Song of Life 13

Preparing for a journey

After John returned from the village, the family went to the vineyard and took James with them to Yacob and Mary’s home. There, John told the rest of the family about the decision that Sarabek would be considered a bride for the king’s heir and that they would all need to travel to the capital city. Everyone hugged. Sarabek’s brothers teased her that they would not let her go. Mary said she would miss her greatly. Little Samuel just hugged his aunt, not understanding all the fuss. The schedule meant there was not much time for talk, however, and the menfolk immediately divided up the tasks that needed to be accomplished in the vineyard and olive grove. Naomi, Mary and Sarabek did the same for their homes, provision for the journey and clothing for the visit. John said they would all travel together with the women and Samuel in the small donkey cart. It would take most of the day to reach the city and they would start early in the morning. Mary and Sarabek hugged again and everyone began the work that their departure required. John went into the village to ask Mary’s father and her brothers to keep watch over their property while they were gone. It was the growing season and all the actual work would be done before they left. Mary’s father agreed that his sons would sleep in the two houses so nothing would be left vacant.

As they walked to the house, Naomi reminded Sarabek of the urgency she had felt when she made her special shawl. There would not have been time now to finish it. Sarabek agreed that it had been timely, and asked if she could take Ruth’s finished shawl to her in the morning; it might not be possible later in the summer before Ruth’s wedding after harvest. Naomi said she would accompany Sarabek and let a couple of her friends know she was going on a journey and ask them to take care of the one village woman who was near her time of labor and delivery of her second baby. It was a good time to be away; it was the quiet time of early spring.

The journey changed the pace of life for the next few days in order for the family to be ready. That evening, Sarabek and Naomi went through the family’s garments, deciding what small repairs were needed and which should be cleaned the following day. The next day, they made the trip to the village with Ruth’s shawl. Naomi and Sarabek visited with Ruth and her mother for a short time. The younger women went into the bedroom and Sarabek explained that she was to be considered for marriage to a man in the city. Ruth was surprised that Sarabek did not know the man but told her friend she would pray for her and that she would miss her friendship if she really lived away from the village. Tears overtook Sarabek, not for the first time, and she and Ruth hugged and had a good cry together. They agreed friendship spanned time and space and would always remember each other. Ruth promised to pass the news on to Judith who was visiting her new husband’s family in another village for a few days. The young women knew she would be as happy for Sarabek as Ruth had been. Ruth was thankful for her beautiful shawl; she would be wed after the early harvest. Her groom’s farm was already planted and they prayed for a good harvest. The winter wheat was already up and growing and it looked like he had chosen the spot for the farm well.

Sarabek and Naomi left their friends and stopped at another home with the news of their travels before going back to the house and beginning the task of cleaning garments. Most just needed a good brushing as Naomi was an excellent homemaker. A few pieces that actually needed washed were soaked in a small wooden tub, rinsed and left to dry. It was time to make the evening meal and after eating and prayers, everyone went to bed early to wake with the dawn for work the next day.

John and James made quick work of the final spring tasks in the vineyard, weaving tendrils and cutting the paths between vines. Then they went to the olive grove to help Yacob finish the weeding of the olive grove. The grove was still young but needed to be kept cleaned up so the trees had little competition as they grew. Mary invited everyone to supper at her home that night and the family gathered and ate. John led everyone in prayer. There were only 3 more days before they left for the city, so everyone went home to rest for the next 2 days of work and then the day of worship before the trip.

The next day, the women focused on deep cleaning their homes while the men tended to small repairs. The day before worship was set aside for baking bread and roasting meat so there was sufficient for worship day and the journey.

As she set about her tasks, Sarabek quietly thought about the coming change in life if she was chosen to be a bride. She thought most about not coming back to her family home for perhaps a long time. She would miss everyone and everything so much. She was also excited to consider her new life; she knew it would be very different and she could not imaging living in the capital city she had visited with her family the previous year. As she dusted her hand loom, passed down from her grandmother, she wondered if using it was part of her new life or if it would fade away. She had so many questions and knew the answers would unfold over time.

Next: Saying goodbye, moving ahead