Discussion Questions
for
‘Round the Corner
Book Two in the Sister Circle Series
1. People come into our lives, affect us, then leave. It’s inevitable. Which special “sister” from your past moved out of your life? Do you still keep in touch? If you haven’t before, can you make the effort to contact her now?
2. Women often fall back on intuition. Evelyn lets Heddy move in based on feelings. Then she has second thoughts. When has your intuition been right about someone? Wrong?
3. Anabelle Griese has a chip on her shoulder. And yet, do you think Evelyn was prejudiced against her because she was fat? Have you ever been the recipient of prejudice? Or the one who’s shown prejudice? What happened?
FAITH ISSUES:
4. Evelyn is impatient with God. He filled Peerbaugh Place so quickly the first time (and so well.) This time . . . How are you impatient with God? When has God’s timing ever been wrong for you?
1. Evelyn almost goes into Heddy’s room to snoop. Have you ever snooped? What were the consequences? What were your feelings, even if you weren’t caught?
2. Even though it’s Piper’s mom who's sick, Piper gets comfort from her. Are you usually a comforter or the one needing comforting? Who, among your group of sisters is the greatest comforter?
3. Evelyn wants things in Peerbaugh Place to be like they were before and hopes by cooking something she’ll help it happen. How have you tried to recapture a past time, shape things into an established mold? What happened?
FAITH ISSUES:
4. When Evelyn successfully conquers her desire to snoop she felt a surge of satisfaction. “She’d done the right thing. This time.” Name a time when you did the right thing, this time.
1. Neither of Evelyn’s tenants are exactly as she’d hoped. Yet often people we don’t expect to be a positive influence in our lives turn out to be one. Without knowing how the story turns out, what positive influence might Heddy, Gail, Evelyn, and Piper be on each other?
2. Heddy is caught kissing a man she barely knows. What do you think about that? Does Evelyn have a right to say no-go to such behavior?
3. Heddy is desperate to be married. What do you think are the pressures to be married? Or single?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. The Bible speaks clearly against sex outside of marriage. How would you handle a potentially immoral situation by guests in your home?
1. Piper is understandably worried about her mother’s surgery. How do you handle worry? Are your methods successful? How could your sisters help?
2. A “coincidence” leads Evelyn into volunteering at the hospital. Many people don’t believe in coincidence, feeling it’s God’s plan set in motion. What do you believe?
3. “One of the good things that had happened since Aaron’s death was that Evelyn had developed a backbone. It wasn’t straight and strong yet, but it was getting there. And when she had occasion to stand up tall and take a stand, it felt good.” What crisis situation has given you some backbone?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. It’s a scientific fact that prayer affects health. How have you seen the power of prayer affect health issues?
2. Anabelle and Evelyn have it out at the bank. How would you handle such a public situation? Fight or flight?
3. Accosta Rand ignites Evelyn’s desire to help. Have you ever met anyone who had this affect on you? Was it a short-term or long-term relationship?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. Heddy thinks about the fact “that people could mess up His plan and choose wrong. Free will and all that.” What are your feelings about free will?
1. Gail finds that keeping up the pretense of her fast-food job exhausting. Have you ever put yourself in such a situation? Were you found out? What were the consequences?
2. Mae "reads" Heddy by watching her, studying her. Are you good at reading people? Are you usually wrong or right? What do you think your sisters "read" about you?
3. Both Audra and Russell, and then Gail and Heddy, have discussions about being a stay-at-home mom, living out the traditional woman's role. What do you think about this role? Do you think problems are caused--or solved--when women test the role?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. As with the Annabelle Griese lawsuit situation, everyone gets treated unfairly at times. Why do you think God allows such situations to happen?
CHAPTER 7
1. Although she didn't mean to, Audra eavesdropped on two coworkers. What she heard made her angry and affected her life. Have you ever overheard something that drastically changed a situation? Have you been on the giving end of gossip, which someone else overheard? What happened?
2. Audra had a horrible day, one thing after another. Is it possible for us to perpetuate such days, making them worse? How does attitude play into this?
3. Heddy has a hidden talent with her clothing design and sewing abilities, one that's been dormant for years. Have you (or do you) have such a talent? What could you do to use it now?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. Audra lives out the adage “When God closes a door, He opens a window.” If she hadn’t quit her job, Heddy wouldn’t have shown Summer her dolls, and Catherine’s Wedding Creations would not have come to be. When has this door closed/open window scenario happened to you?
1. It’s said that if you don’t ask a question the answer is already “no”. Evelyn realizes she’d never point-blank asked God for specific direction in her life. What question have you not asked? What’s held you back? Can you ask it now?
2. Mae knows a secret about Gail. Have you ever known someone’s secret and felt it bursting to get out? Did you tell someone? When is it okay to share such information?
3. Piper’s mom and Evelyn converge to hook her up with Dr. Baladino. Name a time this matchmaking worked in your life--and when it didn’t.
FAITH ISSUE:
4. Gail has a self-image problem—one that is so strong it’s taken her away from her family. We’re harder on ourselves than God is. How can we go about replacing these feelings with the knowledge He loves us? How can we help others know of His love?
1. When she finds Gail’s uniform and knows she's been lied to, Evelyn says, “I can’t believe how angry I am. I don’t get angry.” What pushes your button and makes you really angry? Do too many things push your button?
2. Evelyn and Mae confront Gail about the uniform. They have different styles in doing so. Which best matches your style? Is one style of confrontation better than another?
FAITH ISSUES:
3. Summer says “My Sunday school teacher says there’s no such thing as luck. Good things aren’t luck, they’re God’s blessings.” What do you think?
4. Audra and Heddy discuss God’s “nudges” in their lives and how we can ignore them. How has God nudged you? Name a time you followed a nudge—and a time you didn’t.
1. Heddy’s and Audra’s wedding business is a good idea but also a big undertaking. Do you think they’re handling it correctly? What advice would you give them?
2. Heddy makes friends with Anabelle, an enemy. When have you made peace with someone you used to dislike? How did you handle it if it was someone you had every reason to dislike?
FAITH ISSUES:
3. Piper dating Gregory . . . what do you think of evangelical dating?
4. When Anabelle Griese shows up on Evelyn’s porch, Evelyn sends up a quick
prayer for help and gets an immediate response. When has God answered
a prayer nearly as fast as you’ve prayed it?
CHAPTER 11
1. Piper deals with guilt for saying something she shouldn’t have. We've all done that. Do you find it hard to apologize? Is there someone you should apologize to, right now?
2. Evelyn wants Summer and Audra to need her; she wants her daily presence to be missed. This is a natural condition. Who needs you? Who do you need? How can you let them know?
3. Evelyn is attracted to Herb. It’s been eleven months since Aaron’s death. Do you think there is a prescribed length of mourning? When is it okay for a widow or widower to start dating?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. Mae is a strong influence in Gail’s faith life. Do you think Piper will be an influence in Gregory’s? How? Whose life can you change?
CHAPTER 12
1. Audra would rather put an ad in the paper to find Luke than make a simple phone call to his mother. Why do we avoid the direct solution? Direct contact? Name a time you’ve avoided someone like this.
2. Audra thinks the perfect plan would be to have Evelyn involved in the wedding business. Have you ever pushed to get someone involved in one of your projects? What were the results?
3. What “memory moment” have you had with a loved one or fellow sister? What new one can you create today?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. Audra has a hard time forgiving Luke and feels compelled to verbally assault him. Who do you need to forgive? What affect will it have on them? On you?
CHAPTER 13
1. Gail’s husband repeatedly asked her to go to church to the point that she said no on principle. When have you refused to do something a loved one asked because to give in, would be to lose the battle?
2. In order to prevent someone else from getting hurt like she did, Heddy has to reveal her secret in public. A courageous, selfless act. Have you ever had to show such courage? What were the results?
FAITH ISSUE:
3. While reading the Bible Piper comes across a hard truth, a hard piece of direction. What do you think about God’s direction to not be “unequally yoked”? Name a hard truth the Bible's taught you.
4. Piper ends the relationship—for God. It’s the hardest thing she’s ever done. When have you followed God’s direction above your own? Or is there some act of obedience you should be doing now?
CHAPTER 14
1. Dorthea Ottington is used to getting her own way, even if it means manipulating her own son. Have you ever manipulated (or been manipulated) in this way? What were the consequences?
2. Luke almost capitulates to his mother’s wishes. He’s obviously done this before. There’s a balance to be found between honoring a parents’ wishes and becoming your own person. When have you had to take such a stand?
3. Russell is spurred to help Luke be a better man—at his own expense. How have you urged someone to aim higher, at a cost to yourself?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. Mae is good with the advice, but slow to apply it to herself. She finds herself to be a hypocrite. What does God think of hypocrites? What does He teach us about walking the talk?
CHAPTER 15
1. Mae wants Evelyn to paint the sunroom orange but she rejects the idea: “I’m not an orange person, Mae.” That may sound like an odd statement, but it’s true. What’s your color? Or what’s not your color?
2. Gail felt that working at a fast-food place was beneath her and didn’t fit her self image. Do you think we put too much stock on position and job titles? If you had your pick, what job or position would you have? Why?
FAITH ISSUES:
3. Discontent, doubt, depression, despair are the “D-words” Satan can use to keep us from God. What is your experience with these D-words?
4. Evelyn—a new believer herself—is put in a position to lead Gail toward Christ. Do you think God can use every believer no matter what their faith maturity?
CHAPTER 16
1. Piper finds her mother’s letters. Is there a letter to a loved one you’d like to write? And send? What would it say? What’s holding you back from writing it?
2. Mae looks out for Summer, protecting her from Luke’s influence. That’s what neighbors—and sisters—are for. When have you came to someone else’s defense? Or been defended by a sister?
3. Audra hates Luke and it's eating her up. Who do you hate? How can you let the hate go?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. Wanda Wellington has a marvelous faith that is carrying her through her illness. When have you witnessed such a faith? What are the elements of faith you would need to carry you through such a crisis?
CHAPTER 17:
1. Wanda vows not to waste another moment. Why does it often take a life and death crisis before we live this way? How can you live this way, starting today?
2. Do you believe there’s “someone for everyone”? One special person meant for each of us? Or are there many "someones" and we're allowed to choose? Explain.
3. Evelyn comes to realize that the new ladies of Peerbaugh Place can be her sisters--different than before, but sisters nonetheless, marking a new phase in her life. What "phases" of sisters have you had in your life?
FAITH ISSUE:
4. If Gregory had called and said he’d become a Christian, how would Piper know if it was sincere? What would be the signs? How should she have reacted?