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“Anna!” Wilma squealed when I showed up on her doorstep the next day. “I wasn’t expecting a visit from you today.”
I looked down at my feet and then back at her. “I hope it’s all right.”
She gave my shoulders a squeeze and ushered me into her house. “Of course it’s all right! Why wouldn’t it be? You are always welcome here.”
“Thank you. I was hoping I could ask you a few questions.”
“I can’t guarantee any answers, but I can try. But first, let me get you something to drink. Water, tea, or coffee?”
“Water will be fine, thank you.” I tried to follow her into the kitchen, but she waved me into a seat in the parlor.
“Don’t you dare follow me in here. I haven’t had a chance to clean it up yet and I won’t have you seeing it in this condition.”
Smiling, I shook my head as she disappeared through the doorway. Less than a minute later, she returned with two glasses of water and we sat down.
“Now we can talk. What do you want to know?”
I took a sip of water and swirled it in the cup while I gathered the courage to ask my question. “When do you know the best time to tell your family about your decision to follow God?”
Wilma raised an eyebrow. “I suppose that would depend on the family. With mine, I told them right away. From the little you have told me about your family, I would probably wait.”
I nodded and took another sip of water. “I think Da would have a very negative reaction. So what do I do? Live the same way as before but know I am His follower?”
Wilma shook her head. “Almost, but not exactly. You won’t want to live the same way as before. God has specific works He wants you to do for Him. You may be doing some of your same tasks, but God has something else specific in mind for you to do to glorify Him and further His Kingdom.” She looked down at the glass in her hand, then back up at me. “God needs to be Lord and Master of your life.”
She got up and paced the room in what seemed like agitation. “Think of it this way: President Hayes and the men in Congress make laws that we have to follow. If we don’t, the sheriff will put us in jail or fine us. Most of them are simple rules to follow, and are meant to make our lives better. That’s the way God is, too, except that He is more powerful and trustworthy and wants a personal relationship with each of us. If we ask God what He wants us to do that day and let Him guide us and be Lord and Master, in those pursuits, He will.
“Of course then there is the problem of actually letting God do so. It is much easier said than done. You can say you are letting God be Lord in your life, but then something gets in the way and He isn’t anymore. Nothing happens to you instantly when you take control back either. You will still struggle with some of the same vices as before, but you have an extra advocate now.”
“So every morning, I should pray and ask God to lead me,” I stated.
“And in the middle of the morning, and at noon, and in the afternoon, and in the evening.”
I sat still, deep in thought for a minute. “I didn’t expect it to be very easy, and I guess it’s not.” I sighed. “I’ll just have to do my best and try to keep God as Master.” I paused before forcing a laugh. “Or rather, I’ll have to allow God to keep rule over me and live with what He wants me to do.”
Wilma’s laugh tinkled up to the rafters and she sat down. “Yes, you’ve got that right. I’ll be praying for you.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Wilma waved her hand. “Not a problem. I need something to do while I clean this mess up. Did you have any other questions?”
“Not right now. And I should be heading out anyway. You have dishes to clean up and I have my own chores to do.”
“Thank you for coming, Anna. And remember, you are welcome here anytime.”
We stood up and I gave her a quick hug. “You’re welcome. Thank you for answering my questions. I will drop in again, I’m sure.”
I escaped her tight embrace and walked back to my house. The chores still seemed like drudgery, even when I was praying. Maybe I should try memorizing some Scripture. I remembered Mama teaching me to memorize. I closed my eyes and thought back to that day so long ago.
***
Mama was expecting my little brother or sister. I was extremely excited, but very impatient. There were still four long months left before the baby was to be born. I think Mama was getting rather frustrated with me. That’s probably why she wanted me to memorize the book of Proverbs. I could read quite well and I was almost nine by then, so I could do most of the memorizing without her help.
One day, she sat me in the rocking chair, put the Bible on my lap, opened it to Proverbs and told me to start memorizing. I wondered how I was supposed to do that. After staring at the pages for awhile, I looked up. Mama was watching me.
“Is something wrong?” Mama asked.
I fidgeted in the chair. “I’m not sure how to start.”
Mama smiled. “I suggest you read the first verse out loud, then repeat it without looking at the page. Do that a couple of times and you should be able to memorize it pretty quickly. Once that one is memorized, go on to the next verse. Try to do three verses today and we can review them together later this afternoon.”
I grinned up at her. “Okay.”
As the memory flooded back to me, so did the verses I had memorized that day. “The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.”
“God,” I prayed, “give me wisdom and instruction. Help me to know You. Help me to know Your will for me.”
