"Yes, Headmistress" (part 14)

Previously:

part 13

Part 14

A rather odd development was that Rachel (not her real name), while being frightened almost out of her wits, was hilarious. It was such a conundrum. She could laugh, and make me laugh, and then suddenly remember the dread all over again. This made our visits unpredictable.

One day while we talked, and she cried, a thought struck me as I thought ahead to what may become of this dear friend.

I held her hand in both of my own, and said, "Ok, let's make a conjecture that you reach 63 years old, having NEVER BECOME ILL; never contracted cancer, heart disease, pulmonary disorder, or even a case of shingles. At age 63 you will have wasted countless years in worry that might have been happy years instead. Then what? You won't get them back. Right now, you have a chance to get those years back before they are lost."

There was a silence, and then we began to hear the sound of her husband's car in the driveway. It was time to leave. But this had been the first time there had been a detectable silence as a response, and it gave me hope.

Early the next morning, I heard our phone ringing through the darkness of a bleak winter's morning. I dashed for it, afraid our toddler would wake. "Hello...?" I said, with some concern.

"Hello, it's Rachel! You won't believe it - I've slept through the night for the first time in years! Without sleeping medication, and today I have woken up with a light heart! Praise God!"

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"Whaat! Oh Rachel - tell me what happened!!"

"I knew there was a choice between trust, and torture. And I finally chose trust!" she said, and there was a lightness in her voice that had never been there. "I don't want to waste these precious years!"

It was a Sunday, and I was to sing at the base chapel. Looking out over the crowd as I sang, I saw something resembling a bright light - Rachel's face! She was staring up at me, her face shining, filled with rest. Her fears had been given to Someone else.

The words of the song drifted out over that gathering..

I have found a Resting Place,

I have found a Resting Place,

I have found a Resting Place

that Jesus spoke about :

Come unto Me and rest!

Come unto Me and rest.

Lay down your burdens, weary one:

Come unto Me and rest.

As I sang, it was difficult to recognize her. I don't know if her own husband recognized her! But I can tell you this: that was one changed man, right there. His face shone as much as hers, as he listened..

There's a quiet place I've found

Where Jesus' love is all around.

It's in my life, here in my heart

Because He said to me:

Come unto Me and rest!

Come unto Me and rest.

Lay down your burdens, weary one:

Come unto Me and rest.

-adapted from Matthew 11:28 - 30

It's a Message we all need, my dear Readers. Perhaps it is time to exchange our chains for His yoke. Remember? It is easy, and His burden is light.

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See you along the Way!

the SconeLady

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photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14783946482/">Internet Archive Book Images</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">cc</a>