Page 51 of Sing with Me

He searched for the verse that talked about God’s thoughts being so much higher than his own. He found it in Isaiah 55:9.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Recognizing that God was greater than his own mind, Diehl thanked God for the reminder and asked God to forgive him for going his own way for so many years. Thirteen or fourteen years now?

So much time wasted wandering through the wilderness or through dry and weary deserts with no water.

He copied the verse and texted it to Skye.

It was too late before he realized what he had just done. He cringed. Who was he to send verses to Skye, who had been in church her entire life and hadn’t strayed from God?

He was the prodigal son, wasn’t he? Even when he had been wandering away from the faith, he knew he had sinned against God. He knew that God hadn’t been pleased with him, living a decadent lifestyle with Isobel. However, after they married, he kept his marriage vows and remained faithful to Isobel. Could it be possible that his withdrawal from their once exciting nightlife had caused her to stray from their marriage?

He wished he could ask Isobel if she realized that when his older brother had died suddenly, he lost all interest in their partying days, their opulent lifestyle, and temporal things?

Diehl spent the next number of years filling in Parker’s shoes at Brooks Investments. Diehl soon discovered how much work Parker had done with Dad in the company, taking it from millions to billions. Between Diehl and Brinley, they carried on Parker’s legacy.

However, Diehl’s marriage fell apart in the interim. He and Isobel grew distant. They had once married for money and convenience, to make sure that their children had two parents, and that was the extent of their connection with each other.

He should never have remarried her after the divorce.

Still, she was the mother of their children, and had custody of them. Once remarried, the children would be in the same household again.

Had Diehl remarried Isobel for the children’s sake?

Why had he taken such serious matters so lightly? If marriage was ordained by God, then it wasn’t a frivolous business transaction that could be terminated at any time. Wasn’t marriage for life?

Ironically, Isobel had passed away.

Their marriage had ended.

Was he now free to marry again? Perhaps for love this time?

Isn’t marrying for love the best kind of marriage?

Skye’s words. A statement wrapped up in a question. Her convictions?

His phone chimed. He checked the notifications. A text message from Skye.

Thank you for the verse.

Diehl debated on whether to call her or text back. Before he knew it, he called her. Audio only. “Hi. Still awake?”

“Getting ready for bed. You?” Skye asked.

“Same. Hey, I want to apologize for interrupting your business meeting at Saffron.”

“We hadn’t started the meeting. We were on our way to the top deck.”

“Beautiful night.”

“Yes,” Skye said. “Next time let me know when you’ll be at Saffron.”

“It was a last-minute decision.” As he had told her at the restaurant.

“How did you get a reservation at such a late notice?”

“Well, you’ll have to ask Mom,” Diehl said. “She has her ways.”

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