Abram's Daughters 05 The Revelation (33 page)

Sadie looked at the sky, squinting up. "Watching you live yom life has been better for me than a sermon, sister."

Leah felt her face blush at that. "Oh, now."

"No . . . I'm serious. I wish I might've walked the narrow w;iy earlier in my life."

"Well, you are now and that's what matters."

They reminisced about their childhood days, including their fondest memories of dear Mamma. "I hope there's a way she knows how happy we are."

"Oh, surely there is," Sadie said quickly. "Mamma would be tlir first person to wish you well ... I just know it. She always likcil Jonas, don't forget."

Leah knew that to be true. A bittersweet feeling came and wciu like a feather fluttering past her in the breeze, and she and Sad itmade their way back toward the house, keenly aware of the many changes ahead.

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IN wvtmber third.

I ,c;ili awakened hours before daybreak, lying in bed still as can

needing to return to sleep, but thoughts of Jonas and their wed"i:.'. keeping her much too alert to rest.

'lit* pushed back the blankets and quilt coverlet and rose to greet I > hiy, getting herself dressed, not yet in her newly sewn blue cape

. ;ind full white apron, but in a green everyday dress and blackijllnil.

As she brushed through her long hair, preparing to wind it up

11tto i Ik- customafy bun, she thought again of Mamma, rememberiiifj, .i .summer's day when she and Sadie had taken themselves off on i hiking adventure through the woods after having been repeatedly warned to stay away. The two of them had gotten lost, though not lor long, and both had fallen, badly banging up their elbows and ripping i heir dresses. Leah recalled Mamma bursting into tears at the ighi ol them all lumbich, and she smiled now at the recollection, refilling how very loving Mamma had been, taking them in her arms hi soothe away the hurts.

She was glad for the memory, though she cringed now at what a dreadful wait Mamma had endured. Breathing a prayer of thanksgiving for the lessons of obedience she'd learned along the way, Leah

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was wholly grateful for her loving family, and for God's hand on In i life . . . and on Jonas's.

Abram headed for the milk house to deposit the morning's fn-.h milk, whispering to himself, "Leah's gettin' herself a husband i<> day." The realization had been long coming, yet it was not until ilu*. moment that he had fully embraced it.

Jonas will care for her, just as I have all these years, he thought, I i 11 ing the heavy door to the cooler.

Once he'd put in the milk cans, he went and stood at the win dow, peering out. Had he ever really forgiven himself for the p;ui he'd played in keeping the adoring couple apart?

He removed his black hat and shook his head, astounded tli.ii Leah regarded him at all as her father. True, he was not her natuul parent, and Lizzie had shared with him some time back that Lc.ih now knew the truth on that matter. Abram had asked Lizzie not i<> reveal it to him, to which Lizzie had screwed up her face into a h;ml frown and asked if he wasn't dealing with "the green-eyed mon ster." Well, sure, he was, or had been. But life went on, and om ' time allotted to living on earth was entirely too brief to be harbm ing enmity.

Abram's Leah, he thought, thinking over all the years Lizzii ' only child had been described that way. No longer. Jonas had sonic how managed to wait for what he did not know would ever come i < > him. A bit like faith in the Lord Jesus not seeing, yet believing.

Heading toward the barn, Abram breathed in the crisp air, glad for the glistening, snowy coating of powdery white that covered fields, barnyard, and the yards. All was still, and the sky was nearly as white as the ground, the clouds seemingly suspended motionless there. "Such a fine day. ..."

Jonas sat tall and handsome directly across from Leah, wearinj', his new black suit and a little black bow tie that stood out nicely against his pressed white shirt. Nathaniel King Jr., Jonas's nephew,

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.< I .Vlu- Lbersol, Uncle Jesse's eldest grandson, sat on either side of ili i pjuoiii, wearing similar suits and bow ties, faces shiny fromitililiiiif.',.

I cull wondered what Lydiann was thinking, knowing she would

1'iircil up with blond, good-looking Nathaniel for the blessed m| celebration. Lydiann and Mandie Mast were her two beamiutemlants.

I he house was filled with not only every Ebersol family member

ihiceii and up, but also the Mast family adults. And members

hoih the Gobbler's Knob and Grasshopper Level church dis-

, anil even a handful of Jonas's friends from Ohio^Preacher

i Liber and Emma Graber were present. Henry and Lorraine

li'ViU'tz came and sat in the back with all the other invited En-

. ImiIutn, including the Nolts and a host of other neighbors who had

' nHijucntccl the Ebersol roadside stand through the years.

I ,eah caught Jonas's loving gaze and his unexpected wink, and lit!| heart thrilled to his playful expression. She sat still, her eyes iit

She pondered all she'd come to know and understand through t lir years about relationships, especially between a man and a kMiinan. In her mind, the sort of trust she and Jonas had tested over iline went far beyond what anyone around them might notice. The under care they'd had for each other even as youngsters had made i he many years of their separation all the more bitter for them.

Yet here they were. She could hardly wait to stand before the liihhop and the nearly four hundred guests, ever so ready to say she lidieved Jonas's and her marriage was definitely from God, that she (iiicepied her brother in the fellowship as her husband.

When the ministers began to file slowly into the room, Leah lowered her head as was customary. Thank you, Lord, for keeping fauns only for me. . . and me for him.

The song leader der Vorsinger- began the third verse of the Lob Lied from the Ausbund. Sitting between his attendants, Jonas I Hied his voice in song as he looked across to his bride and her half i tf I he wedding party.

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Preacher Gid presented the opening sermon, recounting the sto* ries of creation, Adam and Eve in the garden, the birth of the flm children, the sacrifice of burnt offerings, all the way to the givai flood and Noah's praiseworthiness for having descendants who did not marry unbelievers. Jonas was again impressed at his detailed telling; Gid had certainly grown in his knowledge of Scripture since becoming a Preacher.

Levi King, the newly ordained Gobbler's Knob bishop, gave i lit* main sermon. It would be he who put forth the important questions when the time came for them to be pronounced as husband and wife.

At this moment, however, Jonas looked fondly at his bride, Would he lose all sense of time, not to mention his own good sense, while Bishop King continued the chronicling of Bible stories from the love of Isaac and Rebekah to the marriage of Jacob and Rachel? ,

Leah is beautiful, he thought, observing her face and radiant ex* 1 pression. He could no longer resist staring at her loveliness herJ pretty lips, the color of her hazel-gold eyes, and the rich brunette J hue of her hair. He contemplated Leah's waist-length tresses, nowj tucked devoutly beneath her Kapp. I

Tonight. . . he chided himself. J

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the! church, and gave himself for it," the bishop was saying. i

Sadie caught a glimpse of Eli sitting with the other men on this most holy day. Can it be that L, too, will soon stand where Leah is, be' side my husband-to-be?

She could scarcely believe how richly God had answered her prayers, giving her the chance to get to know and be known by her son and the opportunity to wed again in a mere month.

For whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. . . .

Eli had quoted that same Scripture not so many nights ago as they were discussing where they should live whether to continue renting the present farmhouse, where Eli had been living with Jonas, or to purchase a house of their own. "Or we could build one," he'd said, seemingly eager to do the latter. si

289The Revelation

1 hill jusi now the bishop was asking Jonas if he would be loyal uitil iciiil io Leah's needs. "Will you care for her as a God-fearing Ihnihaiul-'"

I "|uh, )onas answered in a clear, strong voice. jhfcWIicn the bishop looked at Leah and asked the same question, ^^r saw t here were tears welling up in her sister's eyes. ^^wl /'/)' God bless their happy union.

^HSutlie was almost overwhelmed by the tenderness and love be^^Bii Leah and Jonas. Composing herself, she wondered when she'd HP Nct-ii I ,eah's face glow with such happiness. Perhaps once, on the "itinlay afternoon following Leah's and Jonas's baptisms. They'd Wf ..in' oil riding together and Leah had confided in her later that I > 11 iK'ver been happier in her whole life. At the time Sadie had se-

t ! ily guessed Jonas might've stolen a lass or two no doubt Leah's

In ,i ever.

I I lie bishop further addressed the couple, particularly Jonas, r I in you stand in the assurance that this sister is intended of the

I1 "ill C iod to be your wedded wife?"

"Jah," Jonas answered with confidence.

I "Do you promise before God and His church gathered here toft I iv chat you will nevermore depart from her, but will look after her, ! iu< for her needs, and cherish her until our dear God and Father Uvill separate you one from the other?"

I Jonas paused ever so briefly, and Sadie wondered if the mention (til separation throtfgh death was the reason, but as his resounding

"|ah" came forth, Leah broke into another smile.

' The same questions were asked of Leah, and soon the bishop was

ollering the final words, so familiar to Sadie and to all of the People.

|onas reached for Leah's hands, their locked gaze evident to all. Sadie held her breath lest she sob with joy, reaching under her

(drove to find the butterfly hankie she always kept tucked away there.

I'oi sure and for certain, this incredibly hopeful day encompassed all

thai dear Leah had ever dreamed of, both for Jonas . . . and for herself.

Do you promise before God and His church . . . I ,ydiann stood tall as can be next to Mamma Leah, her precious mother. Truly, her sister was that to her. Attending the woman

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who'd loved and nurtured her all these years, Lydiann felt as warm and good as ever she could remember. She hoped if or when the clay came for her to marry, she, too, might look as lovely and in love am Mamma did this very instant.

Indeed, she could dream, and she surely did, that her deatvsi beau would come along and find her soon or, as Mamma often said, when it was God's time.

The bishop went on. "The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of |;i cob be ever with you. And may He grant you His divine and abun dant blessing and grant you mercy through Jesus Christ. Amen."

Together with her handsome partner, Lydiann followed Jon;i,-. and Mamma out of the front room to the upstairs, where they wer< to wait privately she and Mandie in one bedroom, the young men in another till the wedding feast was ready to be served. All Lydiann could think of was the wonder of love, hardly able to wait foi such a day to dawn for her.

"Jonas, your eyes are shining," Leah whispered when they were alone in the room where they would spend their wedding night.

Her husband seemed to be saying many things with his eyes to day. His strong, warm fingers curled around hers, and he pulled her into his arms. "You're right where you belong, love."

She leaned her head against his heart, and after a time, she looked up at him. Slowly he cupped her face in his hands and his lips found hers.

/ could fly, she thought, eager for more of his tender kisses.

He held her close and she never wanted to let go. "I know why I was born ... it was for you, Leah. Always for you."

She gave him her best smile and then let out a little giggle. They both laughed, though trying their best not to be heard by the bridal attendants down the hall. Certainly, their laughter would not reach the ears of the People, already busy with work below. The men assigned to setting up tables were placing three benches side by side to create one table, elevating it with a special trestle beneath. White tablecloths would be distributed and placed on the many tables soon to be laden with the wedding feast: roast chicken with bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, celery sticks, creamed cel-

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' ,, peaches prunes, pickles, freshly made bread, jams and jellies, ' uy pics, and cream-filled doughnuts galore.

liful) ion Id scarcely wait to sit at the Eck, the extra-special cor-

> iflhk" reserved for Jonas and her and their wedding attendants,

i rr (In-- bride was expected to sit to the left of the groom, just as

v wniiId sit in their family buggy from now on as husband and

>i. \

Imi.is look her hand and led her to the window. There he kissed lit r ,tp,.iiii, his lips lingering longer this time.

"I'm I ,cah Mast," she whispered, coming up for air. She turned

111 Iim ik out at the forest and the sky with her darling. A sudden mullliiiili- ol birds soared up into the spacious blue sky, and she lifted In i I,ice once again to Jonas's. "Together for always."

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V It hough it has been nearly two years since Jonas and I said our iws i<> (iod and each other, I feel as dearly cherished by him as I

11 ihi our wedding day. We talk over everything at the end of each h , never allowing a single thing to come between us.

We were both delighted when our new bishop gave permission i' H |uiias to make and sell fine furniture. So far it's only a part-time i'ill. and in the rest of his working hours he continues to assist Gid hi i lie blacksmith shop, but Jonas does seem to have a near-constant n in tin his handsome face. Someday I wouldn't be surprised if he is I ilc 10 be full-time in his woodworking shop as word about his gift / us out not only amongst the People but also with Englishers.