{"id":4718,"date":"2011-10-31T03:06:13","date_gmt":"2011-10-31T07:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4718"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:25:09","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:25:09","slug":"contemplations-in-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=4718","title":{"rendered":"Contemplations in Church (by Puchi Ann)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/span>When a frilled bonnet and an old man’s sermon compete for a young man’s attention, which one do you think will win? \u00a0My contribution to the Michael Landon’s 2011 Birthday Literary Exercise.<\/p>\n

Rated: K \u00a0WC \u00a01200<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Contemplations in Church<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord have patience with me, and I will pay thee all,\u2019\u201d the minister quoted and then announced the sermon\u2019s title, \u201cBe Patient With Me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe Cartwright filed away both pieces of information, just in case he was asked later.\u00a0 Pa didn\u2019t check up on his attentiveness every Sunday, but often enough that Joe had learned to be prepared.\u00a0 The consequences of not being able to recite the appropriate text on a second\u2019s notice could be dire, so Joe always listened faithfully to what the minister had to say\u2014at least, to those first few words.\u00a0 After that, his mind could drift where it would, as long as he looked like he was doing what he ought to do in church.\u00a0 This morning it drifted across the aisle to the contemplation of a smooth cheek, blushing beneath a frilled bonnet.<\/p>\n

The cheek belonged to Lucille Louise Mayhew, and it graced a face that set his heart thumping in his chest.\u00a0 Joe was pretty sure he was in love with that face.\u00a0 Oh, not that he\u2019d never felt this way before.\u00a0 If he ever forgot, he had two brothers to remind him that Lucy Lou was not the first to make his heart tremble.\u00a0 Likely she wouldn\u2019t be the last, either.\u00a0 For now, though, hers was the only face he wanted to see, hers the only lips he longed to kiss, hers the only eyes he wished would turn his way.\u00a0 That\u2019s it<\/em>, his mind pleaded.\u00a0\u00a0 Just one glance my way.\u00a0 Show me those tender amber eyes, and I promise you I\u2019ll smile back<\/em>.<\/p>\n

But she didn\u2019t turn toward him.\u00a0 Maybe she wasn\u2019t willing to chance getting caught with her eyes on a handsome young man, instead of the grizzled old preacher.\u00a0 The thought of the preacher reminded him that he\u2019d better tote up a few more things that man was saying.\u00a0 Usually, Pa\u2019d believe he\u2019d really been paying attention if he could give him the text and topic, but once in a while he\u2019d want more proof.\u00a0 Better to provide some than to beg for mercy later.\u00a0 He pricked his ears toward the front and listened intently.<\/p>\n

\u201cJames teaches us that \u2018in many things\u2019 we offend all,\u201d the minister declared, \u201cand Proverbs correctly states that \u2018A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Having somehow managed to offend a brother more than once in his young life, Little Joe nodded in complete agreement, and without even planning it, he murmured, \u201cSo true, so true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShh,\u201d his father cautioned, but he smiled at his youngest, obviously pleased that the boy was giving such focused attention to the sermon.<\/p>\n

Little Joe knew from that moment that he was safe: Pa had fallen for his act.\u00a0 Funny thing was, though, he hadn\u2019t been acting in that moment, but even funnier, he actually wanted to hear a little more of what the preacher had to say.\u00a0 When it came to managing offended brothers, he figured he could use all the advice he could get.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your brother has legitimate cause to be offended with you,\u201d the preacher continued, \u201cthen you must first ask his forgiveness, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh, dear<\/em>, Joe thought.\u00a0 Might\u2019ve known it couldn\u2019t be anything easy<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do, however, suggest that you ask one more thing, especially if you are a habitual offender of your brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe sat up straighter, all ears again.\u00a0 Oh, yeah, this was advice he needed, \u2018cause he was pretty sure that Adam, at least, and probably even Hoss would agree that he was a habitual offender.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t despair if you find yourself falling into the same offense repeatedly.\u00a0 Help your brother to understand the reasons behind your failings,\u201d the preacher urged, \u201cand invite his prayers for your weaknesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not in a million years<\/em>, Little Joe thought with a roll of his eyes.\u00a0 I can\u2019t believe he\u2019d<\/em> even suggest something so stupid. \u00a0Obviously, this preacher ain\u2019t never met up with brothers like mine, who\u2019d turn a thing like that against a man at the drop of a hat!<\/em>\u00a0 Though his eyes turned back toward the sweet cheek beneath the frilly bonnet, his ear dimly registered the minister\u2019s final words:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then ask your brother, very simply, \u2018Please be patient with me.\u2019\u00a0 If necessary, remind him of this parable and his own obligation to be kind and forgiving.\u00a0 I\u2019ve often found this simple reminder to be effective in winning back the heart of an offended brother.\u00a0 Shall we pray?\u201d<\/p>\n

Little Joe bowed his head dutifully, though the only thing he prayed about was how to slip away from Pa long enough for a word with Lucy Lou.\u00a0 He squirmed on the seat, longing for the droning words from the pulpit to end.\u00a0 They finally did, and in his urgency to get out of the pew, Joe pressed up against his father\u2019s back.<\/p>\n

Ben immediately turned around with a frown.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is making you so fidgety this morning, young man?\u00a0 I could feel you bumping up against me all through the benediction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Uh-oh, big mistake, the kind that could unravel all his well-planned protection.\u00a0 Then, inspiration hit.\u00a0 Little Joe let his lower lip tremble, as if in deep contrition.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m only young, Pa,\u201d he murmured, following the preacher\u2019s advice to explain the reason for his failure, \u201cand my legs get twitchy, but I do try to sit still.\u00a0 Please . . . be patient with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled fondly.\u00a0 Well, well, the boy really had been listening, and he could scarcely afford to pass up this golden opportunity to reinforce the minister\u2019s message.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, son,\u201d he said gently.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, I\u2019ll be patient with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, can I get out now, then?\u201d Little Joe asked, painting on an anxious expression.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2014uh\u2014sort of need to run around to the outhouse right pronto.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, yes, run along,\u201d Ben said absently, slowly moving out of the way and heading toward the preacher to express his appreciation for the message.<\/p>\n

Little Joe darted down the aisle and hurried outside, eyes frantically searching the grounds.\u00a0 He pulled up short as he saw Lucy Lou stepping up into her family\u2019s surrey.\u00a0 Too late.\u00a0 All he could do was stare dreamily from a distance, but then\u2014wonder of wonders\u2014she turned toward him, and for one brief moment their eyes met.\u00a0 A shy smile curved the girl\u2019s lips and she gave him a discreet wiggle of her fingers that raised his hopes for better things to come.\u00a0 Then, just as quickly, she was gone, and since it really was a long ride back to the Ponderosa, Little Joe scurried around back toward the outhouse, dreaming up sweet words to whisper in her ear, first chance he got.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:When a frilled bonnet and an old man’s sermon compete for a young man’s attention, which one do you think will win? \u00a0My contribution to the Michael Landon’s 2011 Birthday Literary Exercise.<\/p>\n

Rated: K \u00a0WC \u00a01200<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":4719,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,40],"tags":[15,16,408],"class_list":["post-4718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humor","category-challenges","tag-ben","tag-joe","tag-mlblc","wpcat-4-id","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1164,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Church.jpg?fit=182%2C277&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15348,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15348","url_meta":{"origin":4718,"position":0},"title":"Joe Cartwright – Magician! 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