1. Elenora had a controlling father whom she felt she couldn’t please. How did this affect her relationship with her heavenly Father?
2. Maude Rutledge misled her son, Miles, allowing him to believe his prospective partner was a woman and insisting she hadn’t lied to him. Do you agree with her? Why or why not? Are there times when withholding the truth from someone is justifiable?
3. Describe the relationship between Miles and his mother, Maude. Was he a “mama’s boy” or just a caring son?
4. Was Elenora an over-protective mother as Miles accused her of being? Why do you think she clung so tightly to Tildy? How did her mothering change through the course of the story?
5. Was Elenora’s decision to open a competing business the best one? What were some of her alternatives, and how might they have worked out?
6. Mr. Parks didn’t assume the customary symbols of a minister Elenora expected, choosing not to wear a clergyman’s collar or use the title Reverend. How can his humble lifestyle serve as an example for Christians today who are eager to share the Gospel message with others?
7. Miles was prejudiced against the Talbot twins initially. Have you ever suffered from someone passing judgment against you or a loved one? If so, how did you respond?
8. Developing a relationship with a well-meaning but controlling person like Maude can be a challenge. How can someone handle a situation like that? What enabled Elenora to see Maude in a new light?
9. What evidence is there that Pearl was a good friend for Elenora? What do you look for in a friend?
10. Miles assumed much of the responsibility for the deaths of his wife and baby daughter, May. How might things have been different if he’d forgiven himself before he met Ellie?
11. Tildy wasn’t close to her late father and wanted Miles to fill the role, one he eventually took on. What are some qualities that can help a person who becomes a stepparent?
12. Elenora felt the need to prove herself in every way—in her business, her music, and her shooting. However, things changed after the El Dorado Day. How, and why?
13. When Tildy came down with the measles, Elenora turned to the Lord. What enabled her to see Him in a new light, and how did that change her relationship with Miles?