The unannounced christma.., p.12
The Unannounced Christmas Visitor, page 12
If he was upset about last night, there wasn’t a trace of it anywhere on his face or in his demeanor. If anything, he looked happy to see John again.
I would have been furious, John thought, shaking his head in disbelief. “My reason for coming here is twofold. First, I’ve come to ask for your forgiveness.”
“Forgiveness for what?”
“For not inviting you to stay in my home last night.” John said it soft enough so only Enoch could hear him. “I tossed and turned all night thinking about you.”
“There’s no need to ask my forgiveness, John. You did more than you said you would. Not only did you feed me a nutritious meal, everyone was grateful for the food and clean clothes.
“The women, especially, couldn’t fill their senses enough of the fresh scent on their just-washed clothing. I believe the aroma alone helped them forget about the frigid temperatures for a while.”
“Think nothing of it. It was our pleasure.”
Seeing the pain in his eyes, Enoch said, “You are under no obligation to house me, John.”
John sighed. “That may be so, but it was still wrong of me to do such a thing.”
“Well, then, if it’s my forgiveness you seek, I forgive you, John.”
“I’ve also come to invite you back to the house. For as long as you want this time.”
Enoch raised an eyebrow, then studied John’s face very carefully. Surely, he must be the one...The old man suddenly felt God nudging him inside, confirming that John Jensen was indeed his Mission on Earth. Thy will be done, Lord...
“Yes, I will come with you, John.”
“By the way, who can I give this to?” John pulled a $50 bill from his wallet and handed it to Enoch.
“What shall it be used for?”
“Perhaps hot coffee to warm everyone a bit. Hope it’s enough for everyone. Sorry I can’t give more.” I can’t even afford this!
“No need to apologize, John. They will be most appreciative of your kind generosity.” Enoch handed the money to Tiwanna. “Please see that it is wisely spent.”
Tiwanna beamed, “Absolutely! Very kind of you, John.”
“It’s my pleasure…”
Mindful of John’s financial woes, Enoch saw the same worry surface in his eyes he saw the night before. “You will never lose anything you give away in love, John. But the things you keep all to yourself, those things you will surely lose.”
How does he always do that? “Shall we?”
“Just give me a few minutes to say bye to everyone.”
“Take all the time you need. I’ll take your things to the car.”
John gathered Enoch’s belongings and placed them in the trunk of his car, wondering if he was doing the right thing by inviting a complete-stranger into his home, without first conducting a full background check on him.
He quickly dismissed all suspicions. If anyone was safe, it was Enoch!
For the first time in a long time, John felt this surge of peace knowing how happy his family would be seeing him again, especially knowing he was welcome to stay with them as long as he wanted this time.
For grace, it would be like receiving an early Christmas present.
What John didn’t know was that he would be greatly challenged in the coming days, by the old man slowly making his way to the vehicle.
“You’ll be greatly missed,” Leroy said to Enoch, with a sinking feeling that his mentor’s days on the streets had just come to an end. Part of him wanted to beg him not to go.
Pedro, Tiwanna, Wanda and Suzie also sensed Enoch’s days with them were over. They, too, selfishly wanted him to remain with them, but knew he was a Mission waiting to happen all this time.
The fact that Enoch accepted John’s kind offer, after politely refusing all others, spoke volumes. Was John his Mission?
The collective mindset among them was that he was.
“Visit us often,” Tiwanna said softly, watching her spiritual mentor lower himself inside the car. Tears trickled down her frosty cheeks, one after the next.
When John and Enoch pulled away, all eyes were drawn to Leroy.
Without even asking, Leroy knew they would now look to him as the new spiritual leader at the city park.
Leroy gulped hard and left it at that...
17
AT 6:45 A.M. THE front door opened.
“We’re home!” John announced, almost proudly.
We? Lydia was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She lowered the heat on the stove and went to the living room to see John and Enoch standing at the front door.
A smile crossed Lydia’s face, “Welcome back! We’re just about to have breakfast. How does cream of wheat and homemade biscuits sound?”
“Sounds delicious!”
“Good. It’ll be ready in just a few minutes.”
Looking at John, she said, “No work today?”
“I’m off until after the new year.”
“When were you going to tell me?”
“I’ll explain later, okay?”
Explain? Hmmm. With Enoch around, Lydia refrained from probing any deeper.
“I’ll get your things from the trunk,” John said to Enoch. “Make yourself comfortable.”
“Thank you, John.”
“I can’t tell you how happy Grace will be to see you.”
Just as Lydia said it, Matthew and Grace came racing down the stairs in their pajamas. Their hair was still messy.
“Good morning, children. Your father was kind enough to invite me to stay with you for a while.”
“Really?” Lydia’s face lit up. She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Whatever had gotten into her husband, it was refreshing.
“Yippie,” Grace shouted teary-eyed. She embraced Enoch and clung to his body like a second skin. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“And don’t worry, I didn’t forget your blanket.”
Matthew was so overjoyed that the fist-bump he always gave to Enoch was exchanged for a hug. “Welcome back,” the young boy said.
“Grace, why don’t you show Enoch to his room.”
“My room, Mommy?”
“Yes.”
Grace’s face lit up. “Oh, goodie.”
“If you’re tired and want to take a nap, feel free.”
“I had plenty of rest last night, Lydia. But it sure would be nice to soak my weary bones in a hot bathtub after breakfast.”
“Feel free to do as you wish. Our house is your house. We’re just honored to have you here.”
After breakfast, as the children got dressed for school, Enoch soaked in the tub for a half-hour before rejoining the Jensens in the living room.
“Mommy, can I brush Enoch’s hair before going to school?”
Lydia looked at the clock hanging on the wall. “We still have time.”
Just like last time, the old man gingerly lowered himself onto the carpeted floor, as Grace positioned herself behind him. And just like last time, Freeway inched up as close to her new best friend as she possibly could, tail wagging nonstop until Enoch finally caved in and stroked her golden-brown hair.
After a while Freeway rolled over, prompting the old man that she was ready to have her belly rubbed next.
As for Alex, the jury was still out as to whether or not he liked Enoch.
With much less knots in his long hair, the brush Grace used flowed evenly through Enoch’s hair with little resistance.
To Lydia’s great surprise, John offered to take the kids to school. She watched out the front window until they were out of sight, then joined Enoch on the living room couch.
The song We Three Kings was playing softly in the background.
“Doesn’t the tree look beautiful?”
“It sure does,” said Enoch. “I never thought twinkling lights could be so soothing to the eyes.”
Lydia chuckled. “When was the last time you had a Christmas tree of your own?” She wanted to ask him earlier but not in front of the children, just in case. She didn’t want to potentially embarrass him.
“Never had one before,” Enoch said, matter-of-factly.
Lydia wanted to ask why but thought better of it. Besides, they only had so much time before John returned from the supermarket. There were more important issues to discuss.
They sat in silence a few moments basking in the festive holiday ambiance, before Lydia spoke, “I must say, having you here is such a blessing. John hasn’t looked so alive in a very long time. But if you weren’t here...” She stopped. There was a distant gaze in her eyes.
“What changes have you noticed in your husband?”
“Aside from the fact that we never talk anymore, except, of course, when we’re arguing, for starters, he’s been drinking a lot lately. Usually one or two beers a day. I’m not saying he’s an alcoholic, but one or two a day can easily turn into three or four, if he doesn’t snap out of it soon.”
Lydia twirled her hair with her right pointer finger and continued, “Even when he drank beer on occasion in the past, it was never done in front of the children. Now he doesn’t seem to care.”
“And this all started seven months ago?”
“Yes. Give or take.”
“Can you explain why?”
“Perhaps he’s having a mid-life crisis.”
“And what do you think constitutes a mid-life crisis?”
“I’m not sure, actually.”
“Anything else, Lydia?”
“The only two things he’s interested in these days are watching football on TV and doing who knows what on his cell phone. Aside from that, he shows no interest in anything else. Especially me…”
Lydia felt her heart palpitating. “Even if I bread-crumbed a path for him to get to me, he wouldn’t take the first step. To the best of my knowledge, I don’t think he visits pornography sites. I just hope he hasn’t found another woman...” Her voice trailed off.
“Anything else?” the old man said very calmly, evenly, like a psychiatrist questioning a patient.
“John used to be so confident and full of life, ready to tackle any challenge that came his way. Everything was an adventure to him. And he always did his best to involve me and the kids. Now it’s as if he’s isolated himself from us.”
“Let me start by saying I agree John doesn’t have a problem with alcohol. At least not yet. I’m afraid his condition is far worse than that.”
“Worse?”
Enoch nodded yes. “What makes his downward spiral so difficult to detect is that it has little to do with the things that destroy so many marriages—things like drugs, alcohol, adultery, pornography or gambling.
“While those things have little to do with what ails your husband, at least for now, what John suffers from is the chief cause of all those things. The world may call it a ‘mid-life crisis’, but I wouldn’t call it that.”
“What is it then?”
“From an eternal standpoint, John suffers from having no sense of belonging.”
“What exactly do you mean?”
Enoch explained, “The reason he stopped caring so much and going to church is that nothing makes sense to him anymore. Most of his cynicism stems from not knowing who he is or why he’s even on this planet. What does it profit a man to pursue something that no longer makes sense to him, and leads to nowhere in his mind?”
“Guess I see your point.”
“Are you familiar with the Book of Ecclesiastes?”
“Somewhat.”
“I challenged your husband to read it.”
Lydia raised an eyebrow, “Really? And?”
“Time will tell. But even if he doesn’t, I suggest you read it for yourself. I believe it will give you further insight into your husband’s debilitating condition.”
“I’ll do anything.”
“Good, because as the stable one in your relationship, you have an important role to play.”
“What type of role?”
“To still love your husband despite himself, just like Yahweh loves you despite yourself.”
Lydia sighed, “Of course, I still love John. But I’m just so tired of being the only one trying.”
“Yahweh knows what you’re going through, Lydia. He also knows how difficult it is when one spouse carries most of the load. I can assure you that He feels your pain.”
Lydia looked down at her feet, “I admit sometimes I just want to give up. The kids sure would be better off not seeing us fighting all the time.”
“That certainly is true. But do you think Matthew and Grace would be better off if their parents were no more? Imagine sitting them both down and explaining that you and John were going to divorce.”
Tears rushed to Lydia’s eyes. “That thought never crossed my mind.”
“Good. Yahweh is ever mindful of the promise you both made to love each other in good times and in bad. While it’s normal for you to not feel tender or sympathetic toward John right now, or eager to please him as his wife, if you continue showing him acts of love despite your present lack of feeling, at some point it may serve to bring him back to his senses.”
“I hope so,” Lydia said, softly, sadly.
“Your husband is severely depressed, Lydia. Therefore, he’s incapable of seeing things rationally right now. If you develop the same destructive attitudes he has, your marriage will really be in trouble, much like a boat lost at sea without a compass or an anchor.
“So, in that regard, you must remain strong for the both of you, and always trust that Yahweh is walking with you every step of the way.”
Enoch let his words hang thick in the air a few moments. “By loving John during this difficult time, you’re really loving God. I assure you that your faithfulness to the covenant of marriage Yahweh has set forth will not go unrewarded.”
Lydia remained silent, pondering what Enoch had just said.
He went on, “You must constantly remind yourself that John’s toxic attitude of late has nothing to do with you and the children, and everything to do with himself. This should help you better cope with the situation. Another thing you can cling to is that he still loves you.”
“How can you tell? I see no evidence.”
“By his overall willingness to want to protect you and the children, despite that everything seems meaningless to him. The reason he visited me at the park in the first place, was that he wanted to make sure I was harmless enough to have in your house.” Enoch leaned up in his chair, “He also wanted to make you and the children happy.”
Seeing Lydia wasn’t convinced, he said, “Granted, these examples are mere shadows of the love he once showered upon you in great quantities. Even so, these are the things you must focus on when looking for reasons to stay connected to John during this difficult time.
“Instead of getting overly emotional thinking about how things used to be, start looking for small but steady steps in the right direction. Count each one a minor victory. Can you do that?”
Lydia took a deep breath and exhaled, “I’ll do my best.”
“Indeed, this is a time of testing in your marriage. I’ll even go so far to say this is where most marriages are either galvanized or destroyed. But take comfort knowing that the ones that survive after being severely tested, often end up being the most rewarding in the end.”
Lydia looked down at the floor. The thought of her marriage being further tested crushed her in the deepest chambers of her heart.
Enoch said, “Are you familiar with Romans eight, twenty-eight?”
Lydia’s face lit up, “It’s one of my favorite Bible verses. ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’”
Nodding yes, Enoch expounded on it, “Despite how badly people mess things up, Jehovah Jireh is still sovereign and in complete control of all things. We can never forget that His ways are so much higher and wiser than our ways.
“If He works all, not some, things for the good of those who love him, which you certainly do, and for those who are called according to His purpose, which you certainly are, you must cling to the promise that Yahweh is allowing these things to occur to re-position everyone to where they need to be, according to His purpose for each of your lives.”
Lydia sniffled, “Just like you said at the park the other day, right?”
“Precisely. So, with that in mind, think of this very trying time in your life as an opportunity for future positive change. To do your part, avoid focusing on the pain and your changing emotions. Also, it might be good to avoid discussing topics that will arm you both for battle.”
Enoch gazed deeply into Lydia’s eyes, “Most of all, keep praying without ceasing for Yahweh’s divine intervention. I assure you He is listening to your many cries for help.”
The way he said it made Lydia flinch. It’s almost as if he...hmm.
Enoch noticed and leaned all the way back in his seat, “In the meantime, let’s see if we can’t get you both reading God’s Word together, even if John doesn’t know it for the time being. Assuming he is reading Ecclesiastes, you should read it too.”
“I’ll read it tonight before going to sleep.”
“One more thing you must do.”
“What’s that?”
“Keep yourself and the children busy so John and I can spend lots of time alone.”
“No problem,” came the reply, without hesitation.
Freeway heard the car pulling into the driveway and dashed to the front door, so she could shower her master with unconditional love the moment she saw him.
Enoch leaned up in the chair again, “Who says dogs can’t teach us valuable lessons? See how Freeway loves unconditionally in good times and in bad?”
Lydia nodded.
“That’s precisely how Yahweh loves all who belong to Him, despite that we constantly let Him down. If a dog can do it, shouldn’t we also?”
Lydia got the message loud and clear.
BEFORE CALLING IT A night, for the first time in many months, the Jensens dropped to their knees on the living room floor, as Enoch led them all in prayer.
