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This is how it all began for us. How Christ sought us out in the
Zofi ngen country, Staffelbach, in the hills of what later was
included in Canton Aargau when it joined the Helvetica
Confederation better known as Switzerland to the rest of the
world.
It was a love story that spread by word of mouth in those forested
hills. On a Sunday, Melchior had come for the fi rst time, up the
road mounting the high hills above Staffelbach. From this
road,
a
turn into the forest, following
der
Bach
Ürke
. Then the crevassed
rock where a small trail led further, away from the stream and into
denser growth.
"
Will
y
ou marry me or do you
just like our Swiss chard
"
This was his wife's country. When he had courted Maria they had
come this way often, stopping by the crevassed rock with a
greenery that sprung out, attracting his eye. "I like this place, let's
stop here", she had said. Then in that direct way of the Stamms
she had turned her head, her eyes sparkling, "will you marry me, or
do you just like our swiss chard?"
Written in honour of
Rachel & Tyler's Engagement.
Speculating on
17th
century
Dettweiler history.
Ted's Sunday blog
Engagement in the woods. TSB02
Her father sold vegetables passing from farm to farm with a cart
pulled over the hilltop from their Bottenwil farm . It was odd for
someone to go out selling when everyone had much the same
garden and should already be amply supplied. But, Sylvester, his
father, understood the economics. "He has daughters. You might
study his load and then ask for that which he has not. You'll be
pleasantly surprised what that might produce."
But, it had taken him a while to catch on. Grubs had eaten the
leaves of the chard, so fi nally he had needed something that his
own garden wouldn't supply that season. "Could you supply me my
chard this year?", ventured Melchior.
"Yay, but...nay I left it all in my garden" the vendor replied. "But
my daughter Maria might come across the hill and bring you some.
She'll be glad to take leave of the care of the house."
His father, upon seeing the cheerful Maria the next day, let it be
known as he fetched his son from the stables, "If that girl doesn't
bear me grandchildren, I'll be right disappointed with you". Make
sure you be a gentleman and see her back home.
Once he was on the Stamm land, her father had taken him aside
and invited him to pass next Sabbath with them. "You look the
hard-working type, but a man who doesn't rest despises God and is
as a pagan. I'll have none of that if you want to court my Maria".
"No, sir!" Seeing his opening: "I'll displace my rest of the morrow
and join with yours wherever you might observe it".
A pause from Stamm and then: "Ah you're a fi ne one, a prompt
listener. There's a place north of the stream where we go to hear
from God. You'll mark the trail by the green-crevassed rock. F
or
you, that rock is Christ, follow the narrow path and you will fi nd
life and rest from your labours."
And so he found the rock, near stream of water pure.
This, but the launching, on the morrow, to be sure.
For you, that rock is Christ...
