A Season of Love (35 page)

“Okay,” Rebecca said, before sipping some cider.

Elizabeth stepped into the family room and held Gracie out to Lindsay. “Here’s your new cousin,” she said, passing the bundle to her. “Isn’t she
schee
?”

“Oh,” Lindsay said, her eyes filling with tears. “She’s the perfect Christmas gift.”

Rebecca smiled. “
Ya
, she is.”

Jessica rushed over. “Isn’t she exquisite, Lindsay?”

“She is,” Lindsay said, smiling up at her sister. “She’s adorable.”

“And she’s named after Mom,” Jessica added, squatting next to Lindsay to be close to the baby. “Isn’t that awesome?”

Rebecca smiled.
Yes, it’s awesome.

“Mom would be so honored,” Lindsay said.

Across the room, Eli finished up the Christmas story, and
the children began talking and playing. A small roar of noise rose with their little voices.

“Mamm!”
Junior called, rushing over to Rebecca.

“Mamm!”
Emma echoed as she leaped from Eli’s lap and hurried over with her arms extended.

“Hello!” Rebecca placed the plate on the table and opened her arms. Both children buried themselves in her hug.
“Frehlicher Grischtdaag.”
She leaned down and kissed their cheeks.

“Emma. Junior.” Lindsay motioned for them to come over to her. “Come and meet your new
schweschder.
”

With their eyes round with curiosity, Emma and Junior made their way over to the baby. They stared at her.

“Boppli!”
Emma exclaimed with a giggle.
“Boppli!”

“She’s tiny,” Junior said. “What’s her name?”

“Her name is Grace,” Jessica said, sitting on the floor next to them. “We call her Gracie. Do you like that name?”

With a serious expression, Junior nodded. “
Ya
, it’s a
gut
name.”

Jessica and Lindsay continued to talk to Emma and Junior about their new baby sister, explaining how much babies like to sleep. Gracie yawned, and the children laughed.

Daniel appeared next to Rebecca and touched her shoulder. “I think they like their
schweschder, ya
?”

“Ya,”
Rebecca said. “They do.” She took his hand. “We have the perfect family, Daniel. God has blessed us.”

“
Ya
, He has.” Leaning down, he kissed her cheek. “I was blessed the day I met you, Becky.”

“I was blessed the day I met you as well,
mei liewe.
” Rebecca turned back to her children and smiled. “And I was blessed the day Jessica and Lindsay came to live with us.”

Discussion Questions

1. When Katie and Jake become close friends, Katie feels as if she’s finally found her soul mate. Due to the rules by which she lives, her father forbids her from seeing Jake. The bishop and Katie’s parents misconstrue her innocent encounters with Jake. Take a walk in Katie’s shoes. If you were in her situation, how would you have handled the conflict she faced at home? Share this with the group.

2. The birth of Rebecca’s third child intensifies her love for her family and the joy she’s felt while serving as guardian for her nieces. Have you ever had a life-changing1 experience that strengthened your love for your family or a certain family member? Share this with the group.

3. Elizabeth Kauffman quotes Matthew 5:16 (print out the verse). What does this verse mean to you?

4. Jake realizes during the story that he longs to convert to the Amish way of life rather than continue to live as a Mennonite. Have you ever longed to make a huge change in your life? If so, did you follow through with that change? How did your family and friends react? What Bible verses helped you with your choice? Share this with the group.

5. Before Katie becomes close friends with Jake, she feels like the fifth wheel when she spends time with her friends. Think of a time when you felt lost and alone. Where did you find your strength? What Bible verses would help with this?

6. By the end of the book, Lindsay’s and Jessica’s relationship has grown from one filled with disagreements to one of mutual respect and love. Have you ever had a tumultuous relationship with a sibling or family member that flourished into one of mutual respect? Share this with the group.

7. The verse Joel 2:23 (print out the verse) is mentioned in the book. What does this verse mean to you? Share this with the group.

8. Jessica grows as a character throughout the book. What do you think caused her to mature throughout the story?

9. Which character can you identify with the most? Which character seemed to carry the most emotional stake in the story? Was it Lindsay, Rebecca, Katie, or possibly Jessica?

10. What did you know about the Amish before reading this book? What did you learn?

Note to the Reader

W
hile this novel is set against the real backdrop of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the characters are fictional. There is no intended resemblance between the characters in this book and any real members of the Amish and Mennonite communities. As with any work of fiction, I’ve taken license in some areas of research as a means of creating the necessary circumstances for my characters. My research was thorough; however, it would be impossible to be completely accurate in details and description, since each and every community differs. Therefore, any inaccuracies in the Amish and Mennonite lifestyles portrayed in this book are completely due to fictional license.

Glossary

ach:
oh

aenti:
aunt

appeditlich:
delicious

Ausbund:
Amish hymnal

bedauerlich:
sad

beh:
leg

boppli:
baby

bopplin:
babies

brot:
bread

bruder:
brother

bruderskinner:
nieces/nephews

bu:
boy

buwe:
boys

daadi:
granddad

daed:
dad

danki:
thank you

dat:
dad

Dietsch:
Pennsylvania Dutch, the Amish language (a German dialect)

dochder:
daughter

dochdern:
daughters

Dummle!:
hurry!

Englisher:
a non-Amish person

fraa:
wife

Frehlicher Grischtdaag!:
Merry Christmas!

freind:
friend

freinden:
friends

freindschaft:
relative

froh:
happy

gegisch:
silly

gern gschehne:
you’re welcome

grandkinner:
grandchildren

grank:
sick

grossdaddi:
grandfather
grossdochdern:
granddaughters

grossmammi:
grandmother

Gude mariye:
Good morning

gut:
good

Gut nacht:
Good night

haus:
house

heemet:
home

Ich liebe dich:
I love you

Kannscht du Pennsilfaanisch Dietsch schwetze:
Can you speak

Pennsylvania Dutch?

kapp:
prayer covering or cap

kichli:
cookie

kichlin:
cookies

kind:
child

kinner:
children

kumm:
come

liewe:
love, a term of endearment

maed:
young women, girls

maedel:
young woman

mamm:
mom

mammi:
grandma

mei:
my

mutter:
mother

naerfich:
nervous

narrisch:
crazy

onkel:
uncle

Ordnung:
the oral tradition of practices required and forbidden in the Amish faith

rumspringa:
running around; the time before an Amish young

person has officially joined the church

schee:
pretty

schtupp:
family room

schweschder:
sister

Was iss letz?:
What’s wrong?

Wie geht’s:
How do you do? or Good day!

Willkumm heemet:
welcome home

wunderbaar:
wonderful

ya:
yes

zwillingbopplin:
twins

Acknowledgments

A
s always, I’m thankful for my loving family members, including my mother, Lola Goebelbecker; my husband, Joe; my sons, Zac and Matt.

I’m more grateful than words can express to my patient friends who critique for me — Stacey Barbalace, Sue McKlveen, Janet Pecorella, and Lauran Rodriguez.

Special thanks to my special Amish friends who patiently answer my endless stream of questions. You’re a blessing in my life.

Thank you to my wonderful church family at Morning Star Lutheran in Matthews, North Carolina, for your encouragement, prayers, love, and friendship. You all mean so much to me and my family.

To my agent, Mary Sue Seymour — I am grateful for your friendship, support, and guidance in my writing career. Thank you for all you do!

Thank you to my amazing editors — Sue Brower, Becky Phil-pott, and Tonya Osterhouse. I appreciate your guidance and friendship. I also would like to thank Alicia Mey and Jennifer VerHage for tirelessly working to promote my books. I’m grateful to each and every person at Zondervan who helped make this book a reality. I’m so blessed to be a part of the Zondervan family.

To my readers — thank you for choosing my books. The Kauffman Amish Bakery series has been a blessing in my life for many reasons, including the special friendships I’ve formed with my readers.

Thank you most of all to God for giving me the inspiration and the words to glorify You. I’m so grateful and humbled You’ve chosen this path for me.

Special thanks to Cathy and Dennis Zimmermann for their hospitality and research assistance in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Cathy & Dennis Zimmermann, Innkeepers

The Creekside Inn

44 Leacock Road — PO Box 435

Paradise, PA 17562

Toll Free: (866) 604 – 2574

Local Phone: (717) 687 – 0333

The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the following resource that was used to research information for this book:

C. Richard Beam,
Revised Pennsylvania German Dictionary
(Lancaster: Brooksire Publications, Inc., 1991).

About the Author

AMY CLIPSTON
is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery novels. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and currently works for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Amy lives with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled-rotten cats.

Visit her on the web at www.amyclipston.com

Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.

Previous Books in the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series

A Gift of Grace

A Place of Peace

A Promise of Hope

A Life of Joy

Also by Amy Clipston

A Plain and Simple Christmas

Naomi’s Gift

Roadside Assistance
(young adult)

Reckless Heart
(young adult)

ZONDERVAN

A Season of Love
Copyright © 2012 by Amy Clipston

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

EPub Edition © MAY 2012 ISBN: 978-0-310-41309-7