Made Of Honor Part 30

"Thanks, man!" Adrian shouted, then waved to Ryan as he rejoined the others. As much as Adrian loved my family, he didn't even discuss the option of sticking around. In fact, he broke into a jog towards the vans we'd rode over in. He kissed me again before depositing me into the pa.s.senger's seat of the first one we came to and bent over, feeling for the key under the mat.

I swallowed. "Now what?"

He looked up with an intensity that made me s.h.i.+ver. "Now, dear wife, I take you home. And this time, I'm coming in to stay."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.

1. As the book opens, Dana has mixed feelings about her best friend's wedding. When her instincts turn out to be correct, she prays for Tracey and tries to help her sort out her feelings but realizes she wants her own marriage to be different. Have you ever known ahead of time that a relations.h.i.+p might not be the best idea for you or for a friend? Did you go through with it anyway? What happened?

2. Dana, Tracey and Roch.e.l.le are some of the last members of the Sa.s.sy Sistahood e-mail list. If you had a chance to join a group like this, would you? If so, which of the three friends would you probably be closest to? Whom did you ident.i.ty with most?

3. Dana's sister has done some hurtful things to her, but now Dahlia's trying to live for Christ. Would you struggle with having someone like her back in your life or would you freely forgive Dahlia, knowing that G.o.d will transform her as she grows as a Christian? Did Dana do well in how she handled this situation? If not, what could she have done better?

4. Austin, the local news reporter who visits Dana's shop, becomes a new and unexpected friend. Though the two women seem to have little in common at first, as they spend more time together, they realize they have much to share. Have you ever made an "instant friend" like Austin? Are you still friends with that person today?

5. Dana spends a lot of time thinking about the past with Adrian and struggles at first to consider a future with him. Though her memory of him stealing her business idea turns out to be false, something much worse turns out to be true. Have you ever reached a turning point when you had to let go of the past to grab on to the future? What did you decide? Do you think that Dana made the right decision with Adrian?

6. Dana's relations.h.i.+ps with her father and brother start out rocky at best. Yet, in the end, Jordan and her dad are there for her and support her. Have you ever had to rethink your feelings on someone in our family? Has someone you know made a great turn around in their life? Did you find their new life hard to accept?

7. Though Dana's goal is to make products to help women relax, she stresses herself out to do it, to the point of endangering her own health. Have you ever been so concerned for others that you couldn't find time to take care of yourself? Do you struggle to balance work, family and faith? If so, what is one thing you can do this week to relieve some stress?

8. Throughout the story, Dana struggles with her weight, although she ends the story at the same weight she started at. At the end of the tale, however, she is healthier and feels better about herself. What do you think made the difference in her att.i.tude?

9. Dana's business started out as a hobby. Is there something you've always wanted to try or learn about, but you've never had the time? If your resources were unlimited, what kind of craft or hobby wold you try? If the funds for a business startup were at your disposal, what kind of business would you be interested in?

10. The verse at the front of this book is Psalms 139:14 "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." The return of her brother and old boyfriend, starting a new business and almost losing her life certainly showed Dana what she was made of. In the end, she was both stronger and weaker than she'd thought. Have circ.u.mstances in your life revealed what's in your heart? Were you surprised by what you saw? If not, what do you think made the difference?