Read Online Blossoms on the Roof by Rebecca Martin - Free Book Online

the three Mast boys who were older than Ben.
    Father said happily, “Building our roof will be much easier with so much help.”
    Polly watched them lifting the poles into place. “Whydon’t they put the poles closer together?” she asked Mother. “The rain can get in between them.”
    â€œThey will lay sod bricks on top of the poles,” Mother explained.
    â€œOh.” Polly was disappointed. They would have a roof made of grass after all. She had hoped for a wooden roof, but she did not say that to Mother.
    Now Father was cutting some long grass with the scythe. When Polly asked what he needed that for, he said, “We will put a layer of grass across the poles before we put the sod on top.”
    â€œWhy do we need a layer of grass?”
    â€œThink about it, Polly,” said Father. “When you are sitting in our new kitchen, which would you rather see above your head—grass or soil?”
    â€œGrass, of course,” Polly answered promptly.
    â€œIf we didn’t put on a layer of grass, you would be looking at the underside of sod bricks. Besides making a nicer ceiling, grass will also help keep the rain out.”
    By evening the Yoder home was quite snug. Mother hung a blanket over the door and said, “This will do until Father has time to build a door.”
    Mother also hung curtains to divide the house into rooms. One tiny bedroom was for Ben, one was for Polly, and the third was big enough for Mother, Father, and the two little ones.

    The next day was Sunday. “I wish we could go to church,” Polly said wistfully. She longed to see Susan and her other friends. She wished she could sit on the familiar worn benches and listen to Abe or Henry preaching.
    â€œNext Sunday all five North Dakota families will get together,” Father said. “We planned that on the train. Today we will have church just for our family here in our new sod house.”
    So they sang songs together, and Father read from the big leather-covered Bible. He read the story of Jesus blessing the little children. Polly imagined how happy the children must have felt to be near Jesus and to feel His hands touching them.
    â€œThe disciples thought Jesus was too busy for children,” Father said. “They told the mothers to take the children home again, but Jesus called them back. He wanted to bless the children.”
    Father put the Bible back in the packing box where it was kept. “Do you remember one of our last Sundays in Indiana when Henry preached about Abraham and Isaac? God rewarded Abraham’s obedience with many blessings. And do you remember what Henry said was the greatest blessing the world has ever known?”
    â€œThe coming of Jesus,” said Mother.
    Father nodded. “So from this story of Jesus and the children, we know His blessings are for the little ones too.” He smiled at Ben, Polly, Jakie, and Lisbet.
    Polly looked around their little house. It smelled of damp earth and grass. It was gloomy because not much light could get in the window, but Polly knew that Father was right about those blessings.

11
    A New Team
    T oday,” announced Father, smiling at Polly and Ben, “you may help Mother plant our garden.”
    Polly clapped her hands. “May I get the seeds?”
    â€œYes, you may,” answered Father.
    Polly left the table and went to the packing box that was their storage cupboard. She knew exactly where to find the precious seeds they had brought with them from Indiana.
    One by one she laid the little oilcloth-wrapped packages on the table. Each one was marked in Grandma’s neat handwriting: PEAS, BEANS, CORN, LETTUCE, CABBAGE, TURNIPS, PUMPKINS, SPINACH.
    Father looked over the seeds. “You have forgotten our most important crop.”
    Polly was puzzled. “But these are all our seeds.”
    â€œI know what’s missing,” Ben said, laughing. “You mean the potatoes, Father. We