Sewn with Joy (26 page)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, coconut, salt, and sugar; mix well. In a small saucepan bring the oil and honey to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour over dry mixture; stir to coat. Transfer to large baking pan or divide into two pans. Bake for 1½ hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Stir in chocolate morsels (and raisins if desired). Store in tight container.

Twenty-Three

Faith rests on God, receives from God, responds to God, relies on God.

A
MISH PROVERB

W
hat do you mean they quit?”

They were the first words Joy heard from Rowan when she arrived Monday morning. Worries weighed her down, yet she'd tried not to let it show. She'd seen Matthew at church, but he'd slipped out just as the service ended, and she didn't get a chance to talk to him.
Does he think he can ignore me forever?
It had been two weeks, and it appeared that he did. But now that Joy was at work she had to focus on the needs and problems here.

“What happened?” Joy asked Rowan. He was with one of his assistants, Heidi.

The woman turned to her. “We had a contract for craft services, but the woman was in a car accident…”

“A contract is a contract,” Rowan sputtered.

“Her leg is shattered.” Heidi placed a hand on her hip. “Her arm is broken in three places. And she did most of the cooking herself.”

Rowan crossed his arms over his chest. He looked more tired than he had on Friday. Had he had a long weekend? A hard one?
Joy really didn't know what he did outside of work. Maybe the problem was he worked behind the scenes even when everyone else got a break.

“Well, hire someone then.”

Heidi sighed. “I'm looking into it.”

“I'm sorry, I don't remember what craft services are,” Joy said.

“Is. It's the catering department,” Heidi commented. “To make the most of the time on set, we bring food in.”

Joy nodded, understanding.

“Just make sure the new service knows how to make pie,” Alicia quipped. She stepped out of wardrobe wearing her Amish clothes, but her hair had yet to be pinned up.

“Pie?” Rowan's brow furrowed. Then his face brightened. He turned to Joy. “What about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you be interested in cooking for us? In providing meals and snacks on set?”

“Oh, I'm not going to have time for that. With all the sewing, and now the consulting…” She hid her yawn. “I do need to sleep.” She didn't tell him she hardly slept as it was.

“Well, what about your mom or an aunt? Someone who can make pie and whatever you Amish make? Surely the ladies you know are used to cooking for large families.”

“My mother is a good cook.” Joy cocked an eyebrow, trying to figure out how that could work. “I can ask her. But I don't know. She's pretty busy caring for my
dat
.”

“Can you ask?” He looked around at those assembling. “If we don't get food, we'll have a hungry mob on our hands.”

“Yes, I can run home and ask, but even if she agrees, lunch will be the soonest we can get you anything.”

Rowan turned to Heidi. “There's a bagel shop down the road.
Run and pick something up for breakfast.” Then he reached over and placed a hand on Joy's shoulder. “I know I'm already asking a lot from you, but if you can find some help I'll appreciate it.”

“I'll do what I can.”

Rowan smiled. “That's all I can ask, Joy. That's all I can ask.” He turned and then paused. “Oh, and let me get you some cash to use for today. I'm glad I kept some around. Like my grandpa always told me, you never know when you're going to need to dip into your rainy-day fund.”

Joy opened the kitchen door and stepped inside. Her
mem
stirred a small pot on the stove top. Joy leaned in, breathed deeply, and smiled. “It smells
gut
in here. What do you have cooking?”

“Chocolate gravy to go with the biscuits left over from dinner. Last week the doctor said
Dat
is losing too much weight. I'm trying to plump him up.”
Mem
smiled. “Not that you would know what we had for dinner last night, of course. Heard you come in just as I got into bed.”

“I was going over this week's script with Rowan, the director.” Joy didn't mention that she'd taken the long way home, hoping to see Matthew as she walked but finding only a quiet house with no one in sight.

“I know chocolate gravy isn't your favorite, but I can put some butter and jam on a biscuit for you if you'd like.”

“
Ja
, I'd like that.
Danke
,
Mem
.” She moved to the table and sat down, wondering how long it would take before
Mem
asked what she was doing home in the middle of the morning.

Mem
eyed her. “You sure are quiet today. Is everything going well?”

“At work? It mostly is. It's a whole new world, really, but I'm getting used to it.”

“So they're letting you off early for lunch today?” A bird chirped outside the window, and
Mem
cracked the window open so they could hear it better.

“I don't get lunch off today. In fact, I need to get right back. I hurried over because there's something I need to talk to you about. The woman they hired to provide meals for the set was injured in a car accident.”

“Oh
ne
,”
Mem
gasped. “Is she okay?”

“She's going to be okay, but it puts us in a real bind. They need someone to provide the food. I was wondering if you'd be interested.”

“Me?”
Mem
placed a hand on her chest, looking pleased. “What's required?”

“A light breakfast, lunch, a snack, and a light dinner. It's only thirty or forty people.”

“Only! You make it sound easy.”

“
Mem
, how many barn raisings and weddings have you helped with? Forty people
is
a small gathering.”

“
Ja
, but that's one event. Not three meals and a snack every day. I'm not sure I could do that much work.”

“I'm sure you can find friends to help. You know everyone in Pinecraft and lots of people who are here for the season. I'm certain you could find some helpers. They pay well.”

Joy didn't mention her
dat
's doctor bills, and she didn't have to. She could tell from the new interest in her
mem
's eyes that she was considering the very same thing. Had
Dat
and
Mem
checked their savings account yet? Joy was sure they hadn't. She was sure if they found that large sum of money in their account they would have said something.

Mem
put down her spoon and then turned off the burner. “I suppose I could ask a few people.”

“That would be wonderful. And before that…”

“Let me guess. You need dinner for tonight?”

“We actually need lunch…in three hours.”

“For forty people?”
Mem
's voice rose an octave. “It will be a lot of work.” She looked at the clock. “And I only have three hours.”

Joy offered a forced smile. “Maybe Faith can help? Grace? I believe Faith should be home soon from Yoder's.”

“
Ja
, and Grace is visiting a friend. But I'll need to run to the store, and…where will I get money for all that food?”

Joy reached into her pocket and pulled out some large bills.
Mem
's eyes widened. “This is for the food, and the rest for your trouble.”

“
Ne
, that's too much.”

“
Mem
, you have to understand. This is a different world. Today the pay is more because it's unexpected, but…”

“It's a godsend, that's what it is.”
Mem
turned from the stove, the chocolate gravy now forgotten. “Do you have a minute to go over a menu?”

“
Ja
, of course…and I'll also stop by and order some pies from Lovina. I know you won't have time to worry about baking today.”

“Make sure you ask for the apple cream pie. It's new to the menu and delicious. Even
Dat
ate two pieces last night.”

Joy smiled and nodded, and inside she praised God. Not long ago she had no idea how
Dat
's medical needs would be taken care of. Now she knew. God had brought the most unlikely situation their way to provide for what her family needed most.

 

Apple Cream Pie

1 unbaked pastry pie shell

3 cups finely cut apples

1 cup light brown sugar

⅔
cup heavy whipping cream

¼ teaspoon salt

1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together apples, sugar, cream, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Spoon into unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle cinnamon over top. Bake for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer. Serve chilled.

Twenty-Four

Remember that if the outlook may not be bright at times, the uplook always is.

A
MISH PROVERB