The Healing Jar Read online

  “Grandpa doesn’t look bad; he’s just not able to use his left arm or leg as he once did, and his mouth still sags a bit—especially when he talks.”

  “But he’s in a wheelchair, and that really bothers him.” Grandma lifted her hands, then let them fall into her lap with a sigh. “I’ve reminded him often that many people are praying for him and he shouldn’t worry about being seen in a wheelchair, but nothing I say gets through to him.”

  Lenore nodded. “I’ve tried talking to him too, and so has my daed. I sure wish God would give us a miracle and heal Grandpa’s body.”

  “He will be healed someday, when he is ushered into heaven. As much as your grandpa wants to be here with his family, he’s said many times how he longs to see Jesus.”

  Lenore pondered Grandma’s words. Am I as eager to see Jesus as I am to remain here with my family? Shouldn’t all believers look forward to leaving their earthly home and spending eternity in heaven? It was a question she’d asked herself on more than one occasion. In fact, every time she attended someone’s funeral, Lenore pondered this thought.

  Grandpa had said several times during sermons he’d preached to their congregation that a Christian’s reward was leaving the mortal body so the immortal soul could dwell with the Lord. While Lenore wanted to be transported to heaven someday, she still had a good many things she wanted to do here in this life. She hoped God was in no hurry to take her, or her grandparents, home to be with Him.

  Lenore guided her horse and buggy up the lane leading to their bishop’s home where church was being held this morning. When she pulled onto the grassy area where other buggies were parked, Lenore gave Grandma the reins while she got out and unhitched her horse. “You can go up to the house while I hook Dolly to the line with the other horses.”

  Grandma turned and gave Lenore a wave. “Okay. I’ll see you outside the bishop’s buggy shop before we all file in for church.”

  As Lenore sat on a backless wooden bench beside her friend Hannah Stoltzfus and several other young women her age, she gave a quick glance at the men’s section. Michelle’s husband, Ezekiel, sat beside a dark-haired, bearded young man who held a baby girl. Lenore didn’t recognize him and wondered if he was here visiting someone or might be new to their district. The baby was sure sweet—didn’t look to be more than six or seven months old. The little girl wore a dark green dress and white bonnet. Lenore assumed the man’s wife must be present too, but she didn’t want to bring attention to herself by turning around to see. Perhaps after church was over she’d meet the baby’s mother.

  Lenore’s musings ended abruptly when two barn swallows flew in and circled the building several times. Some of the elderly women ducked as the birds swooped close to their heads.

  One of the ministers got up from his seat and opened both barn doors as wide as they would go. One swallow flew out, but the other bird circled a few more times, left its mark on Vernon King’s shoulder, and flew out the door. Looking more than a bit perturbed, Vernon slipped out quietly and shut both doors.

  Lenore fought the urge to laugh as she thought about something Grandpa had said once when a bird left its droppings on the porch. “It’s a good thing cows can’t fly.”

  She slumped on the bench. Oh, how I long to see the humorous side of Grandpa again. Lenore closed her eyes briefly and offered a prayer. What can I do to bring some joy into his life?

  “Would you like me to hold the boppli while you eat?”

  Jesse Smucker smiled at the elderly Amish woman who’d spoken to him as he held his daughter firmly on his knees.

  “Umm … that’s okay, I can manage.”

  “All right, but don’t hesitate to let me know if you change your mind.” Smiling, the woman extended her hand. “My name is Mary Ruth Lapp.”

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Jesse Smucker, and this wiggle worm is my daughter, Cindy. She recently turned six months.” He clasped Mary Ruth’s hand, but released it quickly when Cindy reached up and pulled on his beard.

  “I don’t believe I’ve seen you at any of our services before. Are you and your wife here visiting someone today?” Mary Ruth questioned.

  He shook his head. “I’m new to the area, and my wife, Esther, passed away during childbirth.”

  “That’s a shame. I’m so sorry for your loss.” Mary Ruth placed her hand on his shoulder. Her kind words and soothing tone put a lump in Jesse’s throat. He’d thought a new beginning in a new place would help his heart to mend, but he still missed his precious wife so much.

  “Where are you from?” Mary Ruth questioned.

  “I grew up in Christian County, Kentucky, not far from Hopkinsville.” Jesse picked up his cup of coffee, being careful not to spill any of it on Cindy. “When my wife’s uncle Herschel Fisher, who lives in Gordonville, lined me up with a job at a furniture store here in Strasburg, I jumped at the chance to leave Kentucky and start over. The memories there were too painful.”

  “I understand.” She gave his arm a light tap. “Welcome to our community. I hope we will see more of you and your precious daughter.”

  “Danki.” Jesse watched as Mary Ruth walked away and joined a young woman who appeared to be in her late twenties. From what he could tell, her hair was brown, but she was too far away for him to make out the color of her eyes. What Jesse noticed most of all was the group of boys and girls who had gathered around her. Since they all looked to be close in age, he assumed they weren’t hers. Perhaps she had a special way with children. In some ways, the woman reminded him of Esther—not so much in her looks, but in her easy smile and laughter and her attentiveness to the children.

  Jesse closed his eyes for a minute, conjuring a picture of Esther in his head. When he’d first met her, before they started courting, Esther had taught school. Her love for children had been evident, and her students sought her out after their biweekly church services, as well as every event they attended. Sometimes Jesse had even felt a bit jealous of all the attention she paid the children while he stood on the sidelines watching.

  Jesse’s thoughts were pulled aside when Cindy gave another tug on his beard. It wasn’t easy being both mother and father to his little girl, but Jesse wasn’t ready to even think about remarriage. With the help of his wife’s great-aunt Vera, Cindy was taken care of while he was at work. So Jesse could manage fine for now. Should the time ever come that he felt Cindy needed a mother, he might consider getting married again. But no one would ever take Esther’s place in his heart. He didn’t think it was possible.

  “It felt good to be in church today,” Grandma said as they began their return trip home.

  “Jah.” Lenore gave a slow nod, keeping her eyes straight ahead. There seemed to be more traffic than usual for a Sunday afternoon. Must be all the tourists, she thought when a car came alongside their buggy going extra slow. A few seconds later, the woman in the passenger seat held up a camera and snapped a picture.

  Lenore was tempted to say something about the woman’s rude behavior, but she held her tongue. Some tourists took pictures of Amish folks no matter what anyone said. Lenore didn’t mind if people took photos of their farms, homes, horses, and buggies, but when they got right in her face with a camera, it ruffled her feathers.

  When the car moved on, Grandma gave Lenore’s arm a tap. “Guess we Amish will always be a curiosity to some people. That’s why they like to take our pickder.”

  Lenore sighed. “I should be used to it by now, but it still seems rude when someone is as bold as the lady in that car. I bet she wouldn’t like it if a stranger snapped a picture of her.”

  “You’re right, but since we can’t stop people from photographing us, the best thing to do is ignore it or simply look away. While we might be tempted to say something unkind, it would be wrong. You heard the visiting minister quote James 1:12 this morning: ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.’”

  “I reme
mber.” Lenore was amazed how calm her grandmother was about most things. She rarely got herself worked up over anything. Even when Grandma had a bad day, she managed to keep a positive attitude. I wonder if she holds any negative feelings inside.

  Lenore reflected on how both Grandma and Grandpa had responded when the truth came out about Michelle pretending to be their granddaughter. Even though they’d been hurt by her deception, they forgave Michelle and welcomed her into their home a second time. Lenore, on the other hand, had been quite put out with her pretend cousin. She was annoyed that Michelle had taken advantage of Grandpa and Grandma’s good nature. But after a time of thoughtful prayer and reflection, Lenore had also forgiven Michelle, who was now one of her friends.

  “Who was that young man you were talking to while the men were being served their noon meal today?” Lenore asked, moving her thoughts in a different direction.

  “His name is Jesse Smucker, and he’s new to the area.”

  “I noticed him during church, holding a baby on his lap. I didn’t see who his wife was though.”

  “Jesse is a widower. He moved here from Kentucky when his wife’s uncle lined him up with a job. His baby’s name is Cindy, and she’s sure a cutie pie.” Grandma gently elbowed Lenore’s ribs. “Maybe it wasn’t just a job he came here for.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Could be God sent him to Strasburg to find a new fraa.”

  Lenore lifted her gaze as she drew a quick breath. “Now please don’t go getting any ideas that I might end up becoming the man’s future wife. I am sure he did not come to Strasburg with courting on his mind.”

  “You never know. Once you two get acquainted, you might hit it off quite well.”

  “Now you sound like Ezekiel’s mother. Until Michelle came along, and even some after that, she tried to get her son to pay attention to me.”

  “Would you have been interested in him if he had?”

  Lenore shook her head. “Ezekiel and I are nothing more than friends. It was never anything more than that.”

  A motorcycle roared past, coming much too close to Lenore’s horse. Dolly had never liked loud noises, and today was no exception. With a piercing whinny, she picked up speed and bolted down the road.

  Lenore gripped the reins tighter and pulled back. “Whoa, girl! Hold steady.”

  But the horse refused to halt. She raced down the road at lightning speed.

  Lenore saw the stop sign up ahead and feared she would never get Dolly stopped. This was always a busy intersection, and if she couldn’t get her horse under control before they reached the four-way stop, there was no telling what might happen.

  Chapter 3

  Sweat poured off Lenore’s forehead and ran into her eyes as she tried to regain control of her horse.

  “Let me help.” In a surprisingly calm voice, Grandma reached over and grabbed hold of the section of reins above Lenore’s hands. “We can do this. With God’s help we can.”

  They both pulled and shouted, “Whoa!” until Lenore thought the reins might break. Then, a few feet from the intersection, Dolly came to a stop.

  “Thank You, Lord. Thank You for watching out for us.” Grandma let go of the reins.

  Lenore breathed a sigh of relief. Was it Grandma’s faith that had made the horse stop running, or her extra pair of hands trying to hold Dolly back? For the moment, it didn’t matter. All Lenore cared about was that they were safe. So many accidents had occurred in their area within the past few months—most of them involving horses and buggies.

  “If only drivers would be more courteous. That fellow on the motorcycle didn’t care the least little bit about frightening our horse,” she muttered.

  Grandma reached over and patted Lenore’s arm. “It’s okay. God was watching over us. We’re both fine, and so is your horse.”

  By the time she guided Dolly up her grandparents’ driveway, the peacefulness Lenore had felt during church and afterward had disappeared. Even though she and Grandma were okay, she still shivered at the thought of what could have happened if Dolly hadn’t stopped.

  As they approached the house, Grandma squealed. “Well, forevermore. Would you look at that?”

  Lenore looked in the direction her grandmother pointed. What a surprise to see Grandpa sitting in his wheelchair on the front porch, with one of the barn cats in his lap.

  “Looks like Grandpa’s enjoying a little time in the sun.” Lenore looked at Grandma and smiled.

  “And with a fluffy gray katz in his lap, no less.” Grandma snickered. “Never thought I’d see the day. As you well know, your grossdaadi is a dog lover and doesn’t have much use for any katz.”

  Lenore nodded. “I’m surprised Sadie hasn’t discovered the cat and chased it away.”

  “She must have found something else to keep her occupied.” Grandma climbed down from the buggy. “I’ll secure your gaul to the rail. Then I’m going to join my husband on the porch. After you’ve put Dolly away, we can all sit outside and enjoy lemonade and cookies.”

  “Sounds good. I’m sure my folks will want to join us.” Lenore glanced at Grandpa sitting by himself and wondered why neither Mom nor Dad was with him. Surely he hadn’t wheeled himself out the door. Well, Grandma was with him now, so he would be okay.

  Lenore unhitched Dolly and led her to the barn. Once she got the mare inside her stall, she brushed her down and made sure she had food and water.

  “See you later, girl.” She patted the horse’s flank and stepped out of the stall. If it weren’t for wanting to spend some time with her family, Lenore would have taken the old jar down and read a few more notes. But she could do that another day when she had some free time.

  By the time Lenore joined Grandma and Grandpa on the porch, her parents were there as well. Mom held a tray of brownies and some chocolate chip cookies. Dad had a pitcher of lemonade in his hands. Lenore figured the reason they hadn’t been on the porch earlier was because they’d gone into the house to get the snacks. Most likely they figured Grandpa would be okay for the few minutes they’d be gone.

  Dad smiled and set the cold drink on the small serving table when Lenore stepped onto the porch. “How was church?”

  “It was gut.” She gave him a hug, then did the same with her mom. “How have things been going here?”

  “Very well.” Mom gestured to the Bible lying on the table. “Since it’s such a beautiful day, we all came out here to do our devotions.”

  Grandma stood with one hand on Grandpa’s shoulder. “Would you like a brownie, Willis?”

  He nodded.

  Grandma scooped one off the plate and put it in his right hand. “When you finish that, I’ll give you a cold drink.”

  “Okay.”

  They all found seats and everyone ate Mom’s delicious brownies, as well as some of the cookies Lenore and Grandma had baked two days ago. Lenore had mixed up a batch of brownies many times using the same recipe as Mom’s, but they never tasted quite as good.

  About that time, Sadie showed up and the cat made a quick exit, jumping off Grandpa’s lap and bounding across the yard.

  Woof! Woof! Sadie put her paw on Grandpa’s knee. “You are loved.” Grandpa gave a crooked smile and patted the dog’s head.

  Lenore looked at Grandma and noticed tears in her eyes as she patted Grandpa’s shoulder. It was a joy to see the love Grandma had for her husband.

  Lenore blinked against the sudden dampness in her own eyes. If I ever get married, that’s the kind of love I want to have for my husband.

  Jesse meandered around the living room in the small two-bedroom house he’d rented from his wife’s uncle. Cindy was asleep in the room where he’d set up her crib, and Jesse needed something to occupy his time that didn’t involve work.

  I wonder if Herschel ever lived in this home. Did he buy the place with the intent of renting it out?

  Jesse flopped down on the well-worn leather couch that stuck to his skin. He glanced around at the few pieces of furniture and shoo
k his head. In addition to the couch, seating included two straight-backed chairs and an old rocker that had seen better days. The wooden floor had scuff marks in several places, and the brick front of the fireplace was stained with soot. The only source of light was a gas lamp that hung overhead. But Jesse couldn’t complain. He and Cindy had a roof over their heads, and the rent was cheap. This house would have to do until he could afford to buy a place of his own.

  Arms pulled back and hands against the base of his head, Jesse mulled things over. He needed to find someone else to take care of Cindy while he was at work. He couldn’t keep hiring a driver every day to take him to Gordonville five days a week so Herschel’s mother could watch Cindy. Vera Fisher was getting up in years and lacked the energy needed to care for a baby.

  “Should have asked around when I was at church yesterday,” Jesse mumbled. “Maybe one of the young women there would be willing to watch Cindy for me.”

  Jesse had visited with several people during the course of the day and was pleased with the warm reception he’d received after the service. Many of the older women, like Mary Ruth Lapp, had been especially attentive to his baby girl. And why wouldn’t they be? Cindy is as pretty as a rose, and sweeter than a bowl full of sugar. She takes after her precious mamm.

  Jesse blinked a couple of times. His eyelids felt gummy and hot. He could not allow himself to give in to grief or self-pity. He’d done enough of that since Esther died, and it was time to move on.

  Move on to what, though? he wondered. Cindy needs a mother, but it’s too soon for me to think about looking for a suitable wife. Even if I were to get married again, it would only be for Cindy’s sake. I could never love another woman the way I loved Esther.

  He bent forward, still clasping both hands around the back of his head. It wasn’t fair to his daughter to be raised without a mother, but then, nothing in life was fair.

  Jesse raised his head and picked up the Bible lying on an end table next to the couch. With a shaky hand, he held the book against his chest. Lord, help me to be a good father to my sweet baby girl. And if I am meant to get married again, then please show me that too.