Serena B. Miller's Blog, page 14

House Guest!

I have another wedding to attend in Sugarcreek this Saturday.

A young cousin is marrying a Sugarcreek boy. Some Old Order Amish friends have invited me to stay with them. They have seven children, and I'm not entirely sure how they will fit me in, but the mother said with a laugh, "If you can stand being around all of us, we'd love to have you."  I told her I could not wait to see them all again! Now–all I need to do is go unearth a really good flashlight and make certain it has fresh batteries!

I'll let you know how things go!

Dinner with the Amish

I was in Sugarcreek last weekend. My Amish friends invited me over for dinner. Now that I've stopped asking so many questions, I think they enjoy my company more.

There were three families, about thirty people. Everyone had pitched in to bring food–I stopped on the way there and got a giant pail of ice cream, which was pretty much empty by the end of the meal. I watched fifteen children go through the food line and not one appeared to be a picky eater. They simply filled their plates and enjoyed their food.

We had hamburgers grilled over coals in a pit dug in the yard. Homemade bread from whole wheat that had been freshly ground before baking.  Baked beans, which the grandma brought over from the daadi haus.  Homemade noodles. Hand squeezed lemonade–about four gallons of it in a huge glass jar with a dipper–which the children loved. Some vegetables. Chocolate sheet cake.

The adults sat at a huge oak table, and the conversation ranged over various wild animals that used to be nearly extinct around Sugarcreek and are now making a come back. Animals like wild turkey and deer. The new groom–the one I wrote about in a previous post–was seated beside me and he told me that wild boar are coming back into Ohio.

After the meal, the men went into the living room to visit, and after the women finished clearing up the dinner dishes, they told me about how hard it is to take care of waist-long hair. We discussed reflexology, the study of foot massage and how the grandfather had used it to keep all his children well, and how all of them were fairly proficient in it. The hostess showed me her baking center with the flour grinder. Another woman told me about how she makes Teddy Bears for people out of keepsake materials–like wedding dresses or grandfather's old hunting jacket. We discussed the homeschooling they are providing for their children. They teased me about needing to learn Dutch because "all the really good stories have to be told in Dutch."

It was comfortable in that kitchen, just like so many tables I've sat around after the dishes are done. Conversations about things important to women. Food. Health. Grooming. Home businesses. I was dressed in jeans and a sweater. They were dressed in prayer kapps and dresses. Our light was kerosene lamps. When I went out to my car, my way was thoughtfully lit by tiki lamps–put there by the grandmother who knew I wouldn't think to bring a flashlight.

I came to them, a stranger with a list of questions–which they politely answered–even though I now realize that some of those questions were rude.  I wrote a book that they feared would make them look–as one of them said–"weird." When they saw that I had treated them and their culture with respect–they relaxed.

Being welcomed into their home now as a friend is an honor. I am in awe of the unexpected and undeserved gifts that God puts into my life. I am in awe of the blessing of friendship.

Swiss Festival 2010 – (and book signing)

Wonderful book signing at the Gospel Bookstore in Sugarcreek Oct. 1. A major highlight was meeting Doyle Yoder, the professional photographer who took the pictures used on the cover of my book. For a glimpse of his beautiful photos of Amish country, check out his link on my site. My son, Jacob, caught these pictures of the Kiddie Parade that was going on during the annual Swiss Festival this weekend. Another highlight was spending time with Rhoda and Freeman–owners of the bookstore.

ACFW–American Christian Fiction Writer's Conference

I spent the weekend in Indianapolis last week-end at a major writer's conference, learning more about the writing craft, and talking with other professionals. It's nice to spend a few days out of the year with people who are as weird as me. "Weird" is truly the word I wanted to use. It just isn't normal to want to spend hours every day sitting at a keyboard making up stories.  Sometimes it's easy to doubt your own sanity.

Although I took notes like mad at all the great classes–high points for me were getting to hear the great Janette Oke (Love Comes Softly) speak and applauding like crazy as my agent, Sandra Bishop, won the "Agent of the Year" award.

But the highest point of all was being inspired by one lovely African American mother who came to our multi-author book signing. She had her three daughters in tow, and all of them were buying books and talking to favorite authors. "That daughter over there is in law school," the mother said. "And the middle one is planning on becoming an engineer." "The youngest wants to be a writer. All three are straight-A students." She held up a copy of my book she had just purchased. "There are over 400 Christian novels in our home. That is how I'm raising good girls in a rough world," she said. "By giving them plenty of books written by Christian authors."

And then she said the thing that I will carry forever in my heart. "Thank you for writing what you write."

An Amish Wedding #1

A few weeks ago, an Amish friend in Sugarcreek handed me an invitation to her wedding. I was greatly honored. After I got home, I put the invitation on my refrigerator and it was then that I noticed the wedding was to be held on a Thursday morning at 8:30 A.M.!!!

I attended that wedding last week. It was utterly fascinating, quite beautiful, and there is simply too much to put into one post. However, I did discover the reason for the early morning timing—the Amish are SERIOUS about weddings!!! The "ceremony" went on non-stop until about 12:30 p.m. During this time, the bride and groom and the other four members of the immediate wedding party sat quietly while various ministers took turns preaching. It was all conducted in German. I did, however, catch 5 English words that were enunciated quite clearly by the Amish preachers–possibly for the benefit of the handful of Englisch people there–"Divorce is NOT an option!!"

I asked my friend, later, what other things the ministers were saying. She explained that they were following a traditional course of instruction about God's plan for marriage. They begin in Genesis and continue on through the book of Job. The speakers take turns working their way through it.

At the end of the four hours of preaching, interspersed with prayer and the singing of ancient hymns, the actual marriage ceremony itself lasted maybe all of two minutes.

The bride was quite beautiful. The groom was handsome.

More later.

Sugarcreek Book Signing

You dream about it. Your book. People who are not buying it just because they are your mother You hear horror stories from other authors about book signings where no one shows up, or where the only person who speaks to them is asking for directions to the bathroom. But you dream that some day if you work really, really hard, you'll write something that people will want to read—and maybe even ask for an autograph. And so you dream.

My first book signing was July 31 in Berlin, Ohio, at the Gospel Bookstore. The Hoestettlers, who own the store, promoted the signing well, and it was WONDERFUL!!!!! I loved talking to all the people who came. Three hours later, I got to sign at Rhoda and Freeman's Gospel Bookstore in Sugarcreek, Ohio. My fantastic editor, Connie Troyer, her husband, Tom, and her sweet mother-in-law, Maryjane, came to keep me company. Maryjane writes a column for The Budget, which is the Amish/Mennonite newspaper published right in Sugarcreek. She was gracious enough to write a terrific review of my book. I was especially touched that Maryjane came, even though she had lost her beloved husband only two weeks earlier.

Les Troyer, the linguist who helped me SO much with research over the phone, also came. Les was raised Amish, but eventually left the Amish faith to become a Mennonite and Bible translator. Les is recovering from a recent stroke, and I know he didn't feel all that good, but he and his sweet wife, Maddie, honored me by coming to the book signing in Sugarcreek. It meant the world to be able give him a hug and thank him for all his help.

I drove home with this silly, sloppy, grin–remembering all the sweet faces of the people who came to encourage this brand new author. I have decided that people who read and promote inspirational fiction have to be some of the nicest people in the world.

Sugarcreek Contest – Ended

Enter to win a two night stay at the Oak Haven Bed and Breakfast in Sugarcreek, Ohio! Click here.

 -Update (10/04/2010)- Contest has ended and the winner will be announced, Thank you for participating!

A Box Of Books

"I had no idea why the Fed Ex man was pulling into our driveway. I hadn't ordered anything. My husband hadn't ordered anything. Then the man lifted three largish boxes out of his truck. He acted as though they were heavy. This was a puzzle. I decided that my son must have bought some parts–he works as a computer tech and frequently orders computer parts. Still, I wondered what he could have ordered that would be so heavy. Usually his purchases come in much smaller packages.

Then I looked at the labels and realized that they were all addressed to me. How strange.

And then it hit me–I'm actually an author. And these are my author copies. How wonderful.

I was so excited, I had to force myself not to hug the Fed Ex guy and dance him around the porch.

Opening those boxes felt like all my birthdays and Christmases rolled into one. It was kind of like embracing one of my newborns after a long and difficult labor. I grabbed a copy, and thumbed through it. My words. My story. My beloved characters. In an honest-to-goodness book.

It had that new-book smell. The cover was gorgeous. I ran upstairs with it to show my husband. Such an emotional moment because we had prayed for this for so long, and God had,once again, been faithful.

God is so good.