Omniscient Leaps (4 page)

“Did he?” I scoffed as I turned away from him and began walking towards my next class. There was nothing Matt’s baby browns and lush curly hair could convince me of. I was done with his crowd and all their shenanigans.

“I don’t know what you said to him, but he is seriously spooked. The boy won’t talk to anyone.”

I stopped to face him. “That’s really not my problem now, is it? The guy was a complete creep on Friday night and I’m glad I was the one who could shut him down this time. Maybe he’ll think twice the next time he tries to take advantage of someone.” I stormed off down the hall before he could offer any kind of response.

My afternoon was a blur. For the rest of the day I continued to wrap my mind around the encounter I’d experienced in the church with Luke. It seemed real enough, yet didn’t make any sense. It certainly wasn’t something I could confide in anyone. They’d think I’d gone off the deep end. I wanted to quell the gossip about me, not start up something new and more enthralling.

Leaping through time was something science fiction dreamed up. There was no way it could really happen. I knew God was omniscient and all-powerful, but couldn’t leaping around through the past stir up all kinds of trouble? Maybe the experience with Gage had scarred me deeper than I thought and now I was having some kind of a breakdown. Although the latter seemed more likely, I couldn’t help but hope and pray that I really was a leaper. To think that God had chosen me, and that Luke really did exist, was a notion I wanted to cling to—at least for today.

I flung my keys down on the table and searched for the phonebook. I knew the Internet was an option, but the phone book could at least get me started in my search. The pathetic excuse for our local phone directory was only half an inch thick and the yellow pages were a third of that.

“Well this shouldn’t be too hard,” I laughed.

“What shouldn’t be too hard?” Mom asked as she entered the kitchen.

“I’m looking to find a church to attend. Considering how small this book is I shouldn’t have a difficult time finding what I need.”

Mom sat down at the table, obviously curious about my newfound interest in organized religion. “Does this have anything to do with a boy?”

Yeah one way out of my league. Oh and he is kind of my boss.
I grabbed my Mom’s hand. “No Mom. I just really want to experience the spiritual side of life. I think I’ve been hanging with the wrong crowd for too long. It’s time for me to get out and meet some new people. I’ll have to do it in college, so I might as well start practicing now.”

“And you want to start with religion?” She grabbed my hand and I recognized the skepticism in her voice immediately.

My eyes met hers. “Yes. And maybe I’ll be able to convince you to come with me one day.”

“I don’t know, Kara. I gave up on prayers and God when your father died. I really don’t see that side of my life ever redeeming itself.” My mom’s eyes dropped as she brushed her hand against my face and exited the room silently.

My heart momentarily stopped. Her happiness meant everything to me and I hated myself for even delving into a topic that would upset her. Dad had died when I was three and I kept hoping a new man would come in and sweep her off her feet. She hadn’t dated anyone since he passed, as far as I knew, and I doubted she ever would.

I highlighted several numbers in the book and began dialing. Since I didn’t know where to start, I figured any church would do. Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic and Methodist were just titles to me. I had no idea what I should expect from any of them. Most of the churches had office hours that were officially over and I almost gave up, that was until someone at the New Age Church of Kenton answered their line.

I explained to the secretary that I was a youth interested in finding out more about their church. She informed me there was a youth group meeting for their church at the local library tonight and I could most definitely attend. Their services were held at the library because they hadn’t finished the construction of their youth building. After hanging up, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to leave the house and put myself out there, or stay home and veg because it was easy and comfortable. In the end I decided I had nothing to lose.

I jumped in my beat up old Dodge and headed to the library ten minutes before the meeting was scheduled to start. It only took two minutes to get across town and reach my destination. I was certainly punctual if nothing else.

“Well, hello there,” an older man with a graying comb-over greeted me at the door to the meeting room. “Are you ready to accept Jesus Christ into your life?”

“I’m just here to meet people and see which church fits me best,” I replied, taken aback. This guy already seemed pushy.

“Well just know that you are ill-fated to experience an eternity of damnation if you turn your back on God’s Son.”

“Alrighty then,” I said, hesitantly moving into the room. “I will keep that in mind.”

As I sat and listened to the people in the room I felt sick to my stomach. They seemed more judgmental than the people I’d been hanging out with for years. If they were supposed to be God’s representatives and bring people closer to him, they were doing a lousy job. I had never wanted to get away from anyone so badly. I wondered what God thought of these people who were turning people off rather than towards Him with their forward brusque commentary. I wanted to know Jesus, but where was the love?

“Not what you expected I take it,” I heard a male say as I quickly exited the meeting room during a break.

“How’d you know?” I scoffed. “That was one of the most painful experiences of my life. I was hoping to make some friends who could teach me a little about God, about Jesus, not smother me with their beliefs and judgment.”

“I’m Jess,” the young man said, sticking out his hand. He was attractive and appeared genuine, but I wasn’t sure I could trust anyone at this point. “Jess Troy. I’m sorry you had a bad first experience, but I swear not everyone is so pushy. I’m head of a Christian group called Young Life. Have you ever heard of it?”

“No,” I said, eyeing him skeptically. I wondered what he was doing hanging around the door to the New Age Christian Group’s meeting. Maybe he was prowling for converts too.

“Here.” He handed me a flyer and then moved towards the bulletin board on the wall where he tacked another one up. “Like I said, Young Life is a Christian group. We sing songs, do skits and have fun. It’s a relaxed environment, I swear. You can come check it out and if you don’t like it I won’t be offended if you leave.”

“Thanks Jess,” I replied as I softened my voice. “I will definitely consider it.”

Once I made it home, I flopped on my bed feeling exhausted. That New Age meeting had sucked the life out of me. I had never felt so worthless in my life. Maybe it was their intended effect, but it sure didn’t turn me on to God. Now meeting Luke and experiencing the loving warmth in his church was another story. He most definitely had me curiously wanting to know more.

“So how was your little meeting? Did you make some new friends?” Mom asked from the doorway.

“Negatory,” I sneered. “It was
so
not my thing.”

“Religion?” she asked, looking slightly disappointed. Her notable concern gave me hope.

“No. Just that group of people,” I replied. “I’m trying something different tomorrow night. It’s supposed to be more laid back and even fun.”

“Well good for you for not giving up after one bad experience. There’s no perfect church, group, or denomination if you ask me. It all depends on the individual. When you find a place where you can hear God speaking to you, then you’ve found what you are looking for.”

I already found it, in Luke’s presence.
“I understand what you mean.” Mom smiled as she turned to leave the room. “And Mom?” I paused. “I’m glad to see that you haven’t completely given up on your beliefs.” She gave me a wink before she disappeared out of sight.

I climbed under my covers and settled in for the night. It had been the most peculiar day of my life thus far. Everything I feared would happen didn’t and something I never expected did. Now I just had to figure out how to view Luke as an authority figure instead of the guy I’d been dreaming about all my life. That was, without a doubt, going to be more difficult than any task God might lay out for me to complete.

“Hi Kara. Are you beginning to feel comfortable with your destiny?” Luke asked.

“I don’t even know what that means,” I whispered. “I mean I can’t even decide which college to attend and now I have a new job serving God. Not that I am complaining, but I just feel like He could have found someone more capable. I don’t even know Him.”

“That’s the point,” Luke said gently. His voice was steady and smooth. His whole face lit up when he spoke and I found his eyes hypnotic. They told a story all on their own. “
He
obviously wants to know
you
.”

I glanced around at my surroundings. I was standing barefoot in the woods. Before me was a lake illuminated only by the moonlight. It was a place I was all too familiar with. “This is my happy place.”

“Your happy place?”

“You know, a place where you can go in your mind when everything is going wrong?” I stopped to see if he understood, but he continued to stare at me as though he was waiting for me to explain further. “This is the place I go to when I want to escape my life. I close my eyes and find myself here. It’s strange because I have never physically been to a place like this before.” He nodded. “Anyway, I must be dreaming because I know this isn’t real.”

“Why do you say that?” He stepped closer to me and his whole body seemed to be glittering in the moonlight.

“Because you are here. You are a busy guy and this certainly isn’t the church. Then there’s the matter of necessity. I definitely don’t
need
to speak to you right now,” I grinned. “Besides, I remember going to bed.”

“So why am I here?”

“Being around you is calming. You are obviously going to be a new addition to my happy place. A welcome one, of course.”

“This doesn’t feel like a dream to me,” Luke began. He moved towards the water and touched it lightly with his fingertips. The water ripples expanded as they spread out. “Amazing.”

I moved over to his side. “You act like you haven’t ever seen water.”

“Well it’s been a long time,” he replied. “Besides, a shower of course. I don’t get out much. Everyone’s vision of the church is different, but besides that, I haven’t done too much exploring. I am more of a guide.” He paused to look up at me. “That’s why I am finding this dream to be so intriguing. I usually dream about my past and never my leapers.”

“But it’s my dream, remember?” I added.

“Yes, but I am here. Ask me anything and then we’ll see if we both remember the next time we see each other.”

I moved to sit beside him on the rock he’d positioned himself on. Our toes were the only part of our bodies to reach the water. The smooth glassy surface was undisturbed unless one of us shifted slightly closer to the edge. I wanted my question to be a good one, but I wasn’t so sure he was actually in my dream. Although after the last few days I would almost believe anything.

“So how long have you been doing this, Luke? How long have you been a shepherd?”

“Over one hundred years,” he replied softly.

“What?” I screamed, almost sliding off the rock. “I knew you were an angel. You’re too beautiful to be a human. Why couldn’t I have a girl angel instead? Then I wouldn’t have to have my first real crush on a celestial being.”

Luke’s lips twitched. His mouth slowly broadened into a wide smile as he held my gaze. “You have a crush on me?”

My heart was racing and I had to turn my head away. “Of course I do. How could I not? Have you looked in the mirror? Wait. Maybe angels can’t look in a mirror.”

“I’m not an angel, Kara.”

“Well you work for God, so you couldn’t be a vampire.” He chuckled, loudly. “There’s no other explanation for how you could be over one hundred years old.”

“Does God need an explanation? He is omniscient. He can make miracles happen. Having faith is all that matters.”

“Did you always have faith?” I asked, returning my gaze.

“No.”

“Well
that
makes you seem a little more human,” I whispered. “You know I tried to go to church tonight, but it didn’t work out so well. Actually, it was a youth group meeting for the New Age Church. They were very preachy and I felt like they were smothering me with their testimony.”

“Maybe you would prefer to visit God in a different setting.” Luke spoke with such sincerity and I wondered what his honored place of worship was.

“Do you have leapers who are Jewish or Hindu?”

“I do,” Luke smiled. “God has a plan for everyone and it is not my place to question Him. I’m a Christian, a devoted servant of Jesus, but you have to find what speaks to you and go from there. He will find a way to reach you if your heart is open.”

“You sound like my mother,” I laughed.

“Well, she is a wise woman. Don’t feel pressured into anything. You need to take the time to figure this out for yourself. Pray about it.” Luke paused like he was deep in thought. His face was strained. “I have to go, Kara. Someone’s calling.”

“But this is my dream. Can’t I make you stay?” I teased.

He turned and grabbed my hand, followed by an explosion of sparks within me. I lost my balance and fell into the water. I was panting, completely out of breath and dizzy as I reached for the bank. In one swift motion he grabbed my hand and pulled me up onto shore. His hand brushed lightly against my face and I felt myself weakening all over again.

“Ask me if I remember this next time,” Luke said gently as he began to fade from sight. “It’s not likely that I’ll forget.”

“Goodnight, Luke,” I said softly as he disappeared into the night.

I woke up covered in sweat and glanced at the clock. I’d just had the most amazing dream of my life and I wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. Something told me that he wouldn’t be there waiting for me if I did.