"I think you're right. And I think it's God's definition of success that really matters."
"I agree. Trying to become more like Jesus. Knowing God and living your life for the Lord. That's success."
They smiled at each other because they knew what they had been doing that night was exactly right.
Chapter 24
Sunday morning. Noah's favorite day of the week. Well, it used to be anyway, until Sunday afternoons started to get a little long after his siblings moved out. But he still enjoyed the service, and he was really looking forward to going today, because he had texted Grace and asked if Aunt Vivian and she would like to sit with him. She had responded immediately with a yes, and he had to admit, that made his day look a whole lot brighter.
"Good morning," he said as he walked to the gate that led into the Victorian house’s yard. Vivian and Grace were just stepping out and closing it behind them.
"Good morning! It's a beautiful day. Very warm for December," Aunt Vivian said cheerfully. He offered his arm to her, and she took it.
Grace finished latching the gate and turned around with a smile. "It really is a beautiful day."
"And I have two beautiful ladies to walk to church with," he said. He offered Grace his other arm, and she slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow.
They started walking down the sidewalk, and Noah had to remind himself to keep his feet on the ground. He felt like he wasfloating on air. He had been walking to church by himself for a long time, and before that, it was just his siblings beside him for years. And now, he was with a woman he was most definitely falling for. One who loved the Lord and wanted to go to church as much as he did. Who also had a heart to help people the same way he did as well. They had so much in common.
Of course, there were a lot of things they didn't have in common too. He supposed that if he really looked at it objectively, he had as much in common with her as he did with anyone else, it's just... Things he felt were really important were important to her too.
They chatted about the weather and about the community and the festival. They were almost at the church when Roland McBride hurried up to them.
"My mom sent me over here to see if you guys would like to come back to the farmhouse and eat with us. It's just our family, well, Hannah and Ben and Mason, too, but it's a lot, because all of us kids with our spouses and children, but... She put a little extra in the crockpot and she was hoping you would join us."
"My goodness. That's so nice of her." Aunt Vivian looked at Noah and then leaned around him to glance at her niece. "I'd like to take him up on it. I'd love to see Marjorie. We haven't had a good chat for a while."
"We could bring the fajita soup we stuck in the crockpot before church with us. That might help out a little on the food side."
"I'm in if the ladies would like. I told them I would eat with them, so I guess wherever they go, I go too," Noah said simply. He really didn't care where he ate, as long as Grace was there. He enjoyed Aunt Vivian's company too, but she definitely didn't have the draw on him that Grace did.
"All right. That'll thrill Mom. She loves to have company, and she loves the big family dinners too." He grinned and hurried off, joining his wife as she stood in the parking lot talking to Mrs. Tucker.
"That'll be a lot of fun," Aunt Vivian said. "The McBrides are agreat family, and there'll be laughter and talking and maybe even some singing after lunch."
"And kids running around everywhere," Noah said. It reminded him a little of his family when they were younger. There were so many of them, it seemed like there were constantly kids flying around. Even after he got older and saw his siblings as immature and too boisterous, it had always been fun.
"This is definitely a change for me. I'm used to things being quiet and slow. And being by myself, or just with another person or two."
"When you get married and have children, you'll have an education, that's for sure," Aunt Vivian said, like it was a given that Grace was going to get married and have children.
Noah couldn't help it. He looked down at her, and she glanced up at him, her cheeks pink.
They didn't say anything, but their eyes met, and something passed between them.
Maybe she saw that he was thinking that he wouldn't mind being a part of that family and children. And maybe—he hoped—she was thinking along the same lines.
Regardless, he seated the ladies, and then went up to the piano. The service flew by, with Pastor Johnson having a wonderful message, although at the end he dropped a bombshell on the entire congregation.
"I've served this community for forty years, and it saddens my heart, but at the end of the year, I'm going to be stepping down. I'm willing to continue until you find a pastor to replace me, but my wife and I have discussed this, and I feel that the Lord is saying it's time. Time to let someone younger come in and take over the Lord's work here. I'll be here if you need me, I'm not going anywhere. But I'll help guide in whatever way you want me to as we search for a new pastor."
Noah was not happy to hear Pastor Johnson was resigning, but it made him hopeful that possibly his friend Mark would be consideredas a candidate for taking over. Mark probably wouldn't do it unless he thought it was God's will, though.
The Lord would work things out. Noah knew it, but he could also have his little things that he hoped would happen.
Maybe there was an extra bounce as he played the postlude and thought about how awesome it would be to have his best friend in the world at the same church as him.
Pastoring him.
