Graber, is she?”
“I’m afraid so. She’s rejected all suitors ever since William jilted her, and now Amos Hilty has shown an interest, and she’s giving him the cold shoulder, too.”
“Many young people have breakups with their boyfriends, but most recover after a reasonable time.” Sarah clicked her tongue. “If there was only something we could do to make Miriam realize that life goes on when bad thingshappen. God is always there to help us through our trials; we just need to trust Him and look for the good.”
“I wish she could see that.” Anna released a sigh. “I really think Amos would be good for her, and from what I can tell, his daughter seems to like Miriam a lot.”
“She’s a good teacher; Rebekah has told me that often.”
“If she can teach the scholars and make them like her, then she has what it takes to be a good mother.”
Sarah’s forehead wrinkled as she stared at the table. “Sorry to say this, Anna, but not all of Miriam’s students like her. Some say she’s an old-maid schoolteacher with a heart of stone. Rebekah told me that, too.”
Anna nodded. “Miriam overheard some of the kinner saying that not long ago, and it nearly broke my heart to see how sad she looked when she told me about it.”
“Maybe we need to look for some fun things we can do that will involve Miriam.”
“Jah, maybe so. Although she doesn’t seem open to the idea of doing many fun things anymore. I’m going to keep praying for my daughter—that the Lord will give her a merry heart and that, if it’s His will, Miriam will fall in love and get married.”
B y the time school had let out for the summer, the weather had become hot, and Miriam found it difficult not to complain about the stuffy, humid air. Some days, not even a tender breeze graced Lancaster County.
One evening, a summer storm finally brought wind and rain, but it only caused more humidity. That evening, Miriam sat on the front porch steps watching streaks of lightning brighten the shadowy sky.
“God’s handiwork is a pretty picture, isn’t it?” said a deep voice from behind her.
She turned and discovered her father standing on the porch, stroking his long, full beard. “You startled me, Papa. I didn’t hear you come out.”
“Sorry about that.” He pointed to the sky. “God’s quite the artist, wouldn’t ya say?”
Miriam nodded. Papa had such a way with words and a love and understanding of God that had always astonished her. He saw the Lord’s hand in everything—things others would have simply taken for granted.
“We need a good rain,” Papa said as he took a seat onthe step beside Miriam.
“I suppose so, but it’s making the air awfully muggy.”
“Jah, well, we can put up with a little mugginess when the good Lord answers our prayers and brings the rain. The fields are in need of a good soaking.”
Miriam couldn’t argue with that. She knew how important the crops of alfalfa, corn, and wheat were to the Amish farmers in the area. She reached for Papa’s hand. “How is it that you always see the good in things?”
“‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he,’ the Bible tells us in Proverbs 23:7.”
Miriam wasn’t able to dispute that, either. Perhaps the reason she was so unhappy was because she thought unhappy thoughts. But how could she make herself think pleasant thoughts?
She shuddered as a clap of thunder sounded close to the house.
“Is somethin’ besides the storm troubling you?” Papa asked.
Of course something was troubling her. Something always seemed to be troubling her. She shook her head. “Just the storm. I hope the
wedderleech
doesn’t hit anyone’s house or barn.”
“Lightning strikes are always uninvited. But if it should happen, then we’ll simply rebuild.” He smiled. “A good barn raising is always a joy.”
“A joy? You mean, it’s a lot of work, don’t you?”
“That, too, but working together with your friends and family can be a happy
“I’m afraid so. She’s rejected all suitors ever since William jilted her, and now Amos Hilty has shown an interest, and she’s giving him the cold shoulder, too.”
“Many young people have breakups with their boyfriends, but most recover after a reasonable time.” Sarah clicked her tongue. “If there was only something we could do to make Miriam realize that life goes on when bad thingshappen. God is always there to help us through our trials; we just need to trust Him and look for the good.”
“I wish she could see that.” Anna released a sigh. “I really think Amos would be good for her, and from what I can tell, his daughter seems to like Miriam a lot.”
“She’s a good teacher; Rebekah has told me that often.”
“If she can teach the scholars and make them like her, then she has what it takes to be a good mother.”
Sarah’s forehead wrinkled as she stared at the table. “Sorry to say this, Anna, but not all of Miriam’s students like her. Some say she’s an old-maid schoolteacher with a heart of stone. Rebekah told me that, too.”
Anna nodded. “Miriam overheard some of the kinner saying that not long ago, and it nearly broke my heart to see how sad she looked when she told me about it.”
“Maybe we need to look for some fun things we can do that will involve Miriam.”
“Jah, maybe so. Although she doesn’t seem open to the idea of doing many fun things anymore. I’m going to keep praying for my daughter—that the Lord will give her a merry heart and that, if it’s His will, Miriam will fall in love and get married.”
B y the time school had let out for the summer, the weather had become hot, and Miriam found it difficult not to complain about the stuffy, humid air. Some days, not even a tender breeze graced Lancaster County.
One evening, a summer storm finally brought wind and rain, but it only caused more humidity. That evening, Miriam sat on the front porch steps watching streaks of lightning brighten the shadowy sky.
“God’s handiwork is a pretty picture, isn’t it?” said a deep voice from behind her.
She turned and discovered her father standing on the porch, stroking his long, full beard. “You startled me, Papa. I didn’t hear you come out.”
“Sorry about that.” He pointed to the sky. “God’s quite the artist, wouldn’t ya say?”
Miriam nodded. Papa had such a way with words and a love and understanding of God that had always astonished her. He saw the Lord’s hand in everything—things others would have simply taken for granted.
“We need a good rain,” Papa said as he took a seat onthe step beside Miriam.
“I suppose so, but it’s making the air awfully muggy.”
“Jah, well, we can put up with a little mugginess when the good Lord answers our prayers and brings the rain. The fields are in need of a good soaking.”
Miriam couldn’t argue with that. She knew how important the crops of alfalfa, corn, and wheat were to the Amish farmers in the area. She reached for Papa’s hand. “How is it that you always see the good in things?”
“‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he,’ the Bible tells us in Proverbs 23:7.”
Miriam wasn’t able to dispute that, either. Perhaps the reason she was so unhappy was because she thought unhappy thoughts. But how could she make herself think pleasant thoughts?
She shuddered as a clap of thunder sounded close to the house.
“Is somethin’ besides the storm troubling you?” Papa asked.
Of course something was troubling her. Something always seemed to be troubling her. She shook her head. “Just the storm. I hope the
wedderleech
doesn’t hit anyone’s house or barn.”
“Lightning strikes are always uninvited. But if it should happen, then we’ll simply rebuild.” He smiled. “A good barn raising is always a joy.”
“A joy? You mean, it’s a lot of work, don’t you?”
“That, too, but working together with your friends and family can be a happy
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