by Mary Wingfield Bell
Chapter Two -
"It's not time to go yet," remarked Delight.
"Come on in," Grandma said. "You children can wait in the
living room. There are magazines in the rack you may look at while
we get ready for church."
In a few minutes everyone was ready to go and they all climbed
in the old Plymouth car and were on their way to the church in
Apple Hill.
Abner slapped Maggie for falling over Delight's crutches.
"I couldn't help it," Maggie responded.
"Please quiet down," requested Mr. Capley. There was absolute
silence in the automobile.
When the old Plymouth stopped at the church, Grandpa helped
his granddaughter from the car.
Several children gathered around Delight. The grandparents
took their Bibles from the car and went to the adult classroom.
"Hey look!" said Abner. "There comes Miss Right. Miss Right
greeted the boys and girls with a smile and walked hurriedly into
the building. The youngsters followed.
In the classroom everyone sat at a long table. All, except
Delight, stood to sing choruses. Moving her crutches made too much
noise. After group singing and a prayer by the teacher, Nella, one
of Delight's friends, called the roll.
When the lesson began Mrs. Right invited all the children to
share their opinions and ask questions.
There was always a lot to talk about in Miss Right's class.
Today the lesson was about the miracle worker, Jesus. Abner went
to the blackboard to make a list of miracles. The class learned
there were many miracles took place when Jesus lived on earth long
ago. The list included feeding of five thousand people with only
five loaves and two fish, water turned into wine, healing the
blind, deaf, dumb, lepers and the lame people. Demons were cast
out of some folks.
"If Jesus is alive, why doesn't he heal people today?" Bill
Asbury asked the question.
"Of course Jesus is alive," remarked Janet Rainy.
"And he does heal people sometimes," Nella Pump added.
"How do you know that Jesus heals people today?" asked the
teacher.
"Well, my aunt who lives in Clintsville had arthritis. She was
in bed for two years. Now she can walk, cook and even ride a
bicycle. She said that Jesus came to her one night and told her
that she was well and to get up and go to the store the next day.
Aunt Julia got up and walked to the store and she has been well
since then. It really is true!" Nella spoke with certainty.
My dad says, "Jesus still has the same power he had when he
walked on earth" joined Ken March.
Delight listened carefully. She didn't say much but was
absorbing the thoughts of others in the room. Faith began to grow
in her. Could it be that she might one day be able to jump and run
and walk without her brace and crutches she thought.
The girl was anxious to talk with her grandparents about the
possibility of Jesus healing her leg. She would do that when she
was alone with them.
"I saw a preacher on T.V. pray for people," said Ken. "Many
said they were healed. One man threw his crutches away and jumped
up and down. Then he ran down the church aisle and back again.
Hey! Ain't that something?"
"This is all very interesting," said the teacher. "I believe
each one of you, but I have never met anyone who was healed in
such a manner."
Everyone had been so attentive to the lesson, it seemed that
the bell rang too soon.
With the help of her crutches Delight made her way through the
hall that led into the sanctuary. Grandpa and Grandma always sat
up front in the second row on the right side. They moved over so
Delight could sit on the end of the bench. Mr. Capley laid the
girl's crutches on the carpet under the front pew. Before service
started Delight looked to see who was coming in the door.
Abner and Maggie sat on the very front pew and watched people
in the back of the sanctuary. When the organist began to play
Delight told them to turn around.
The worship service began when Pastor Blessing took his place
behind the pulpit.
The congregation stood for the opening hymn and Delight stood
on her good leg and partially leaned on the pew in front of her.
The pastor preached from the text NIV. Matthew 8:26: (He
replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"
He spoke of the trouble storms in life and how Jesus can quiet
the storms that come - how Jesus is a shelter in the storm. It was
a good sermon and most everyone listened but Delight just couldn't
get her mind off of the Sunday school lesson. She kept thinking
about Jesus healing the crowds of people. Surely he must have
healed little crippled girls like her.
That very hour the girl decided that she was going to pray for
Jesus to come and heal her. Delight would pray and pray until God
heard and answered her prayers. She remained quiet but her
thoughts were not on the sermon. Her secret - the grapevine tree
popped into her mind. There was something special about that tree
and she planned to take the Bible there the next time she went to
swing. She could rest after swinging and read her Bible and
pray.
When the service ended, her thoughts were still on the
grapevine tree.
Abner picked up the crutches and handed them to Delight.
"Thank you," said Delight. "Are we ready to go?"
"Sure," replied the boy. "Don't you know church is over?"
Maggie was puzzled. Had Delight been asleep?
The Capley girl had not been asleep but she did day-dream. She
pictured herself jumping rope and running over the playground with
friends at school. When I get well, I am going to run all the way
from my house to the rock spring in Dogwood Hollow she promised
herself.
The Capleys and the Canberry children were the last to file
out of church. Delight sat for a few minutes while others were
moving out.
Granny Tell made her way through the crowd and bent over to
kiss Delight.
"Child, you get more beautiful everyday," said Granny Tell.
The Capley girl squeezed Granny's hand. It was nice to have
someone say, "you're beautiful." But beauty was not Delight's
desire; she just wanted to be normal and do everything her friends
did.
Granny Tell hugged and kissed Abner and Maggie, also. She was
always hugging someone - that was her way of living.
When they reached the door of the vestibule, Pastor Blessing
shook hands with each of them. "Preaching is easier when I see
children sitting up front," he remarked. "That's where God wants
you, right up front. Always remember that."
"We will," promised Maggie.
Delight looked out at the old Plymouth parked near the steps.
"How wonderful!" she said. "We have a working car again."
Mr. Capley helped his grandchild into the automobile and then
the others got in right away. The little church in Apple Hill
faded into the distance - three more curves and they would be in
Dogwood Hollow.
Coming over the bumpy road and into the driveway, Delight
thought of her secret place beneath the grapevine tree. It was her
intention to go there as soon as lunch was over, that is if no
children came to visit.
Maggie and Abner thanked Mr. Capley for the ride to church.
"We won't come out until 3:30," Abner said. "Both of us have
homework to do."
For that Delight was grateful. It would give her time to be
alone with God under the grapevine tree. Much shrubbery was behind
the back yard, providing her the privacy she wanted.
After her grandfather helped her into the house, she changed
into play clothes. Then she ate heartily because Grandma's Sunday
dinners were always delicious.
"Grandma, I'm going out to my tree," Delight said as she put
her Bible in a brown paper bag.
"Be careful, dear," said Mrs. Capley. She didn't want the girl
to fall.
"I think Delight will be safe there under the tree," remarked
Grandpa." I checked out the place. Anyway if she needs us she can
call."
Delight, with her crutches and Bible, went to her get-away
place. The tree stood in a small clearing behind the shrubs and
bushes. She wondered why no one had found the grapevine swing
before. God must have saved it just for her. The ground beneath
the tree was soft, covered with a carpet of dead leaves. Delight
dropped the brown paper bag and let go of the crutches. With her
weight on one foot, she reached for the sturdy grapevine and away
through the air she swung.
Swinging was fun - back and forth, back and forth, stopping to
balance on her good leg now and then. Again and again she moved
through the air as if she had wings. How good it feels to move so
quickly without hurting myself she thought.
When Delight's arms grew tired, she sat on the soft ground and
opened the Bible. She read 13 verses of the 6th Chapter of the
gospel of John. What a wonderful person is this Jesus she thought.
Jesus could feed over five thousand people with only 2 loaves of
bread and five fish. If Jesus could do that he could easily heal
her leg. Faith was growing inside of her and it was a good
feeling.
She closed her Bible and prayed. This was a special moment. It
was as if God was there. Delight felt the presence of someone but
did not see anyone.
The girl decided to swing again before going to the house.
While she was swinging she heard Grandma calling. Uh-oh! I had
better go before someone finds me here she thought.
Delight was right. When she came through the brush to the edge
of the backyard, there was Nella Pump with Grandma.
"Hi, Delight!" Nella called. "I brought you some peanut butter
fudge that Mom made. It sure taste good."
"Yummy! the Capley girl responded. "Let's go to the porch and
play.
"What's in the brown bag?" Nella was curious.
"Oh, it's my Bible," was all Delight said.
The girls went onto the porch and Mrs. Capley brought out a
stack of games but Delight and Nella did not play with them right
away. There were things to talk about.
"Nella, see that tree in the yard," said Delight. "Someday I
am going to climb to the top of it."
"You sound crazy, girl!" How could you climb with your stiff
leg? Remember the doctor said that you would always need
crutches."
"I know," said Delight, "yes, I know but I am beginning to
think God knows more than the doctor. I believe that because God
knows everything there is to know. Remember reading in the Bible
where Philip said two hundred pennies worth of bread was not
enough to feed the big crowd.
"Yeah, I remember," returned Nella.
"Do you remember what Jesus did?" asked the Capley girl.
"Sure," replied Nella. "Jesus multiplied the bread and fish
until the five thousand people had plenty to eat."
"That's why I believe I'll climb that tree one day," said
Delight. "I don't know how soon it will be, but I will climb that
tree."
"That's great," returned the friend. "I think you will do it.
If Jesus can feed five thousand - so you will walk again."
"Now let's play something," Delight suggested.
The two friends played one game after another.
About four o'clock Abner and Maggie came.
"Hi," shouted Nella when she saw them coming down from the low
hill. As they came through the gate she said, "Guess what? Delight
is going to climb that tree."
Abner looked bewildered and wondered what Nella was talking
about.
"Are you nuts, Nella?" asked Maggie.
"Someday I will be well,"Delight explained. "I'm going to
climb that tree and even more than that, I am going to run to the
rock spring."
"Rock Spring!" exclaimed Abner. "Why that is a ways from our
house but I guess if you get well, you can do anything." Abner was
hopeful for Delight.
"Then we can jump rope together," Maggie had plans. "We can
even sleigh ride when it snows."
The children were glad that Delight decided she would get
well.
Grandma came to the door and asked the youngsters to come
inside. A cool breeze was blowing through Dogwood Hollow and the
sun was setting behind the trees. Another cold night was on its
way.
"I'd like to come in, Grandma Capley," Nella said, "but it
will soon be dark. It's best that I be on my way home. My mom will
be looking out of the window for me."
"We better go, too," Maggie tugged at Abner.
"Yep, don't want Pa coming after us," joined Abner. "He might
be in a bad mood."
Delight went into the dining room to wait for her supper. She
kept her sweater on and felt comfortable with heat coming from the
wood stove in the kitchen.
Grandpa started a fire in the fireplace to warm the rest of
the house before bedtime.
Delight told her grandmother that this Sunday had been a
wonderful day. Grandma knew Delight had enjoyed her friends and
she sensed that this had been a special day for some reason -
exactly what, she did not know.
"I am going to get well," Delight declared suddenly. "One of
these days I will run."
Mrs. Capley smiled. She did not know what to say. Grandma
wanted to say, "sure you will," except that might give her
granddaughter false hopes. An automobile accident had taken the
lives of Delight's parents. And the doctor had said that the girl
would always be a cripple. She knew Delight had improved some
through the years. After a bit of thought she spoke, "Dear,
perhaps you will run someday."
"Faith will bring your healing," Grandpa said, walking into
the kitchen. "Honey, don't be afraid, just keep on believing."
Grandpa said the blessing at the table, adding thanks for the
new faith Delight had found.
Delight told her grandparents of the special time with God
under the grapevine tree and how she could swing so freely. She
told them about the fun she had there. "I'm going there everyday I
can," she said.
When she went to bed there was much on her mind. Realizing
Monday was a school day, she closed her eyes to sleep.
It had been a nice long week-end.
Early in the morning Abner and Maggie arrived at the Capley
home dressed for church.
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