Though it was Saturday, Will had decided to book meetings all day. Anne agreed to go with him for the first half. She was moral support and a welcome change of tone to the members of their church. Most of them did not know her well, since she was generally very quiet at church and very nervous on the telephone.
After lunch Will dropped her back by the house. Dropped isn’t exactly the word. He intended to let her off without ever getting out of the car. But once they were home, he was desperate to get his shoes off for only a moment, and to spend some time alone with his wife. She stood watching him wriggle his socked toes against their soft carpet. Stealthily picking up one of her homemade cushions, she threw it straight at his head. It missed by a foot and a half and he went after her. In only a few paces he had caught her up into his arms, shrieking with laughter. To put her down was impossible. But she wouldn’t let him ignore the clock or his obligations. She eventually pried herself free of his arms and dropped to the floor.
Then she stood staring at the door, not wanting him to go any more than he wanted to leave. He saw her sad, resolute eyes. Before he turned for the door, he kissed her hard. Sometimes God asked for sacrifices. Most people wouldn’t think that a Saturday afternoon was a big sacrifice. Will would have suffered less had he given up his right arm.
Hours later, when the house was perfectly straightened and gleaming with its cleanliness, Anne sat on the couch praying. Her book was finished. It sat beside her with the pretty flowered bookmark resting on top. A car pulled up outside. She didn’t expect Will home for another couple hours, but she looked to see who it was. A young woman from church, Rachael, was walking up the porch steps.
“Will isn’t here, I’m sorry,” Anne wearily greeted the visitor.
“Oh. Well, I wasn’t actually. I mean I would like to say something about last Sunday, but I didn’t come for that. I’ve been meaning to come for weeks, just to say hi.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Come in.”
Rachael walked into the cozy living room and admired the decor. “You’ve done a lot in eight months,” she said.
“I don’t think it’s too feminine, that Will wouldn’t feel at home anymore, either. It’s very natural. Will had a lot of the pieces when we were married.”
“I wanted to say that I think you are very brave. To support your husband like that…”
“I don’t want you to think that I was forced to follow him just because he’s my husband. I agree with the things he said.”
“I know. I admire your relationship with him, how he respects you and you adore him.”
Anne smiled. “I think he adores me, too. Can I offer you some pie? I just made it.”
“Oh, but it looks like you’re saving it for your husband’s dessert,” Rachael observed the plate and silverware set out on the table. “And it isn’t even cut yet.”
“Will won’t mind if there’s a piece missing, as long as he gets his share. And you’re not going to eat a whole chocolate pie, are you?”
“Chocolate?”
Anne laughed with her. “I’ll have mine now, too. Have a seat in the living room. There are some cuddly blankets in a stack by the window,” Anne suggested. “There. And a napkin.”
Rachael took the slice of pie. “I came over hoping we could talk.”
“About what?” Anne asked.
“Nothing in particular. I just thought I’d like to get to know you. I’m not a believer in the idea that pastors and their families should be set on a pedestal and abandoned. They can be some of the neatest people, and encourage your faith so much; I don’t know why people wouldn’t want to be their friends.”
“I certainly like being a pastor’s friend. I married one. What do you do?”
“Not much of anything serious right now. I’m not sure what to do with my life. So many things look interesting.”
“That’s how I was. When I was in high school I thought of any number of things I wanted to do with my life. Nursing, law, education, decorating, cooking… Then it occurred to me that all those things, and most career fields in which women are interested, are all skills that a homemaker needs. I believe God knew what He was doing when He assigned women that roll. We can certainly excel at it.”
“So that’s how you knew?”
“By the time I was a senior in high school, I was convinced this is the job to which God was calling me. I believe that the gift of singleness, when you have it, is obvious, and I was obviously a romantic. I mean, if your lot in life is going to be fighting crushes, you might as well be blessed with a man to love forever, too. It doesn’t always work that way, though. God gave me grace.”
Rachael nodded. Her look was wistful. “How do you find a man. That’s the age-old question. There just aren’t enough pastors to go around.”
“That’s exactly what we’ve been thinking about, except more with regards to their role in the church than as potential husbands. It’s a challenge, to be a pastor’s wife. One I had to take seriously. Whether God brings you a husband sooner, later, or not at all, you have to be busy doing those things that God has called you, as a woman, to do. You have to love children, be a nourisher. Be hospitable. It is hard when you’re not in a house of your own, but have the attitude of a host, and you’ll be amazed the ideas you have. I made it my object to study my calling, so I could be proficient at all those things I love. I love to clean, but you can always improve there. And cooking is endless. I love to make desserts. I love to eat desserts,” Anne lifted a forkful of French silk pie in the air as evidence before she ate it. “I studied romance, too. That sounds strange, but I loved it.” Anne giggled.
“What does a typical day look like?”
“I love to read, and study, and to watch movies. I keep the house clean and welcoming. I like to have people visit, especially spontaneously,” Anne smiled at her new friend, “but I don’t know how to get the word out. I bake a lot, and cook at least one meal a day from scratch. There’s shopping and budgeting. Then I throw in some ministry preparation and a lot of prayer. What about you?”
“I’m still living at home, and I am taking two classes at the community college.” Rachael began. She was interrupted by the bang of a car door outside.
To God be all glory.
See the index for first and additional chapters.
After lunch Will dropped her back by the house. Dropped isn’t exactly the word. He intended to let her off without ever getting out of the car. But once they were home, he was desperate to get his shoes off for only a moment, and to spend some time alone with his wife. She stood watching him wriggle his socked toes against their soft carpet. Stealthily picking up one of her homemade cushions, she threw it straight at his head. It missed by a foot and a half and he went after her. In only a few paces he had caught her up into his arms, shrieking with laughter. To put her down was impossible. But she wouldn’t let him ignore the clock or his obligations. She eventually pried herself free of his arms and dropped to the floor.
Then she stood staring at the door, not wanting him to go any more than he wanted to leave. He saw her sad, resolute eyes. Before he turned for the door, he kissed her hard. Sometimes God asked for sacrifices. Most people wouldn’t think that a Saturday afternoon was a big sacrifice. Will would have suffered less had he given up his right arm.
Hours later, when the house was perfectly straightened and gleaming with its cleanliness, Anne sat on the couch praying. Her book was finished. It sat beside her with the pretty flowered bookmark resting on top. A car pulled up outside. She didn’t expect Will home for another couple hours, but she looked to see who it was. A young woman from church, Rachael, was walking up the porch steps.
“Will isn’t here, I’m sorry,” Anne wearily greeted the visitor.
“Oh. Well, I wasn’t actually. I mean I would like to say something about last Sunday, but I didn’t come for that. I’ve been meaning to come for weeks, just to say hi.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Come in.”
Rachael walked into the cozy living room and admired the decor. “You’ve done a lot in eight months,” she said.
“I don’t think it’s too feminine, that Will wouldn’t feel at home anymore, either. It’s very natural. Will had a lot of the pieces when we were married.”
“I wanted to say that I think you are very brave. To support your husband like that…”
“I don’t want you to think that I was forced to follow him just because he’s my husband. I agree with the things he said.”
“I know. I admire your relationship with him, how he respects you and you adore him.”
Anne smiled. “I think he adores me, too. Can I offer you some pie? I just made it.”
“Oh, but it looks like you’re saving it for your husband’s dessert,” Rachael observed the plate and silverware set out on the table. “And it isn’t even cut yet.”
“Will won’t mind if there’s a piece missing, as long as he gets his share. And you’re not going to eat a whole chocolate pie, are you?”
“Chocolate?”
Anne laughed with her. “I’ll have mine now, too. Have a seat in the living room. There are some cuddly blankets in a stack by the window,” Anne suggested. “There. And a napkin.”
Rachael took the slice of pie. “I came over hoping we could talk.”
“About what?” Anne asked.
“Nothing in particular. I just thought I’d like to get to know you. I’m not a believer in the idea that pastors and their families should be set on a pedestal and abandoned. They can be some of the neatest people, and encourage your faith so much; I don’t know why people wouldn’t want to be their friends.”
“I certainly like being a pastor’s friend. I married one. What do you do?”
“Not much of anything serious right now. I’m not sure what to do with my life. So many things look interesting.”
“That’s how I was. When I was in high school I thought of any number of things I wanted to do with my life. Nursing, law, education, decorating, cooking… Then it occurred to me that all those things, and most career fields in which women are interested, are all skills that a homemaker needs. I believe God knew what He was doing when He assigned women that roll. We can certainly excel at it.”
“So that’s how you knew?”
“By the time I was a senior in high school, I was convinced this is the job to which God was calling me. I believe that the gift of singleness, when you have it, is obvious, and I was obviously a romantic. I mean, if your lot in life is going to be fighting crushes, you might as well be blessed with a man to love forever, too. It doesn’t always work that way, though. God gave me grace.”
Rachael nodded. Her look was wistful. “How do you find a man. That’s the age-old question. There just aren’t enough pastors to go around.”
“That’s exactly what we’ve been thinking about, except more with regards to their role in the church than as potential husbands. It’s a challenge, to be a pastor’s wife. One I had to take seriously. Whether God brings you a husband sooner, later, or not at all, you have to be busy doing those things that God has called you, as a woman, to do. You have to love children, be a nourisher. Be hospitable. It is hard when you’re not in a house of your own, but have the attitude of a host, and you’ll be amazed the ideas you have. I made it my object to study my calling, so I could be proficient at all those things I love. I love to clean, but you can always improve there. And cooking is endless. I love to make desserts. I love to eat desserts,” Anne lifted a forkful of French silk pie in the air as evidence before she ate it. “I studied romance, too. That sounds strange, but I loved it.” Anne giggled.
“What does a typical day look like?”
“I love to read, and study, and to watch movies. I keep the house clean and welcoming. I like to have people visit, especially spontaneously,” Anne smiled at her new friend, “but I don’t know how to get the word out. I bake a lot, and cook at least one meal a day from scratch. There’s shopping and budgeting. Then I throw in some ministry preparation and a lot of prayer. What about you?”
“I’m still living at home, and I am taking two classes at the community college.” Rachael began. She was interrupted by the bang of a car door outside.
To God be all glory.
See the index for first and additional chapters.
2 comments:
I am still enjoying your story. I wonder does this have an autobiographical part about what was decided in high school? I agree that women are made to shine in being homemakers. I wish more women had a high view of keeping a home. I wish more men had your vision for that matter. My husband's support for me being a homemaker instead of a wage earner has been invaluable to me. So much of our culture teaches that women need fulfillment away from home.
I do have one question. How do you think law skills are involved in homemaking role?
Thank you, Believer.
To some extent all of my writing is biographical. The opinions expressed are often ones I have experienced or considered. However, though Anne's testimony is similar to my experience, it isn't direct. Fiction always seems to catch my narratives; I can't get away. = ) In re-reading this chapter I think I relate to Rachael as much as to Anne, and I just wish and imagine there was an "older" (or more experienced) woman willing to tell me those things. Then again, I don't usually drop in on pastor's wives to beg them for their biography and advice.
To your question about law, I think those skills fall under a helper meet (suitable, equipped) for a husband. Every family is under the law; understanding the law and legal system is important to being successful and safe and setting good examples in the community. Also the skills associated with law in my mind as a high schooler, especially debate and logic, in moderation I believe are helpful in maintaining a relationship.
I guess for example you could say that all those objections you hear in Perry Mason and other legal dramas taught me to object to my own arguments. Stick to the subject. Don't attack the character when you're discussing a decision. Rules like that are useful in life. That's what I enjoyed that made me consider becoming a lawyer (besides the leather briefcase, high-heels, and the "unbeatable" attitude).
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, and for reading.
To God be all glory,
Lisa of Longbourn
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