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“Curse God and die!”
That’s the advice Job got from his wife, and it sounds good to Elaine Mallory. After a life spent seeking and doing God’s will, the course of one turbulent spring strips her of everything but her life. Maybe she’s not quite inclined to curse God and die, but she’s got no problem turning from Him and running hard in the opposite direction.
Justin Barnet wants nothing more than to comfort Elaine and shelter her from more suffering. Her loss and departure leaves him devastated, and for years he waits for her return—years during which his own life falls apart. Now Elaine is back, and he has less to offer than ever.
As Elaine faces her grief for the first time since that tragic spring, will it reopen her heart to God’s perfect shelter—and to Justin? Or will it drive her away again?
Excerpt:
“Aunt Laura?”
The screen door closed with a creak behind her as Elaine stepped tentatively in among the golden oak paneled walls of her great aunt’s living room. Chilly air from outside had come in by way of the wide open front door. No telling how long it had been open. She pushed it closed, and set her purse and suitcase on the floor next to the staircase.
“Hello?” The television was on with the volume turned up as loud as it would go. “Aunt Laura?” She retrieved the remote from an end table and turned the sound down. The whir of an electric mixer came from the direction of the kitchen.
She shed her jacket and hung it on the coat rack, then turned and surveyed the room. She might as well have stepped back in time twenty years. The Christmas tree, with fat twinkle bulbs, crocheted snowflakes, and angels, stood grandly in its traditional place next to the staircase. An evergreen garland spiraled around the banister. A crackling fire burned in the fireplace, already overcoming the chill that had settled in the room.
She sucked in a breath and held it, steeling herself against the warm fuzzy nostalgia. She wasn’t coming home. This visit would only last a few days. She’d check on her aunt, make sure everything was OK here, then she’d go. Lately this place; the town, her old friends, her home all seemed to draw her back as the details surrounding her departure grew hazy and indistinct. Her motivation for leaving faded a little from her memory with each passing day. But Blithe Settlement was still the last place she ever wanted to be.
The sound of the mixer stopped.
“Aunt Laura?” She stepped toward the kitchen.
“Elaine, honey, is that you?”
“In the flesh.” Elaine found her aunt standing over the kitchen counter in a pink terry cloth bathrobe, quickly dropping spoonfuls of divinity onto a sheet of wax paper. Her silky, fine hair had gone completely white since Elaine had been away, but her fair skin was still smooth and soft looking.
Finished, Laura put the mixer bowl into the sink and turned to Elaine.
“Let me look at you!” She outstretched her arms for a thorough hug and then stepped back again. “You’ve gotten taller.”
“No.” Elaine grinned.
“You’ve gotten thinner?”
“Maybe a little.”
Laura stepped back and examined her with a critical eye.
“You’ve cut your hair!” she said. “And had your eyebrows waxed! Oh, good for you. It was unfortunate that you inherited the Maitland brow. I’m sorry for that.”
“Well, it wasn’t your fault,” Elaine said with a smirk.
“No, it was your grandmother’s. Did you just get here?”
Elaine nodded.
“Oh, did you close the front door?”
Elaine nodded again. “Mm hm. I also turned the T.V. down a little.”
“Was the movie over yet?” Laura furrowed her brow. “When it’s over it’s time for me to start getting ready.”
“Well, I don’t think it was, but halfway or so.” Elaine leaned over the counter. Divinity was a family Christmas tradition. Her mouth watered at the prospect of sneaking a piece while it was still soft and warm. “You know, you could put a clock in here. Or get a new microwave. They have clocks built right in now.”
Laura gave her a glance that blatantly accused her of being too big for her britches. “My life’s too close to finished to start messing with clocks, honey. Or new microwaves, for that matter. And that old one works just fine. Oh, go ahead and have a piece.” She pointed a rubber spatula at the setting divinity.
Discussion Question --
Justin and Elaine both suffer great losses. How should we respond to loss in our lives?
To handle loss, I always remember the Footsteps on the Sand picture. When our strength runs out, He picks us up and carries us ... if we let Him. But we have to let him. We have to believe it will happen. Perfect Shelter looks like that kind of book. Thanks, Deborah.
ReplyDeletePowerful premise. Job is one of my favorite dramas and you’ve captured it. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI love the Footprints story as well...included it in my latest submission for my series. I have the hardest time being patient, though. I've got a burden that's lasted for years and years...
ReplyDeleteDeborah, the title and excerpt are terrific. Thanks for sharing.
It's easy and "simple" to answer loss by saying: "Turn to God!" - in practice, during the intensity of the storm, it's easier said than done, but it still is the best, and ONLY way to make it through. I've often said, without God's mercy and grace, I don't know how I'd make it through the trials in my life. The pains and trials don't go away, but by the same token, when I lift them up to God, they don't belong to me any longer. They're shared with the God who loves me, and will always, always make goodness come out of whatever my life offers. This story is a great one, too, by the way - and I can't wait for more from Deborah!
ReplyDeleteDeborah, I just finished reading this story a couple days ago. I felt Elaine and Justin's pain.
ReplyDeleteYour question is right-on.
How I dealt with my parent's deaths was the difference between light and dark. When my father was murdered, I had yet to come to the Lord. However, God was there. He placed a rainbow right over Dad's grave later on the day of the funeral.
The only thing that kept me going was giving birth to my son two weeks later. It took about a year for me to realize Jesus in my heart was what was missing from my life.
Two years after that, my mother died. I had such unexplainable peace! For one, I knew I'd see her again because she had shared coming to Christ as a young teen.
We are human. The Lord knows our emotions because He created us. And when life is hard, I strive to remember that God is God, and I am not.
Wow...suffering loss. I think the older you get, the more you experience this. I also hope wisdom ensues. I lost a child on Dec. 20th nearly two decades ago. A tough time, but the Good Lord showed me a path through the grief.
ReplyDeleteYou've written a beautiful and thought-provoking story, Deborah. Well done.
Mary
Thank you all for the kind comments. I loved writing this story. If the Lord is willing, there will be more to come.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds SO good! My TBR pile is beginning to look insurmountable... LOL
ReplyDeleteHandling loss. Wow. Isn't it kind of an individual response? People handle loss in so many different ways. What works for me might not work for someone else at all - as far as the physical and emotional reactions. But for the heart, mind, and soul, there's only one perfect answer, and of course we all know Who and What it is. I can't imagine suffering the loss of a loved one without the "perfect shelter" of the arms of God.