by Bobby Akart
“But, Miss Lucy—” started Preacher before being cut off.
“Not another word. It’s time to establish new traditions, starting with this glorious Christmas together. Preacher, I expect you’ll deliver a beautiful sermon, your first in many years, but full of spirit and joy nonetheless.
“Duncan and Coop, start putting the picnic tables in place for tomorrow’s Christmas dinner in the big barn. Also, put as many chairs and crates in the new barn for tonight’s service as you can find. Afterwards, you can move them back to the dining barn, we’ll call it.
“Major, you’ll make sure everyone is present in that barn to hear this good man’s words. Tomorrow, we’ll serve up a fabulous Christmas dinner as we bring our big, extended family together for the first time in many years.
“After that, you can secure your fences and save the world. Agreed? Good.”
Lucy didn’t wait for a response before she stepped closer to each of her foot soldiers. “Preacher, go clean up. You look more like a wrangler than you do a minister. Major, you are the host of this Christmas Eve shindig. Go greet our guests and, well, just go host.”
Palmer and Sook couldn’t stifle their laughs any longer. Their giggles drew the attention of Miss Lucy, who turned and gave them a wink with a grin.
She continued. “Duncan, you and Coop make sure the tables are arranged and help tend to the horses of the ranch hands and their families. This is our way of saying thank you to them for being a part of our family. Let’s treat them as guests.”
“Okay, Momma,” said Cooper.
Preacher stepped backwards and headed toward his horse. Major spun around and marched toward the barn, followed by his three sons.
Miss Lucy put her hands on her hips. “Where do you think you’re going, mister?”
The boys stopped and turned back toward their mom. She was staring at Riley.
He pointed at his chest. “Me?”
“Yeah, you. Where do you think you’re going?”
“Um, I figured I’d be with the guys.”
“Nope, you’re with me today.”
“C’mon, Momma,” protested Riley. “What did I do?”
“Follow me,” was Miss Lucy’s response as she turned and shooed her giggling girls back into the house. “And don’t argue!”
*****
Preacher felt a little awkward as he approached the makeshift pulpit consisting of an overturned apple crate on top of a folding table. Miss Lucy had found an old red velvet cape, which had belonged to her mother, in a trunk full of family heirlooms. It was draped over the crate and bunched around the table to provide a more reverent feel.
The suit Preacher wore made him look like Wyatt Earp—a throwback to the nineteenth century. It was a suit he hadn’t worn in many years, since the last time he’d addressed his flock in Big Spring. The long, fully lined black coat and black formal vest, over a white pleated tuxedo-style shirt, gave him an Old West look. His black wool hat topped off the imposing outfit.
Everyone crammed into the barn, most carrying their family Bibles. The Armstrong family Bible had been handed down through the generations, just as the ranch had passed from one steward to another. Notes about the family’s history, records of births, deaths, baptisms, confirmations, and marriages filled its pages. The pages were loose, tattered, and sometimes torn, but it was the heart of the Armstrong family, and Major clutched it with pride.
Preacher hit his stride almost immediately, finding his footing as a man of God, one who was blessed with the ability to impart words of inspiration on the congregation.
“I am a sinner and a fallen man,” he began as he hung his head for a moment. He took a deep breath and continued. “I’ve begged God’s forgiveness and asked for the strength to put on this suit once again. With the help of all of you, my family, He gave me the courage to pull it out of the closet, and by His Grace, it still fits.”
Preacher patted his stomach a few times and managed a smile.
“We have tremendously high expectations of life. We want everything to be perfect. We have pictures of children playing, people smiling, and getting along. But often, as we’ve learned, this perfect view of life is not always the way things are.
“Our visions of Christmas are no different. We listen to Christmas songs with lyrics like the most wonderful time of the year and the happiest season of all, but for many families, especially during this particular Christmas, that will not be the case. Their lives full of hope have been interrupted by starvation, sickness, and death.
“Life is full of interruptions. Some are insignificant and dealt with quickly. Other times, when forced upon us by evil barging into our lives, we have to adapt and face the challenges head-on.
“As I look around this barn, I see the faces of God’s children and our large family. Together, a challenge lies before us—the greatest interruption of our lives. We must be careful not to react with fear. Remember, God is with us, and He will guide us in all things.”
Preacher continued to remind his first congregation in many years that, as a family, they could overcome the challenges they’d face in the future. He led them by singing inspirational hymns that filled their hearts with love. Then they chose a few traditional Christmas carols that left them laughing and hugging one another.
Finally, Preacher bowed his head and prayed aloud.
“As we celebrate this most extraordinary Christmas, we thank You for Your protection from harm, misfortune and sadness. Let not any of our enemies, thieves, bandits, or evildoers approach us. We ask that You turn around their evil intent.
“In return, we will enjoy the privilege of spending time together to share joy, celebrate the addition of a new member to our family from a faraway land, and to be there for one another when we need comfort.
“Finally, Lord, thank You for the blessings You’ve bestowed upon Texas, our home and a new nation, as it finds a way to flourish in this troublesome world. May good health prevail for all Texans, this family, and may we find ever-present faith in Your mercy and grace. Amen.”
Preacher raised his head from prayer and smiled at his new congregation, but their good feelings were replaced with a sense of foreboding as the deafening roar of two fighter jets racing low across the western horizon just barely above the high plains of West Texas interrupted their moment with God.
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READ ON FOR A BONUS EXCERPT from TEXAS STRONG, book four in the Lone Star Series.
Excerpt from TEXAS STRONG
Chapter 1
Christmas Day 2022
The Armstrong Ranch
Borden County, Texas
“Daddy,” whispered Palmer, the youngest of the Armstrong children and the only daughter. If there ever was an apple of a father’s eye, Palmer fit the bill. In Major’s eyes, she was the spittin’ image of his darling Lucy. As Palmer grew out of her pigtails and found herself as a young woman, Major talked to and treated her with utmost respect. He set expectations of how a man should treat a lady and hoped she’d never settle for anything less. Abo
ve all, he loved her and took pride in her accomplishments as she grew up. A bond existed between them as a result, one that was somewhat different from the bond between Major and his sons.
“Yes, honey,” he replied as the conversation between the boys and Preacher continued.
“I’ve never seen Momma like this. Anytime we try to get together and talk about what we’ve been through, and especially what might happen next, she breaks up the conversation. Is she okay?”
Major furrowed his brows before answering. He’d asked himself the same question. Lucy had remained strong throughout this ordeal. She acted very much like a general on a battlefield. She was organized, authoritative, and unflappable most of the time. Naturally, she worried about her children’s safety but not to the point of emotional breakdown.
But as those fears were set aside on Christmas Eve with the reunification of their family, she’d become focused in a way that was out of the norm. Lucy was the consummate multitasker. All mothers are. She took care of their home, helped run the ranch, and watched over everything related to their preparedness activities.
Major replied as he tried to make sense of it all, “Since you guys returned yesterday, it’s been all about Christmas. Last night’s service in the barn was spiritually moving until, of course, the military jets flew past us.”
“Yeah, that kinda brought us back to the present, didn’t it?” asked Palmer.
Major thought for a moment. “You know, honey, maybe that’s it. Since Black Friday when the EMP hit, we’ve been on edge here at the ranch. God only knows what it was like for you all on the road. Now our family is together again just in time for Christmas. Maybe your mother—”
Before Major could continue, Miss Lucy walked out of the kitchen and into the family room of their ranch house. She was wearing a classic bib apron embroidered with a western design including holly, a horseshoe, a cowboy boot, and a felt hat. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and tied with a red ribbon.
Major hadn’t seen her dress like this for Christmas dinner since their children were in grade school. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Lucy had gone all out for this Christmas and refused to let the family be distracted by the outside world while they celebrated.
“Okay, okay, enough shop talk, or whatever y’all are mumbling about,” Lucy announced as she wiped her hands on a towel and shoved it into the front pocket of her apron. “It’s time for Christmas dinner. Would y’all please grab a serving dish from the kitchen? I see that everyone else has arrived.”
Riley, who was the first to respond, had remained closest to Lucy since their return. “You got it, Momma. Are there any samples you’d like me to taste? You know, to make sure it’s really good?”
Lucy retrieved the kitchen towel from her apron, took both ends and began to twist it into a weapon. She snapped it towards Riley’s backside. “One unauthorized nibble, young man, and you’ll get a whoopin’!” she threatened, to the group’s delight.
Major smiled as he admired his family. His adorable wife wasn’t troubled and hadn’t changed. She was just intent on making this Christmas special.
The group made its way to the barn to greet the ranch hands and their families, who’d brought dishes of their own for this potluck-style Christmas feast.
Picnic tables were retrieved from all around the ranch and set up in rows in the main barn. They were covered with white sheets adorned with each family’s unique Christmas décor, candles, and many different types of foods.
The Texas love of barbecue was evident, as roasted chicken, smoked turkeys, and pulled pork were abundant. The Mexican women prepared tamales, menudo, and cinnamon buñuelos, a dish made with deep-fried tortilla wedges covered in a sugary cinnamon mix.
Lucy had discussed the meal planning with Major yesterday afternoon. They both were keenly aware that food supplies in Texas were dwindling and they’d have to rely completely upon their food storage moving forward. However, this was also the most significant Christmas in their lives, and they intended to make it the most memorable, which included a fabulous meal.
Throughout dinner, people talked, laughed, and allowed an occasional muted belch as their compliment to the chef. Miss Lucy was thanked repeatedly for creating this wonderful opportunity to come together as a family, share Christmas joy, and exchange their hope for the future.
Sook was especially appreciative, as she’d never experienced a Christmas dinner. She explained to everyone the risks that she and her family had taken as Christians in North Korea. In a country teeming with fear and mistrust, they’d practiced their faith within the confines of the familial home without revealing their belief in God to anyone.
After the group had finished eating, Major stood from their table located at the center of the barn. The soft chatter stopped, and he was given everyone’s full attention.
“I’m looking around this barn, thinking of the day Christ was born. His birth was a tremendous gift to this world, just like all of you are a gift to me. Better than any presents wrapped up under a tree, when I see all of you holding hands and loving one another, it warms my heart.”
Major dropped his chin to his chest and wiped a tear from his face. He gathered himself, reached for Lucy’s hand to gain strength, and then continued. “Dallas is not here with us today, God rest his soul. Like Jesus died on the cross for our sins, something he believed was his destiny, Dallas died for the country he loved, protecting all of us from the evil beyond our borders.
“At night, I look into the heavens and search for answers as to why he was taken from us. The answer I receive is that God has a plan, and the stars of freedom shine brightly to remind me of how lucky those of us on this planet really are.”
Major then paused and reached to take Sook’s hand, who immediately welled up in tears.
“But then God finds a way to surprise us all. Our oldest son might have suffered the same fate as Dallas if not for this angel, this beautiful young woman from a faraway place. In her country, it’s forbidden to be a Christian, yet here she is. In her country, her family could’ve been sent to prison camps or executed for saving my son’s life, yet there she sits.
“I will thank God every day for you, Sook. Miss Lucy and I lost one child to the ugliness of war, but we gained another loving member of our very large family when you came into our lives.”
Again Major paused and then looked skyward for guidance to find the right words. He furrowed his brow as he continued. Lucy’s warm hand squeezed his, and their eyes met. In that moment, he understood her demeanor of the last twenty-four hours. He nodded, and she returned his look with a smile of encouragement.
“We face troubling times that will be dangerous. The world as we know it has been devastated by death and destruction. The evil in men continues to exist, so I have no illusions of what our future brings.
“As the children of God, our fate rests in His hands. We’re all knockin’ on Heaven’s door as we persevere in this new life. Together, as a family, we will enjoy life’s greatest blessing—our love for one another, and it is our love that will help us endure what comes our way.”
Chapter 2
Christmas Day
The Armstrong Ranch
Borden County, Texas
“Major, that was beautiful,” said Lucy as she stood up from the table. Major gave her a hug and a lingering kiss. A tear came from her eye, and he quickly kissed her wet cheek. His puzzled look caused her to smile. “Honey, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
Everyone congregated for several minutes before Preacher reminded them that banditos didn’t take Christmas off and they were most likely enjoying fried chicken in their barnyard right about now. This drew a laugh from the ranch hands, who promptly retrieved their rifles and headed for their horses. The wives and children assisted Miss Lucy in clearing the tables after everyone voiced their appreciation for the wonderful dinner.
Preacher began to walk toward his horse when Lucy called after him, “Preach, before you go, would you mind
comin’ inside for a few minutes? I’d like the family to get together for a moment and that, naturally, includes you.”
“Of course, Miss Lucy,” he replied. “Let me load up some of these dishes. Heck, I’ll help ya wash them.”
She smiled and touched his arm. “No, that’s not necessary, but thank you. It’s time to get the kids back in the swing of doin’ chores. That’s part of what I want to talk about, among other things.”
After several trips to the barn and back, the farmhouse-style sink was overflowing with dishes and serving pieces. Lucy would get her crew together to tackle the mess later. For now, she wanted to address several things while she had their attention. Somehow, after this meal, the concept of family gatherings would change from cheerful dinners to strategic planning sessions about security and food levels.
Duncan stoked the fire, and the flames danced inside the massive stone fireplace. Lucy and Major shared the settee while the boys scattered about the floor and on the fireplace hearth. Preacher took up a spot on the sofa, where Palmer joined him. The room was quiet in anticipation of what the matriarch of the Armstrong family had to say.
“Everyone, I’d like to apologize if I’ve been a little more ornery than usual,” Lucy began as she dropped her eyes to the floor and exhaled. She nervously fiddled with a kitchen towel as she spoke. One by one, she made eye contact with her kids. “I’m not going to get emotional again. But thank God you’re home.”
Palmer was the first to rush to her side and sit on the roll-top arm of the settee. The two hugged as the tears flowed. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as the emotions poured out of them. Somehow, since the kids had arrived home, the Armstrongs had managed to keep their emotions in check in order to enjoy Christmas, but now they were allowed to let it out.
