After class on Wednesday Linda finally decided to go to the Bible study as suggested by the Father. She picked out a long grey skirt and a white knit top. She wore her gold cross but skipped most of the make up and settled just for some light red lipstick. She remembered the modest part of her promises.
Picking up her Bible she walked towards the church. In front of the education wing was a girl from the college that she recognized.
"Linda, I am so glad you came to the Bible study," said Mary an acquaintance from her art history class.
"Hi Mary, I heard about the Bible study and decided to find out more," Linda responded. Mary introduced her to her boyfriend Fred and his buddy Evan.
"Great come with me," she said taking Linda by the arm. In the small room there were about twenty college age singles about half men and half women.
The leader, a young priest gave a reading from scripture in Romans 13:8-14.
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
After the reading he expounded on the passage in a short sermon. Linda liked the image of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ and making no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires, which had always been her problem. Linda looked around at the others they were listening attentively to the talk. Then they broke up into small groups to discuss the story amongst themselves. When the Bible study was over, on the way out, Mary told Linda the plans that she and Fred had made to go and see the Nutcracker ballet that Friday night.
"Evan's date dropped out at the last minute and we are trying to fix him up - come along with us and we can double date." she suggested.
Evan was a pleasant guy, strong yet kind of shy and quiet. He was an accounting major in the same year as she was at the college. She did not have a shift at the restaurant so she could do it.
"Well I would enjoy the evening but I guess it is really up to Evan to ask me out if he wishes," she politely deferred.
Evan brightened at her suggestion and piped in, "Linda would you like to attend the ballet? It is my favorite Christmas event and I know you will love it too."
Linda accepted his offer and they made arrangements before Linda said goodnight to her new friends.
As she walked in the door at home she got a phone call from Mary.
"Linda thanks for accepting Evan's invitation to the ballet, I hope that I was not too forward in making the suggestion," Mary asked.
"No it's really ok." Linda replied. "He seems a bit shy but he really enjoyed the opportunity that you made for him to ask me. Have you been dating Fred for long?" she said changing the subject.
"Yes isn't he dreamy!" she gushed. "We have dated for three months but it feels like a lifetime." He wants me to go all the way with him but I have been putting him off. I love him but I want to save myself" Mary confided.
"You should save yourself for marriage if he is the man God intends for your life. By waiting he will show he is the one. There will be plenty of time for that fun stuff later, right?" Linda suggested.
"Thank you Linda you are a good friend and sensible about love and romance. I don't want to get in trouble like my aunt or have Fred not respect me afterwards" she agreed.
Linda thought about Paul and how he had not respected her afterwards and dumped her.
"I am wearing my light blue dress what are you going to wear" Mary asked.
Linda had not thought about it until now. So Mary was going to get dressed up - it was a ballet after all and she wanted to impress her boyfriend Fred. Not wanting to send Evan the wrong message Linda decided to wear her peach satin dress but skip the tight fitting corset this time.
Just before the ballet they picked Linda up in Evan's car and drove to the college auditorium for the ballet. It was a community wide event with a lot of families dressed up for the event. It made Linda sort of jealous with the moms and their young daughters wearing feminine dresses and going to the ballet. She remembered doing the same with her mom years ago. One family caught her attention. It was a husband in a grey suit with the mother and elementary school daughter wearing identical dark green long satin dresses. The husband escorting them was proud of his 'girls' and it showed. She wanted to be that woman with a strong husband to walk alongside and a beautiful daughter. She prayed that it was in God's will for her life.