Page 148 of Share with Me

“Not yet. I’ll buy them on my iPad.” Brinley finished plating their lunch, saving some for Ivan in a container. She labeled it with his name and a smiley face on it, and put it as close to the front as possible on a prominent shelf in the refrigerator so he could see it right away the next time he opened the door.

Yun said the blessing, a long one, longer than her usual mini prayers.

Brinley listened intently, wondering why it’d taken her this long to kneel at the foot of the cross when all the riches of the universe were right there in the palm of God’s hand. How much of God’s blessings had she missed in her twenty-six years of life?

Or perhaps she hadn’t missed any. God had blessed her anyway because His love was great that way.

“Amen.” Yun dug in.

Brinley ate slowly. Everything from Southern Soul Barbecue was delicious, from the hickory-smoked beef to the plain white bread. They talked about nothing in particular. Yun wasn’t preachy today. Something seemed to be on her mind, Brinley could tell. The nonagenarian ate very little, as if she had to save it for more than one meal.

“That hit the spot.” Yun placed a wrinkly hand on Brinley’s arm. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”

“Happy to, Yun. Now. About the hymns. I take requests.” Brinley reached for her tote bag and the iPad inside.

“I like everything on that CD. Pick any one you like.”

“I can do that.”

They adjourned to the family room.

Soon, sheet music downloaded, Brinley sat down at the old Victorian piano, all eighty-eight keys still intact, but in need of a tuning. Brinley managed as best she could without being distracted by some of the voiceless keys.

Yun’s voicing the lyrics more than made up for the poorly tuned piano. Brinley continued playing, a silly smile pasted on her face. Her heart was full and she was at peace. This was one of the simple things in life she’d craved. And now she had it.

All to Jesus I surrender…

Brinley wasn’t sure when Judson Wheeler Van de Venter had written the lyrics or when Winfield Scott Weeden had put it to music, but she had heard it at Seaside Chapel more than once when Grandpa Brooks had taken her to church back in her teenage years.

So much time had passed since then. But the old hymn remained.

I will ever love and trust Him…

In His presence daily live…

Brinley continued sight-reading as Yun’s voice rose to finish the song with gusto. Her eyes sparkled when she finished singing.

Brinley swiped the iPad to get to the next song.

“Oh, this one is Ivan’s favorite,” Yun said.

“Is it?” Brinley wasn’t here to play it for Ivan. It was for Yun, to help her feel better about her grandson’s plight, and perhaps to make her own self feel better too. But hymns and spiritual songs weren’t to make people feel better, were they? Brinley knew these were offerings of praise and adoration to God.

So. I will play this next song for You, Lord Jesus. And only You.

The iPad screen blurred the words of Fanny Crosby’s old hymn. Brinley dried her eyes and reached for the black and white keys, adding to the notes on her iPad as she went on. She couldn’t hear Yun singing along, but it didn’t matter. She was playing “Blessed Assurance” for the Lord. And only Him.

This is my story, this is my song…

Praising my Savior all the day long…

In her mind, Fanny Crosby had nailed it. That hymn had summarized all that Brinley had found in Christ. She hung on to the last note.

“Can you remember your improvisation?”

The whisper in her ear startled her.

Brinley spun around and came face to face with Ivan. He straightened up. She left her bench and almost hugged him. But she didn’t because of his cracked ribs.

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