“Come in,” Kate called.
Jason sat beside the bed holding the baby, staring at him as if he couldn’t quite believe he was here.
“I thought you might like to dress your baby,” Sarah told her as she held out the things she’d brought.
Kate stared at them, then her eyes lifted to Sarah. “I—Sarah, the quilt is gorgeous. You made it, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
Kate’s eyes filled with tears as she took the quilt from Sarah and stroked it. “It’s a work of art. But I can’t take it . . . you need to save it.”
“I can make another,” Sarah told her. “I will make another.”
For a long moment their eyes held, and then Kate nodded slowly. “Yes, Sarah, you will. I know you will.”
Sarah watched as Kate placed the baby on the bed. Using the wipes, she cleaned the baby and laughed when he protested, wiggling and making faces. Kate held up one of the diapers and remarked on how small it looked, but when she fastened it on the baby, it still looked big on him, his little scrawny legs sticking out. The undershirt was next, and then the nightgown. Finally, she wrapped him up in the quilt, tucking it lovingly around him.
And then she held him out to Sarah. “Would you like to hold him?”
Sarah smiled. “Oh yes!” Carefully she accepted the baby from Kate and took the chair Jason offered. She sat down and cradled the baby in her arms, watching as he sighed and closed his eyes for his first nap. What a wonder, she thought, studying his features, his tiny hands that looked like starfish lying atop the quilt.
She looked up at Kate. “Remember the Scripture verse I told you about? ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’ It looks like we’ve entertained the tiniest angel too. He is so beautiful.”
The front door crashed open, and the noise startled the baby so that he threw up his hands and grimaced before settling back to sleep.
“Sarah? Sarah?”
David approached the guest room with caution, not sure what he’d find.
“It’s okay, come on in!” Sarah called.
His eyes went immediately to the baby his wife held in her arms, wrapped in a quilt he recognized, then he looked at Kate sitting up in bed.
Jason threw his arms around David and hugged him. “Thank God you’re safe.”
“Yes,” David managed to say. “But I see you didn’t need help after all.”
“Safe?” Kate looked from David to Sarah to Jason. “You’ve got snow all over you,” she said, frowning. “Have you been outside?”
Jason turned. “You could say that. Sweetheart, David went for help.”
“You did? But it was still snowing.”
He shrugged. “It stopped while I was out. Anyway, I’m sorry I didn’t get you help in time for you to have your baby at the hospital.”
She held out her arms. “Come here.”
“No, I don’t want to get you cold and wet,” he protested.
But when she continued to hold out her arms, and he looked at Sarah and saw her nod, he took off his hat and did as commanded.
“Thank you,” Kate said, holding him tight. “Thank you.”
Pulling back, uncomfortable with thanks for doing so little, he looked down at the baby. “What a fine boppli you have.” He grinned at Jason. “He has your nose.”
Jason laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, I know. Good thing he’s a boy, huh? Wish I had a cigar to offer, but Kate thinks that’s a terrible way to celebrate a birth. Let’s go get you warmed up. You look frozen.” He gave David a sly glance. “Should we get a footbath out too?”
David shook his head. “The feet are fine. My boots are warmer and sturdier than those shoes you had on when you tromped through the snow, Englischer.”
“What’s that?” Sarah asked when she heard a commotion outside the window. “Is someone out front?”
David walked over to pull the curtains aside and look out, then he turned and gave them a big grin. “Yes. Help is here. The snowplow driver called emergency services. Kate, one day you can tell your son that he went for a ride in an ambulance on his birthday.”
David and Sarah sat at the kitchen table, staying out of the way as the paramedics took over, coming in to check on Kate and the baby, then going out to fetch a gurney.
She reached across the table and took his hands in hers. “I wanted to be angry at you when I saw that you left. I was so scared of you being out in the storm. But Kate isn’t the only one who should be thanking you for going for help. You knew I was frightened of having to deliver the baby. I was so afraid something could go wrong.”
“I was too. I didn’t want Kate and Jason to go through what we did.” He swallowed and fought for control for a moment, then he smiled at her. “Everything worked out. Maybe we both could have had a little more faith?”
She nodded and smiled. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Jason came into the room and pulled on his jacket. “I guess this is it,” he said, shifting from one foot to the other as he looked at them. “I know you two are probably sick of us by now.”
“Don’t you say such a thing,” Sarah admonished. “We enjoyed having you here.”
“Well, uh, thanks.” He shifted some more. “Listen, do you think—I mean, would you come see us later at the hospital? I mean, if you can?”
“We would love to,” David said immediately.
Kate was wheeled out just then, cradling the baby in her arms, both of them tucked up into a quilt against the cold weather. “Did you ask them to come see us later?” When Jason nodded, she grinned. “Okay then, here we go!” She waved one of the baby’s hands at them before tucking it inside his quilt.
Sarah grabbed her shawl, wrapped it around her shoulders, and walked outside to watch Kate being put into the ambulance. To her surprise, a buggy pulled up in front, to the side of the ambulance.
“We came as soon as we heard you needed help,” called Lydia as she stepped down.
Miriam alighted from the passenger side and came rushing up. She pressed her hands together as she gazed at the baby. “Oh my,” she cried, and her eyes shone with excitement. “What’s this? I can’t wait to hear what happened!”
“The Amish grapevine at work,” David told Jason with a smile.
Two of David and Sarah’s neighbors and their children walked over and stood with Miriam and Lydia. Kate proudly showed the baby to them.
“It’s a miracle,” someone murmured, and others nodded.
“Mamm? Is that Baby Jesus?” six-year-old Eli asked.
Laughter rang out in the still, cold air, but the adults exchanged glances, thinking of another birth so long ago of one child who had changed the world so much.
With Kate and the baby safely loaded into the ambulance, one of the paramedics turned to Jason. “Ready to go, Daddy?”
He grinned. “You bet.”
“Jason, wait a second.” David touched his shoulder to stop him. “Leave me the keys to your car, and I’ll see that it’s fixed and brought to you at the hospital.”
Leaning closer, so the others couldn’t hear, he whispered, “And I’ll put the cradle in it so you can give it to Kate when you take her and the baby home.”
Jason handed him the keys, and then he hugged David again, hard. “You saved our lives,” he said, blinking back tears. “And you,” he said, turning to Sarah and hugging her. “You helped me help my wife the way I wanted to but was too afraid to try. We won’t ever forget either of you.”
“We won’t ever forget you and Kate and the baby, either.” She reached for David’s hand and squeezed it.
Jason climbed inside the back of the ambulance and sat next to Kate. The paramedic shut the doors, then stamped through the snow to climb into the front passenger seat and shut the door.
With lights flashing and siren blaring, the ambulance drove off. David drew Sarah close to him, and they watched its progress down the road.
/> As friends and family piled into the house, David reflected on what Jason had said. Perhaps he and Sarah had saved the lives of this man and his family. But this family that a storm had brought on a holy night had affected him and Sarah, too, in very profound ways. . . . Although their marriage hadn’t faltered, exactly, there had been a distance between them sometimes that he’d wondered if they could bridge. But from the time their guests had arrived, they had found ways, so many ways, to reach out to each other.
David felt Sarah shiver.
“Let’s go inside,” David told her. “It’s cold, and besides, everyone is waiting to know what happened.”
Inside, their guests had gathered in the living room and were chattering with each other.
He gathered Sarah into his arms and held her. When they finally stepped apart, she turned toward the stove. “I should put kaffi and tea on.”
“I’ll go in and tell the others what happened. Unless you want to?”
She smiled. “You go ahead.”
Idly, she stood there at the stove. Her glance fell on the calendar nailed to the wall nearby. In the way of every woman who wanted a baby with every fiber of her being, she had become obsessed by the calendar, she realized. Month after month her hopes grew and then were dashed.
“Sarah?”
She jerked as he touched her arm. “What?”
“You’re so tired you’re just standing there. Maybe you should sit down before you fall down from exhaustion.”
Shaking her head, she found her attention drawn back to the calendar. “I’ve been thinking,” she said slowly. “Since I lost the baby, I’ve found myself disappointed each month I didn’t get pregnant again. But I love you, David. We’re a family whether we ever have children or not.”
“We will have a baby one day,” David said firmly.
“You said I could borrow some of your faith,” she told him. “I do believe that God will send us kinner one day. But it’s time for me to stop telling him I’m impatient for them. Do you know, I actually told him that if I had just one child, I could be happy?”
“I can’t imagine you talking to God that way.”
She smiled. “I did. But I’m not bargaining with him anymore.” She hugged her husband. “I’m happy and grateful for you and my wonderful life, my wonderful family and friends.” Slipping her hand through his arm, she urged David toward the living room. “Let’s go celebrate Christmas with them, shall we?”
Reading Group Guide
* Guide contains spoilers, so don’t read before completing the novellas.
For reading groups with five or more members, the authors will participate in the discussion of this collection. If you’re interested, go to www.Amishhearts.com.
1. As Christmas approaches, Sarah is still experiencing grief over the miscarriage of her first child. While the loss of a person dear to us may be the biggest, hardest loss we will experience, there are other forms of loss that are difficult to cope with in life. Some of these losses include the loss of a dream, a job, a house—even the loss of a body image when a person has an accident, stroke, or other trauma that changes the way we look and move. How have you coped, and possibly even grown, from a loss in your life?
2. The Amish rely heavily on the concept of “God’s will” as a way of living spiritually. How do you interpret God’s will, and how do you use it to sustain your faith?
3. Why do you suppose we have such a fascination with the Amish? Many people admire the Amish for separating themselves from the Englisch world and living life according to their terms. Have you ever wanted to live a simpler life? Since most of us can’t—or don’t want to—join an Amish community, how can we live a simpler, more faithful life where we are?
4. What are some of your favorite memories of the Christmas season? How do you make sure to remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season”?
Amish Recipes
SHOESTRING APPLE PIE
This crustless “pie” is very simple and inexpensive to make. After baking, let it cool completely; then scoop out of the pie plate with a large spoon. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Enjoy!
4 cups peeled, finely chopped apples
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup water
2 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Grease two 9-inch glass pie plates with cooking spray.
3. Combine the first six ingredients until sugar is dissolved and apples are moist. Divide mixture between the two pie plates.
4. Dot each pie with 2 tablespoons butter.
5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 350° and bake for 20 more minutes, or until apples are soft.
Source: A Taste of Home from the Schlabach family.
MOLASSES CRINKLE COOKIES
1. Mix together well:
3 cups vegetable oil
4 cups brown sugar
1 cup molasses
4 eggs, beaten
2. Add:
8 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3. Stir well. Mix in the following with your hands:
2 cups whole wheat flour
6 cups all-purpose flour
4. Form into 1-inch balls and roll in white sugar. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
Makes approximately 10 dozen—plenty for sharing!
Source: Courtesy of an Old Order Amish friend.
FRIENDSHIP BREAD
Give this recipe to your friends to make their own Friendship Bread.
1 cup starter (see following page)
⅔ cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
Mix the starter, oil, and eggs together until well blended. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl and gradually add to the starter mix.
Here comes the fun part: add chopped apples and raisins (one cup of raisins and one apple) or chocolate or butterscotch morsels or nuts (about a cup or so). Pour into a greased 9 x 5 x 3" loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from pan.
There are as many recipes for Friendship Bread as there are friends! I’ve seen some use pudding for added richness and different flavors. For an extra-special gift, put the starter in little crockery pots you can buy at the store, and tie the handwritten recipe and a wooden spoon on with ribbon.
Be sure you keep a cup of the starter to keep it going for the next time you want to make a batch of Friendship Bread.
STARTER
Note: Do NOT use a metal spoon for stirring the starter.
1. Mix the following ingredients in a big, deep glass mixing bowl.
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2. Partially cover with a lid or use a piece of cheesecloth held with a rubber band or string. Store at room temperature—do NOT refrigerate.
3. Each day for 17 days, stir; skip stirring on day 18. Stir for the next three days; then, on day 22, stir and add the following:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
4. Stir and partially cover again. On days 23, 24, 25, and 26, stir the mixture and cover again. On day 27, stir and add the following ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
5. Stir. There should now be about 4 cups of starter. Divide into four portions and give 1 cup each in a container to two friends. Reserve 2 cups.
Source: Courtesy of an Old Orde
r Amish friend.
DONNA’S RAISIN-FILLED COOKIES
1 egg
3 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup mill
2 teaspoon soda
2 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
flour (start with about 4 cups)
Mix ingredients together, adding enough flour to make a soft dough. Roll out dough, cutting to desired size. Place on cookie sheet and put a spoonful of raisin filling on top. Top with another cookie and seal around edges.
Bake in 350° oven until slightly brown.
Filling
1 box raisins
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoons butter
2 cup water
2 tablespoons flour
Cook the raisins until tender. Add the sugar and butter. Mix eggs and flour together and stir slowly into raisins. (May be slightly lumpy but it won’t matter.) Cook slowly, stirring constantly. Cool.
Hints: Make the top cookie thinner than the bottom one. I take the top cookie and sort of flatten it a little in my hand and then form it around the bottom cookie, sealing the edges. I use about a box and a half of raisins. That way you can put plenty of raisins in each cookie. I use a medium-size glass to cut out my cookies. You can make any size you want.
An Excerpt from A Miracle for Miriam
Prologue
Miriam Fisher
Mrs. Miriam Fisher
Miriam and Seth Fisher
Mrs. Seth Fi—
“What’s this?” Caleb snatched the spiral notebook out of Miriam’s hands.
One Child Page 11
