Always Tried and Proven (20 page)

    “Well then, let’s leave her here and check on her when we get back.”  Sean mumbled.

     “No, I don’t want to leave her, either.  You guys go ahead.  Why don’t you bring us back a sandwich, or something?”  Sam suggested.

      “That’s a great idea.”  Sadie agreed immediately.  “What would you like?”

      “Anything is fine.  We won’t be picky.”  Sam answered.

     Callie was very still after most of the people left the tent.  She was just so heavy and mellow that it took too much effort to do anything else.  But after awhile, she began to feel chilly, and she shivered.  She felt Sam walk away, but soon he returned.  He picked her up and lifted her into his arms.

      “Mm mm.” She groaned.

     “Shh.  Don’t let me interrupt.”  He hushed her.  Callie felt nothing but bliss as she complied.  Being in Sam’s arms was sheer heaven.  He took her out of the tent and across the meadow.  She could feel the light, cool night breeze on her face.  Then, he put her down on a soft bed and covered her with a warm, fleece blanket.  He pulled her boots off, and tucked her feet under the blanket.  Callie smiled – and it didn’t take long before she drifted into a deep, sweet sleep.

     The morning sun awakened Callie.  It was too hot under the warm fleece that covered her.  Still, there was a fresh, sweet breeze on her face.  She opened her eyes, and blinked.  She had absolutely no idea where she was.  She looked out a window at a blue sky and a sweet, mown meadow.  Birds were singing and there was a big, old, full-limbed Oak tree close by.  Callie furrowed her brow and looked up. 

     She was in a travel trailer.  A very large, new and modern travel trailer, but she had no idea how she’d come to be there.  She looked the length of the trailer and saw Sadie sound asleep in the bed at the other end. 

She felt mellow, very warm and pampered.  The bed she was in was very cozy and soft.  It was a feather bed of the best variety.  “What on earth?  Where am I?” she said quietly.   She sat up and looked around her, with growing confusion.

     Then, she looked out the window and saw Sam.  He was wearing a pair of Levi’s and a brown leather belt.  He had a shirt on, but it wasn’t buttoned.  He carried a towel and had damp hair, having just obviously showered.  His tan chest was beautiful, and his abs were sculptured, and divine.

     He unlocked a burgundy van, and appeared to be going through a suitcase.  He put the towel over the luggage rack and secured it with clothespins.  Then, he walked over to the trailer where she was, and soundlessly opened the door.  When he saw Callie sitting up, looking bright-eyed but tousled, he grinned and sat on the edge of the bed.

      “Good morning.”  He greeted her softly.

     “Good morning.” She responded shyly.  “I suppose I spent the night in your bed and you roughed it someplace else, eh?”

      He grinned.  “There are showers in the club house, if you want to…”

      “Samuel Stringer,” she warned.

      He looked at her innocently.  “Am I in trouble?”

      “Depends on where you slept last night.”  She advised.

      “Well, if I’m in trouble, you see, you have to say ‘Jesse’.”

      “Jesse?” she repeated quizzically.

      “Uh, huh.  Then I know to watch meself.  And duck, if necessary.”

      “Jesse.”  She repeated again, blankly.

      “Samuel
Jesse
Stringer.” He explained sheepishly.

     “Oh.  I see.  Well, Samuel
Jesse
Stringer, where exactly did you sleep last night?”

       He grinned at her sheepishly.  “I was very comfortable in my van.” 

      “Because I was in your bed.”  She accused.

      He grinned, and his eyes glittered.  “I’m not sorry.”

    She heard something in his voice that made a gladness and exhilaration course through her veins. 

      “I’ve been thinking about getting you there, for some time.  It’s a big step in the right direction.” He chuckled.

       Callie looked down, sure that she was blushing brilliantly.

      “So, beautiful lady, what brings you to Vermont?”  he asked quietly.

     “Sam, you kind of stole my band.”  She complained crankily.  She hoped it was clear that she was teasing.

     “All I did was pray for them.”  He protested.  “I never even mentioned the possibility of them traveling with the tent.”

       “Well; they’re here, aren’t they?”  she challenged.

       “Well, yes.” He acquiesced.

       “Even Jimmie.”  She emphasized, rolling her eyes.

      “Isn’t that a surprise?” he asked with a grin.  “God got his heart and healed him up at the same time.  He’s got a powerful testimony to share.”  Sam laughed.  “He just couldn’t figure out what made this tent thing tick.  Guess he got a bit too close to the fire and fell in, eh?  It will be interesting to see what he does with it.  But you, Miss Callie.  You were the hardest nut to crack.  Tell me what your presence here means.” He asked with keen interest.

     Callie lowered her lashes to shield herself from his eyes. “It means I don’t know what to do, Sam.  You blew into town and turned my whole world upside down.  Then you blew out again, and left me completely alone.  I have no life, no job, and no man.  And damn you, now I want one.  What am I supposed to do, but come running after you?”  She met his eyes defiantly, but he quickly disarmed her anger with the love that his eyes offered.  And his crystal, clear eyes saw much more than she wanted him to.

     “That would be most satisfactory for me.  But what about you, Callie?  Do you  truly want to come?”

    Callie withered under the scrutiny in his gaze.  “I think so, Sam.” She answered uneasily.  “I can’t find any musicians.  I can’t keep my apartment after this month is up, and … I don’t know.”

       He looked at her with worry.   He was stung by her answer.  “Callie, you can’t come with the tent just because you don’t feel like you have any other options.  The work is too hard and intense.  You’d be completely miserable.”

      “It’s not that, Sam.  I could easily live with my mom.  It’s just that ... It’s all happening so fast that it’s hard for me to sort out exactly what I should do.  I just knew that the first step was to come up here and give my life to Jesus.”

       Sam looked relieved.  “All right. That's a very good place to start.  Come on, then.”

    “Where are we going?” she ventured as she vaulted off the bed and smoothed out her jeans.

     “For a walk.”  He answered, his voice not welcoming further questions.

    Callie’s eyes widened, but she followed Sam obediently.  She shook her hair out as she stepped outside.  The meadow grass was surprisingly soft and kind to her bare feet.   She stepped quickly to catch up with Sam, and was disappointed that he didn’t reach out to take her hand.  She wanted him to.  She would have welcomed his reassurance.  She smiled grimly, and slipped her hand into his.

    He looked at her with surprise, but didn’t react, otherwise. And he
didn't withdraw his hand.

      They topped a rise, and Callie found herself looking down at a wide, lazy river.  “Oh!” She said appreciatively.  They climbed down a path to the river, and Sam parked himself against a birch tree near the river’s edge.  Callie found a flat spot next to him and sat, looking up at him expectantly.

      He was quiet for a few minutes, and Callie waited, letting the river soothe her anxiety.  She didn’t know what to expect from Sam at this point.  But she had to wait.  She had to let him take his time.  She desperately did not want to blow it with him now.

     “This is my sanctuary.  I never have any trouble hearing His voice when I get away from all of man's noise and disturbance.  He loves the lonely, wild places that we haven't yet destroyed.” he said.  He was quiet for a time. 

     “Callie, I want you to know that I really had nothing to do with Sean or Dalton coming here.  I prayed for them, but at the time I truly didn’t recognize them.  I was praying for people in a line, and they were just two more.  I would never intentionally set out to mess with your life, sweetheart.”

      “Oh, Sam.  I know that.”  She assured him.  She touched his arm.  “Sam,” she said tenderly.  He gave her a guarded look.  She was looking earnestly up into his eyes.  “I came to see you.  I decided that I should think seriously about giving the tent a shot, to see if I can feel about it the way that you do.  I need to find out if I can have a place in the tent, and ... in your life.”

      Sam sighed.  “Callie, you need to understand something else.  I love the tent and what is happening with it.  But I may very well walk away from it tomorrow and do something else.”

      “Why?” she asked in surprise.

     “I serve Jesus, not the tent.”  He said quietly.  “It’s a great work, but I’m very much a starter.  I tend to build foundations and then move on to something else.  The tent is a great tool for Jesus to reach America, but it’s not my work.  It’s His.  So the point is, you need to be very sure whether you’re signing up to travel with me… or with the tent.  They’re the same thing right now, but they may turn out to be very different propositions in the future.”

     “I just don’t want you to have any misconceptions.  I also want you to think about why you want to come with the tent.  Is it because of me, or is it because you want to serve Jesus?  I know that everything just happened to you last night, but I’m concerned that you make decisions with as much clarity as possible.  I don’t want you to be disappointed or hurt again.”

     “And if you want to travel with the tent to sing, and to be with the boys, that's all right.  But I need to know.  I mustn't fool myself into thinking it's because you want me.”

     She touched his arm.  “Sam, I’ll be really honest with you.”  She said softly.  “At this point, the only thing I know I’m interested in committing to is you.  I love you.  I’m trying to give my life to Jesus, but I think it’s probably kind of a process.”

    He nodded and smiled.  “It usually is.  Callie, can I ask you?  Did you meet Him last night?  Did He make Himself real to you?”

     Callie shrugged and looked at her feet.  “Well; something happened; but I’m still not sure what.”

     “I want you to be very sure of your salvation, Callie.  I want you to know Jesus without a shadow of a doubt.  Let me pray for you again?”

     “All right.”  Callie agreed shyly.

     Sam just closed his eyes and reached over.  He put a hand on her, and sighed. “Lord Jesus; she’s all yours.  Come and have Your way.”  He continued to pray, until Callie felt someone looking at her.  She turned in that direction, but there was no one to be seen.  Yet, someone was undeniably there.  The hairs on the back of Callie’s neck stood up, and she was seized by a great fear.  There was a presence looking at her that was so powerful, that it sent terror rushing through her heart.  Then she realized that the presence was Jesus Christ, and her fear melted into awe.

     “Callie,” He said without audibly speaking,  “I will touch you.  It will all be well.  Just give me your heart.”  She felt Him walking toward her.  She knew when His hand reached out and came to rest upon her head.  She felt as if all of her bones were melting within her.  She felt and knew without question, His deep love for her.  Then He turned and walked away, and His presence left her.  Callie wept soundlessly and laid down in the grass.  She stayed there for a long, long time.

      When at last she was returning to normal, she sat up and found Sam lying on his back in the deep grass.  He opened a lazy eye to look up at her.  “Are you all right?”  he asked gently.

      Callie nodded her head, to assure him.  Tears sprang to her eyes as she thought about His presence; that He had cared enough to make Himself known to her.  She understood now that He withheld His presence from man not because He lacked the power.  And men, in their arrogant ignorance, went on about their business, unaware of Him.  “He will only manifest Himself to those who truly seek Him.” She said brokenly.  “Whether they know they are seeking Him, or not.”

     “Yes.”  Sam agreed gently.  “Do you know now, what you want to do?”

     “Yes.  I will come with you.”  She answered immediately.  “I want to help.”

     He nodded.  “Then I’ll wait a little bit and see how things work out for you.  And we can talk about
us,
at our leisure.”  He suggested.

     Callie was a little bit crestfallen.  But she smiled, and tried not to let it show.  She supposed that Sam had every right to be a little bit cautious with her.  She knew that she’d given him nothing but deep pain, in the past.

     “What are you going to do about your apartment and your furniture?” he asked.

     “I can put my stuff in my mom’s basement and I can leave my truck in her barn, if that’s what works best.  Or I’ll bring the truck with me, if it’s needed.”

      Sam nodded.  “Have Sadie work on the arrangements for you.  And let Clyde know.  You can start working on the worship team if you want, and you can continue to sing a solo every night, if you would.”

     Callie smiled tightly.  “Thanks, Sam.  Is there any other work I should be doing?”