Amish Celebrations Read online

  ACCLAIM FOR BETH WISEMAN

  HOME ALL ALONG

  “Beth Wiseman’s novel will find a permanent home in every reader’s heart as she spins comfort and prose into a stellar read of grace.”

  —KELLY LONG, AUTHOR OF THE PATCH OF HEAVEN SERIES

  LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS

  “Suggest to those seeking a more truthful, less saccharine portrayal of the trials of human life and the transformative growth and redemption that may occur as a result.”

  —LIBRARY JOURNAL

  HER BROTHER’S KEEPER

  “Wiseman has created a series in which the readers have a chance to peel back all the layers of the Amish secrets.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4 1/2 STARS AND JULY 2015 TOP PICK!

  “Wiseman’s new launch is edgier, taking on the tough issues of mental illness and suicide. Amish fiction fans seeking something a bit more thought-provoking and challenging than the usual fare will find this series debut a solid choice.”

  —LIBRARY JOURNAL

  THE LAND OF CANAAN NOVELS

  “Wiseman’s voice is consistently compassionate and her words flow smoothly.”

  —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW OF SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART

  “Wiseman’s third Land of Canaan novel overflows with romance, broken promises, a modern knight in shining armor, and hope at the end of the rainbow.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS

  “In Seek Me with All Your Heart, Beth Wiseman offers readers a heartwarming story filled with complex characters and deep emotion. I instantly loved Emily, and eagerly turned each page, anxious to learn more about her past—and what future the Lord had in store for her.”

  —SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR

  OF THE SEASONS OF SUGARCREEK SERIES

  “Wiseman has done it again! Beautifully compelling, Seek Me with All Your Heart is a heartwarming story of faith, family, and renewal. Her characters and descriptions are captivating, bringing the story to life with the turn of every page.”

  —AMY CLIPSTON, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF A GIFT OF GRACE

  THE DAUGHTERS OF THE PROMISE NOVELS

  “Well-defined characters and story make for an enjoyable read.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS ON PLAIN PURSUIT

  “A touching, heartwarming story. Wiseman does a particularly great job of dealing with shunning, a controversial Amish practice that seems cruel and unnecessary to outsiders . . . If you’re a fan of Amish fiction, don’t miss Plain Pursuit!”

  —KATHLEEN FULLER, AUTHOR OF THE MIDDLEFIELD FAMILY NOVELS

  OTHER BOOKS BY BETH WISEMAN

  THE AMISH SECRETS NOVELS

  Her Brother’s Keeper

  Love Bears All Things

  Home All Along

  THE DAUGHTERS OF THE PROMISE NOVELS

  Plain Perfect

  Plain Pursuit

  Plain Promise

  Plain Paradise

  Plain Proposal

  Plain Peace

  THE LAND OF CANAAN NOVELS

  Seek Me with All Your Heart

  The Wonder of Your Love

  His Love Endures Forever

  OTHER NOVELS

  Need You Now

  The House that Love Built

  The Promise

  NOVELLAS

  A Choice to Forgive included in An Amish Christmas

  A Change of Heart included in An Amish Gathering

  Healing Hearts included in An Amish Love

  A Perfect Plan included in An Amish Wedding

  A Recipe for Hope included in An Amish Kitchen

  Always Beautiful included in An Amish Miracle

  Rooted in Love included in An Amish Garden

  When Christmas Comes included in An Amish Second Christmas

  In His Father’s Arms included in An Amish Cradle

  A Love for Irma Rose included in An Amish Year

  Patchwork Perfect included in An Amish Year

  A Cup Half Full included in An Amish Home

  The Cedar Chest included in An Amish Heirloom

  ZONDERVAN

  Amish Celebrations

  Copyright © 2018 by Elizabeth Wiseman Mackey

  Requests for information should be addressed to:

  Epub Edition May 2018 9780529119759

  Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication

  Names: Wiseman, Beth, 1962- author.

  Title: Amish celebrations / Beth Wiseman.

  Description: Grand Rapids, Michigan : Zondervan, [2018]

  Epub Edition MAY 2018 9780529119759

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018002973 | ISBN 9780529118738 (paperback)

  Subjects: LCSH: Amish--Fiction. | GSAFD: Christian fiction.

  Classification: LCC PS3623.I83 A6 2018 | DDC 813/.6--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018002973

  Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

  Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  18 19 20 21 22 / LSC / 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  To my readers

  CONTENTS

  Acclaim for Beth Wiseman

  Other Books by Beth Wiseman

  Glossary

  The Gift of Sisters Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  A New Beginning Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  A Perfect Plan Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  A Christmas Miracle Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Acknowledgments

  Discussion Questions

  About the Author

  GLOSSARY

  ab im kopp: sick in the head

  ach: oh

  boppli: baby<
br />
  bruder: brother

  daadi haus: grandparents’ house

  daed: dad

  danki: thank you

  Englisch: those who are not Amish; the English language

  Englischer: non-Amish person

  grandmammi: grandmother

  gut: good

  haus: house

  kapp: prayer covering worn by Amish women

  kinner: children

  maedel: girl

  maeds: girls

  mamm: mom

  mei: my

  mudder: mother

  nee: no

  Ordnung: the written and unwritten rules of the Amish; the understood behavior by which the Amish are expected to live, passed down from generation to generation. Most Amish know the rules by heart.

  Pennsylvania Deutsch: the language most commonly used by the Amish

  rumschpringe: “running around”; the period of time when Amish youth experience life in the Englisch world before making the decision to be baptized and commit to Amish life

  schweschder: sister

  sohn: son

  wie bischt: hello; how are you?

  wunderbaar: wonderful

  ya: yes

  THE GIFT OF SISTERS

  CHAPTER 1

  Rachel stared out her bedroom window into the darkness, a gentle breeze wafting through the screen. She bit her bottom lip and folded an arm across her stomach, determined to fend off the cocoon of anguish tightening around her.

  Outside, her sister, Hannah, and Abraham Stoltzfus held hands in a swing Rachel’s father had recently hung from a tree branch. There was only enough room for two people, as if their father expected suitors to line up seeking the girls’ affections.

  Rachel and Hannah would be sixteen and entering their rumschpringe soon. It was a time to experience things outside their district, and they would also be allowed to date. Their father had bent the rules a couple months ago and agreed to let the girls start dating early. The fellows in town had wasted no time asking Hannah out, even though she didn’t accept any of them. But when Abraham Stoltzfus moved to town a month ago with his family, Hannah latched onto him right away.

  No matter that Rachel had already fallen for him as soon as she’d seen him.

  Jealousy was a sin, but as the emotion spread over Rachel like an infectious disease, she felt six years old again, fighting for attention on the playground, seeking acknowledgment from a boy.

  Rachel’s sister got everything she wanted. How could she not? Even in a world where vanity was discouraged, it was impossible not to notice Hannah’s beauty, her high cheekbones, big blue eyes, wispy dark lashes, and wavy blond hair. Rachel had dark hair with split ends, teeth not nearly as straight as Hannah’s, and a mole on her left cheek. Hannah always said the mole wasn’t noticeable, but that was easy for her to say since Hannah’s complexion was flawless. Rachel’s sister had been spared from blemishes on her face when Rachel was constantly applying tea tree oil or honey to control her acne.

  None of that should matter, but it seemed more important than ever as Hannah and Rachel’s sixteenth birthdays approached. For two people who’d been born within minutes of each other to the same parents, they didn’t look like they shared the same gene pool.

  Until now Rachel had been content to walk in her sister’s shadow. But as Abraham Stoltzfus stared into Hannah’s eyes, his lips barely parted, his hand holding hers, something snapped inside Rachel. Despite her proper upbringing, an ugliness was boiling her insides raw.

  Rachel loved her sister. But she also loved Abraham. There had to be a way to sway his growing feelings for Hannah.

  She tapped a finger against her chin for a few moments, then looked up at the ceiling as the lantern cast bursts of dancing lights overhead. She closed her eyes and attempted to pray that she could accept God’s will, even if it meant Hannah belonged with Abraham. But the resentment crept to the surface, and in the end Rachel prayed that Abraham would eventually choose her over her sister.

  Hannah gazed into Abraham’s brown eyes, flecked with gold from the pale light of the moon. Fireflies blinked on and off as a gentle breeze swirled around them. They’d been spending time together for the past month, and Hannah hadn’t allowed more than a gentle peck on the lips. Mostly they’d gone to social events where displays of affection would have been looked down on.

  But as Abraham’s mouth neared Hannah’s, she was sure this was the real thing. She tried to focus on what was about to be her first grown-up kiss. It should have been a euphoric moment filled with butterflies and anticipation. Instead, Hannah tried to harness irritation as her sister watched from the bedroom window. She cut her eyes up and to the right, willing Rachel to turn away.

  “Don’t let her bother you.” Abraham nodded toward the window, then kissed Hannah gently on the nose before his mouth grazed her earlobe.

  Hannah wasn’t sure how she’d snagged the most handsome man in their district, but as Abraham covered her mouth with his, she allowed herself to fall into the moment. She closed her eyes and savored her first step into womanhood. As she did, she noticed Abraham’s breathing become heavier than normal, the feel of his chest rising and falling as he pulled her closer. There would be a price to pay if either of her parents saw them from the upstairs window. But so far only Rachel eyed them, ogling with jealousy most likely.

  After a few long moments, Abraham eased away as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face. His cropped bangs were damp as well, but his breathing began to slow down.

  “I’m sorry she’s spying on us.” Hannah spat the words, then sighed as guilt tightened around her like a wet blanket of shame. Rachel had seen Abraham first and expressed an interest in him, but Hannah had gone in for the kill at the Sunday singing the first night they’d met Abraham. Rachel was withdrawn and shy most of the time when it came to guys, and Hannah had taken advantage of that by pursuing Abraham like a pioneer woman staking claim of her territory.

  “She’s just jealous.” Abraham ran a hand through his crop of yellow hair, locks nearly the same shade of blond as Hannah’s. She started to envision the flock of blond-headed children they’d have one day, but Abraham’s comment invaded her thoughts.

  “Maybe,” Hannah whispered. It was true. Rachel had treated Hannah harshly ever since the singing when Hannah and Abraham had stayed to themselves in the corner of the barn. Rachel’s fiery red face and stern stares in their direction had made that clear. And her attitude had only worsened over the past month. Now they were barely speaking.

  Abraham lifted a hand to Hannah’s cheek and brushed away a loose strand of hair that had fallen from beneath her prayer covering. “You’re prettier than she is.” He smiled, flashing a set of beautiful white teeth.

  Hannah had been told she was pretty for as long as she could remember. More from the Englisch than those in her community, but plenty of young Amish men had commented on her looks at one time or another. Still, none of them had gone so far as to make a comparison between her and Rachel.

  Abraham’s comment made Hannah hurt for her sister. If those same men could see Rachel’s heart, they’d choose her over Hannah for sure. Hannah’s sister was a gentle soul who was always out to help others. Rachel was a better cook than Hannah, nimble with a needle and thread, and the vegetables she grew in their garden were always the largest and tastiest. Hannah’s sister would make a far better wife than Hannah would.

  But evil had been unleashed the day of the singing. Hannah had snatched Abraham from her sister before he had a chance to find out how great Rachel was.

  Rachel pretended she was asleep when she heard Hannah coming up the stairs. She’d already extinguished the lantern. The hum of the battery-operated fan should have lulled her to sleep, but her distressed heart hammered against her chest with a vengeance Rachel couldn’t corral.

  As she squeezed her eyes closed, she tried again to pray, but her deepest desire was for Abraham to lose interest in Hannah so Rachel could try to win him over. And
even through her pain, Rachel knew she should not pray for such things. At least, not again.

  “I know you’re not asleep.” Hannah’s clipped tone fueled Rachel’s bitterness. “And I can’t believe you were watching me and my future husband kissing outside.”

  Rachel’s eyes popped open as she turned to face her sister. “‘Future husband’? You’ve only been seeing him for a month.”

  “Ya, and I guess that’s long enough since he told me he loves me and wants to be with me for the rest of his life.”

  Rachel was glad it was dark so Hannah couldn’t see the tears pooling in her eyes. Nor could her sister feel the knife slicing into Rachel’s heart. She wanted to tell Hannah that you can’t fall in love in one month, but that wasn’t true. Rachel had fallen in love with Abraham the moment she laid eyes on him.

  Now she wished there was a way to divert Abraham’s attention away from Hannah and in Rachel’s direction. A tall order, since Rachel couldn’t compete with her prettier sister. But she wasn’t going to lose hope. Abandoning her earlier resolve, she closed her eyes and selfishly asked God to sway Abraham’s thinking.

  CHAPTER 2

  Rachel finished cleaning the lunch dishes with her mother and Hannah, then asked her mother if she could use the spring buggy for a while. It was a sunny day without a cloud in the sky, and she was hoping the pleasant weather might help clear the fog from her mind and the bitterness from her heart.

  “Ya, you can use the buggy. It’s unseasonably cool for June.” Her mother tossed the kitchen towel over her shoulder. “Might as well enjoy the weather before the heat of the summer settles on us.”

  Hannah put a stack of clean dishes in the cabinet. She had been unusually quiet, not saying much at breakfast or lunch. Normally Rachel could sense what was bothering Hannah, and vice versa. Their mother had more than once said she’d heard that twins sometimes felt things more deeply about each other than regular siblings. But today Rachel couldn’t feel anything but anger toward Hannah, which probably blocked out any extrasensory skills she had when it came to her sister.