option to hold back until another Sunday. I had to respond when the Spirit moved. One of the elders laid his hands on my head and prayed a long blessing. I rose to my feet encouraged. Outside the church, Mama gave me a hug.
"Watching you blesses me," she said simply.
It was the highest compliment I could imagine.
MID-AFTERNOON, THE FEMALE LAW STUDENT giving me a ride back to school picked me up. Everyone stood in a line in the front room for a hug. My suitcase waited beside the door.
"Let us know your exam schedule," Mama said. "So we can pray."
"We love you," Daddy added, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of happiness and sorrow. I could see him swallow after he spoke.
Kyle and Bobby gave me obligatory brother hugs. The twins grabbed me so tightly that I had trouble breathing.
I carried my suitcase to the car and put it in the trunk. I didn't look back until the last instant. Mama, Daddy, and the twins were standing on the front porch watching the car drive away, taking me back to the outside world.
I LIVED ALONE about a mile from the law school in Athens. My one-room apartment was a converted motel, but I'd joked to Daddy that it wasn't fully saved. It contained a stove, a compact refrigerator, a couple of cabinets, and a three-foot countertop with a sink. I brought in a twin bed, a small wooden table picked up at a garage sale, and a webbed lounge chair where I sat to read. My computer was on a desk in front of the single window that provided a view of the parking lot.
After the sun went down and the Sabbath was over, I turned on the computer and sent an e-mail to Julie Feldman, introducing myself and asking about her living arrangements for the summer. I closed my eyes and prayed before clicking the Send icon. I didn't want to be selfish or wasteful with money, but I liked the peace and quiet of living alone. It made life so much simpler.
None of my classmates at the law school knew the depth of my religious convictions, and their ignorance was my bliss. In Pastor Vick's terminology, I lived among the Babylonians without defiling myself with their idols or offending them with my differences. I didn't belong to either the Young Democrats or the Young Republicans; both groups were far from the truth. I was simply the girl with long hair who wore skirts and dresses to class and baggy sweatpants when playing basketball or going out for a run.
When I unpacked my suitcase, I found letters from Emma, Ellie, and Mama. I'd left them notes hidden in places where they might not be found for a couple of days. Emma had drawn a picture of me with red hearts around the border. Ellie drew me as a scarecrow running away from a giant Chester the chicken. I saved Mama's letter for last. She expressed her thankfulness for my sensitivity to the Lord, passed on a few words of encouragement, and concluded by reassuring me that every thought of me brought her joy. Even though I'd just been home, the letters made me homesick.
I studied for a couple of hours and checked my computer. I had an e-mail from Julie Feldman. My heart went to my throat as I moved the cursor to open it. I immediately noticed there was an attachment with pictures.
Hi, Tami,
Got your e-mail. Look forward to a fun time with you this summer at B, A & C. Wish youd called sooner. I just signed a lease for an apartment in an older home near Greene
"The river is wide, the river is deep," Pastor Vick continued. "And only those whose eyes are fixed on Jesus can enter its waters. If that describes you this morning, the altar of God beckons you."
At the invitation, I was one of the first people to walk down the aisle and kneel in prayer. Being away at school for most of the year, I didn't have the option to hold back until another Sunday. I had to respond when the Spirit moved. One of the elders laid his hands on my head and prayed a long blessing. I rose to my feet encouraged. Outside the church, Mama gave me a hug.
"Watching you blesses me," she said simply.
It was the highest compliment I could imagine.
MID-AFTERNOON, THE FEMALE LAW STUDENT giving me a ride back to school picked me up. Everyone stood in a line in the front room for a hug. My suitcase waited beside the door.
"Let us know your exam schedule," Mama said. "So we can pray."
"We love you," Daddy added, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of happiness and sorrow. I could see him swallow after he spoke.
Kyle and Bobby gave me obligatory brother hugs. The twins grabbed me so tightly that I had trouble breathing.
I carried my suitcase to the car and put it in the trunk. I didn't look back until the last instant. Mama, Daddy, and the twins were standing on the front porch watching the car drive away, taking me back to the outside world.
I LIVED ALONE about a mile from the law school in Athens. My one-room apartment was a converted motel, but I'd joked to Daddy that it wasn't fully saved. It contained a stove, a compact refrigerator, a couple of cabinets, and a three-foot countertop with a sink. I brought in a twin bed, a small wooden table picked up at a garage sale, and a webbed lounge chair where I sat to read. My computer was on a desk in front of the single window that provided a view of the parking lot.
After the sun went down and the Sabbath was over, I turned on the computer and sent an e-mail to Julie Feldman, introducing myself and asking about her living arrangements for the summer. I closed my eyes and prayed before clicking the Send icon. I didn't want to be selfish or wasteful with money, but I liked the peace and quiet of living alone. It made life so much simpler.
None of my classmates at the law school knew the depth of my religious convictions, and their ignorance was my bliss. In Pastor Vick's terminology, I lived among the Babylonians without defiling myself with their idols or offending them with my differences. I didn't belong to either the Young Democrats or the Young Republicans; both groups were far from the truth. I was simply the girl with long hair who wore skirts and dresses to class and baggy sweatpants when playing basketball or going out for a run.
When I unpacked my suitcase, I found letters from Emma, Ellie, and Mama. I'd left them notes hidden in places where they might not be found for a couple of days. Emma had drawn a picture of me with red hearts around the border. Ellie drew me as a scarecrow running away from a giant Chester the chicken. I saved Mama's letter for last. She expressed her thankfulness for my sensitivity to the Lord, passed on a few words of encouragement, and concluded by reassuring me that every thought of me brought her joy. Even though I'd just been home, the letters made me homesick.
I studied for a couple of hours and checked my computer. I had an e-mail from Julie Feldman. My heart went to my throat as I moved the cursor to open it. I immediately noticed there was an attachment with pictures.
Hi, Tami,
Got your e-mail. Look forward to a fun time with you this summer at B, A & C. Wish youd called sooner. I just signed a lease for an apartment in an older home near Greene
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