Jessie (10 page)

“I'm not sure. It's just so new. I mean, the aspect of Christ dying for sins that have yet to be committed is hard to wrap my mind around.”

“It's easy to put God in our world and limit Him. We can't see past the moment, and so we don't think anyone can.”

“I do have one question,” Nate said, and Rylan reached for his Bible. “Where are those verses you used to explain it to me?”

“Hebrews 7,” Rylan said, and Nate opened his Bible as well.

Rylan explained again about the difference between living under the law in the Old Testament, which required one animal sacrifice after another to atone for sin, and living under grace since Christ's death on the cross, which covered all sin for all time.

The men worked on the verses for close to an hour before the topic changed to Nate's job. The town council had not even hesitated about keeping him on as sheriff, but Nate had not expected his recovery to take so long. He'd been told how much blood he'd lost but not really taken it in until he'd experienced his own weakness firsthand. He was not worried about losing his job, but for the moment things had to be handled differently.

“Are you still happy with Thom's work?” Rylan asked, referring to Thom Koeller, who was Nate's most reliable deputy.

“Yes, and he tells me that Bryce Stanton is doing well.”

“That's good news. Will you be putting another man on soon?”

“Yes, as soon as I'm up to holding the interviews. Token Creek is growing fast, and even though it took awhile for the council to decide, the vote was unanimous.”

“Am I interrupting?” Bri asked from the edge of the room, Danny in her arms.

“No,” Rylan said. “Hey, Danny. Did you have a good nap?”

The still sleepy 14-month-old reached for his father the moment he was close, and Rylan cuddled him closer still.

“Look who's here,” Rylan said, turning Danny so he could see Nate, who was smiling at the baby, doing nothing to hide his fondness.

“Hey, Danny.”

The little boy smiled at Nate but was clearly happy where he was, his small head pillowed on his father's chest. Bri sat down with the men, her own smile tender. For her, all else could wait when Rylan held Danny. It was a sight she never wearied of.

“It doesn't look like he's coming over here today,” Nate said, still smiling at the baby.

“Do you want to go see Sheriff Nate?” Rylan asked the little guy, who gave no protest when his father shifted him over to Nate's lap.

“How are you, Danny?” Nate asked, barely keeping his eyes from filling. Since being shot, whenever he held Danny Jarvik, he wanted to tear up.

Danny smiled up into his face, and Nate hugged him a little closer. He talked softly into one small, soft ear, saying something that made the baby giggle.

Looking on, Rylan and Bri could only smile and laugh with their son. This man had been a friend of Rylan's for many years, but never had their relationship neared the depth they knew today. God had brought yet another miracle to Token Creek, and at the moment he was sitting right in front of them.

“Shall I admit something to you?” Rylan asked the congregation in the morning. He smiled widely before admitting, “I love looking into my wife's eyes.”

Bri smiled from her place in the front pew, as did almost everyone else in the room.

“Now before you think I'm going to bore you with my romantic thoughts, I'll just tell you that even though I find this romantic, I'm also learning things about who I am.”

Rylan let the congregation take this in for a moment and then continued.

“I guess I'm becoming a pupil of the pupil. By that I mean I'm learning more about how the eye works because of Sabrina's eyes, and even Danny's. You probably know what I'm talking about. What does the pupil in the eye do when it encounters light? It shrinks. That's right. It diminishes. Unless damaged or impaired by poor health, the pupil gets as small as possible as fast as it can.

“I lived alone for a long time, but with Sabrina and Danny in the house, I've begun to take a new interest in eyes. And I've asked myself what I can learn. How do I respond to light, and by light this time I mean God's light? Do I see my own smallness? Do I grasp how tiny I am in God's light? My mind has run in many directions as I've contemplated this, but it stopped when I compared the shrinking of my pupil to humility and an understanding of its place in my life. When the light shines, I must diminish. I must grow tiny and know my place.

“If I can learn this and remember it always, I will become a true pupil to the pupil. I will see the wonder in the creation of my own eyes and in those of my wife and son, and I will see what I must do. I must shrink when I see how huge and amazing the Creator is who made eyes. Eyes that don't have to be trained to get small when the light comes in. Eyes made exactly as we need them because God is a perfect, Creator God.

“The verses we've been talking about concerning humility in Philippians, Colossians, and First Peter, as well as the verse from James 1 about being hearers of the word who are also doers, have taken on new meaning for me when I think about my shrinking pupil. It might not be a help to you, but I'm reminded of this perfect Creator who saved me, and that helps me to see how important it is that I take His Word so seriously.

“Don't misunderstand me,” Rylan added, bringing his sermon to an end. “I'm never to shy away from the light. And by light you know I'm talking about the truth of God's Word. But my heart and attitude need to be small, shrunken, and knowing their places. Only then is God able to help me be the believer I'm meant to be. Only then will I be able to see God for who He is and myself for who I am.

“Please think on these things with me this week. I would welcome any questions or comments as we work together on this topic.”

Rylan closed in prayer, and not until that moment did Bri realize that Danny had fallen asleep in her lap, something that suited her very well. Her husband had given her a lot to think about, and she welcomed a few minutes on her own.

Chapter Five

T
RACE
H
OLDEN WATCHED HIS
very expectant wife, Cassidy, push food around her plate but didn't say anything just then. She had made it to church that morning, but he could tell she wasn't comfortable. Joey, who was two months past his second birthday, was growing sleepy. As soon as he was down for his nap, all Trace's attention would go to his wife. A small gasp of surprise left Cassidy just then, and Trace made a swift decision.

“I'm going to run him next door for his nap.”

“That's probably a good idea,” Cassidy said.

“Is it going to be today?” Trace asked, remembering how attuned she'd been to when Joey would be born.

Cassidy could only nod, and Trace cleaned Joey up enough to get him to Brad and Meg's. He knew his brother and sister-in-law's own two children, Savannah and Cathryn, would also be going down for naps and thought this might be the best opportunity. Not even remembering to have Joey say goodbye to Cassidy, he moved swiftly for the door.

“You were quiet during dinner,” Rylan said to Bri after Danny was down for his nap. Bri was settled in the living room, working to mend a small pair of pants for Danny. Rylan had sat down next to her on the sofa.

“I'm just thinking.”

“Do you want to tell me?”

Bri looked at the man she married, still amazed by the way he thought. His God was so big, and sometimes she knew she shrank God to her size.

“I needed to hear what you said today,” she finally admitted.

“What exactly?”

“The part about the way I see God and the light He gives me. I need to shrink. I have too big an opinion of myself.”

Rylan didn't witness this in her very often, but he trusted her to know her own heart.

“Sometimes life is too easy, Ry,” Bri went on. “When I was alone here in Token Creek, knowing hardly anyone and not sure each month if the money would last, I trusted God more. You take such good care of Danny and me that I tend to put my faith in the wrong place.”

“It's a good problem, isn't it?”

Bri had to smile. It was just the type of thing he would say.

“Do you think you're expecting?” Rylan suddenly asked.

“What made you ask that?”

“I just remember with Danny you craved salt, and during dinner you added salt to everything but dessert.”

“Did I?” Bri asked, her brow furrowed as she tried to think. It didn't take long for her to realize he was probably right and she'd been too busy to notice.

Rylan had to smile. She was concentrating on remembering, and he thought she looked adorable.

“Am I being laughed at?” Bri asked, having caught the look.

“Are you pregnant?” he asked, still smiling at her with a good deal of humor in his eyes.

“I don't know,” Bri replied, deciding to tease him. “I might not tell someone who laughs at me.”

“Would you tell someone who kisses you?”

“I might,” Bri answered slowly, a smile stretching her mouth.

Rylan did kiss her but spoke again before she could say anything.

“What do you want, another boy or a girl?”

“I don't care, as long as the baby is healthy.”

“What if the baby isn't healthy? Did God make a mistake?”

Bri's mouth opened in surprise. It was true. It didn't matter. Whomever God sent they would love and treasure.

“Oh, Ry,” Bri said, setting the sewing aside and cuddling close to him. “I love you.”

“Don't misunderstand me, Sabrina,” Rylan said, his arms holding her close. “It would be very hard to watch our child struggle with some physical affliction, but just like you had to learn to trust God for everything when you came to Token Creek, we would learn to trust God for the baby's needs as well as our own.”

Bri put her arms around her husband and held him right back. She was challenged and encouraged by his words, and she knew what he said was exactly right. She also suspected he was right about her expecting another child and how wonderful that news would be to share.

When they both relaxed enough to doze off, neither one could say, but Danny was suddenly awake, sounds coming from his crib. Rylan went to get him, and Bri started on the hot dish she needed for that night. They were having dinner with Chas Vick, one of the church elders, and his family, and she was taking a dish to share. She would have to ask Rylan if they would be sharing their news as well.

Cassidy watched Trace and Joey leave and then tried to summon the energy to do something about the dishes. She knew it wasn't important, but she enjoyed cleaning and thought it might relax her. She was wrong. She hadn't even had a chance to heat water for the washing when a pain hit. Cassidy held on to the edge of the dining room table and tried to breathe.

Well, now,
she said to the Lord,
I think it's going to be today. Every time I think of how long Joey took to arrive, I dread this. Please, Lord, help me to see this as a blessing. Help me not to count the hours until I'm comfortable but to rest in You.