The Christmas Bus by Melody Carlson

Author:Melody Carlson [Carlson, Melody]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2010-07-12T22:00:00+00:00

9

When she got to church, Edith wasn’t terribly surprised to see that Myrtle was, once again, in her seat. And since she was late, Edith decided to sit in the back. Sure it felt strange, but in light of everything else it seemed fitting. It was as if her world were getting turned upside down, or perhaps tilting sideways. Hopefully, things would improve by Christmas. The idea of having a houseful of bickering guests over the holidays made Edith want to run away from home.

She scanned the backs of heads, recognizing old friends and neighbors as well as a few of their guests. She was just late enough to have missed introductions, and she desperately hoped that Myrtle hadn’t done anything to upset anyone’s applecart, specifically Mr. Benson’s. But all seemed calm and normal. And the church was fuller than usual, although that still meant that more than half the seats were vacant.

She noticed Collin and Amy, only a couple of rows ahead of her, and she might have imagined it, but it seemed that when Charles came to the challenging part of his sermon, Collin leaned forward just a bit as if trying to soak the words in. That was encouraging. Perhaps the delay of their departure really was for a good reason. Maybe these two young people would take away something good—perhaps even something life changing—before they left Christmas Valley for good.

Just three days until Christmas Eve, she told herself as the service wound down and they stood to sing the anthem. So much to be done. And, she wondered, was it really worth all the work and effort? Oh, it was one thing to stretch herself this thin for her own family and loved ones, but what had she been thinking to go to this much trouble for a bunch of strangers? Somewhat cantankerous strangers at that. Just then some of the words from Charles’s sermon last week drifted through her mind. Showing hospitality to strangers . . . perhaps entertaining angels unaware . . .

She looked again at the young couple standing just ahead of her. Collin had his arm draped protectively over Amy’s shoulders as he gave her a little squeeze. So seemingly vulnerable and in such a desperate state of need, and to think these two were about to become parents! It must be overwhelming. Would these young people be able to make it? Goodness knows they barely had a roof over their heads.

And that’s when something hit her—almost as if God himself had whacked her over the head with a hymnal. She actually jumped. Why hadn’t she considered this before? This struggling young couple wasn’t so different from sweet Mary and Joseph so long ago! And, not unlike Jesus’s parents, Collin and Amy had found no room at the inn as well! How interestingly ironic! In fact, here she’d been thinking about hospitality and angels and, well . . . but the song ended, and she was quickly brought back to the here and now by her husband’s voice.

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