Mom in the Middle (18 page)

“And what would that be, Guy?”

“Having a soul mate to love. Having a purpose and a home.”

“For you that's Iowa. Mine is here in Texas with my family. How will we make that work?”

He stepped back and extended his hands for her to follow his downward gaze. The fancy boots were gone, replaced by the scruffiest pair of sneakers she'd ever seen. She wanted to laugh out loud and burst into tears of joy at the same time. Instead she stepped back into the arms of her soul mate to wait for his answer.

“If your home is here, then mine is, too.” His voice dropped to a tender whisper, choked with longing.

“Please, say you'll marry me, Abby.”

Yes
was too simple. So she answered him with a kiss that said,
I've found the one my heart loves.

Dear Reader,

Writing this third book in my TEXAS TREASURES series was a struggle.
Mom in the Middle
is a story I really wanted to tell, but as it began to unfold my life began to unravel. I was spread too thin physically, emotionally and spiritually. Instead of setting reasonable limits that would help me focus, I broadened my vision and stepped on the gas. Even as the Holy Spirit pleaded with me to “Be still” I ran full speed ahead until I quite literally hit a concrete wall (in my new yellow Mustang GT convertible!). OUCH!

God has an incredible way of getting our attention, doesn't He? For months He wooed me sweetly, quietly and persistently and I refused Him. But with three badly jammed fingers and three days to edit my manuscript He finally had what he wanted. All of me. I gave myself and the story over to Him as I should have from the beginning, and he turned my confusion into crystal clear peace.

I hope you will recognize the Father's touch on
Mom in the Middle
. Until we meet again, let your light shine.

1. The sandwich generation is growing. More and more women are finding themselves in the difficult position of dividing their caregiving time between aging parents and young children. How would you stay positive and handle the stress of such demands?
   
2. In the beginning of
   Mom in the Middle,
   Abby sees her circumstances as a penance that God has placed upon her because she doesn't please Him. Why do you think she reacts to her situation in that way?
   
3. When Guy comes into their lives, Abby sees him as a threat instead of a comfort. Why do women so often feel they have to do everything themselves? That they shouldn't accept, let alone ask for assistance?
   
4. There is a triangle of strong conflicting emotions between Abby and her parents, with behavior changing constantly as we watch them together: Abby and Shorty, Shorty and Sarah, Sarah and Abby. Why do you feel the dynamic between close family members seems to shift from one moment to the next?
   
5. Guy has grown up in a home full of women who anticipate and meet every possible need. Do you think women do their sons and brothers a service or disservice with this kind of affection and attention? Why or why not?
   
6. In response to the wonderful treatment he's had from the women in his family, Guy gives back by helping any woman he finds in need. In doing so he often creates false expectations. Do you believe it's possible for single men and women to be close without romantic expectations clouding the friendship?
   
7. Abby struggles with letting go of the memory of the young man who was not only her husband but also her lifelong friend. Can you think of a time when you had to deal with this type of a loss, or help a close friend or relative through such a period of mourning? Do you think Abby's feelings were typical?
   
8. What do you think Guy saw in Abby that changed his perspective on a long-term relationship, marriage and a family of his own?
   
9. Even in her strength and independence, Abby carried what a lot of men would see as “baggage” into a relationship. Do you think today's woman views the responsibility of caring for her aging loved ones as a burden or, as in Abby's case, an honor entrusted to her by God?
   
10. Though neither is searching for a soul mate, that's exactly what Guy and Abby recognize in one another. When Solomon wrote, “I found the one my heart loves,” do you think he believed there was one person created specially for him by God? Do you believe in soul mates? Why or why not?