Healing Hearts

Healing Hearts

by

Beth Wiseman

Stories previously published in "An Amish Christmas, "An Amish Gathering and An Amish Love."

"A Choice to Forgive" is about widow Lydia who is raising her three children. Her husband died two years ago. Imagine her surprise when her shunned brother-in-law Daniel comes home. Daniel was Lydia's first love before she married his brother Elam. Daniel has a secret on why he left Lydia on Christmas Eve several years ago. The secret involves her late husband. Will Lydia forgive and forget the past? Read to find out.

"A Change of Heart" I have read before. Leah is not your typical Amish young lady who knows how to cook, clean, sew etc. Leah loves to write books. Her father can't understand her. He can't help but wonder if she will ever get married. Who would want her? Her two sisters are engaged to be married. Her sister Edna mentions that her fiances brother Aaron is interested in her. Will Aaron accept Leah as she is or will she have to cook, clean and sew for him to be happy?

"Healing Hearts" I have also read before. With all the Amish books I have read, I have never read a book about an older Amish couple before. Levina Lapp has carried on with her life for one year on her own. Her husband, Naaman, left her for that long. Could it be that all of their children were raised and out of the house? Did they not know each other anymore? When he returns home, she and their children have a hard time getting to know him again. Can they trust him? Will they have further difficulty or will they be able to reconcile?

Here are some ATCs that I made for a swap. We received an envelope full of items that we were to make three ATCs from. I love the vintage look and this is what I came up with.

Here is a sample of what I created at the Favorite Things crop this weekend. A 4x4 chunky page book. This is a swap that I will send out. Thinking of entering it in our county fair this week.

Treasuring Emma

Treasuring Emma: A Middlefield Family Novel

By Kathleen Fuller

Yet another book I am reviewing for Booksneeze. If it is Amish, I read it! This one especially caught my eye when I read it was set in Middlefield, OH. I was recently in that area and so want to go back and explore.

The book starts with a death in the Shetler family. Emma is left with her grandmother. She tended to her sick mother and takes care of her grandmother. So much responsibility for her. Keeping up with the house, chores, etc is a challenge.

Neighbor and friend Adam was living the English life in Michigan. Emma's grandmother wrote Adam a letter stating she was worried about his mother. Adam heads for home to find out what is going on. He is not welcomed back with open arms from his father. Since Adam was shunned, some people are not wanting to be around him.

Emma's sister Clara and husband Peter are down on their luck. Peter has been out of a job for awhile and hasn't been able to find anything. Clara is upset that he hasn't found work yet. She takes it upon herself to come up with a business plan.

In the meantime, Peter's cousin Mark comes for an upexpected visit. He stays with them but has another motive. Clara has her eye on Mark from the start. Things with her and Peter have been rather tense. Clara and Mark come up with a plan to have Mark get intersted in Emma. They also start Clara's business plan.

Adam and Emma have been close and when Adam up and left, Emma was heartbroken. Adam sees how Emma's place is rundown and needing a lot of work. He tends to her horse Dill. Will Adam and Emma mend their relationship? Will Mark get in the way?

A good book to start this series off. I will be anxious to read the next books in this series.

Confirmation Card for our Niece

Here is a confirmation card I made for our niece Emily. The girl image is from Cricut Inspired Heart cartridge. The stamped words are from Close To My Heart. The flower was crocheted by a friend. The background paper is Bo Bunny. Don't know about the ribbon on the bottom.

Being a big fan of Amish books, I have never read a book by Ruth Reid before.

This takes place in Michigan. Judith's family is having a barn raising. She likes to entertain the young ones with stories she made up. Judith's brother, Samuel, is given a nail and is told help would be given to him for pounding it in place. At lunch time, Samuel is missing. Judith spies him up on the barn roof pounding a board. Judith runs toward the barn and calls out to Samuel. Samuel jerked with arms flailing. He then disappeared. He is found alive. An English man told Judith to have faith and that his steps are ordered by God. He then disappeared.

In the hospital, it is found that Samuel can't walk. Being that Judith's parents are at the hospital sitting with Samuel, Levi and Andrew help with the daily chores. Judith has her eye on Levi and hopes that they one day get married. Martha, Judith's sister, seems jealous of Judith because she is of courting age. Martha isn't yet. Martha gets rather friendly with Levi. Andrew, the bishops son, is not yet married. His true love died years ago.

Judith likes to take walks down by the river. The big English man appears to Judith on several occasions. He tells Judith that he brother will walk again. Judith is very excited to hear that and tells her family and friends that a stranger tells her that Samuel will walk. Could he be an angel sent from God? Of course, no one believes Judith's story! No one except, Andrew. Andrew befriends Judith. Andrew helps Judith make Levi jealous by kissing Judith in Levis sight.

The bishop does not like his son hanging around with Judith who tells stories. His son should be married by now and have a chance at one day being bishop. If he remains, single, that won't happen. The bishop talks to Judith's parents and decides to send her off to relatives in Ohio.

Will Judith get shunned for her tales? Will she ever marry? Will her brother ever walk again? Will Martha ever stop being jealous of her sister?

You will have to read the book to find out these answers and more.

Make Take Murder

Make Take Murder

by

Joanna Campbell Slan

Happy to have won a copy of this book before it is officially released! I am an avid scrapbooker and paper crafter. If you are the same, you MUST read this series of books!!

This is the fourth book in her Scrap n Craft mystery series. Without giving the whole story away, I will fill you in.

Kiki Lowenstein is the main character. She is part owner of a scrapbook store, widowed and has a teenage daughter.

Kiki starts out by diving in the store dumpster looking for her paycheck. No such luck for that. What she finds instead will leave your hair on end.

That certain item leads to the mystery of the whole book. Kiki always somehow finds herself solving a crime.

It is the busiest time of year for the store. She finds herself working way too hard by working extra hours, watching dogs and trying to make ends meet for her and her daughter.

Will Kiki's hard work pay off? Will she run out of steam? Will she solve the mystery? Will Kiki ever get ahead? Which man will Kiki end up with?

The story certainly doesn't end the way you expect it would! A real page turner and makes you want to read the next book in the series even sooner!

Please check it out! It is well worth reading!!!!!!!!!!!