See, I have only had one identifiable crush in my life so I don’t tend to think about it like that. I also am often warning myself not to give my heart away, because it is a thin line to walk. I know I want my future husband to have my whole, unbroken heart. But, I also believe love is something everyone will uniquely discover firsthand for themselves and there is no point in being sheltered from it, but rather learning how to survive in the storm if the shelter blows down. I am glad that my parents taught me that love is very special and reserved until adulthood while still allowing me to see a little about what it was thereby equipping me with the tools and discernment to know sort of how to handle it without breaking my heart.

I plan to read Mandie to my kids someday and I plan use the opportunity Mandie and Joe provide as an example to prepare them for growing up.

I hope I made sense, I’m tired, pressed for time, and couldn’t edit this better for clarification.
Thanks for your response.
With Love In Christ,
“Amanda Woodard”

Unrealistic? Perhaps, but I believe it will spare them a great deal of heartache, and will provide them with richer and deeper marriages.

May God continue to bless you in your journey with Him!

First let me say this: I am a 16 year old, home schooled, born again Christian girl who has never had a boyfriend and has no intention of having a boyfriend for a long long time!So many young girls start dating at young ages such as 12 or even 16 which I find ridiculous. Believe you me, I agree entirely in conserving relational matters until old enough to be searching for a spouse.

BUT, I must say I am a big fan of “dat doctah’s son,” Joe Woodard. In fact that is one of my favorite parts of the Mandie Series. I really respect Amanda in that way because it is NOT unnatural to start “liking” boys at that age so long as you don’t act upon it. I, myself, have a 4 yr. crush dating back to when I was 12. I have never mentioned it to anyone, but I remain friends with this boy and continue to have no desire to start dating until the Lord says it is time (probably not til AFTER Bible college and any other further education I decide to pursue). So it is not evil if you have a crush at the age of 12 (and I must say that Joe is 14 and is old enough to have a crush while Mandie’s crush is much less developed at this point).Their “relationship” is added because that’s what it is like sometimes when you’re that age.

I would like to remind you that throughout the entire series, Mandie is not willing to tie herself down to any romantic obligations. In fact, Mandie has never once had a boyfriend in the ENTIRE series which I own and have reread many times. Not Joe and thankfully not Tommy or Jonathan either. She is constantly reminding Joe, “Oh but Joe, we’re too young for such talk. It’s a long ways off until were old enough to be thinking about marriage and we don’t know what will happen by then. I may not get married at all” (In fact, that is probably an exact quote! hahaha.). Joe occasionally replied that he is not quite soo young to start thinking in terms of romance. Do you seriously believe that they are engaged at 12 and 14 yrs old? No. Plenty of little boys propose when they are young like that.( Why when my sister was young, she was been chased around a pickup truck by a persistent 13 yr. old boy with a bouquet of flowers asking her to marry him!). It’s a friendship-turned-crush with deep potential that develops into something deeper with time.(Joe was always there for Mandie when she needed him and whenever they were mad they made up). It’s actually a healthy relationship much of the time. I enjoy the relationship when taken in with appropriate discretion and interpretation.
You really have to read all the scenes and catch the subtleties to get the full effect. Mandie is often taking her hand away from his and Joe never complains. He constantly keeps his promise to clear her father’s grave and put flowers there. He is concerned about her safety and is certainly a gentleman while still being a down-to-earth country boy. He even desires to become a lawyer to get her father’s house back. And Even after he does this he goes on to college to become a lawyer anyway.

It may not be intended for some really young kids who can’t distinguish the difference between today’s relationships and Mandie’s friendship with Joe, but it’s by all means PG and in the later books they are by all means old enough to show “interest” in each other while not necessarily dating (though Joe continues to unofficially court her).

As for jealousy, it is a realistic human trait and I think it is not fair to condemn it in the books when in all instances of jealousy or error they are rebuked and they have a teachable spirit which asks for forgiveness. Remember, God forgives.

On another note,
I certainly agree with you that it is hard to figure out the exact doctrine of Mandie because throughout the doctrinal clues seem to contradict themselves. One moment speaking of “Papoose must be good.” and another moment “Papoose must ask Big God for forgiveness.”

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