Free Me...

A Week

It had been a week since the drama at the bonfire had unfolded. Fortunately it was the last week of the school term. That meant Sophia was so busy she didn't have time to think about much at all other than school related stuff. She had to finalise music reports, and attend to the final events of the year, prize giving and the Christmas Concert. Both were big events, that involved a lot of planning and preparation, and she was in charge of the music side of things for them all. 

Saturday morning came around and thankfully nobody dared wake her this morning. Her time on a Saturday morning was sacrosanct! It was positively sinful to wake up before 9am on a Saturday she believed!

She stretched and yawned, slowly surfacing from sleep. Coffee! She needed coffee! Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her phone screen light up. She must have a message. She languidly reached over to her side table, retrieving her phone. Unlocking it, she quickly went to her whatsapp notifications. There was a message from Em, asking if she wanted to head to the beach today. There was a reminder from the worship team leader about the practice time before the church service started tomorrow. She'd have to make sure she had her set down on the keys before the end of today. She scrolled down to the last message, and sat straight up! It was from Jase! 

Hey Soph. Listen, a few of us are heading to the beach today just for a lurk. Why don't you come too? - J

She sucked in a breath. She knew she had to practice but she could definitely get that done tonight, couldn't she? And Em had also asked if she would like to go to the beach today. Pondering a moment longer, she decided. A beach day it would be!

Hey that sounds good. Em and I were planning to head to the beach today. What time should we meet you? - Soph

It didn't take long at all for a reply to ping.

We're going to be there around 10. Planning to spend most of the day. - J

Ok. See ya then! - Soph

Quickly she dialled Em, and told her what had happened in between squeals of delight on Em's side of the line. Quickly, she showered, shaved, dressed in her prettiest blue and white bikini, throwing a crochet beach dress over the top. She popped her blue Ipanema's on and headed to the kitchen. Her mom made the BEST breakfasts. Omelettes, scrambled, friend, crepes, you name it she could do it. Sure enough, there was her mom just about ready with breakfast. It was like her mom had a sixth sense about just when to time the meal! She sent a silent prayer of thanks to God for such an amazing mom who didn't mind spoiling her with the most important meal of the day. She grinned as her mom took in her attire. "Beach day love?" her mom questioned. 

"Yup. I'm picking Em up and we're heading down to meet with a few friends."

"Uh-huh. Well just keep us posted on your plans today. I know how you forget about time on the beach. Take your cell phone, yeah?"

"Sure mom! Can I grab those chips out the pantry too please? You know I can't cope without snacks for the beach!"

"There's bottled water there too. Take that please." 

"Thanks mom," she said as she tucked into her eggs and bacon. She groaned with delight and through her food said, "Ioveoumom." Her mom just laughed. 

Really Soph was very grateful for her mom. She was the kindest, most generous woman she knew. And she owed her faith to her mom in many respects. She knew that it was God who gave people their faith like it said in Ephesians 2:8. But she knew that her mom was the one God sent to show her what it meant to have faith in Christ, and to be a part of her wanting to have that same faith. Even through all the suffering her mom had faced, she had remained grounded in her faith. Her mom was a two time open heart surgery patient. In fact the most famous heart surgeon in the world, Dr Chris Barnard, the man who had performed the first heart transplant, had said she would be fortunate to live past the age of twenty. And here she was at the ripe old age of 64! That was God's grace in itself. Yup, she admired her mom for the grace and faith she displayed every time her mom was so weak, she could barely lift herself off her bed, or get up the stairs. Every time she could so easily have just lay back down, she pushed herself, for the sake of her family attending to their needs.