parasol.”
Mara’s father laughed. “Oh, the things we men do for women.
I was just commenting to Mara that she shares a resemblance to your sister.”
“Deborah?” Rob questioned, shaking his head. “G.W. mentioned some likeness, but they don’t look alike to me.”
“Well, of course they don’t look alike, but both have dark eyes and dark hair. They’re even similar in size.”
Rob glanced around as if looking for his sister, then settled his gaze back on Mara. “I reckon lots of folks can have some things in common. I think Miss Mara is much prettier than my sister, but don’t tell Deborah.” He grinned and picked up his fork. He quickly stuffed his mouth with some potato salad just in case someone wanted to ask him something else. This way he’d at least have a few moments to consider his answer.
“So tell me, Mr. Vandermark,” Mara began, “where is God taking you on your life journey?”
Rob was momentarily mesmerized by the question. He finished chewing and swallowed before giving a shrug.
“I don’t reckon I know for sure. I’ve been working in the family business since I was a small boy. My pa loved the forests, and logging became a way of life for our family.”
“And now?” she asked, delicately picking at the food on her plate.
“Well, I guess there have been a few changes. My brother, G.W., got hurt last year. He took a fall out of a tree and injured his leg.
Since then he’s stayed at home to handle the office side of things.
’Course, he had to learn to read better. So my sister has been helpin’ us both.”
“So you’re learning to read?”
He stiffened. “I could already read some; I’m just learnin’ to do it better.”
“But why?” she asked.
Her father saved him from having to answer. “Mara, I’ve never known you to be quite this inquisitive.”
She shrugged. “People do not make changes without a good reason. I simply wondered what had prompted Mr. Vandermark to desire such skills.”
Rob shrugged. “I don’t rightly know. Strange as it sounds, I guess I just felt it was the right thing to do.”
“God sometimes works like that,” Pastor Shattuck said, nodding. “God will lay a matter on our heart, and we will find it impossible to rest until we act upon that urge.”
Mara looked at Rob. “Was that how it was?”
He thought about it for a moment. “I suppose it was that way. Now I’m mostly readin’ the Bible, and it’s got me thinking more and more on God and what He wants from us.”
“And have you learned what He wants from you?” she asked, her voice soft and appealing. “Did you try asking Him as I suggested?”
Rob contemplated the matter for a moment. “I’ve asked, but I don’t reckon I’ve figured it all out just yet.”
“But you do believe God has a specific plan for you – for each person?”
“Of course. I reckon I’ve known that since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.” He grinned and picked up a piece of white bread. “Doesn’t mean I know what it is – but I know He’s got a plan.”
“That’s a good start,” the pastor told him. “Some folks don’t even know that much.”
“What are you doing to figure out what it is that God wants of you?” Mara asked. Both Rob and her father looked at her in surprise. She smiled. “I’m sorry. Have I made this conversation too personal?”
“No, I don’t reckon you have,” Rob said, giving her a lazy smile.
“I just don’t have an answer for you. I guess I’m not sure how a fella goes about figurin’ out what God wants.”
“There is always prayer and meditation on the Word,” Pastor Shattuck told him. “Psalm 119:105 speaks to God’s Word being a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. It’s not that you have a light the size of the sun showing all the details of the journey.
Sometimes just a portion of the path is revealed at a time.”
“That’s good to know, Pastor. I guess I hadn’t thought about it that way before, but I can
Mara’s father laughed. “Oh, the things we men do for women.
I was just commenting to Mara that she shares a resemblance to your sister.”
“Deborah?” Rob questioned, shaking his head. “G.W. mentioned some likeness, but they don’t look alike to me.”
“Well, of course they don’t look alike, but both have dark eyes and dark hair. They’re even similar in size.”
Rob glanced around as if looking for his sister, then settled his gaze back on Mara. “I reckon lots of folks can have some things in common. I think Miss Mara is much prettier than my sister, but don’t tell Deborah.” He grinned and picked up his fork. He quickly stuffed his mouth with some potato salad just in case someone wanted to ask him something else. This way he’d at least have a few moments to consider his answer.
“So tell me, Mr. Vandermark,” Mara began, “where is God taking you on your life journey?”
Rob was momentarily mesmerized by the question. He finished chewing and swallowed before giving a shrug.
“I don’t reckon I know for sure. I’ve been working in the family business since I was a small boy. My pa loved the forests, and logging became a way of life for our family.”
“And now?” she asked, delicately picking at the food on her plate.
“Well, I guess there have been a few changes. My brother, G.W., got hurt last year. He took a fall out of a tree and injured his leg.
Since then he’s stayed at home to handle the office side of things.
’Course, he had to learn to read better. So my sister has been helpin’ us both.”
“So you’re learning to read?”
He stiffened. “I could already read some; I’m just learnin’ to do it better.”
“But why?” she asked.
Her father saved him from having to answer. “Mara, I’ve never known you to be quite this inquisitive.”
She shrugged. “People do not make changes without a good reason. I simply wondered what had prompted Mr. Vandermark to desire such skills.”
Rob shrugged. “I don’t rightly know. Strange as it sounds, I guess I just felt it was the right thing to do.”
“God sometimes works like that,” Pastor Shattuck said, nodding. “God will lay a matter on our heart, and we will find it impossible to rest until we act upon that urge.”
Mara looked at Rob. “Was that how it was?”
He thought about it for a moment. “I suppose it was that way. Now I’m mostly readin’ the Bible, and it’s got me thinking more and more on God and what He wants from us.”
“And have you learned what He wants from you?” she asked, her voice soft and appealing. “Did you try asking Him as I suggested?”
Rob contemplated the matter for a moment. “I’ve asked, but I don’t reckon I’ve figured it all out just yet.”
“But you do believe God has a specific plan for you – for each person?”
“Of course. I reckon I’ve known that since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.” He grinned and picked up a piece of white bread. “Doesn’t mean I know what it is – but I know He’s got a plan.”
“That’s a good start,” the pastor told him. “Some folks don’t even know that much.”
“What are you doing to figure out what it is that God wants of you?” Mara asked. Both Rob and her father looked at her in surprise. She smiled. “I’m sorry. Have I made this conversation too personal?”
“No, I don’t reckon you have,” Rob said, giving her a lazy smile.
“I just don’t have an answer for you. I guess I’m not sure how a fella goes about figurin’ out what God wants.”
“There is always prayer and meditation on the Word,” Pastor Shattuck told him. “Psalm 119:105 speaks to God’s Word being a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. It’s not that you have a light the size of the sun showing all the details of the journey.
Sometimes just a portion of the path is revealed at a time.”
“That’s good to know, Pastor. I guess I hadn’t thought about it that way before, but I can
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