Spring was emerging across the land once more with a freshness and beauty unique to New England.
It seemed that overnight the tall, dark, leafless trees were filling with a soft puff of green. A symphony of birds could be heard returning from their winter habitat. Strolling leisurely down the street, Jennie noticed brightly colored crocuses popping through the soil. Soon the dogwoods would be blooming. Their lovely, delicate, pink and white blossoms made them her favorite tree.
She raised her face to the blue, cloudless sky, the song of birds filling the air about her. Her favorite time of year lay ahead-several months of warm weather with the privilege of nearly "living" outdoors. And maybe this summer, Stephen would take them all to the ocean. Her father had never let them go that far alone, but things were different with a young man to accompany them! This summer just might be the best of all her growing-up years, after all!
Jennie's first spring project was making a nature garden at the back of the house. She had wanted to do this for a long time. Now, with the woods full of violets and ferns, her opportunity had arrived.
Last fall she carefully planted tulip and hyacinth bulbs. To her delight, a few weeks ago they worked their way up through the soil.
Early one morning she walked to the thicket behind the meeting room and gathered fresh wild violets and forget-me-nots. They grew in profusion there. Lisa came with her, carrying a pretty wicker basket on her arm.
Muffin, her little dog, was racing back and forth through the woods, trying to chase a squirrel up a tree. She called to him every few minutes, keeping him close by. As she dug each delicate plant carefully, she lifted it, firming up the loose dirt around it and placed it in Lisa's basket. The small girl looked pretty as a picture, skipping down the street with the basket of flowers over her arm. One of the neighbors stopped and commented, taking an interest in Jennie's garden.
For two days she worked on the project: dragging parts of fallen logs from the woods and placing them around the border of flower beds, troweling up the soil around her bright, exquisite tulips, and transplanting ferns.
To complete it, she made a colorful carpet around the area in purple violets and blue forget-me-nots. Discovering some old bricks down the way, she and Kara brought them home in a wheelbarrow, with the intention of making a small path through the center of the garden. Maybe there would be a bit of charm in Jaffrey after all!
Stephen usually spent Saturday with his aunt and uncle, and now as she passed the Marshall home, Charlie, his cocker, ran out to meet her, following Muffin down the street. The creaky wheelbarrow added to the excitement. Stephen finally had to call Charlie back, as Jennie pushed her heavy load the last few feet to the Benton home.
That afternoon Jennie could not resist admiring her efforts from upstairs. She put down her dust rag and stood daydreaming out the window, admittedly a bit proud over her accomplishment. How pretty the flowers looked far below, scattered among the ferns and the brick work she and Kara had designed. At first she did not notice Stephen standing there in the shade of the large trees, also admiring her garden. His hands were thrust into his pockets, his eyes intent on the pattern of the garden, taking it all in. It reminded her of the morning after he first arrived in Jaffrey, when she had accidently looked down from Kara's window and saw him scanning the garden.
She was excited that he, too, enjoyed gardening. His mother was delighted with the charming arrangements he was making for her this springtime. Going deep into the woods further down by the lake, he gathered moist moss and formed hanging baskets from it, using the moss as a lining, then filling the delicate baskets with colorful begonias. She knew, even now, that her attempts at gardening did not begin to compare with his. Still, as she walked away from the window, a contented smile crossed her face. Stephen was obviously delighted with her garden!
In the last bit of falling light that evening, Jennie returned to her garden, pulling a few weeds she hadn't noticed before and straightening the bricks here and there. She turned, noticing out of the corner of her eye with surprise that Stephen was standing there, holding something in his arms. It was a large pot filled with a lavender-colored wild geranium. Holding it out to her with his warm smile, he exclaimed, "For your garden!"
She was overwhelmed at the thoughtfulness of his gift. As they stood in the darkness talking, he told her how he had driven far out into the woods to a place where he knew these flowers grew, and found several for his mother. But this one he saved for her.
Spring was such a special time. One evening Jennie walked across town with her father to say good-bye to Billy, a Christian boy Mr. Benton was befriending. Billy's father was a preacher. Soon the family would be moving to another area. In the past, many opportunities had arisen to share with Billy, in an effort to draw the lonely twelve-year-old out. Now Billy wanted Mr. Benton to come for one last visit.
Together, Jennie and her father walked to the edge of town, cutting through the back streets until they came to the old home. As they climbed the steps to the back porch covered with tangled vines, Billy stepped out to meet them. His usual bright smile was replaced with a look of sadness.
"I so wanted you to meet my parents," he commented dismally, "but they're gone." He sighed, "They're always gone."
It appeared to Jennie that he was fighting back tears as he led the two of them into the large unlighted kitchen, now utterly deserted. His big blue eyes met Mr. Benton's as the older man put a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's important for my parents to do things for the Lord. I'm sure that's how it's meant to be. But shouldn't they have time for me, too?" He swallowed hard, trying to be brave.
Later, as they walked toward home, Mr. Benton was in a somber mood. "You know, Jennie, it doesn't just happen to preachers, but a lot of people are like this. They see how important it is to use their time for the Lord, but unfortunately their children are left out. It is wonderful to include our children as we seek to serve the Lord. The love we give them is one of the greatest privileges a parent has." He smiled down at Jennie. She walked contentedly beside him, thankful to the Lord for the loving father He had given her!