Spiritual Networking

Spiritual Networking - Chapter 21

Chapter 21



Childhood memories have a way of coming back later in life after they have been long forgotten. Watching the phases of expressions wash over the Thomas’ faces Millie knew there were good times, and maybe some not so good times for the friends.

Millie learned a lot about her parents that afternoon on the Thomas’ porch. Growing up poor, Mary had two dreams in life; to marry well, moving out of the modest home and community she and Susan grew up in and for she and Susan’s children to grow up together and possibly eventually marry. She also learned that her father was a bit rebellious in his youth.

The final look that showed up on Susan Thomas’ face was that of disappointment. Millie wasn’t sure if it was due to the disappointment that they had lost touch or the fact that their former friends, Millie’s parents, or disappointment because of the way they were treating Paul so poorly because he was dating their daughter.

Before Millie and Paul left, Susan asked for her parents’ contact information. When Millie expressed frustration towards her parents, Susan encouraged her to look past her parents faults and know that they loved her.

Paul knew that his parents did not become Christians until after they were married and moved out of the city. He was just glad that he grew up in a loving family where things were discussed. Even when he did not agree with his parents, they would listen to his side, pray about it and then help him to make the best decision. He could not imagine what it was like growing up in Millie’s house.

The ride back to the apartment was quiet. Both Millie and Paul were taking in what they had learned that day. Finally, close to home, Paul finally spoke. “I don’t want to think about everything we found out today,” Paul pulled into the parking space, he shut the car off and turned toward Millie. “It really has no effect on us or how we feel about each other and is something for our parents to work out.” He leaned close and sweetly, softly kissed Millie on the lips. “You look beautiful today and I am sorry it has taken me this long to tell you. Why don’t I take you to dinner?”

Millie shook her head no, “Why don’t you give me half an hour and let me get a shower and then I will cook for you? I’ve just had a long day and I really want to get out of this dress.”

Paul wiggled his eyebrows and then said, “Why don’t you get a shower and let’s order in.” He reached over and cupped Millie’s face with his hand. “You have had a rough day, let me pamper you for a change.”



During a dinner of pizza and wings, Paul brought up an idea to Millie, “I am not good, but I figure you haven’t played in years.”

Millie had a puzzled look on her face. “Play what?”

“Tennis. Would you like to play with me tomorrow?”

“Where?” the only place she had ever really played was at the club and at school. She knew she did not want to go and play at the club again.

“There’s a public court I know about. So, how about ten tomorrow?”

For the first time all day, Millie looked forward to something and was no longer thinking about her parents and the Thomas’.



The next morning at ten, Paul knocked on Millie’s door. He was dressed in shorts and a lightweight shirt. When Millie opened the door Paul looked her over appreciatively. She was wearing a white tennis skirt and a white halter tennis top, her hair was pulled up in a pony tail and in a word Paul thought she was adorable.

As they approached the court, Paul asked, “So, any tips?”

“Sure,” Millie said with a smile, “Hit the ball over the net.”

“Thanks! Anything else I should know?”

“I was the alternate on the Junior U.S. Olympic team when I was thirteen.”

“So, basically I am screwed.”

Millie smiled as she handed him a tennis ball, “Yep.”

And Paul was. The only time he was even close to winning was before they began. Once he realized he had lost the game, he began goofing off and trying to just have a good time, making Millie laugh as often as possible.

One time when Millie said “Love,” Paul bounded towards her jumping over the net running to her, grabbed her in his arms as she stopped her serve in mid-serve and watched in amazement as Paul smiled at her and said, “Oh! I thought you called me.”

Another time, Paul was serving and hit two balls at once leaving Millie to choose which ball to return, which she did while laughing at his funny antics.

Although Millie had been raised to take the game seriously, she couldn’t help but laugh at Paul and enjoyed this tennis match more than any other match she had ever played.

After the game, Paul had a twinkle in his eye as he pulled her close. “I will NOT take no for an answer. I am taking you out to eat tonight. We are going to go home and get showers and I am picking you up at six.”

There wasn’t anything Millie could do, but say yes, so she did. At six o’clock, there was a knock on Millie’s door. She looked beautiful once again. She was dressed in a black dress that hugged every curve down to just below her knees. It was off the shoulder trimmed in white at the top and Paul marveled at how blessed he was to have such an amazing woman in his life.

Millie look Paul over also, he had said to dress nice, but she was not expecting him in a tuxedo. When he came in and gave her a kiss, instead of leaving right away, he asked, “Have you checked your email?”

“A while ago, but I’m sure whatever I get can wait.”

Paul had a lift to one side of his mouth with a grin, “No so.”

“OK, let me check it,” Millie sat down at her computer and logged in to her email. A message from Wattpad was the only thing and it said that Paul had added to his Devotional. The title was A Game of Love.

A Game of Love

Today, I took my girlfriend to play tennis. Let’s just say that she trounced all over me. We said ‘Love’ a lot and it was mostly my score! But it got me thinking about the love mentioned in 1 Corinthians in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 13 1-13 ‘If I speak in the tonguesof men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’


Tonight, I am going to do something very special. Something that every person dreams about. The night where I declare my love to the world. Tonight, I am going to ask my girlfriend, you know her as MilliVanilli to marry me. (Make sure to watch her wall for her answer I am sure). So here goes nothing...or in my case, here goes EVERYTHING...

Millie, I have known you for almost three years. First online and Wattpad brought us together, so it is only fitting that I do this here. Then we began to Skype and I fell in love with you even more. The past few months have meant so much to me. I can’t imagine you not being in my life. Will you allow me to love you every day for the rest of my life? Will you marry me?


Millie finished reading it with tears in her eyes. Paul was on one knee next to her computer. “Well?”

Without saying anything, Millie went to her Wattpad account and added a chapter to her poems.

Love Never Fails

Love has been patient with all my fears.
Love has been kind and without faults.
Love has been enduring and not giving up on me.
Love has not failed me.

Yes, HeDied4Me-ILive4Him I DO LOVE YOU!
Yes, I will marry you!

As soon as the poem was published, Paul took Millie’s hand in his and slid a ring on the third finger of her left hand. “This ring has been in my family for generations. I drove up today and asked Mama for it.” He took a deep breath, “Every woman who married into the Thomas family has worn this ring until they have given it to their firstborn son.”

It was a beautiful ring. The center was a square solitaire surrounded by diamonds in an almost oval shape. The white gold had filigree on the sides and amazingly it fit Millie’s finger perfectly.

Paul took Millie in his arms and hugged her and kissed her with as much affection he could without carrying her in his arms to the large bed in the corner of the room and ravishing her completely. When thoughts of doing just that began to enter his mind, he slowly parted from her and said, “We need to go. We have reservations at Aspens in thirty minutes.”

Speechlessly, Millie nodded, looked down at her finger once again and made her way with Paul as he took her by the hand. Tomorrow they would tell their parents and sisters and let the cards fall where they may. Tonight was all theirs, tonight their love was all they needed.



Unknown to Paul and Millie, as soon as Paul left his mother with the ring in hand, Susan Thomas called Mary Anderson. They had things to discuss, like their children and mending their lost friendship for the sake of their children.