A Girl of the Limberlost :: Reading to Know Book Club

Stephanie from Simple Things is hosting the discussion for this month's book club. She chose A Girl of the Limberlost, by Gene Stratton-Porter. If you participated in this month's book club read and wrote up a post sharing your thoughts of this work, please leave a comment in the comment section below. Please including the direct link to your blog post. (If you don't have a blog but read along, please feel free to discuss the book with us in the comment section.)


*****





I’m curious to know who made it to the end of A Girl of the Limberlost? Did you enjoy it? I’ll be honest – it wasn’t what I expected, but I did enjoy it and was glad I saw it through the end.

The book begins with us learning about the plight of Elinora Comstock, a young girl, seemingly unloved by her mother, who against all odds, is trying to gain an education and provide for herself and her future. In this respect, the book reminded me of many of L.M. Montgomery’s short story heroines who struggled to make their way in spite of insurmountable odds. A favorite quote about this in book was:

What you are lies with you. If you are lazy, and accept your lot, you may live in it. If you are willing to work, you can write your name anywhere you choose, among the only ones who live past the grave in this world – the people who write books that help, make exquisite music, carve statues, paint pictures, and work for others.

However, that isn’t what I took away from the book. I enjoyed it for the author’s outlook on nature and how it was so much a part of Elinora’s life. She marveled in the hand of the Creator, studying the flora, fauna, and wildlife around her with a great appreciation for the variety and intricacies she found. Because of her study of nature, she was able to use that as a way to earn money to provide for herself and continue her education, and eventually share that love of nature with others. This is the kind of lifestyle of learning I want to pass on to my children! Exploring the world around us and seeing how God has so orchestrated the details of every living thing. That thread, woven throughout the book, was inspiring to me.

Ain’t it queer that she’d take to stones, bugs, and butterflies, and save them. Now they are going to bring her the very thing she wants the worst. Lord, but this is a funny world when you get to studying! Looks like things didn’t all come by accident. Looks as if there was a plan back of it, and somebody driving that knows the road, and how to handle the lines.

I am looking forward to hearing what others thought of this book (and whether you made it through it!) Thank you, Carrie, for allowing me the privilege of hosting a month of your book club and prompting me to check this one off my to-be-read list

*****

(I have to throw the thanks back at you, Stephanie! You got me to - finally - read it which allowed me to cross it off my list as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!)

July's book club selection:

The title of your choosing from The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. Next month's book club will be held in conjunction with the Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge. Further up and further in!

Life Without Limits, by Nick Vujicic

Someone, somewhere in book bloggy land once reviewed this and made it sound very interesting to me. Apparently Life Without Limits has just be released in trade paperback by WaterBrook Multnomah and I was asked if I would like to review a copy. I said yes, because I distinctly remember being impressed by Nick Vujicic's story.

Life Without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life arrived in the mail and I instantly tried to ignore the tag line about living a "ridiculously good life." (It just strikes me as overkill in the I'm-so-happy department.) I do like a healthy dose of reality. One can be very happy and very grounded in reality at the same time. (My personality is very muted, if you haven't guessed this about me yet.) Still, I had high hopes and was curious to see what Vujicic had to say.

If you have not heard of him, his story is very unique and interesting. He was born without arms or legs. His parents had had two ultrasounds prior to his birth which apparently detected no abnormalities and so it was with some shock that they welcomed their limbless child into the world. At first they fretted and worried about what his life would look like, considering his disabilities. At times, Nick himself wandered the same thing. He wasn't sure if he would be able to go to college, and didn't know if he would get married and have a career like most people you and I know. He did hit a point of despair and briefly considered suicide, but ultimately decided it was better to live.

Nick Vujicic was raised in a Christian home and believed from a very young age that God had a plan for his life. It was definitely going to be a different life, but it was a life! This book moves you through his early days, questioning why he was the way that he was and coming to terms with his reality. More than half of the book is focused on his adult years and how he has come to overcome certain obstacles and "live a ridiculously good life" despite of them.

Now, in general, I found this book to be quite good and I have no huge reasons not to recommend it. In fact, I think many people could benefit from reading his story and hearing about life from his perspective. As he is quick to point out, he has visible struggles that make people view him and instantly realize that their own personal issues might possibly be overcome. His lack of limbs cause people to listen to what he has to share - because a guy without arms and legs telling you that life is beautiful and in it you can accomplish great things is a pretty hard fellow to ignore!

The reason I didn't quite fully connect were as follows (and please try to follow me carefully):

1. The chief and primary reason that I had a hard time digging in and loving this book is because I have pretty high levels of self-confidence as it is. I would say that this book is written to people who are lacking self-esteem and/or are discouraged with their present circumstances. Vujicic's goal is to cause you to see past the moment - see past the struggles - and trust that God has a purpose for you. Great message, right? But since I am already convinced of that fact for myself, and since this was a point that he made in every chapter and on every page, the book felt like a very long, long pep talk to me. (A pep talk that I wasn't personally in need of.) That said, there are a fantastic and outrageous amount of people on this earth who need just such a pep talk and I doubt that they would find a more enthusiastic person than Nick Vujicic to encourage them.

2. The book did feel like a very long speech. As I discovered when reading this book, Nick Vujicic is an inspirational speaker by profession and that clearly shows. He is very gifted at it. I looked up some of his Youtube videos after reading the book and I actually enjoyed those more (and found them far more impacting) because they were short, to the point and gave you a very clear visual of his "difficulties." So I would say that I would value him more as a speaker than an author.

3. Our theology did not match up on some points. For example, he says, "God helps those who help themselves" which is a statement that cannot be found in scripture anywhere at all (and I'm not even sure why publishers let such statements go unchecked in books these days). Such a statement indicates that a great deal of your life is left up to you. Nick even says that this is so, over and over again throughout the book. He has more of a "God is watching us from a distance" point of view which I find to be rather inaccurate. God is quite present and gives us the strength that we need to accomplish the things that He has planned for us. We have a duty and responsibility to trust that and obey, but we do not have to rely on our own strength to succeed at life. (I'm grateful that I do not believe He is far off, waiting for me to do all the work! I think perhaps if I thought my ability to succeed at things was based on my own know-how and power than I probably WOULD be lacking in self-confidence, would have been very impressed by this book, and would have fallen into a vicious cycle of bad theology in the meantime.)

• I am held in the palm of God's hand. He is keeping me safe - no matter what my life circumstances might look like at any point in time. (Psalm 91)
• He has a great plan for my life. (Jeremiah 29:11)
• His strength is better than mine and He gives provides me with enough of His strength to overcome obstacles when I put all of my faith and trust in Him. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• I am nothing by myself, least I begin to boast than I am. My worth is found in Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:17)
• His plans and my plans don't always match up - but I accept and believe that His are better. (Isaiah 55:8)
• He is God and He is everything. I am His child and therefore I am and have everything that I could possibly need. (The entire Bible.)

All that to say, I didn't really care for his theology and take some issues with where he would draw his strength and inspiration to keep going. On the flip side of that, I also appreciated the fact that he addresses the type of attitude that we need to have to press on in life (and, I would say, our Christian faith). We are to submit our emotions, thoughts and dreams to the Lord and ask for His direction. Even when we do not like the answers we receive from Him, we are not to wallow in misery. We need to learn to thank the Lord for all things (1 Thess. 5:18) - knowing that He uses all things for our good and for His glory. (Yes, you've heard me say that a time or two! I still believe it to be true!) Our attitude primarily needs to be one of gratefulness for all that God has done, and all that we trust and believe He will continue to do! For His glory! (We just get to enjoy the ride! 'Though it may be an intolerable compliment at times.)

On the whole, I guess I'd say I can see how Life Without Limits could be used as an influential tool to make those who feel depressed or discouraged to change their perspective on life and what happiness might look like. He is a very inspiring man with a very unique and incredible story to tell! That much is for certain! I just wish that, given the fact this book is being published by a "Christian publisher" (or publishing division), that a little more care and concern had been given to making sure that it is scriptural accurate . . . because the Gospel message itself is the most truthfully inspiring message that I believe anyone could possibly receive. (And I do believe that Nick Vujicic would agree with that statement!)

As an additional note - it turns out that Nick just got married this past year! I think that's really awesome and I'm happy for him.

Thank you, WaterBrook Multnomah, for sending a copy of this book my direction in exchange for my honest review. And there you have it!

What's On My Nightstand - July

Yeah. I know. It's not Monday, Wednesday OR Friday but I'm going to make an exception to my summer posting schedule here because it's time for What's On Your Nightstand at 5 Minutes for Books and I don't want to miss it! (I need to figure out my goals here for the coming month.)

Primarily, my nightstand for the month of July is covered in Narnia because July is when I host the Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge and I'm READY for it!



I haven't yet decided which Narnia tale I'm going to dive into, but I do know that I'll be reading The Narnian by Alan Jacobs. ($5.98 bargain price on Amazon!)



Most of the books I want to focus on in the month of July all seem to have a similar theme to them: they either involve England or World War II.



Lady Almina and the Real Downtown Abbey. I've already begun reading this one and I'm really enjoying it!




Their Finest Hour, by Winston Churchill. Since I didn't accomplish this read during the Spring Reading Thing Challenge, I'm going to conquer it alongside Narnia. Which I kind of think is fitting (and makes me want to read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe again)!



The Queen: A Life in Brief, by Robert Lacey (which I accepted for review).

I think I shall leave it at that for this moment. No doubt there will be other titles snuck in here or there, but these are the ones which I am focused on primarily.

Off to find out what's on YOUR nightstand!

Pixar's Brave Movie Review

This past weekend Disney Pixar released its newest movie - Brave. We had both seen trailers for it and had suspicions that we would not like it. Nevertheless, it was my husband's birthday this past weekend and he voted for a date night which included a viewing of this new movie. His sister and fiance came over and watched the kids (this is always a big hit for the kids!) and so off we went with a song in our hearts and a glimmer of hope that this movie might enchant us in some small form or fashion (it being Jonathan's birthday and all).

Alas, it was not to be. We were not remotely charmed and though I am sure that there are plenty out there that will disagree with me on this point: we did not like it.

The basic story plot is this:

The movie is set in the Highlands of Scotland. The heroine of the film is Princess Merida, the very outgoing and headstrong daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. The time has come to call the clans together to present suitors for Merida's hand in marriage. These suitors will compete in the game of her choosing, the winner set to be her new husband. Merida does not want to get married and despises the potential suitors, and so bucks tradition and competes in the games herself, "winning her own hand" in order that she might hopefully escape a marriage. Her mother is appalled by her behavior and in a fit of temper, Merida runs away from the castle. She meets an old witch in the woods who prepares a spell "to change her mother." Merida hopes the spell will cause her mother to change her mind about marrying her daughter off, but instead the spell turns her mother into a bear. Merida and Queen Elinor have until the second sunrise to mend the rift between them or else her mother will be doomed to remain a beast for all time . . . (whoops, wrong movie!).

The theme of the movie: be brave enough to set your own destiny. Harness the wind and become master of your own fate! That sort of thing.

I can already hear the cheers and cries of support for Brave from those who dislike Disney's "typical Princess films" wherein the princess are in pursuit of happily-ever-afters where a marriage always takes place. The demands for more spirited and independent woman have been growing louder and, it would seem, that Brave is Disney's answer. (Ironically, they are still marketing dolls and dresses featuring Brave characters. I was walking in the mall the morning after the movie was released and I saw two girls holding Merida dolls. Girls will still be drawn to girly things, but I guess it makes it better that she's Independent and doesn't get married on film. Still, I think it's kind of funny that they are marketing Merida dolls, in light of the message of this film. It would be more appropriate to market swords and bow and arrows.)

As Jonathan said after walking out of the theater - he is not opposed to the portrayal of strong women on film. He doesn't see anything wrong with strength of character in a female (thank you) and is not remotely put off by it except when it only comes about as portraying all male characters are complete buffoons. Unfortunately, that is exactly what takes place in Brave. The strong characters in this film are Merida and her mother, the Queen. King Fergus is a big-hearted but very silly man who can think of nothing but belching and fighting with the other men. When his wife requests his help in leading the family in any way, shape, or form, he's suddenly an unhelpful idiot, running from the responsibility. Life for him is all about war and smack talk. He likes to be loud and have fun. The clear head behind the throne is the Queen. It is she who "deals with the clans" when Merida enters the competition for her hand and it is she who is portrayed as having the most honor. Her husband is a mere puppet that she seems to keep around because it's tradition to have a male on the throne. She doesn't seem to have a great deal of respect for him at all. It is, in fact, Merida and her mother who save the day in this film as they both discover that taking hold of your "fate" and daring to dream differently than as society might expect - or find appropriate - is the way to go.

The above concern is our major beef with the film. None of the male characters are admirable and it is no thanks to them that society exists at all.



A few other reasons we did not care for the movie:

1. Nudity. Oh yes! In a Pixar film! The clan males are acting in a senseless manner and end up stranded and locked outside atop a huge tower. In order to get down off of the tower, they take off their kilts and make a huge kilt ladder. As they are walking away from the rope, back into the castle, we get a nice look at their bare backsides. (The audience audibly responded to the scene. Some laughed, some gasped and some, like me, sat infuriated that Disney decided to expose children to such things in animated films. I am not. impressed.)

Also, when the queen is magically changed from a bear into a woman, she is wrapped only in a piece of tapestry. It is very obvious that she doesn't have any clothes on (in fact) and is surrounded by clansman. She has to point out to her husband that she is naked and then tells him, "Well, don't stare at me!" when he does nothing immediately to help her out of her predicament. (He seems quite oblivious until she points out the obvious most of the time.) He has to be jolted out of his reverie into telling the other clansman to look away from his wife. Again, I was not remotely impressed with the decision to present this subject matter to children, as if it were normal. This film has the potential to desensitize children to serious moral issues in movies these days - relating to nudity and sexuality - and I'm quite shocked that I did not see this issue mentioned in any review we read before viewing the film. (Hello??!) To me, that's a big issue to discuss!

2. Merida has triplet little brothers who say nothing in the entire film but are in every way the most disobedient children that you could ever hope not to have to spend much time around. They steal food, make fun of people, are disrespectful, and constantly create havoc by generally running amok. Their parents do not pay attention to them and their behavior is atrocious. Yet, they were portrayed as characters who were supposed to be adding comic relief to the film. Personally, I didn't find them very funny at all.



3. The witch. Now, I don't mind witches in stories. I just wish it to be excessively clear when it is to be considered a good witch or a bad one. When you start bringing magic and witchcraft into a plot, I think you need to take care to be excessively clear whether this magic is good or bad. In the film Brave I did not feel like such a distinction was made. The witch made a powerful spell in a creepy sort of manner. She was creepy looking and she clearly had great power. Yet, at the same time, she was portrayed as being sort of funny. I made too many mental comparisons to her and Mama Odie in The Princess and the Frog (linked to my review) to feel comfortable with her. I think Disney is playing with darker magic in a loose fashion, causing youngsters (and their parents) to become confused about the difference between good and bad magic and its general usefulness in storytelling. Magic can be useful in a story but, again, I think it needs to be clear whether it is good or bad. In this case, there is no clear answer. Therefore I am nervous about it and am unable to find the film "cute" in the way I believe it was intended to come across.

In retrospect, this film has very little in it that I can support. There are no values I cherish (the values I do cherish were trashed) and I'm not at all enthusiastic about it. I wouldn't recommend it and would instead urge strong caution in exposing yourself to it. I do not say that because the film scares me, but because I think it markets false values. Chiefly, it portrays males en masse as stupid oafs who barely survive from day to day. There is no glory and no honor in being a man, according to this film. Just practice your belching and butt scratching and leave the important stuff to the women.

Suffice it to say, we didn't care for it and we can't recommend it. Our own children will not be watching this one at this time. (If we ever did watch it, it would be when they are old enough to discuss our issues with it.) That will not be happening anytime soon.

A Girl of the Limberlost, by Gene Stratton-Porter

I read A Girl of the Limberlost in conjunction with the Reading to Know book club. For those of you who are participating and reading along with us this month, the link up post will go up next Friday, June 29th. You have one week from today to complete your reading and write up a post!

Personally, I was glad that Stephanie from Simple Things selected this book for the book club as I had never read it. Having always heard such wonderful things about it, I felt deficient in some way and was happy for the excuse to rectify the situation. One afternoon a few weeks back I settled in to read it, feeling in the mood for a good piece of fiction and therefore I expected I'd plow right through it. Not so! I found it difficult to meander through. In the end, I believe I spent about two weeks reading this book (where I'd say something of this size and sort would normally only take me a few days). It took me a long time to engage with this story in a positive way.

If you are unfamiliar with the story of A Girl of the Limberlost, as I was, the basic plot is as follows:

Elnora Comstock is a poor high school student when this book opens. She lives in a cottage in the woods with her mother, who does not love her. Elnora can find no comfort or support from her mother when it comes to supplying for Elnora's financial needs as they relate to her going to school and so the girl begins to collect moths in the swap to sell to The Bird Lady. In this way, Elnora is able to finance her own way through high school. It is her plan to go straight from high school to college but various circumstances conspire against her and she is unable to go. This turns out to be a blessing in disguise as it is through her post high school struggles that she comes to realize that her mother really does love her. Furthermore, a young man enters the picture and Elnora predictably falls in love.

I had a very difficult time with this book, initially, due to the writing style of Gene Stratton-Porter. Before I began reading it, I was informed (I can't remember by who or where) that the author, born Geneva Grace Stratton, used a male pen name, as female writers were not as well accepted at the time this book was published (in 1909). I can't find any evidence online (in my quick perusals) that this was, in fact, the case. However, I can't imagine that anyone at any point in history would have been fooled into thinking that this book was authored by a man, given the vocabulary and dialogue within the page. (Let's face it, men don't typically use the word "goody!" when talking about anything.)

The dialogue between the characters went on endlessly, in my opinion. Each character shared too many of their inmost thoughts with one another. I felt like Stratton-Porter didn't trust her readers to catch on to the obvious relational difficulties and avoided any attempt at subtly in telling her story. Every relationship issue between Elnora and her mother, for example, had to be spelled out in nitty gritty detail in conversations with other characters. Most people do not casually drop references to the fact that they feel unloved by others, for instance. Elnora did this quite a few times in an unnatural way and it made it very difficult to take the book remotely seriously. However, by the second half, Stratton-Porter seemed to have gotten into her writing groove and Elnora spoke less frequently. A little more of the intricacies of various relationships were left to be inferred by the reader. By the end of the story, I found myself being able to relax and enjoy it for what it was. (However, this is not going to go down in history as my favorite story.)

What I find most interesting about this book, is learning about the lady who wrote it!

Fun facts:

* Geneva Grace Stratton was the youngest of 12 children.

* She hailed from Indiana.

* She never completed high school, but went on to become a successful novelist, amateur naturalist, photographer, as well as a movie producer! (I love that!)

* She and her husband, Charles, only had one daughter - Jeannette Stratton-Porter. Jeannette wrote and published a sequel to Freckles in 1929, after her mother's death.

* Charles and Gene purchased some land next to the Limberlost Swamp and built a FOURTEEN ROOM LOG CABIN which Stratton-Porter referred to as the "Limberlost Cabin." (I live in a log house. I'm fascinated by the idea of a FOURTEEN ROOM one. If you can't tell.) Here's a picture of it:



* Her popularity as a writer caused her to have to move from this house, in order to obtain some bit of privacy. (Sadness!)

* She eventually moved to Los Angeles (where she dabbled in the movie business).

* She was killed by a street car in Los Angeles. At the time of her death she was considered the most wealthy authoress in America and it was estimated that over half of the country's population was reading her books. (Given vocabulary words like "goody", I'm betting she was popular with the female half.) (Also, if you were a popular female author in the first half of this century, you really ought to have taken great care when around street cars. I'm thinking of Mitchell, of course.) She was buried in Hollywood, CA.

Here is a picture of Gene Stratton-Porter:



Am I glad I read this? Oh yes! I think it an important read as it relates to American literature. If I had read this when I was a teen, I bet I would have been enthralled with it! As a thirty-something year old, it just seemed a little over-the-top in the relationship-drama department. That said, it's not a story I'll soon forget and I found the authoress herself extremely fascinating. In the end, I recommend it. Thanks, Stephanie, for choosing this one!

Spring Reading Thing '12 : Conclusion

The end has come and I confess to not being ready for it. Yet, all good things must come to an end. I didn't meet all my goals (and am therefore annoyed at myself) but I did make some progress.

Here was My Post of Great Beginnings.

Here is what I accomplished from that original list (all linked to my reviews):

1. Escape from Camp 14 - I found this story to be intriguing, moving and powerful. It is not an easy read, but I rather recommend it all the same.



2. Family Vocation: God's Call in Marriage, Parenting and Childhood - I thought this one was so-so. It's not my favorite book on marriage and the family. It's also not my least favorite. (Which reminds me that I was going to create a post sharing my favorites for those who were interested to know what they are.)

3. The Secret Life of a Fool - Moderately interesting. I can see how this book would be a very useful tool for some.

4. Summer Lightning, by P.G. Wodehouse - Wodehouse is always good for a laugh.



5. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - This was a re-read for me and I'm so glad that I picked it up again! My opinion of it was altered by this particular reading. I was impressed by the value of re-reading books and plan to do that more often. Much more often!

6. Emma, by Jane Austen - Another re-read that made for pleasant company.



7. Pippi Longstocking - This was my first experience with Pippi and I'm inclined to say that it is my last. However, a re-read of this one outloud might change my opinion. I reserve the right to change my mind.

Of course, I also read many other books in addition to the ones listed above, but these were the ones I was primarily focused on getting to during the Spring Reading Thing challenge. Thank you, Katrina, for hosting this. You can bet I'll be participating in the Fall Into Reading Challenge which I hope organize my reading towards the end of the year.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to hosting The Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge next month. I'm ready to dive back into Narnia for a bit! Who's with me!?



HAPPY SUMMER TO YOU!

unPlanned, by Abby Johnson

Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line is simply this: A Must Read.

I was vaguely aware of her story when I picked up the book to read it, but not incredibly so. Abby Johnson was the director of one of the leading Planned Parenthood centers in the Houston area in 2009 when she was called in to witness an abortion. She was not usually in the room when an abortion was performed, but on this particular day she was called in to assist with an ultrasound-guided one. She watched as the baby's spine crumpled and its life was sucked away into a tube. This moment changed her life and this book tells of the dramatic change.

What I found interesting about Abby Johnson is that she consistently labeled herself a Christian and was following Christ. (I believe she was, by the way. I'm not doubting it.) Despite her Christian upbringing and leaning, she still felt as if abortions were a necessity for the health and safety of women. She explains in great detail how she began compromising her position on the value of life in college and how she ultimately became the director of this particular Planned Parenthood site. It is interesting to read her reflections on encounters with the pro-life movement during this time. I took her story for a warning to other Christians who are willing to compromise and say that abortions are ok in select situations.

To take even one step away from the position that God is the creator and sustainer of life is to begin walking down a slippery slope. Once you start making exceptions, going so far as to argue about when, exactly, life begins, it's hard to stop. We need to catch ourselves in the Word of God and find out what He has to say about such things and abide by His decree. He forms life inside the womb and it is His and His alone to take away. For a human to enter the womb and remove the life of another is murder. To call it less is to compromise and there can be no two ways about it. Either God is or God is not sovereign. Either God is or God is not Creator. Either God is or God is not to be trusted to be working for our good and for His glory. Yes, some lives are formed "accidentally" from a human's perspective - but never God's. That is something that I think Christians need to own post-haste and defend as truth forever after. No, we don't understand why certain things come to be (unplanned pregnancies included) but just because they happen doesn't mean that God fell off His throne or that there is suddenly no value in the life being formed. I think Abby Johson's story screams about the slippery slope of compromise and the costs associated with turning away from scripture.

The great thing about Unplanned is how Abby walks through her years as the Director, working in a place that performed abortions, while taking note of the pro-lifers who stood on the opposite side of her fence. She paints a wonderful picture of the pro-life movement on the whole, as particular members of it in her community reached out to her and let her know that they cared about her. She takes special care to encourage pro-lifers to approach the subject of abortion with calm humility and honest truth. Johnson never has been a fan of what she calls the "extremist" in the pro-life camp who yell, threaten abortionists and generally make a nuisance of themselves. The pro-lifers who spoke to the hearts of Abby and others in her Planned Parenthood center, were the ones who calmly stood outside the gate, praying and extending friendship. Her insight into the pro-life movement is particularly valuable as there is great passion within the ranks. (There is great passion on both sides.) Passion is good but it needs to be properly directed. I think Abby's point of view gives the pro-life movement something to consider. I appreciated hearing her take on things. Reading this book made me stop and think about how pro-lifers have come across as being more brash and in-your-face than I think they realized or even meant to be. Promoting thoughtful discussion on the topic of abortion is necessary while also being kind and loving. Still, we must take a stand for life and speak truth. A delicate balance is, I think, being achieved these days and that's in some part due to Johnson's experience which she is willing to share with others.

I heartily recommend and encourage you to read this book. Whether you are or are not pro-life, it's an interesting take on someone who "crossed over" the line and changed their position. Her change took place after a rather dramatic and horrifying incident which makes the book spell-binding to the very end. Her story made me think about abortion. It also made me think about the beauty that is adoption. What if my son's birth mother had decided to "take care of her problem" and had an abortion? He would never be. And our family would not look as it does. We would be different people. But his life was precious and she gave him the gift of it. How thankful I am!

Lastly, this book made me grateful for the grace of God who doesn't see fit to leave us as we are, but is always working on us and drawing us closer to Him.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

A Brief Announcement

It may come as a surprise to some (you can e-mail me on the side if you want to ask particular questions) but I'm officially back on staff at 5 Minutes for Books!





Here are a few Q&A's I can think to head off right off the bat:

Q: Why?
A: I like Jennifer? And being on staff there stretches me as a reader and a review writer.

Q: What does this mean for Reading to Know?
A: Nothing. I plan to keep this site very much as-is.

Q: How will this change your reading time?
A: I don't think it will change it very much. One thing I have learned the past couple of years is that reading time is incredibly valuable. I still have no intention of accepting books for review that do not spark a personal interest for me, either here or at 5 Minutes for Books.

Q: Will your writing style be different between the two sites?
A: I sincerely hope not. I am welcomed and encouraged to review books over there exactly as I do them here, and so that is my plan. Basically, it's just more book-ish thoughts from yours truly, on two different sites.

Q: Will you announce on Reading to Know when you've had a post go up over at 5 Minutes for Books?
A: Sometimes. Not all the time. Depends on whether or not I think my readers here will have a great interest in the book/thought being discussed.

My first post announcing my re-commitment to 5 Minutes for Books went up today. In it, I talk about the value of re-reading books. (Basically, that post is an extension of my meandering thoughts from Reading to Know.) Naturally, I'm curious for your thoughts on this post as it's something that several of us have been discussing of late.

In the meantime, Reading to Know is business as usual. That is all. Thank you. ;)

A post that is more or less about Emma, by Jane Austen

What is there to say about Emma which has not already been said? I hardly think that I can add anything to the world's discussion, except to document some of my experiences in re-reading this classic.

For starters, I have to tell you that I found this Jane Austen collection at our local used bookstore which I snatched up instantly. I already owned the works of Jane Austen but my previous copies were not 6x4"! I've scoured Google and Amazon and can't find the collection listed anywhere (even the website on the back of my book is no longer valid) but I did find the ISBN number for it on Amazon and I've linked to that. (It's remarkably cheap and incredibly cute.) I think it fitting to read Austen from tiny Austen-sized books! The cover art that you see here, is not of Emma but it is the only picture from the series of books that I could find online. As the Amazon reviewer mentions, the font in the book is small but, still, it adds to the experience. I quite liked reading this smaller edition. It also received compliments wherever I took it.

Mostly, my pint-sized edition received compliments from Emergency Room nurses who watched me read it during one extremely annoying Saturday morning wherein I spent 4 hours in the ER (for myself). (I'm fine. No worries. I made incredible progress with my book.) All of the nurses coo-ed over it. Then I was wheeled back for a CT scan (again, really...no worries) I had the following conversation with the male attendant:

MA: What are you reading?
Me: Emma.
MA: Oh. Huh. Any good?
Me: (With an inward sigh of despair.) Yes.
MA: Have you ever read _________ (insert someone whose name I've forgotten but who writes modern thrillers)?

When a reader walks into the ER with a classic work of literature, you can actually add more pain to their experience by declaring that you'd never heard of it before. (Sigh.) At any rate, I made it through the ER experience just fine (I'm all good now! Really!) and also made it halfway through Emma before I finally got to go home.

I was charmed completely by this read through. I must have read it last at the beginning of my college experience. As it happens quite frequently, time and space cause me to forget the details of the story so although I'm familiar with the storyline, many aspects of it are brand new (all over again). I guess that's the beauty of a bad memory. (Although I've come to realize lately that my memory isn't exactly bad. If I experienced a traumatic event, I remember it in great detail. If I'm perfectly happy with something, I only think on it pleasantly and have forgotten the greater details. Wrong? I think yes.)

My favorite passage this time is as follows:

It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successively, without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury to body or mind; - but when a beginning is made - when the felicities of rapid motion have once been, though slightly, felt - it must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more. (Chapter Twenty-four)

I think that is a very true statement. If you have never danced, you simply do not know what you are missing. If you have danced and enjoyed it, and haven't had the pleasure of a waltz most recently, you miss it something fierce. The moment your knees bend and the 'felicities of rapid motion' have begun, the spirit starts to soar a bit. (I realize she was making fun, in part, of the desire to dance - but still.)

The following quote is just, well, me when I was "just friends" with Jonathan and wished to remain so in exactly the way we were. (I wouldn't have minded it if we were more than friends at the time, mind you. But my lips were sealed tight on that subject. It was up to him to say something, after all! So long as we could continue on as friends. . . )

Could she be secure of that, indeed, of his never marrying at all, she believed she should be perfectly satisfied. - Let him but continue the same Mr. Knightly to her and her father, the same Mr. Knightly to all the world; let Donwell and Hartfield never lose none of their precious intercourse of friendship and confidence, and her peace would be fully secured. (Chapter 48)

Emma ends up being just as glad as I that her Mr. Knightly spoke in favor of marriage. (Whew!)

I also recently got together with my in-town friend to watch the 2009 BBC Version of Emma and we both loved it thoroughly. The only big variation it takes is in the opening scenes. In the BBC version it starts with Emma, Frank and Jane Fairfax as children. Otherwise, it follows the book closely and as it is a four part mini series, it also covers the story very well. I believe actress Romola Garai did justice to the role of Emma and it was a thorough delight. I heartily recommend it!



Watching the movie is definitely an experience which is made far richer by reading the book again. I felt I could appreciate it more fully and with greater understanding. Either which way (book or movie) I enjoyed my re-reading experience.

And now I shall stop rambling.

It's My Birthday Memory Album

It's My Birthday: A Celebration of My First 18 Years is a memory album which has recently been released by Peter Pauper Press. I was definitely curious to check it out, thinking that if I liked it well enough, I'd purchase a copy for each of our children.

Children do love birthdays and scrapbooks of themselves. I've tried hard to scrapbook for them but, as it goes, the more children who have entered into our family, the less time I find myself with to scrapbook! It's a fun hobby, and a great way to make and keep memories for our kids. I just lack the necessary time. Hence, I wanted to look into It's My Birthday: A Celebration of My First 18 Years. It is a colorful three-ring binder with 80 birthday pages for you to fill in. The pages allow you to document your children's birthdays, year by year, from birth to age 18. (Clever subtitle, that!) There are photo pages (like you might see in an "old fashioned" photo album) to include extra photos of your birthday boy or girl. Then there are designated areas to include things like hand and foot prints and particular memories.

Each year there are a series of questions for the parents and then the child to answer. These questions include things like:

* What type of cake and ice cream was served
* Favorite food that year
* Favorite books
* Highlights of the past year
* Friends
* Favorite color
* Etc.

I thought the book was rather cute and useful until I got to the pages designated for ages 9-18. The questions that you are to fill out include ones such as, "Things I Wanted But My Parents Said No To" and "Things I Don't Mind Doing With My Family." I was not fond of those sections and felt they just fed into the general idea that people have these days that children and parents will fight and the adolescent years are the worst of a person's life. (I'm not saying that things between parents and child do not change in the teenage years or that you will not have struggles. I remember my teenage years. But they were not terrible.) But for those questions, I would be able to recommend this book whole heartedly as a useful way to easily preserve some memories of your children's lives. (Particularly if you are not big on scrapbooking to begin with!) Other questions for the teen years include:

* Favorite movies
* Favorite TV shows
* Favorite teachers
* What I want to be When I Grow Up
* Etc.

I probably won't be buying copies for each of my kids as a result of the concerns I have about the questions I mentioned. But I don't mind reviewing it all the same because you might simply choose to overlook those questions. (Or, you might not care about them as I do.) It's not a bad book - I just wish that they hadn't focused on any aspect of teenage angst. I have a feeling that this is not something that either parents or child which to fixate on or remember.

So, there you have my honest thoughts!

Thanks to Peter Pauper Press for shooting a copy my way. I appreciated the opportunity to check this title out!

Bloggy Housekeeping

The summer is upon us! (Or, at least, it's upon most of us and some of us are still waiting for it.) As such, we're all busy with travels, outdoor activities and the like. FREE TIME (sorta)!

For the remainder of the summer (June - August) I'm going to cut my posts back to three times a week. I plan to maintain a M/W/F schedule.

I still have books to review, a book club to host, as well my own personal reading. As this is a "online reading diary" of sorts, I can't exactly stop posting because I will never stop reading! (So there! ha!) Speaking of things to host and fun reading challenges (which we weren't, but now we are) I want to remind you that the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA READING CHALLENGE IS COMING!!!!! (I'm not even the slightest bit excited as you can clearly see.) I love this challenge and eagerly anticipate it!



The goal? To spend the month of July reading as much about Narnia as possible. You have the whole month to read individual stories in The Chronicles of Narnia or to watch the movies, listen to audio books or read books about Narnia or C.S. Lewis. Whatever you have the time to do, I invite you to do. As you proceed through this Challenge, write up various posts about what you have read or your thoughts and impressions. On Monday, July 30th we will conclude the challenge and at that time I will invite you to share your posts with us.

On this one, I highly encourage the anticipation of children. Last year I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to bookworm1. (Linked to our thoughts.) He loved it so much that we went on to read Prince Caspian. Here are some fun "Narnia toys" (which aren't really officially Narnia toys but are much easier to come by and quite fun). Enjoying Narnia alone is a treat. Enjoying it with others makes it infinitely sweeter.

The adventure begins Monday, July 2nd!

In the meantime, enjoy the start of your summer and HAPPY (continued!) READING!



The sun is starting to make sporadic appearances in these parts!

WINNERS (A Woman's Wisdom)

Honestly, I wish I had a copy to give away to everyone of you who took the time to read through this past week's posts and leave thoughtful comments in response. Thank you for sharing. (And now I have a few e-mails to write!) ;)

Here are the five winners, as selected by random.org, from each post:

Day 1: #15 - Kristin (See Mommy Sew)

Day 2: #3 - Sherry (Beautifully Treasured)

Day 3: #17 - Diary of an Autodidac

Day 4: #10 - Alison (Who really needs a blog. Hint, hint.) ;)

Day 5: #11 - Caroline (Green Velvet Couch)

I am in the process of e-mailing the winners. If you see your name here first, feel free to e-mail me your mailing address.

Congratulations!

In case you missed the discussions, here are the links:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

A Woman's Wisdom, by Lydia Brownback: Part 5

Today I've invited my friend Heather from Do Not Let This Universe Forget You to share her thoughts on A Woman's Wisdom: How the Book of Proverbs Speaks to Everything, by Lydia Brownback.

DON'T SKIM THIS POST! I think Heather has some pretty awesome things to say here.

******

Wisdom and Foolishness: Two Women found in the Proverbs

To a single woman living in the 21st century, virtues like purity and chastity seem quaint and old fashioned. Right now over half the children born to women under the age of 30 are born out of wedlock. It seems to be a given that couples will cohabitate before they marry. And even Christian couples seem to struggle with the seriousness of sexual compromise. I recently read an article that cited over 60% of evangelicals when asked whether the church should supply birth control to singles, answered in the affirmative. And the temptations aren't limited to the unmarried. We hear of church leaders caught seeking intimacy outside their marriages. Sometimes even "harmless" friendship with someone other than your spouse, crosses the line into a little flirtation, often deemed harmless but never is.

A Woman's Wisdom, by Lydia Brownback has honest and necessary advice for wisely safeguarding our sexuality. First, Brownback goes back to basics and explains why sexual sin is bad. This may seem a little simplistic, but I know of many women who call themselves Christians but turn a blind eye to sexual sin. From flirtation to cohabitation they find a way to excuse it. Some Christian women will grudgingly admit that premarital sex is wrong but don't do anything about the chain of events leading up to premarital sex (flirting, inappropriate touching, or just putting themselves in situations where temptation is heightened). Still others might not even admit that premarital sex is that bad protesting that "everyone does it" or "but we just love each other." Brownback takes our thoughts back to God. "Nowhere in Scripture do we read that sex is okay if you love someone enough. Nor do we find passages that address the oft asked question, "How far can I go before it's sinful?" To even ask this question is to reveal a divided heart.”[1]

Then Brownback takes us through the picture of the immoral women, found mainly in Proverbs 5 and 7, but referred to in other parts of the book. She’s also known as the adulterous woman, or the strange woman if you’re really old school. Brownback uses her to depict the opposite of the Proverbs 31 woman, a woman who lives without wisdom.

This is around when I began to squirm uncomfortably. Not because Brownback is in any way explicit, but because I felt fairly confident that I couldn’t possibly be at all like the immoral woman. After all, I’m not rushing out to the streets and catching young men who lack sense, but Brownback opens up the picture of this woman to reveal how she might not be so far from all our hearts after all. What stood out to me in particular was the immoral woman is a discontented woman. “She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home;” (Proverbs 7:11). Have you ever been a single woman angry at God for not providing a husband? Have you ever been a married woman discontent with the husband God gave you? Have you ever been a woman upset because her life or marriage or career or house doesn’t look the way you wanted? I guess this strange woman isn’t so strange after all.

There is something I’d like to commend Brownback for saying. On the immoral woman’s tendency to fuel her lust, Brownback says, “Lust is typically thought of as a man’s issue, but that’s incorrect. Lust is not a gender issue; it’s an opportunity issue.”[2] I’ve been waiting a long time for someone to admit that. In this culture, lust is particularly hard to avoid and the denial of women’s struggle with it, by well meaning Christians, is not helpful. I also think it leads women to think their lust is somehow ok, perhaps more innocent than a man’s. But Brownback doesn’t just stop there. She doesn’t just acknowledge that “everyone does it” and shrug her shoulders and say there is nothing we can do. She offers concrete practical steps we can take to flee temptation. Mostly she reiterates that we can’t do it alone, only by cultivating the type of wisdom that comes from the knowledge of God and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

After the bleak picture of the immoral woman, Brownback brings us to the last chapter of her book, the picture of what a wise woman really does look like. She ends with a look at the Proverbs 31 woman. We Christian women definitely know about her. We’ve heard about her so much, that we may be tempted to groan when we read that this is the last chapter in Brownback’s book.

I was recently talking with a friend when the subject of the Proverbs 31 woman came up. “She makes me feel so guilty!” my friend confessed. I wondered why this was. Why Proverbs 31 and not Hebrews 11 (the faith in action chapter), or even the list of the fruits of the Spirit? I wondered if perhaps my friend had come across too many discussions of the Proverbs 31 woman as a guidebook for how to be a better person. And upon finding that this woman is too high an ideal, became frustrated in this approach.

Lydia Brownback takes a fresh look at the Proverbs 31 woman by first of all pointing out the structure of the poem. “Proverbs 31:10-31 is a poem set in the form of an acrostic, which means that each stanza begins with a different letter of the alphabet, in this case the Hebrew alphabet.”[3] Not only that but the poem is set in a chiastic structure (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiastic_structure this link should be attached to the words “chiastic structure”) with the focus being on verse 23, “Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.” So really, the onus of Proverbs 31 is actually on men to be wise in their search for a wife who could bring him respect or shame. Since it was written by the mother of King Lemuel as advice on finding a suitable partner, this makes sense.

This is not to imply, however, that we ladies are off the hook. Brownback presents the Proverbs 31 woman not as someone we can use as a formula to mold ourselves into the ideal woman, but as a portrait of what wisdom, and ultimately the fear of the Lord, looks like. “What we are to glean from her is a heart attitude - what about her heart enables her to live the life she does? Her life is a picture of what happens when everything else in Proverbs is applied. She exemplifies wisdom.”[4]

The end chapter gives us hope for not becoming an ideal, but for how beautiful wisdom is. It leaves us encouraged to grow closer to Jesus Christ and immerse ourselves in His word daily. She ends by saying, “That’s why growing in wisdom means looking more at Christ than at the Proverbs 31 woman. We cannot be like her by ourselves. We can only do it in dependence on Christ, because he is our wisdom.”[5] All I can say is “AMEN!”


[1] Lydia Brownback, A Woman's Wisdom: How the Book of Proverbs Speaks to Everything (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2012), page 142
[2] Ibid., 145
[3] Ibid., 163
[4] Ibid., 166
[5] Ibid., 186

*****

I am pleased to announce that Crossway Books offered up one copy per day of this book to be given away to one of you! Today's winner is: Caroline (Green Velvet Couch)

Congratulations!

To read the rest of this week's discussion, click on the following links:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5