Season of Blessing by Beverly LaHaye Page B

the time she lets him lead. But when it comes down to doing his will or God’s will, she goes with God. It’s really simple.”
    â€œBut I can’t say that Steve’s going against God. He’s just mistaken. Misguided. Wrong .” She took a few more bites, as she thought through what Sylvia was telling her. “That dying to yourself stuff is hard, Sylvia. Who wants to die?”
    â€œNo one does,” Sylvia said, “but I’m telling you, that’s the key. You have to die to yourself if you want to be happy in a marriage. Period.”
    The advice only frustrated Cathy more. She tried to visualize what the advice meant, but it evaded her. She told herself it didn’t matter.
    The important thing was that she had gotten Sylvia’s mind off of her biopsy, at least for a little while.

C HAPTER
    Ten

    The night of the church program came with a flurry of activity at the Dodd house. Brenda lined Joseph, Leah, and Rachel up in her bathroom, and applied the heavy makeup that would make their fair skin look less pale under the harsh lights.
    Joseph had a strange look on his face. “I’m nervous. I might throw up.”
    â€œYou’re not going to throw up.” Brenda wiped her makeup sponge under his eyes. “You’re going to do it just like you’ve done at rehearsal, and you’ll be wonderful.”
    Leah stood in front of the mirror, spraying her spiked hair. “This is so embarrassing,” she said.
    David stood, grinning, in the doorway. “What is?”
    â€œThat Rachel and I have to be Spencer’s entourage. Like we’d really follow around some eight-year-old kid like we were in love with him.”
    â€œHe’s dressing like Elvis,” Brenda told David. “He’s so cute. And Leah and Rachel have to follow him around like groupies.”
    â€œOkay, you’ve got to videotape this for me,” David said.
    Brenda shook her head and went for the blush. “David, I can’t. I’m helping backstage.”
    â€œThen let Daniel do it.”
    â€œHe’s working the lights. I’m sorry, honey, but if you want to see it, you’ll have to come.” She brought the blush brush to Joseph’s cheeks, but he jerked away.
    â€œHuh-uh, Mama! You can’t put that on me!”
    â€œWhy not? I’m just trying to give you a little color.”
    â€œI’ll look like a girl!”
    â€œJoseph, all actors wear makeup.”
    â€œNot me,” he said. “This mud all over my face is bad enough, but I do not want all that pink stuff on my cheeks.”
    Rachel gave Joseph an assessing look. “Mama’s right. You need contour, Joseph. Here, let me do it.”
    Joseph grabbed the brush out of his mother’s hand so Rachel couldn’t get it. “I’m finished, Mama. I have all the makeup I need. Please don’t let her touch me.”
    Brenda laughed and took the brush back. “All right, Joseph. Go put on your suit, and be careful not to get the makeup on your white shirt.”
    She left the girls primping in the bathroom and grinned up at David. “This is going to be some kind of night.”
    â€œI can’t believe there’s no one who can tape this. What about Tory and Barry? If Spencer and Brittany are in it, surely they’ll be videotaping.”
    â€œThey might. But Tory’s helping backstage, too. And I think Barry is helping with the props.”
    She stuck her head in Joseph’s room and saw him carefully unbuttoning the white shirt on its hanger. He already had his pants and shoes on, and she saw the thick scars from his heart transplant on his chest. Stepping into the room, she helped him get the shirt on without getting makeup on his collar.
    â€œI can’t wait to get this stuff off my face.”
    â€œYou can go right from your curtain call to the sink,” Brenda said.
    David grew quiet as the activity grew more frenzied, and