Sarah's Christmas Miracle by Mary Ellis Read Free Book Online Page B

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    A sour taste rose up Sarah’s throat as she finished slicing pies and setting out desserts. When the bishop called them to worship, she tried to put aside her anxieties. Fear was the handiwork of the devil, but how did a person live a life without fear?
    For the next three hours, she concentrated on the hymns, Scripture readings, and the two sermons. She loved Advent season—the weeks leading up to the celebration of the Savior’s birth. The bishop’s sermon focused on John, the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah, who had prepared the way for Christ. Never once had John allowed people to focus their attention on him. With Christmas less than three weeks away, hearing a story about selflessness helped prepare a Christian’s heart. When Sarah thought about self-sacrifice, she thought of her mother. Everything Elizabeth did was for God or for her family.
    When church concluded and folks lined up for the buffet, Sarah noticed that her mother was one of the last to eat. With a grumbling stomach, Sarah had been one of the first in line. Feeling slightly ashamed of her behavior, she took her plate of food to sit with Adam and his older brother and sister-in-law.
    “How did the Beachys fare during last night’s storm?” asked Adam, making room for her on the bench.
    “All right,” she said. “We all bundled up and helped shovel paths to the henhouse and the barn. The cows need to be milked no matter what the weather. Then we moved firewood onto the porch for easy access.”
    “Good thinking. Hey, did you make these spiced apples?” Adam popped a ring into his mouth.
    “ Jah , but that was last summer.” Sarah bit into a piece of cold fried chicken.
    Adam’s sister-in-law grinned. “If you would have brought a bottle of catsup, he would have declared it the best catsup he’d ever tasted. A man in liebe tends to act like that.” She smiled at her husband.
    Adam squirmed while Sarah blushed, but fortunately they were interrupted. “Hurry, Uncle Adam. You don’t want to miss the fun.” Joshua Troyer pulled on Adam’s elbow. Bundled in his coat, hat, and mittens, the child looked ready to play.
    “Good gosh, Joshua. What about lunch? Have you eaten?”
    “I ate already, and now we’re going to build a snow fort. Come outside with us.” The boy ran off to join his siblings and cousins as they pulled on boots by the door. Soon the group trooped out. Even the girls were ready for some fresh air.
    “Apparently, not everyone looks on snow with a pessimistic eye like I do,” Sarah said, sipping tea.
    “They love it. If I’m not needed here, I think I will wander outdoors when I finish eating…just to supervise the kinner ’s play, you understand. Sometimes snowball fights can get out of hand without an adult nearby.” Adam wiggled his brows.
    Sarah watched him consume his plate of food in record time. He brushed a kiss across her cheek when no one was looking and then followed the last of his nieces and nephews. She savored a second cup of tea while doing the dishes. But when the other ladies headed to the front room to sew and chat, she chose not to join them. Too many questions I would rather not answer. Slipping on her heavy wool cloak, bonnet, and gloves, she wandered outdoors. The sky had cleared after the storm. The sun sparkled off a world of white.
    The young male Troyers had erected two snow forts about twenty-five feet apart. They would periodically stand up to lob snowballs into the other fort. Adam and his brother were busy building the forts higher and sturdier, each taking their share of direct hits. A coating of snow covered their hats and jackets.
    Sarah hurried around the house before anyone spotted her and began hurling snowballs in her direction. In the front yard she found activity more to her liking. The little girls were building a snowman. They had already rolled the giant bottom ball and also the middle sphere. Only the best part, the head, remained. The girls invited Sarah over to