whole family was going through a difficult time right now, with Dad sick. He wanted to help out, he just wanted to do it on his own terms.
While he was getting ready for church this morning, Mary had come into his room and told him to iron his shirt because his collar was sticking out. Dalton hadn’t done it, and she was miffed about it, continually reaching over to smooth it down for him.
It wasn’t a passion of his, but he’d gone to church his w hole childhood and enjoyed it. Now he only went when he came home. It wasn’t a priority in his adult life, but he did enjoy it when he got the chance to go with his mom. His mom really seemed to need her church friends lately, and she got a lot of pleasure out of Dalton going. So, he had suggested it to her last night, and she’d jumped at the chance. It had pleased her, briefly, he’d suggested it.
Glimpsing people Dalton hadn’t set eyes on in a while was cool, and he nodded to several old classmates before the service started. As everyone was getting settled, two children and a woman in front of him captured his attention. They seemed so familiar, but as he couldn’t see their faces, and he couldn’t tell where he knew them from. Her golden hair falling down her back was gorgeous. He resisted the urge to finger the waves. His mother would probably kill him, if she saw him doing something like that.
The preacher’s sermon interrupted his reverie.
“A virtuous woman is clearly spelled out in Proverbs in the Bible. If you will turn in your pew Bibles to Proverbs, Chapter 31, verse 10.”
As he read along with the preacher, Dalton ruminate d on the virtuous woman of the Bible. She clothes and feeds her family. She respects her husband. She is strong, both physically and emotionally. She has self-confidence. She is generous to the needy. Her children and husband praise her. Dalton liked the virtuous woman. Who wouldn’t? His own mother was the epitome of a virtuous woman, wasn’t she?
His thoughts turned to Alyssa. She was probably one of the most virtuous woman he knew...imagined. She put her children first. She was strong, self-confident, and generous.
The preacher went on to say, “A virtuous woman is not the end of the story, though. A virtuous man has many of the same qualities, qualities which complement his wife and help nurture his family in Christ...”
Dalton realized th en, he didn’t deserve Alyssa or any real woman like her. What was virtuous about him? He constantly put his own needs before others. Wasn’t it obvious by all of his sexual escapades in Dallas? Years of clubbing and taking home women to appease his sexual appetites made him less than virtuous. If Alyssa was real, and knew him, she would probably think he was depraved. Hell, he was depraved.
He admitted to himself that he was having a problem. He couldn’t quit thinking about this figment of his imagination. He was obsessed with her. All day of every day, he constantly replayed the dreams of the night before in his mind. Her children, her friends, her students, they all captivated his attention. The way she interacted with everyone was extraordinary to him. But what was killing him, was how real it all seemed.
Dalton shifted uncomfortably in the pew, skewing the cushion under him. His mom glared at him, and he smiled sheepishly, mouthing a “sorry” to her. The corners of her mouth turned down disapprovingly, and they both stood to sing the closing hymn before leaving. He scanned the crowd for the woman who had been sitting in front of him, but he didn’t see her anywhere.
Alyssa really wished she could pay more attention to the preacher’s sermon. Her efforts to keep the kids still and quiet so they didn’t bother the people surrounding them took most of her attention. She usually had to put Cayden in her lap. The nursery only took kids up to four years old, and the truth of
While he was getting ready for church this morning, Mary had come into his room and told him to iron his shirt because his collar was sticking out. Dalton hadn’t done it, and she was miffed about it, continually reaching over to smooth it down for him.
It wasn’t a passion of his, but he’d gone to church his w hole childhood and enjoyed it. Now he only went when he came home. It wasn’t a priority in his adult life, but he did enjoy it when he got the chance to go with his mom. His mom really seemed to need her church friends lately, and she got a lot of pleasure out of Dalton going. So, he had suggested it to her last night, and she’d jumped at the chance. It had pleased her, briefly, he’d suggested it.
Glimpsing people Dalton hadn’t set eyes on in a while was cool, and he nodded to several old classmates before the service started. As everyone was getting settled, two children and a woman in front of him captured his attention. They seemed so familiar, but as he couldn’t see their faces, and he couldn’t tell where he knew them from. Her golden hair falling down her back was gorgeous. He resisted the urge to finger the waves. His mother would probably kill him, if she saw him doing something like that.
The preacher’s sermon interrupted his reverie.
“A virtuous woman is clearly spelled out in Proverbs in the Bible. If you will turn in your pew Bibles to Proverbs, Chapter 31, verse 10.”
As he read along with the preacher, Dalton ruminate d on the virtuous woman of the Bible. She clothes and feeds her family. She respects her husband. She is strong, both physically and emotionally. She has self-confidence. She is generous to the needy. Her children and husband praise her. Dalton liked the virtuous woman. Who wouldn’t? His own mother was the epitome of a virtuous woman, wasn’t she?
His thoughts turned to Alyssa. She was probably one of the most virtuous woman he knew...imagined. She put her children first. She was strong, self-confident, and generous.
The preacher went on to say, “A virtuous woman is not the end of the story, though. A virtuous man has many of the same qualities, qualities which complement his wife and help nurture his family in Christ...”
Dalton realized th en, he didn’t deserve Alyssa or any real woman like her. What was virtuous about him? He constantly put his own needs before others. Wasn’t it obvious by all of his sexual escapades in Dallas? Years of clubbing and taking home women to appease his sexual appetites made him less than virtuous. If Alyssa was real, and knew him, she would probably think he was depraved. Hell, he was depraved.
He admitted to himself that he was having a problem. He couldn’t quit thinking about this figment of his imagination. He was obsessed with her. All day of every day, he constantly replayed the dreams of the night before in his mind. Her children, her friends, her students, they all captivated his attention. The way she interacted with everyone was extraordinary to him. But what was killing him, was how real it all seemed.
Dalton shifted uncomfortably in the pew, skewing the cushion under him. His mom glared at him, and he smiled sheepishly, mouthing a “sorry” to her. The corners of her mouth turned down disapprovingly, and they both stood to sing the closing hymn before leaving. He scanned the crowd for the woman who had been sitting in front of him, but he didn’t see her anywhere.
Alyssa really wished she could pay more attention to the preacher’s sermon. Her efforts to keep the kids still and quiet so they didn’t bother the people surrounding them took most of her attention. She usually had to put Cayden in her lap. The nursery only took kids up to four years old, and the truth of
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