Beautiful from the Inside Out

 This is an excerpt from Confidence: Reliance on the Spirit:

The Christian family Wednesday night dinner had two extra guests this week, Sister Martha and Darrell Linderman, a friend who had lost his wife. Lilia's grandpa and his stunning redheaded Mandy prepared dinner at the ranch with their guest, Sister Martha, who had come to Kauai to interview for the position of school principal. She was the daughter of a good friend. Mandy busily put together her favorite down-home dish, "French Country Roast Chicken," a recipe that she had invented herself. She completed her preparations and slid it into the oven to bake.

"Mandy, that dish smells scintillating! I can't wait to taste it!" Sister Martha commented with enthusiasm, since food was her favorite thing. "What can I do to help?" Sister Martha asked as she tied a flour sack towel around her waist.

"Martha, why don't you make the salad? I'll slice the baked bread. It should be cool by now. All the ingredients for the salad are in a plastic bag in the lettuce drawer of the refrigerator," Mandy instructed cheerily.

Sister Martha went right to work. Mandy had formed an instant bond with Sister Martha. She was sweet, gentle, helpful, kind, and sympathetic, and she was a good listener. Mandy thought that she would make the perfect school principal and hoped that Wailua Elementary School hired her.

"What is Darrell Linderman like Mandy?" Sister Martha asked with curiosity. She wasn't being judgmental. She was simply doing her research to enable her to be a better conversationalist with him.

"I don't know him as well as Jacob and Francine, but I can tell you that he is a changed man!" Mandy laughed and lifted her eyebrows for emphasis.

"How is he a changed man?" Sister Martha inquired.

"The great Master in the clouds now walks by his side," Mandy smiled with happiness.

"That's wonderful, Mandy, I don't have to wonder if he knows God or not," Sister Martha smiled in return.

"What does he look like?" Sister Martha solicited with a twinkle in her eye.

"Well, you'll see him for yourself in a few minutes," Mandy giggled. "I don't think it would be fair for me to describe him. It's sort of like the way I feel about Apele. To me, he is the most handsome man in the world. Other women might not feel the same way," Mandy explained as she smiled knowingly. "In college, I had a girlfriend named Sharon. She was not a raving beauty. Her nose was incongruous and she had a crooked smile with teeth that needed some work. Sharon dated the gorgeous quarterback of the football team, Tex. Most people couldn't figure out why. I knew why. Sharon had a beauty that shined from the inside out. The Lord had transfigured her into a raving beauty in the eyes of Tex. Everyone who took the time to know Sharon said she was beautiful," Mandy completed her tale, placed the bread in a basket, and covered it with a napkin to keep it warm.

"I wish someone would look at me and feel the same way, now that I'm no longer in the convent," Sister Martha replied with hope. "I don't like to wear makeup. I know I'm a little overweight. God made my features plain, my butt larger than normal, and my hair a mousy brown. I'm no man magnet! That's for sure!" Sister Martha tittered at her own banter.

"You're funny Martha. I'm going to call you Martha from this point on instead of Sister Martha, and then maybe you'll start thinking of yourself as a woman and not a nun," Mandy winked at her with a smirk. "Martha, you're like Sharon. You're beautiful from the inside out. It shines all over the place like a light. Well, in fact, it is a light, the Father's Light," Mandy said graciously. She walked to the oven and removed the chicken roast. "Well, it looks like dinner's ready Martha. Shall we go join the rest of the family in the atrium? I'll come back for the roast once the salads are eaten."

The two women carried the booty to the atrium where thirteen-year-old Lilia, Francine and Jacob, her mom and dad, Apelehama, Lilia's grandpa, and Darrell waited for them.

"Darrell, I'd like you to meet Martha," Mandy said nicely. Apelehama gave Mandy a quizzical look, since she dropped the moniker, "Sister." Mandy explained, "I've decided to call her Martha, since she is no longer in the convent. She's a woman just like other women," Mandy announced with a brilliant smile. "Martha, this is Darrell Linderman." Martha and Darrell shook hands.

The moment that Darrell looked into Martha's eyes, he saw the light shining there for all to see. His hand lingered on hers a moment longer than it should have. Martha noticed and gave Darrell a glorious smile. Darrell could feel the warmth of her personality emanating from her.

"Would you like to sit here next to me, Martha?" Darrell offered and pulled out her chair.

"I'd love to, thanks for your chivalry," Martha said, glowing, as she accepted his assistance.

Darrell smiled engagingly at Martha, happy the first time since losing his wife, Linda, and his son, Larry. Darrel thought to himself, "Martha is the most beautiful woman I have ever met in my life."