The Weekend by
Tom Loebmann
Copyrighted 2010 by Tom Loebmann
ISBN No. 9781301978502
Tom Loebmann - Author
A Christian who studied the Bible and knows what it says. Graduated from Vanderbilt with B.S., pursued a career, retired, and wrote Christian novels. Now, a published author. Along the way---married, and raised six children, have many grandchildren.
Studied under Chuck Smith, became a Pastor, now serves as ministry leader where the Lord leads him.
The author has taught the Scripture to teens, singles, couples, and adults in conferences and home fellowships. Currently he is ministering love, encouragement, strength, and counsel to churches in Southern California. You can learn more at his website:
https://www.wix.com/wtloe0/SpiritualFreshAir
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A Summary - THE BACK OF THE BOOK
Many people read the Bible---they unfortunately
skip over or mistranslates what it says. Contained in
The Weekend you will find the unvarnished truth.
You will be changed; your marriage will be changed, your relationships will be changed: divorced, single, married or somebody that wants to understand the
feelings and dynamics involved.
Join Anne, her husband and table mates on this weekend, and watch her learn these truths in an entertaining and humorous way. Kevin, her husband, also changes.
Who would gather at their table. Perhaps, the young athlete with the shaved head, the lady with long
legs that everyone wanted to stand behind or the
British couple. No one knows --
Dedicated to “Suzy”
Bible reference taken from The New King James
Version of the Bible published by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Prologue
ANNE BROWN JOINED TWENTY-TWO LADIES
enthusiastically signing up to go to the Couples Retreat from
7:30 pm Friday to 2:30 pm Sunday in the mountains near their church, Our Savior's Fellowship. Each had a sponsor, who told her nothing but the barest essentials, like, the date, October 12th, what to bring, what to wear, etc. Nothing else. No details about what would happen, or how their marriage would benefit. Anne knew that a Couples Retreat would help her marriage.
The husbands who were to eventually meet at the Angel Table didn't know anything either, or what to expect, or what they would experience at the retreat. Kenny, a Regional Manager,
married to Anne, responsible for three retail department stores; Edward, married to Maryann, a British attorney who had aged gracefully, and Rod, married to Carolle, a young athlete with a shaved head, who continued learning the insurance business. Plus their wives and the table leader and his wife made up the Angel Table.
Mike and Rose, the table leaders of Angel Table, had led a table before, but they didn't know which couples would join their table, or what to expect.
--1--
ANNE BROWN WAITED EAGERLY FOR BRUTUS and Sally, their sponsors for the Couples Retreat, to arrive. Anne couldn't contain her excitement. This was the day! Kenny, her husband, would go to the Couples Retreat. Maybe Kenny would hear about relationships, and Jesus. Ask Jesus into his heart, as she did when she was at camp.
BRUTUS RANG the door bell. Anne opened the door for Brutus and Sally. She stood a bit shorter than Brutus, wearing her usual blouse and blue skirt. Anne was holding a brown and white puppy, Patches, struggling to get free. "Thank-you for coming," Anne said to Brutus and Sally.
Immediately she said: "KB was running a bit behind." She always called Kenny, KB in public. He preferred being called KB, and thought anyone called Kenny exuded some ignorance. "He will be down in a minute."
She beamed with excitement about her and Kenny going to the
Couples Retreat this weekend, especially Kenny. All would be
harmonious. "Wouldn't it be wonderful?" she asked Brutus. Anne didn't say anything further to Brutus or Sally, but she thought about being married to Kenny, him not being a Christian and all.
Anne went into the kitchen to clean up the lunch dishes leaving
Brutus with Sally alone in the hallway.
BRUTUS THOUGHT, Anne and KB needed this retreat. Maybe Anne would learn something about men. Anne was always controlling and ordering people about, including KB. He knew her because she worked in the office of Our Savior with Sally, and Anne had come over for dinner once in a while, She didn't understand men at all. This retreat would be good for her.
UPSTAIRS, KENNY finished packing; he thought, I'm packed. I just have to get dressed. What shall I wear? Not a suit; I wear one every day as a manager for three Department Stores downtown.
No, today I'll wear something different … maybe a striped or checkered shirt. I don't really want to go, but I love Anne. I wonder why the departmental meeting this weekend canceled.
KB CAME down the stairs dressed to perfection, he thought, casual with a black and yellow checkered shirt, brown trousers, and shoes with a high polish. “Hi Brutus, Sally” Then he glanced at Anne coming back from the kitchen: “Ready to go?”
“Oh, Yes--” She thought, I have been ready since I found out you weren't the guy I thought you were, when we got married.
AFTER DROPPING Patches off at the boarding kennel, Brutus
and Sally, drove to the Restaurant de Holidays where they took the Browns for dinner before heading out to the retreat. Anne asked the waiter, "If the fish was tender?"
Anne had gone to McClachty's Restaurant last month, a restaurant across town, expecting the night to be special, and became instantly turned off because the fish tasted like leather rather than soft and succulent, as fish should taste. I shouldn't have asked about the tenderness of the fish.
This is Kenny's time. I hope he asks Jesus into his heart. I pray there will be many opportunities. I hope asking Jesus will cover our marriage woes.
I REMEMBER when I asked Jesus into my heart, Anne thought. I was twelve, at youth camp. We had all gathered around the campfire. The counselor, after he had pointed to the multitude of stars in the sky, told us all about God and His Son, Jesus. He asked, “Who believes in God, and wants God's spirit in their heart”?
My hand shot up so fast, like I just saw the school bus driving off without me. I believed in God, and the counselor explained that God sent Jesus to connect God to man, and 'No man comes to the Father, except by Jesus.'
If Jesus was the way, I was ready. The counselor led us all in a prayer. He said the prayer in slow sentences. I followed him and I remember asking Jesus into my heart.
I HOPE Kenny does. Oh, to have Jesus in my home. Maybe this weekend. I don't know what I'll do if Christ isn't the center of our home. I know it will make a big difference in our marriage. Me being a Christian, and him not.
I know there can be so much more. I can't explain it, but once he asks Jesus into his heart, everything will be different. I pray he does.
THE DINNERS arrived. KB tried his; the lamb chops he ordered were luscious and tasted excellent. KB smiled. Anne noticed his chops, a little pink inside, crusty on the outside, all in all, they were cooked perfectly.
Anne also inspected the 'Salmon with Mustard Sauce' after it arrived, and smiled at Brutus. The salmon wasn't overcooked and tasted perfect – not a McClachty's fish. The fish was so . . . good, and she remembered Brutus was treating.
Anne smiled at Brutus letting him know of her complete satisfaction. Having Brutus treat, made the dinner taste even better.
br />
ANNE LOOKED at Kenny. She loved him. She thought, he looked smart in his checkered shirt. It went with his brown hair combed just so. He had brown eyes and a muscular body---all six feet of him. He looked good.
KB SAT upfront, with Brutus, and Anne sat in the back with
Sally. Anne spoke only a few words for the one hour required for Brutus to drive to the place in the mountains where the Couples Retreat was being held.
All of a sudden---they faced a man with a full beard – who directed them to a place where they could unload their luggage. Anne and Kenny left the car and stood by their luggage. They
had arrived at the Couples Retreat. A few low buildings stood off
in the distance. Darkness and the stratospheric clouds made it difficult to see.
"May I help you?" another man, tall and lankly, wearing a baseball cap appeared. He took their luggage and directed them down a long concrete walkway lit by luminaries---candles in paper bags. Sally and Brutus joined them, and they began walking, following the lights.
--2--
“WELCOME, WELCOME. I AM YOUR HEAD Rosita. I wanted to introduce myself, and let you know how we will proceed while you'll be here. First, I would like to welcome you, the Roisters, who will be your table leaders, and the cooks who will be serving you of this weekend.
This weekend is composed of talks given by the Roisters interlaced with free-time, eating and a few special surprises which I will announce. Although this room is currently devoid of tables and chairs, the cooks will set up this room for breakfast. This is one of four rooms that we will be using this weekend. This is the Dining Room."
THE DARKNESS closed around them. Anne thought as she looked around. We followed a series of luminaries into this big room. Empty of furniture, but full of people, hugging and chatting.
I know quite a few of these people from church, but here they appeared much friendlier, and chatting like they, themselves, were going to participate in this conference.
The room appeared rather plain, white walls, off white tile floor. No flowers or pictures. Nothing on the walls. At one end must be the kitchen. Two wooden doors . . . actually four. That makes sense, he called it a Dining Room.
"Next door,” the Head Rosita continued, “well . . . it isn't right
next door, but a little way down, on the same level as this room, is the Rollo Room. In this room, you will sit at various tables, listen to Roisters give various talks, and where you can engage in a lively discussion . . . if you want to . . . ."
"Hello, fancy meeting you here," a sponsor spoke to Anne.
"Yes, I finally got KB here,” Anne replied. “It was a last minute thing. The Salwrights sponsored us. Sally and I have worked together in the office making copies, prayer lists, etc. KB becomes so busy.
“We planned to attend months ago, but something came up, and I didn't think we could make it. Then, almost like the Lord was in it . . . actually He is, you know, He always knows the right time. KB had a shift in his schedule so that he didn't have anything to do this weekend, anyway, he's here."
The Head Rosita went on while Anne spoke to her friend, "We encourage you to share your views, but no one has to say anything, if they choose not to. Yet, to get the best out of this weekend, we encourage you to participate. Let me say that your views don't have to be churchy.
“We encourage you to say what ever comes to mind. We frown on dirty language, but your thoughts, as off the wall as you may think, might be helpful to someone at your table.
"We will be using two other rooms this weekend. As you can
understand, the facilities designed for the little leagues and boy scouts are limited so we will be sleeping in dorms, and I should say also . . . in order for you to concentrate only on this weekend and your marriage, we would, all of you that are staying, sponsors will be going home . . . ask that you observe an overnight of silence: no noise, no speaking, no talking until tomorrow morning at breakfast.
“That is no speaking until we meet again for breakfast," The Head
Rosita repeated. "Of course, the men and women will be separated into two dorms--"
Anne understood one thing for sure. Silence! They must be serious. Then she reflected on this weekend. I wonder what I will think about? Her marriage came into her thoughts.
Anne said to herself: “Dorms?” She wondered, who will be at our table, I hope not the bald guy or the tall fellow with the cane.
The sponsors said their good-byes, and Bruce and Sally wished Anne and KB well. They left, but some sponsors headed to the bunk house to check their guests' luggage.
ANNE LIGHTLY kissed Kenny, and they made their way to the bunk houses across the way, along with the other men and women as they walked the narrow concrete path and steps. The well spaced steps and path reflected in the moonlight.
The path wound among the magnolia trees and traversed the small hills and the valley that separated the Dining Room from the dorms. The path split, and Anne and KB kissed again.
Anne thought again, dorms for a Couples Retreat?
The smell of the magnolias filled the air, and made everything
restful, nothing to do . . . but think. Anne spotted some of the sponsors coming out the doors.
The sponsors had previously taken the watches off the wrists of the men and women attending the Couples Retreat, so no one could determine the exact time when anything happened.
The instructions allowed a Bible, clothing, and not much else. But some sponsors had come out with reading material, work sheets, radios, cell telephones and watches, which they took with them back home. Silence prevailed until breakfast.
The folks running the retreat had taken Anne's luggage at the luggage drop-off point, her sleeping bag and toiletries, shorts, etc. contained in a pink carry-on for the weekend.
Kenny's clothing took very little space, he usually joined his clothing with Anne's in her luggage, but this weekend was different – two bags were required.
Anne remembered him asking: “Anne, what shall I pack?”
“I really don't know,” Anne had said, “the list of what not to bring was clear enough, but after that, only a Bible and a sleeping bag.
It will be out in the mountains. Shorts would be comfortable, but a church function may not allow shorts.”
Anne remembered that she and Kenny compromised. They would take two bags, slacks, and shorts if necessary. They would wear the slacks there, and if it was appropriate, change to shorts.
“Swim suit?” Kenny asked. He had plenty of room. A nice one, with long legs. She had told him that he had grown out of his Speedo's.
SOMEBODY WAVED at Anne on the concrete path to the women's dorm. Anne heard the Head Rosita say, “No talking,” but the silliness of that rule bugged her. She would talk all night, if she wanted.
She waved back and said, "Hello." The other girl waved, and put her finger up to her lips indicting that the silence imposed eliminated talking. She shrugged her shoulders to indicate there wasn't much she could do about it. Anne entered the dorm. Her luggage now . . . where did they put it?
ANNE ENTERED the dorm. A long room with beds in two rows against the two long walls, no pictures, with a door at the end. It would be great for little leagues or the boy scouts, who used the facility, but not for couples. The beds lined the long walls and a shelf ran along same two walls about five feet from the floor.
A round, painted, plywood sign hung on the wall over each bed. A name had been painted on the sign, “Susan, Michelle, Sophia, Penny, June,” the last names were written below in smaller letters.
And each bed contained a sleeping bag and some luggage. Some had two bags plus the sleeping bag. Some had wheeled carry-ons. It looked messy, but orderly. Surely, there must be only one Anne.
Anne thought, find the bed with Anne above and Brown below and her luggage would be there. I hope. Anne looked at the women around her. What a strange lot they were. Mostly young, between twenty and thirty
, younger than her or Kenny.
Everyone looked nice. They were all dressed for church, except one, with a cane wearing Bermuda shorts. Thank goodness. I wore long slacks, tonight would be cool, but tomorrow could be
hot, and the shorts she brought would be perfect. She rejoiced that the woman wore Bermudas.
Aha, Anne Brown . . . and my sleeping bag and the pink suitcase. How did they know? Let's see I'm bunked next to Francine F. and Alex. I wonder what problems they have in their marriages.
Anne went outside.
-- 3 --
MOST OF THE GALS, INCLUDING ANNE, wandered off, meandering over this hill or down the valley starring at the stars or looking introspectively at the sky. Nobody went back to the dorm. The night air, a bit cool, but basically nice. Cool, but comfortable. Anne wandered around outside.