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“We stayed with some missionary friends outside Paris,” Mom said. “We went to the Christmas Eve service with them last night and then this morning we had crepes for brunch. We exchanged gifts before we left for the airport and here we are.”
“How long have you been sitting at the airport?”
“A few hours. Our flight is not until tonight, but there’s a charging station here, so we’ve been calling everyone to wish them a merry Christmas.”
Dad nodded as Mom talked. He munched on something that looked like some sort of potato chip.
“When are you going to be in Lakeside, Mags?” Mom asked. “Are you still going to stay with Malachi and not with us? Our cabin is only next door to his and it’s bigger.”
“You’ll be hosting missionaries on furlough and having Bible studies,” Malachi said. “Maggie wants peace and quiet.”
“We’ll talk about it when we all get to Florida,” Dad said.
“About that…” Maggie drew a deep breath. “Lots to tell you, Mom and Dad.”
“Good or bad?” Dad asked.
“Romans 8:28.”
“Resolved now?”
“Yes. I made a huge mistake, but God corrected it and showed me the path I need to take.”
“Psalm 16:9 in action. Now you are ready to tell me what happened and what you learned through the experience.” Dad waited.
“Is this going to end up in one of your sermons?” Maggie asked.
Dad didn’t reply, which could mean anything in that pastor’s mind.
Once a pastor, always a pastor—even when he was retired.
Even so, Dad had never been harsh to Maggie. Mom might get into a southern hissy fit sometimes, but she would calm down as soon as Dad put his hand on her shoulder and said, “Let God take care of it.”
This was one of those “let God take care of it” moments.
“Breaking news,” Maggie said. “I’m not taking the job at Lakeside Resort. I believe that God has called me to continue serving in the women’s ministry at Midtown Chapel in Atlanta. However, I would no longer be the ministry assistant. Mrs. Kim offered me the job of event coordinator instead, which turns out to be something like the deputy director because I assist Mrs. Kim in organizing all the activities and projects she wants to do for the women at church and in the region, and in fact, the world.”
“So by ‘event,’ you really meant projects.” Dad ate more chips.
“I suppose. It’s a new position so they haven’t worked out everything. All I know right now is that I get to do more.”
“And they pay you more,” Mom said.
“It’s a church, so I don’t expect them to match Lakeside Resort.”
“No, but they still need to pay you decent living wages. Atlanta is a very expensive place to live.”
Maggie decided that this wasn’t the time to talk to Mom and Dad about buying the house from them. Today she just wanted them to know that she’s staying put in Atlanta.
“When God calls you to a place, you stay put until He moves you,” Dad said. “You don’t move yourself.”
“That’s my lesson, Dad.”
“Very good.” Dad was deep in thought while he opened another bag of chips.
“I texted Mrs. Kim this morning to wish her a merry Christmas and to tell her that I have prayerfully decided to takeher offer and send in my résumé,” Maggie said. “She said that the job is mine and they don’t need to interview anyone else. She’s considering it a promotion for me.”
“But you resigned.”
