(Other then the three main female characters, all characters in this story are completely fictional. All events are also completely fictional.)
“Whats with the long faces?” She asked, helping herself to another log seat.
Jim glanced over at Roger before answering. “Roger here is having some troubles. I guess you’ve heard.”
“No, Jess hasn’t told me anything.” Kate leaned forward to show she was interested and listening.
“Why don’t you tell her just what you told us?” Jim encouraged.
“Well it’s this way.” Roger began, “I’m an accountant. I’ve worked in air conditioned offices ever since I finished Uni, up until August when I found myself without a job. So I began to stay at home all day pretty much and I started seeing things in myself I hadn’t seen before now. Our marriage quickly went downhill because I was dissatisfied with myself and frankly we all became quite sick of each other. So we decided to take a long holiday and we ended up here.
“Now I don’t know what to do. I know we need a change and I can see that Jess would be completely happy here. This is the kind of thing she has always wanted to do but honestly, I’m scared. I’m through and through a city boy and would be happy to leave it that way, but seeing Jess out here, I’m starting to realize how selfish I have been and how hard it’s been for Jess. I just don’t know what to do about it.” And Roger looked up at here with such deep discouragement written plainly over his face that Kate knew she had to help him. She though for a moment before answering.
“How much do you love your wife?”
Timo and Jim looked at her strangely but Kate ignored them.
“More then anyone or anything else.” Roger replied, tears beginning to gather in his voice.
“Well I have a plan. Remember, this is only a suggestion, the decision is totally up to you and Jess. See that cottage up the end? It’s empty at the moment. Why don’t you and Jess move in there for three months. You can be part of the farm kids, horses and all. Just for three months and at the end of that time you can either stay or go, your choice. What do you say? You can think about it for as long as you need to.”
“Where’s Jess? I want to ask her opinion. You’ve got me.” A smile spread slowly across Roger’s face.
“Lets go find them.” Kate led the way towards the stables.
“Women. Why do they always have the answers?” Jim muttered teasingly behind her back. She heard and glared over her shoulder at him and they all laughed together.
This time Ely and Jess noticed and looked up as the big barn door creaked open. Jess stood straight and beautiful in the bright ray of sunlight streaming through the door. To Roger she looked perfect but as she turned to glance at him, all could see her red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks, and every so often a suppressed sob escaped her tense lips.
“Honey are you OK?” Roger leapt to his weeping wife. “Are you hurt?” Jess shook her head ever so slightly and Roger took her comfortingly. Tim stepped up close behind Ely and Jim reached for Kate’s hand. For a moment the three couples stood silent and solemn in each other’s love, then Roger spoke.
“Darling, I have something to show you.” He said taking Jess by the hand and pulling her out the barn door.
Down the dusty road Roger pulled his bewildered bride, the others running breathlessly after them. Then Roger stopped. They were still on the road but close outside the little white gate. Not close enough however to determine their destination.
Jessica uttered a soft gasp as Roger scooped her up into his arms.
“Now Mrs Smith,” He instructed, “Shut your eyes tight and do not peep. I have a surprise for you, Darling.”
Spinning around a few times for disorientation purposes, he motioned for the others to follow. Passing through the gate and climbing the few steps, Roger threw open the door and exclaimed triumphantly: “Welcome home, Honey!” Jess opened her eyes slowly. They fluttered for a moment, then she looked up at her husband.
“How did you know?” She cried, burying her face in his shoulder.
He smiled at Kate, Ely and their husbands over her head. “Oh, I just knew.” He murmured quietly. He held her tight and the others quietly left them to it, alone with each other. The rebuilding of a marriage had begun.
That night the station celebrated in style. The barn was cleared and all six Shalom families including the Smiths spent a very happy evening eating and fellowshiping together.
One by one, the mothers and their children melted home, leaving the men and Kate to clean up. One of Kate’s chores sent her scurrying up the ladder to the loft. She stopped short on the top rung, surprised at the scene before her. There was Roger, sitting on a bale of hay with his head in his hands. He looked up as she began to retreat.
“Sorry for disturbing. I’ll scat for ya.” She said.
“No.” He said shakily.
So Kate stepped up into the hay and silently went about her task. Then she sad down on another hay bale. “What’s wrong?”
He searched her face for a long moment then kate and faced the wall, his hands clasped behind him silently. Kate rested her chin on the palm of her hand and waited contemplatively. It seemed a long time before Roger spoke.
“I just don’t know if I’ll be able to do it.” He said, his back still turned. “It’s all so foreign.” He swung around, “And I’m scared I’m going to be useless to everyone, or worse.” The words flew out of his mouth in one long string. He turned back to the wall waiting for Kate to laugh or say something reproaching. But she didn’t reply immediately and when she did, it was with a question.
“Roger, did you ever watch or read Little House on the Prairie?” Roger looked at her in surprise.
“I watched every episode. My sisters adored it. Why?”
“Do you remember Pa telling his girls that hey could do or have anything they really wanted if they were willing to work hard at it? Same goes for you only we have it even better. Think of Phillipians 4:13.” Kate kate and softly descended the ladder, leaving Roger to think by himself.
“Had a good day?” He asked.
“Yeah, ever so busy though. Sometimes I had the impression that Sabbath would never come and this Friday would last forever.” She laughed a little at her silly notions. “Thanks for doing the barn work for me. You’re a legend.”
“It was the least I could do. You girls had a big day.” They were quiet for a long moment, secure in each other and God’s love and satisfied with a day’s work well done.
“How are the Smiths gonna go, ya think?” It was Jim that broke the silence. Kate’s face clouded with a tint of worry and a slight sigh escaped her lips.
“Jess’ll do fine I know. She’ll be in her element.” Here she paused.
“And Roger?”
“I spoke to him last night.” And she poured out the whole story. “I’ve been wanting to tell you but there just hasn’t been a spare moment. I’m so worried about him. He’s such a likable chap and wants it for Jess’ sake so badly. I just hope…” Her voice trailed off despondently.
“Don’t fret about it Sweetie, Rods a man, he’ll pull through. It won’t be easy for him but he strikes me as a bloke that doesn’t give up easily. Just stick by him like you always do. I don’t know what it is about you but a guy can tell you just about all his problems and you nearly always have an answer for it. Your so reliable.”
“You don’t mind do you?” Kate frowned up at her husband. She didn’t want to hurt or displease him.
“No. Honey.” He replied, wrapping his arm tighter around her shoulders. “No, I believe that it’s a special gift God has given you and who am I to squelch a God-given talent? Just be careful, Dear.”
“Yes, I know. This is such a messed up world. It’s been like this ever since I was younger. Life is so complicated sometimes.”
Bill smiled and took her hand. “I’ll look after you Little One. Come, Lets sing and then go to bed. Your tired.”
Kate squeezed his strong hand thankfully and kate to take her place at the old piano with a smile. Soon the couple were enjoying the classic old hymns such as, “Old Rugged Cross”, “Woman At The Well”, and “Amazing Grace”. Their voices blended together in perfect harmony and they completely lost themselves in singing for a long time and song after song passed their lips.
Finally they sang “Abide With Me” and were just about to kneel when they heard a soft knock on the back door.
Jim raised his eyebrows questioningly as he kate to open the door but Kate only shrugged. He appeared in a few seconds with a slightly embarrassed Roger following.
“I heard you singing.” He said by way of explanation.
“Do you sing?” Kate asked.
“A bit, but mostly I play for Jess.”
Kate smiled. “I thought so. Jess and I always said that we would marry musical men. Seems that aspect of our dreams were well fulfilled.”
“Care to play for us?” Bill invited.
“Gladly. I’ve missed my piano on this trip. What shall it be?” Roger took his place at the keys and began to pick a random tune.
“Your pick.” Kate stood beside her husband. The gentle light of a kerro lantern flickered across all three faces and everything felt peaceful and calm.
After thinking a few minutes, Roger broke the stillness with a majestic introduction to “A Mighty Fortress”. Kate smiled contentedly and drew a deep breath to begin the melody.
As the last strains died away, Roger looked up. “You know why I chose that don’t you, Kate?”
“I think so.”
“I was feeling so discouraged that I just had to come up and see you guys. You both seem to have a way of making a fellow feel better.”
Jim smiled down on his little wife. “Thats what we are here for.” She said, “Our mission is to ‘Strengthen weak hands, comfort them that are of a fearful heart and confirm the feeble knees’ (Isaiah 35:3&4 paraphrased). Listen Mate, we were just about to pray when you came in. Why don’t we kneel down now and have our own little prayer meeting? You start, Roger and I’ll finish and we’ll each pour out our wants, wishes, burdens and praises.”
So they knelt and joined hands for prayer. Roger dwelt mostly on the challenge he was facing and for his family. Jim prayed especial for Shalom Station and it’s mission. They all felt perfectly comfortable sharing with God in front of each other. Trials, faith and goals had brought them together as family.
When Jim finished, Kate paused a moment before she began. “Dear Majestic Father,” She spoke softly with deep respect portrayed in her voice yet with the confidence of one speaking to a best friend. “Thank you for bringing us together to ‘cast all our cares on you, for we know you care for us’ (1 Peter 5:7). Thank you for the strength you loaned us today to complete the tasks you gave us to do and I just pray that we made wise use of that borrowed strength for all we have belongs to you.
“Father, you have heard the prayers of Roger and Jim and I pray that you honor them and answer them as you see best.
“Father, be with Roger now in a special way. Lord, you look down from heaven and see the trials he is faced with. You know he feels overcome by them and you know he feels so small, weak and helpless. You acknowledge that ‘with man this is impossible’ but you add the promise that ‘with God all things are possible’ (Matt 19:26). Father, we are claiming this promise right now, clinging to it, with both hands. And I just ask that you bestow an extra measure of strength on our friend to bear his burdens and courage to face this challenge.
“Be with his wife and children as well. Help them to know how to help him during this time and hold them all close to you comforting breast.”
Roger felt tears welling up in his eyes and could sense God very near indeed.
“Father, draw near to each of the precious family laboring in your vineyard here. Please reward them for their loving and willing efforts. Also be with all the dear children bestowed in their care. Help their time here to be a blessing to them and may it ease part of the burden of their little shoulders.
“And Lord, you know my greatest wish…” Here Kate’s steady voice trailed off and her eyes misted a little. “You know how I long to cradle a little life in my arms, to hear little footsteps in the hall and bring up a little one for you. If it is your will, please bless us with a little joy and bestow the privilege of mother-hood upon me, if you deem me worthy.
“Also have your hand on my Jim. Give him strength to bear his daily burdens and be a shining star for you.
“Thank you for you Sabbath day you have blessed us with and help us to keep it holy. Draw us all close, still closer to you and grant us safety and peace.
“In Jesus name...” And both men echoed a soft but hearty “Amen”
“Thank you.” Jim said to all as he squeezed his wife’s hand with one of his while the other unashamedly wiped his moist eyes.
Roger’s voice too was husky as he thanked Jim and Kate and said goodnight. “Thank you so much Jim, and Kate. I knew you could make me feel a little better. I believe in your prayers. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight Mate, follow us to church in the morning. We leave at 9.”
After he had left, Jim hugged his wife. “I thank God every day for you, Sweet.”
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