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(c) Excerpt Reprinted by Permission. All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 1 - Mud Sale
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"Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help."
Psalm 22:11
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Eleven-year-old Joanna Fisher bounded into the barn calling,"Jonathan. Jonathan. Mamm said to...OW!" she cried, as a clod of dirt pelted her arm. From the haymow she heard muffled giggles and impatiently yelled, "Jonathan Fisher, you dummkopp. I'm gonna get you for that. Mamm will not be happy when she sees that you've gotten my dress dirty again. Especially since," she added,attempting to wipe the debris from her burgundy cape dress, "we're going to the auction. Mamm said you need to get ready now."
From behind a haystack she heard a gasp and then a sandy colored head popped up. "The mud sale?" seven-year-old Jonathan exclaimed,climbing down the ladder and darting out of the barn like a bolt of lightning.
Her anger subsided, Joanna giggled softly to herself. "For sure and for certain Jonathan is excited about attending the mud sale."
She sighed deeply and adjusted her prayer kapp, a few of her honey brown tresses escaping the tight bun behind her head. Lord,I'm trying to love my little brother, but sometimes he makes it difficult,Joanna complained silently to God. She'd been taught in her Amish heritage not just to love her family and friends, but to love her enemies as well. That certainly was not the easiest thing to do.
On this beautiful Saturday morning, the sun shone brightly through the sparse poplar trees that lined the Fishers' property. They'd just had a church service, or Sunday Go-To-Meeting, as they called it, last week. There would be no meeting this week because they were only held every other Sunday. Joanna loved to attend the services, although sometimes she had trouble staying awake. She didn't feel bad though, because sometimes she would see several of the older folks nod off too,and occasionally they even snored until they were nudged by the person sitting next to them.
Three hours was a long time for anyone to sit through preaching, let alone a girl Joanna's age. Her brother Jonathan had an awfully difficult time staying in his seat. One time, unbeknownst to their folks, he made his way up to the front where Bishop Hostettler was preaching. As the bishop delivered his message, Jonathan followed behind him, mimicking his every move. No one reprimanded him for his actions as he performed his silly antics.Joanna attributed their folks' passiveness to the fact that they were probably too dismayed to do anything at the time. And, of course, nobody wanted to interrupt the bishop's message. When the bishop noticed the amused faces of his flock and that the eyes of his congregation were focusing on something other than him, he turned around to see what was stealing their attention. He then offered to let Jonathan speak, commenting that perhaps the boy had a future in preaching. Sheepishly, Jonathan declined and Joanna never saw him ascend the platform again.
