A Family of Their Own - By Gail Gaymer Martin Page 0,22
news in your lives. Lucy’s doing fine right now, but we’ve all faced the sorrows that come from the plight of our sick children, and we are in support of each other. If you need a friendly voice, remember—call one of us. Let us help in whatever way we can, and don’t forget, prayer is one of those ways.”
Hearing her comment startled her. She avoided prayer comments for those who weren’t believers, but today she felt the need, and maybe the Lord wanted her to open someone’s heart who needed to know that prayer helps. God listens.
How often she forgot that herself.
She pulled up her shoulders and faced them. “Last week I made a proposal. Not a new one, since I’d initiated the idea before, but last week I offered a new way to look at the idea of allowing men to be part of our group.” She chuckled. “I suppose that would mean a name change as well.”
A few giggles hit her ear.
“Last week I asked you to think about the idea and suggested we vote on it this week.” She gazed around the room, trying to get a sense of which way the vote would go. She failed and that made her nervous. “Does anyone want to offer any thoughts on the subject?”
One of the new women, Diane, if Kelsey remembered correctly, raised her hand. She gave the woman a nod.
“I told my husband about this, and he curled up his nose, but later that night after he’d thought about it, he said he might like to attend when he could. He works days, but he has flextime, so he could attend occasionally.”
“Wonderful, Diane.” She watched the woman’s expression and was relieved when she didn’t correct her. Diane, she said the name over in her mind. “Anyone else?”
Shirley Jack Meyer, one of the regulars, gave a wave. “My husband said he wouldn’t come to a meeting like this if you paid him a million dollars.”
A couple women chuckled.
Kelsey’s heart sank. “I’m sure some husbands wouldn’t want to attend…or couldn’t because of work, but I’m pleased you told him about it.”
“I’m dating a guy who really loves Timmy, and he sounded like he would come.”
The voice came from the back, but Kelsey didn’t see whose it was. “Thanks. Naturally, it doesn’t have to be husbands. Anyone who wants to share in supporting each other.” She drew in a breath. “I think that’s what we were missing on the first vote. We weren’t looking at the needs of others but only our own. That’s a bit selfish, I’m afraid.”
She saw a couple of frowns, but they faded. “Anyone else?”
Ava’s hand shot up. “I’m still on the fence here.”
Kelsey stepped closer and opened her mouth, but closed it. She knew Ava well enough to know she had more to say or ask.
“I’m sympathetic to the situation, but what happens if we agree and then it’s a disaster and the whole organization falls apart?”
Another member waved. “Why would it fall apart?”
“Because we’re not the same anymore. Men might think our worries are silly. My husband used to—” She looked at the newer ladies. “He died from a coronary thrombosis. He called me a worrywart. He said I always looked for the worst. I thought I was being realistic. Bad things happen. They did to him when he died so young.”
Kelsey cringed. She’d talked to Ross about being practical. Realistic. Weren’t they the same? But his suggestion to be adventuresome, to take a risk, opened the door to a real date. Practicality had its merit but she had to admit that risk taking could also be exciting.
Diane raised her hand. “Look at us here, though. We have different opinions, but we still care about each other. We still support each other. That’s why I came back to this group. I didn’t expect everyone to agree all the time. And some will never participate, but that’s okay.”
The comment struck another chord with Kelsey. She and Ross wouldn’t agree all the time. That was reality. But they still supported each other and cared about their girls. The idea washed over her like a warm bath. That was comfort. “You’re right. We are different and have different needs, but we’re comfortable with that, and I think the men would realize that, too, when they saw how we work together.”
“Kelsey.” Ava stood this time.
She gave a nod. “Go ahead.”
“Could we open it to men on a trial basis? Make it clear that if they were uncomfortable—or we