Challenging: Day 8

Word Count: 48,020

Summary of Events:

Gabrielle went and had a meeting with Pastor Scott, who advocated for her to divorce Reid with a rather confusing argument. Reid was visited by Mr. Williams again and told of plans for a visit to be arranged — although it wouldn't likely be a conjugal one. Nicholas met with a highly attractive female lawyer about getting visitation rights to his children — along with the right to live on his property again — and then also flirted with her. Jennifer tried to make supper and failed once, then had to deal with Dylan having an accident and Daniella making a comment about how Nicholas liked the kids better than Jennifer did, which really got her upset — at least her second attempt at supper worked out better.

Excerpt of the Day:

""Then why did you read me a passage from the law?" Gabrielle asked. "If the law is fulfilled then why should I keep it?"

Pastor Scott closed his eyes, sighed, and opened them again. "Just because they're fulfilled doesn't mean that they aren't good advice, and besides, it is mentioned in the Bible without it explicitly being said that it is wrong. Divorce is allowed in certain situations."

"It is said that if the husband found his wife displeasing because of indecency," Gabrielle said. "Reid has not been indecent."

Pastor Scott rolled back to his desk and took up his cell phone. "Indecent is taken to mean partial or full on nudity, either that or being particularly suggestive, however . . ." he scrolled on his phone. "According to the dictionary indecent means something that does not conform with the generally accepted standards of behaviour or propriety; obscene. And obscene . . . is offensive to moral principles; repugnant. And repugnant is extremely distasteful; unacceptable. In other words, if you follow the trail, what your husband did can be counted as indecent. What he did is morally and legally unacceptable, thereby it is repugnant and morally offensive, obscene; it does not conform with the Biblically and societally accepted standards of behaviour or propriety. Additionally, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that unfaithfulness can be grounds for divorce, and your husband has been unfaithful to you by doing this indecent thing. He has abandoned you to raise your children alone, and to financially suffer. You cannot let him get away with it."

"Does the Bible — if not Jesus Himself — not also say: 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you'?" Gabrielle challenged.

"Yes, the Bible does say that," Pastor Scott replied.

"Now, Reid has done something rather unkind to me — unintentionally as far as I'm concerned — which does give me every right to do the same back to him and give him payback for being so hurtful," Gabrielle said. "However, if I hurt him back then I would be giving any other man I might marry the right to hurt me similarly. If I don't want other people to hurt me, then why should I go around hurting other people? Others is a very broad category, it doesn't necessarily just include my husband, my family, or my friends, it includes everyone who lives on earth. So then if I hurt one person, everyone else the right to hurt me, however, if I choose instead to be nice to someone, no one else has any right to hurt me, nor do I believe they would have the motivation to hurt me so much as they would if I were to behave hurtfully."

Pastor Scott sighed. "You obviously seem intent to argue with me Mrs. Kiszczak; if you wanted my wise counsel you wouldn't be so argumentative. Therefore, I think you should go back home now and come back to me when you're willing to take my advice.""