Page 171 of Share with Me

Grandma pushed the brown paper bag toward him. “Chinese takeout. Like we used to do on Thursday nights with Grandpa Otto. Remember?”

Ivan remembered. “We’d watch reruns on TV.”

Maybe not.

He’d sold the TV yesterday morning to the kid down the street. A hundred dollars out of that. They could buy food for a couple of weeks.

If we watch our spending! So what is this takeout food I see?

“Where did you get the money, Grandma?”

“God always provides, dear.” Grandma tried to get a plate out of the cabinet, but she seemed to have lost strength.

Ivan quickly went around the island and helped her get a couple of dinner plates. They were chipped too, like everything else. He put the plates down. He helped Grandma to their rickety folding kitchen table and seated her.

Then he went back to the island and ripped the paper bag to get the boxes of takeout. As he was doing that he noticed the receipt. Including delivery charges, it was —

“Are you kidding me? Fifty dollars!”

“It’ll be fine, dear. We won’t have to cook for a few days.”

“Yeah. It’s a feast.” Ivan bit down on his lips. He didn’t want to scare Grandma with the news of the two checks that had bounced this weeks. Water and electric. Good thing the antique Chevy was paid for. He’d have to save gas by cycling more. But his wrist hurt badly when he held the handlebar. He’d have to get a ride from Matt. Matt said he didn’t mind, but Ivan didn’t want to impose on his old friend.

“So what’s the occasion?” Ivan asked.

“Celebrating life.”

“That’s all?” Ivan placed a full plate of food in front of Grandma. There were almond chicken and beef and lots of onions and Grandma’s favorite, shrimp fried rice.

Grandma Yun’s eyes lit up. “I don’t know if I can eat all this.”

“I know you can.” Ivan chuckled. “There’s more, besides. Who wants to say grace?”

“You do it.”

Ivan sat down. He’d make it brief. Thank God quickly and dig in. But as he opened his mouth to call out to God, he found that he couldn’t speak. He’d been so mad at God that he found it hard to come now before Him, the Creator and Ruler of the universe, to thank Him for this food bought with money that would have to come out of their maxed-out credit card.

Why did God allow their life to be this hard? It was maddening.

Maybe he should talk to an accountant to get their finances straightened out. Well, wasn’t that what Brinley had told him to do?

Brinley.

I can’t get her out of my mind, Lord!

“Are you going to say a blessing or not?” Grandma asked.

“You say it.”

Slowly, Grandma spoke. “Thank you, Lord, for who You are, for the many blessings You have given us over the years, for my Otto, who is in heaven now and whom I will see again soon, for my two wonderful grandsons, Quincy and Ivan, and my lovely granddaughter, Willow, in Atlanta, and the new great-grandchild to come, whatever his or her name will be.”

As she paused to catch her breath, Ivan wondered when Grandma’s prayer would ever end.

“And for dear Brinley, so sweet, so caring, so kind, who now knows You. Thank You, Lord, for saving her soul.”

Why did she have to bring up Brinley?

“Her salvation means so much to me and might have been why You kept me on earth this long. Thank You for letting me share your Gospel with her, for her listening ear and her desire to grow in grace day by day. So many blessings, Lord. Forever I will give You praise and honor and glory. And now for this food…”

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