In the Company of Others (w/ a giveaway!)

Yes, my friends, it's true! The latest Father Tim novel has been released (today!) It's been three years since we've heard from Karon and it was some (minor minor minor) degree of excitement that I accepted and received a copy of In the Company of Others from Viking Press to read and share with you.

I eagerly dove into this story where we find Father Tim and his lovely wife, Cynthia, making their long awaited trip to Ireland. Given the fact that it had been three years since my last visit with Father Tim, I wasn't sure if I would need a refresher, but it was easy to pick up where I had left off and breeze along through this story.

Jan Karon describes In the Company of Others as being her "personal favorite" of all of her stories. She refers to this one as her "dark-haired child." I can't say that it was necessarily my favorite but I certainly was not disappointed!

Father Tim and Cynthia vacation in a guest lodge and anticipate a time of quiet rest before traveling around Ireland with Tim's cousin and his wife. However, Cynthia suffers a severely strained ankle due to a mysterious incident (don't want to give away spoilers here!) at the guest house and so the entire book takes place in one location. This was perfectly fine by me and I enjoyed both the scenery and the characters which they surrounded themselves with during their stay.

I find Karon's novels to be calm and peaceful, even if there is a bit of dark mystery about them. You just feel relaxed when reading her books. At the same time, I would harbor one complaint against this particular title, if I may, and that was that the dialogue was rather difficult to follow. I don't remember this from her other books, but she bounced around from characters some, so that I had difficulty figuring out who was saying what. She wrote streams of conversation without interjecting who was doing the talking so I frequently found myself having to re-read various parts to figure out what was happening. After awhile, I figured out that I could plow on through the conversation and make sense at the end of it. That was a surprising find for me in this book, but it didn't take away my joy from the basic story.

If you like Mitford and you like Father Tim, well, then you are definitely going to want to pick up a copy of this book. It is a delight.

I have some good news for those of you who love Karon's works! Viking Press has offered to give away one copy of In the Company of Others to one of you! Would you care to win? (Of course you would!) Simply leave a comment below. This contest will be open through Tuesday, October 26th and is open to U.S. Residents only.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER, as selected by random.org, IS #26 - Cacey! CONGRATULATIONS!

Enjoy! (I've no doubt you will!)

Aesop's Mirror, by Maryalice Huggins

Picador recently released Aesop's Mirror in paperback and sent a copy my way to see what I thought of it.

This is a memoir of sorts, surrounding an antique mirror. Written by a restorer of old antiques, Maryalice Huggins, it tells of her love and fascination for a mirror she discovered at an antique auction. The mirror's value was written off by several "big wigs" in the antique world, but Maryalice saw something special in it and decide to track down its history.

The mirror becomes something of an obsession for Maryalice and she travels around the East Coast, touring old homes, and meeting descendants of the Brown family. She spends vast periods of time reading through old correspondence and wills, hoping to testify as to the mirror's heritage. The book reads as more than a memoir, but has a great deal of mystery and a healthy amount of historical romance in it as well.

So what did I think of this book?

Well, initially I was attracted to it because I really enjoyed reading The Big Steal: A Sterling Glass Mystery (linked to my review.) I figured if I liked a good mystery story surrounding an antique dealer, there was a good chance I'd enjoy hearing about an antique restorer. I was not wrong. Perhaps the book sounds a bit dry on the surface but it isn't at all! It's fascinating and I absolutely gobbled it up!

The history surrounding antiques can be truly fascinating. Perhaps more so if you've ever seen an episode of White Collar (our new latest TV on DVD obsession.) Antiques can be a high stakes game and this book reminded me of the explanations that Neal Caffrey (again, White Collar) gives as to how he creates forgeries of various antiquated items. (Fascinating show, really. We've been left on the cliff hanger of all cliff hanger episodes and are eagerly awaiting the second half of Season 2 to air!)

So, you'll like this book if you like White Collar (which you'll like if you liked Monk) or if you enjoy a good mystery entrenched in East Coast family history. You might also like if you just like pretty things and want to imagine that you could possibly afford some of those priceless treasures unearthed in families attics.

Either which way, I really did enjoy this book a great deal and thank Picador most sincerely for the opportunity that they gave for me to read it! It most certainly was not dull and was not dry but was told in such a manner that I found myself eagerly awaiting the outcome of Maryalice's adventures with this mirror. It is a well-told story. Sometimes, that's really all I'm after.

Discover the World (with Sleeping Bear Press)

Sleeping Bear Press has a special Discover the World book series to help young children (and us older children) learn more about the world around them. I've reviewed a few of these titles in the past, but there are some new releases worthy of some consideration.

These books are great additions to geography or cultural studies, as well as being just plain interesting. Travel with Sleeping Bear Press around the globe with these new editions to the series:



First, travel south to the land down under with D is for Down Under: An Australia Alphabet. This one was interesting for us to read on the tales of having introduced Bookworm1 to the Disney film The Rescuers Down Under. After watching that movie with me, this book became a little more curious, beginning with the letter G which stands for the Great Barrier Reef, of course! But you can explore more of Australia from A to Z. Definitely scored a point with me for making 'D' stand for didgeridoo. I had a friend when I was growing up who liked to stand out in weird ways and so he made a didgeridoo. Of course, it wasn't authentic but I think he just liked saying the word "didgeridoo" . . . and besides, no one else had one.

Travel just a little further north with D is for Dala Horse: A Nordic Countries Alphabet.


I should point out that the first page of each of these books contains a map so that you can easily find these countries on a globe. In D is for Dala Horse we find our map focused on the Nordic Countries, highlighting them so that the reader can easily identify the places and cultures which this particular title explores. From A is for Arctic Fox to Z is for the Zig Zag roads "through mountains, coasts, and more" this book really makes me crave a nice cup of hot chocolate and a few Jan Brett winter-themed books! It even includes T is for Tomtens or a Troll which is lots of fun. This book is beautifully illustrated by Renee Graf who did a wonderful job creating a colorful world out of one that I typically view as being ice cold and very, very white!

Lastly, for the romantics out there we have E is for Eiffel Tower: A France Alphabet.


(Personally, I think this would be a fun book to hand over to someone going to France.)

We open with our map, of course, and situate where France is in Europe. Then we travel in, visiting Amphitheaters, the Chartres Cathedral, and Utah Beach. Of course, we meet up with the likes of Victor Hugo, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the lovely Mona Lisa. At the back of this book there is a list of "good-to-know" phrases along with phonetic spellings so you can learn how to say things like, "It's nice to meet you" and "How much does this cost?" This is a cute, fun book and a nice addition to the line-up.

Click on the link to learn more about Sleeping Bear Press's Discover the World series. Learn about the books that they offer, the countries they have traveled to (thus far) and grab a few recipes! Their website is really fun and interactive and worth taking a peek at! A few other things you will discover on the Discover the World series site:

* Games
* Tips for travel
* Maps

Explore and enjoy!

Four Things (plus my bonus thoughts)

I'm listening to Christmas music right now. Oh, yes, I am! Jonathan doubts I will be able to hold out until December 1st to put up the tree. We shall see, we shall see....

Did you know that there was an earthquake in Oklahoma yesterday? Apparently CNN doesn't. But thankfully they covered the story about how Jessica Simpson tweeted about how many times the average person passes gas. So I don't feel totally uninformed and now neither should you! Sometimes I just want to shake Neil Postman's hand.

So, moving on to other completely-relevant-to-YOUR-world news....I'm going to do a little meme called Four Things that Bekahcubed did a week or so ago. By the way, I highly recommend bekahcubed's blog. If you've never checked it out, you can start with her meme.

Now, without further ado, here are my answers:

Four jobs I've had:

1. Sales clerk at school supply store

2. Intern at District Attorney's office

3. Legal Secretary

4. Mother

(Mother being the most fulfilling role, I still get thrills thinking about the internship at the DA's office which was my hands down FAVORITE legal job.)

Four movies I can watch over and over:

1. Anne of Green Gables (you can at least try to pretend to be shocked)

2. Anne of Avonlea

3. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

4. White Christmas

Four places I've lived:

1. Norman, Oklahoma (where I was born.) My parents were Sooners, yes.

2. Texas (where I grew up and where my family still lives, unfortunately.)

3. Moscow, Idaho (which I thought I'd loath but ended up absolutely adoring.)

4. Oregon (where I live now.)

Four TV shows I love:

1. Road to Avonlea

2. Frasier

3. Monk (!)

4. White Collar (our latest craze)

Four places I've vacationed:

1. Prince Edward Island, Canada

2. London, England

3. Washington DC

4. San Juan Islands, off the coast of WA state

Four of my favorite dishes:

(This one is hard to answer at the moment because it's all about food cravings. Bekahcubed listed actually DISHES but I'm thinking food here.)

NORMALLY I'd like:

1. This fabulous salad that we learned how to make after our trip to DC which involves blackened chicken, fresh peaches and carmalized onions. But at the present moment I can't stand the thought of it (and it was painful to type.)

2. CHICK FIL A meal number 1

3. BBQ chicken

4. Taco salad

Four sites I visit (almost) daily:

Like bekahcubed, this was hard to answer because my google reader has more listed but here are four special ladies I pay attention to:

1. Bekahcubed

2. Barbara H. at Stray Thoughts

3. Amy at Hope is in the Word

4. Annette at Live, Learn, Love

Four places I would rather be right now:

*Coming up blank*

Four bloggers I am tagging:

0. If you want to play, feel free!

Happy Thursday Afternoon to You!

BONUS!

The Knights of Arrethtrae (giveaway)

Ok, this one is kinda different (for me anyway) but I was really, really fascinated by the premise and the behind-the-scenes story of these books.

Multnomah Books just recently released the final two books in the six books Knights of Arrethtrae series by Chuck Black. They sent me a copy of Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor (Book 5) and Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest (Book 6) for review.

Only (my bad) - I didn't really clue in that I was coming in on the end of a series and I have mental issues with that. I talked to the publicist though and read the introduction and I feel pretty secure in saying that each book can be read entirely as a stand-alone. The introduction really does an adequate job of explaining the point and purpose of each story and sets the stage of the series for the reader. I didn't end up feeling as lost as I thought I might (but I'm still mentally bothered by the fact that I haven't read book one because, to me, that's just wrong.)

I was drawn to these stories initially as having been written by a home schooling father (of six) who wanted to challenge kids to "live for more" than what society currently sets their expectations for. I normally don't quote from the press release but in this case, I think I'll make an exception because it explains the author's intent:

"Many kids today are being let off the hook," says Black. "They're abandoning activities that encourage creativity and self-development for forms of escapism like additions to video games or social media." He believes stories of everyday heroes who find courage in the face of fear will help youth rise above the low expectations set for them in today's world and realize God has a quest for them as well."

Black is also a former F-16 fighter pilot and, I confess it, I figured if his books were picked up by Multnomah, they wouldn't be "that bad." (I've picked up a few books written by home schooling dads that self published and I was less than impressed. Yes, I admit the bias towards self-publicized works!) I wasn't far off the mark in suspecting that this would be an interesting series. Black manages to hold his "tone" for the book pretty well. The introduction, as I said, sets the stage for a battle between good and evil.

"Like raindrops on a still summer's eve, the words of a story can oft fall grayly upon the ears of a disinterested soul. I am Cedric of Chessington, humble servant of the Prince, and should my inadequate telling of the tales of these brave knights e'er sound as such, know that it is I who have failed and not the gallant hearts of those of whom I write . . ." (from the Introduction)

I read book five and had several impressions:

1. I was entertained;
2. I was intrigued;
3. I kinda felt like I was attending a Medieval Times dinner theater;
4. I liked the way Black handled the battle between good and evil.

Conservative parents will be happy to note that Chuck Black avoids the use of magic in these books. So if you aren't sure what to make of Harry Potter or even my beloved Chronicles of Narnia, you can breathe easy with the Knights of Arrethrae series. Each one also hits on a particular character quality such as courage - or it battles against undesirable traits such as greed or apathy.

I think there are definitely things to like about this series and so I'm happy to let you know that Multnomah Books has graciously offered up a copy of Sir Quinlan and Sir Rowan to one of you.

To win? Simply leave a comment below. This contest will be open through Thursday, October 21st. US Residents only.

Thank you, Multnomah Books, for your generosity in sending me these books to read for myself, as well as for offering a copy to one of my readers.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER (selected by Random.org, of course!) is #5 - Serena! Congratulations!

When Molly Was a Harvey Girl, by by Frances M. Wood

This title caught my eye at the Book Expo earlier this May. Published by Kane Miller (a division of EDC publishers), When Molly Was a Harvey Girl tells the story of a young girl who goes to work in one of the infamous Harvey Eating Houses which were along the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. (Is anyone else thinking Judy Garland just yet?)

When Molly is thirteen years old her father dies. He leaves behind Molly and her nineteen-year-old sister, Colleen, who are now all alone in the world. Colleen takes on the responsibility of raising her young sister and, knowing that they have to find a way to support themselves, convinces Molly that the only option they have is to work for the Harvey Eating Houses. The problem is that Molly is only thirteen and you have to be eighteen to work at the eating houses. Colleen dresses Molly in their mother's old clothes and swears her to secrecy before they apply to the following ad:

"Young women of good character, attractive and intelligent, eighteen to thirty, to work in Harvey Eating Houses."

Both are hired on and are sent to the Raton, New Mexico Harvey House. (I looked up photos of Harvey Houses in New Mexico and you can see what some of them looked like by clicking on THIS LINK. Apparently the Raton House opened in 1882 but was relocated as railroad tracks continued to make their way westward.)

Molly is now illegally employed as a Harvey Girl, a job that her sister takes great pride in. However, Molly does not enjoy the work and misses her friends and the home she had to leave upon her father's death. The majority of this story involves Molly scheming about a way to get her sister married off so that she can return to Illinois.

It isn't all bad though. Molly does make some friends among the local Indian tribe. She also finds herself to be a favorite worker of the Harvey Eating House chef. She finds herself settling into the Raton community in a surprising way. It just takes a little while for Molly to come to appreciate her new surroundings and opportunities.

On the whole I found this to be an interesting story. I'd never read anything about this particular subject matter before and it was fun to read about life out west along the railroads. I have to confess a bit of suspicion as to my ability to really enjoy the story right from the get-go though as it opens up with Molly and her boyfriend being caught about to kiss. I had my typical eye-rolling response for thirteen year olds who are "in love."I was wondering how much teenage romance I was going to in for but thankfully it did lighten up quite a bit. The romance shifts from the thirteen year old to the Harvey Girls which I think is much more reasonable. There is some squabbling over handsome customers which I really wish would be left out of Middle Grade Fiction (but I thought was done in a much more realistic manner.) I find myself more drawn to Middle Grade fiction rather than YA precisely because the adventure of the book is typically ten times more intriguing and you don't have to deal with unbelievable romances. But this really wasn't so very bad. It just exists so I feel the need to point in out.

For a story about life along the railroad back in the olden days, then When Molly Was a Harvey Girl is definitely is an intriguing book. It's a fun piece of historical fiction for younger readers. If you are reading from a more conservative perspective though, just be aware of the romance factor at the beginning of the book. It does sort itself out though so I'm glad I pressed on and read it!

We should probably end with Judy here, for a grin (and it will produce a grin):



Thanks, Kane Miller, for allowing me a chance to read this book!

Arnold Lobel: Children's Classics

Bookworm1 and I seem to be at that awkward in-between reading stage where I know he could stand to read above just a "regular picture book level" but he doesn't want to read chapter books because they are "too long." He seems to LIKE the stories that chapter books present to us, but the mere idea of having to sit down day after day and work on the same story is unappealing. I wasn't really sure what to do until I began scouring our bookshelves for award winning titles (with which to participate in the Children's Classics Carnival at 5M4B.) I came across Frog and Toad Together (which won a Newbery Honor award) which I picked up once upon a time. I presented it as a reading option to Bookworm1 and he liked it!

Enter into our world: Arnold Lobel. The length of his stories are absolutely perfect. They require a larger attention span, are divided up into "chapters" (Bookworm1 eyed this suspiciously at first) and have illustrations on each page to help keep your young reader beside you and intrigued in the story. Each of his stories are broken down into sections (i.e., chapters- without numbering them so) and deal with animals. So really, how could you go wrong?

Once I figured out that these books were exactly where we are at in our reading journey (being long enough for a 10-15 minute read but easily finished so as not having to approach the book with doom and sorrow that you have to come back to it again!) I trotted off to Borders and picked up some additional Lobel titles. These are the ones that we have read (and there have been requested re-reads!):





This has, of course, made me curious about Arnold Lobel and so I looked up a few quick facts to better familiarize myself with him and his work.

* He was born in 1933 and died in 1987.

* He grew up in Schenectady, New York (Kate & Leopold anyone?) and lived with his grandparents.

* He was frequently sick as a child and was out of school as a result of that until about 2nd grade. He entertained himself by drawing. One way that he made friends with his fellow classmates when he was back in school was by drawing animal characters.

* He was husband to one wife, Anita Kempler (also a children's book author/illustrator) and they had two children - Adrianne, a girl, and a son named Adam.

* Adrianne married a familiar actor (if you lived in MY family growing up!) named Mark Linn-Baker! (Perfect Strangers, people!!!) Linn-Baker adapted his father-in-law's stories into a musical which was the Tony-nominated Broadway musical, A Year with Frog and Toad. Linn-Baker played Toad.

* Lobel has a grand list of books that he wrote and illustrated himself but he also provided illustartiosn for the likes of Jack Prelutsky, Peggy Parish and Charlotte Zolotow.

* For a long while, beginning readers consisted of short choppy sentences (think Dick & Jane). Dr. Suess began to change that and Lobel quickly followed on Suess's heels, creating a more complex story line for young readers to follow.

* He saw himself as a "daydreamer" rather than an author or illustrator.

"I cannot think of any work that could be more agreeable and fun than making books for children." ~ Arnold Lobel

I'm glad he thought so! His books definitely have become our favorites this month!

The Faithful Parent, by Martha Peace and Stuart W. Scott

The last book I read by Martha Peace was The Excellent Wife. I confess to reading that one a long time before I was married, so I could probably stand to read it again. I did, however, remember liking the book and it still sits on my shelf. I was pretty excited to see that she was putting out a book on parenting and so with eager anticipation I dived into The Faithful Parent: A Biblical Guide to Raising a Family.

Jonathan and I read this book simultaneously. We took turns picking it up and reading it whenever the other person wasn't and so it traveled about the house for a few days as we worked our way through it. We finished it with mixed opinions. My thoughts are more charitable than Jonathan's so I suppose it's nice that I'm the chief reviewer around these parts. (Ha!)

The book has some good points and some bad points. We both agreed and disagreed with various things the authors of this book said. So instead of writing up a review in the manner I typically would, I'll just give you the books pros and cons.

PROS:

1. Authors Peace and Scott lay out their arguments in a simplistic and straight forward manner. It is easy to understand their advice and opinions.
2. I would say that if you are a first-time parent (or really feel like you don't have a clue what you are doing as a parent!) then they offer a lot of practical advice. For example: "When your child does X, respond this way." It's extremely practical and explanatory.
3. The authors take you through the various stages of childhood in this book, from infancy to adolescence, explaining how a child's thought process and behaviors differ from stage to stage.
4. The authors explain how much a child can comprehend about God and faith at each particular stage but make the following point with the following quote:

"If you are going to teach your children about God, you must first know these things yourself. You cannot teach or explain something you do not know or about which you only have a vague idea. Therefore, work hard to study basic Bible doctrine." (page 87)

I think that's solid advice and a good kick in the pants for parents who really do need to understand what the Bible says! You can't teach what you don't know. It's important that the parents understand, which is why it is important to know and understand doctrine. What you know yourself matters when it comes to the spiritual life and maturity of not only yourself, but your children (. . . and your children's children.)

CONS:

1. As Jonathan points out, the authors come across as hand holders to the parents reading this book. I'm going to point out the fact that both Jonathan and I are both firstborns and we're pretty good about digesting information and applying things to our lives. The authors felt somewhat condescending to the both of us. On the flip side of this, you might consider the authors practical, which is why I also include their communication style a pro. I think there are folks who would not be bothered by the tone of this book. To us, the "suggested discipline" methods came across as handing us a script (i.e., "When your child does X, say this.") Thanks. I think I can figure that out myself.
2. But our biggest, hugest qualm with this book is the way that the authors view salvation and children. If you are fond of covenant theology this book will drive you nuts! Peace and Stuart are not convinced that children can truly ask Jesus into their heart/become a Christian/accept salvation (whatever term you want to use.) To them, this is a big mystery and in their scripted responses to children's behavior at various stages of the game, they raise question marks as to the child's covenantal status.

For example, in the "School-age Child" chapter they make the following statement:

"Only God can really know whether your child is acting out of godly character or simply because of good habits learned from you. So from time to time you might want to say to your child who believes himself to be saved (and he really might be), "If the Lord has truly saved you (and he might have), it greatly honors the Lord and it will be your joy when you do what pleases him. Time will tell, but in the meantime, here are some of the areas the Lord wants you to work on. . ." (pages 88-89)

Ladies and gentlemen, I barely know what to say to that. It takes my breath away. Jesus called (Luke 18:16; Matt. 10:14-16; Matt. 19:14) the little children to Him and didn't make them wonder over His love. God is faithful to generations of believers and all who put their trust in Him are a part of His covenental family (Gen. 17:1-8; Rom. 4:13, 16-17.) The Bible is filled with examples of the treasure, blessing and love of children and God's faithfulness to descendants of the faithful (Ps. 103:17).

When it comes to salvation, what could be clearer than Romans 10:9:

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

I cannot fathom spending my children's lives making them play guessing games as to whether their belief is real or not. As parents, if a child expresses beliefs that we know to be true, we should encourage and reinforce them. If a child sometimes expresses beliefs that we know to be false (happens occasionally around here with an imaginative 3-year-old!) it's our responsibly to graciously do what we can to reorient their thinking. But we should never try to second-guess them ("You don't really believe that...") or condescendingly suggest that they're not old enough to know their own minds.

If, as the authors imply, you communicate to your children something along the lines of, "Let's wait and see how things go after you experience a bit of real life, and then we'll know if you truly believe or not," you are creating unnecessary fears and doubts and offering a valid argument for your children to end up believing in a works-based salvation. It is with boldness and confidence that we are to express our faith - not with uncertainty!

I am frankly appalled by this aspect of the book, and the authors weave this "wait-and-see" message about children's salvation throughout the book. I disagree with that theology point-blank and therefore cannot and would not voluntarily hand over this book to people without this disclaimer.

If you want practical parenting advice, or if you are a newbie, then I think they offer some randomly good advice worth some consideration. They certainly have some fine points to make.

On the other hand, the theology of the book is just criminal and I have a hard time with it as a result.

As you might surmise here, the cons definitely sway me and my opinion of the book and therefore normally I would have just decided not to review it. However, I've mentioned that I was planning on reading it a few times and some of you said you were interested in learning more about it so here you have it. It can be helpful and practical, yes. And, at the same time, quite awful!

****

I do appreciate P&R Publishing giving me the opportunity to read this book as I'm glad to know of it.

Friday Favorite Five

Time for a Friday's Fave Five hosted by Living to Tell the Story.

The other day, when I was (attempting to) clean house I pulled out my old CD case full of music CD's to find something different to listen to. I thought I'd pick out a few songs from random CD's in my case and share them with you. As it turns out, most of my older CDs are country music CDs. And, as it also turns out, I still really like some of this stuff! So I thought I'd make this my Friday Favorite Five Country Songs edition. ha! (Wait! Don't leave! Come back! ;)

You know I grew up in Texas right? Apparently a little of the state managed to creep in...

#1: Let's Bring it Back, by Lonestar (if you like anime, you'll like this even better! ;) ha!)

(I still think this song is AWESOME!!! Here's a nice pro-marriage country-style statement!)

#2 - That's When I Love You, Phil Vassar (Basically - all the time.)


"That's when I know without a doubt that I can't live without you..."

#3 - Here's Jo Dee Messina's That's The Way which really isn't technically theologically correct but I just....well....like it. Plus it's a break from the fantastic love ballads. ;)

#4 - Whatever It Takes - by Kellie Coffey:



Because I can't think of anything I wouldn't do to support my marriage and stick with it.

#5 - Complicated, by Carolyn Dawn Johnson.

There was a time when these lyrics were, uh, just a little bit more than accurate! Many was the time I would listen to this song on the way to work while bashing my forehead into the steering wheel (at stop lights, of course.) If you've known me for awhile and are seeing this - you just hold your tongue! ;) It all worked out in the end!



Thankfully, the answer was YES on both sides and here we are five years and three kids later.

YAY!

Have a great weekend, folks!

Carrie

Your Daily Affirmation

One final note for today -

Smile. This is a short video of a very, very happy little girl.



I'm laughing wondering what Jonathan would think if he caught me in front of the bathroom spouting off in the same manner! Ha! Ha! Hmm...maybe that's not such a bad idea (every now and again.)

The Monuments Men (giveaway)

Speaking of the Monuments Men (which I did earlier today) - I received an e-mail just the other day from the author letting me know that this book was just recently released in paperback! (What timing, seeing that I was planning to talk about it again.)


I reviewed The Monuments Men over at 5 Minutes for Books and I'd encourage you to pop over there to find out exactly what this book is all about!

In the meantime, in honor of the fact that you can now find this book in paperback, the author has graciously offered to give away an autographed copy to one of you!

Would you like to win it for yourself or a World War II history buff that you know of? Simply leave a comment below. This contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will be open through Thursday, October 14th.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. The winner, selected by random.org, is #11 - Mozi Esme

Congratulations!

Restitution, by Kathy Kacer (giveaway)

Restitution: A Family's Fight for Their Heritage Lost in the Holocaust is another title I picked up at the Book Expo, courtesy of Second Story Press. It was also one of the first I read upon my return, but unfortunately it wasn't immediately available in the U.S. However, I'm happy to say that you can now find a copy of Restitution here in the states and I'm pleased to make the introduction.

Restitution tells the true story of the Reeser family's escape from the Nazis from their home country of Czechoslovakia. An influential Jewish family, Victor Rieser (the family changed their name after immigrating from their country) found it hard to believe that their family would be persecuted by the Nazi regime. He refused to believe that a loyal Czech citizen would be brutalized or mistreated by their own government. His children, Karl and Hana listened to the debates between their father and mother, Marie, as they argued over whether or not to move their family and finances outside of the country. Thankfully, Helen had the foresight (and stubborn will) to begin to move the family money to foreign accounts to ensure that her family would be provided for upon their eventual relocation. She was a smart and insightful woman and her efforts paid off for the family when they eventually did flee their home country.

However, there were four things that the family had to leave behind: four works of art that hung on the walls of the family home.

Restitution tells the story of the family's efforts to retrieve these family heirlooms in post-war Czechoslovakia. The book documents their journey and struggle, taking the reader between the 1940's and 1990. It is a moving story of courage and determination. Kacer writes in a compelling manner, easing the reader along and keeping them fascinated in the Reeser family's journey.

I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was well-told and documents a different aspect of World War II - stolen art. (For another work on this topic, you might want to check out my review of The Monuments Men over at 5 Minutes for Books.) Of course, I love World War II history and so I eagerly engaged with the emotions of Karl Reeser as he sought to obtain what was stolen from him by a hateful regime. This book is a winner and one worth checking out.

I am happy to let you know that Second Story Press has offered a giveaway copy to one Reading to Know reader! Would you like to win a copy? Simply leave a comment below to be entered into the drawing. This contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents. The contest will remain open through Thursday, October 14th.

This contest is now closed. The winner, selected by random.org, is #23 - Wanda. Congratulations!

In the meantime, if you enjoy a good memoir or an interesting history lesson, check this one out.

Snippets

Time for another "snippets" with a few statements about some books I spent time with but didn't want to write up an entire review about. (Although, admittedly, I got on a rant with one of them and it's a bit long.)

LIKED:

Comforts from the Cross: Celebrating the Gospel One Day at a Time was gifted to me by a friend who was reading it and wanted to provide some personal encouragement to me. I really enjoyed this book, despite the fact that it's a devotional, meant to be read in 30-days. (I'm not very good at reading devotionals. I seldom am able to spread the reading out for the appropriate number of days! But I did pretty well with this one, finally giving in at about 20 days and finishing it off with one more sitting!)

Two particular things that stood out to me from this read:

1. Focusing on my sin and my efforts to stop sinning, suffering all-consuming thoughts about how I can change my behavior actually decreases God in my life. When I start questioning my ability to deal with sin, I start to act as if I have god-like powers. I start ignoring the cross. I start assuming I can do more for myself than God can and I fail to accept God and His work on the cross for all that it has been, is and will be. (In other words, I saw how I've been a little me-focused when it comes to my salvation in Christ.)

2. Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, I thought, did an excellent job explaining that God "shares" His holiness with us in that we are called to be holy just as He is (1 Pet. 1:16.) We are to pursue holiness. But while we can be holy, we cannot share God's glory. (I guess I could say that she clearly separated the two terms for me.) He is jealous to receive all glory. Glory is His alone. Hence we should be careful with things like the songs we sing in church. Are we singing about ourselves? Are we focused on us? Building ourselves up? We are to pursue holiness. But we must not make a grab for God's glory. That belongs to Him exclusively.

Fitzpatrick did a much better job of explaining this, but this was a point impressed upon me during this read. Definitely a recommended read for a devotion OR a straight-through. ;) (If you can't help yourself like I can't.)

DIDN'T LIKE:

A Woman's Walk in Grace, by Catherine Martin was another one I mentioned earlier in conjunction with a contest. I told you point blank that I hadn't had a chance to read the book yet and when I finally did get around to picking it up, I was less than impressed. (Hence I made a few determinations about the books I would mention on this site. For starters, I must read them before they make an appearance around here.)

The basic idea of this one is that God's grace can cover a multitude of sins and can heal a broken life. Not a bad message, right? My quibble with it is that it is rather unbalanced in its approach to grace, leaving out a great deal of what God's holiness demands. Then too, I confess, she lost me in the first chapter when she referenced the book Sin Boldly: A Field Guide to Grace, by Cathleen Falsani which is a bunch of hoo ha in my opinion.

The idea behind Sin Boldly (which is not really the book I'm talking about but if Martin read and liked it and wrote any part of this book around it then I'm going to take issue with the source) is that grace abounds everywhere you look. You can feel God's grace when the wind blows in your face and you can see God's grace when you watch a good movie or read a good story. It's everywhere. The title comes from a statement that Martin Luther made which I will quote as follows (as Falsani quoted in her delightful little book):

"Be a sinner and sin boldly. . ."

It's what comes after the ellipses here that Falsani seemed to ignore in her work, wherein Luther finished up that sentence by saying:

" . . .but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly. For he is victorious over sin, death, and the world. As long as we are here we have to sin. This life in not the dwelling place of righteousness but, as Peter says, we look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. . . . Pray boldly-you too are a mighty sinner.”

Now let's just stop everything and see what scripture actually says:

¹What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ²By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

⁵If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. ⁶For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,^a]"> that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

⁸Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

¹¹In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹²Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. ¹⁴For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:1-14

So yes, as long as we are alive we will sin because we are humans and we have a fallen nature. But we are to believe in Christ MORE and in His work on the cross. He died so that we could have victory over the sin. We are now under grace, yes, it's true and we can rejoice in that! But we must believe in God more and what He did on the cross - a holy act, glory filled, so that we can come to Him for salvation and deliverance from our sins.

I read Sin Boldly and watched a few video interviews about it because I wanted to find out exactly what it was all about. I don't trust it further than I can throw it because it is an incomplete work, unbalanced in it's view of God, and ultimately expresses a desire to run free with the butterflies without obligation to the Word of God. God is grace. God is love. God is holy. All things combined. You cannot separate His beautiful attributes and if we try then we are in grave danger of making a god of our own liking (who lets us do whatever we want.)

So, yeah, I said I didn't like A Woman's Walk With Grace right? Well, I didn't like her sources of study and inspiration in writing this book and it seemed a little on the light and fluffy side. So there you have it. My "snippet" for the day and I'll stop here.

Radical, by David Platt

First Lisa read (and raved) about it (more than a few times). Then Melissa did. Then Ronnica did and made the statement that the only thing she needed to say about it was: Go out and buy it. How could I possibly resist after that?!

In short, this book came highly recommended to me. So I put it on my Amazon wishlist and Jonathan bought it for me for my birthday. I instantly devoured it (sharing one passage here) and then Jonathan devoured it and we both LOVED it!

This book gives the church of God (and the Christians in it) a good kick in the pants. A much needed kick in the pants! Platt writes to challenge American Christians in particular to dive into a deeper faith that might actually cost them something.

These days, Platt argues, American Christians have become far too complacent, settling for what is easy and tastes good to the spiritual palate. We are no longer wrestling with gospel truths that might demand anything from us. Just let us find a cozy church, settle down, remain anonymous, do our own thing and really, sacrifice nothing. The first half of the book is a real zinger to the modern mindset that we're all ok just pluggin' away at half truths and accepting whatever watered-down version comes trickling down the pike. He says:

"In this book I want to show you that, with the best of intentions, we have actually turned away from Jesus. We have in many areas blindly and unknowingly embraced values and ideas that are common in our culture but are antithetical to the gospel he taught. Here we stand amid an American dream dominated by self-advancement, self-esteem, and self-sufficiency, by individualism, materialism, and universalism. Yet I want to show you our desperate need to revisit the words of Jesus, to listen to them, to believe them, and to obey them. We need to return with urgency to a biblical gospel, because the cost of not doing so is great for our lives, our families, our churches, and the world around us." (page 19)

He makes some pretty bold statements as to what the church today is doing to water down scriptures and how it is having the effect of producing watered down Christians. (Actually, it reminded me of a quote by Charles Swindoll in which Swindoll said that if you preach sermonettes, you'll get Christianettes.) Platt says this:

"We live in a church culture that has a dangerous tendency to disconnect the grace of God from the glory of God. Our hearts resonate with the idea of enjoying God's grace. We bask in sermons, conferences, and books that exalt a grace centering on us. And while the wonder of grace is worthy of our attention, if that grace is disconnected from its purpose, the sad result is a self-centered Christianity that by-passes the heart of God." (pages 69-70)

Like Lisa, I'm tempted to just go on quoting the book to you in this review. Let's just say that a lot of what Platt said resonated within me and I'm excited about it. Add my recommendation to the pile. That sort of thing. This is a much needed book.

One thing I'm glad of:

This book made it to the New York Times Bestseller list. I can only hope it has an impact.

One thing that kinda rankled me about it:

Platt has a very mission minded approach to the church which is absolutely fantastic and something I'm not inclined to quibble with. We should all have a heart for missions in some form or fashion. No beef there. But I did feel like he wouldn't easily accept the idea that a mother is working her own mission field in the home. He was bent on thinking outside the home, your church family and the local community. He really does work hard to preach a global mission message and I know that has great appeal for those who do feel called to go global. I don't believe we're all called to go global in the sense that we all need to dash out and purchase international airplane tickets. Right now I'm called to the bedroom upstairs and the two little people who lay their heads to rest there. That's my call. That's my mission for the moment. And I'm not about to start apologizing for it. I think that a stay at home mother has a great work to do and her work does and will effect the future. I don't know what my children will grow up to be, but I know that I am called to act responsibly towards them at the present moment and so home truly is where my heat is - and needs to be.

That's the one and only issue I took with the book, but otherwise, I think its hands down fantastic and he said some things that just needed to be said! Furthermore, he said some things that need to be heard and acted upon.

Yes, I do highly recommend this read. And I feel like I'm in good company in doing so.

***
This review linked to the I Read It carnival at 5 Minutes for Books.

Betsy and the Great World / Betsy's Wedding, by Maud Hart Lovelace

Alright, I have done it! I have completely read through the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, thanks to Sarah at Library Hospital. When someone (in this case, Sarah) can't quit harping on a book or series, it really makes a person who hasn't yet read those books feel like they are missing something. That's the way that Sarah made me feel and so last year, during her Maud Hart Lovelace Challenge, I read through the first half of these books. Her reading challenge is now underway and I've completed reading the Betsy books. It definitely feels good!

There will be certain spoilers here. Nothing monumental but if you don't want to know what happens in each book, just ignore me for a moment and go read the stories for yourself.

In my last review, I left off with Betsy & Joe who were developing their relationship. It was fresh and exciting! So it was with some great amount of INSANE disappointment that I cracked open Betsy and the Great World, and discovered that Betsy had botched things with Joe in a moment of extreme lack of consciousness and understanding, and was off exploring the Great World all by her lonesome. This, of course, is a recipe for disaster for any female who is ready and willing to lose her heart to guys at a moment's notice. Which Betsy is and does with some enormous amount of annoying regularity.

I felt she slipped. I felt like we had regressed to Betsy's teenage days when she wanted to have fifteen cakes and eat them all too. I confess: I was very mad at Betsy throughout most of this book. (And I won't type what I thought of Sarah for putting me through this agony. Ha!)

But. To be fair, there is a certain element of Anne and Gilbert about this book. It has an Anne of the Island flair to it. You just have to suffer through the book until Anne Betsy comes to her senses and realizes what a ninny she's been.

So anyhow, I was pretty ticked with Betsy for a few days while I read through this one and I was glad to have her finally set things back in order at the end.

Side note: This is why I like to read series by dead authors. I can't fathom the agony of having to wait a millennium for the next installment to come out. Can you imagine having to wait for Lovelace to fix what she broke?!!?

Anyhow.

I moved on to Betsy's Wedding feeling a little miffed. But my ruffled and riled feathers were on their way back down because Betsy and Joe were on the mend and finally tied the knot.

This book is all about their early married life. They find an apartment, they buy their first house, they hang out with friends and generally just spend their time really getting to know one another. I suppose it's an accurate portrayal of most early marriages. Actually, this story is based on Maud's own marriage to her husband, Delos. It's a perfectly believable story and they interact with one another and struggle through their early existence in perfectly believable ways.

I just like Anne and Gilbert better, that's all. NOT to say that I dislike Betsy. See, I have this thing. (Are you ready? My good friend here in town laughs at me about this.) I don't really care to be around newlyweds. I just don't. I know I was one once but Jonathan and I weren't the type that were so mushy around other people that we were disturbing the peace or anything. You could have a normal conversation in our presence and we could have one in yours. I know newlyweds have a great learning curve, and I prefer that they learn outside of my presence. (We always strove to do our learning on our own time as well.)

Now, I like Anne and Gilbert because instantly upon marriage they were hard at work in their community and were having friends over and that's kind of what Jonathan and I did. We started two new businesses right from the get-go and threw ourselves into church events and worked alongside one of another. (Not necessarily entirely recommended but it worked for us.) We enjoyed just diving into life together and so I find more appeal in Dr. Gilbert Blythe and his red-headed bride than in Betsy and Joe. (And before you start to harass me about this, I do strongly believe that newlyweds should be left alone for a period of time so that they can figure each other out! The faster the better! A lot of outside influence and input can prove disastrous at times. Besides- there is a good Biblical argument for a couple having some time to focus on themselves for a while. That is all very good.)

That to say, I don't really take any issue with Betsy and Joe and I'm glad to hear how their story concludes (from the perspective of the series at any rate.) I just didn't end up loving them dearly. BUT! I AM very grateful to have read the books. I think they are artfully written in that they send you on a complete whirlwind of highs and lows. No matter what you feel towards Betsy at any given moment, you keep rooting for her and reading on. I think that's the mark of a good, quality series.

So there you have it. My opinion. Just one of many. Ta da! The end!

*****
Once again, thanks to Sarah at Library Hospital for hosting the Maud Hart Lovelace Challenge and to Harper Perennial Classics for providing the books to read!

Motherhood and the Cross

Being pregnant and (quite) sick has definitely provided me with a lot of time to think about children and what they do to you. Ha! The more I see in the news and hear online and experience in the world around me, the sadder I become at the idea that children are not as valued in today's society. They are seen more as an inconvenience than a blessing. We think more about ourselves, our jobs, our likes and dislikes than we do about the statement that God makes that children are a heritage from Him. (Ps. 127:3)

But even we as Christians who say we believe that children are a treasure rather fail to act like it at times. We find ourselves wanting to apologize for having more than others think we ought to have. We refer to them in less than flattering terms. We let them have their own way just so we don't have to work at correcting them and exhausting ourselves in the process. (And we complain when they make us sick for weeks upon endless weeks while working on developing those 10 cute little fingers and 10 cute little toes!)

Jonathan and I were talking about what it was like when we were expecting our first. (Cue the cooing.) "Ooooh, we're going to have a baby." And that's where our thoughts stopped. We were going to have a baby. We would hold it and think it was cute. Our vision, you might say, was limited.

This time it's a bit different. We have four years of parenting under our belts and added Bookworm2. Now we're more like, you know, parents. (Less so than some, more so than others. I can't win in any kind of comparison games, so I'm not here to try, k?) Sure, they start out cute. But they don't really stay that way without a huge amount of WORK! We've been impressed over the past four years that we didn't just "have a baby" - we were given a life to steward. That, my friends, is a whole 'nother ball game!

Parenting is work. (Did I mention this?) Hard work. Lots of work. It's a daily, exhausting task of correcting, encouraging, maintaining and developing a little person's worldview. That's tough stuff! Having children isn't about adding to your collection of possessions - it's about giving your life away. When you get married, you readjust your thinking and start having to work with someone else's opinions to cause life to continue running smoothly. When you have children, you give away what's left of your life. Forever.

This time, as I'm pregnant and confined to my bed or the couch, I'm much more content to be sick (most of the time. I may have had one or two less charitable moments.) I do recognize that it's a worthy use of my time to lay in bed and let this little one grow. The possibilities that this little LIFE within me possess are unfathomable. I believe God has a great plan in mind for this person and I have the benefit and blessing of carrying and tending to the life. That's a huge deal! It's not an inconvenience.

So when I'm sitting in the bathroom, wondering when I'll be released from this small and now ever-so-unpleasant room, I realize something. The only reason I think children are a blessing is because they come at such a price. It's not just pregnancy or an adoption process that makes them a blessing. It's the constant struggle to die to self and submit to the cross and accept the responsibility that we, as parents, have been given. It's a painful sacrifice at times. It's tiring. But sometimes the only way we can recognize what it truly good is to have it rise up in conflict with something that isn't. When we see good and evil compared, we can make declarations of truth such as the fact that children are indeed a treasure from the Lord.

It's the agony of the acquisition that makes us say, "Oh wow. This is worth it." And then it's the daily grind that causes you to intentionally and forcefully (and daily!) say (outloud whenever possible), "My child, you are a blessing!"

Of course, the cross itself is the picture of the worst agony. But when we see the cross in conflict with death, finally conquering it, we can say of the truth of the resurrection that it is a blessing beyond our wildest imagination. In the pain, we find our freedom.

That's how I feel about morning sickness. In the pain, I find the joy. I know it means less "me" time than ever before. I know my responsibility to my family is growing. I know I will need to learn how to steward my time even more effectively. I will continue to be stretched (pardon the pun), to learn and to grow. But in all of that, I find freedom in become the person that God has designed me to be. How could I be anything but grateful for that?

And so there is another day of dying to self as fighting an uphill battle against food. I'm not always successful in keeping a positive attitude and so I write this to remind myself that the Refiner's Fire is to be welcomed, not avoided. Things that are worth being a part of - like the life of another - are worth some discomfort. It is a faith that ends up costing me something. Motherhood and the cross. The former needs the latter. Without it - I know I wouldn't make it!

Parenting isn't what I used to think it was. It's a great deal of hard work, as I've spelled out above. And the world isn't very helpful in encouraging motherhood. Stay at home moms in particular are constantly being called upon to justify their sacrificial decision to stay home and nurture a family. The world offers temporary praise in the form of corporate success and perhaps larger bank accounts. But that's temporary and I can't just look at the momentary distractions - the potential jobs, friends and social opportunities. I have to look at the end. And so I won't be moved away from the truth and the fact that the greatest thing I could ever do with my life is to be married to Jonathan and raise a family with him. Hands down, bar none, this is it folks. I will never work harder. I will never be more challenged. I will never receive a greater reward than stewarding the lives of my children and then releasing them to pursue the things that God has for them. Home is where my blessing is to be found. The world can offer me nothing so beautiful as the faces of my three children and the life partnership with Jonathan. The world, quite simply, cannot offer me the victory of the cross and all that that entails as a person, as a woman, as a mother, as a parent. It's a HARD road. But it's the best choice I could ever make.