From the Journal of Clara Whitmore — September 3rd, 1895
The Arrival-Walnut, Iowa
The train pulled into the station just as the sun was lowering behind the Midwest plains, casting long shadows across the platform. I stepped down with my valise in hand, my legs a little unsteady from the long journey. The air smelled of coal smoke and dust, and for a moment I wondered what on earth had possessed me to travel so far from home for a teaching post! I felt alone for a brief moment. Yet even in my uncertainty, I reminded myself that I had prayed over this decision, and that the Lord does not guide one’s steps without purpose.
Across the road I saw the boarding house the superintendent had written me about…The Hinckley Boarding Rooms. Warm lamplight glowed from its windows, and the sight of it eased my anxiety that was trying to set in. I gathered my skirts and crossed over the dirt road, the sound of the departing train fading behind me. I felt, in some quiet way, that God had gone ahead of me, preparing a place before I even arrived.
I had learned much about God from my years attending Sunday School and church in my sweet little hometown where fields of violets bloomed each summer. I decided right then and there to shake off the sadness that was trying to creep in. I thought perhaps, I was just tired from my long journey.
I was thankful Mrs. Harrow, the proprietress, greeted me at the door as though she had been waiting all evening. She took my bag and led me upstairs to a small but tidy room. A patchwork quilt lay neatly across the bed, and a porcelain basin sat ready on the washstand. The quilt reminded me of one my grandmother had made. After two days of travel, the cozy room felt like a sanctuary…a small reminder that God provides rest for the weary, even in unfamiliar towns.
I washed the dust from my face and hands, and am now sitting at the little desk by the window. The lamp is flickering softly as I write, and for the first time since leaving home, I feel a sense of calm. Mrs. Harrow brought me a warm plate of stew, insisting I must eat after such a journey. I met a few of the other boarders…a railroad man, a traveling salesman, and a young widower…all kind in their own quiet ways. Their gentleness felt like another reassurance that I am not as alone as I feared.
As I write this, the house has grown still. I can hear only the creak of the floorboards and the distant whistle of a late train. Soon I will see the schoolhouse and meet the children I will teach. I am nervous, but hopeful. This little town feels unfamiliar, yet something in it feels promising, too..as though God has sown seeds here that I have not yet seen.
Perhaps this is where I am meant to begin again. And if He has led me here, then I trust He will see me through.
—Clara Whitmann
(As imagined by Shelly Thompson)
The Arrival-Walnut, Iowa
The train pulled into the station just as the sun was lowering behind the Midwest plains, casting long shadows across the platform. I stepped down with my valise in hand, my legs a little unsteady from the long journey. The air smelled of coal smoke and dust, and for a moment I wondered what on earth had possessed me to travel so far from home for a teaching post! I felt alone for a brief moment. Yet even in my uncertainty, I reminded myself that I had prayed over this decision, and that the Lord does not guide one’s steps without purpose.
Across the road I saw the boarding house the superintendent had written me about…The Hinckley Boarding Rooms. Warm lamplight glowed from its windows, and the sight of it eased my anxiety that was trying to set in. I gathered my skirts and crossed over the dirt road, the sound of the departing train fading behind me. I felt, in some quiet way, that God had gone ahead of me, preparing a place before I even arrived.
I had learned much about God from my years attending Sunday School and church in my sweet little hometown where fields of violets bloomed each summer. I decided right then and there to shake off the sadness that was trying to creep in. I thought perhaps, I was just tired from my long journey.
I was thankful Mrs. Harrow, the proprietress, greeted me at the door as though she had been waiting all evening. She took my bag and led me upstairs to a small but tidy room. A patchwork quilt lay neatly across the bed, and a porcelain basin sat ready on the washstand. The quilt reminded me of one my grandmother had made. After two days of travel, the cozy room felt like a sanctuary…a small reminder that God provides rest for the weary, even in unfamiliar towns.
I washed the dust from my face and hands, and am now sitting at the little desk by the window. The lamp is flickering softly as I write, and for the first time since leaving home, I feel a sense of calm. Mrs. Harrow brought me a warm plate of stew, insisting I must eat after such a journey. I met a few of the other boarders…a railroad man, a traveling salesman, and a young widower…all kind in their own quiet ways. Their gentleness felt like another reassurance that I am not as alone as I feared.
As I write this, the house has grown still. I can hear only the creak of the floorboards and the distant whistle of a late train. Soon I will see the schoolhouse and meet the children I will teach. I am nervous, but hopeful. This little town feels unfamiliar, yet something in it feels promising, too..as though God has sown seeds here that I have not yet seen.
Perhaps this is where I am meant to begin again. And if He has led me here, then I trust He will see me through.
—Clara Whitmann
(As imagined by Shelly Thompson)
Shelly Thompson, Owner of an 1875 historic Bank Building in Walnut, Iowa, that housed the Boarding Rooms in the late 1800's.
|
Shelly Thompson is the Publisher for The Notebook Cafe -- Inspired Words for the Journey, and owner of Millie McKeever's Vintage & Home Decor and Coffee Bar located in the quaint historic town of Walnut, Iowa. 'The Gathering Room' offers a place where women gather to share a time of fellowship, devotion, and a tour the circa 1875 historical bank building restored by Shelly and her husband. Shelly is the author of two books. Entwined; now in its fourth printing; and Heart of a Warrior - A Legacy of Faith; in its sixth printing. Her current writing project is 'The Boarding Room Journals'. Taking a giant leap of faith Shelly left the corporate world in 2015 to pursue a dream God gave her of developing a monthly inspirational faith based online reading café of words and encouragement. Today, The Notebook Café reaches over one million people each month. Shelly has also developed The Notebook Cafe Annual Woman's Conference and women's retreat. In addition to operating The Notebook Cafe shop, Millie McKeever's Vintage & Home Decor, Shelly and her husband, Dave, spend time with their family and many weekends working on home renovation projects…that thankfully never seem to end.
|
Stay in contact with us via our APP
|
Stay connected with our app. With ONE CLICK you can get all of our information!
You can subscribe to our APP totally free and you'll be notified when we offer our Facbook LIVE Shopping, and sale items are posted to our Facebook page. Best thing...subscribers get special deals occasionally. CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR APP! |