Chapter 19
A fter talking with Ada, Cash paid attention in church on Sunday. Sure enough, there were several people that he had not seen before, and he saw people greeting them. Showing them where to go. Aunt Karen and Ada exchanged smiles as that happened.
His wife definitely had a different way of working, but the fact that she had ideas, and was helping in the church without people even knowing it, appealed to him.
It was much different than Abby’s attention seeking ways, but...better in a lot of ways.
“Looks like marital life is treating you well. If I’m not mistaken, you gained a few pounds,” Ezra’s voice came over his shoulder, and as he turned around, Ezra smirked at him.
“I think you might be right about that, and it’s more than a few. Ada is quite a cook, and Aunt Karen doesn’t like to be outdone. I think they have cooking competitions rather than fighting over me.”
It was maybe a little egotistical, but it was true. Both of the women in his life adored him, and he had to say, after the way he’d been treated by his church in Virginia, it was a balm to his soul to know that they both loved him. Just because they both showed it in cooking was a little bit of a problem, but he wasn’t too worried about it.
“Well that’s good. You look happy, and Ada is glowing as well,” Ezra said. Although, if Cash wasn’t mistaken, a small sliver of worry slid across Ezra’s face as he looked at his sister.
Cash followed his gaze, and understood why he might be concerned. While Cash had gained a few pounds, it looked like Ada had lost a few. Her dress, which seemed to fit her just fine not that long ago, seemed to hang from her frame, and the tired circles were prominent under her eyes.
“She and I are heading to Virginia this week. I was asked to come back to the church so they could apologize to me.”
“Really?” Ezra said, shifting the child on his hip to a more comfortable position. The little one had his head on his dad’s shoulder, his thumb in his mouth, and his eyes were drooping. Someone was ready for their midmorning nap. “That’s great news. You must be ecstatic.”
“I am very happy that the truth finally came out. I feel bad for Zoe, who felt like she had to lie like that. But she’s already stood up in front of the church and apologized and explained that she lied. Everyone knows it, and my head deacon is after me to come back so the church can apologize. Ada agreed that it might be a nice honeymoon trip. I’ve just been struggling to get away from the car dealership.”
“I understand how work can sometimes grab ahold of a man not let go,” Ezra said, and Cash thought about what he and Ada had talked about life on the farm. Ezra sounded like he knew exactly what he was talking about.
“Yeah. I allow myself to get caught up a little more than what I expect to. And I tell myself that it’s because Aunt Karen was depending on me to help her make it solvent again, but I think there’s also a bit of my ego involved. Which is scary.”
“Yeah. A man’s ego can be a scary thing. We do a lot of things to keep it happy.”
They stood there for a moment, and then Ezra glanced around and lowered his voice.
“I have a question for you that I just want you to think about.”
“All right,” Cash said uncertainly. He thought maybe he was going to get in trouble because Ada looked tired. And he was marshaling his arguments, trying to think how best to convince Ezra that Ada had told him emphatically that she was happy and she enjoyed what she was doing, and did not think she was doing too much.
“Pastor Stone is considering leaving the pulpit. I am on the committee of folks who will be looking for a new pastor if that’s the case. I was hoping that you might consider it.” He paused, looked around again, and then lowered his voice even more. “For years now, my family and I have talked about how difficult it is to get away from the farm, especially in dude ranch season, to make it to church on Sundays. We don’t mind the hassle, but sometimes it’s impossible. And then, once we get home, trying to get everyone together to eat... It’s just hard. We’ve often said we needed to hire a preacher. We were mostly joking about it, but I got to thinking, we’ve got a preacher in the family now. And I wondered if that might be something that would interest you? Delivering the sermon on Sunday afternoon to my family before or after we have our meal. It would be a lot easier for us to gather on the ranch, and when we have dude ranch guests, and other people on the farm, they would come too. Actually, we’d probably open it up and anyone would be invited. We might end up putting up a building or something on the farm.”
He knew where Ada got her heart for the Lord. Here was Ezra, thinking of ways to get people in church who might not normally be there, and thinking of more ways to try to get his family in church, even though it was difficult and hard with the work they did on the farm.
Ezra shifted the child once again. His eyes were completely closed. “Whether or not you’re interested in the church here, I’d appreciate it, as long as you’re around, if you’d consider allowing the Clybourn family to hire you for Sunday afternoons.” He grinned. “Maybe even for hospital visits and sick person visits and all of those good things. Bible study. You know, for wintertime when things are slow.”
He was grinning now, but Cash could tell he was dead serious. His family was big enough and apparently they were making enough money that they could hire a preacher of all things.
“I’ll keep that in mind. I didn’t say, but I am also going back to Virginia because John asked me if I might be interested in taking the church over again. So, obviously, if I decide that’s the way the Lord is leading us, then I would have to turn down your offer. Otherwise... I was thinking that once I’m done at the car dealership, I’m going to need to do something. Being pastor of the church would be a good job, and I know Ada loves the farm. She’s mentioned more than once that there would be a place for us to stay if we decided to move there.” He paused. This was something that he only thought in his mind, and never mentioned out loud to anyone, including and especially Ada. “Please don’t say anything to my wife, because I didn’t want to get her hopes up. I know she loves and misses her family, although you know Ada, and she has not said a word. So, she’s not complaining at all. And she has told me that she will be happy wherever she is.”
“That’s Ada.” Ezra said simply.
“Yeah. I’ve been blessed. Anyway, I might consider moving back to the farm, if there really is a place.” He hadn’t realized how right that sounded until the words were out of his mouth. But if things didn’t work out in Virginia, he wanted to seriously think about moving to the ranch.
“There is. Anytime,” Ezra said without hesitation.
“So I don’t know what God’s going to do yet, and I was mostly thinking that before this opportunity in Virginia opened up. I started that church, and I love those people, and I’d like to see the work move forward, but God clearly moved me out of there, and even going back to visit feels like taking a step backwards. But still, I told John I would do it, and so I will.”
“That’s totally up to you. But just know that there’s always a place for you on the farm. Always a place for Ada, and we’d love to have you as our preacher, here in Sweet Water, and also on the farm. That’s if pastor Stone decides to take the pastorate he’s been offered. I think it’s in Virginia as well, if I recall correctly,” Ezra said, furrowing his brows.
“Ironically, pastor Stone has an offer from the church I started.”
“You don’t say,” Ezra said, immediately seeing the irony of the situation, and God’s hand at work.
“Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Cash said, and Ezra nodded.
Several people came over, and started talking, and they moved apart. Still, Cash kept the conversation in his mind, because of all the men he’d ever met, Ezra was one of the strongest Christians and one that he admired the most. What Ezra had done with his family, how he’d shepherded them after his parents had left, what they built on the farm, and how all the children, including Ada, behind him had followed and modeled his behavior, was impressive to say the least.
He also admired the relationship that Ezra had with his wife, who obviously adored him. It was an upward spiral that Cash would like to emulate in his own life. With Ada, that was more than possible. She was the kind of woman a man could pretty much do anything and with her behind him, it would be hard for him to not be successful. Because she would be cheerleading his every move.
He felt torn. He didn’t know what God wanted him to do, whether it was to go to Virginia, or to stay in Sweet Water. Especially after Ezra’s offer. But, he’d already promised Ada that they were heading to Virginia, and hopefully the trip would help them shed some light on the situation, and he would continue to pray that God would lead him in the direction he was supposed to go.