Two Easters

by Bob Steinkamp

in the shop. Betty dialed the number without even picking up the paper.

  "Hello, God bless you."

  "How," Betty wondered, "could anyone who has gone through a divorce, possibly sound so happy?" Betty knew after hearing only three words that she would like this Julie.

  "Hi, my name is Betty Allison from Blooming Flowers in Cincinnati. I'm not even sure why I am calling you, but I got your number from Chicagoland. My husband and I are divorced. He was unfaithful and I had to divorce him, but this thing isn't getting any better. He has moved to Florida to sell yachts. When does it stop hurting?" For the next hour, Julie Grant shared all about her marriage to Tom. She told her about CHICAGOMAN and the online chat rooms. She also shared about how Pastor Brown, now deceased, had confronted her Tom. Julie told about Tom's health problems and that morning in ICU when he had asked Julie to forgive him.

  "Betty" Julie inquired, "tell me about your relationship with the Lord Jesus."

  "Well, Tom and I are members of the church where he grew up. They have a divorce recovery class I attended once, but something was missing. Honestly, I haven't been to church for some time now. All I can see are couples and I come home, alone and hurting even more than when I went."

  "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?"

  "Well, as personal as anyone can. But how can anyone know someone they can't even see?"

  "Betty, I have some good news for you. In fact, the best new that you have ever heard." For the next few minutes, Betty heard the greatest love story that she had ever heard. She heard the gospel story of God sending His only Son, Jesus to come into this world by being born through a virgin. Julie explained so clearly how Jesus had been crucified, paying the price of sin to all who would receive Him.

  "Betty, does this make sense to you?"

  "Yes, she replied through her weeping."

  "Would you like to receive God's gift of eternal life right now?"

  "Yes, yes I would."

  Julie led her new friend and sister in prayer, asking the Lord to forgive her of her sins, and inviting Him into her life. Both women were weeping as they concluded. "I feel so clean, so new," Betty sobbed. "Until now, religion had always been just an hour on Sunday morning. It was a ritual, not something personal for me. How can I ever thank you? I need to call Tom and tell him who I discovered today."

  "No," Julie replied. "I don't think that is what the Lord would have you to do just yet. You see, God will change Tom by your prayers, not by your words. I have an idea. Easter is next week. Do you have any plans?"

  "Do I have any plans? Julie you know what it is like to be divorced. No, my calendar is not too full for that day."

  "I have an idea. You are only a few hundred miles from us, so why don't you come over for the Easter weekend? You can stay with us and go to church on Sunday and hear Tom preach. We can eat a quick lunch and you can start home before dark."

  "Julie, you don't even know me, and you're inviting me to stay with you? I don't know what to say."

  "Just say yes, and I will give you some directions."

  "All right, if you are sure," Betty consented. The Lord had not allowed the phone to ring for the entire time the two women had been on the phone. The delivery man was out and not a single customer had come into the flower shop to interrupt this divine appointment.

  Betty's eyes were still red when Bud and Norma returned from their doctor's appointment. "Is something wrong, honey?" Norma asked.

  "No, no, everything is fine. But I want to tell you what just happened." Betty related her entire conversation with Julie Grant. After they heard about Julie's invitation for the weekend, Bud had a comment.

  "Honey, that car of yours is just not in good enough shape for you to take it on the road by yourself. How about if you swap cars with us for the weekend and take our new car? I like what you heard from this Julie and want to do our part to help out."

  "I can't believe it!", Betty began to sob. "Julie told me about how I needed to pray about my needs and that God would answer my prayers. Just before you came in from the doctor, I had tried to pray and ask God to help me get to Julie's for the weekend. Thank you so much." Betty gave the fragile, elderly Bud such a hug that it almost knocked him over.

  Although the shop was swamped with Easter orders, Bud and Norma insisted that Betty take off the afternoon of Good Friday. Shortly after noon, she headed west in the Baxter's luxury car, with a beautiful centerpiece, arranged by both Betty and Norma carefully secured on the back seat.

  Betty found the Grants to be a couple in their early sixties, and two of the most loving people that she had ever met. It was difficult for Betty to imagine they had marriage problems.

  That evening, before going to bed, Julie handed Betty a small paperback book, titled CHICAGOMAN. It was the account of their marriage problems and of God's healing that home. Betty was awake late that night, reading her new book.

  Late that night, safe behind the closed bedroom door, Betty cried out to God as she had never done before. "God, what do You want me to do? Please forgive me if I gave up on Tom too soon. Help me God, I am so confused and hurting so much. O God please help me."

  Pastor Grant's church had a work day at church on Saturday, in preparation for Easter. Although he really did not need to be there, Pastor Grant spent the day at church, allowing Betty and Julie to be together alone most of the day.

  Julie answered Betty's questions about how the Grant marriage was restored. She taught her about getting a word from the Lord regarding her own marriage. Greatest of all was the hope that Julie shared, not in her husband, but in what the Lord could do.

  Saturday night, the Grants took Betty to a nice restaurant. "I remember my budget during those days when the Lord had to be my husband," Julie commented. "This dinner is our treat."

  Betty was amazed at Pastor Grant's openness as he talked about some of what her Tom must be going through. "I know. I've been right there," he interjected more than once during the conversation.

  Sunday morning was a blessed experience that Betty will never forget. "A friend of Julie's must be the secret phrase to have everyone greet you here," she joked with Julie. "What a super church."

  Betty was amazed at that Easter service. Pastor Grant and all his congregation, prayed to the Lord, sang to Him, and worshiped Him just as if he were right there in the sanctuary with them.

  At prayer time, Pastor Grant invited people who were praying for a loved one to join him at the altar. Although Betty had never before publically responded in any worship service before, she was one of the first at the altar, with Julie quickly joining her. Pastor Grant prayed as though he we talking about no one but Betty's Tom. This was also the first time that she had wept openly at a worship service, but it would not be the last.

  That afternoon as Betty prepared to head back to Cincinnati, she said good-bye to the Grants as though they were long time friends. She had never met anyone with home she felt as comfortable as with that couple.

  On the way home, Beth heard from the Lord. She did not know just how it happened, but the with setting sun behind her, she prayed and took a stand with God for Tom's salvation and the restoration of her marriage.

  "Father, this is only the second time I have prayed out loud, since I was a kid, but I just want to than You for all that You have shown me this weekend. Lord, I don't know how you will do it, but I will not give up on my husband any longer. Help me, Lord to share what little I know of you with Tom. Amen."

  During the week after Easter, Betty began a journey with the Lord that cannot be described. She discovered a group of other female standers in Cincinnati and met with them weekly. One lady introduced her to a new church. Soon she had other people believing and praying with her for Tom's salvation and for his return to their marriage.

  Although 1,150 miles away, Tom's church attendance improved during that same time. He and Sandy could be found sitting in church together each week. Their going out for coffee as friends
soon led into dating. In only a few weeks, as soon as Sandy's divorce was final, Tom had moved into her Bonaventure apartment. His schedule had changed to days, so that the way was cleared for both Tom and Sandy to attend divorce recovery classes at church together.

  Someone at church discovered that Tom was a proficient saxophone player, and he was invited to join their praise band. Tom enjoyed that experience. The words seemed foreign to him, but he appreciated the tunes being played by the instrumentalists.

  Tom had made some contacts at the Musician's Exchange and soon had a job playing his saxophone at a night spot on Lauderdale beach. Soon he was making more playing the sax than he was trying to sell boats, and "retired" as a "yacht salesman," as he wrote to a friend in Cincinnati.

  Shortly after they moved in together, Sandy began to pressure Tom to get married. He certainly never told Sandy, but something about marrying her just did not seem right to Tom. Somehow he still felt married to Betty.

  "Honey," she began one evening, "I ordered return address labels today, so I made them Tom and Sandy Allison." Sandy paused, awaiting his response.

  "Uh, well, that's not quite the case.

  "No, but it will be soon, right?"

  "Uh hu, I suppose."

  "Just how long are we going to continue this living arrangement without getting married? When you moved in here, I assumed that we would be married soon. I am single and you are single, so what's the problem. You always say that you love me."

  "I do love you, but it just doesn't seem right to get married yet. Maybe it will be different after we complete those divorce adjustment classes, okay."

  "I am telling you now, either you marry me soon or move out and I'll get on with my life," Sandy concluded the conversation.

  Although God's timing was perfect, Tom did not think so when Sandy brought their mail upstairs the next afternoon. He recognized the handwriting on that envelope as soon as he saw it. The letter bore a yellow forwarding sticker from his former Oakland Park address. He stared at Betty's return address. He knew from the colored card-shaped envelope that this was not a letter about business matters.

  "Aren't you going to open your mail?" Sandy inquired. She had taken a position just behind Tom's shoulder, where she was going to be able to see whatever was in that envelope. Although the return address did not include a name, she knew it had to be from Betty.

  Tom slowly and deliberately began to open his mail. He felt like the kid that had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "We're divorced," he thought. "I'm not responsible for whatever she has sent me."

  It is amazing how prodigal spouses have a way of sensing when their mate takes a stand for restoration of their marriage. Both Tom and Sandy seemed to know whatever was in that envelope that he was fumbling with must be about his marriage to Betty.

  Moving with all the deliberate actions of someone opening an Academy Award envelope, Tom finally withdrew a greeting card. It was indeed a greeting card from Betty. The cover showed a Bible and red roses and read, "Thinking of You."

  The printed text inside expressed the senders's desire that the Lord God was meeting every need in the recipient's life. The card was signed, "With love, from your wife for a lifetime, Betty." Tom felt good just seeing Betty's handwriting.

  "Turn it over. There's something written on the back," Sandy volunteered. Tom had hoped that she had not noticed. He pulled the card closer to himself, in an unsuccessful effort to shield the text from Sandy's view, and began to silently read the words:

  "Tom, Please forgive me for my part in causing our marriage to fail. I was wrong to divorce you. I gave up on you, but God hasn't. The Lord has touched me and is changing me to be the wife that you need. I have taken a stand with Him and am praying for the restoration of our marriage. I will wait for you until God brings you home, no matter how long it takes. Love, Betty." Underneath was written Mark 10:27. Even though Tom did not own a Bible, he was most interested in knowing what that verse meant.

  "She's just not coping," Sandy exclaimed. "I think it's time for us to get married--unless you intend to go back to a frozen wife in frozen Cincinnati. Well, what is your answer, Mr. Allison? I want to know right now!"

  "Well," Tom paused, "I suppose we could get married sometime, maybe."

  "Sorry, Tom , that's not what I wanted to hear. Either you ask me to marry you right now, or pack your bags and leave."

  Tom had never felt so threatened in his life. "How did I get in this whole mess?" he silently pondered.

  "Tom, I am waiting. What is your answer?"

  Having limited funds, and no other place to live, Tom blurted out, "Let's get married."

  "Great, honey!" Sandy's voice bubbled with excitement. "I'll call Fellowship Church and see what we need to do."

  For the first time since his dinner at Skyline, Tom considered loading up his car and heading north on I-95 to Cincinnati, putting the entire Florida nightmare behind him. He did not do so.

  Less that a week later, Tom found himself sitting in an associate pastor's office at Fellowship Church with Sandy, preparing for marriage.

  "You have both been married before. It didn't work then. What makes each of you think it will work out this time?" Pastor Chuck Cosgrove inquired.

  "Well," Sandy replied, "The first time I was just too young and my second husband was verbally abusive and unfaithful."

  "First time, second time?" Tom wondered. "I did not know that she had been married twice before. I am about to become husband number three. Something's just not right here."

  Pastor Chuck replied, "You are certainly right, Sandy. That is why the Bible has the escape clause for unfaithfulness. How about you, Tom? Why is this marriage going to work."

  Tom had already formed his reply in his mind. "There was unfaithfulness in our marriage, also." Tom did not volunteer that Betty had been faithful, and that he had been the unfaithful one.

  "It sounds to me like you guys are on the way to a great life together," Pastor Chuck concluded. "Let's check the calendar and see what is available."

  Before leaving Fellowship Church that afternoon, Tom suggested they visit the bookstore. While Sandy browsed through books about love and marriage, Tom headed straight for the Bibles. He secretly wanted to know what that verse meant that Betty had sent him in her card. With some difficulty, Tom found the Gospel of Mark, and then turned to chapter 10, verse 27: "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

  Was it really possible that God could straighten all this out and avoid him having to become Sandy's third husband? He was about to marry a woman he had only met at Easter. "No way," Tom concluded, "Not even God could straighten out the mess that I am in."

  The following Saturday at 3:00 PM in Pastor Chuck's office, Tom and Sandy thought they were getting married. In truth, they were only attempting to legalize their adultery, because in the eyes of Almighty God, each one already had a covenant spouse. Tom even had a spouse who was praying and standing with God for the restoration of their marriage.

  Their honeymoon consisted of a dinner party with a few friends, and then going home to the apartment in Bonaventure where they had been living together for a few weeks. Sandy officially ended that honeymoon by her comments Sunday afternoon.

  "I think you need to let Betty know that you are married so that she will quit trying to hang on to you," she said.

  "All right, I'll give her a call." Deep inside his being, Tom looked forward to hearing Betty's voice again.

  "I don't think that is necessary. Call one of your sons instead."

  Tom was embarrassed that he had not called Brad, his oldest son, in so long that he could not remember the number. Finally, Tom found the number in his address book.

  "Hi, son!" Tom began in an upbeat way that caused Sandy to smile. "How are you?"

  "What's wrong dad?"

  "I just called with some good news," he continued, evoking another smile from Sandy. "I got ma
rried yesterday to a wonderful gal here in Fort Lauderdale that I met on Easter. You will really like her, son."

  Brad provided no response at all.

  "How about letting your mother know?" Tom requested.

  "No sir," came the reply. "You got our entire family into this mess, so do your own dirty work. If you want mom to know, you tell her yourself. You belong here with mom, not with some tramp in Florida. Dad, grow up. You are not on some fantasy vacation. Get back to reality!"

  "All right, son. Thanks. Good-bye."

  "What did he say, Tom?" Sandy inquired.

  "He sends his congratulations."

  "Tom, there's something else we need to talk about," Sandy was dropping the other shoe. "Do you really think it's fair that I work ten hours a day at the hospital to support us, while you sit around? Blowing that trumpet for a few hours three or four nights a week isn't much of a job for a husband to have."

  "It's not a trumpet. It's a saxophone."

  "Whatever, it is still like play instead of work. I want you to find a day job doing something."

  Tom knew that the bass player had a wife who had also made that same request. The man had become a bag boy at Publix Super Market in Southport Shopping Center, across from Port Everglades.

  "It's easy work and you meet interesting people," Steve had remarked once, "Unlike this place, you get to go outdoors. Best of all, it makes our old ladies feel we're working."

  By Wednesday, Tom could be found four hours each day at Southport. Wearing an orange shirt and green apron, asking, "paper or plastic bags?" Steve had been right. This was a fun job. He did meet interesting people, from all over the world, many of them tourists from the Port area. He also met women, some of whom made Sandy look dull and unattractive.

  Friday afternoon, on his break, Tom went to the pay phone out front of the store, called Directory Assistance for the number of Beautiful Flowers by Bud in Cincinnati, and dialed the number. He was excited to hear Betty answer.

  "Hi, Betty, this is Tom. How are you?"

  "I miss you a lot, but the Lord is taking care of me until you come home."

  Tom had never heard Betty talk that way. A bit taken back by her comments, he blurted out the reason for his call. "I just wanted to tell you that I got married last Saturday to a