10

It was the final day of the Baldwins’ stay at Puzzle House.

Nia had spent many hours in prayer in her room this week, praying for—no begging—for healing for Myra. But there’d been no change. So far. That didn’t mean God wasn’t healing her. After Nia’s visit years before, it had taken several months before she’d been declared in remission.

Myra was the only one in the Puzzle Room.

Ron had taken the boys out to the pond to fish.

Cooper and Vickie were in the kitchen fixing lunch.

Myra sat at a table working on her puzzle. She looked up. “Hi, Nia.”

“Hey.” Nia sat down at the table. This would probably be her only chance. God, give me the right words. “How’s your puzzle coming along?”

“Almost done, but I just don’t see the point.”

“Yea, that’s what I thought the first time I came here, too. I was a little older than you. Fourteen. I had leukemia, too.”

Myra’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yep. The doctors told me the treatments weren’t helping, and they couldn’t do any more.”

“That’s what they told me, too.”

“I know, and I’m so sorry about that. I know how horrible it is to hear.” Nia plunged forward. “Cooper’s wife was here then. Her name was Rachel, and she was a healer.”

“She healed you?”

“Well, Rachel liked to say only God can heal and she was right about that, but yes, I got better.”

“I wish that would happen to me.”

So do I. So do I. But no false hope. Ron had agreed Nia could talk about God but not about healing. Nia continued to pray in private about that, knowing God could work through her. “Only God can make those decisions, and it’s hard for us to understand why or why not. But you do know that God loves you either way. Right?”

Myra stared down at the puzzle.

“God really loves you, Myra.”

“I guess.” Myra wouldn’t meet her gaze. “But if God loves me so much why is he letting me die?”

Nia’s heart broke. “I can’t tell you why because I’m not God. What I can tell you is that I know God loves you so much. And, yes, God blessed me with the miracle of healing but even if that hadn’t happened I had another miracle while I was here. I learned that there’s more than one kind of healing.”

“That’s the only one I care about.”

“I felt the same way at first but Rachel taught me that was the wrong attitude.”

“Why?”

“Because the most important kind of healing is healing our spiritual connection to God.”

“Why?” Myra fumbled with a puzzle piece and finally found where it fit.

“Because that connection with God is what gets us into heaven. And I want to go to heaven. How about you?”

Myra stared at her for a moment as if considering the question. “I guess.”

“That didn’t sound convincing.”

Myra shrugged.

“What do you think heaven will be like, Myra?”

“I don’t know.”

“The Bible tells us there’s no sickness or tears, but let’s pretend a little. What would you like heaven to be like?”

Myra smiled. “That I could eat all the candy I want.”

“Great one. I think I’d like heaven to have beautiful rainbows. But not just one, but tons of them. Everywhere. And I want to be able to fly.”

Myra looked at her. “People can’t fly. Not without airplanes.”

“Maybe not here. But in heaven? Anything’s possible.”

Myra cracked a smile. “Anything?”

“Anything.”

“Then I want to be able to swim as fast as a dolphin. With a dolphin.”

“Cool.”

They spent the next few minutes coming up with other ideas.

Then Myra sighed. “Yeah, that all sounds wonderful, but I’ll be all alone. Mom and Dad will still be here and so will Mark and Matt. I won’t have anyone with me. And I sure don’t want them to die just so I won’t be alone.”

“What makes you think you’ll be alone?”

“Who would be there with me?”

“Probably lots of your family that died before you were even born. But the best person will be Jesus. Jesus will be there.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

She sat, her eyes in a faraway place, then she smiled. “I think I would like that.”

“Me, too. But, Myra, do you believe Jesus was the son of God and that He died for the remission of our sins?”

“They taught us all about Jesus in Sunday school.”

“That’s wonderful. But does that mean you accepted Jesus as your Savior?”

“I guess so.” Myra stared off into space. “I’m not really sure. My parents are Christians so I guess that means I am too.”

Nia stood and walked to the lamp. She turned it off. “Rachel told me God was the power source and that she was only the cord but that it was up to me to turn on the power.” She turned the light back on. “That’s true for all of us, Myra. You can’t go to heaven because your parents have a connection with God. You have to have a connection. And it’s your choice to turn on the connection between the two of you.” She flicked the light several times.

“How do I do that?”

Myra wanted to jump for joy, but she contained herself. “I could tell you but you know what?”

“What?”

“I think it would make your Dad so happy to be the one to tell you. I think you should talk with him today. Before you leave here. Deal?”

“Deal.”

The front door opened.

“I caught a fish. I caught a fish, Myra.” Matt ran in holding up a fish.

“Wow, Matt. That’s a big one.”

“It’s a lot bigger than Mark’s or Daddy’s. I’m the bestest fisherman. Ever.”

“I wouldn’t say a lot bigger.” Ron walked up beside his son. ”And there’s no such word as bestest. It’s just best.”

Matt’s smile grew even larger. “Then I’m the best.”

Vickie walked in from the kitchen. “Oh, my goodness. What’s that?”

Matt held up the fish. “Lunch.”

***

Cooper and Nia had the kitchen to themselves.

She loaded the dishwasher while he put the leftovers away. “That was nice of you to fix Matt’s fish for him.”

“It’s not my favorite thing to do, but life’s not always about me. It was worth it to see that smile.”

“He’s a cutie.” Nia shuddered. “Still, I’m glad you’re the one who had to do it. Gives me the creeps just thinking about cleaning a fish.”

“You need to toughen up, city girl.”

“I’m tough enough, thank you very much, but I’ll leave the fish cleaning to you.” She closed the dishwasher and pressed the button. “By the way, I was able to talk with Myra today.”

“How’d that go?”

“Pretty good, I think.”

“Wonderful.”

Ron walked in. “Hey, Cooper. What’s the chances we can have a baptism in that pond of yours today?”

Nia’s heart leapt with joy. Her eyes filled with tears, and she couldn’t stop them.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Cooper’s smile was almost as big as Ron’s.

Ron turned to her. “I hear we have you to thank for that, Nia. I don’t have enough words to express what it means to me. I’m sorry I gave you a hard time about talking with Myra.”

“You were just trying to protect her.”

“Still, you were right, and I was wrong.”

Cooper hugged Ron. “Let’s forget about that. It’s time to have a party. How about we meet at the pond in an hour and a half. That gives me enough time to bake a celebration cake.”