“No, not yet. I thought the sci-fi was really good, my best perhaps, but the more I reread it the more unsure I am. I need a fresh brain to evaluate it before I dare send it to her.”
He noted she was looking at him with hopeful eyes. He wasn’t about to get tangled into that one. If he didn’t like it she would weasel it out of him, and that would hurt her feelings. He couldn’t deal with doing that to her. Actually though, he realized, it was probably a wonderful novel, she’d been writing short stories for years and he hadn’t read one of her’s yet that wasn’t filled with great talent. But, this was too big for her and he wanted to stay on the sidelines to help if she needed it.
“Has Salina read it?” he asked with obvious enthusium, “Or, your mom?”
“You can relax, Jas. I won’t ask you to read it. In fact,” she decided to tease him a bit, “you were a model for one of my main protagonists in the sci-fi. So, it’s not a good idea for you to read it – not ever.”
His right brow cocked up and he asked, “Why’s that? Did you make him a robot or a villain?” He thought for a minute and asked, “Am I a space pirate?” He liked the idea of her making him a space pirate, as long as he was a handsome, brave pirate who wins the heroine.
“Can’t tell ya,” she said with a malicious grin and little giggle. She was discovering it was a lot of fun to tease him. Although, her male hero had been modeled after Jason, now that she thought about it. Though during the writing she hadn’t been aware of it. Hum, wonder why she hadn’t realized that till now. Her hero had been overly thoughtful and considerate like Jas, was extremely handsome, like him, of course, also had a number of his mannerisms. Except, her hero was very bold, much bolder than Jason, or the Jason she thought she’d known. He was surprising her here of late.
He parked in the front of a steak house she liked. He knew Jennifer enjoyed this place and she gave him a nice smile for his thoughtfulness.
When the food arrived, out of courtesy Jennifer paused while Jason said his blessing over their food:
“Bless us, oh Lord, and these Thy gifts we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This time Jennifer had taken special notice of his exact words, instead of hearing blaa, blaa, blaa. Using her fork to play with her food she finally decided to ask, “Jas, do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your faith?”
“Ask away,” he responded, seeming at ease.
“Why did you ask your God to bless us and refer to the food as gifts, just now?” she inquired.
Looking across the table at her she noticed he had a slightly surprised expression. “I always ask Him to bless us Jen, every day. Without fail. And about the food – well, it is gifts. There are people all over the world starving, but here we sit with food to eat. It’s His gift of love to us.”
She frowned up. “You really feel that way, don’t you?”
He nodded, waiting for her to say or ask something else.
She just had to know, it was bugging her terribly and so she asked. “Okay, since you don’t seem to mind enlightening me - you don’t worry over why your God is allowing those other people to starve?” She twirled the straw in her glass. “That’s what gets me. How can a God that you think of as so loving allow so much pain and anguish in the world?”
He sat back against the booth seat and smiled. “Is that why you don’t believe?”
Her eyes grew large. “Huh, maybe. One of the reasons, perhaps.” She did not want to remind him that she considered all religions nothing more than superstition. Gave a lot of folks comfort but also caused many to commit murder in the name of their so called loving god. Didn’t seem intelligent to her, and how Jason, who she knew had a brilliant mind could be so hoodwinked was puzzling and aggravating at the same time.
Cutting off a piece of steak he popped it into his mouth and chewed while looking thoughtfully at her, but with a little smile, like he was pleased she’d asked. “Jen, you have noticed that some people are quite wicked, full of evil deeds and enjoy the terrible things they do to other people, right?”
“Serial killers and stuff,” she answered, “child molesters, and folks who torture and animal cruelty too, yeah sure.”
“Now, Jen,” he stated while looking into her eyes, “consider the people who have gone about doing so much good in their lives, like Mother Teresa, Ghundi and a hoard of others.”
Dipping an onion petal into some dipping sauce she nodded. “So?”
He speared a piece of tomato and slowly chewed it.
For heaven’s sake, why was he being so slow? Jenny wanted answers and it was like he was holding back to tease her.
Jason finally swallowed. “What would you say the basic difference is between these two groups of people?”
Sipping on her iced sweet tea, she considered, actually she had often thought about it. “I think the bad ones are probably born with defective DNA.”
“Perhaps,” Jason responded, nodding his head at her.
She’d been taken off guard by his admittance of this possibility.
He stated after a moment, “Jen, if that were completely true then wouldn’t it also mean that great people are made with enhanced or souped up DNA?”
“I’m not sure,” Jenny responded wondering if that would be the case where did she stand.
“But if it’s DNA, Jen,” Jason argued, “where people are prone to do terrible acts, and tests might prove that to be a major factor as science increases, then would you say that bad people have no choice other than to be cruel and kill? It’s completely out of their hands, they can’t help it?”
He watched her reactions carefully. She was considering all that he’d said. When she didn’t respond he added, “Maybe we should test everyone and put the ones with the mutated DNA in prisons to protect the rest?”
“No,” Jennifer admitted with urgency, “That wouldn’t be right.”
“Why not?” he asked, with a half smile that irritated her.
“Well, some people may be able to resist the propensity to give in to their Id. They might manage to live decent lives and not do harm,” Jennifer posed.
Stirring the coffee in his cup with a spoon Jason suggested, “So we understand that people make choices? We have the ability to choose our actions, you agree?”
“Sure.”
“What do you think causes a person to choose good over evil? Especially in a situation where choosing the evil would be the easiest route?” Jason asked her.
“Just wanting to be a decent person, I imagine,” Jenny answered. Jeeze, that was a silly question.
“So, there is a component in us that is beyond DNA. We have choice,” he stated. “Jenny, that component is what I, as a believer in God, call spirit. Our spirits help us tamper the desires of our fleshly wants. However, no one can see our spirit. They can see the results of the actions of our spirits but not the spirit itself. Some folks might call it our souls. But I feel our souls are the container, if you will, for our spirits. I feel convinced we are all body, soul and spirit and our souls are forever.
Jennifer wiggled a bit and began to fidget with her napkin. So far he had not surprised her, but the spirit and soul thing, she found rather irritating. “Go on,” she encouraged, because he hadn’t answered all her questions yet.
“You’re a smart lady. Do you believe there may be different dimensions in our universe?” he asked with a smile, because he knew she did, rather she used to think so. As kids they discussed that idea several times. She wrote short stories using the idea of different dimensions.
“Maybe,” she hedged just to throw him off, wondering where he was going with this
Jason put his fork down, leaned forward and with eagerness on his face said, “Let’s suppose there are at least a few dimensions.” Wiping his mouth with his napkin he proceeded, “First we have the physical realm that we are all aware of, because we can touch it. But even here we have realms within realms. For instance, there are sound waves all in the air,
yet we can’t see them or touch them, but they are there. Satellites send signals all the time but we can’t actually view them in the air with our eyes without a special device.” He paused and waited for Jennifer to react.
When she nodded he continued, “A person’s soul is filled with the choices they make in the spirit. Good or bad. You’ve heard the terms, ‘oh, they have a good soul’ or ‘she has a spirit of kindness’?”
“I think that just refers to their nature,” Jennifer interjected. “But, you haven’t answered why a god would bless some and destroy others.” She was trying not to let her temper cause a problem, so she waited on his answer quietly.
“I’m getting to that,” Jason softly explained with a tender smile. “It’s about the choices we make. God doesn’t make the bad stuff happen. It usually occurs due to bad choices we’ve made. But when something like an innocent person suffering at the hands of another does happen, it’s not to punish anyone. It is never God’s perfect will for His children to be harmed. However, He allows some things to simply happen, maybe He permits a person to make a terrible choice, and then suffer the consequences as a teaching component. Even when that occurs He has a greater purpose in allowing it, if not for that person then in another way.”
Jason tried to explain using a different format, “We are victims of our own devices and decisions.”
He waved the waiter away after Jenny declined dessert.
“Jen, we’re like a radio or television in a way. We have to tune in to God’s frequency to pick up His signals. Jesus called it being born again. It’s when we have converted our hearts with a desire to do only the good and best in this life, resisting our Id, to be a blessing to others and to our Father, through the grace and help of Jesus Christ. We learn through the things we suffer to be obedient to God’s perfect will where is always the right path.”
“So he just lets children be mutilated for the heck of it?” she asked, obviously fuming. She just couldn’t help it.
Jason smiled and picked up her hand that was wearing the weave out of the cloth napkin. “No, Jen. Those children already belong to Him. Their souls are not in danger. He will bring them comfort and great joy when their tiny bodies have ceased to function and their souls are free to return to Him. It’s the ones doing the harm who God wants badly to change their choices, for they are headed to a place where such evil beings will be punished, not only in this world perhaps, but in the spiritual realm he has created for all evil humankind.”
“In the Bible, the book of Saint John chapter three verse sixteen explains His plan of salvation for the whole human race:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Saint John explains it further:
“For God sent not His Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
Jennifer frowned a little and began to feel uncomfortable. “Sort’a heavy talk for a couple of old teenagers, huh? Grief! I didn’t know you were a walking, talking preacher!”
She wanted the subject changed. Some of what he explained did kind’a make sense, but she still had too many questions and not enough answers that she could understand. Afraid she might have offended him she added, “Thanks for trying to explain to me though. Guess I’ll have to sleep on it a few nights, weeks, years, before I understand half of what you just said.”
Jason smiled his easy, I’m not offended by you smile, and shocked her completely with his next statement.
“Jenny, do me one favor alright? Just one?”
Looking sideways at him, not sure if she should agree or not, she relented. “Sure, why not.”
“Pray about it,” he said to her complete and utter surprise.
Her face turned white, red and gravy. “Pray about it? Are you nuts?” she exclaimed with vigor.
“That’s what I ask Jen. Simply talk to God like He’s a person sitting in a chair beside you, and ask Him to show you the answers you are seeking. If you do that every day for two months, I will bet you an iced coffee at Starbucks that you’ll be bubbling over with insight by the end.”
He honestly pleaded with his eyes. “Jenny, you don’t have to be afraid. Do this for me, please. It only takes about a minute of your time and the response will be dramatic, I assure you.”
Laughing nervously she was trying to find a way out of this. Praying? Her?
“Just one minute per day, Jen, that’s all I ask, just one minute. For two months. Please,” he anxiously pleaded.
Suddenly she decided to take him up on his challenge. She might even be able to get him to see reason when it was all over. “Okay, I will. But you better be prepared to eat crow at the end of two months. Let’s make it an iced cappuccino at Starbucks and a medium hot fudge sundae at Dairy Queen with whipped cream and pecans? And if nothing changes my mind then you have to let me be about it from now on.”
Grinning broadly he nodded. “That’s a deal!”
She decided to ask, “When do I start?”
“How about now?” he answered to her complete dismay.
Now? Was he nuts? Pray now? She didn’t know how.
Still holding her hand he leaned toward her over the table, bowed his head and began to say very softly, “Dear Father, I’ve asked Jenny here to talk to You every day for the next two months. I know You love her and want only the best for her. She needs to know You’re real, Father. Help her discover You, and fill her with the joy that only You can give. Bring her peace, Lord Jesus, help her to have the answers she seeks. Prepare her for the work you created her for, Lord, filling her with Your Holy Spirit, I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Jennifer’s hand was trembling as he stroked it with his other hand, in a calming manner. She kept her head bowed and decided to jump in with both feet, just to get it over with for today. Speaking in a near whisper she began, “Well, hi, Jason’s God – huh, it’s me, Jenny. If you are really real, well, show me, how about it? He’s tried to answer my questions as best he can. I need to know for sure in my own mind. But don’t take out any anger on Jason for introducing us. He really loves you, and I would be greatly put out if any harm comes his way, because he doesn’t need to learn anything more, he always chooses the good.” She snorted a little and said, “The man is full of peace and love and kindness, so don’t get riled at me and take it out on him, okay? Guess I’ll say hi again tomorrow. Bye.”
“That wasn’t too bad,” Jenny stated after pulling her hand back and acting like she was relaxing against the bench seat. Absently rubbing her hand down her arm she discovered she was sweating. Oh, for the sake of the South! What in the world had there been to sweat over.
“Thanks, Jen. You won’t regret it,” Jason commented happily as he paid the waiter for their ticket, shoving her hand back with the bills she offered for their meal.
“Aww, come on Jas, let me pay for once,” she whined.
Cocking that right eyebrow upward he gave her the look.
Jenny heaved a sigh while replacing her money back into her wallet.
They talked easily together for the first time in two years, as Jason drove her home. It felt as though some gigantic iceberg had moved from between them. Communication flowed and flowed with both laughing and teasing one another. It felt wonderful.
Jennifer had to admit Jason looked happier than she’d seen him look in years and strangely that made her heart sing. Poor Jas, she realized, he’d been grieving over her not talking with him. Oddly, now that she felt they could talk without her unfounded fears of him perhaps trampling down her ideas she was happier than she’d been in two years too. Go figure!
Removing The Blinders . . .
9 – SECRETS REVEALED
The next few weeks were wonderful. Jenny felt she was happier than anyone had a right to be, and yet she didn’t have a real answer for it. Perhaps it was getting Scott off her back? Maybe it was when she decided she’d be herself
and not become a metamorphic creature that changed into someone she wasn’t? Maybe it was having her friend back again?
Jason was at her house several times a week. They’d all play board games or cards with her parents or Marcus and Salina. They watched basketball with her dad and they did things together again. He even took her for a special encore I-Max showing of her beloved Twilight series Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and the next night Part 2. Of course she cried through many scenes and he kept smiling at her as his arm tried to comfort her.
Sitting in TGIF for dessert and coffee after playing goofy golf one night, Jenny was feeling quite nervous and upset over something she’d heard just that day. She’d tried not to reveal her unsettled emotions while Jason enjoyed laughing at her poor putting abilities. Being a great golfer, like his dad, Jason was trying to teach her some of his techniques for close and long range putting but her mind wasn’t into it. Not tonight.
She was remembering what some girl in the bathroom at school had said to her friends in there with her. The girl stated that she’d heard Jason was on the prowl now, and she was going to try and get him to take her out.
Jenny wrestled with herself, feeling she was being greedy with his time. He deserved someone to love. She felt selfish, angry and worried.
When it came time to pay the bill, Jenny quickly thrust her money at the server who looked at Jason when Jason just as swiftly brought up his hand to thwart the server from taking her money. Jason shook his head no with a frown and the server walked off with Jason’s card instead of her cash.
Suddenly Jason’s face went darker still. “Did Scott let you pay when you went out?”
“Of course,” she responded. Scott was always broke, but she didn’t want to mention that part. She’d paid on each date but one and then it was because she refused to offer, two out of three dates, humm.
“There you go . . . .” Jason said by way of annoyed explanation. “I chose the best path, and that is to always allow my girl to relax and enjoy my company when going out on a date with me. I don’t want her concerned about how she’ll get the funds to pay for her meal.” He added, “Besides, it was I who asked you out tonight.”
Boswell, LaVenia Page 8
