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An Amish
Family
Christmas

T HE S NAPSHOTS IN H ISTORY SERIES

The Wings of Morning

The Face of Heaven

Whispers of a New Dawn

T HE D ANFORTHS OF L ANCASHIRE SERIES

Ashton Park

Beneath the Dover Sky

London Dawn

An Amish
Family
Christmas

M URRAY P URA

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Scripture quotations in English are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Cover by Garborg Design Works, Savage, Minnesota

Cover photos Chris Garborg; Bigstock/gnagel

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

AN AMISH FAMILY CHRISTMAS

Copyright 2013 by Murray Pura

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Pura, Murray

An Amish family Christmas / Murray Pura.

pages cm.

ISBN 978-0-7369-5237-8 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-5238-5 (eBook)

1. AmishFiction. 2. Christmas stories. I. Title.

PR9199.4.P87A45 2013

813'.6dc23

2013010154

All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of authors and publishers rights is strictly prohibited.

For Nana Doede, who loves all my stories, with all my love.

Contents

N aomi glanced out the window as one black buggy followed another along the lane leading away from the house. Rain streaked the glass and distorted the shapes of the wheels and the horses heads. One part of her felt nothing as she watched them leave, another part felt as gray as the Lancaster County sky, and a third part began to count the buggies as if she were a child again and learning her numbers.

Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven.

Ive made us some tea. A young woman in a dark dress and dark bonnet stood at her side.

Danke. I dont know if I can drink, Rebecca.

Of course you can drink. The young woman took Naomis hand gently but with a measure of strength. Come sit by the fire.

Naomi took a chair on one side of the woodstove, and Rebecca took a chair on the other side. The stove had a glass pane that allowed them to see the yellow flames curling up and over the wood. Nearby, a box of split logs stood ready to feed the fire. A small table between them held a teapot, cups, and a plate of biscuits. Naomi gazed at the fire but made no effort to pour herself any tea, so Rebecca did it for her, handing her a cup and offering the plate of biscuits.

Naomi took the cup but shook her head at the plate. I cant.

Try.

I cant, Rebecca.

Rebecca put the plate down on the table and curled her fingers around her own cup of tea. Neither of them spoke. When the fire began to turn into red coals, Rebecca got up and placed several more pieces of wood inside the stove, closing the door tightly. Flames leaped up orange and white.

Two weeks before Thanksgiving. Naomi hadnt taken a sip from her teacup. What kind of Thanksgiving will it be? What kind of Christmas?

The church will be at your side. Ill be there. You wont be alone.

My family is gone.

Luke is with you.

Naomi lifted her head sharply and stared at her friend. Luke? Luke is with me? Luke is catatonic. Who knows but God where Luke is?

He wont be that way forever.

He wont? How do you know that? The doctors say the odds in his favor are less than twenty percent.

Im praying. The whole community is praying.

Yes? And praying for the drunk who drove into our buggy too?

Of course, Naomi, Rebecca said quietly. Its our way.

He kills my father and mother and sister and leaves my twenty-year-old brother half dead in the ditch. Drives away. Doesnt even call nine-one-one. For all we know my sister or mother could have been saved.

Hush. I know.

Naomi had been looking for an argument for days and had finally found it. Her eyes blazed black fire. You know? But all you can think of to do is pray for the murderer?

What else should I do? Throw his children under a Percherons hooves so there can be even more death and suffering?

Naomi gazed at the flames. He will have a fine Thanksgiving. Sit down to a fine meal at Christmas. All the chairs at his table will be occupied. His whole family will break bread with him.

It does no good to dwell on such things. God has a plan.

Naomi snapped up her head, and her eyes flared. A plan? This is his plan? To snatch away my family in a heartbeat and leave me alone and broken?

You are not alone. I will help you. Your husbands family will help you.

Naomis eyes returned to the fire. I have no husband.

Shh now. She smiled gently. If you have no husband, then I have no brother. He binds you and me together, Naomi. Our family is now your family. We will take you in.

I do not wish to be taken in. Im staying in this house. Im going to die in this house.

Rebecca raised her eyebrows. This big farm? Youre going to run it on your own?

Yes. I have two hands and a strong back.

You cant undertake such a thing. Especially once Luke returns from the hospital and you have to care for him.

I can do it.

Its too much.

Im going to do it. The church can help me or not help me. God can help me or not help me.

Of course God and the church will help you.

Naomi had both hands around her cold teacup. She dropped her head. Im not ungrateful. But Im staying here in this house. Its my home on earth.

Rebecca gazed at her and finally nodded. Very well. She got to her feet. Bishop Fischer said Luke would be home by next Wednesday. Theres nothing more they can do for him in town, and the care is expensive.

I know that.

So Im going upstairs to clean and tidy his room.

Naomi rubbed her forehead with her hand. I havent touched it since the accident. I havent even opened the door to look inside. I havent looked in any of the roomsnot Mama and Papas, not Ruths

Her voice broke, the cup fell from her fingers and shattered on the hardwood floor, her body began to convulse, and loud cries came from her throat. Mein Gott, mein Gott, warum hast du mich verlassen !

Rebecca rushed over and threw her arms around Naomi. No, no, he hasnt forsaken you. He is with you. Its the valley of the shadow of death, but he remains by your side. He is here.

I dont feel him here, sobbed Naomi. I dont feel his presence.

He is with you. He who wept at his friends grave is with you.

I thought...I heard his voice at the funeral...but no, it was the wind, only the wind...

Rebecca rocked her. Hush. Youre exhausted, worn out with grief. You have not slept.