To Be Continued…

This is the story so far.  I haven’t finished it.  It’s still a work in progress.

Nov 4, 2005 (Part II)

Mac ironed a sharp crease in his pants.  He had made up his mind.  Tonight was the night.  No matter what it took, he was going to meet Dianne, no matter what.  Dianne had been coming to services for a month.  Somehow, she always managed to exit the sanctuary before Mac could get close to her.  Mac didn’t understand it either.  How was she doing it?  She had to know of a secret passage way or something to get out of church that fast.

Mac hung his gray Dockers up on a hanger after he finished ironing them.  He grabbed his black, white, and gray long sleeved Polo shirt and began ironing it.  Mac thought about Dianne.  She seemed to be acclimating to the services.  Each time, she seemed to get more involved in the services.  Mac laughed as he pictured her waving her hand ever so properly when the preacher told them to.  Dianne gave more of a princess on parade wave than she did a give God the praise wave.

Mac creased the sleeves in his shirt.  He had to make sure that he looked good.  Mac wondered if Dianne was rich.  She had been to eight or nine services and she had walked in the church wearing a different outfit each time.  Each outfit had a shoes and a purse to match.

Mac wanted to know more about the woman that kept eluding him.  He knew her routine.  She walked in with his aunt every service and sat next to his aunt.  At the end of every service, Dianne would speak to Sis. Taylor, Mother Andrew, and his uncle.  Mac planned to make his move when Dianne talked to his uncle.  Mac was going to sit with his uncle during service.  His uncle usually sat on the second row on Wednesday nights with some of the other elders.  Mac was going to hang with his uncle the whole night.  When his uncle went over to talk to Dianne, Mac was going to be right there.  He put the finishing touches on his shirt and proceeded to shine his shoes.  He was going to look good when he meet Dianne.  He was going to meet her, no matter what.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett was putting on her yellow blouse.  She watched her five-foot eight dark-skinned husband put on his a-shirt and then his dress shirt.  He looked as handsome as ever; despite a few gray hairs and a small pooch in his mid section.  Kevon looked at his wife, who was staring at him.  Her light brown eyes danced as the light hit them.  She was still beautiful.  Her natural beige skin was still soft to the touch and her hair was even longer than it was when they first met.  His wife took care of herself.  Every two weeks, she went to the nail salon and the beauty shop.  He didn’t mind either; he liked his wife to look good.

He made a face at his wife, “Woman, you eyeballing me?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled at him, “Yep.  Is there something wrong with that?”  Kevon walked over to his wife and kissed her on the lips, “Nope, shole ain’t.”  He did his wife’s favorite dance for her before walking out of the room to the bathroom.  Kevon could not believe that the silly dance he did for his wife still made her giggle like a school girl.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett finished getting dressed.  She put on her black skirt.  She didn’t feel like dressing up tonight, so she kept it simple with her black skirt and yellow blouse.  She was going to wear her everyday heels, too.  Her husband walked back into the room, “Baby, why is Mac always looking for you after every service?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “I cannot believe you haven’t figured it out yet.”  Kevon responded, “Woman, what are you talking about?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed even harder before she said, “Mac likes Dianne.  I think he is trying to meet her.”  Kevon laughed, “Well, would you please let him meet her.  I am tired of him worrying me all the time.  That boy keeps bugging me after every service.  He does not need to talk to you after every service.  Good grief.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett grunted, “Dianne doesn’t want to be bothered with him.  You know how he can be.  He probably has planned their first four dates.  Besides, Dianne is out of that boy’s league.”  Kevon adjusted his belt, “Yea, she is.  Is she rich or something?  I do not think she has worn and outfit where the shoes and purse didn’t match.”  Dianne paused for a second, “Since I have known her, I haven’t seen her wear anything twice myself.”  Kevon looked at his wife, “You lying.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett said, “I ain’t lying.  She hasn’t.  I do not know if she is rich or not.  She said that her previous job allowed her to get the stuff that she has.”  Kevon made a face, “What kind of job did she have?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett shrugged her shoulders, “I have no idea.  She won’t tell me.  She doesn’t like to talk about it.”  Kevon nodded, “Okay, you should still let your nephew meet her before I strangle him.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “Do not strangle my baby.  I will see what I can do for him.”

Nov 4, 2005

Dianne arrived at the By Example Ministries building for her lunch date with Dr. Adkins-Garnett at 1:20 PM.  They were supposed to go to lunch at 2:00.  Dianne could not figure out why Dr. Adkins-Garnett had scheduled such a late lunchtime.  Dianne walked into the office.  The women in the office stopped and looked at Dianne.  She smiled at the women and told Charlotte, Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s assistant that she was there to meet her for lunch.  Charlotte asked Dianne to have a seat.  Dianne sat down as Charlotte paged Dr. Adkins-Garnett on the intercom.  Dianne rubbed the leg of her brown pants.  She looked fabulous in her green and brown turtleneck sweater.  The sweater went well with her brown pants.  Her brown boots matched her outfit to a tee.  Her make-up was flawless, and her silver jewelry sparkled slightly.  The women in the office were still staring at her.  Dianne made a face, at no one in particular, and began playing with her brown and green purse.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett walked out of her office, “Hello, Dianne, glad you could make it.  Why do not you come on in my office?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked at the women in her office standing around, “Do not you all have some work to do!”  The women went to work.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett followed Dianne into her office.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett sat down in the chair behind her desk and Dianne sat down in one of the chairs in front of Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s desk.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “I see you are looking as fabulous as ever.”

“Thanks.”

Dr. Adkins-Garnett nodded, “Is that all you can muster?”

Dianne looked around, “I guess so.  When are we leaving for lunch?”

“At 2:00.  We have 30 minutes.  We can talk for a few minutes.”

“Talk about what?”

“Nothing in particular, everything in particular.  How did you like the service Sunday?”

“It was okay.  That was the first time I had ever been in a church like that.”

“What kind of church had you been in before?”

“A Catholic church and a Baptist church.  I have only been to church two other times.”

Dr. Adkins-Garnett gagged, “are you serious?”

“Yes, my family was not big on church.  I went to the Catholic church for a wedding and the Baptist church for a funeral.”

“Who’s wedding and who’s funeral?”

“You don’t know them, so why did you ask?”

“Just being nosey.”

Dianne didn’t respond.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “We have a service tonight.  It is Bible study.  Bishop usually teaches or one of the ministers teaches.  We are studying Romans right now.  We pray before Bible study.  Prayer starts at 6:00 and Bible study starts at 7:30.”  Dianne nodded at Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett responded, “Does that nod mean you will be coming or not?”  Dianne looked at the floor and then looked up at Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “It doesn’t mean either.”  They both were quiet for a moment.  Dianne finally said, “Can I ask you something?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett nodded yes.  Dianne asked, “Why does your nephew stare at me when we are in church?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked puzzle, “Which one?”  Dianne responded, “The one that was at the picnic.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed loudly, “Sorry, MaClandon has a thing for older well dressed women.  And you are just his type.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett stopped and giggled, “It makes sense now.  That’s why he was looking for me.”  Dianne looked at the woman as she rambled.  Dianne made a face, “What are you talking about?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “Kevon told me that Mac was looking for me on Sunday.  I saw Mac in the parking lot and he didn’t’ say anything to me.  He must have been trying to get to me to speak to you.”  Dianne frowned, “Oh my.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “do not worry about Mac, he’s very respectful and well-mannered, if you told him that you weren’t interested in him, he would leave you alone.  Now, the other, Mec, I can’t say the same thing about him.”

“Yea, Mec looks like he’s lady’s man.”

“Girl, why would you say that?”

“I am pretty good and reading men.”

Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked puzzled, “How did you get good at that?”

“It helped with my old job.”

“The job that you don’t like talking about.”

“Yes, that job.”

“So, Dianne, I suppose you can read any man.”

“Yes, Mame.  As long as I have seen him once or twice, I can.”

Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “What about my husband?”  Dianne responded, “He loves you a lot.  He has you laughing all the time.  He likes the way you look in black nighties.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett turned red as both of the ladies laughed.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett said, “I am going to hurt him for doing that.”  Dianne laughed, “That was a good one.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett titled her head, “Uhh huh.  What about Mac?”  Dianne smiled, “He seems like a computer geek.  He likes to dress nicely.  He likes staring at me.  He seems sweet.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “Yep, that’s him.  What about Mec?”  Dianne twisted her lips, “He thinks he looks good and that women think he looks good, too.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “You got all of that from just seeing him in the choir stand?”  Dianne smiled, “Not really.  As I was leaving the parking lot Sunday, I saw him standing in the midst of a bunch of girls.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett shook her head, “I am sure he was.  What about Bishop?”  Dianne responded, “He seems like a family man that tries to make sure his family does right.  He loves his church members.  He loves God.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Yea, that’s my brother.  That’s a gift you have.”  Dianne frowned, “Not really.  I learned how to do it so I could better service my clients.”  Dianne had a horrified look on her face.  She became very quiet.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett could tell that Dianne had said something that was not supposed to be said so Dr. Adkins-Garnett changed the subject, “When you come to church tonight, you can wear something like what you have on.  We do not usually dress up for services during the week.”  Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “Who said I was coming to service tonight?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “You’re coming tonight.  I know you are.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled again as if she knew a secret.  Dianne said, “Lady, you are weird.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett nodded, “I know, but I usually get my way, so that’s why you are coming to church tonight.”  Dianne slyly said, “And if I do not come to church tonight, what will happen?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked at Dianne, “You don’t want to know.”  Dianne stared at Dr. Adkins-Garnett, trying to figure the woman out.  Was she physic or something?  What was her angle?  Dr. Adkins-Garnett said, “I am not physic either.  I just know what I know.”  Dianne stared more intently at the woman.

Charlotte’s voice came over the intercom, “Dr. Adkins-Garnett, Mavis is here.  Do you want me to send her in?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett responded back, “Yes, Charlotte, send her in.”  A minute later, a heavy set light-skinned woman walked into Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s office.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett stood up, walked around the desk over to Mavis, and hugged the woman.   Dr. Adkins-Garnett said, “Hey Mavis.  Glad you could help me out.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked at Dianne, “Mavis, this is Dianne Roberts.  Dianne, this is Mavis Washington.  She is a friend from college.”  Dianne and Mavis exchanged hellos.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett turned her attention to Mavis, “I need you to take over for me for the rest of the day.  I have two classes and a meeting with a parent.  You okay with that?”  Mavis said, “Yea, does Charlotte have what I need to do your classes and meet with the parent?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett said, “Yes.  I will tell her to bring it into you when I leave.  Come on Dianne.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett told Mavis goodbye and walked out of her office with Dianne in tow.  On the way out of the building, Dr. Adkins-Garnett stopped at Charlotte’s desk, “Can you take Mavis the material for my classes tonight?  Also, give her the folder on Danisha Frazier.  I will see you tomorrow.”  Before Charlotte could respond, Dr. Adkins-Garnett was walking out of the building with Dianne.

The two women reached Dianne’s car.  Dianne said, “Are we supposed to spend the rest of the day together?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled mysteriously, “I was thinking about doing that, that way, you would end up going to church with me tonight.”  Dianne backed away from Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “You need to quit.  We are going to have lunch together that’s all.  You are scary.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed loudly, “Is Café Pessels okay?”  Dianne said, “Yes Mame.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett started walking towards her car, “You can follow me.”  Dianne got in her car as Dr. Adkins-Garnett headed to her car.  Dianne thought, “This woman is crazy, but I like her.”

Nov 3, 2005 (Part II)

Before his father began praying, Mac grabbed all of his stuff.  He had to make a quick exit from the choir loft.  As soon as his father began praying, Mac bowed his head.  When his father said, “Amen,” Mac lifted his head quickly and began moving out of the choir loft.  He kept saying excuse me and bumping into people.  He didn’t have time to worry about people’s attitude; he had to get out of the choir stand.  He made it to the choir room.  He was the second person in the room.  Carolyn was already in there.  She never spoke to anyone, so he knew that she wouldn’t bother him, other than to speak.  Mac took off his robe, hung it up, and started to head towards the door.  Carolyn said, “Hey Mac.  I enjoyed you and your family today.”  Mac hollered back, “Cool.  Thanks.”  He left the choir room and headed for the sanctuary.  He was almost there when Sis. Trevor’s twelve year old son grabbed him.  Mac huffed and stopped to talk to the little boy.

People began to leave the sanctuary.  People were hugging other people.  Kids were coming in the church and running around.  Deacons and ushers were yelling at the kids.

Dianne gathered up her stuff.  She wanted to get out of the church before she was hugged by 20 people, but Dr. Adkins-Garnett grabbed her by the arm and began leading her around the church to meet people.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett walked over to an elderly woman, “Mother Andrews, this is the young lady I told you about.”  The elderly woman stood up on her cane slowly.  She hugged Dianne, “Baby, glad you came.  Sis. Adkins has been talking about you a long time.”  The elderly woman sat back down.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett shook her head; Mother Andrew always called her Sis. Adkins.  Dianne was going to try to tell Dr. Adkins-Garnett that she had to go, but Dr. Adkins-Garnett grabbed her and whisked her away to meet someone else.

The next person Dianne met was First Lady Adkins.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett walked up to her sister-in-law and hugged her.  Sis. Adkins said, “Girl, the Lord showed up and showed out.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Yes, He did.  This is Dianne Roberts.”  Sis. Adkins hugged Dianne, “Good bless you.  Glad that you joined us.  Hope you will be back.”  Dianne was about to respond to the first lady, but someone grabbed the first lady.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett drug Dianne in another direction.  Dianne stopped walking abruptly.  It made Dr. Adkins-Garnett stumble.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett turned around, “Are you okay?”  Dianne grimaced, “No, I am not.  You keep dragging me all over the place.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett gave Dianne a motherly smile, “Sorry, I am just so excited about you being here.  I can tend to get overzealous at times.”  Dianne sat down on the bench, “It is ok.  I just wasn’t expecting all of this attention.  I will be okay.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett sat down beside her, “There is just one more person I want you to meet and I will leave you alone.”  Dianne looked up at the ceiling and then back at Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “Okay.  Who is it?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett motioned at a group of men.  An average sized dark-skinned started walking towards them.  When the guy reached them, Dr. Adkins-Garnett stood up and hugged the guy.  The guy whispered something in Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s ear.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett giggled, “You need to quit.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett let the man go, “Dianne, this is my husband, Eld. Kevon Garnett.  Kevon, this is Dianne Roberts.”  Eld. Garnett extended his hand to Dianne, “Nice to meet you Dianne.  I have heard a lot about you.  You are probably tired of my wife by now.  You have to forgive her.  She gets excited at times.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett nudged her husband, “Would you keep?”  Eld. Garnett smiled at his wife and then looked at Dianne, “Has she given you a job in the ministry yet?”  Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett who was blushing, “No sir, she hasn’t.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked miffed, “Alright Kevon, Dianne is leaving, so quit being messy.”  Eld. Garnett smiled, “Dianne, would you like to go out to eat with us?”  Dianne was caught off guard by the question.  She paused before she said, “Not today.  I already have plans.”  Eld. Garnett hugged and kissed his wife, “I guess she doesn’t want to hang out with us old folk.”  He turned to Dianne and extended his hand to her, “Nice to meet you.  Oh yea, I did like the black nightie.”  Dianne put her hand over her opened mouth.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett turned bright red before she said, “Oh Lord, that man needs Jesus.”

A young lady brought Dr. Adkins-Garnett her stuff.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett handed the young lady some keys that she took from her purse.  “Donna, take these to my office for me.”  Donna took the keys and Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s stuff and walked off.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett put her arm through Dianne’s arm and began walking her up the aisle.  Dianne asked, “Where are we going now?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett responded, “I am going to walk you to your car.”  Dianne stopped walking.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett grimaced, “You have got to stop doing that.  You cannot just stop like that.  You are going to make me hurt or break something.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed.  Dianne looked at the woman who had her in a vice grip, loving as it was, it was still a tight hold.  Dianne said, “You do not have to do that.  I can go by myself.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett started walking, pulling Dianne against her will, “Don’t worry about it.  If I don’t you to your car, I will have to talk to 50 people.  Let’s go.”  Dianne started walking out with the woman that had attached herself.

Mac was not listening to Sis. Trevor’s son.  The boy said, “Yo, Mac, you listening to me?”  Mac jumped, “Sorry, Jay, what’s up?  I am kind of in a hurry.  What’s up?”  Jay said, “Can I go with you today?”  Mac said, “Naw, not today.  I got something to do.  Maybe another time.”  Jay was mad, “You don’t never want to let me go with you.”  Mac patted the boy on his head, “Alright, on Tuesday, I will come up here and we can go hang out.  Is that cool?”  Jay smiled, “Yea.”  Mac gave the boy some dap, “Cool.  Make sure you ask your mother can you do it.  And be good in school on Monday and Tuesday.  Later man.”  Mac took off before the kid could say anything else to him.

Mac ran into the sanctuary.  He was stopped by a couple of people who were trying to talk to him.  He quickly spoke to them and looked around the sanctuary for his aunt.  He didn’t see her, but he saw his uncle talking to some of the other minister.  Mac went over to the group of minister.  He tapped his uncle on the shoulder, “Excuse me, Unc.  Have you seen aunnie?”  Eld. Garnett turned and looked at his nephew, “Yea man, she just walked out of here with Dianne.”  Mac tapped his uncle’s shoulder again, “Thanks Unc.  Which way did they go?”  Eld. Garnett pointed towards the back of the church, “That way.  What are you looking for her for?”  Mac walked away from his uncle, “I gotta tell her something before I leave.  Later Unc.”  Mac tried to walk off, but his uncle grabbed his arm, “You need to speak.”  Mac huffed, “Hello Elders.  God bless you all.”  He took off before his uncle could grab him again.  One of the ministers turned to Eld. Garnett, “Where is he going?”  Eld. Garnett smiled, “I don’t know.”

Mac moved through the sanctuary full of people as quickly as he could.  People stopped him a time or to speak to him.  He spoke as quickly as he could and kept walking.  He knew that someone was going to complain to his father about him being rude, but Mac was willing to take the reprimand that he would get from his father.

Mac made it to the vestibule area.  He looked around, but he didn’t see his aunt or Dianne.  He was about to go outside when someone tugged on him.  It was Kelly, Sis. Trevor’s ten year old daughter.  She had her hand on her hips, “How are you gonna take Jay somewhere and not take me?  You mean.”  Mac didn’t have time for this.  He bent down so the he was looking in the girl’s face, “Kelly, I gotta go.  We can talk about this later.”  Kelly rolled her neck, “Whatever.”  Mac dropped his head, “You know better than working your neck like that.”  Kelly rolled her eyes and said, “Whatever.”  She smacked her lips and walked off.  Mac stood up and thought, “That girl has too much attitude.”

Mac made it outside of the church without being stopped.  He looked around for his aunt; she was no where in sight.  Mac looked around to see who was outside that might know his aunt.  Sis. Taylor was out there talking to Sis. Davidson.  Mac walked over to the two women.  Sis. Taylor stopped talking to Sis. Davidson and hugged Mac, “Hello handsome.  How are you doing?”  Mac blushed.  Sis. Davidson, not to be outdone, “Hugged and kissed Mac.  Now Taylor, leave my sweetheart alone.  He don't want no old woman like you.”  Sis. Davidson laughed as Sis. Taylor worked her neck, “Davidson please.  He don't want you either.”  Mac laughed and said, “Have you all seen my aunt?”  Sis. Taylor said, “She walked off in the parking lot with that lady that came to church with her.  That girl is pretty and she was sharp.  She acted a little stuck up though.”  Sis. Davidson laughed, “Taylor you need to quit.”  Mac thanked the two ladies and walked towards the parking lot.  He stood at the front of the parking lot.  There was no way he was going to find his aunt.  He was heartbroken.  He would have to wait and see if Dianne would be at another church service.  He sure hoped that she would be.

Dianne and Dr. Adkins-Garnett made it to Dianne’s car.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked at the shiny black Honda Accord.  Dianne took her hat off and smoothed her hair down.  She unlocked the car and put her hat on the back seat.  She walked over to Dr. Adkins-Garnett to hug the woman and tell her good bye.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett walked over to the passenger side of the car and got in the car.  Dianne rolled her eyes, huffed, and walked over to the passenger side of the car.  She thought, “Lord, I’m going to strangle this woman.”  Before Dianne got in the car, an old man yelled, “God bless you, Sister.”  He had a sly grin on his face.  Dianne nodded and got in her car.

Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “Do you want something, Dr. Adkins-Garnett?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked around Dianne’s car, “Girl, this is a nice car.  I like this.”  Dianne laid her head back on the head rest, “Thank you.  Do you want something?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett could tell that Dianne was getting irritated.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Can you drive me back to the front of the church?  That was a long walk.”  Dianne laughed, “Sure.”  Dianne put the keys in the ignition and started the car.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked around the car again, “Where do you work at?”  Dianne was looking backwards to see if it was safe to back up, “I do not have on right now.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked at Dianne.

“Oh, why not?”

“I just do not have one right now.”

“Are you looking for one?”

“No Mame.  Not right now.  I guess your husband was right.  Are you gonna offer me a job at your ministry?”

“No, you probably wouldn’t accept it anyway.  Where did you work before?”

“I do not really want to talk about it.”

“Okay.  There’s a car right there.”

Dianne huffed, “Thanks, I saw it.”

Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “You’re welcomed.  Are you getting tired of me?”

“Yes, I am.  I am not used to people fussing over me like this.  I don’t mean to offend you.”

“I am not offended.  I just see something special in you.  I just have to learn to quit being so overzealous.”

Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “What do you mean; you see something special in me?”  Dianne backed her car out of the parking space and began driving towards the church.

“I can tell that you have been hurt in the past.  You hide it very well with your sophistication and glamour, but I still see it.  I can also see that you have a testimony that will bless other young ladies.  You are a very giving person once get to know people.  There is something very loving about you and despite the hurt that you have had, you still want to share that love with people you love.  It can be hard for you, but you still try to share it.  There is something inside you that is going to bless other young ladies.”

Dianne forced the lump in her throat down.  She demanded that the tears welling up in her eyes go back where they came from.  There was no way that she was going to cry.  She forced a smile on her face.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett touched Dianne’s arm, “One of these days, that smile will come out much easier.”  Dianne glared at Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “You don’t know what you are talking about woman.  I ain’t got nothing to tell anyone.  You are starting to bother me, too.  I hope this is close enough, because I am turning here.”  Dianne stopped her car and waited for Dr. Adkins-Garnett to exit the car.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett complied with Dianne’s request.  As Dr. Adkins-Garnett was getting out f the car she said, “I am right.  And I am not mad at you for getting an attitude with me and throwing me out of your car.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett closed the door and walked off smiling.

Mac was standing at the front of the parking lot talking to a young lady when someone grabbed him around his neck.  He felt a pair of wet lips kiss him on the jaw.  He turned around, it was his aunt.  He smiled at her, “Hey aunnie.  Where you been?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled at her nephew, “I walked Dianne to her car and made sure she got off okay.”  Mac lips dropped for a second, “That’s cool.  Do you know Brianna?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked at the young lady, “No, I do not know here.”  Mac introduced them.  He left when his aunt began telling Brianna about By Example Ministries.  Mac knew that they would be there for awhile.

Dianne was fuming.  “How dare that woman ingratiate herself on me?  How dare she try to tell me who I was and what I was going to do?”  Dianne blew a hard breath.  She drove as quickly as could over to her friend, Ariel Lewis’ house.

Dianne reached Ariel’s house.  Dianne was hoping that she could borrow something from Ariel because she didn’t have a change of clothes.  Dianne went over to Ariel’s house every Sunday to keep Ariel company while Ariel’s husband, Greg and his friend watched some sporting event.

Dianne knocked on the door.  Ariel answered.  Ariel looked at Dianne, “girl, where you been?  Oh yea, you went to church today.  You look good.  Did you get you a man while you were there?”  Dianne smiled and said, “Maybe I did and maybe I didn’t,” as she walked in the door.  Ariel yelled, “Greg, Di is here and she is in her Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes.”  A big burly deep dark-skinned man walked in the living room he uttered an expletive before saying, “Girl, you look good.  Did you catch a deacon at the church today?”  Dianne shook her head, “You two are heathens.”  Greg laughed his usual deep laugh, “What did pastor preach on today?”  Dianne smiled, “His topic was, ‘God Has Saved Me, And My Past is Over.’  It was about not letting your past dictate your future and that once you are saved, your past no longer matters because God has forgiven you and forgotten about your past sins.”  Greg laughed his deep laugh again, “Yea, whatever.  I bet you believe that too.  Church folk.”  Greg walked out.  Dianne felt dejected.  Ariel wrapped her arms around her friend’s shoulders, “Come on; let’s go say hi to the fellas.”  The two women headed towards the den.

Dianne walked into the den with Ariel.  The usual suspects were there, David, Steve, and Ed.  They were Greg’s poker buddies.  There were two other guys there that Dianne didn’t know.  Ariel introduced them to Dianne, “This is Paul and Drake.”  Drake didn’t even look at Dianne.  Paul looked at Dianne and said, “where you been all dressed?”  Ariel answered before Dianne could, “She went to church.  She ain’t heathens like you all.”  Greg winked at Ariel, “Yea, but you love your heathen, don't you.  Now, get on outta here so we can watch the game.”  Ariel and Dianne walked out of the room into the kitchen.

Ariel reached in the refrigerator and grabbed a wine cooler out of it.  She took a drink and walked over to Dianne, “You want a sip?”  Dianne shook her head no.  Usually, Dianne would take a sip of Ariel’s wine cooler, but today, something insider he told her not to take that sip.  Ariel shrugged her shoulders, “I guess you are too saved to even keep up an old tradition.  Excuse me.  Before long you are going to be walking around with a big Bible, preaching all the time.”  Dianne laughed, “You need to quit.”  Ariel went and sat by Dianne who was sitting at the dinner table.

“A, I ain’t too sure about this church thing.  I don’t think I am going back to that church again.”

“You kidding, right?  You were about to foam at the mouth when you told me you were going to the church.  What happened?”

“I don’t know.  I just felt funny.  I got all hot and a felt weird.  I don’t know what was going on.”

Ariel started laughing, “Girl, you caught the Holy Ghost.”  Ariel yelled towards the living room, “Greg, Di caught the Holy Ghost at church.”  A few seconds later, Greg walked into the kitchen, “What?  Did you do one of those weird dances that they do?”  Greg began jumping around and acting like he was dancing.  Ariel was laughing, but it made Dianne mad.  Dianne stood up, “Greg, you need to quit that!”  Greg looked at Dianne, “Woman, watch your voice up in my house.”  Dianne glared at Greg, “You need to quick making fun of people.  That ain’t right.”  Greg looked at Dianne like she was crazy, “You’ve change, Di.  You ain’t the same no more.”  He walked out of the kitchen.

Dianne sat down and looked at Ariel, “A, have I changed that much.”  Ariel looked at her friend, “Yea, you are different.  It is a good different, but it’s going to take some getting used to.  Forget Greg.”  Dianne could not figure it out, but she felt out of place.  She had spent countless Sundays over at Ariel’s and Greg’s place, but at that moment, she wanted to leave.  She didn’t want to be there anymore.

Dianne stood up, “A, I am tired.  I am going home.  I’ll call you later.”  Ariel looked hurt, “You cannot just leave me here with these nuts.  Come on Di.  Does this have anything to do with what Greg said?”  Dianne rubbed her hair, “No, it doesn’t.  I am tired.  I had a long day at church.  You’ll be alright.  I need to go home.”  Ariel twisted her neck and walked off from Dianne, “This is how it starts, before long, I won’t see you anymore cause you will always be at church.  This ain’t right.  Just gone and leave.”  Dianne went over to her friend to hug her.  Ariel moved away from Dianne so that she could not hug her.  Dianne touched Ariel’s shoulder, “It isn’t going to be like that.  We are girls for life.  You had my back when no one else did.  I ain’t going to forget that.  I love you.  I will call you later.”  Ariel didn’t even acknowledge Dianne.  Dianne walked to the door of Ariel’s house.  Dianne yelled by to everyone in the house and then left.

Dianne drove to her house.  She felt bad about leaving Ariel, but she had to get out of that house.  Dianne thought about how she had treated Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dianne felt bad.  When she stopped at a red light, Dianne dialed the number that Dr. Adkins-Garnett had given her.  No one answered the ministry’s telephone.  Dianne left a message for Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “Dr. Adkins-Garnett, I apologize for how I acted today.  I overreacted.  I will talk to you later.  Thanks for inviting me to church.  I had a great time.”  Dianne clicked the phone off.  Dianne continued on to her house.  She picked up a catfish nugget basket from Joe’s Chicken & Fish before going to her house.  Her car was going to smell like catfish for a couple of days, but Dianne didn’t care.  She was hungry and she wanted to eat in the solitude of her own house.

Mac didn’t want to go out to eat with his brother and friends.  They all went back to the house to change clothes.  Mac went to his room and got out of his suit.  Someone knocked on his door.  It was Shalalah Cargile, one of the girls who hung out with him and his brother.  He opened the door, “What’s up?”  Shalalah responded, “We are about to leave.  You coming?”  Mac shook his head, “Naw.  I’m a stay here today.  I do not feel good.”  Shalalah left the door.  A few minutes later, Mec came through the door.  Mac sat up in his bed, “Fool, do you know how to knock on a closed door.  You rude punk.”  Mec snarled at his brother, “I got your punk.  Why you not going wit us?”  Mac huffed, “Cause I do not want to.  Leave me alone.”  Mec bounced down on the bed next to Mac, “I bet it has something to do with that old lady you were staring at in church.”  Mac made a face, “It ain’t got anything to do with her.  And quit talking about people.”  Mec punched his brother in the chest, “Yea right.  You want me to bring you something back grave robber?”  Mac laughed, “I ain’t a grave robber.  Naw you ain’t gotta bring me nothing back.”  Mec stood up from the bed.  He kissed Mac on the forehead and headed out the room.  Mec stopped at the door and started singing, “Mac likes that old meat, old meat.”  Mac threw a pillow at his brother.  Mac could hear Mec singing down the hall.

Nov 3, 2005

It was a cool October day.  The wind was blowing lightly.  The leaves on the trees had just started to change.  It was a good day for Dianne to make her first appearance at the Greater Buelahland Interdenomational House of Rest.  Dianne had decided that she was finally going to go to church with Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dianne was tired of the woman asking her when she was going to a church.  Dianne got dressed for church.  She made sure that she looked extra good.  She wore her pink 2-piece suit with the gold buttons and extra shiny rhinestones.  She had her pink strapless purse that matched the suit.  Her pink sling back size 8 pumps went perfectly with her outfit.  She put on her gold jewelry. She was going to steal the show today.  Even if the people in the church didn’t like her, they were going to know that she knew how to dress.  Dianne took one last look in the mirror.  She smoothed out her lip stick.  She stepped back and took one last look at herself.  She looked fabulous.  She reached for her medium brim pink hat and put it on her head.  She looked in the mirror and tilted it to the right slightly and then to the left.  She decided to wear it tilting to the right.  She took the hat off and held it in her hand, and then grabbed her purse, her keys, and the Bible that Dr. Adkins-Garnett had given her.  She headed out of the door for church.

For some reason MaClandon decided to look extra special today.  He took longer than usual to get dressed.  He changed suits three times before deciding to wear his burnt orange suit with his yellow shirt and burnt orange, yellow, and gold tie set.  He combed his hair twice.  His twin brother, MeClendon came in the room.  Mac scowled at his brother, “Dang, man.  Don’t you know how to knock?”  Mec frowned at his twin brother, “Man, come on.  You are going to get left.  You got somebody coming to church today?”  Mac ran his fingers through his hair, “No, I just wanna look good.”  Mec pulled Mac’s tie, “It doesn’t matter.  Ain’t nobody going to see you because you are going to be in that robe.  Come on man, for you get left.”  Mec walked out of the room.  Mac shook his head and put on one more spray of cologne before grabbing his Bible and leaving his room.

MaClandon and his friends reached the church at 10:30 AM.  On the Sundays that the young adult choir sang, the fellas usually didn’t go to Sunday school, much to the disappointment of Bishop & First Lady Adkins.  People were outside of the church walking around and talking to each other.  It was a beautiful scene to see all the women in their Sunday-go-to-meeting best; with hats and purses to match.  The men looked dapper in suits that looked like they were tailor made.  A rainbow of colors graced the parking lot of the church; red, yellow, blue, black, green, and black, the colors were definitely precious in God’s sight.  A couple of kids ran by Mac.  He yelled, “Slow down before you all fall.”  A few seconds later, Sis. Trevor walked by.  She said, “Thanks, Mac or is it Mec?  Anyway, thanks.”  Mac smiled, “You’re welcome.  Enjoy the service Sis. Trevor.”  Mac felt sad for Sis. Trevor at times.  She had 6 children, 5 boys and 1 girl; all of them had different daddies.  Mac tried to help her as much as he could by making sure that the kids didn’t run all over the place.  She was trying, though.  She always brought them to church; to every service.  Mac silently prayed for her.  He walked towards the church.  He caught up with his brother and their friends, Donnyea, Shalalah, DeWright, and Norie.  Every one of them was dressed up.  They always dressed up on the Sunday’s that they sung.  They all hugged each other and headed for the choir room.

Dianne knew that she was going to be late for church.  She hated being late.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett had offered to give Dianne directions to the church, but Dianne told her that she could find the church on her own.  Dianne wished that she would have taken Dr. Adkins-Garnett up on her offer.  Dianne drove around for awhile longer before she picked up her cell phone and dialed the number to the church that Dr. Adkins-Garnett had given her.  “Praise the Lord, Greater Buelahland, this is Sis. Collins, how may I help you?”  Dianne responded, “I am trying to get to your church.  I am at the corner of Davis Street and Willoughby Road.”  The woman on the other end of the phone gave Dianne directions to the church.  Within 6 minutes, Dianne was pulling up to the church.

Dianne found a parking space toward the back of the parking lot.  The front of the lot was full, so Dianne had to park a ways off.  She was upset, but none the less, she had made it to the church at 10:57.  She had three minutes to get into the church.  She got out of her car, put her hat on, grabbed her purse and Bible and started to walk towards the church.  As she walked to the church, a group of woman caught up with her.  One of them said, “Girl, I like that outfit.  You look good.”  Dianne said, “Thank you,” as the ladies walked pass her.

Mac was sitting in between Mec and Norie in the choir stand.  As hard as the choir director tried to separate him his brother and their friends, two or three of them ended up sitting together in the choir.  Mec was flirting with a couple of the sopranos sitting next to him.  Norie was talking to the guy sitting next to him.  Mac looked around the church to see who was there.  He saw his aunt sitting in her usual seat on the third row.  She seemed to be saving a seat for someone.  Mac didn’t think twice about it.  He caught his aunt’s eye and smiled at her.  She smiled back.  Mec elbowed him, “Who you looking at?”  Mac nodded, “At Aunt Denise.”  Mec looked a t his aunt.  She scowled at him.  Mec flashed his playa smile at his aunt.  She shook her head at her rambunctious nephew.

Dianne made it to the entrance of the sanctuary at 11:01.  She was the only person at the door.  The doors were closed.  One of the ushers stopped her, “Let’s wait and see if anyone else comes and then I will let you in.”  Dianne smiled a slight smiled, “Do you know where Dr. Adkins-Garnett sits?”  The usher nodded, “Are you here visiting with her today?”  Dianne adjusted her purse under her arm, “Yes Mame.”  The usher smiled, “Well, I guess no one else is coming.  Let’s go.”  The usher opened the door for Dianne and then began to walk beside her.  Dianne stepped in the sanctuary.  It was huge.  There was a big chandelier hanging in the middle of a high vaulted ceiling.  The pews were laced with gold trim, which was shining.  There were about seventy pews on each side of the four sections of rows in the church.  The carpet was plush and blue.  Dianne could not hear her heels clicking on the carpet.

They have been walking for awhile before the usher pointed to a row.  Dianne thanked the usher and sat down next to Dr. Adkins-Garnett who had gotten excited and was smiling like crazy.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett hugged Dianne tightly, “Glad you could make it.”  Dianne fixed her hat that Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s hug had messed up, “Thanks.  Sorry, I am late.  I got a little lost.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “That’s ok.  I am just glad you’re here.  ”Taylor, this is Dianne Roberts, the young lady that I invited today.”  Dianne leaned forward and was met by a forty or fifty year-old woman in a gray suit and a big smile.  The lady reached over Dr. Adkins-Garnett and extended her hand to Dianne, “I am glad that you came today.  I am tired of hearing Garnett talk about you.  You would think you were her long lost daughter the way she talks about you.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett elbowed Sis. Taylor, “Taylor, quit causing trouble.  Dianne just ignored her.  You look fabulous as usual.”  Sis. Taylor chimed in, “Yea, you do.  Garnett said that you could dress.”  Dianne smiled.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled at her.  Dianne looked around the church.  The pews were full of people.

Dianne looked up in the choir stand.  Most of the people in the choir stand appeared to be about 20 to 25.  Dianne was about to look somewhere else when she saw the guy from the picnic staring at her.  His eyes were glued on her.  She looked at the guy sitting next to him.  He looked exactly like the boy who was staring at him.  The guy from the picnic kept staring at her.  She smiled at him, hoping that would make him stop staring.  He smiled back and kept staring.  She looked at the musician who had begun to play; ignoring the young boy that was staring at her.

Mac was waiting for the musician to call the service to order.  It seemed like it was taking forever this Sunday.  Usually at 11:01 exactly, the musician began to play, but today he didn’t.  Mac looked down the aisle.  One of the ushers was escorting a single woman down the aisle.  That was unusual because the ushers usually only escorted special guests down the aisle.  As the usher and the woman got closer, Mac could tell that it was Dianne.  His heart dropped, his hands started sweating, and a smile grew across his face.  He wanted to break out in dance right then and there.  He watched her walk down the aisle.  She glided in her 2 inch heels, walking as if she was the queen making a grand entrance.  She walked with her head held high; not worrying about the sanctuary of people staring at her, wondering who she was to be escorted down the aisle in such a grand fashion.  Mac studied her outfit from top to bottom.  The woman looked fabulous.  With every other step, one of the rhinestones on her outfit would sparkle as the light hit them.  He wanted to get close to her because he knew that she had to smell great.

Mec stared at Mac, “Boy, who are you looking at like that?”  Mac didn’t say a word.  He just watched Dianne walk down the aisle.  Mec looked in the direction that Mac was looking, “Awe, naw.  You done spied out an old woman.  Boy, she probably has shoes older than you.”  Mac ignored his brother.  Mec said, “Who does she think she is anyway?  She all late.”  Mac said, “Man, shut up.”  Mec punched his brother in the arm.  Mec rubbed his arm as he continued to stare at Dianne.

Mac watched Dianne as she sat down next to his aunt.  He watched his aunt hug Dianne.  He watched Dianne interact with his aunt and her best friend, Ida Taylor.  Mac knew it was wrong to stare, but he couldn’t help it.  Before Mac had a chance to turn his head, Dianne was looking at him.  In his mind he said, “Boy, turn your head.  Stop staring at her.  You idiot!”  Mac could not stop staring.  Dianne stared back at him for a few seconds and then she smiled at him.  Mac’s heart did a flip and then jumped in his throat.  He managed to smile back at her.  A few seconds later, she stopped looking at him.  Mac shook out of his stare when the musician played the introit.

All of a sudden, everyone in the congregation stood up.  They turned towards the back of the church.  Twenty men were walking down the aisle as the musician played softly.  It took awhile for the men to walk down the long aisle.  When the men got to the pulpit and took their seats, the musician began to play “You’re Worthy to Be Praised.”  After the introduction of the song, the congregation began to sing.  After two verses and four choruses of the song one of the ministers walked up to the pulpit podium and said, “Can you say praise the Lord?”  The congregation responded in accordance.  The minister said, “Can you say praise the Lord?” more forceful than the first time.  The congregation responded with more vigor this time.  The minister said, “They told me this was a church that liked to praise the Lord.  Somebody needs to act like it.”  Some of the people in the congregation clapped their hands and praised the Lord.  The minister smiled and said, “Bless God.  Let’s pray.”  He prayed an excited prayer that last for 10 minutes.  By the time he was through and had said Amen, a lot of the people in the crowd were praising God loudly.  The man walked back to his seat.

A man in a purple and white robe walked to the podium, “God bless you all.”  The crowd responded back, “God bless you Bishop.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett leaned over to Dianne and whispered, “That’s my brother, Bishop J. Berry Adkins.  He is the pastor.”  Dianne nodded.  The bishop was a handsome man.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett seemed quite proud when she announced to Dianne that the man standing before the congregation was her brother.

Bishop Adkins adjusted the microphone before he said, “Please turn in your program to the responsive reading page.  I will read the bold print.  Please respond by reading the light print.”  Bishop Adkins began read the responsive reading and sat down after he had read the last verse.  As he was sitting down, a group of men and women began to gather in the front of the church.  A tall skinny man grabbed the microphone and said, “Anybody wanna praised the Lord?”  The congregation responded with various positive responses.  A lady said, “Do I have any worshippers in the building?”  The congregation responded with various affirmative answers.  The man began singing, “Let the name of God be exalted in this place.”  The praise team and congregation responded as they continued to sing the song.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett leaned over to Dianne and said, “See the woman on the front row in the light blue suit, that’s my sister-in-law, Darlene Adkins.”  Dianne looked at the woman.  She only saw the side of Sis. Adkins’ face.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked up in the choir stand and said, “See the two guys on the second row that look just alike.  They are my nephews MeClendon and MaClandon.  As you can tell, they are twins.  My niece Gloria is the third girl from the end of the pew on the first row.”  Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s nephews; she wondered which one was the one that was at the picnic.  Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s niece, before turning her attention back to the twins.  Dianne said, “One of your nephews was the picnic.  Which one was that?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “That was MaClandon.  We call him Mac.  He is a sweetheart.  I have another niece, but I don’t know where she is sitting.  I have two more twin nephews, but I couldn’t tell you where they are either.”  Dianne added up the number of nieces and nephews that Dr. Adkins-Garnett had mentioned.  It added up to six.  Dianne shook her head and asked Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “What is there ages?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett rolled her eyes, “Let me think, Mac and Mec are twenty-four. Gloria is twenty-two, I think.  Angel is seventeen or eighteen.  Dustin and Justin are fourteen.”  Dianne nodded.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett went to talking to Sis. Taylor.  Dianne looked up at MaClandon.  He was staring at her.  Dianne scowled at him as she thought, “Lord, this boy is too young to be thinking about me.”

Mac was trying to sing with the praise team in between stealing glances at Dianne.  She seemed a bit nervous.  Mac giggled at the idea that this may be Dianne’s first time in a Pentecostal church.  Mec nudge his brother, “You going to stare at her the whole service.  She is going to think you are a pervert.”  Mac looked at his brother and rolled his eyes.  Mec went back to singing and Mac went back to looking at Dianne.  Dianne was looking at Mac.  He smiled.  She scowled at him.  He blinked his eyes as she stopped staring at him.

After the praise team had sung another song, they left the front of the church.  Bishop Adkins took the podium and said, “You may be seated.  Let’s get ready to enjoy our young adult choir.  Ya’ll better sang.”  The congregation clapped as the group of young adults stood up.  A guy walked to the front of the church and motioned for the musician to play.  After the introduction, the choir began to sing, “All that I have belongs to God.”  People in the congregation began to stand up, clap, and rock with the choir.  A female voice yelled, “Ya’ll betta sang, then.”  A male voice said, “I like that.  I belong to God.  Sang then.”  Everyone was into the song.  Dianne even stood up and clapped with everyone.  She rocked her head.  Mac looked at Dianne.  She was standing up, clapping, and rocking.  Mac smiled as her hat went from the left side to the right side to the beat of the music.

When the choir finished singing the first song, the choir director walked over the organ and grabbed the microphone, “Does anybody belong to God?”  The congregation yelled back at him with varying responses.  The choir director said, “Do you want to Holy Spirit to fall on you today?”  The choir went wild.  The choir director said, “Come on Gloria.”  Bishop Adkins said, “You better direct baby.”  Sis. Adkins stood up, “Go head baby.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett said, “Help yourself baby.”  Dianne giggled as she thought, “These folk are crazy.”

Gloria stood in the front of the choir and began to direct the song.  It was a slow song.  The choir sung the song.  People in the congregation were crying, waving their hands, and praising by the time the choir got to the vamp.  At the end of the song, Gloria jumped up and down in the front of the choir.  The musician started playing some fast music.  Gloria started dancing.  A bunch of people in the audience started dancing too.  The choir started singing, “I got the joy of the Lord.  Joy of the Lord…”People all over the place were dancing, shouting, clapping, and running.

Dianne wasn’t sure what to do.  She looked around at the people moving around wildly.  She had only send people act like this on TV, never in person.  Dianne clapped her hands so that she wouldn’t look weird not clapping.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s shoulders were bouncing when she leaned over to Dianne and asked, “Is this your first time at a Pentecostal church?”  Dianne nodded her head up and down.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett went back to praising God.  For some strange reason, Dianne wanted to know what Mac was doing right then.  She looked up at him.  He, his brother, and two other guys were clapping the same way.  Dianne laughed at the four guys.  She looked back at Gloria.  She was still dancing.  Dianne laughed as she clapped.  This was the most exciting church she had ever visited; even though this was only the third church service she had ever been to in her life.

The audience calmed down as Bishop Adkins walked to the podium, “These young folk are going to make me dance in here.”  The congregation clapped and yelled, “Go ahead Bishop.”  The musician played some fast notes.  Some people started back to dancing.  The other people started clapping.  Bishop said, “Come on we gotta move ya’ll.  We gotta move.”  The audience became more frenzied when he said that.  He looked at the musician and nodded the musicians played the fast music again.  People who hadn’t danced before started dancing this time.

Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Are you okay?”  Dianne just looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dianne was not sure what was going on, but she felt like there was a fire on the inside of her.  She kept telling herself to calm down.  She began to fan herself with her hand.  She thought she was getting sick.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett grabbed Dianne’s arm, “Dianne, are you okay?”  Dianne said, “I feel sick.  I am hot inside.  I have never felt like this before.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “Do not worry about it sweetie, that’s the Holy Spirit.  You are alright.”  Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett like she was crazy.  Dianne thought, “What had this woman gotten me into?” as she fanned herself.

Bishop motioned for the musician to stop playing.  The musician stopped as Bishop said, “I am going to do something right quick.  Where are my children?  Ya’ll get up here quick.  Quick, come on.”  Mac, Mec, and Gloria left the choir stand.  A teenage girl walked from the center of the church.  Two boys that looked just alike walked from the back of the church.  They walked up onto the pulpit.  Bishop said, “I am going to praise God with my children.  Any of you out there that have children that you are asking God to save, this is for you.  If you see my children and your children and me as you, and praise God as if it were happening, then God is going to bless you today.  Come on ya’ll, let’s praise God.”  Bishop and his six children started clapping and praising.  Bishop said, “Come on, we are praising some mother’s son to the Lord.”  The kids made some more noise.  Bishop said, “Come on, there’s someone daughter on drugs.  We gotta praise God for her.”  Before long, Gloria and Angel were standing.  Dustin and Justin were one their knees with their faces, hands, and arms lifted towards Heaven.  Mac and Mec were both crying with their arms extended towards Heaven.  People all over the building were crying, clapping, praising, and basking in the glory of the Lord.

Dianne had started crying.  She was trying to stop the tears, but she could not.  Before she could figure out what was going on, Dr. Adkins-Garnett had hugged her.  Dianne was laying on Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s shoulder, crying like a baby.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett kept saying, “Work it out for her Lord as only You can.”  Dianne felt comfortable on the woman’s shoulder.

After about 20 minutes Bishop finally said, “God is doing something here today.  If you need something from Him, now is the time to get it.”  His children were still in the pulpit praising the Lord.  People were still crying, clapping, and praising.  Dianne’s was still on Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s shoulder crying.  Bishop said, “Yes, yes, the Lord is moving.  The water is trouble.  You need to get in the pool with us.”  After he said that, a woman let out a high pitched squeal that sent chills down everyone’s spin.  The woman started running all over the place.  Bishop said, “That’s right, praise him Sis. Trevor.  Let the Lord bless you.”  Bishop nodded at the musician.  The musician began playing “Hail Jesus You’re My King.”  People kept on praising until the end of the song.

Dianne stopped crying when the musician began to play the song.  She raised her head up from Dr. Adkins-Garnett’s shoulder and rubbed both her eyes.  Someone handed her some Kleenex.  Dianne blotted her face as she sat down.  Dianne felt a hand rub her back as someone said, “That’s right baby, let the Lord bless real good.”  Dianne kept her head down.  She was not sure what to do at that moment so, she just sat there.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett was crying.  She was happy because the Lord had touched Dianne.  She wanted to hug Dianne and take away every hurt that Dianne had ever had in her life.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett knew that she could not do that.  It was going to take God to do that.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett began praising God as if she had given birth to Dianne.

Mac, Mec, Gloria, Angel, Dustin, and Justin went back to their seats after they each hugged their father.  Some of the people in the congregation sat down.  Some were still praising.  Sis. Trevor had stopped running.  She was in the middle of aisle dancing.  Bishop went back to the podium, “I feel like preaching.”  The crowd went crazy.  Bishop smiled, “God has changed the program around.  Is that alright?”  The congregation clapped and praised.  Bishop responded, “IT doesn’t matter if it is okay with you all or not, as long as it is okay with God.”  The congregation clapped.

People began to sit down as a man brought Bishop his Bible and a notebook.  Bishop grabbed his Bible, “Turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 10.  Let’s look at verse 43.”  People all over the congregation stood up.  Bishop said, “It reads, ‘To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.’  You may take your seat.  I want to use as a thought for a brief few minutes, ‘God Has Saved Me, And My Past is Over.’  I don’t know who I am talking to today, but this message is for someone out there.”  People began clapping.  A female voice said, “It’s for me pastor.”  Bishop laughed, “Alright now.”  Bishop began his sermon after that.

Dianne thought about the sermon topic as she looked at the program.  They had skipped over most of the stuff listed in the program.  It seemed odd, but okay.  Dianne thought to herself, “Why in the world would he preach a sermon like this today?  Does he know something about me?  No one at this church even knows me or anything about me.  This is weird.”  Dianne listened to Bishop preach.

Mac was hot in his robe.  After standing on the pulpit praising God in his robe, he couldn’t help but be hot.  He looked at Dianne.  Her make-up seemed smeared.  He figured that she had been crying along with everyone else.  He looked at her awhile longer.  Dianne was paying attention to his father.  Mac decided to do the same thing.

Bishop said, “Some of you are still wondering, what if someone knows about my past.  It is doesn’t matter about your past.  Once you accepted Christ as your personal Saviour, He forgot about what you did before.  You are a new creature.”

Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked at her with a sly grin.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett had told Dianne the same thing.  Dianne still wondered how God could have forgotten about all the stuff she had done.  She still thought it was going to take a long time for God to forget about some of the things that she had done.

Bishop continued, “When folk try to bring up your past, do not let them get to you.  Someone always wants to remind you of what you use to be.  Just tell them, ‘Look at me now.  Look what God has made of me.  I am a whole new person.  Don’t hate me, baby.  Come join me and god will change you, too.’”  People laughed, clapped, and praised.

Dianne laughed too.  She could not imagine saying that to anyone.  It was all too weird for her.  She had been forgiven.  She had been made a new creature.  Her sins had been forgotten.  All of this happened in a matter of minutes.  There wasn’t anyway that this was true.  It could not possibly be that simple.

Bishop said, “Some of you make it too hard.  Once you asked Jesus to come into your life, He forgave you, saved you, and made you brand new.  It is that simple.  Now, staying that way, takes some work.  That’s why you need to get into a good church home and be taught the word.  You need to be accountable to someone.  To someone who will tell you when you aren’t doing right.  Someone who will tell you that you need to straighten up.  It cannot be just anybody.  It has to be someone who is saved themselves and have a relationship with the Lord.”

Dianne looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett was nodding and listening.  Dianne smiled.  What Bishop Adkins was saying made sense, but she still had doubts.  This was all new to her.

Bishop said, “Salvation, understanding, and living for God takes time, takes commitment, takes pray, takes fasting, takes a lot, bit it sure is worth.  I tell ya, the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and added no sorrow.  Now, I am not just talking about money, but every aspect of life.  I’m talking about your soul, your family, your health, and so much more.  It is just like at work.  You expect your paycheck, that’s one thing, but the better the benefits package, the better you feel.  God has an awesome benefit package.”  People all over the congregation stood up and clapped.  Bishop continued preaching.

Dianne thought to herself, “This is going to be okay.  I think I might be able to do this.  I sure hope Dr. Adkins-Garnett doesn’t mind me bugging her from time to time.”  Her thoughts were interrupted when Dr. Adkins-Garnett tapped her on the shoulder, “Excuse me sweetie.  I need to go up front.”  Dianne let Dr. Adkins-Garnett by.  Sis. Taylor walked over to Dianne and hugged her.  Sis. Taylor whispered, “God blessed you real good today.”  Sis. Taylor released Dianne.

Bishop Adkins had finished his sermon.  He said, “If there is one of you who doesn’t know the Lord, will you come?  Will you come?”  No one moved.  Bishop said it a few more times before anyone moved.  Three people came at first, then more people started coming.  The ministers prayed with the people as Bishop continued to talk, “If you are saved, but you need some pray, you may come down to the altar.  There is room for you at the cross.”  People from all over the building began to come.

After the altar was over and people were back at their seats, Bishop Adkins took the microphone, “I better do this or the deacons will be upset with me.  Let’s get the offering.  Deacons, will you come?  Ushers will you come.  If you need an envelope, please let the ushers know, they will get you an envelope.  Come on choir, sing us a song.”  Bishop went and sat down as the choir stood up.  After a few minutes, one of the ministers walked to the podium.  He motioned at the musician.  The choir and the musician sung and played softly.  The minister said, “Let’s stand.  Father, we thank You for this service that You moved mightily in.  We thank You for what You have blessed us with.  Lord, we bring just a portion of what You have given us so that we may bless Your that it may be able to do Your work.  Let us give with a sincere heart, not giving grudgingly, but in love.  Bless this offering, its use, and those that have given it.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.”  The congregation responded with an Amen.  The minister said, “Hold your offering up and repeat after me…  Lord…  I give You this offering…  I give it freely…  I give it in love…  Bless it that it will be multiply that Your kingdom may be multiplied…  Ushers, choir.”  The ushers began to usher the people down to the offering table.  The choir went back to singing.

Mac looked at Dianne as she was standing up for the offering.  He wondered if her feet were hurting from standing up in her heels.  Dianne looked up at him.  He smiled at her.  She rolled her eyes and looked back at the people who were walking down the aisle.  Mac was trying to figure out how he could get back to the choir room, get out of his robe, and get back to the sanctuary in time to meet Dianne before she left.  It was going to take some doing, but Mac purposed in his heart to do just that.

Bishop took the podium, “Sis. Ransom, can you come do the welcome for us right quick.  We do not want our guests to feel unwelcome.”  A lady emerged from a side door of the church.  She took the podium, “Would all of our first time visitors please stand?”  People stood up all over the place.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett nudged Dianne and made her stand up.  After a few seconds, an usher handed Dianne a packet.  Sis. Ransom said, “We are glad that you came to visit us today.  You could have gone anywhere else, but the Lord led you here with us.  Please come back and visit us any time our doors are open.  Congregation, let’s greet our visitors.”  People started hugging the visitors.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett hugged Dianne.  Sis. Taylor hugged Dianne.  Three other women hugged Dianne.  A man shook Dianne’s hands and another man hugged Dianne.

The musician began playing “God Be with You” as Bishop walked up to the podium.  Bishop took the microphone and said, “We are going to let you go in a few minutes.  It’s only a little after 1:00.  We will be going home in a minute or two.  The doors of the church are opened.  If you would like to join our church, please come to the front.  If there is one, please come.”  A mother and her two children came down.  Three young men walked down together.  A father and his son came down.  Bishop walked down from the pulpit to where the people were.  A woman came from the audience and went to each person and asked their names.  She said each person’s name.  Bishop shook each person’s hand and said, “We are glad to have you as a member of our family.”  After each person had been introduced, the woman took them out of a side door of the church.

Bishop walked back up to the podium, “And we are stand as the choir sings…”  The choir sung “God Be with You.”  Bishop did the benediction and dismissed the congregation.

Nov 2, 2005

MaClandon Tarrick Adkins sat in his room listening to Carl Thomas sing, “I wish I’d never met her at all…”.  The only time Mac listened to Carl Thomas was when his heart had been broken.  It had been two weeks since Mac had “broken up” with his ex-girlfriend Sabrina.  He had been doing fine with the break-up until his friend; Donnyea Cole said to him, “Yo Mac, I saw Sabrina hugged up with dark-skinned dude at the mall yesterday.  I tried to say hello, but she just walked past me like she didn’t even know me.  What is up with you two?”  Mac shook his head and said, “Nothing, we broke up.  Was the dude she was with tall and skinny?”  Donnyea looked at Mac, “Naw, he was kind of stocky.  Why?”  Mac shook his head again, “Just asking.”  Mac thought, “I guess she left that skinny fool.  Oh well, I am glad I ain’t with her trifling tail no more.  I guess everyone was right, she was not any good.  That’s what I get for messing with a young girl.”

Mac played with the collar of his light blue polo shirt.  Everyone called him preppy because he always wore starched jeans, clean tennis shoes, and a polo shirt.  His tennis shoe fixation often led to him doing extra work for the people at his church to earn money to pay for his new shoes.  Mac liked his preppy look.  He liked looking good.

Mac was still hurting because of the way that he found out about his break up with Sabrina Norman, from her mother at a picnic.  Mac had never felt anything like that before.  He played with one of the locks of his curly black hair.  He needed a hair cut.  He hadn’t worked out since he had broken up with Sabrina.  This girl had really messed him up.  He wouldn’t even talk to his brother about it and he talked to his brother about everything.  Mac knew that his brother would have had a fit, if he knew that Sabrina had dumped him.  His brother had called Sabrina no good form the beginning, but Mac refused to listen.  At that moment, Mac felt like a total idiot.  Why hadn’t he followed his heart and not dated the young girl, but Mac wanted a girlfriend at the time and Sabrina seemed nice enough.  She was a nice dresser and she seemed classy at the time, but things changed.  Mac didn’t want to date another girl his age again.  As crazy as that sounded, Mac made a vow to himself, he would never let Sabrina happen to him again.

Mac’s aunt tried to talk to him about the break-up, but his aunt’s words feel on deaf ears.  Mac knew that his aunt, Dr. Denise Adkins-Garnett, was trying to make him feel better.  He was his aunt’s favorite, every since he was younger, his aunt and uncle favored him over his twin brother, MeClendon and their 5 other siblings.  Mec was a little hellion.  Mec was a lady’s man as well.  He went through his share of girls.  The ladies fell at Mec’s feet left and right.  Mac always wondered why he was not a lady’s man.  For some odd reason, the girls usually came to Mac when they needed help with their computers, but as far as dating someone, he was not their first choice.  It didn’t make since either because he and MeClendon looked just alike.  Mec’s shoulders were broader and he didn’t have different size ears like MaClandon, but other than that, Mac didn’t see the difference.  Mac knew that there was nothing wrong with his ears.  His family always told him that, but he could tell that there was a difference.

Mac was shocked that Sabrina had even gone out with him.  It was probably because Mec hadn’t been with Mac that day.  Anytime Mec was a round and girls were present, somehow, Mac fell into the background.  Mec had a smooth rap and he dressed a bit thuggish.  Mac was the total opposite.  That was probably what kept the girls from Mac.  He was a gentleman and looked preppy.  What 20-something year-old female wants a clean cut dude?  It didn’t usually matter to Mac because he had a thing for older women anyway.  Sabrina made Mac take a chance on a girl his age.  It ended up being a bad decision because she just wanted to fool around, and Mac was not that kind of guy.  He had made a vow to stay celibate until marriage, so he couldn’t do what Sabrina wanted.  That was the cause of all of their problems.

Mac brushed Sabrina out of his mind.  He began to think about the woman in green that he had seen at the By Example Ministries’ picnic.  On the ride home from the picnic he wanted to ask his aunt who the woman was, but he didn’t want his aunt to figure out that he was attracted to the woman.  His aunt would have understood about it, but Mac thought it was inappropriate, having just broken up from another girl.  All he really wanted to know was her name.  Mac devised a plan to find out who the woman was.  He went up to his aunt’s office everyday for the past two weeks, but the woman never came up there.  Mac was disheartened, but he didn’t let it get him down because one day he overheard his aunt say, “Monica, I can’t believe that Dianne didn’t want to get her award.  She thought that she was too old to be standing up there with the girls.  Can you believe that?”  Monica Caldwell responded, “You know that child has so much pride.  So, she came to the picnic?”  Mac’s Aunt responded, “Yes, she had on the cutest green short set.  She was too cute and together, as she usually is.”  Monica Caldwell said, “Yea, she is always together.  I wonder if she ever in just an old house coat.”  Monica and Mac’s aunt laughed loudly.  Mac was happy because he got what he wanted.  He knew the lady in green’s name, Dianne.  At least her first name was a start.  Mac’s thoughts of Dianne made him forget all about that other girl.  He wondered what Dianne was doing at this moment.  He wished he could talk to her, see her, and hear her voice.

“Yo Mac, Donnyea just said that you and Sabrina broke up.  What happened?” Mec yelled interrupting Mac’s pleasant thoughts.

“Nothing man.  I don’t want to talk about it.”

Mec frowned, “What did that cow do to you?”

“Nothing.  Let it alone Mec.  I am cool with it.  I shouldn’t have been with her in the first place.”

“You right about that.  I told you that chick was not two cent worth of doodoo.  I bet not see her.  I’m a bust her and her new man in the head.”

“You need to calm down.  You are going to hurt yourself.”

Mec stormed out of the room mumbling, “That witch do not know who she is messing with, dogging my brother.”

Mac smiled at his twin brother before he went back to thinking about Dianne.

Dianne Roberts sat in her 1625 square foot, three bedroom, 2 and half bathroom townhouse that she had recently paid off.  She felt good about her accomplishment, especially since her ex-boyfriend told her that she would never be able to do it.  Dianne smiled as she finished dusting her Northern Lights square cocktail table.  She had cleaned her whole house, so there was not much left to do.  She sat down on her black leather sectional sofa.  Her let her hands run across the leather to feel its texture.  Anyone that did not know her would have thought that she was being materialistic, but she was not.  She was just basking in her accomplishments.  According to her ex-boyfriend, Alstyne Murphy Dunn, she was supposed to fall flat on her face without him.  The day that Dianne left him, March 4, 2000, Alstyne proclaimed, “You’ll be back.  You ain’t nothing but a stripper and without me, you ain’t @#$*!”  Dianne smiled as she walked off without saying a word.

Dianne was very well adjusted considering her childhood and life.  Her mother went to jail when Dianne was five years-old.  Dianne’s mother had killed her father.  He was abusive to her mother.  He had started beating on Dianne.  Dianne’s mother killed him before he could begin to beat her baby like he had beaten her.  Dianne didn’t know her mother all that well.  She had only visited her mother 3 times at the jail.  The last time Dianne saw her mother; her mother told her, “Do not come down here anymore.  I am not your mother and I do not exist.  Forget about me.”  Dianne cried all the way home.  When she got home and told Alstyne what her mother had told her.  Alstyne retorted, “Good riddance to the #$%*&.  I hope you do not try to kill me like she did your father.  Women are so stupid.”  It was at that moment that Dianne made up her mine that she would get away from Alstyne.  It was 8 months later before she left him, but she left him.

Dianne looked at the Bible sitting on the end table next to the couch.  She never thought that she would have a Bible, much less be a Christian.  She had been saved for one year and two months.  She felt good about it, too.  She met Dr. Denise Adkins-Garnett in a lingerie shop on June 2, 2001.  Dianne thought it was funny watching the bashful woman shop for lingerie, so she decided to go help the woman out.

“Hello Mame.  You seem lost in here.  J.C. Penny is down the hall.”

“I guess it is obvious that I have never been in a place like this before.”

“Yes, Mame it is.  I come in here all the time.  What are you buying lingerie for?”

“My husband and I have a romantic weekend planned and I wanted to get something special for the occasion.”

“Do you want something nice, simple, and sexy or something that will make his eyes pop out of his head?”

Dr. Adkins-Garnett turned bright red.

Dianne laughed, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.  Why do not you just try a simple black nightie?  That should work for you.”  Dianne motioned towards the counter, “Stacy, come help her out.”  Dianne turned towards Dr. Adkins-Garnett, “Hope your husband likes it.”

Dianne was standing outside talking to Anne, one of the cashiers from the store when Dr. Adkins-Garnett walked out of the store.  Dianne waved by to Anne before she looked at Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dianne said, “You should be okay now that you are in the fresh air.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Yes, I do feel better.  What’s your name?”  Dianne responded, “Dianne Roberts.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett held her hand out to shake Dianne’s hand, “I am Dr. Denise Adkins-Garnett.  Who do you buy lingerie for?”  Dianne stared at the obtrusive woman.  It wasn’t any of the old bitty’s business, but Dianne felt compelled to respond, “No one.  My ex used to have me buy it all the time when I was with him.  Now it is just a habit that I have.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Do you mind if I treat you to lunch?”  Dianne didn’t have anything to do, but she didn’t know what that woman had in mind so she responded, “It’s ok.  I’m kind of busy today.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Too busy for a free lunch.  That’s odd, but if you say so.  I just thought I would offer.”  Dianne stared at the woman.  She was trying to figure her out.  Before Dianne knew what had happened she said, “Ok.  I will go.  I can do what I have to do later.”  Dianne was stunned.  What had she just said?  She didn’t want to go to lunch with that nosey woman.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett was walking towards a café that was near by before Dianne could weasel out of the lunch date.  That lunch led to Dianne accepting Christ right at the table.

Thoughts of Dr. Adkins-Garnett brought tears to Dianne’s eyes; no one had ever shown love to Dianne like Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett treated Dianne as if she was her child.  That made Dianne feel special.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett had been trying to get Dianne to come to church for awhile, but Dianne had resisted.  She was not sure that she was ready to be around that many Christians.  What if they found out that Dianne was once a stripper?  What would they think of her?  Surely, the good church people would throw her out of the church before she sat down good.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett kept telling Dianne that her past didn’t matter and that God had forgotten about her past sins.  Dianne knew that he hadn’t.  All of the men that she had shaken her naked body in front of; God couldn’t have forgotten about all of them.  It was probably going to take years for Him to forget about all of her sins.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked like she had been saved all of her life, so what did she know about Dianne’s life.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett did convince Dianne to come to the meetings at her ministry, By Example Ministries.  Dianne was assigned a mentor, Monica Caldwell.  Dianne was the oldest girl in the classes; being at least ten ears older than the oldest girl in the classes, but Dr. Adkins-Garnett made her feel comfortable in the classes by saying that Dianne was observing the classes to see what she could learn from the ministry.  Dianne thought that was nice of Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  Monica Caldwell had been a blessing to Dianne.  Sis. Caldwell was a bit pushy, but she was sweet and she acted as if she was genuinely concerned about Dianne.

When it was time for the girls in the class to declare what there Ultimate Commitment was to be, Dr. Adkins-Garnett made Dianne make a commitment as well.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett called Dianne into her office, “I want you to make an Ultimate Commitment.”  Dianne frowned, “I think I am much too old to make commitments like those girls.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “You can make a commitment that someone your age would do.”  Dianne’s frown deepened, “Such as.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Perhaps you could commit to smiling twice each day for the whole year.”  Dianne smile quickly, “What else would you suggest?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett nodded, “How about reading the Bible in a year?”  Dianne scowled, “I do not know to read the Bible and I probably won’t understand it anyway.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett reached for her Bible, “I didn’t say understand it, I said read it.  You can even have my Bible.  It is easy to read and it has notes in it that will help you.”  Dianne reached for the Bible as Dr. Adkins-Garnett handed it to her, “I cannot take your Bible.  I can get my own.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Girl, I am a preacher.  I have plenty of Bibles.  Plus, if you have that one, I know you will read it because you do not want to let me down.”  Dianne smiled quickly again, “Thanks.  How do I go about reading the Bible in a year?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett pressed a button on the phone, “Charlotte, find Mother Frazier for me,” Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked at Dianne and continued, “Mother Frazier can help you.  She has read the Bible in a year several times.  You will like her.”

Dianne scowled.  How many more women would she have to meet at this place?  Dianne responded, “What’s up with you?  You are so helpful.  The people here are so helpful.  What’s you all angle?  I do not get you all.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “It is the love of God that makes us want to help each other.  I am sure that you are used to people doing what they do because it benefits them.  We do not have an angle.  We like serving others.  Plus, God has commanded us to help each other.  Let me see your Bible.”  Dianne handed Dr. Adkins-Garnett the Bible.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett flipped the pages before stopping.  She moved the Bible close to Dianne, “In Titus 2, verses 3-5, it reads… ‘The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.’  So, we old ladies have a charge to teach younger women how to be good women.  We do it because we love the Lord, not for any other reason.”  Dianne looked over the verses again, “How do you all know what a good woman is?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett grabbed the Bible and flipped the pages some more before stopping, “The Bible tells us in Proverbs 31.  Here’s my favorite part… ‘She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.’  It is not about how you look or what you where, but it is about what your family says about you.  If they can say nice things about you, then you are a good woman.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett and Dianne could not finish their conversation because Mother Frazier walked in the room happy and praising God.  Dianne liked the old lady, the moment that she walked in the room.

Dianne wiped the tears out of her eyes.  Thinking about those women of God made her want to be a good woman.  Dianne determined in her mind that she was going to do just that, be a good woman.

Nov 1, 2005

MaClandon took a deep breath and smelled the clean air.  It wasn’t too hot.  This would have been a great day to be at the park, but MaClandon didn’t want to be here for the reason that he was here.

MaClandon watched the butterfly fly by his head.  He wondered how he had let his aunt talk him into coming to the picnic.  It was the same every year at this time.  MaClandon vowed to not let his aunt talk him into coming to her yearly picnic and every year, MaClandon ended up coming to the picnic.  His twin brother MeClendon was no where in sight.  Mec (as he is called) wasn’t going to come to the picnic.  Mec made that clear to his aunt after the first picnic that By Example Ministries held in 1998.

Every year since 1998, By Example Ministries held a picnic in the summer to honor the young ladies who had accomplished the goals that they had set for themselves the previous year.  By Example Ministries was a ministry that focused on young ladies and taught them to be better ladies through mentorship, love, and nurturing by older women.  The ministry had grown over the year and each year, it seemed like more young ladies were joining.

MaClandon, better known as Mac, watched as each young lady walked across the front of the audience and received either a certificate or a trophy, some for maintaining their purity, some for graduating high school, some for getting straight A's.  Mac had to admit that it was a beautiful sight to see so many young ladies basking in their accomplishments as their family and friends watched.

One of the young ladies receiving an award was Sabrina Norman, Mac’s current girlfriend.  Mac knew that she wasn't receiving a trophy for maintaining her purity because she constantly tried to get him to go all the way with her.  He was tired of it, too.  Two nights earlier, he contemplated breaking up with Sabrina, but he thought it best to at least wait until after the picnic.  Mac continued to watch the young ladies receive their awards.

Dianne stepped out of her 2004 Honda Accord.  She smoothed out the wrinkles of her shorts.  She hoped they weren’t too short.  She had joined By Example Ministries six-months earlier.  It was good for her, having her background.  She wondered why she had met Dr. Adkins-Garnett in a lingerie shop.  It was funny to her as she walked towards the place where the picnic was being held.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett seemed to make it her life’s work to get Dianne to come to Christ.  It had only taken a month of bugging.  Dianne was glad that she had given her life to Christ.

By Example Ministries was a big help to Dianne.  She was much older than most of the young ladies going through the program, but her mentor, Monica Caldwell, had been a big help as well as a nuisance.  Monica called Dianne everyday.  She prayed with Dianne everyday.  Monica also made Dianne go to a Bible study with her.  Dianne was glad that the 60 year-old woman had been there to help her.  Dianne stopped reminiscing and hurried towards the picnic area.  She was already an hour late.

Dianne reached the picnic area.  The awards ceremony was already underway.  She was hoping that she would miss the ceremony.  She had no desire to walk in front of all of those people and receive her reward.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett had tried to talk Dianne into accepting her award, but Dianne felt out of place since she was older than the other young ladies.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett told Dianne, “Girl, reading the Bible in a full year isn’t an easy task.  I haven’t even done that.  You should accept your award in front of the people.”  Dianne responded, “If they never know that I did what I did, does that diminish my accomplishment?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett shook her head at Dianne before she walked off.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett spotted Dianne as she walked over to a table and sat down.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled at Dianne and continued calling the young ladies names and their accomplishments.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett contemplated calling Dianne’s name despite the request not to.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett understood, though.  She didn’t want to make Dianne feel self-conscious.

Mac looked up and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.  She had on a green short set that matched perfectly.  Her sandals matched her outfit perfectly.  Her gold jewelry shined as the sun hit it.  Mac watched the woman walk over to a table and sit down.  She sat down so elegantly that you would have thought she was a queen.  Mac stared at the woman until her eyes met his.  When she looked at him, Mac turned away.

Dianne sat down on the bench.  She hated being in the park.  She hated getting her clothes dirty.  She wondered how she went from a tomboy to such a prissy girl.  She knew how she had turned into who she was, but she refused to let that name enter her thoughts.  Dianne looked around the picnic area to see who was there.  She was really looking for Monica Caldwell, but Dianne didn’t see her.  As Dianne looked around the area, she saw this young looking guy staring at her.  When he noticed that she was looking at him, he turned his head away from her.  She twisted her lips as she thought, “Young joker.  Please.”  She had to admit that he was cute though.  She shook her head and turned her attention to Dr. Adkins-Garnett.

Mac looked quickly to see if the woman was still looking at him.  He felt bad that she had caught him staring at her.  He had a thing for older women who knew how to dress and were refined.  He could tell that the woman in green was exactly that, even though he had yet to meet her.  He studied her outfit.  It was starched as if it had just come from the cleaners.  The creases could cut bread.  Her make-up was flawless, just the right amount for a day at the park.  He bet that she smelled just as good as she looked.  Mac tried to think about what kind of cologne she was wearing, probably something sweet and flowery.  He knew it would probably be subtle, real women didn’t wear a lot of perfume; they wore just enough to be noticed as they walked by.  You could not smell them a mile away.  He hated when women did that, which was another thing he disliked about Sabrina.  Mac wondered why he had even started dating Sabrina.  She was much younger than he last girlfriend.  Sabrina was his age.  His last girlfriend had been 4 years older than him.  His mother hated the idea of him dating older women; that’s probably why he had dated Sabrina.

Mac looked up at the young ladies standing behind his aunt, Dr. Adkins-Garnett.  He spotted Sabrina.  He smiled at her.  She just stared at him with this blank look on her face.  He smiled again, but Sabrina didn’t react.  She turned her face away from him.  Mac followed her eyes.  Her eyes rested on a talk, skinny guy that was sitting with Sabrina’s mother.  Mac hadn’t noticed him before.  Sabrina smiled at the guy, then looked at Mac and grinned an evil grin.  Mac looked back at the guy and then back at Sabrina.  She twisted her lips and rolled her head at Mac.  Mac knew something was up at that moment.  He was mad, but he knew that he could not cause a scene at the picnic.  Mac uttered an expletive filled phrase and looked at his aunt as she finished speaking.

Dianne almost wished she had been standing behind Dr. Adkins-Garnett as she talked about the young ladies.  “These young ladies set a goal and accomplished them.  They put in the hard work and commitment to complete the work set before them.  I am very proud of them, as you should be.  Hug them, kiss them, and let them know that you are proud of them,” Dr. Adkins-Garnett said.  For a brief moment Dianne felt bad because she hadn’t told anyone about what she had done, not even her best friend, which was unusual.  Dianne had no one to hug, kiss, or anything else.  She had made her decision and she would have to live with it.

The girls walked back to their families showing off their awards.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett walked over to Dianne.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett hugged Dianne, “Glad that you could make it, even though you were late.  I see that you were determined to miss the awards ceremony.”  Dianne smiled, “I didn’t want to take a chance that you would call me up there.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett grimaced, “I said that I wouldn’t call you and I was not going to call you.”  Dianne tilted her head, “I know you thought about calling me.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett laughed, “Yea, I did think about it.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett hugged Dianne again before she walked off.

Sabrina walked over to the table where her family and friends were sitting.  Mac watched her closely.  He wanted to see how she acted towards the tall skinny guy.  Sabrina hugged her mother and then looked at Mac.  Sabrina walked over to the tall skinny guy and hugged him much too tightly for Mac’s taste.  Mac dropped his head.  He didn’t matter if he dumped Sabrina or not, it looked like she had dumped him.  He was sad for a moment, and then his sadness turned to madness.  How dare she invite him to the awards ceremony only to be all hugged up with some other idiot?

Mac stood up and walked towards Sabrina.  When he reached her, he hugged her mother, “Hello, Mrs. Norman.  How are you?”  Mrs. Norman responded, “I am fine sweetie.  I didn’t know you were going to be here, since you and Sabrina had broken up.”  Mac stared at Sabrina, who had her arms wrapped around the waist of the tall skinny guy, “My aunt invited me, so I came to be with her.”  Mac could feel his face getting red.  He wondered how long had he and Sabrina been broken up.  They were together two nights ago.  She was all up in his face kissing on him and rubbing on him.  Mac turned and walked off.  He had to get out of there before he went off.

Mac had no idea where he was going.  He was just walking.  He was so mad that he wanted to hit something, better yet someone.  He had walked to a bench in the park.  He sat down on the bench.  He had is head in his hands.  He was fighting the urge to cry.  Who finds out that they have been dumped by hearing about it from their ex-girlfriend’s mother?  This was the worst day of his life.

“Mac, I guess you aren’t going to say anything to me, huh.”  Mac looked up and saw Sabrina standing in front of him.

“Girl, you need to walk off from me before I hit you.”

“You ain’t going to hit anyone.”

“Bree, you are shady.  You didn’t even have the decency to say anything to me two days ago when you were slobbering all over me.  What kind of crap is that?  You shady.”

“Whatever MaClandon.  You just won’t give me what I want.  I ain’t got time to be fooling with a boy.  I need a man.”

Mac stood up.  Everything in him wanted to hit the girl standing before him.  He stared at her, “I hope he gives you what you want, because you are right.  I cannot give you what you want.  I ain’t a whore, like some people.”  He ran off before she could respond.

Mac ran to his aunt’s car.  He still had her keys from when he had helped her unload it.  He opened the door, sat down in the driver’s seat, laid his head on the steering wheel, and cried.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett had seen Mac walk off from Sabrina and then disappear.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett wondered what had happened.  She never liked Mac dating Sabrina.  Something was not right about that girl.  Sabrina was fast.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett could tell, having worked with females for over 15 years.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett never interfered with her nieces and nephews relationships.  She felt that it was best.  All she said to Mac was, “Make sure that this girl is the kind of girl you want to be with.  Hold fast to the commitment you have made to the Lord.”  Mac had smiled at her and said, “Auntie, you tell me that all the time.  I ain’t going to let you down.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett wanted to go see about her nephew, but people were walking to her and trying to talk to her.  She hoped that her nephew would be okay for awhile.

Mac wished he had his Carl Thomas, “Emotional” CD.  That CD always made him feel better.  He didn’t, so he just laid his head back on the head rest of his aunt’s Mercedes.  Her car always smelled cleaned, his uncle made sure that the car stayed cleaned.  It was probably easy for his aunt and uncle to have a clean car and a clean house, since they had no children.  Thinking about his aunt and uncle made him feel better; even if it was for a brief moment.  MaClandon looked up and Sabrina was leaning up against a black Altima, kissing on that tall skinny guy.  Mac was appalled.  I mean, this was a religious based function, and there she was acting as if they were in Sodom and Gomorrah.  Mac shook his head.  How much more of this day would he have to take?  Hadn’t he been tortured enough?  He wanted to blow the horn, but he resisted for fear that Sabrina would act a bigger fool if she knew he was watching her and her new friend.  Mac hoped that one of the women from By Example Ministries would walk by and see the two of them, which would surely be a wonderful scene, especially if Sis. Katie Niles would have seen them.  Sis. Niles would have held an altar call out in the parking lot.  He silently prayed that Sis. Niles would magically appear before his eyes and see this scene and reign down her terror on the two whoremongers, but she never did.

Mac made himself not look at the scene in front of him.  He looked in his aunt’s backseat.  Her Bible was lying on the seat.  Mac picked it up.  The bible fell open to Psalms chapter 3.  Mac read the whole passage of scripture.

1: LORD, how are they increased that trouble me!  Many are they that rise up against me.
2: Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.  Selah.
3: But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4: I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.  Selah.
5: I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
6: I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
7: Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8: Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people.  Selah.
He almost began to cry.  He knew that God would get him through this situation.  Mac felt better.

Mac got out of the car and walked back to the picnic area after he locked the car.  He walked right by Sabrina and her friend and cleared his throat so that she would know that someone from the picnic had seen her.  She didn’t seem to care.

Mac reached the picnic area.  Everyone was sitting down eating.  He looked for his aunt; he figured that she would be somewhere talking to someone.  He found her, and she was talking to someone.  Mac looked for the woman in green.  He couldn’t find her right away.  He hoped that she hadn’t left yet.  He needed something to make him feel better.  He knew that seeing the vision of beauty would help him out.  He walked around talking to people at the various tables.  Everyone knew him, so it was not like anyone would be suspicious.

Mac walked the whole picnic area, without success, disheartened a bit, he walked over to where his aunt was.  As he neared his aunt, he saw the woman that he was looking for.  The woman in green was sitting with his aunt.  His aunt had shielded her from his view.  Mac smiled as he hugged his aunt, “Hey, aunnie.  What are you doing?  Trying to make sure everyone is having a good time?”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smacked Mac on his shoulder, “Why would you ask me a question and then answer the question yourself?  That doesn’t make any sense.  Where did you go earlier?”  Mac let his arm hang on his aunt’s shoulder, “I went to check on the cars and make sure that no one had messed with them.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett smiled, “Uhh huh.  Who is that guy that Sabrina walked off with?”  Mac let his arm slide off his aunt’s shoulder.  Mac thought, “Must she be so messy and in front of company.”  His aunt tapped him on the shoulder, “Didn’t I ask you a question?”  Mac leaned his head close to his aunt’s ear, “I will tell you later.  I’m a go get something to eat.”  He walked off.

Dr. Adkins-Garnett could tell that something was wrong.  She felt bad because it was obvious that she had upset her nephew.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett touched Dianne’s shoulder, “I will be back in a second.  I gotta go take care of something.”  Dianne smiled as Dr. Adkins-Garnett walked off.  Dr. Adkins-Garnett walked up to Mac in the line.  She grabbed his arm, “What is going on with you and Sabrina?”  Mac huffed and walked off from his aunt.  She followed his to the uninhabited area.  Mac said, “Apparently, we no longer go together.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett looked puzzled, “Since when?”  Mac shrugged his shoulders, “Your guess is as good as mine.  I just found out today from her mother.  Bree is a whore anyway; I don’t need her in my life.”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett slapped Mac on his shoulder, “Don’t talk about women like that boy.  You know better.”  Mac rubbed the spot that his aunt had just hit, “What do you want me to do, lie?  She is a whore!  I am glad that she wasn’t getting a purity award because I would have objected right here in front of everyone.  She is out there hugged up next to a car with that fool slobbering him down.  She’s a whore!”  Dr. Adkins-Garnett stared at her nephew.  She had never heard him talk about a girl like that.  She discerned that some of his words were out of anger, but they were true.  She hugged him and apologized for mentioning Sabrina to him.  Mac walked off from her.

Mac went back to the table where the food was.  He started to finish fixing his plate, but he couldn’t.  He didn’t have an appetite.  He hated to waste the food on his plate, so he walked over to an empty table and sat down.  He tried to eat the food on the plate, but he had no appetite.  He just stared at the food hoping that it and the day would vanish as if it had never happened.