Read Online Count It All Joy by Ashea S. Goldson - Free Book Online Page A

Joshua said.
    â€œCall it whatever you like.” She became louder. “You and your little Mother Theresa wife over there don’t have a clue about what it takes to build a ministry.”
    â€œMother Benning—please don’t do this,” I said. Joshua stepped in. “You can’t do this to an innocent kid who we’ve already told that we’re adopting.”
    â€œMy hands are tied.” Mother Benning put the checkbook away.
    I couldn’t believe what she was saying. I couldn’t believe a woman of God could be so heartless. “We’re not just going to sit back and watch you mess up a little boy’s life.”
    Then Mother Benning’s hand went up again in my face. “Sweetie, you’re already way out of your league. Stay out of this.”
    I sat down, not out of defeat, but out of respect for Joshua.
    â€œMother, you can’t be serious.” Joshua’s eyes filled up with tears.
    â€œI’m as serious as a heart attack.” Mother Benning took up her mink coat and walked to the door. “This is about survival of the fittest and may the best man or woman win.”

Chapter Seven
    Joshua
    Â 
    The awkward silence in the small off-white waiting area made it seem like a tomb. There were other concerned families in there sitting on the soft gray chairs and waiting, some grieving. Mother seemed oblivious to them all. She seemed to only care about herself, and her agenda.
    I was more hurt than angry. “She crossed the line this time.” I couldn’t believe that she had all but ignored me up to this point, then threw this mess in my face, threatening me. And even brought up who would have been my older brother in order to guilt me into doing what she wanted. Now that was low, even for Mother. I had to put a stop to that.
    â€œGive her more time,” Alex whispered to me, trying to hold me back.
    When Mother returned, I cornered her. “Hasn’t this gone too far?”
    â€œOn the contrary, son. I’m a winner, so I’m taking this all the way to the finish line,” she said as she walked away.
    So that was my life ever since I could remember. Mother would either pout or strong-arm my father into getting whatever she wanted, even to the detriment of everyone else. But it didn’t matter. Mother used to say nothing mattered except for the vision. Vision is what she called it, and she used it to her advantage, at home and in the political arena also.
    I looked over at my beautiful wife slouched over in the waiting-room chair.
    She looked so sad. Maybe she was worried about me. I wanted to put my arms around her and take away her pain, but I couldn’t. To be honest, I couldn’t even handle my own.
    Why couldn’t Mother just accept the vision God had given me? Why did things have to always go her way? Does God favor women over men? I wished that I could depend on my father for backup, but he was too weak. In his very fragile state, I wondered how badly I’d hurt him when I said no to taking over the church. I knew my mother had probably poisoned his mind against me like she always did. She always knew how to pull his strings.
    I was too close to having everything I ever wanted. I was married to Alex, was about to adopt an underprivileged child, was finally an ordained minister, and all I needed was a biological son to make it all perfect. I wasn’t going to let Mother’s selfishness destroy me.
    Mother was always serious, but committed to her family in her own controlling way. I knew she loved me, but sometimes I really wondered if she liked me. She had a no-nonsense kind of strictness, yet she wasn’t old-fashioned at all. The daughter of attorneys, she believed in change, and sometimes change at all costs. My father, although he himself was a judge and was the son of ministers, he was more laid-back. He was the one who attended all of my high school and college basketball games, while Mother