The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club (41 page)

Emma held the camera steady and snapped the picture. She planned to place an ad for another quilting class soon and couldn’t wait to meet the next set of students God sent her way.

“All right now,” she said, smiling as she stepped onto the porch. “Who wants a piece of my angel cream pie?”

I
t’s a nice evening, jah?” Lamar said to Emma as they sat on the front porch eating a bowl of homemade strawberry ice cream.

She smiled. “You’re right about that, but what makes it even nicer is having someone to share it with.”

Lamar’s eyes twinkled as he gave her a nod. “Does that mean you’re not sorry you married me this spring?”

“Of course not, silly.” She reached over and patted his arm affectionately. “The only way I’d ever be disappointed is if you stopped loving me.”

He shook his head. “No worries there, ‘cause that’s never gonna happen.”

Emma pushed her feet against the wooden boards on the porch and got the hickory rocker Lamar had given her as a wedding present moving back and forth.

A year ago, she’d been determined never to marry again. But that was before Lamar had won her heart with his kind and gentle ways. She was grateful to have found love a second time and felt that Ivan would be happy for her, too.

“Is there anything you need me to do to help with your quilting class tomorrow?” Lamar asked.

“I was hoping you would show my new students the quilt design you came up with the other day,” she replied.

“Jah, sure, I’d be happy to show ‘em.”

They sat quietly, watching the fireflies rise from the grass and put on their nightly summer show, until a noisy
Vr … oom! Vr … oom!
shattered their quiet.

When Emma saw two motorcycles coming up the driveway, she knew immediately that it must be Jan Sweet and Star Stephens. They dropped by frequently to visit, as did the others who had come to her first quilting class. Star and Jan may have been cheated out of knowing each other during Star’s childhood, but Emma was glad to see how happy they both were now, as they spent a good deal of their free time together. They’d made a trip on their motorcycles to Disney World, and through the help of one of Ruby Lee’s friends, Star had gotten two of her songs published. Star’s mother, Nancy, now living in Fort Wayne with her husband, Mike, had contacted Jan, and they’d finally made peace. Emma thought the best news of all was that Jan and Star had attended Ruby Lee’s church a few times together.

Pam and Stuart Johnston seemed happier, too. According to Pam, since Stuart had purchased an RV, they were spending more time together as a family, which in turn had helped their marriage. They, too, had gone to church several times this past year, which Emma felt certain had also strengthened their marriage.

Paul Ramirez had finished the baby quilt his wife had started before she’d died, and he’d brought little Sophia by on several occasions to see Emma’s goats and play with the kittens that had been born earlier this spring. He, too, seemed happy and content and kept in touch with his late wife’s family in California. The best news he’d shared was that his sister-in-law had finally come to terms with Lorinda’s death and no longer blamed Paul for the accident. Carmen was even planning a trip to Elkhart to see Paul and Sophia sometime this summer.

Ruby Lee Williams, whose husband still ministered to their congregation in Goshen, had stopped by recently and told Emma that their church had grown and its finances had improved so much that the board was now talking about adding on to the building. Emma was glad Ruby Lee and her husband had stuck it out and trusted God to meet the needs of their church. Ruby Lee was glad, too, for she’d admitted to Emma that her faith had been strengthened because of the ordeal.

Emma waved as Jan and Star parked their cycles and headed for the house. Even though she’d taught several more quilt classes over the course of a year, she knew there would always be a special place in her heart for the students from that first quilting class.

She looked over at Lamar and smiled. “Isn’t it nice to know that love looks beyond what people are to what they can become?”

He reached for Emma’s hand and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “That’s right, and I’m so glad that the Lord can use us at any age if we’re willing.”

R
ECIPE FOR
E
MMA
Y
ODER’S
A
NGEL
C
REAM
P
IE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, combine half-and-half and whipping cream. Warm only slightly. Turn off heat and add, beating with a whisk, sugar, salt, and flour. Add vanilla and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 45 minutes or until filling is a little shaky.

Wanda E. Brunstetter
is a bestselling author who enjoys writing Amish-themed, as well as historical novels. Descended from Anabaptists herself, Wanda became deeply interested in the Plain People when she married her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania. Wanda and her husband live in Washington State but take every opportunity to visit their Amish friends in various communities across the country, gathering further information about the Amish way of life.

Wanda and her husband have two grown children and six grandchildren. In her spare time, Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, reading, stamping, and having fun with her family.

In addition to her novels, Wanda has written two Amish cookbooks, two Amish devotionals, several Amish children’s books, as well as numerous novellas, stories, articles, poems, and puppet scripts.

Visit Wanda’s website at
www.wandabrunstetter.com
and feel free to e-mail her at
[email protected]
.

D
ISCUSSION
Q
UESTIONS

1. Although Emma appreciated help from her family, she didn’t want to be a burden and looked for ways to be more independent. What are some things we can do to help family members or friends who have lost a loved one without making them feel as if they’re a burden?
   
2. Sometimes after a person loses a spouse, they shut themselves off to the idea of another marriage, thinking no one could take the place of their deceased loved one. Was Emma too closed to the idea of having a friendship with Lamar? How long do you think a person should wait after the death of a spouse to remarry?
   
3. Due to the problems they were having at their church, Ruby Lee wanted her husband to get out of the ministry. Is leaving always the best answer when a pastor feels that the congregation is displeased with him? What are some other choices a minister might make instead of leaving a church he has felt called to shepherd?
   
4. Did Ruby Lee support her husband enough, or was she feeling so much at the end of her rope that she saw no possibility of a positive outcome? What are some ways we can keep our faith strong when going through trying times?
   
5. Jan, having been deeply hurt when his girlfriend left him, chose not to make any commitments to a woman after that. How can a person deal with rejection and not let it affect future relationships?
   
6. Pam hid her childhood disappointments from Stuart. Is there ever a time when a person should keep information about their past from their spouse? How did Pam’s childhood affect her as an adult? How can a person deal with a scarred childhood and not let it affect their marriage?
   
7. Communication is important in marriage. Did Stuart and Pam have an honest relationship, or were there too many unspoken feelings? How important is honesty in marriage? What are some ways a married couple can learn to be more honest with each other?
   
8. In the beginning, Stuart had no understanding of Pam’s dislike for camping and fishing. What might he have done to make her more comfortable with the idea? Should he have been willing to stay home more and do other things with the family?
   
9. Star, having grown up without a father, had abandonment issues and low self-esteem. She also felt that her mother cared more about her own needs than she did Star’s. What are some ways a single parent can make sure their children feel loved and secure? How can an adult who grew up with only one parent help themselves to feel more secure?
   
10. Paul sometimes felt guilty when he left his baby daughter at daycare or with a sitter. How can a parent—especially one who’s raising a child alone—deal with feelings of guilt when they have to leave their children with a sitter? Paul also struggled with the fact that his sister-in-law blamed him for his wife’s accident. What are some ways we can deal with the pain of being unjustly accused?
    
11. How do you feel that the Amish people view others outside of their community? Do you think Emma’s response to her students was typical for an Amish woman teaching a quilting class? Do you think there’s ever a problem of prejudice among the Amish?
    
12. Was there anything specific you learned from reading this book? Were there any verses of scripture that spoke to your heart?