Brunstetter Jean - Amish Front Porch Stories: 18 Short Tales of Simple Faith and Wisdom

Simple Actions 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Love Isnt Painless 2019 by Richelle Brunstetter

Cardinal at the Window 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Unexpected Joy 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Ninas Struggle 2019 by Richelle Brunstetter

Tranquility 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Miriams Care 2019 by Jean Brunstetter

Lauras Choice 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

A Change of Heart 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Karis Joy 2019 by Jean Brunstetter

Taunted 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Pams Friend 2019 by Jean Brunstetter

Hiding Place 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Bettys Dog 2019 by Jean Brunstetter

Receive with Meekness 2019 by Richelle Brunstetter

The Beautiful Quilt 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Breaking Down 2019 by Richelle Brunstetter

Tempted 2019 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Print ISBN 978-1-64352-189-3

eBook Editions:

Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-64352-191-6

Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-64352-190-9

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

All German-Dutch words are taken from the Revised Pennsylvania German Dictionary found in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

Cover Design: Greg Jackson, Thinkpen Design

Published by Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.shilohrunpress.com

Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

Printed in United States of America.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

G ALATIANS 5 :

Berlin, Ohio

T he tip of Anna Hostettlers pencil broke when she picked it up to write in her journal. She set it aside and grabbed another one. An ink pen would have worked better, but Anna preferred a pencil with an eraser. It gave her the freedom to delete anything shed written or changed her mind about.

Like so many other days this past week, today has not been good. The temperature outside is soaring, and the humidity has become so thick I can barely breathe. While I was downstairs doing the laundry this morning, one of the cats got into the house and ate the bowl of cereal Id left on the table. Then on the buggy ride home from the grocery store, my horse threw a shoe, and now I have a headache.

Anna lifted her pencil from the page and reread the words shed written. Not a very positive journal entry.

She quickly erased every one of her sentences. I need to focus on something positive. Anna tapped her pencil against her chin. Lets see now. What good things have happened in my life today? Anna began writing again:

The whole-wheat bread I made this morning turned out nice and fluffy. When I went shopping after lunch, I saw my friend Margaret, and we had a nice talk. We decided to meet for lunch one day next week. I am certainly looking forward to that.

Anna kept adding to the list of good things that had happened until a knock on the door interrupted her journaling.

Rising from her chair, she went to answer it and found her widowed English neighbor, Lucy Perkins, standing on the porch, wearing a dour expression.

Good afternoon, Lucy. Anna smiled. How are you doing today?

Id be fine if your cats would quit coming into my yard. A vein in the elderly womans forehead protruded. Theyve been digging around in my flower beds again, and Im tired of it.

Im sorry, Lucy, but our cats are free to roam outside or in the barn. They help to keep the mice population down.

Lucys steel-blue eyes narrowed. Cant ya keep em in the house?

My husband, Amos, has an allergy to cat hair, and hed never stand for them being in the house all the time. Anna thought about the incident this morning when their calico cat had snuck in. It was a good thing Amos wasnt home at the time.

Humph! Lucys pointy chin jutted out.

Have the cats damaged your plants or flowers?

Well, no, but they could. Lucys face tightened as she crossed her skinny arms. And another thing That noisy rooster of yours woke me up at the crack of dawn this morning with his boisterous cock-a-doodle-doing.

Im sorry, but its normal for roosters to crow when the sun comes up. Anna shifted her weight, leaning against the doorjamb. I should probably invite her in, but Im not in the mood to listen to any more of her complaints.

Well, I can see that Im not getting anywhere with you. Before Anna could respond, Lucy whirled around and stomped off the porch. As her neighbor strode out of the yard, Anna heard her mumble something about a barking dog, and that if people were going to have animals they should keep them under control. Surely she couldnt have meant their mixed-breed terrier. Little Trixie didnt bark that muchonly when there was something to bark aboutlike the intrusion of an unwanted neighbor trying to ruin someones day.

Now that Anna thought about it, Trixie, whod been lying under the shade of the maple tree, hadnt even budged when Lucy came into the yard, much less done any barking.

Annas skin tingled as perspiration formed on her upper lip. Why are some people so difficult to deal with? Shed often wondered why her finicky neighbor had chosen to live in the country if she didnt like farm animals and all of their noises. Sometimes, like now, Anna wished Lucy would sell her home and move somewhere else. If that time ever came, Annas days would certainly be more peaceful.

How did your day go? Amos asked when he returned home from his job at Keim Lumber in the village of Charm.

It was busy. Anna frowned. And somewhat frustrating.

In what way? Amos placed his lunch box on the kitchen counter.

I was in the middle of writing a journal entry when our neighbor Lucy Perkins showed up. Anna opened her husbands lunch box and took out his empty Thermos. And she didnt come over for a friendly visit.