Finding the Way (The Amish Millers Get Married Book 5) (11 page)

Proverbs 31:10-31.

An excellent wife who can find? She is far
more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with
willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings
her food from afar.

Chapter
20

Sarah had enjoyed the week, with her
vadder
visiting for dinner with the Millers every night. The
day before he was to leave, Sarah returned from taking sewing to
Mrs. Hostetler in the late afternoon to see her
vadder
and
Mrs. Miller sitting at the kitchen table, talking.

Samuel smiled at Sarah. “Sarah, Benjamin is
waiting for you down by the pond.”

“He is?” Sarah was puzzled, and saw both her
vadder
and Mrs. Miller exchange a smile.

“Off you go then, Sarah; don’t just stand
here with your mouth open.” With that, Mrs. Miller shooed Sarah out
of the
haus
.

Sarah made her way down to the pond,
wondering why Benjamin was waiting for her. Her mind felt clouded,
but the day was beautiful, and she walked slowly, enjoying the
scent carried along on the gentle breeze of the blue-topped
rosemary and lavender bushes in the herb garden, and by the deep
red, old English roses that bordered the fence. She looked up at
the glorious blue and brown colors of the purple martins chirping
happily from their martin houses. Spring was filled with bright
colors and charming sounds, and filled with the promise of endless
possibilities.

Sarah was a little nervous as to why Benjamin
was waiting for her, but she figured it must be a
gut
thing.
If he had been dating someone else, he would surely have told her
already; after all, he had plenty of chances to do so at the café
and the mud sale. Little tingles of excitement ran through her as
she made her way down the winding, dirt road that ran by the
pond.

As Sarah approached the pond, she saw
Benjamin standing there. He was everything she loved; he was kind,
he was good, he was a
mann
of
Gott
. Sarah walked up
to stand in front of him.

“Have you been baking?”

Sarah nodded; she had not expected to hear
those words. “How did you know?”

Benjamin laughed, and with one finger, wiped
flour off the tip of her nose. “Flour,” he said, smiling.

Sarah smiled too. She felt the presence of
Gott
in this calm, tranquil place, with the
mann
she
loved standing in front of her. All seemed at once right with the
world.

Benjamin took both Sarah’s hands in his.
“Sarah Beachy, would you honor me by agreeing to become my
fraa
?”

Sarah gasped and then stood there with her
mouth open. She had certainly not expected this. The most she had
hoped for was a buggy ride, which he still had not mentioned. She
looked at Benjamin and saw disappointment and concern on his face
so she hastened to say, “
Jah
, of course I will marry you,
Benjamin.”

Benjamin’s face lighted up like a chorus of
angels. “Oh thank goodness,” he said with relief.

Sarah too was relieved, as well as beside
herself with delight. This was all she had ever wanted, but she was
still puzzled. One question remained unanswered. “Benjamin, why
haven’t you ever asked me on a buggy ride?”

Benjamin flushed red. “I’m very shy,
Sarah.”

“Shy?” Sarah looked up into Benjamin’s big,
brown eyes. “But I always thought you were confident.”

Benjamin shook his head. “
Nee
, not
when it came to you. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember,
but I was far too shy to ask you on a buggy ride. I was afraid
you’d say
No
and I wouldn’t have been able to bear
that.”

Sarah frowned. Silly as it seemed, she wanted
that buggy ride. “We can go on a buggy ride though, can’t we?”

Benjamin laughed. It was the loveliest sound
Sarah had ever heard. “Of course. We will go on a buggy ride
tomorrow, and we will go on as many buggy rides as you would ever
like, for many years to come.”

Benjamin drew Sarah to him. As their lips met
tenderly, Sarah silently thanked
Gott
for blessing her so
abundantly.

* * *

Some years later on a summer evening, Mrs.
Miller sat looking at her married
dochders
, Hannah, Esther,
Martha, Rebecca, and Sarah—for she considered Sarah a
dochder
—with their husbands and their
kinner
:
Hannah’s twins, and another two girls, Esther’s three boys,
Martha’s two girls and one boy, Rebecca’s three girls, and Sarah’s
two boys.

Gott
had truly blessed the Millers
with a large
familye
.

Mrs. Miller smiled across the room at her
gut
friend, Betsy Yoder, whose
dochder
, Jessie, was
despairing over her two cute yet mischievous, little boys. They had
snatched the little, wooden toys from Sarah’s two boys and were
trying to hit them over the head with them. Their
vadder,
Nash, who had long since gone back to his birth name of Eli, was
trying to discipline them. “I don’t know why they’re always so
naughty,” he complained.

Mrs. Miller thought back on the previous
years, from the time of the buggy accident until now, and was
amazed how
Gott
had turned all their sorrow into laughter.
“No matter how it looks at the time, all things work together for
good for those who love
Gott
,” she said aloud, and everyone
said, “
Amen
.”

* * * The End* * *

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The Next Book
in this Series
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This was the last book on this series. Ruth
hopes you enjoyed it. See below for more books by Ruth.

Other Books by
Ruth Hartzler
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The Amish Millers
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In
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, the whole Miller family meets for Christmas, all the
Miller sisters with their husbands and young children. Their
peaceful time is shattered by their two guests, Sarah’s friend,
Beth, and the Hostetlers’ cousin, Mark. Why do Beth and Mark
dislike each other so much? Will their constant disagreements ruin
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For years, Nettie looked after her aged
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Now that her mother has died, Nettie is
alone. She is regarded with suspicion by the local townspeople, and
has had no visitors from her community for some years.

Nettie’s buggy horse has gone lame and has
had to be retired, but Nettie cannot afford a new horse. Just as
Nettie is despairing about not having any means of transport, a
lost horse appears in her driveway, bringing with him far-reaching
consequences.

Daniel Glick is drawn to the lonely figure of
Nettie, but Nettie wants to be left alone.

However, when Jebediah Sprinkler tries to
force Nettie to hand over her house, Daniel springs to the
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her life, her boss sends her to live in a small Amish community
until the mole in the agency is found. Will Kate, who is used to
the ways of the world, be convincing as a sweet Amish woman?

When a murder is committed in the community,
how will Kate assist the handsome police officer heading up the
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About Ruth
Hartzler
.

Ruth Hartzler’s father was from generations
of what people refer to as “Closed Open” or “Gospel Hall” Brethren.
Ruth’s mother, a Southern Baptist, had years of struggle adapting
to the cultural differences, and always cut her hair, which was a
continual concern to Ruth’s father’s family. Ruth was raised
strictly Brethren and from birth attended three meetings every
Sunday at the Gospel Hall, the Wednesday night meeting, and the
yearly “Conference,” until she left the Brethren at the age of
twenty one. Ruth still has close friends in the Brethren, as well
as the Amish, both groups descending from Anabaptists. Ruth’s
family had electricity, but not television, radio, or magazines,
and they had plain cars. Make up, bright or fashionable clothes,
and hair cutting were not permitted for women. Women had to wear
hats in meetings (what others would call church meetings) but not
elsewhere. The word “church” was never used and there were no
bishops or ministers. All baptized men were able to speak (preach,
or give out a hymn) spontaneously at meetings. Musical instruments
were forbidden, with the exception of the traditional pump organ
which was allowed only if played in the home for hymn music. Even
so, singing of hymns in accompaniment was forbidden.

Ruth Hartzler is a widow with one adult child
and two grandchildren. She lives alone with her Yorkshire Terrier
and two cats. She is a retired middle school teacher and enjoys
quilting, reading, and writing.