Continued from Part 3 in the short story series by Lynnette Easter
Vicki’s mother looked at her and cautiously said, “Six days before you were supposed to get married, you found out that the man you had been in a relationship with for five years, engaged to, and lived with for one year, could not commit to you. But you found all of that out from a little note he left you. A year passes and while out on a date tonight…you find out he is married and has a daughter. You walk out on your date with a good man, without giving him an explanation, to come home and sit in your pajamas…eating Haagen Dazs ice cream, all while watching Christmas love movies in the house you bought with your ex-fiancé! And you say you don’t need professional help to deal with all of this…?”
Vicki placed her empty carton of ice cream and coldly stated, “Let me start from the beginning: I had been praying and dating; dating and praying for a long period of time, you remember my many failed relationships, Mother. After realizing that I had been the option, rebound and afterthought woman in each one of my failed relationships, I got fed up.”
“I was tired of going through hopeless relationships while everyone of my closest friends were marching down the aisle to get married. I decided to start praying specifically: look, job, finances, height, credit score, where he lived, car he drove, family background, characteristics, etc. I also prayed that God would allow this man to love me unconditionally; marry me through sickness and health ‘til death do us part.’”
“When I met Roderick, I was set on not settling for anything less than what I had been praying for on a daily basis. I was extremely cautious as I observed him closely. He grew up in the church and at some point stopped attending; I understood because I was the same way. The only thing we differed on was our faith: I was saved, although he wasn’t. Yes, I know what it says in the Bible about being unequally yoked with unbelievers, but apart from that, he had exceeded my expectations in every way. I did what was best for me and walked away from the Bible here and there because if I adhered to the Bible, I would not have finally experienced my happiness!” Vicki continued.
She confessed to her mother, “Roderick was the closest I was going to get to answered prayers—there was no other man for me. How could I believe God really had set aside for me a saved man who exceeded everything I was praying for, when God had still not physically brought him into my life? I loved the life I was living and I could not give Roderick up to see if God would really come through for me.”
“My Life-Plan was written on a specific time frame. I could not trade my happiness and dreams for a life of indefinite loneliness because of Biblical technicalities. There was no way I was going to walk away from something and go to nothing because I needed to ‘wait on God.’”
Vicki paused and in a saddened voice, stated: “Mother, I do not need a counselor nor do I need a therapist. I do not need a psychiatrist, psychologist nor psychotherapist. I do not need a pastor nor spiritual advisor because I know the part I played in all of this. I chose to not walk away from Roderick in the very beginning. I traded Biblical truths for my wants, dreams, heart’s desires and happiness. I achieved what I wanted and so much more. I enjoyed all of it. Now, I am facing my consequences…the price that comes with indulgence in sin…”
