Looking For You All My Life Part 146

a damper on development to the detriment of the entire

town. Although she would print some of the better written

letters in the paper, she tried not to take them too seriously.

228Melody Carison

It was natural to think that some people were simply venting

their frustration due to a lack of snow and the subsequent

loss of business from an unopened ski season. Even this

morning, Rosa had patiently explained how this hostile

atmosphere would instantly disappear the very same

moment when the weather began to cooperate. Maggie had

heard on the news that the ski resort reported it would only

take about fifteen more inches of snow to open their chairs,

which, they a.s.sured with optimism, could literally happen

overnight. Oh, if only...

On Sunday Maggie and Audrey and Spencer went to

church. It made Maggie sad to think this would be their last

Iday of meeting in this beautiful building with the fantastic

mountain views (although today the mountains were corn-

pletely shrouded in a thick blanket of cloud~ven more so

than yeserday!). She wondered if she would ever again expe-

rience another church that was so aesthetically pleasing as

this. She thought of the times she had sat on the rough-hewn

benches and been relaxed and refreshed as she looked out

upon the mountains. And yet, she also remembered one of

Jed's sermons where he said they could look to the hills for

strength without finding any, for strength only came from

G.o.d. Yes, that was a good message that day.

Today she glanced around the building and wondered

what it would look like in here after Jed finished converted

it into a home for him and Leah. She tried not to think that,

not so long ago, she had actually imagined she might one day

share this s.p.a.ce with him. But now that seemed far away, if

not totally removed, from reality. Besides, she had her own

home and family to consider. Living out here in the woods

was probably just a silly fantasy better left behind when she

pa.s.sed through those big wooden doors one last time.

Sam led the service today, reminiscing about the history

of their little church, about how they'd pulled themselves Looking for You All My Life229

together after their last pastor left, and what a wonderful gift

it had been to meet up here for the past couple years, but that

now they should rejoice for they were entering a brand new

season. The school library had been secured for them to meet

in until after the New Year, and at that time the board would

determine how to proceed from there. "But we have also

come up with a unique dilemma," continued Sam, "and last

week the board decided to bring this question to the con-

gregation to vote upon today." He glanced at the faces

around the room. "Now, you've all had a chance to become

somewhat acquainted with young Michael Abundi. He has

preached two sermons here, and some of you have spent

time with him personally. As most of you know, he was