crazy, the pledging thing is driving me nuts, and I miss my little brother too. I guess life is alright, right?” Payton asked. I nodded.
Feeling like God wanted more from me, I scratched my head and asked, “How do you witness? It seems that telling people about God isn’t all that cool. I don’t want to push my beliefs on anybody. But with Tad’s cousin down…”
Payton placed her hand on my shoulder to comfort me. “Yeah, I know, he’s still in a coma.”
“Yeah, I mean if Grandma was supposed to make it through and she didn’t, odds really are that he’s gone. I don’t know, you know. I just want to do more, you know? For God I can’t have any regrets, you know, but a part of me is just…” I looked out the window as I couldn’t finish my own statement, not wanting to admit I was a little scared to step out there for God.
“You don’t want to be ridiculed?”
“Exactly!”
“Well, the word says that if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me,” my sister said. “I’m not the perfect Christian either. I know my halo is a little tilted, but for the most part I don’t let anyone push me into something I don’t want to do. If you truly believe in God, then stand for Him, and don’t care what anyone else says. Remember, folks talked about Jesus. So who are we that we can’t endure for the One who gave His all for us?”
“Right, right,” I uttered, agreeing that my sister had a valid point.
“You know Pillar said she’s going to go to school here.”
“Yeah, we were talking about it when we got the call about Grandma.”
“Yeah, well she’s been working Uncle Percy for the last couple of days, and she’s serious. She’s in Atlanta with you, and as wild as that girl is you’re just going to have to decide.”
“What do you mean? I can’t tell Pillar what to do.”
“You have more influence than you think, my brother. When you want to grab that ball that most think is uncatchable you find a way to do it. Use that same logic for stepping up to Christ.”
“Will what I say work?”
“You’ve got to believe it will.” I nodded.
The service for my grandmother was a blast. Because she had played the piano for several local choirs, there were eight different churches in the house singing songs of praise. There was no note that I heard that was out of tune and people got up and testified how she impacted their lives. Her nontraditional ways saved a lot of people.
As the preacher preached I envisioned my granddad with his hand extended, and her taking it, and them going off together. I felt myself running after them. “Wait, wait. Don’t leave me.” And then my granddad turning around and saying, “Hey, we’ll see you soon, but you have some things to take care of, and not only on the field. Make me proud and stand up. Be the difference. We’re cheering you on up here. Live your life and stop thinking the Lord don’t care. Dying when you have a Heavenly home is a good thing, son.”
And the next thing I knew my sister was pulling on me so she could be the flower girl and I the pallbearer for my grandmother’s precious body. My sister smiled at Tad and I had to blink twice when I saw his cousin, my girl Savoy, there next to him as well.
My sister took my hand and said, “See, it’s all good.”
I had to admit it felt real good clinging to hope.
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