Searching for Anna, Jenifer Carll-Tong [cheapest way to read ebooks TXT] 📗
- Author: Jenifer Carll-Tong
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"That's probably true," Phoebe agreed. "Well," she said, standing up, "I should see what I have to fix for you young men to eat."
"We can't stay," Jacob said. "Ma told us we had to be home for lunch. We'll come back after to finish. We'll probably bring Stephen, and maybe the girls. Ma thought there wouldn't be much for them to do, but they could pull weeds and stuff. They're big enough for that."
True to their word, the boys returned with the three littlest Speers in tow. This time, however, Phoebe was waiting for them. When the boys protested, she said to let her deal with their mother. They didn't argue, but their eyes showed they were not sure who would come out the victor in that confrontation.
As they busied themselves, Phoebe was impressed by the work ethic of the children. The bigger boys tackled the heavier work of raking and chopping down thick brush, while the little ones, Stephen included, worked at pulling the weeds around the base of the building.
The little ones worked so fast even Phoebe was having trouble keeping up. But the fast-paced labor did nothing to slow down the conversation. Helen and Margaret let not a moment pass without filling it with words.
While some may have found the constant chatter annoying, Phoebe enjoyed it immensely. Growing up with two sisters meant growing up in a house full of chatter and the Speer children filled an emptiness Phoebe hadn't realized her heart possessed before that moment.
Phoebe enjoyed the morning filled with not only the quirky banter of the Speer children, but she also enjoyed the weed pulling. Who would have guessed a day of labor would have turned into such a treasure hunt.
"What's that?" Helen asked, pointing out a delicate, purple bloom.
"Columbine," Phoebe said. "And that other purple flower is a coneflower."
"Did you know you could eat those?" Margaret asked. "Momma uses them to make tea when we're sick."
"I did know that," Phoebe said.
"You sure know a lot about flowers," Stephen pointed out.
"My mother has one of the most beautiful gardens in all of Lansing," Phoebe said. "She loves being able to bless others, especially those who are ill, with bouquets of fresh cut flowers. She says flowers are the best cure for any ailment."
Peter came around to the back of the church, carrying another load to add to the burn pile. "The constable was here again. He said when we finish to go get an iced cream at the store and he'll pay for it!"
"He's here?" Phoebe asked, standing and hurrying around to the front of the church.
"He was. Rode off already, though," he called after her.
The children finished their work and waited for Phoebe's approval. She ceremoniously walked around the building, tapping her finger on her chin in a serious manner. They followed, watching and waiting for a response. When they reached the front of the building again, Phoebe clasped her hands behind her back and lifted her eyebrows.
"Well," she began without smiling, "it appears to me that we have a church ready for Sunday Service." She smiled at the children. "Who's ready for a trip to Simmons' Store?"
The six children cheered in agreement.
Obviously having been warned of the children's impending visit, Mary called to them as they entered the store. "How are the church workers doing today?"
As the children perused the selection of candies and sweets, Phoebe spoke with Mary.
"Peter said that one of the constables offered to pay for their treat today. Do you know his name?"
"I didn't get his name, but I'm sure Jack knows, because he's the same handsome officer who borrowed our wagon to deliver your trunks." Mary winked, then continued. "Unfortunately, Jack went to Marquette for supplies. I can ask when he returns."
"That's not necessary," Phoebe said, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks.
After the ice cream, Phoebe walked the children home. Mrs. Speer invited her to stay for dinner and she accepted heartily. She really wasn't that hungry, but she looked forward to spending some time with Mrs. Speer.
"It's a blessing to have that piano tuned," the kind older woman said, "but after hearing you play, I worry you'll be disappointed with our simple worship. Mrs. Daniels, although not as talented as you, is a fairly decent pianist herself. And I have led the singing in the past. But it is your right to change anything you want, so if you would rather…"
"Oh, no," Phoebe interrupted. "I am so pleased to hear that there is someone to play and someone to lead. I wasn't sure what I was going to do on Sunday. I am so grateful, truly!"
Phoebe left the Speer farm that evening floating on air. She hadn't realized how worried she had been about the music until God provided for that need and the weight was lifted from her. Now, if He would just provide a finishing paragraph for her sermon.
The Sunday morning sunrise cast bright streaks across the town of Iron Falls, beckoning the inhabitants to rise and meet it, like little orange fingers reaching through the gaps in their curtains. But one member of the tiny town had been awake for hours and was ready to face her first Sunday as pastor.
Phoebe thought she had conquered her public speaking jitters - she had preached many times in her Bible College classes in front of her professors and her peers - but her stomach was so knotted that she hadn't been able to choke down any breakfast. So, at the first sign of light, and when she hoped all coyotes had retired for the day, she left the parsonage and made her way to the church.
She wasn't sure how long she knelt at the altar, but when she finally lifted her head from prayer, the room was no longer dimly lit but fully illuminated by the full sun gleaming through the tall windows. She rose and turned to find a couple standing at the back of the church.
"Good morning!" She approached them with her hand held out. "I'm Pastor Albright."
"Of course, you are," answered the man. "You have your father's eyes."
Phoebe stopped mid-stride.
"Oh, Frank – you've shocked the poor girl."
"My apologies, dear. We should have introduced ourselves. Of course, you wouldn't recognize us – it's been so long, and you were quite little. I'm Frank Berger, and this is my wife Helen."
"Dr. Berger!" Phoebe exclaimed, relieved. "I didn't know you were coming."
"Well, you have to be commissioned into your new assignment, do you not?”
Phoebe hadn't thought about that and had little time to do so now, because even as she greeted him, members of the congregation began arriving for service.
"You'll have to excuse me," she said to Rev. Berger. Taking a position at the door, Phoebe began shaking hands to greet the people as she had seen her father do every Sunday of her life.
When Mrs. Speer finally came to tell her it was time to begin, she was completely unprepared mentally. She had been so busy greeting that she hadn't paid attention to the time, nor had she noticed exactly how many people had actually filed through the doors.
It wasn't until she was seated on the platform that she realized just how crowded the church actually was. It was packed full, with many men standing in the back and around the sides. She took a deep breath and willed her stomach to stop flipping.
The first hymn Safe in the Arms of Jesus began, and Phoebe forced herself to take another deep breath. Mrs. Speer had a beautiful voice and Phoebe found listening to her quite calming. She closed her eyes. Why was she so nervous? Had not God promised "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ?"
'Be confident. Be confident,' she thought, clinging to the promise in Philippians 1:6. Not because she had anything to boast about, of course, but because God had begun this work, and he was going to see it through.
The doors opened and Phoebe's attention was drawn to the back of the sanctuary. A Michigan State Trooper entered, removed his hat, and found a spot to stand in the back of the room in front of one of the windows. The morning sun that poured in behind him made it difficult to make out any discernible features, but the uniform was unmistakable.
The rest of the service was a dreamlike blur. Rev. Berger stood up first and gave a very flattering introduction for Phoebe, much of which was based on her father's bragging and very little on Rev. Berger's actual knowledge of her. She just hoped that the congregation did not expect her to have superhuman abilities as his introduction might have led them to believe. He then prayed over Phoebe before descending the platform, leaving Phoebe alone to look at her congregation.
Somehow, by the grace of God, she made it through her sermon. And it must have been agreeable to most because she made eye contact with many smiling faces. There were also some unhappy faces among the crowd, but she chose not to allow her gaze to linger on those for long - there would be time in later sermons to
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