Summer of the Lambs

Joyce and her family were sitting at the table when Father shared some exciting news. “Last evening, Hugo offered me bum lambs.”
“Oh, good!” Joyce squealed. “May I have one? I’ll feed it, Father! You won’t have to worry about it at all. It would come when I called, and it would follow me around.”
“Bum lambs die,” Nancy said. “Remember last year when Hugo brought us so many? The only one that lived was the one Mother kept by the stove.”

In spite of the difficulties in raising bum lambs, Father and Mother decide to try again. This time it will be Joyce’s project, and although the others help, she is responsible for the lambs.
Through the summer that follows, Joyce lovingly cares for each little lamb. As she does, she begins to understand beautiful lessons about life and the Good Shepherd who loves and cares for her.