The Mitford Years

I have discovered a new treasure. A Christian author who has touched my heart, made me laugh, brought me to tears.

Jan Karon.

Her bestselling series, which was brought to my notice in passing, is THE MITFORD YEARS. The series has at least eleven books, plus several extra treats. I am in my fourth book.

The stories start in a small village in North Carolina, with Father Tim, a “country preacher” of the town’s Episcopalian church, as the main character. We learn to love his family and a host of kooky, heart-warming townsfolk.

We struggle with Tim through anger, irritation, illness, breath-taking sorrow over his sin. We share his love for the people around him, the new things that come into his life after sixty.

We meet a homeless man with a mission, and watch the shared ministry for Jesus of Father Tim and a Bible thumping Baptist minister.

Tim shares his prayers and love of Scripture with us, his fears and weaknesses.

There’s a little romance, but not so much that it turned Murray away. I gave him one of the books for our anniversary in August, and he’s already ahead of me in reading through the series.

A sweet elderly woman of wealth, who gives lavishly to the church and community, but counts her pennies for bills around the house.

A lady who is bipolar, and goes around wearing her dead brother’s uniform from World War II. Her husband, who’s stayed with her for over forty years, because, “I gave her my word, don’t you know.”

People who wrestle with past sorrows, hardships, and sins, and find hope. Some slowly, some more quickly.

So many treasures, much more than I’ve been able to share, and I’m just in the fourth book.