River's End (9781426761140) by Melody Carlson

ribbons. And it almost seemed that Sarah was enjoying herself. Finally it was time to meet Clark at the dock. He and Anna exchanged looks as they boarded the boat loaded with all their bags. “Looks like you girls had successful shopping,” he said as he helped stow their purchases.
    â€œWe really did,” Anna told him. “And Sarah’s going to work on some new creations.”
    â€œCan’t wait to see that,” he said cheerfully.
    Soon they were heading upriver, but Sarah seemed back in a sullen mood again. Anna made attempts at small talk, but Sarah was not responding. They were about halfway home when Sarah turned to Anna with a worried expression. “Do you think it’s evil to look pretty?”
    â€œEvil?” Anna repeated. “To look pretty?”
    â€œIsn’t vanity wicked?” Sarah tried again. “And wanting to be pretty is like vanity, right? So is it evil?”
    Anna was trying to think of a response when she suddenly thought of her grandmother. “You remind me of my grandmother,” she told Sarah.
    Sarah looked confused. “Huh?”
    â€œMy grandmother was creative like you,” Anna explained. “She was very good with her hands, and she liked making pretty things with beads and embellishments, like the native cape that’s hanging in the living room. Do you think that’s pretty?”
    Sarah nodded.
    â€œAnd I remember my grandmother telling me that we should imitate the birds and flowers.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œShe knew that Jesus had said we should be like the birds and flowers in that we shouldn’t worry about clothes and food because God provides for us. But my grandmother took it a bit further. She used to say that we should imitate the birds and flowers by wearing colorful clothes, pretty like petals and feathers. She said that was like complimenting God on his fine workmanship. Because we were imitating God’s creativity.”
    Sarah’s mouth twisted to one side as if she was mentally chewing on this. “So you don’t think it’s wicked to look pretty then?”
    â€œDo you think birds and flowers are sinful?”
    â€œNo, of course not.”
    â€œYet they are pretty. So why should people be any different?”
    â€œI don’t know . . .” Sarah looked down at her patchwork dress, fingering a section of floral fabric.
    â€œAnd your dress is pretty,” Anna told her.
    Sarah looked up with troubled eyes. “This dress caused a fight and Daniel said that it was because of vanity. And that vanity is wicked. And wickedness must be punished.”
    Anna thought she didn’t care much for this Daniel fellow. “But you still wear this dress,” she said quietly. “Do you think that means you’re wicked?”
    Sarah shrugged.
    â€œI think I would define wickedness the same way I define sin. It’s doing something that hurts you or someone else or doing something that comes between you and God.”
    â€œLike vanity,” Sarah said.
    â€œWell, I guess I’d have to agree that vanity isn’t a good thing sometimes. Especially if people get too caught up in outward appearances.” Anna remembered how Lauren and Eunice used to be sometimes. She certainly didn’t wish that for Sarah. “I don’t think too much focus on one’s self and one’s appearance is healthy.”
    â€œDo you think it’s wicked?”
    â€œI suppose it could be if it hurt you or someone else,” Anna admitted. “Now I have a question for you, Sarah. Do you remember how you used to feel when you created a special piece of clothing?”
    Sarah nodded slowly. “Yeah . . . I felt pretty good.”
    â€œYou enjoyed creating something pretty, didn’t you?”
    She nodded again.
    â€œDid that seem wicked or evil to you?”
    â€œNo . . . I guess not.”
    Clark was slowing