Christmas Gift for Rose (9780310336822) (13 page)

C
HRISTMAS MORNING DAWNED, AND WITH IT
R
OSE FELT
a renewed sense of thankfulness to God. Even though a part of her heart mourned for what she’d lost, the majority of what she felt was gratitude for where God placed her.

If only I could talk to Jonathan again—to tell him that I was learning to trust. And learning better to be trustworthy.

For many weeks Rose had thought it was her parents who made the decision to leave her with the Yoders, but had God directed them? God knew the times. The struggles of simple people. He’d given her not one set of parents, but two. Two sets of parents who loved her. He’d given her brothers and sisters. A community. God had given her His love, and the love of Jonathan.

And as they gathered for Christmas dinner she just wished she had a way to find Jonathan and tell him. Even with all the faces of her family—and Curtis—who would soon be gathering around the dinner table, not having the man she loved there made the whole day incomplete.

Rose sighed as she plunged the metal masher into her potatoes.
Dear God, if there is even the chance for me to see
Jonathan again … to talk to him again … to really share my heart, I’ll take it. If ever …

Vera approached with baby Ira on her hip. “I see you have your apron on. It’s beautiful. I love those yellow roses.”

“Thank you. I like it, too, and Dat didn’t even say anything about it being
fancy.
”

“Do the little ones know?” Vera dipped her finger into the potatoes and put a clump in her mouth. Then she turned and looked out the window, something catching her attention.

“Not yet. Mem and I plan on telling them soon.” Rose glanced over her shoulder to where Curtis was telling them about the orchards and beaches in California. “The kids like Curtis. I think they’ll be happy to know he’s a permanent fixture in our family.”

“And it looks like he might not be the only one.” Vera winked.

Rose followed Vera’s gaze and her heart jumped into her throat to see Jonathan stepping onto the porch. Without a word she rushed to the door and tugged it open. She pushed aside the screen and before she knew it she was in Jonathan’s arms.

His chest vibrated with his chuckle. “
Ja
, that’s some sort of welcome. And I’d had a long apology speech all planned.”

Rose stepped back slightly, embarrassed for her display of affection. She turned back, noticing all eyes upon her—especially Curtis’s. She knew she’d have to explain, but her brother could wait. She just wanted to soak in the fact that Jonathan was here—that he’d come.

She motioned to the living room. “Won’t you come in?”

“Actually, can you come out … just for a few minutes? I went through all the trouble of memorizing my thoughts. Do you think you could hear me out?”

“Ja.”
Rose stepped in just briefly and put on her boots and her coat. And as Mem advised the children to “not gawk so or you’ll get no dessert,” she stepped out to the man of her dreams—her good dreams—sitting there in the swing with a smile that could not be ignored.

“Rose, I know you said that things could never work between us. You said you couldn’t offer yourself when you didn’t know who you were. But I’m not going to stand for that. You—of anyone—should know that when I believe in something I’m going to give my all to it. I believe in us, Rose. When I first returned I questioned if maybe you were right … that I didn’t fit in this community. That we could never have a place here together. You made me start to doubt, but I don’t worry anymore, especially when I received your letter.”

“You’re not concerned that I’m not Amish?” she had to ask one more time.

“I told you, you are as much Amish as anyone in this community. The foundation of our faith is to love God with everything and to live united in this community. You felt like you didn’t belong because you weren’t born Amish. I might have rightly lost my place because I chose to do things the
Englisch
way. But it’s God—not man—who’s our judge. A God who offers forgiveness. A God who sets those who may feel solitary in families, who brings out those who are
bound in chains, whether it be chains from others or their own feelings of unworthiness—”

“You’re saying a lot, Jonathan.” She grinned up at him. “But I’m still waiting to see what you’re getting at.”

“You’re right. I’m talking too much. It’s better to show you, because they might be a bit chilled.”

Rose’s eyebrows peaked. “They?”

“Come, I have something to show you.”

Rose stood, and with one motion Jonathan wrapped her scarf around her neck and knotted it. Then he took her hand and led her down the porch steps.

His buggy stood parked near the barn. There were people out there too. Men.
Englisch
men.

She approached, noting that there was something familiar about them. White-blond hair. Long faces. Large blue eyes. The men looked like Curtis … Like her.

Rose paused. Her heart pounded and her knees softened to jelly. And yet it felt like more puzzle pieces slid into place and more segments of her life seemed to make sense.

The men stood there with smiles, yet instead of rushing toward her they waited for her to approach. She needed to take the steps. As with any relationship, one had to step toward it. And to do so one had to be sure of who she was first. One had to know what she had to offer.

“How did this happen?” Her voice wasn’t much louder than a whisper.

“I found a friend of your mother’s, Rose. She pointed the way.”

“Wait!” Rose turned and hurried back to the front door, ignoring Jonathan’s puzzled expression. She pushed the door open, and it flung wide to hit the wall. “Curtis, come! Come!” She didn’t wait to see if he was going to follow, but quickly returned to Jonathan’s side.

Instead of heading over to the waiting men, Jonathan turned to her.

“Rose Yoder, I want to marry you, and I wanted you to step into our union sure of who you are. Sure of the community. Sure of your place in it. I hope you choose to stay Amish, but if not, I’m not so fearful of the
Englisch
world as I used to be.”

“So you did this? You found my family?”

“I didn’t want you committing your life to me with your mind full of questions. I know the pain of that. I’ve seen it.”

“Jonathan, I …” Did she have all the answers she needed? What had God been showing her? Even without her family, without Jonathan, God was enough.

He turned and began walking again.

Rose took his hand and her feet propelled her forward. There was no hesitancy as she strode up to the strangers. They all looked similar to Curtis, to her. Her brothers. She paused only to look to Jonathan. He’d done this, for her. She saw it now—the clear love in his eyes that her sister Vera had described. He did love her—more than she could ever grasp. His love had propelled him to leave her for a time in order to give her the greatest gift.

“Danki,”
she mouthed.

Jonathan nodded and smiled.

Then Rose turned back to her brothers. One of the twins looked to the others, and then he pulled something from behind his back. It was a red flower with a long stem.

Her fingers fluttered to her lips. “A rose.”

Then, one by one, the other brothers revealed their same offering.

“Christmas roses.” Curtis’s joyful voice came from behind. Then he walked around and huddled his brothers up in a firm embrace.

When they turned back around they wore happy, matching expressions. Curtis made introductions to Rose—Timothy and the twins, Bobby and Rodney.

He smiled at the roses his brothers held. “Just like Mom received every Christmas, to remind her—us—of you.”

“I can’t imagine a more wonderful gift.” The tears came again.

“We haven’t just come for a visit, Rose. It seems Jonathan also has plans for an Amish wedding.” Timothy smiled.

“I like that thought.” She gazed up at her future husband. “Very, very much.”

Rose heard the crunching of footsteps on the snow behind her. She turned as Marcus approached from behind, nodding his head in agreement. “It’s about time. That’s all I’ve got to say!” He introduced himself to Rose’s brothers.

Brothers. What could be more wonderful than brothers?

Jonathan cleared his throat. “I’m not sure these roses
will last until then, but we found some greenhouses nearby to get more.”

“But roses at an Amish wedding? It seems so fancy.” She chuckled.

“But it seems right for someone like our Rose,” Rodney said.

As Rose stood there, Bobby approached her first. He handed his rose to her. Then Timothy, followed by Rodney.

“Our dad and mom … they would want nothing more than to have been here with you,” Timothy said, “celebrating the life and love that God has given you.” He peered over her shoulder. “Can we meet them—meet the other part of your family?”

With Jonathan beside her, Rose led the way inside. Tears filled her eyes as she noticed that Mem had added small candles to the greenery in the windows. It had just started to get dark, and already the numerous candles had a familiar glow.

The Christmas season was upon her, but the feelings of pain and longing were gone. Rose had been given a great gift—not only one family to love her, but two. And now, with Jonathan by her side, she’d have her own family to love. She’d have children someday, and a good community to raise them in. Not a perfect community, but one she’d learn to accept as they’d learn to accept her—to accept them.

Rose knew the story she would tell her children someday. The story about her helping to rescue the Yoders and about being rescued herself not only by a loving Amish family, but
also by God. That was the most important part. No matter where she went, God was her family. He was her hope. For a while she’d thought she’d been stripped of so much, but now she knew she’d been given everything she ever needed.

Rose squeezed Jonathan’s hand. She’d been given a love—many loves—that would last forever. She twirled the rose in her fingers, feeling for the first time that she’d finally found home.

Home.

I
N
2011
MY FRIEND
T
WYLA AND
I
VISITED
P
ENNSYLVANIA
and Ohio, touring the beautiful Amish communities along the way. One night we had dinner with three Amish couples. We asked about their lives and their faith. They asked about ours. We laughed and shared. It was a rich time indeed. I was full—both from the buffet of food and the conversations.

And then, in parting, I heard a story that piqued my interest. It was about the grandmother of one of the men. During the Depression his grandmother (a child at the time) often found friendship—and food—at the house of her Amish neighbors. And then one day she returned home after a day of play to find her
Englisch
family gone. They’d left her—not because of displeasure, but because they wanted her to have a life they couldn’t give.

From that story this one was born. History is worth delving into. I was blessed to be able to do so! What family story do you have to listen to or to share?

Tricia Goyer

Little Rock, Arkansas

2013

1. In
A Christmas Gift for Rose
, Rose is angry at the man she’d planned on marrying, Jonathan Fisher, because he left their Amish community to serve in the military. Why did this make Rose angry? Was it justifiable?

2. Even as Rose thinks there is no hope for her and Jonathan because of his closeness with the
Englisch
during the war, she discovers she’s
Englisch
herself. What conflicts does this bring in Rose’s heart?

3. Jonathan’s sister Ruthann urges him to risk his heart. Why is it tough for him to step out again?

4. Rose knew that any compromise against their Amish traditions would lead to more compromise, and soon one would no longer be Amish. Do you ever feel pulled by following your parents’ traditions and creating your own? How?

5. During World War II most Amishmen chose to join the Conservation Corp or spend their time in jail or working on farms. How did the war impact these men and those in their community?

6. Even though Rose was an adult she wished she could crawl onto her father’s lap and let him rock her. Do you think Rose’s closeness to her Amish parents made it harder or easier on her when she discovered the truth?

7. Rose had to trust God and depend on Him more when she felt her whole world torn apart. How has God met you in your dark times?

8. In addition to Jonathan and Rose coming to terms with their new lives, Rose’s neighbor Harold also had to deal with returning home after the war. How were Rose and Jonathan able to help Harold?

9. Rose received a few special gifts at the end of the book. How do you think those gifts help Rose find “home”?

T
HIS STORY WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED EXCEPT FOR
wonderful booksellers Eli and Vesta Hochstetler of The Gospel Store (www.mygospelbookstore.com) in Berlin, Ohio who set up a wonderful dinner with three amazing Amish couples. It was a night of great conversation and stories. I’m forever grateful to Eli and Vesta and those couples!

Thank you to Amy Lathrop and the Litfuze Hens, Caitlin Wilson, Audra Jennings, and Christen Krumm for supporting me and helping me stay connected with my readers … and for the gazillion other things you do!

I appreciate the Zondervan/HarperCollins Christian Publishing Team: Sue Brower, Daisy Hutton, Bridget Klein, Becky Monds, Katie Bond, and Laura Dickerson. Also thank you, Leslie Peterson, for your great editing! I also send thanks to all the unsung heroes: the managers, designers, copy editors, sales people, financial folks, etc. who make a book possible.

I’m also thankful for my agent, Janet Grant. Your help, inspiration, and guidance are priceless.

And I’m thankful for my family:

John, my wonderful husband, and our kids (and grandkids!): Cory, Katie, Clayton, and Chloe. Leslie, Nathan, Bella, Alyssa, and Casey! Also, Nathan, Kayleigh, MaCayla, Audrie-Onna, and Donovan. What an amazing family.

Grandma Dolores, your love and laughter brighten my day.

Finally, God, for adopting me into Your forever family.