weeks he’d still be able to coax beans from the vines that climbed the stripped stalks.
Last year Da tried to help strip the last of the beans, but he’d been too weak. Galen stood in the very spot where Da’s legs gave way. He’d known his father was frail, so he’d been working alongside him and caught him.
“Son, let me sit on my land. Time’s come for us to talk, and there’s no better place than this.” Galen fell to his knees as the memory crashed over him. “We’re surrounded by life, son—but seasons change. Our precious Savior will be taking me home ere we see another harvest. Your ma and your brothers—I’m entrusting them to you. God will give you strength to carry on.”
“Galen?”
The panicky edge in Sean’s voice yanked Galen back to the present. He strove to sound calm. “Aye, boy-o?”
“So you’re not hurt or sick, are you?”
Galen rose and grabbed Sean, then tipped him upside down and shook him until he giggled. “I’m hale as a horse. Aye, I am.” He pretended to drop Sean, jerked him back up and set him on his feet. “But you’re growing big as can be. One of these days, I’ll pull with all my might and you won’t budge an inch.”
“Does that mean I getta pick the corn tomorrow, too?”
Galen closed one eye and tilted his head to the side. “Hmm.”
Sean stretched tall and puffed out his scrawny chest.
“Close, but I’m thinking you’ll take on that job next season.
You and Dale need to be picking the beans in this field while Colin, Ma, and I harvest the last of the corn.”
“Aww, Galen!” Sean kicked the dirt.
“And you’ll weed Ma’s flower garden, too.”
Sean folded his arms across his chest. “Da wouldn’t make me do woman’s work.”
“Da would paddle your backside for saying that.” This was the first time one of his brothers had challenged his authority. They’ll not grow up to be the kind of men God and Da would approve of if I’m not firm. Da entrusted me with the boys on this very spot. ’Tis fitting that I’ll be making my first stand here .
Galen glowered at Sean. “A man—a real man—does what needs to be done. Adam and Eve were the first farmers, and the only job God gave to the woman that was hers alone was to bear children.”
“Huh-unh.” Sean shook his head. “Eve had to sew the leaves into clothes.”
He’s testing me . Galen leveled a stern gaze at his little brother. “Making clothes isn’t a woman’s work. God himself made clothes for Adam and Eve when He cast them from the Garden of Eden.”
“Are you teasing me?”
“Our Lord is to be praised and worshiped. I’d not treat Him or His Holy Word lightly. ’Tis in the second or third chapter of Genesis.”
The slightest squint still narrowed Sean’s eyes, and his head cocked a little to the right.
He’s trying to figure out how far he can push me . Galen’s jaw hardened. He lowered his voice and spoke very distinctly. “The next time you try to shirk a chore because you think ’tis beneath you and expect Ma to do it, you’ll be doing that chore while suffering a sore backside.”
Sean’s jaw dropped open.
“We’re a family, and we work together. Whatever work needs to be done, we do.” He crooked a brow. “Are you hearing me, Sean Michael O’Sullivan?”
Sean nodded very slowly.
More than once, Da had said God tempered His power with wisdom. Galen took that lesson to heart. He’d made his point; best he dismiss Sean now. “Go on and change out of that new shirt and put on your old one. There’s plenty of daylight left.”
Sean didn’t scamper away. “Galen? I came to tell you my horse is going lame.”
Galen folded his arms akimbo. “Change and meet me in the stable. We’ll look at her together.” Once Sean left, Galen bent forward and smacked the soil from his knees. Don’t know why I’m bothering. My brothers are going to keep me on my knees, Lord. If you’d spare me a good measure of wisdom and a bushel of patience,
Last year Da tried to help strip the last of the beans, but he’d been too weak. Galen stood in the very spot where Da’s legs gave way. He’d known his father was frail, so he’d been working alongside him and caught him.
“Son, let me sit on my land. Time’s come for us to talk, and there’s no better place than this.” Galen fell to his knees as the memory crashed over him. “We’re surrounded by life, son—but seasons change. Our precious Savior will be taking me home ere we see another harvest. Your ma and your brothers—I’m entrusting them to you. God will give you strength to carry on.”
“Galen?”
The panicky edge in Sean’s voice yanked Galen back to the present. He strove to sound calm. “Aye, boy-o?”
“So you’re not hurt or sick, are you?”
Galen rose and grabbed Sean, then tipped him upside down and shook him until he giggled. “I’m hale as a horse. Aye, I am.” He pretended to drop Sean, jerked him back up and set him on his feet. “But you’re growing big as can be. One of these days, I’ll pull with all my might and you won’t budge an inch.”
“Does that mean I getta pick the corn tomorrow, too?”
Galen closed one eye and tilted his head to the side. “Hmm.”
Sean stretched tall and puffed out his scrawny chest.
“Close, but I’m thinking you’ll take on that job next season.
You and Dale need to be picking the beans in this field while Colin, Ma, and I harvest the last of the corn.”
“Aww, Galen!” Sean kicked the dirt.
“And you’ll weed Ma’s flower garden, too.”
Sean folded his arms across his chest. “Da wouldn’t make me do woman’s work.”
“Da would paddle your backside for saying that.” This was the first time one of his brothers had challenged his authority. They’ll not grow up to be the kind of men God and Da would approve of if I’m not firm. Da entrusted me with the boys on this very spot. ’Tis fitting that I’ll be making my first stand here .
Galen glowered at Sean. “A man—a real man—does what needs to be done. Adam and Eve were the first farmers, and the only job God gave to the woman that was hers alone was to bear children.”
“Huh-unh.” Sean shook his head. “Eve had to sew the leaves into clothes.”
He’s testing me . Galen leveled a stern gaze at his little brother. “Making clothes isn’t a woman’s work. God himself made clothes for Adam and Eve when He cast them from the Garden of Eden.”
“Are you teasing me?”
“Our Lord is to be praised and worshiped. I’d not treat Him or His Holy Word lightly. ’Tis in the second or third chapter of Genesis.”
The slightest squint still narrowed Sean’s eyes, and his head cocked a little to the right.
He’s trying to figure out how far he can push me . Galen’s jaw hardened. He lowered his voice and spoke very distinctly. “The next time you try to shirk a chore because you think ’tis beneath you and expect Ma to do it, you’ll be doing that chore while suffering a sore backside.”
Sean’s jaw dropped open.
“We’re a family, and we work together. Whatever work needs to be done, we do.” He crooked a brow. “Are you hearing me, Sean Michael O’Sullivan?”
Sean nodded very slowly.
More than once, Da had said God tempered His power with wisdom. Galen took that lesson to heart. He’d made his point; best he dismiss Sean now. “Go on and change out of that new shirt and put on your old one. There’s plenty of daylight left.”
Sean didn’t scamper away. “Galen? I came to tell you my horse is going lame.”
Galen folded his arms akimbo. “Change and meet me in the stable. We’ll look at her together.” Once Sean left, Galen bent forward and smacked the soil from his knees. Don’t know why I’m bothering. My brothers are going to keep me on my knees, Lord. If you’d spare me a good measure of wisdom and a bushel of patience,
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