An Unexpected Treat - Part 2

The past two months had been filled with challenges for Miller Industries and its CEO Lance Miller. Many of his corporate leaders had been upset by the decision to move their headquarters and manufacturing operations away from Boston. Nevertheless, Lance was busy overseeing the construction of the new facility just north of Highway 119 with dogged determination. Winter melted into spring as Bradford pears jockeyed with redbud trees for the most magnificent foliage.

Lance made it a point to stop by Barnett’s Bakery any time he could, but to his dismay, Melissa was rarely there. He had begun to wonder if she was sick or preoccupied with other concerns. One lovely April morning he popped into Barnett’s on his way to the construction site. Melissa greeted him with her sunny smile, “Hey there, It’s good to see you again!”

“I could say the same thing!” Lance responded. You’re never here when I stop by!

“Well, I’m mighty glad that you’ve been stopping by,” she replied with a grin. “I have been pretty busy here lately. With this huge new factory going up just north of town, I’ve had one meeting after another it seems.”

Taken aback, Lance stammered, “Huge new factory?”

“Surely you’ve seen it right off the Highway. Some city big shot is bringing his whole operation here. Well, some folks are downright worried that it’s gonna change our whole way of life. We like being a small town and don’t want to deal with all the problems that industry brings.” She flashed him that smile again, “But I’m sure you don’t want to hear our small-town gossip!”

“Actually, I’m very interested in this ‘small-town gossip.’ What kind of problems do you think this factory will bring?” asked Lance curiously, wondering why in the world his grandfather had been so insistent on moving the factory to Leverton if the townspeople didn’t want it there.

“Oh, you know, more traffic, increased crime, lots of newcomers who don’t appreciate our small-town lifestyle. I just wish I knew why in the world they chose Leverton.”

Shocked, he responded, “Why do you think a new factory will bring increased crime?”

“I don’t know,” Melissa replied. “It just seems like city people have different values than small-town folk.”

“Don’t you think having a factory here will provide new jobs for the locals? It might not be all bad,” Lance responded hopefully.

“That’s part of what we’ve been discussing in our meetings. Some people think it’s the best thing that could ever have happened to us. But we can’t help but think there must be some kind of ulterior motive because most city people don’t just pick up and move to a town like ours.”

Lance couldn’t help but smile as he began to understand Melissa’s resistance to his factory. She was afraid someone was going to destroy their small-town atmosphere. In the last couple of months he had grown to love this small town that he had been so eager to leave 18 years earlier.

He bought his Martha Washington Jets, bade Melissa goodbye, and headed toward the construction site. As he drove past the First Baptist Church where he had grown up, he remembered the week he had left Leverton for good. His mother hadn’t even been dead for a year, yet his father had married Sallie Brown, his high school math teacher. He couldn’t believe his dad could show such disrespect to his mother. His dad’s new romance had been the talk of the town, and he had felt devastated and betrayed.

Over the years, he had begun to understand that his dad was lonely, and Sallie had been a widow for 4 years, so it was natural that they would gravitate to each other. She was a good, Christian woman and had tried hard to reach out to him. He thought about how she sent him care packages every month while he was at Wheaton University. At first, he resented it, but his suitemates loved the homemade goodies, and by his junior year, he was beginning to appreciate her. In the months since he’d been back in Leverton, she had been wonderful to him, reminding him often that she was praying daily for him and inviting him for a good home-cooked meal several times a week.

His dad and Sallie had been inviting him to church; he decided he would go this Sunday. He’d been a Christian since he was 14 when he made a powerful commitment to Jesus at summer camp. Throughout high school he had been a leader in his youth group, then he went to an outstanding Christian college. But somehow after graduation as he had become increasingly successful, he had stopped reading His Bible and praying every morning. As he got busier, he had stopped going to church.

He turned back around and parked in front of the church. Walking up to the door, he found it unlocked, so he stepped in. Walking to the front, he knelt at the altar. “Lord, I moved away from You. I know You’ve always been here waiting for me to return. I’m coming back to You, Father. Forgive me for getting too busy for You. You have blessed me so much and given me tremendous success, and I give everything back to You. Miller Industries is Yours, Lord, and I pray You would use my company for Your glory. I love you, Lord!”

As he stood up to leave, Lance felt a sense of hope that he hadn't known for years. Walking back to his car, his thoughts turned to Melissa as he wondered two things: was she a follower of Jesus, and how could he help her see that Miller Industries intended to be a blessing to Leverton?