Read Online Jenny's Choice (Apple Creek Dreams #3) by Patrick E. Craig - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patrick E. Craig
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her room, she came straight back out and gave her daed a long hug. No words were necessary.
After that, Jenny made a short time for herself each day to sit alone in her room and write. Soon she had filled five notebooks. As she wrote she sensed that perhaps God had a blessing for her in the writing, but it was not something that came to her easily. When she read her words back, she could see that she was still an awkward writer, and it bothered her, so one day when she was at the library, she shared her frustration with Mrs. Blake. Her friend smiled at her.
“Writing is like any creative craft,” the librarian said. “It takes time to develop your skills. You have a gift, Jenny. I remember the work you did for me when you were an intern and an assistant here. The research was always so complete, and your writing was clear and concise. The best way to improve on that is to just keep writing. There are also some excellent books I can recommend that will point you in the right direction.”
Mrs. Blake selected a few titles for her, and Jenny checked them out and took them home. As she read through them, she could see some of the common traps she had fallen into. Use the active voice. Get rid of the “hads” and write in the present. Show, don’t tell.
Then she went back to her entries and began reworking them. She labored over them and sometimes made corrections late into the night. After a while, she could smile as she read her first awkward attempts.
As her skill developed, she realized there was still much to learn. One day when she was at the library, Mrs. Blake directed her attention to a flyer posted on the bulletin board. It was for an adult-education creative writing class to be held at the library on Tuesday evenings, starting in two weeks. She thought about it, and when she got home she went to her daed .
“Papa, there’s an adult-education class at the library I’d like to take. It’s a creative writing class, and I think it could help me with my writing. I want to ask your permission since I am living under your roof and you’re caring for me.”
Reuben looked at his daughter. “You are old enough to make your own decisions, dochter . I’ve been watching you find joy in your writing, and I want to encourage you. I would only ask one question. Do you know where this is leading you?”
“I’m not sure, Papa. Mostly I write about Jonathan. But at some point I think I would also like to try my hand at chronicling the history of our family. I’ve been going through the old books at the library, and my interest in history seems to have been rekindled…but not for the same reasons.”
Jenny smiled at the memory of her obsessive search for her birth mother and the part her papa had played in it, although reluctantly at first.
“I want to be sure you can stay within the Ordnung , Jenny, and yet I know that times are changing. I don’t want to limit something that Gott may be doing in you.”
Jenny looked at her papa in surprise. “Why, Papa, I believe, as Jonathan might have said, you’re ‘loosening up’ a little.”
“Youth has a way of making a fool of a man. And old age can sometimes bring wisdom.”
“Is that from Proverbs, Papa?”
“No, that’s from a little book called Reuben Figures It Out .”
They both laughed. Their merriment brought Jerusha and Rachel into the room.
“What’s funny, Mama?” Rachel asked.
“Papa and I were just laughing about the things we learn as we grow older, Rachel.”
Reuben picked up Rachel. “We’re finding out somehow we don’t get smarter as we go along, little one. We just discover how foolish we always have been.”
“I don’t understand, Grossdaadi .”
“You will, Rachel. You will. Just give it time.”
With Reuben’s blessing, Jenny continued to write. She signed up for the class in Wooster and arranged a ride for herself every Tuesday evening. And that is how the Lord led her to the day that would forever change her life.
C
After that, Jenny made a short time for herself each day to sit alone in her room and write. Soon she had filled five notebooks. As she wrote she sensed that perhaps God had a blessing for her in the writing, but it was not something that came to her easily. When she read her words back, she could see that she was still an awkward writer, and it bothered her, so one day when she was at the library, she shared her frustration with Mrs. Blake. Her friend smiled at her.
“Writing is like any creative craft,” the librarian said. “It takes time to develop your skills. You have a gift, Jenny. I remember the work you did for me when you were an intern and an assistant here. The research was always so complete, and your writing was clear and concise. The best way to improve on that is to just keep writing. There are also some excellent books I can recommend that will point you in the right direction.”
Mrs. Blake selected a few titles for her, and Jenny checked them out and took them home. As she read through them, she could see some of the common traps she had fallen into. Use the active voice. Get rid of the “hads” and write in the present. Show, don’t tell.
Then she went back to her entries and began reworking them. She labored over them and sometimes made corrections late into the night. After a while, she could smile as she read her first awkward attempts.
As her skill developed, she realized there was still much to learn. One day when she was at the library, Mrs. Blake directed her attention to a flyer posted on the bulletin board. It was for an adult-education creative writing class to be held at the library on Tuesday evenings, starting in two weeks. She thought about it, and when she got home she went to her daed .
“Papa, there’s an adult-education class at the library I’d like to take. It’s a creative writing class, and I think it could help me with my writing. I want to ask your permission since I am living under your roof and you’re caring for me.”
Reuben looked at his daughter. “You are old enough to make your own decisions, dochter . I’ve been watching you find joy in your writing, and I want to encourage you. I would only ask one question. Do you know where this is leading you?”
“I’m not sure, Papa. Mostly I write about Jonathan. But at some point I think I would also like to try my hand at chronicling the history of our family. I’ve been going through the old books at the library, and my interest in history seems to have been rekindled…but not for the same reasons.”
Jenny smiled at the memory of her obsessive search for her birth mother and the part her papa had played in it, although reluctantly at first.
“I want to be sure you can stay within the Ordnung , Jenny, and yet I know that times are changing. I don’t want to limit something that Gott may be doing in you.”
Jenny looked at her papa in surprise. “Why, Papa, I believe, as Jonathan might have said, you’re ‘loosening up’ a little.”
“Youth has a way of making a fool of a man. And old age can sometimes bring wisdom.”
“Is that from Proverbs, Papa?”
“No, that’s from a little book called Reuben Figures It Out .”
They both laughed. Their merriment brought Jerusha and Rachel into the room.
“What’s funny, Mama?” Rachel asked.
“Papa and I were just laughing about the things we learn as we grow older, Rachel.”
Reuben picked up Rachel. “We’re finding out somehow we don’t get smarter as we go along, little one. We just discover how foolish we always have been.”
“I don’t understand, Grossdaadi .”
“You will, Rachel. You will. Just give it time.”
With Reuben’s blessing, Jenny continued to write. She signed up for the class in Wooster and arranged a ride for herself every Tuesday evening. And that is how the Lord led her to the day that would forever change her life.
C
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