Frank Howard had always been proud that he was born and raised a preacher’s kid. He met Nancy in his father’s church in San Marcos—when they got married in that same church, Frank’s father performed the ceremony himself—and here in Carrollton, their Baptist church was the center of their social life. Frank and Nancy took part in the church’s community outreach programs. They prayed for international missionaries and for poor people closer to home. They sang in First Baptist’s choir. And they gave very freely to the church.
A few days before Christmas, the Howards’ minister pulled them aside after choir rehearsal to thank them for the truly remarkable donation they had just made.
“Well,” Frank told the minister, “the Lord’s blessed me with so many incredible opportunities.”
“It wouldn’t be right not to share our good fortune with others,” Nancy added.
Moments like these made Nancy thankful for Frank’s job. Giving to others reminded of her of how much she herself had been given. Blushing slightly, she thought of the good things that the past few years had brought their family. Nancy knew that for Frank, gaining Raley as a client had been the start of a whole new life.
In point of fact, it had been the beginning of two new lives. A richer, more rewarding life here in Texas. And a life on the West Coast that Nancy knew nothing about and would have been shocked to discover.
But what Nancy didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her—at least not today, as she smiled at the minister and all of the nice things the minister said.
“You know, I’m still just a preacher’s kid from downstate,” Frank said as the minister wrapped up his song of praise and gratitude. Turning to the minster’s wife, he added, “Who knows, if things hadn’t turned out differently in my life, I could have ended up with a church of my own. But Nancy and I love it here at First Baptist. We’re so happy to give back. And, truly, it’s no big thing. Just the way my daddy raised me.”
The four of them stood there silently. Maybe even a bit awkwardly. Then the minister’s wife turned to Nancy.
“Won’t it be nice,” the wife said, “to have all your chicks coming back to their nest?”
“Heaven!” said Nancy. “You know, it’ll be like paradise, right here on Earth.”
She was beaming now as Frank took her hand and stood, smiling, beside her.