“Speaking of help, I promised I would help Willis feed the hogs this morning.” Michelle rinsed out the sponge and let the water out of the sink. “As soon as we finish with that chore, I’ll be in the barn with Val.” Michelle looked at Sara. “Wanna join us?”
Sara laid her dishcloth aside. “Feeding the hogs or playing with your puppy?”
Michelle shrugged. “Both if you want to.”
Sara wrinkled her nose. “Think I’ll pass on feeding the hogs, but I would like to play with your cute little pup again.”
“Okay. I should be done helping Willis in half an hour or so. I’ll see you in the barn as soon as I’m done.” Michelle slipped on a pair of black boots, grabbed a lightweight jacket, and went out the back door.
With a relaxed posture, Mary Ruth looked at Sara and grinned. “That young woman is going to make a good Amish wife someday. She doesn’t mind doing the most unpleasant chores.”
“I believe you are right. Michelle seems to have found her niche.” Sara glanced out the kitchen window. “I, on the other hand, have no idea where my life is supposed to take me.” She turned to look at Mary Ruth. “Some days I feel like I’m floundering.”
Mary Ruth’s brows furrowed. “Oh dear, I had no idea you felt that way. Is it because you’re living here without access to electricity and other modern things? Because if that is the case, and you’d rather be out on your own, your grandpa and I will understand.” She paused and massaged a sore spot on her thumb knuckle where she’d bumped it while opening a drawer. “Of course, we love having you here, and if you choose to stay, it would make us very happy. But if you decide to move out, we will not pressure you to stay.”
Sara’s forehead wrinkled slightly as she reached back to tighten the pink rubber band holding her ponytail in place. “I enjoy living here with you and Grandpa, and for now, at least, I’d like to stay. I have access to electricity at the flower shop, and I’m able to use my laptop and charge my cell phone whenever there’s a need.”
Mary Ruth closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again. “I’m so glad, dear one. Meeting you, and having you living with us has meant the world to your grandpa and me. I hope that no matter what the future holds, we never lose contact with each other.” She gave Sara a hug. As they held each other in a meaningful embrace, Mary Ruth sent up a silent prayer. Thank You, Lord, for bringing Sara and Michelle into our lives. In different ways, they have brought us so much happiness. I thank You for the friendship I see blossoming between them. The girls may not realize it, but they need each other, so this is truly an answer to prayer.
When Sara entered the barn, she found Michelle kneeling on the floor, alternating between petting Sadie and the little Irish setter.
Sara couldn’t help but smile when Sadie licked the pup’s head. “I think Val may have found a surrogate mother,” she said, kneeling beside Michelle.
“Yeah. Sadie has had a bit of practice. She was a good mother when she gave birth to a litter of puppies back in June.” Michelle stroked Sadie’s head, then Val’s. “Ezekiel knew what he was doing when he gave me this puppy. She’s not only good medicine for me, but also for Sadie. Having Val to play with helps us not to miss Rascal so much.”
Sara reached out and stroked the pup’s silky ears. “I bet even when she is fully grown she’ll be cute—or at least beautiful—with all that shiny auburn hair.”
“I believe you’re right.” Michelle pointed in the direction of the shelf where the antique canning jars were set. “Changing the subject … I was wondering if you have read anything from either of the prayer jars lately.”
“Just the one in the basement, but that was several weeks ago.”
“Should we get the jar in here down and read a few notes now? I could use a little inspiration.”
“Sure. I’m always in need of encouragement.” Sara stood, and Michelle did the same.
Val whined for a few seconds, but then the pup settled down when Sadie nuzzled her head with her nose.
“Sadie makes a good babysitter,” Sara said as they walked to the other side of the barn.
Michelle snickered. “I sure never expected Willis and Mary Ruth’s dog to take such an interest in my little hundli. Figured she might either be jealous or treat Val like she’s a nuisance. But so far, it’s all been good.”
“All puppies can be an annoyance at times, but their cuteness usually outweighs their mischievous ways.”
“That’s for sure.” Michelle climbed up on a stool and took down the glass jar filled with inspirational writings. Then Sara sat beside her on a bale of hay.
Michelle pulled a slip of paper from the jar and read the message out loud. “Broken people are made whole by God’s love.” She looked over at Sara. “I can sure relate to that quote.”
Sara shrugged. How does she want me to respond? Am I supposed to admit that I’m broken? Is that what Michelle wants to hear? Truth was, Sara could barely admit that fact to herself.
“Okay now, it’s your turn.” Michelle handed the jar to Sara.
Sara pulled out a slip of paper that had been slightly torn on one corner. The words were still legible though. She read it silently, wondering once again who had written these notes. This one in particular really captured her attention.
“You look bewildered.” Michelle bumped Sara’s arm. “What’s it say?”
“Leave the past where it belongs—which is in the past. Look forward to the future that has been planned for you.” Sara pressed her lips together, then opened them again. “I’m not sure why, but this makes me think of something my mother said to me once.”
“What was it?” Michelle asked.
“Mama told me a person might believe their life is taking them in one direction, and then something happens to turn their world upside down.” Sara’s voice wavered. “I—I didn’t understand what she meant until my world was upended when I found out she’d been hiding a secret from me since I was born.”
“You mean about the fact that she ran away from home and you had grandparents whom you grew up knowing nothing about?”
Sara gave a slow nod as she folded her arms tightly across her chest. “I loved my mother—don’t get me wrong, but I’m still struggling with her deceit, and I can’t seem to forgive her for that. Since I am her only daughter, I would think I’d be the last person she’d want to deceive.”
Michelle placed her hand on Sara’s arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I know all about the struggle to forgive people who have hurt me.” She looked at the jar Sara held. “Finding the prayer jars was a turning point for me. I can honestly say that my life has changed since reading the notes I discovered—especially the Bible verses that pointed me in the direction of accepting Christ as my Savior and learning the importance of going to God in prayer whenever I have a need. Have you done that, Sara? Have you asked Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your heart?”
Sara’s body tensed and she found it difficult to swallow. “No, I—I haven’t.”
“Would you like to do it right now?” Michelle’s voice was gentle, and Sara sensed her concern. “I’d be happy to pray with you.”
Sara reached back and fiddled with the end of her ponytail. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m not ready to commit to anything right now. Or forgive Mama for keeping the truth of my heritage from me all these years, she silently added.
Sara felt relief when she heard a vehicle pull up outside. The look of disappointment she’d seen on Michelle’s face when she refused her help had almost made her cave in. “That must be Brad. When he called me the other night, he said he’d be coming here today.” She handed the jar back to Michelle, leaped to her feet, and raced out the barn door.
When Brad stepped out of his van, and saw Sara walking toward him, he felt an adrenaline rush course through his body. Although she wore a pair of jeans and a plain sweatshirt, he thought Sara looked even more beautiful than the last time he’d seen her. She wore her hair in a ponytail today, showing more of her beautifu
l face. Her blue eyes seemed more vivid than he’d noticed before too.
Brad had to calm his breathing as he stepped forward and gave her a hug. “It’s good to see you again, Sara.”
“It’s nice to see you too.” Her dimpled smile made him feel like hugging her again. But he didn’t want to appear too forward, so he held himself in check. Besides, they had an audience now, since Michelle had just stepped out of the barn.
Brad smiled and waved. “Hey, Michelle. How’s it going?”
“Good. Real good. Come see what Ezekiel gave me for Valentine’s Day.” She gestured to the barn.
“You’d better go see.” Sara took hold of his hand. “I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
Eager to see what gift Ezekiel had given Michelle, Brad went willingly with Sara. Michelle was way ahead of them, and by the time they entered the barn, she met them near the door with a red-furred pup in her arms.
“This is Val,” Michelle announced, rubbing the dog’s floppy ears. “Since she was a Valentine’s Day gift, the name I chose for her seems appropriate.”
Brad reached out his hand and stroked the pup’s other ear. “She’s a cute little thing. Irish setter, right?”
Michelle nodded. “By the time she’s fully grown, she’ll probably be bigger than Sadie.”
As if on cue, the collie padded out from the back of the barn, wagging her tail.
“Well, hello there, girl.” Brad bent down to pet Sadie, while Sara looked on. “And what does she think of your little furry intruder?” he asked, directing his question to Michelle. He had to grin to himself when Sadie sat down, making herself comfortable on his foot.
“Much to my surprise, Sadie actually likes Val.”
“It’s true,” Sara chimed in. “Michelle and I were both surprised to see how well Sadie took to the puppy.”
“That’s great.” Brad smiled at Michelle. “It was a thoughtful gift your boyfriend gave you. The pup’s a keeper, and so is your guy.”
Her cheeks reddened. “I agree. Ezekiel has always been good to me.”
Brad glanced at Sara. “So are you ready to do something fun today?”
“Yes, I am.” Sara rubbed her hands together. “What did you have in mind?”
“We could attend the mud sale going on in Manheim. Or how about staying local and taking a ride on the Strasburg Rail Road?” Brad scraped a hand through his hair. “But you know what I’d really like to show you this morning?”
“What’s that?” Sara’s brows raised slightly.
“The Biblical Tabernacle here in Lancaster County.”
“Tabernacle?” She glanced at Michelle, then back at Brad.
“Yes. It’s a full-scale replica of the tabernacle we read about in the Old Testament.”
“And it is inside the Mennonite Information Center,” Michelle interjected. “I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s quite interesting. Ezekiel and I have talked about going to see it sometime. You should go see it with Brad, Sara.”
“Okay, sure … why not?” Sara’s tone was less than enthusiastic. Brad wondered if she’d agreed to go only because he’d suggested it. However, once Sara got there and saw the uniqueness of it, he felt sure she would be glad they went.
Chapter 32
Lancaster
As Sara stood next to Brad, inside a large building with a contoured ceiling, she listened to their guide give details about the brazen altar and ark of the covenant, while pointing out the replica of it.
Brad looked over at Sara and whispered, “Even for people who know their biblical history, this presentation is fascinating.”
People like you, not me. Sara nodded.
“Now as you look into the holy place, you will see a full-size wax figure representing the high priest,” their female narrator said. “The priest presided over the altar of incense, and his robes had precious stones embedded in gold on the breastplate he wore.”
Sara also learned that the golden candlestick and table of shewbread were made to scale. There was an authentically researched design of the veil, showing how, in biblical times, it separated the people from the presence of God. All this information was new to her, but she made no mention of it to Brad.
When the presentation was over, at Brad’s suggestion, they wandered into the area where various religious books were sold. Brad picked out two books, and asked if Sara wanted anything, but she declined, saying, “Not at this time.”
“If it’s about the cost, I’d be happy to buy it for you.”
She shook her head. “It’s not that. I just have plenty of books already that still need to be read.” Liar. Sara’s conscience pricked her. While she did have a few unread books in her room, none of them were of a religious nature.
After Brad paid for his purchases, he suggested they go to Miller’s restaurant on Route 30 between Ronks and Paradise. “They have a good variety of food there.” He thumped his stomach. “So we won’t leave hungry. And since I invited you on this date, the meal will be my treat.”
“Sounds good, but I can’t guarantee you’ll get your money’s worth. I’m not a big eater.”
“No problem. While they’re known for their smorgasbord, they have a great salad bar, plus lots of other lighter choices.” Brad opened the door for Sara and stepped outside behind her. When they got to his van, he opened the passenger’s door for her and waited until she fastened her seatbelt to close it.
Sara had never been out with anyone as polite as Brad. She appreciated his consideration and the extra attention he gave her. He was attractive and pleasant to talk to but probably not her type. But the truth was she wasn’t sure what kind of man would be good for her. Sara knew one thing for sure—Brad would make a wonderful husband for a lucky woman someday.
Between Ronks and Paradise
“Wow, you weren’t kidding about all the food they serve on the buffet here.” Sara’s eyes widened. Looking around the dining room, where the food stations were located, she could hardly take it all in. Even the dessert bar caught her attention, although Sara was sure she’d never be able to eat anything from it.
“This restaurant is not as big as the Shady Maple Smorgasbord up in East Earl, but it offers more than enough food for most people.” Brad pulled out a chair for Sara and waited until she was seated at their table before taking the seat across from her.
When a waitress came, they both ordered iced tea, and Brad told her that he and Sara would be eating from the buffet.
After the young woman left, he looked across the table at Sara and smiled. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to pray before we get our food. Would it be okay if I pray out loud, or would you prefer we pray the Amish way?”
Sara took a sip of water. “The Amish way is fine for me. After living with my grandparents these past four months, I’ve gotten used to their way of praying silently. Besides, my mother used to offer silent prayers too.”
“No problem. We can pray the Amish way.” Brad bowed his head, and Sara did the same. Sara would never have admitted to Brad, or anyone else for that matter, that she rarely prayed. And on the few occasions Sara had whispered a prayer, she wasn’t sure it was even heard. If God was real, He seemed too far away to hear anyone’s prayers. And if He did listen to people’s prayers, why would He care about hers? Sara really had no connection to God. How could she when He’d taken the only person she’d ever loved? It was one more thing Sara had to feel bitter about.
Sara opened her eyes, to see if Brad had finished praying. Seeing that his head was still bowed, she dropped her gaze as well, allowing more thoughts to swirl in her head.
Is it Mama’s betrayal that bothers me the most, her untimely death, or not knowing my real father? Her fingers tightened around the napkin in her lap. Maybe the root of my bitterness stems from having a stepfather who has never cared much for me.
Sara couldn’t change a single thing about her past, and stewing about it didn’t help. Yet there were moments, like now, when Mama’s deception and Dean�
��s lack of attention cut through Sara’s soul like a piercing arrow.
When she heard a slight rustle, Sara looked up, and was relieved to see Brad’s eyes were open. No doubt he’d prayed a meaningful prayer. It’s a good thing he doesn’t know my thoughts were elsewhere. Brad probably wouldn’t want to go out with me again if he knew how I feel about my mother, not to mention my stepfather.
Sara forced a smile, hoping her pent-up emotions wouldn’t show on her face. How many times had she gone over all this in her head? As time went on, her resentment had increased. She’d been getting along better with Michelle these days, so why couldn’t she forgive the other people who had hurt her and move on?
Brad pushed his chair back and stood. “Should we help ourselves to some food?”
“Sure.” Sara followed as he led the way to the buffet stations. It would be good to focus on eating rather than reminiscing about the past or trying to dissect her feelings.
Sara helped herself to the salad bar, then added a few chilled steamed shrimp, a piece of carved turkey, and some mixed cooked vegetables to her plate. Normally, she didn’t eat this much for lunch, but all this appetizing food was too tempting to ignore. Of course, she would probably pay the price for it later when she was too full to eat whatever Grandma fixed for supper.
Back at the table, Brad pointed to his full plate of food and rolled his eyes. “I’d planned on having at least one piece of pie, but after I eat all this, I doubt I’ll have enough room for dessert.”
“I hear you. This is a lot of food.”
As they ate, they talked about Michelle’s new puppy and how happy and content she seemed these days.
“She’s certainly not the same young woman I met last summer. She seemed so distraught and like she was hiding something,” Brad commented. “Once Michelle admitted her deceit, and sought forgiveness from the Lord as well as the Lapps, she became like a new person.”
The Forgiving Jar Page 22