Laurel's Dream

by Pepper Basham

After a night of staring in the darkness at a broken ceiling and cracked floor, this view upended his perspective. . .or perhaps set it straight. God was here too. In the sunrise, the morning mist, even the mission house. And God had brought Jonathan to this very place.

He sat talking to Mama, his manners as kind as anything she’d ever seen, and even with his pale complexion, he wore handsome like a prince. . .or at least how she imagined a prince must have worn handsome. Refined. Clean. Smelled like spring.

“I’ve never seen anything like them. Each morning, each afternoon, they offer a different view.” He nodded as she looked up at him. “Yes, I guess they do call to me, but I haven’t sorted out what they’re saying.” Her grin perched in true fairy-fashion. “Oh, don’t you worry ’bout that, Teacher. Your heart’ll figure out the language soon enough.”

Her mama’s gaze softened. “He’s called you to a path only you can go, just the same as He’s called Maggie, or Isom, or Suzie, or the twins. The only one who can take the trail for your life is you, and make no mistake, He’s already been workin’ in you the strength and wisdom you’ll need. Seems Teacher is a part of your path for now, and you’re a part of his.”

The mountains, cold blue and vast in their expanse, seemed to bolster his heart with possibilities as endless as their reach.

“Regret don’t do nothin’ but steal your joy and cloud your eyes from seein’ the blessings.

A hopeful heart never stops dreamin’. God made dreamin’ and imaginin’ because without those, how could we even believe in all He’s brought and done and made. How could we even have a mind’s eye for heaven?”

“My hands”—she took Laurel’s fingers in hers—“your hands, are only meant to carry today. They ain’t big enough for yesterday or tomorrow. Only God’s hands are big enough. We can dream and imagine, but grasping hold of tomorrow as if we know what goes on there, well, that can lead to a heap of heartache or a whole lot of pride.”

“Dream, girl, but trust God to take better care of your dreams than you ever could.”

“When we are powerless to exact change, we must trust in the One who holds the power. The ultimate power. And the One we know isn’t a tyrant king but a loving Father.

Somehow, He’s using every situation not only for our good, but to turn our eyes, our hearts to Him.”

“Did you come for them, those young people who need a vision of hope? Because if you came for them, then what happened tonight shouldn’t change your plans, but if you came for you. . . .”

“You were judged by what you did before tonight. You’ll be defined by what you do hereafter.”

“I reckon that’s why the Bible’s always talkin’ about love, because it’s the only thing to bring change—and we have to be reminded of the power of it all the time. The sacrifice.”

“Well, being angry comes easy. It’s what our hearts want to do straightaway. Mama says letting hate fester inside causes our hearts to callous, so love is harder to find. We don’t have to work hard to hate or be angry or even let fear cause us to do painful things like burn up a beautiful library of books.”

Yep, kissing thoughts could give a coon dog competition for perseverance.