Free Through His Grace by Kelly Eileen Hake
Authors: Kelly Eileen Hake
Lizzie would follow suit when she saw her brother getting ready for school.
“I’m staying right here today.” Jake stuck out his little chin defiantly.
“What?” Lizzie’s sleepy eyes opened wide.
“Good morning, Lizzie. Now you can help me out.” Grace smiled at her ally. “Tell your brother he can’t stay here all alone.”
“Auntie Grace is right. You can’t stay here alone.” Lizzie settled onto the bed beside Jake and wrapped her arms around him in a motherly fashion. Relief and pride swelled in Grace’s chest at the sweet sight. “So I’ll stay with you.” She smiled innocently at her aunt.
Traitor!
Grace barely refrained from burying her face in her hands. She’d known the first day of school would be a formidable challenge. New campus, new teachers, new schedules, and new faces. But she’d assumed the difficulties would start once she got them to Lawton Elementary.
“That won’t work either.” She stood up, taking advantage of her greater height. “I want both of you out of that bed this minute.”
I’m in charge here
, she silently tacked on.
“No.” Both children stared up at her—still on the bed.
I can’t believe I’m being held hostage by two children!
Grace cinched the belt of her bathrobe a bit tighter and squared her shoulders. She could show no weakness if she was going to break through their united front.
“This is not up for negotiation. You both have to go to school.” She warned them of the impending consequences of their behavior. “If you disobey me again, you won’t go to the ranch with me after church.”
“You’d leave us behind?” Lizzie’s hurt whisper almost broke through Grace’s reserves.
“Mary would watch you while I went,” she informed them.
It won’t do to let them think I’d abandon them somewhere
.
“But…” Jake sniffled and clung to his sister. “We, we just want to stay h-h—” He took a hiccup-like breath and tried again. “We want to stay—”
Here. I know you want to stay here, but you can’t
. Grace formed her response before he finished.
“Home.” A tear slid down his soft cheek, and that one drop dashed Grace’s stern front.
Home. He called this home. They aren’t misbehaving because they’re willful. Punishing them is the wrong approach
. Grace sat down on the bed next to them.
I was listening with my head, not my heart. They’re simply children afraid of yet another change
.
“Home will still be here when you get back.” Grace gave them each a hug.
“How do you know?” Lizzie’s voice sounded tiny and far away, a dim echo of the loss she’d suffered.
What do I tell them, Lord? They know firsthand that bad things happen to good people. Lizzie and Jake were part of a happy family one morning, went off to school, and didn’t have a home or family to go back to. One tornado whirled away the only life they’d ever known, and their world hasn’t stopped spinning yet
.
“Truth of the matter is, I don’t.” Grace refused to deceive them, though her gut wrenched as they gasped and huddled closer. “But here’s what I do know. First of all, we have each other, and that’s not going to change. Second, even if something happens to the house, I don’t work at home. I’ll be in Lawton with you. That’s part of why it’s so important you go to school—I’ll be nearby.” She gave them a reassuring squeeze. “But first we all need to get ready!”
Miraculously, her words had calmed the children. The next half hour was filled with cereal, outfits, missing shoes. Finally they settled into the car.
“Contact!” Grace clicked her seat belt into the holder.
“Contact!” Lizzie’s clicked back, and she reached over to help Jake.
“Contact!”
“Then we’re ready for a great new day at school?” Grace turned and smiled at the kids. A long pause stretched while she waited for them to smile back.
“What if”—Lizzie was wringing her hands—“what if we don’t feel ready at
“I’m staying right here today.” Jake stuck out his little chin defiantly.
“What?” Lizzie’s sleepy eyes opened wide.
“Good morning, Lizzie. Now you can help me out.” Grace smiled at her ally. “Tell your brother he can’t stay here all alone.”
“Auntie Grace is right. You can’t stay here alone.” Lizzie settled onto the bed beside Jake and wrapped her arms around him in a motherly fashion. Relief and pride swelled in Grace’s chest at the sweet sight. “So I’ll stay with you.” She smiled innocently at her aunt.
Traitor!
Grace barely refrained from burying her face in her hands. She’d known the first day of school would be a formidable challenge. New campus, new teachers, new schedules, and new faces. But she’d assumed the difficulties would start once she got them to Lawton Elementary.
“That won’t work either.” She stood up, taking advantage of her greater height. “I want both of you out of that bed this minute.”
I’m in charge here
, she silently tacked on.
“No.” Both children stared up at her—still on the bed.
I can’t believe I’m being held hostage by two children!
Grace cinched the belt of her bathrobe a bit tighter and squared her shoulders. She could show no weakness if she was going to break through their united front.
“This is not up for negotiation. You both have to go to school.” She warned them of the impending consequences of their behavior. “If you disobey me again, you won’t go to the ranch with me after church.”
“You’d leave us behind?” Lizzie’s hurt whisper almost broke through Grace’s reserves.
“Mary would watch you while I went,” she informed them.
It won’t do to let them think I’d abandon them somewhere
.
“But…” Jake sniffled and clung to his sister. “We, we just want to stay h-h—” He took a hiccup-like breath and tried again. “We want to stay—”
Here. I know you want to stay here, but you can’t
. Grace formed her response before he finished.
“Home.” A tear slid down his soft cheek, and that one drop dashed Grace’s stern front.
Home. He called this home. They aren’t misbehaving because they’re willful. Punishing them is the wrong approach
. Grace sat down on the bed next to them.
I was listening with my head, not my heart. They’re simply children afraid of yet another change
.
“Home will still be here when you get back.” Grace gave them each a hug.
“How do you know?” Lizzie’s voice sounded tiny and far away, a dim echo of the loss she’d suffered.
What do I tell them, Lord? They know firsthand that bad things happen to good people. Lizzie and Jake were part of a happy family one morning, went off to school, and didn’t have a home or family to go back to. One tornado whirled away the only life they’d ever known, and their world hasn’t stopped spinning yet
.
“Truth of the matter is, I don’t.” Grace refused to deceive them, though her gut wrenched as they gasped and huddled closer. “But here’s what I do know. First of all, we have each other, and that’s not going to change. Second, even if something happens to the house, I don’t work at home. I’ll be in Lawton with you. That’s part of why it’s so important you go to school—I’ll be nearby.” She gave them a reassuring squeeze. “But first we all need to get ready!”
Miraculously, her words had calmed the children. The next half hour was filled with cereal, outfits, missing shoes. Finally they settled into the car.
“Contact!” Grace clicked her seat belt into the holder.
“Contact!” Lizzie’s clicked back, and she reached over to help Jake.
“Contact!”
“Then we’re ready for a great new day at school?” Grace turned and smiled at the kids. A long pause stretched while she waited for them to smile back.
“What if”—Lizzie was wringing her hands—“what if we don’t feel ready at