My Summer With Grandma

Amanda is about to spend the summer with Grandma in Iowa. To make matters worse, Grandma lives in the country and is very religious. It is going to be an awful summer.

Prologue

 

            There was a knock on my door and my mom came in.

            “Do you have a couple minutes, Amanda?” she asked.

            “Of course.”

            My mom sat down on my bed.

            “Your grandma called today,” she began.

            And? I hadn’t seen Grandma since Grandpa’s funeral last winter. And before that, I would only see them every couple of years.

            “What?” I asked.

            “She was asking if you would come stay the summer with her.”

            “Did you tell her that I was too busy and wouldn’t be able to make it?”

            “And what exactly are you planning on doing this summer?”

            “My friends and I are going to get jobs and then hang out on the beach on our days off.”

            “Amanda, it sounds like your grandma is lonely and could also really use some help.”

            “I just don’t think I should go. See if you can hire someone to stay with her. If you really want me to spend some time with her then send her here.”

            “I can’t take Grandma away from her home. And there is no way I am going to spend my summer in Iowa!”

 

Chapter 1

 

            After exiting the plane, I looked around for my grandma. Hopefully she remembered that I was coming today.

            Suddenly, I noticed a man holding a sign with my name on it. I didn’t recognize the guy but I figured Grandma must have sent him.

            “Are you Amanda?” the guy asked as he came up to me.

            “I am. Where is my grandma?”

            “She doesn’t like to drive in the city. It is too big for her. Since I work here, she asked if I would mind picking you up.”

            “And what might your relationship to her be?”

            “I go to the same church as your grandma. My name is Chris Daughtney.”

            We went and picked up my luggage and then went out to Mr. Daughtney’s vehicle.

            “Your grandma is really looking forward to your stay. She has really been lonely since Bill died.”

            “That’s what I heard.” I really wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

            As we left the city, I saw farmland instead of tall buildings. I sighed as I thought longingly of the beach.

            “So you are from California?” Mr. Daughtney asked.

            “Yeah.”

            “I imagine Iowa is just a little different from California. What part of California are you from?”

            “San Diego.”

            “Wow. You are in for a real shock this summer.”

            “Tell me about it. At least I don’t have to put up with the snow. There was snow on the ground when I came for my grandpa’s funeral. It was so cold.”

            “I think you would get used to it if you stayed here long enough.”

            “I seriously doubt that I will ever get used to anything here,” I mumbled under my breath.

            “What’s that?” Mr. Daughtney asked.

            “Do you have any kids?”

            “I have two daughters in high school. They would enjoy hanging out with you.”

            Probably so that they could laugh at how I don’t know how to milk a cow or gather eggs.

            “Sounds fun,” I lied.

            We were heading through town now. I hadn’t forgotten just how small it was. This town had almost nothing to offer. There were two gas stations just off the interstate and three fast food restaurants but really there wasn’t much else, except for a couple of local businesses.

            “How can you survive in a town like this?” I asked.

            “You can usually find everything you need. Every once in awhile, people will head up to the city. That is where Walmart is.”

            “And how far away is that?”

            “About thirty five miles.”

            “The nearest Walmart is thirty five miles away?”

            “Don’t worry; you can usually find everything you need here. There is also plenty to do in this town.”

            From the looks of it, I was having trouble believing it.

            We headed out of town to where my grandma lived. I remembered that she lived in the country and didn’t have any neighbors. Thankfully, it wasn’t a farm.

            “Amanda!” Grandma cried as we pulled into the driveway.

            “Thanks for the ride,” I said before I hopped out.

            My grandma started hugging me and telling me how much I had grown.

            “You must be exhausted after your trip. Let’s put your bags in your room and then go out for ice cream.”

            “We don’t need to do that. I’m not really hungry.”

            Grandma didn’t hear me. She just led me down a hall.

            “This will be your room,” she said.

            It was a very simply decorated room. There was a bed with a purple quilt on it and a dresser in the corner. I only hoped she had wifi because I had brought my computer.

            “Well, let’s go,” she said.

            I quickly put my bags on the bed and followed Grandma out to her car.

            “So how was your trip?” she asked as we headed to the Dairy Queen along the interstate.

            “It was fine.”

            “Sorry I couldn’t come pick you up. I just don’t know my way around the city.”

            “It was fine. Mr. Daughtney and I made it with no problems.”

            “He is a really nice guy. He and his wife go to my church. They have two daughters about your age. Hopefully you will meet them this summer.”

            We pulled into the parking lot and went inside.

            “Order anything you want,” Grandma said.

            “I’ll just have a small vanilla cone,” I said.

            Grandma ordered a small chocolate one.

            “So how was the rest of the school year?” Grandma asked after we sat down.

            “It was good.”

            I could see people about my age in the restaurant staring at me. Of course, in a town this small, you probably know everybody as well as everyone’s business. Of course I would be a curiosity. I would probably have to endure the stares all summer.

 

Chapter 2

 

            I couldn’t sleep. My grandma had gone to bed at ten o’clock but that is only eight o’clock Pacific time.

            It was also too quiet in the country. My grandma had the windows open and I could hear the bugs.

            Where were the cars? I needed the noise to fall asleep.

            I decided maybe I should send a message to my friend Elizabeth. A nice long message complaining about this place would probably put me to sleep.

            I turned on my laptop and started searching for wifi. There was none in the area.

            Great, not only did I have to live in this teeny tiny town, but I also didn’t get internet for the summer!

            I suddenly remembered the book of stationary my mom had given me. I had laughed at it when she handed it to me but now I realize she had a purpose.

 

          Dear Elizabeth,

         

          You wouldn’t believe this town. It is so tiny. On my way here, I passed three restaurants and two gas stations. I imagine the only reason they are in this town is because of the interstate.

          Grandma took me to Dairy Queen earlier and I felt like everyone was staring at me. This town is so small that everybody knows everyone as well as their business.

          If these people want to go to Walmart, they have to drive thirty five miles away. These people just don’t know how to live.

          It looks like I won’t have internet access this summer so get used to snail mail.

          I miss you already.

 

          Amanda Caffney

 

            I still wasn’t tired after that but I didn’t know what else I could do. My computer was practically useless without the internet and the only TV was in the living room. Looks like I would have to try to sleep.

 

Chapter 3

 

            The next morning I was awoken insanely early by the smell of coffee and cinnamon rolls.

            I looked at the clock. It was only seven o’clock. I liked to sleep until at least eight thirty, Pacific Time. I still had another three and a half hours.

            “Rise and shine!” Grandma exclaimed. “We have to get going or we are going to be working in the garden during the hot part of the day.”

            I reluctantly rolled out of bed and got dressed before meeting Grandma in the kitchen.

            “How did you sleep?” she asked.

            “Well, the time change really messed with me and then I couldn’t sleep because it was too quiet.”

            “You will eventually adjust.” Grandma then went on about the time she forgot to change her clocks for daylight savings and how it messed up her plans.

            How could she be this cheerful this early in the morning? I wouldn’t be this cheerful at seven o’clock if I was in California.

            Grandma handed me a cinnamon roll and coffee. I grabbed the roll and dug in. Grandma bowed her head and folded her hands. I felt very awkward even though Grandma wasn’t praying out loud. Once Grandma was done, she started eating.

            “Well, are you ready to head out to the garden?” Grandma asked when we were both done eating.

            “What are we doing out there?”

            “Weeding of course.”

            “Sounds fun,” I said dryly.

            I knew nothing about gardens. My mom and I live in an apartment in San Diego and can't have one. I have never grown anything with the exception of lima beans in a wet paper towel for science class.

            We went outside and I surveyed the garden. It was huge and filled with green plants. I had no idea what she was growing and which were the plants and which were the weeds.

            “Well, let’s get started!” Grandma said as she got down on the ground. She looked like a serious gardener with her wide brimmed hat and gardening gloves.

            “What am I supposed to do?” I asked.

            “Just pull the weeds and throw them in a pile.”

            “Which ones are the weeds?”

            “You honestly don’t know?”

            “I have never worked in a garden before.”

            “You have been denied so many opportunities by living in the city. You don’t know anything about survival.”

            “Actually, I think I am lucky because I live in the city. I get to do so many things that I wouldn’t get to do here.”

            “Like what; smell pollution and sit in traffic?”

            “There are positives and negatives to any place, Grandma.”

            “Well, by the end of the summer, I hope to show you the advantages to small town living. You won’t want to leave.”

            Grandma has a lot of work ahead of her because so far I couldn’t see anything great about pulling weeds.

            Grandma showed me the difference between the weeds and plants and I spent the next couple hours in the glare of the hot sun, going up and down the rows, pulling weeds.

            “You will get faster throughout the summer,” Grandma said when we got done. She had completed several more rows than me.

            Did this mean we were going to have to pull more weeds? I couldn’t wait for them to grow back.

            “Let’s get you inside. You are starting to look a little red.”

            I imagined I would look even redder if I wasn’t used to spending so much time on the beach. Since I knew I wouldn’t be at the beach this summer in Iowa, I hadn’t even thought to pack sunscreen.

 

          Dear Elizabeth,

 

          You are so lucky that you are still in California. I am having a difficult time adjusting to the time difference. I couldn’t sleep last night and then this morning my grandma woke me up at seven o’clock, Central time.

          After I had breakfast, we went out to the garden to pull weeds. It was as bad as it sounds. I couldn’t recognize the weeds from the plants.

          My grandma seems to think that living here is the life but I am having trouble seeing what is so great about it.

          I miss you so much.

 

          Amanda

 

Chapter 4

 

            The next morning I was woken up at seven by the smell of coffee. It was hard to believe it but I was even more tired than I was yesterday.

            “We’re going to clean the attic!” Grandma said excitedly over breakfast. “Again, we want to get it done before it gets too hot.”

            “I can’t wait,” I said sarcastically.

            “Go ahead and go upstairs and I will join you when I get the dishes done.”

            I slowly went up the ladder and into the attic. I had a feeling that Grandma wouldn’t be joining me up here.

            The attic was just what I had expected. There were a ton of boxes and old things.

            I opened a box that said it contained photographs and started flipping through the books in there.

            “What are you looking at?” Grandma asked as she ascended the ladder.

            “I didn’t mean to pry,” I said as I quickly shut the book. “I was just curious.”

            “I will tell you the stories later,” Grandma said as she put aside the box.

            “What’s in here?” I asked Grandma curiously as I found a box that said it contained journals.

            “Oh, these would be my old diaries!” Grandma exclaimed.

            The box had to contain at least ten books.

            “You sure wrote a lot, Grandma.”

            “And I haven’t given up. There are two more boxes downstairs.”

            “What is your reason for keeping so many diaries?”

            “These are like my personal history books. Writing helps me to process my thoughts and the world around me. I will have to pick you up a diary next time we go to town.”

            “I don’t know if I am much of a writer, Grandma.”

            “I said the same thing when I was given my first diary. Now, I wouldn’t give it up. Besides, someday when I am gone, these diaries will be yours. I won’t care who reads them when I am gone.”

            I put the box back where I found it and pulled out another one that contained Grandma’s wedding dress.

            “Can I try this on?” I asked.

            “As long as you let me take your picture.”

            “We don’t even know if it will fit me yet.”

            I quickly descended the ladder and slipped into the dress. It fit perfectly.

            “Smile,” Grandma ordered. She had tears in her eyes.

            “Why are you crying, Grandma? I’m not really getting married.”

            “No, but someday you will meet the right guy and you will be getting married.”

            I quickly changed out of the wedding dress and then went back to the attic.

            The rest of the morning, I found old hats and clothes that belonged to my grandparents as well as toys they had played with as kids.

            I wouldn’t really have counted what we were doing as cleaning but Grandma sure seemed to enjoy the memories.

            “This was my first doll,” Grandma cried as we found a box that contained an old rag doll. My mom made it for me for Christmas. That was the best Christmas ever. I got Suzy and a peppermint.

            I couldn’t imagine anyone being happy with those presents today.

            “And this must be your mom’s stuff,” Grandma said.

            In this box was a letterman’s jacket and yearbooks.

            “I didn’t know my mom was a cheerleader,” I said as I flipped through one of the yearbooks. “It looks like she was involved in almost everything.”

            “That’s what is nice about small schools. There isn’t a lot of competition for cheerleading and the musical and varsity sports.”

            “Why would she choose to leave then?”

            “She was madly in love with your father. I almost expected her to come back after she divorced him though.”

            “I guess San Diego grew on her.”

            “That or she knew you would never be happy.”

            “She stayed in San Diego because of me?” I couldn’t believe it.

            “That’s just my theory. You would never have wanted to come to a small town like this.”

            “Yeah, I guess you are right.”

            “Why don’t we go downstairs and get a glass of lemonade? We can also go through the photos.”

            “Sounds good.”

            A few minutes later, we were seated on the couch and Grandma showed me pictures of her and her sister as they were growing up. Then, there were pictures of Grandma going to dances with Grandpa followed by pictures of their wedding.

            “What is this?” I asked as a certificate fell out of the photo album.

            “Oh, that is my baptism certificate. Here is a picture.”

            I looked at a couple pictures of my Grandma’s baptism.

            “But Grandma, you are an adult in these pictures!”

            “So?” Grandma didn’t see anything wrong with that.

            “I may not have ever been baptized but my friends are and they were baptized as babies.”

            “Do you know what baptism means, Amanda?”

            “Isn’t it where your sins are washed away?”

            “Exactly. But how can a baby even decide that they want a relationship with God? How can a baby decide to accept the forgiveness God gave for sins through the death of His Son?”

            “A baby isn’t capable of any of those things,” I said. “A parent is making the decision for the baby.”

            “At my church, baptism is a decision made when you are ready to accept God’s forgiveness and surrender your life to Him. This decision isn’t made as a baby. In fact, I made the decision as an adult.”

            My mom had never pushed religion on me. I still didn’t really understand what Grandma was talking about when she said you had to surrender your life to God. I guess I really didn’t care though. My life was good right now. I didn’t need God.

 

Chapter 5

 

            Grandma shut off the TV after the contestant won the bonus prize on Wheel of Fortune.

            “Would you like to play a game?” she asked.

            “A game?” Did she mean a game like Monopoly or checkers?

            “Do you like dominos?” she pressed.

            “Dominos?” That sounded like a little kid game.

            “Yeah, Grandpa and I used to play Mexican Train.”

            “Sure, I will try it.”

            I was starting to enjoy being at Grandma’s house. Sure, it wasn’t as exciting as San Diego but Grandma was a pretty cool lady.

            Grandma got out a giant box of dominos and started turning them over on the table.

            “How many dominos are in there?” I asked incredulously.

            “It goes all the way to double twelve.”

            I had never seen a set that didn’t just go up to double six.

            “Go ahead and draw twelve dominos,” Grandma ordered.

            I drew twelve dominos and looked at them. The pieces had colored dots so it was pretty easy to see the value of each one.

            “Now what?”

            “Do you have the double twelve?”

            “No.”

            “Well, I have a double eleven. Since that is the biggest domino in play, it will become our starter piece. Now, go ahead and form a train, beginning with an eleven piece.”

            “What is a train?”
            “It is like a regular domino train. Do you have an eleven piece?”

            “Yes.”

            “Start with that. Now, what is on the other side of that eleven?”

            “A three.”

            “Ok, so now find a piece that has a three and connect it to the first piece.”

            “Now I get it!” I said excitedly. The object was to connect as many of the pieces as possible. I ended up with three that wouldn’t fit in the train.

            “Now what?” I asked.

            “Now you need to decide whether you are going to play your train or draw.”

            I put down the first piece of my train.

            “On you first turn of actually playing your train, you get to put down the whole thing. Any other time, you can only play one piece unless you play a double. And only you are able to play on your train unless you are unable to play. Then, you put a little plastic train down and I can play on you. You can only take the train back when you have played on your train.

            “That’s cool.” I eagerly put down all the pieces of my train.

            Grandma decided to draw for her turn. “I am hoping to make my train better,” she explained.

            “What do I do if I can’t play any of my pieces?” I asked.

            “Do you have an eleven piece?”

            “Yes.”

            “If you have a starter, that can become a side car. Sidecars can be played on by anyone.”

            I put down my eleven piece.

            Grandma drew and decided to play her train and had three pieces left.

            “What can I do now? I don’t have any more elevens.”

            “Play on the sidecar you made.”  

            I put down a double five.

            “A double must always be covered. Do you have another five?”

            “No.”

            “Then you must draw. If you don’t get a five, you must put your train down.”

            I didn’t draw a five so I put my plastic train on my domino train.

            Grandma eagerly put a five piece on the double.

            The last piece I had drawn was an eleven so I started another sidecar.

            Grandma played a double three on my train and then covered it with her last remaining domino.

            “Does this mean you win?” I asked.

            “I win this round. There are thirteen rounds. We play a round with every starter piece, twelve through the zero. Go ahead and count how many points are in your hand.”

            I had twenty two points in my hand.

            I really liked this game. It was a game of luck as well as skill. You wanted to be able to play as many pieces in your train as possible. Sometimes, there were several options available.

            One round, I managed to get all my pieces into a train before Grandma had an opportunity to play. She wasn’t happy that she had to count all those points.

            On the round with the double three, I didn’t have a single three domino. I had to draw many times before I finally got one. I ended up with a lot of points for that round.

            It was late by the time Grandma and I played all thirteen rounds. Thankfully, I was starting to adjust to the time difference.

            “Looks like you won,” Grandma said after she calculated our scores.

            “We’ll have a rematch tomorrow night.”

            “I will be ready,” Grandma said.

 

Chapter 6

 

            On Sunday, Grandma woke me up early so that we could go to church. I wasn’t very excited to go to church so I didn’t really pay attention the entire time. Grandma was sure excited to be there. She sang all the songs and took notes and followed along in her Bible when the pastor was speaking.

            When church was over, Grandma drove us to the local restaurant.

            “This is about the only place in town that isn’t fast food,” Grandma said after we were seated at a table and our orders had been taken.

            “Don’t you ever wish you lived in a place that has more options?”

            “Not really. Everyone in this town is very friendly. I wouldn’t want to live in a place where I couldn’t know almost everybody.”

            “Hi, Judy!” someone said as they approached our table. “Is this your granddaughter?”

            “Yes, this is Amanda. Amanda, this is Mrs. Daughtney. She belongs to the same Bible study as me.”

            “Are you going to join our Bible study?” Mrs. Daughtney asked.

            “Of course she is,” Grandma said before I could answer.

            “Then I will see you tomorrow,” Mrs. Daughtney said. “I need to go talk to Carol.”

            “Grandma, I can’t join your Bible study. I don’t know anything about the Bible.”

            Really, I had no interest in joining her Bible study but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

            “Don’t be silly. We want you anyway. You can read your Bible tonight and then you will be ready for tomorrow.”

            “Grandma, I don’t have a Bible.”

            Grandma shook her head and sighed. “I have been praying for you for a long time, Amanda. I think you coming here this summer has sort of been an answer to my prayers. Hopefully this summer will have an impact on you.”

            I didn’t know why Grandma felt the need to pray for me. My life was still good.

            Our food arrived and I watched as Grandma silently prayed for her meal. Once she was done, we both dug into our food. We were both silent as we ate, absorbed in our own thoughts.

            “Have you had enough?” Grandma asked at last.

            “Yes.”

            “Since we are in town, let’s stop and get you a Bible.”

            “Ok.” I figured I would have to participate in her Bible study to make her happy.

            Grandma drove to a dollar store and then we both went inside.

            “Will this do?” Grandma asked as she held up the maroon colored Bible.

            “Sure.” I wasn’t going to read it after this summer.

            Once we got home, Grandma told me to read Philippians 3:12-21 and found it for me in the Bible.

            I read it quickly but didn’t really understand anything. I decided I wasn’t going to dwell on it though.

 

          Dear Elizabeth,

 

          I really, really miss you. I wish you could be here right now. I am actually enjoying spending time with Grandma, most of the time. We have been playing dominos almost every night. It is so much fun.

          She took me to church this morning though and that wasn’t fun. I also got a Bible because I am joining her Bible study.

          Think of me every time you are on the beach.

 

          Sincerely,

 

          Amanda

 

Chapter 7

 

            The next morning, I was awoken by the smell of coffee and cinnamon rolls. This time though, I didn’t get out to bed.

            “Aren’t you going to get up, Amanda?” Grandma asked.

            “I don’t feel well,” I said, wincing in pain.

            “What’s wrong?” she asked in concern.

            “My throat really hurts.”

            Grandma put her hand to my forehead. “You are really warm. You rest here and I will call the doctor.”

            I turned over so that I could go back to bed.

            A few minutes later, Grandma returned.

            “I brought you some orange juice,” she said. “Also, the doctor will be coming sometime this morning.”

            “The doctor is coming here?” I asked.

            “This doctor still does house calls. Now, you just rest.”

            “Grandma, I am sorry about Bible study.” I really was sorry. I knew that religion meant a lot to Grandma.

            “Don’t be sorry, Amanda. You didn’t get sick on purpose. You and I can have our own Bible study when you feel better.”

            I rolled over and went back to sleep. A few hours later, I was woken up by voices in my room.

            “She is burning up and complaining that her throat hurts,” Grandma was saying.

            I opened my eyes and saw Grandma and a guy who must be the doctor standing at the end of the bed.

            The doctor stuck a thermometer into my mouth. “You have a temperature of one hundred one,” the doctor said. He stuck a tongue depressor in my mouth. “Looks like strep.”

            Just what I wanted; strep!

            “I am going to prescribe you some medicine, Amanda. You will feel better in no time.”

            “Thank you,” I mouthed.

            “I will have the pharmacy drop off the prescription soon,” the doctor said.

            “Thank you so much for coming, Dr. Allan,” Grandma said.

            “You are very welcome. Please let me know if Amanda is not feeling better in a few days.”

            I went back to bed but Grandma woke me up awhile later to give me my medicine.

            “I know you don’t feel much like doing anything but when your mom was sick, I used to read to her from the Bible. Would you like me to read to you?”

            I really didn’t want to hear Grandma reading the Bible to me. It would probably put me to sleep. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings though.

            I nodded my head.

            “I used to read your mom stories about Jesus healing the sick. Are you familiar with any of those stories?”

            I shook my head.

            Grandma grabbed my Bible from where I left it on the night stand. She opened it and flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

            The first story Grandma read was about a woman who had been bleeding for years. Jesus was in a crowd of people but the woman knew that if she touched His cloak than she would be healed. Jesus knew that someone had touched Him. Sure enough though, the woman was healed.

            The next story Grandma read was about a man who was paralyzed. Jesus was teaching inside a house and the man’s friends lowered the guy through the roof to Jesus.

            “Do you want me to keep reading?” Grandma asked when she had finished the story.

            This would be my opportunity to go back to sleep without hurting her feelings. Surprisingly though, I wanted to hear more. Jesus was amazing. I wanted Jesus to be in my room right now so that with one touch, my throat wouldn’t hurt anymore.

            I nodded my head so Grandma continued with stories about Jesus giving sight to a blind man, healing ten lepers, and then raising Lazarus from the dead.

            I didn’t want Grandma to stop, but eventually she needed to rest her voice so she left so that we could both get some rest.

 

Chapter 8

 

            A few days later, I was feeling better and Grandma decided I was well enough to go grocery shopping with her in town.

            The grocery store was very small and it was the only place in town where a person could get groceries.

            “Can I ask you something, Grandma?” I asked while she was picking up a carton of milk.

            “You may ask me anything you want, Amanda.”

            “Why is God so important to you?”

            “That is a good question. I am glad you asked.”

            I wasn’t sure if I should have asked her in the store but I had had a burning curiosity for days and I just needed to know.

            “We are all born sinners, Amanda. The only perfect person is Jesus. God sent Him to die for our sins on the cross. I had to make the decision to accept that forgiveness. By accepting that forgiveness, I decided that I wanted to live my life for God. I decided I wanted to give God everything. And because I have given my life to God, I know I will one day spend eternity with Him in Heaven.”

            “You aren’t worried that you might have sinned too much?” It sounded like she already knew she was going to Heaven.

            “God doesn’t measure the size of our sins. All sins are equal in God’s eyes.”

            “So murder is equal to cheating on a test?” It didn’t seem right that a murderer could go to Heaven because he was a Christian.

            “We are very judgmental as humans. The law will deal appropriately with the murderer. Thank goodness God isn’t like that because everyone is a sinner.”

            “So once you make the decision to give your life to God, are you baptized?”

            “Yes.”

            “Has my mom been baptized?”

            “She hasn’t. I have told her several times that this is a decision that shouldn’t be delayed. Life is very unpredictable. If you wait too long, it could be too late. I have been praying that you will come to God before I die.”

            Why was my soul so important to Grandma? She couldn’t make the decision for me. She could take me to church and have me read the Bible but she couldn’t decide for me if I should live my life for God.

            “Why do you care so much about whether I make the decision?”

            “I don’t want to go to Heaven and not have you join me. I want to do everything in my power to guide you to make the best decision of your life. I know your mom doesn’t take you to church or talk about God. I don’t want to waste this opportunity.”

            “Why do you think my mom no longer has an interest in religion?” She has never shown any interest or mentioned it at all.

            “I don’t know. My theory is that your mom is rebelling against me. That is why she got together with your dad and hasn’t come back that much.”

            “Doesn’t she know that her future after life is at stake?”

            “I hope she hasn’t forgotten. I pray for her every night.”

            Grandma gave me a lot to think about. I didn’t realize the importance of having a relationship with God. It didn’t sound like it was difficult to do so, but I also didn’t think that it was something you did on a whim. I was going to have to put some thought into this.

 

Chapter 9

 

            I wasn’t asleep very long when Grandma woke me up.

            “Amanda, you need to get up.”

            I could hear the worry in Grandma’s voice.

            “What’s going on?” I asked.          

            “We are in a tornado warning. We need to take shelter.”

            I didn’t know a lot about tornados, except from what I had seen on the news after an entire town had been wiped off the map.

            “What do we need to do?” I asked.

            “Go to the basement.”

            I nervously followed Grandma to the basement. I listened hard for the sound of a tornado. Through the windows, I could see lightning flashing.

            I had never been in Grandma’s basement before. There were two cots down there as well as bottles of water and cans of food. There was also a small TV, which Grandma turned on.

            I sat down on the cot and tried to focus on the news. It was difficult because my heart was racing furiously and I felt like I might be sick.

            I could hear the wind and thunder. What did they say a tornado sounded like?

            On the TV, the weatherman was telling people in a certain area to take shelter because a tornado had been spotted.

            “Do we live anywhere near there?” I asked Grandma.

            “A few miles. It is going to be ok though, Amanda. This isn't the first tornado I have been through.”

            “Well, this is a first for me.”

            “Let’s pray, Amanda.”

            “Ok.” I figured it wouldn’t hurt.

            “Lord, I pray that You will protect us during the storm. Shield us and everyone in this town. Protect both people and property. Amen.”

            The electricity suddenly went out, plunging the basement into darkness. I screamed.

            “It is ok, Amanda. I have a flashlight right here.”

            “Let’s save it for later.”

            Outside, I could hear heavy rain hitting the house and furious wind blowing the trees. Suddenly, there was a creaking noise.

            “What was that?” I asked.

            “Sounds like a tree,” Grandma said.

            “How long is this going to last?”

            “It could be awhile. There was a lot on the radar.”

            “Maybe we should turn on the flashlight,” I suggested. “Do you also have some paper and a pen?”

            Grandma found the paper and pen in her emergency supplies.

 

          Dear Elizabeth,

 

          Right now Grandma and I are sheltered into the basement because there is a tornado. I don’t know if I have ever been more scared. The rain is pounding against the house and lightning is constantly flashing. The electricity went out so I am writing this by flashlight.

          I am so glad you are not here.

         

          Your friend,

 

          Amanda

           

Chapter 10

 

            I woke up the next morning to find sunlight streaming through the tiny windows in the basement. I did not remember falling asleep on the cot.

            “Oh, good, you are up,” Grandma said.

            “What’s the damage?” I asked worriedly.

            “I don’t know. I haven’t gone up yet. Why don’t we get a bowl of cereal and then we can start cleaning up?”

            “Power still out?” Grandma had never done something like cereal the entire time I have been here. It has always been pancakes and rolls and other things that take time.

            “Hopefully it should be back on sometime today.”

            “Well, let’s get to work!”

            We went upstairs and grabbed a quick bowl of cereal and then changed into our work clothes.

             Together, we went outside and surveyed the damage. It wasn’t as bad as I had been expecting. The house was still in one piece. There were large branches all over the yard and a tree had fallen across the driveway.

            “What are we going to do about the tree?” I asked.

            “We’ll just have to leave it. The neighbors will probably come by and take it away for firewood.”

            “Why do they need that much firewood? Are they really into camping?”

            “No, they use it to heat their house.”

            “Heat their house?” The idea sounded kind of strange to me.

            “It gets mighty cold during the winter here, Amanda,” Grandma said with a laugh.

            “But I thought people only used wood to heat their homes in the olden days.”

            “Not a lot of people do it much anymore.”

            “Are these people Amish?” I didn’t think I had seen any horse drawn buggies but maybe I had missed them. I knew there were Amish people somewhere in Iowa.

            “No, they are not Amish.” Grandma looked like she was going to die from laughing. “Some people just have a preference for that.”

            “Well, to me, it sounds like a lot of unnecessary work.”

            “I will tell you what isn’t unnecessary work; cleaning up this yard. It isn’t going to clean itself.”

            “Ok, I am ready.”

            “Go ahead and start gathering up the branches and take them behind the house. We will burn them later.”

            There were a lot of branches that had to be just as big as me. I found that I couldn’t move more than one at a time.

            Grandma took over the gathering of the smaller branches. She put them in a wheelbarrow.

            “How’s it going?” a guy asked. He had parked on the other side of the tree and then had gotten out to talk.

            “This is hard work,” I said as Grandma came over with her wheelbarrow.

            “Hi, Luke,” she said. “How’s it going?”

            “Good. We were pretty lucky. Didn’t get much storm damage. That is why I wanted to come check on how you were doing.”

            “Amanda and I are doing just fine. We almost have all the work done.”

            “Are you saving the tree?”

            “It’s yours as long as you put in the labor.”

            “I will take it off your hands right now.”

            Luke headed back this truck and pulled out a chainsaw.

            “Why don’t you get the last of the branches picked up, Amanda? I will go inside and make us some lemonade.”

            “Sounds good to me.”

 

Chapter 11

 

            The summer continued with church, gardening, and dominos. Before I knew it, it was the Fourth of July. Grandma had a lot of plans for the Fourth.

            “Where are we going?” I asked that morning when Grandma told me to get in the car.

            “A parade.”

            “A parade?”

            “Of course. It is tradition.”

            The parade turned out to be in another town just north of us. It didn’t take long to get there.

            “Go ahead and get our lawn chairs out of the back,” Grandma said.

            There were huge crowds of people lining the streets. This must be a really big deal.

            I grabbed the chairs and headed back to Grandma, who was talking to someone.

            “Go ahead and set the chairs up next to the ones on the end,” Grandma said. “The girl over there is Miley, my friend’s daughter.”

            “Hi,” Miley said as I set up the chairs. “Are you Judy’s granddaughter?”

            I sat down in one of the chairs. “Yes,” I replied. “I am Amanda.”

            “How do you like Iowa?”

            I shrugged. Sure, it wasn’t California but other than that, I hadn’t given it a lot of thought lately.

            “It’s fine.”

            “So what part of California are you from?”

            “San Diego.”

            Suddenly, there were four loud booms that sounded like they came from a cannon.

            “What was that?” I asked. Nobody around me looked worried.

            “That means the parade is about to start,” Miley said with a laugh.

            Sure enough, Grandma and her friend were coming over to sit down.

            I could see the parade coming at the end of the street.

            “Stand up,” Grandma ordered as some men with flags approached, leading the parade. “We always stand for the flags.”

            The men moved past us and we sat down. Behind them, there were fire trucks, horses, and various floats. Many of the floats threw candy to the little kids.

            “It is over already?” I asked when there was nothing following the police car.

            “Sorry, Amanda. It already lasted an hour.”

            “Are there anymore parades in the area?”

            “Amanda, we have other things to do today that you will like just as much.”

            I just had to trust Grandma since I wasn’t familiar with this area’s traditions.

            Grandma drove us back through town and through the country.

            “Where are we going now?” I asked Grandma.

            “The lake.”

            “The lake?”

            “I know it won’t be as good as the ocean but everyone around here loves it. You can go swimming or if you want we can go on some of the hiking trails.”

            Grandma had packed my swimsuit so once we arrived, I quickly changed and headed into the water. It felt very warm after the hot weather we have been having.

            The water was shallow but I found that I could still easily swim out to the buoy. I did this over and over until the swimming area started to get crowded.

            “Are you ready for lunch?” Grandma asked as she handed me a towel.

            “Sure.”

            Grandma handed me a sandwich, apple sauce jello, and chips then poured me some pink lemonade. It was the perfect meal for the Fourth of July.

            After lunch, Grandma took me on a tour of the park. It turns out that the lake had actually been a part of the Missouri River at one point. Lewis and Clark had actually stopped here.

            There were a couple of boats similar to the ones used by Lewis and Clark and we got to ride around the lake in one for awhile. It was so much fun. They even shot tin foil out of the cannon at the front of the boat.

            As it got later, Grandma and I roasted hotdogs and marshmallows over a barbecue pit at the lake.

            “This has been a fun day, Grandma. Thank you.”

            “It isn’t over yet. There are still the fireworks.”

            We got the chairs from the parade out and found a spot on the shore. As soon as it got dark, there were four loud booms similar to the ones before the parade and the fireworks started. They weren’t anything fancy but they were beautiful.

            By the time they were over, I was exhausted. It had been a long, fun day.

 

Chapter 12

 

            I gave God a lot of thought throughout the summer but I still couldn’t see why I really needed Him in my life.

            “Were you mad at God when Grandpa died?” I asked Grandma on the way to church.

            “Briefly. I guess I finally realized that God was ready for Grandpa to go home but that He still had work for me to do on Earth.”

            “Work? You work for God?”

            “Of course. God has blessed everyone with various gifts and talents. We are to use these blessings for Him.”

            “What are my gifts?” I asked. If I was to become a Christian, I wouldn’t be able to do anything for God unless I have a talent.

            “You are still young, Amanda. Your gifts are just being developed.”

            “I am in high school!” I protested.

            “There was this speaker that came to our church a couple years ago. She said that she thought that she had no talents when she was a kid. All she liked to do was read and write in her diary. Once she got in high school, she realized that her love of reading helped her with her writing. She is now a Christian author.”

            “I don’t like to read or write.”

            “Like I said, Amanda, it may take time to discover your gifts.”

            We pulled into the church parking lot and got out and headed into the church.

            A few minutes later, the pastor was speaking.

            “It is difficult to trust God sometimes,” he began. “We know that we should because nothing is too hard for God. Everything is possible through Him. At the same time, we sometimes think we know better than God or that we have control over everything.

            “God will provide for us. As it says in Philippians chapter four verse nineteen, ‘My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.’

            “James one seventeen says, ‘Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father.’ This can come in the form of our old car lasting a long time with few problems to getting a really good deal on a new car.

            “Finally, Deuteronomy eight verses seventeen and eighteen give us another example of how God provides. ‘You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have provided this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.’ God is the one that provides the job. God is the one who gave you the skills to be successful at your job. God has given you good health to perform your job.”

            The pastor went on but I was lost in though. Before, I had never seen a need for God because my life was pretty good. I had never been lacking of anything. Maybe that was because God had provided me with everything I needed and so much more.

            And didn’t Grandma say that God sent His Son to die for me so that I could live with Him forever in Heaven? God had given me all the gifts and I never felt the need to acknowledge Him. God deserves all my praise. He deserves praise for all eternity.

            I needed God in my life because it would be very disrespectful of me not to accept the forgiveness He gave me. It is also very disrespectful of me not to worship Him.

            “Lord,” I prayed silently, “I want the forgiveness You gave me. You are so kind and generous. You have blessed me so much and I don’t deserve it. I thank You so much. I now want to live my life for You, praising You for the rest of my life. Amen.”

           

Chapter 13

 

            “Were you all right during church, Amanda?” Grandma asked once we were in the café at lunch time. “You seemed very focused at first and then you looked distracted.”

            “I decided I am ready to accept the forgiveness God gave me. I am ready to live my life for Him.”

            “What led to this decision?” Grandma asked eagerly. She looked like she had just won the lottery. Of course, I felt just as happy.

            I told Grandma all the details.

            “So what is next?” Grandma asked as the waitress brought our sandwiches.

            “First, we pray for our food,” I said.

            “Would you like the honor of praying for both of us?”

            I was a little nervous praying out loud but I reminded myself that I am a Christian now. I have nothing to be scared of because God will provide the words.

            “Lord, I thank You for this delicious meal You have provided for us. I thank You for Grandma and all she has done for me this summer. Finally, I thank You for leading me to You. Amen.”

            “Amen,” Grandma repeated.

            We both dug into our food.

            “So what is next?” Grandma asked after a couple bites.

            “Well, I am ready to be baptized. And then after that, I will be ready for however God wants to use me.”

            “How soon would you like to be baptized?”

            “As soon as possible.”

            “Is Sunday soon enough? We will make it a special day.”

            “Grandma, you don’t have to go to a lot of work.”

            “On the contrary, Amanda. Giving your life to Christ is the most important decision you will ever make. It should be a special day for you.”

            “Thanks, Grandma.” I engulfed her in a hug.

            “My prayers are being answered,” Grandma said with tears streaming down her face.

 

Dear Elizabeth,

         

          I became a Christian today. It happened so suddenly but now I couldn’t be happier. My grandma has been praying for me and I guess her prayers have finally been answered.

          See, a person can’t spend eternity in Heaven unless they give their life to God. This means that you accept the forgiveness God gave for all sins through the death of His Son, Jesus. Then, you must live your life for Him.

          I finally realized that God has provided me with all I could ever need and so much more. The least I can do is accept the forgiveness and live my life for Him.

          I am going to be baptized next Sunday. I am very excited.

          I will be praying that you will give your life to God. If you ever have any questions about it all, please let me know.

         

          Sincerely,

         

          Amanda

 

Chapter 14

 

            The pastor had just finished speaking on forgiveness.

            “Have you accepted God’s forgiveness yet?” he asked. “If you have a decision to make, I invite you to do it now.”

            Another song began and everyone started singing. Grandma looked at me and nodded. It was time.

            I slowly went up to the front of the church where the pastor stood, facing everyone. I had already talked to him last week about baptism.

            “Are you ready, Amanda?” the pastor asked.

            “I could hardly sleep last night,” I answered.

            The music stopped and everyone looked at us eagerly.

            “This is Amanda,” the pastor began. “She came from San Diego this summer to stay with her grandma, Judy. She has come forward today to publicly accept the forgiveness given through the death of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amanda, I have a question for you but I already know the answer. Do you accept the forgiveness given to you through the death of Jesus, Son of God?”

            “I do,” I replied.

            Everyone else sang another song and the pastor and I went to change into shorts and t-shirts.

            A few minutes later, the song ended and I found myself entering a tub of water located at the front of the church.

            The pastor put his hands behind me and dunked me completely under the water and then brought me up. Once I emerged, I could see the people standing and clapping.

            After church, Grandma wanted to take me to a fancy restaurant located in the city, which is thirty miles away but I insisted that we just go to the café.

            “It’s whatever you want to do, Amanda. It is your special day.” Grandma headed the car to the café.

            “I never would have gotten to this point in my life if it hadn’t been for you, Grandma.”

            We pulled up along the curb and headed to our usual booth.

            “Well, I have God to thank for that. He is the one that brought you here this summer and opened your heart. I can die happy now.”

            “I hope that won’t be for awhile,” I said.

            “I hope that God still gives me more time on this Earth too. I need to figure out how to get your mom to see a need for God.”

            “Oh, I will be able to help you with that. I am going to be relentless when I get back to San Diego. My mom’s soul is priceless.”

            “I can’t believe that you have to go back soon. This summer sure flew by. I am really going to miss you.”

            “I am going to miss you too, Grandma. I will have to come back and visit you over Christmas break. I am really going to miss this place.”

            “I didn’t think it was possible for you to fall in love with a small town like this.”

            “I will always be a city girl, Grandma. It has been you that has given me a changed attitude about this place. This town would be nothing without all the memories I have with you.”

            I could swear that I could almost see tears glistening in Grandma’s eyes. She tried to hide them by focusing on her sandwich.

            “Well, we should probably get home, Amanda,” Grandma said at last. “I have made a cake for you.

            “Thanks, Grandma.”

 

Chapter 15

 

            The next morning I woke up to the feeling that something was wrong. It was almost eight o’clock. Grandma always started breakfast at seven. I couldn’t smell coffee or cinnamon buns.

            I went downstairs and went around the house, looking for Grandma. I couldn’t find her anywhere.

            A sense of panic was starting to overwhelm me.

            “Grandma!” I called as I knocked on her door.

            Nobody answered.

            The door was unlocked so I slowly opened it and peered inside. Grandma was still in bed.

            “Grandma, are you all right?” I asked.

            When I got no response, I went into the room and put my hands on her. It was icy cold.

            I rushed to the phone and called nine-one-one. I knew before the paramedics even told me that it was too late.

            For some reason, I couldn’t cry. I knew Grandma was in Heaven and that I would be joining her someday. We would see each other again, and I would make sure that my mom would be there too. I wasn’t going to have her left behind, just like Grandma made sure about me. We were all going to have happy endings someday.

            In the meantime, I knew there was one thing Grandma would want me to do. I went up to the attic and pulled out the boxes of diaries. I was going to learn about Grandma’s life.

 

 

 

            

Author's Note

In memory of my Grandma.