PREVIOUSLY: Mara has attended her first-ever Christian Rock concert. Along with her best friend, Jujee, she's looking forward to an awesome experience. However, Jujee ditches her to sit with the cooler kids, leaving Mara alone and devastated. A boy from her Spanish class overhears the conversation and introduces himself. They end up spending the concert together. In order to convince her parents this was not a date, Mara informs them Gabe was at the concert to write a review and may be willing to use her photographs to accompany the article. What she does not tell them is that she has a secret crush on Gabe Sanders.

          **********


Mara spread the prints of the concert photographs in a straight line across the table. Gabe picked up each picture and studied it, giving no indication of his opinion either way. Mara’s stomach quivered with anxiety. The longer he lingered, the more foolish she felt. Why’d I think he’d be interested in my pictures? I’m a total amateur, and he’s gonna tell me to get lost. 

     Gabe laid down all but one of the pictures. He tapped his finger on the print she, too, favored while his eyes sought hers. “This is an awesome shot, Mara. If you’re cool with it, I’d like to submit this to my editor.” 

     Mara's face lit up with joy. “I was afraid you wouldn’t like any of them.” 

     Gabe reached to where Mara’s hand rested on the table. He lifted her hand and, one by one, he straightened her fingers. His lips curved in a slow smile and he said, “You’re as talented as you are pretty. What do I have to do to make you see I’m telling you the truth?”

     His skin, where it touched hers, created a delicious sensation--something so new she struggled to find a way to express what she was feeling. A loud bang made her jump in her chair, wiping away the words she’d formed in her mind.

     The banging grew louder, accompanied by a disembodied voice: “What’s taking you so long, Mara? We have to be out the door in ten minutes.”

     Mara's arms shot out from beneath her blankets, pulling her body upright. She zeroed in on the bedside clock and groaned when she realized it was the Sunday after the Skillet concert and she’d overslept.

     Kris Devlan knocked two more times and added, “Mara, do you hear me?”  

     “Mom, I HEAR you," she yelled back. "I'll be right down."

     Throwing back her blankets, Mara slid her legs across the sheets and onto the floor. Combing her fingers through her hair, she pushed down her disappointment. I can’t believe it was a dream, she thought. It felt so real.

     Mara forced herself to stand. Dragging her feet across the floor to the bathroom, she longed to be back in her bed, deep in the dream and wrapped in the warmth of Gabe’s attention.

     No time for a shower. Her hair was a jumbled mass and it took precious minutes to get the tangles out. Arranging it into a loose braid, Mara tossed it over her shoulder. She noticed a dark red spot on the side of her nose. "Ugh. Just what I need right now is a ginormous pimple." She ran into her bathroom and dug through her make-up drawer for a tube of concealer. To offset the pasty look it created, she applied peach blush to her cheeks.

    She moved to her bedroom dresser and stood in front of it, picturing where she'd put her pair of black jeans. Oh, yeah, the bottom drawer. She pulled out the jeans and found a layer of white fuzz from the sweater she'd laid on top of them. Darn! I'll have to take the lint brush with to take care of this later.

     Looking around, she located her backpack on top of her bookcase. She'd hoped to wear her Skillet tee-shirt to church, partly to fit in with the other teens who'd attended the Skillet concert and would, undoubtedly be wearing theirs today. She located the shirt still in its plastic bag and held it up for closer examination. The previous night she'd been so preoccupied with Gabe and the excitement of the concert she hadn't bother to check it over. The tag indicated it was medium-sized when she'd requested a large.

     Mara slipped it over head hoping for the best, but didn't need the mirror to confirm that it was too tight across her chest. That’s just great. My only memorabilia from the concert and I can’t even wear the stupid thing.

     She balled up the offending object and threw it into the corner, then pulled on a sweater that she’d worn, like, a million times before.

     “Mara,” her mother yelled up the stairs. “We need to leave now. Your father says the roads are slippery, and we’ve got less than twenty minutes to get across town.”

     “I’m coming,” she shouted. Grabbing her Bible from the nightstand and shoving it to the bottom of her backpack, Mara slid her feet into a pair of warm boots and headed downstairs.

                                                                                                              ***

     Kris scooped the last bit of her oatmeal into her mouth and placed the bowl in the sink. She turned as Mara entered the kitchen and repressed the urge to comment on her daughter’s somber mood. She'd expected Mara to be sparkling with happiness after her big night. Instead, she looked downcast, and her mother noted the little care she took in picking out her clothes for church. I suppose it's natural to feel a bit let down after last night's high. She'll feel better once we get to church. 

     Zipping up her jacket, Kris crossed to the closet, lifted a scarf from a hook and wrapped it around her neck. Over her shoulder, she advised Mara to do the same: "I think a scarf would be a good idea. The wind's extra cold today."

    Kirs turned to where her husband came in from the garage after warming up the family's second car and making sure there was a carafe of coffee for his wife and tea for Mara waiting in the console. He’d be coming to church later to join his wife for the 11 a.m. adult service while Mara would join the Rev-A-Teen group offering a program geared towards the teenagers of Mt. Zion. It was a long day as Mara and Kris were part of Associate Pastor Liz Sherwood's Kids-Connected ministry, too, which allowed parents to enjoy an earlier service in the main sanctuary knowing their children, simultaneously, learned about their Christian faith in a dynamic environment.

     Scott kissed his wife's cheek and said, "I'm worried about you traveling the roads this morning. There's a sheen of ice across the whole driveway. I know you'll be careful--it's the other people on the road I worry about. So, when you get to church give me a call."

     "Will do, Honey," Kris replied as she followed Mara out the door. 

                                                                                                                ***

     Kris loved the children's ministry with the kind of passion that comes from a heart on fire for the Lord. She once testified about her commitment before the larger congregation as part of a Grow-It movement within her church, encouraging members to utilize their God-given talents. She spoke of her part in the children’s ministry and her words rang with authority. “Kids with confidence and a deep knowing of the beliefs and expectations of their Christian faith hold the key to a better future for all of us. Imagine a world of young people on fire for the Lord. Well, that’s what we’re doing here at Mt. Zion.” Pointing to a toddler in the front row, she continued, “We start with the 'least' among us, inspiring them to be the change this world needs.”
 
     Mara, too, joined the children’s ministry when she became of age because of her own experience growing up in the program. When she was five, her parents moved to the small town of Haslett. They discovered Mt. Zion through a reference from the pastor back in Illinois where they used to live.
 
     Scott and Kris fell in love with the church the first Sunday they attended. Following the service, they stopped at Denny’s for waffles. Scott entwined his fingers with Kris’s, looking happy as a cat exiting a pile of catnip. Kris leaned across the table and asked, “What are you thinking?”

     He leaned forward onto his elbows. “I can’t believe our luck. Not only is Pastor Wayne an outstanding speaker, but the caliber of the music is exceptional,” he gushed. “I mean, we had good music back home in Illinois, but it was piped in. This church has a drum set, electric guitars, piano, and even a horn. I’ve never heard anything like it.” Since both loved music, it was a defining moment in the commitment to Mt. Zion – a decision they’d never once regretted.

     The very next week, Kris enrolled Mara in the Kids-Connect program. She knew her daughter found it hard to be separated from her, and hoped that Mara might learn to trust other adults in the safe environment provided by church.

     Mt. Zion had an excellent system whereby each child was assigned a number, which was pinned to their chest. If the child became frightened or unruly, there was a board in the main sanctuary that would light up with the child’s number giving the parents a heads-up that a situation was developing.
 
     At first, it was tough leaving Mara with strange people, no matter how kind and gentle they appeared. For three months of consecutive Sundays, Kris had to leave the service early when Mara’s number lit up the board. In her own time, Mara got used to the set-up, even looking forward to Sunday services so she could ‘play’ with her friends.
 
     When she announced she wanted to be part of the ministry, Kris gave her husband a knowing smile. It had been their hope that Mara would want to have a personal investment in the church, and they were pleased with her decision. It required being at the church by 8:00 A.M. in order to set up chairs and gather teaching materials for the older children. A separate area held toys and small tables and chairs for the younger children to color and play.
 
                                                                                                     ***

     “Mawa, mawa,” five-year-old, Mazie squealed on seeing her idol come through the door. She ran across the room full-tilt, bumping into Violet, her sister and knocking the toddler onto her butt. Immediately, Violet let out a scream causing her mother to rush to her side, but Mazie only had eyes for Mara.

     Dropping her backpack onto the seat of a folding chair, Mara knelt and opened her arms and her young fan flew into them, saying, “I fought you weren’t coming.” 

     Mara first hugged her tight, then set her back on the floor. Mazie’s heart-shaped face was lit with joy and through her grin, Mara spied empty spaces that previously held teeth. She cupped the little blonde’s face in her hands and said, “I slept in a little bit, but I’m here now, Munchkin.”

     Mazie giggled and pointed a finger at her own chest. “Munchin, that’s me.”

     “That’s right, Mazie.”  

     Wiggling herself into a position where she could wrap her arms around Mara’s waist, she laid her head against the teenager's shoulder and announced, “I wuv you, Mawa.”

     “I love you, too,” Mara said as she rested her head on top of Mazie's. The warmth of the moment cast her worries about Jujee and Gabe into the background.  

     Holding out her hand, Mazie counted off four fingers. “I wuv you, momma, daddy and Jethus. That four right?"

    “Why, yes it is. That’s very good. But what about Violet?"

     Mazie didn’t answer and Mara felt she shouldn’t push the little girl to tell a lie. “It’s okay if you don’t always like your little sister,” she said in a soft voice. “Jesus understands because he had brothers and sisters, too.”

     “Jethus knowths everthing, doesn’t He?” 

     Mara caught Kris's eye from across the room. A rush of love flowed between them. Looking down into the hazel eyes that offered so much unspoken trust, Mara leaned in close and said, “Yes He does, Munchkin. I think Jesus is the best friend we could ever have.”

 
~~~ to be continued ~~~