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Amish Family Ties
Hannah Lambright becomes an instant mother when her estranged father abandons his toddler daughter on her doorstep. The pretty beekeeper knows all about honey—and nothing about tending to a kinder, especially one with special needs. She’s grateful to Daniel Stoltzfus for offering to help care for her sister in exchange for Hannah’s beekeeping skills on a hive at his workplace. But the handsome carpenter broke her heart years ago and she’s afraid it’s never quite mended. Yet spending time with the boppli whisperer and the sweet little girl has love-shy Hannah hoping the family they’re forming will last forever.
“How am I going to take care of Shelby when she hates me?” Hannah murmured.
Daniel smiled. “She doesn’t hate you. She’s scared, and she’s known me longer.”
“Two minutes longer because you’re the one who found her on my doorstep!” Hannah said. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“Just as it doesn’t make sense she doesn’t like you. Who knows what goes on in the heads of bopplin?” He shampooed little Shelby’s hair, taking care not to get suds in her eyes. “I’ll make you a deal, Hannah.” He began to rinse Shelby’s fine hair. “You help me by moving the bees at the bridge, and I’ll help you learn how to take care of Shelby. In addition, I’ll do all I can to find your daed.”
Hannah nodded, but didn’t speak.
Knowing he shouldn’t push her further, he lifted the kind out and wrapped her in a towel before her wiggling sent water all over the bathroom. He watched Hannah’s face, knowing she wished he’d walked away as he had before.
But she needed his help. And he needed hers.
It’s easy to get caught up in obligations and forget that there are others who are willing to help us. For those with a volunteer’s heart, the ones who always are there to help, it’s sometimes difficult to accept assistance from others. Learning that it’s important to let others relish the joy of helping you can be a hard lesson. I know it was for Hannah...and for me. But once I discovered that givers must learn to receive as well, I found my friendships were deepened and I got more satisfaction from helping because I came to understand what it meant to be helped. Both Hannah and Daniel do as well, and their lives are enriched with love.
Stop in and visit me at www.joannbrownbooks.com. Look for my next story in the Amish Hearts series coming soon.
Wishing you many blessings,
Jo Ann Brown
JO ANN BROWN has always loved stories with happy-ever-after endings. A former military officer, she is thrilled to have the chance to write stories about people falling in love. She is also a photographer, and she travels with her husband of more than thirty years to places where she can snap pictures. They live in Nevada with three children and a spoiled cat. Drop her a note at joannbrownbooks.com.
An Amish Reunion
Jo Ann Brown
Then said He unto me, “Fear not, Daniel:
for from the first day that thou didst set
thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself
before thy God, thy words were heard,
and I am come for thy words.”
—Daniel 10:12
For Janet Jones Bann
Thanks for all you do for all of us,
especially being my friend
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