Historical Setting, 629 C.E. Serf’s farms at Metz
Will and I work most of the afternoon securing deerskins to the roof beams, “just for now,” he says. Actually, putting my thatching pride aside for a moment, I can see he’s right in the short term. Hides on the roof framework would be more useful than a patchwork of unfinished thatch.
So, we work until sundown to add more roof tresses and secure several hides.
This new day comes with sunshine – the kind that blurs the storms of yesterday into mist-rising, and reveals the great cleansing of earth.
The hides above us worked well enough to keep out the rains through the night.
Ana walks with me to the castle to get our horses but more purposefully to remind me that it might be more useful for me to commend Will on his plan for the roof, rather than chastise him for poor thatch-work. She’s right. He’s never had a proper parent to teach him. And taking Ana’s advice to heart, our farewell hugs are, more truly, “happily ever after” than “glad to see you gone.” Ana and I both needed to see that this family is getting along well enough. It was good to have come. Thank you, God. I promise Will I will return when the reeds have had more time to dry out, and we can thatch all of his house if he would actually want to learn the skill of it.
Ana is anxious to go on to Luxeuil for the advice of Colleen regarding this worry which is casting every dream in darkness for us now. While Ana is in the women’s area meeting with the nuns, I stable the horses, then go on to the dove cote to find Brother Gabe. He’s surprised we are visiting here so soon after all the family was gathered for the wedding.
I ask to walk with him into the gardens here so I can share our need for his prayers at this time. I should have realized he was our son before he was a monk and what I was telling him touched his human core deeper than a monk’s robe could cover. He is sobbing. I told him we needed him to share in the prayers for this.
Of course, Papa. God knows if anyone deserves healing it is Momma. But I’m just not as good at those bargaining prayers as some of the others here.
(Continues Tuesday, July 16, 2024)
Lazarus Ink 