Author Ruth Smith Meyer

Not Easily Broken        ISBN#1-897373-10-4

When Ellie's older sister Regina dies at the birth of her third child, her parents request that Ellie break off her engagement to the man she loves and marry their son-in-law, John, so the children will stay in the family.  

Preposterous as it may seem, Ellie's story is based on a real-life situation as told by Rina, Ellie's own daughter.  

(See exerpt below)

Both Books available through Word Alive Press, Amazon, ordered from your local book store or by e-mailing me at smithmeyerbooks@gmail.com

Now arrived!

Tyson's Sad, Bad Day

A Beautiful Gift                Beyond Ordinary Living. September 2006   

Full Circle                           Tall Tales Press, November 2006   

REJOICE! Daily Devotional Readings    Regular contributor

Ellie clasped her hands in her lap and stole a glance at John. His eyes were on the road ahead and his hands loosely held the reins as the horses trotted down the familiar road toward home. She had always like fall with its crisp mornings.  The colour of the leaves and the purple lined clouds usually invigorated her and made her heart sing. Even the slightly pungent smell of fall delighted her. The beauty of this day though seemed surmounted with the enormity of her situation.. Her heart skipped a beat, and her stomach echoed the uncertainty with a twinge. Unbelievable as it seemed, reality stared her in the face! Instead of becoming Mrs. Gerhard Hirsch on her wedding day, as she had anticipated, she now faced life as Mrs. John Kurtz. Instead of being wildly in love with her husband she was just trying to be accepting of the situation. The quiet ceremony had been solemnized in Pastor Braun’s parlor less than three hours ago. After the wedding supper at her parents, Maria and Marta were staying at Mama and Papa’s house for a few days to let her and John have a little time to get used to their new status. She stole another glance at John. The expression on his handsome features revealed none of the emotions that must be churning inside him, too. Dread momentarily flooded her being. What if this didn’t work? Had her parents been right to push this idea? What had been her motive to succumb to their insistence? Had she broken her engagement to Gerhard and married John in an effort to be heroic and save the day? Was she somehow trying to “fix” things for her sister—the older sister she had loved and admired? What if, even after giving it their best, she and John would feel stuck with one another? What if, when the sharp grief had passed, their minds would clear and find this marriage had been a mistake?  Now that she had him as a husband, she had mixed feelings. She felt a sense of guilt and unreality—obligation rather than elation or romance. 

I can’t let myself think that way! Ellie scolded herself. She clenched her hands and lifted her chin. I will make it work or die trying!.

            John’s hand on her knee interrupted her reverie. “Are you all right, Ellie?” his kindly voice asked. “You seem to be a thousand miles away.”

“Yes,” Ellie replied, “I was just thinking.”

She didn’t want to elaborate. She wasn’t sure just how he would respond to her turmoil.  His grief over Regina might still hurt a lot. It still brought a stab of pain to her own heart when she thought of Regina, so it must be even harder for John. And she certainly didn’t want him to know her doubts. Her new husband didn’t probe any further, but he left his hand comfortably on her knee.

 “Welcome to Maple Lane Farm, Mrs. Kurtz!” John’s voice interrupted, “I’ll let you off at the house, before I take the horses to the barn. I’ll be in soon.” He gave her knee an extra pat then lifted his hand to assist her step from the buggy to the raised carriage stand beside the sidewalk leading to the front door.

Ellie alit from the buggy and watched as John headed the horses on down the lane toward the barn. Slowly she walked through the darkening evening, toward the door. To the west, there were only a few streaks of orange slicing through the purple sky. The trees stood in ebony silhouette against the last visage of the sun. How often she had walked up this path before! Just as the sun was setting on this day, she faced the sunset of her former life and a dark night before a new life could dawn. 

THE SCREEN DOOR SLAMMED SHUT behind Rina as she manoeuvred her new-fangled walker toward the porch bench. The basket in the front was loaded with her bag and the letters she wanted to post when she got to her senior’s group. Putting the brakes on her “Cadillac,” as she called it, she held on to the hand-rests until she lowered her creaking body to the rustic seat.

She still retained her height, if not the weight, she had carried for some years. The long legs that had served her faithfully and endowed her with a willowy look most of her life now made the distance to the bench further. A sigh of relief whuffed through her lips as her posterior made connection with the security of a solid

surface.

“Touch down! We have touch down,” she announced through an imaginary PA system to no one in particular. She smirked as she shifted her shoulders to find a comfortable position. She had almost an hour to wait before she could expect her

driver, but the beauty and warmth of the morning lured her to wait out in the open air. Even on what she thought of as the north side of the house—thanks to the angle of the roads in this part of the country it was more north-east than north—the spring’s morning sunlight bathed the covered veranda in liquid light. The latest daffodils

and tulips were still brightening up the front flowerbed, but it was the lilacs wafting their scent that caught her attention.

She sniffed in delight. Ah-hh! After a pneumonia-plagued winter, it was delightful to take pleasure in each new harbinger of spring. Each smell, each sight, took shape in her mind. She pictured them as little heralds sounding a horn, proclaiming to the world in a melodious fanfare a message of anticipation and renewal to

mortals.

Her eyes lit up with an impish grin. I’m so glad to be part of the race . . . human, that is! She joked to herself. Ah-hh Rina—you are probably funnier in your own mind than anyone else’s. But at least you keep yourself amused!

Last fall she had not expected to see another spring, so the

fresh breezes, laden with the vibrant smell of new growth,

enchanted her mind and soul with the tantalizing aroma of hope—

hope that she would live to see and enjoy another summer and

perhaps one more gathering of the Litz tribe. God kept surprising

her with goodness.

By the end of summer there is promise of three more greatgreats

to add to the list of our offspring. Her eyes smiled as the corner of her mouth curved into a mischievous grin. Just look what David and I started!

Rina leaned back, her face still alight with thoughts of her David. My, how she missed him! In spite of the unconventional start to their relationship and the ups and downs of their years together, their ever-deepening love and the light-hearted banter

through much of it left her with a satisfying glow. Their shared sense of humour was a saving grace in many instances through the hard times. Their later years, after retirement, released them from the worries that had plagued much of their life and they were free to enjoy each other again. Ahh-hh! She missed his teasing and her chance for a good come-back.