2020 - Second Quarterly Review

To assist my blog readers, I summarize my reading four times a year, providing a brief description, the page count, and a grading scale (5 thumbs up - Highly Recommend, 4 thumbs up - Enjoyed, 3 thumbs up - Good, but not as satisfying as I'd hoped, 2 thumbs up - Meh, and 1 thumb down - Regret, wishing I could get back the time invested). I read the following books during the second quarter of 2020 (for my full review, click on title):

Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path by Nicole Gulotta - Gulotta covers the many seasons on the writing path and the courage it takes to persist. Now I want to find her other book, Eat This Poem! - 198 pages, 👍👍👍👍

This Tender Land by William Kent Kreuger - After twelve-year-old Odie O'Banion commits a crime, he takes off in a canoe along with his older brother, Albert, an Indian boy, and a young orphaned girl. A modern-day Huckleberry Finn with plenty of classic appeal and much to ponder. 464 pages - 👍👍👍👍-1/2

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - January Scaller finds a book that tells of ten thousand doors to ten thousand different worlds and must journey through some of them to find her true parents and her purpose. 384 pages (I listened in audio form, 10 CDs, 12-1/2 hours) - 👍👍👍

The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone's Mind by Jonah Berger - Even the most stubbornly held beliefs and actions can be changed if you approach an individual in the right manner. Berger outlines the five heel-digging attitudes that inhibit changed minds and offers advice for how to counteract the resistance. 288 pages - 👍👍👍

Five Pages a Day: A Writer's Journey by Peg Kehret - This book, recommended years ago by my mother, inspires writers to the discipline and persistence of writing five pages a day and sending something off every Friday. 185 pages - 👍👍👍👍-1/2

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo - Raymie Clarke wants to win a beauty contest so her picture will go in the paper and win back her father, but she ends up on another path altogether and saves a friend. 263 pages - 👍👍👍

The Case for Miracles: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Supernatural by Lee Strobel - Presenting evidence from scholars both for and against the presence of miracles in our modern day, Strobel offers fascinating examples, compelling arguments, and important thoughts on God's supernatural activities in our fallen world. 320 pages - 👍👍👍👍-1/2

The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King - A biography of the gentle man who inspired countless individuals to manage their feelings and pursue kindness - "if it is mentionable; it is manageable." 320 pages (I listened in audio form, 11 CDs, 14 hours) - 👍👍👍-1/2

Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo - Louisiana Elefante's granny wakes her at 3 in the morning, packs her in the car, and takes off for destinations unknown. In the midst of the crazy journey, Louisiana must figure out who she is and where she wants to live. 240 pages - 👍👍👍-1/2

Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life by Dani Shapiro - A collection of small essays on writing, full of personal anecdotes, bits of wisdom, and words of encouragement. 240 pages - 👍👍👍-1/2

Walking Through Twilight by Douglas Groothuis -  A Christian philosopher shares his life experience dealing with a brilliant wife who loses her articulation and her processing abilities in a battle with primary progressive aphasia. Tragic and tender. 176 pages - 👍👍👍-1/2

Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo - Beverly Tapinski runs away from home, finds a job, moves in with a stranger in a trailer park, and makes friends with a bullied boy. Wanted more redemption. 256 pages - 👍👍-1/2

The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life by Melanie Shankle - Shankle provides a humorous, insightful look at the power and problem of marriage. 224 pages (I listened in audio form, 4 CDs, 4-1/2 hours) - 👍👍👍-1/2

Virgil Wander by Leif Enger - After a near-death experience, Virgil re-evaluates his life and purpose in a small, struggling Minnesota town as the owner of the town's movie theater. 352 pages - 👍👍👍👍

A Beautiful Mess: How God Re-creates Our Lives by Danielle Strickland - Following God's pattern of creation, Strickland outlines how we can go from chaos to order and purpose in our lives. 128 pages - 👍👍👍-1/2

Hometown Legend by Jerry B. Jenkins - A defeated team and town must choose to rely on faith in the midst of loss. 320 pages (I listened in audio form, 6 cassettes, 8.75 hours) - 👍👍👍

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt - Being a pastor's son is never easy, but in 1912, combine that with befriending a girl from across the racial divide, and the odds stack higher. Schmidt weaves a fiction from historical fact, full of struggle and redemption, full of the wonder of touching a whale and the difficulty of facing loss. 224 pages - 👍👍👍👍-3/4

It's Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered by Lysa TerKeurst - Such a strong motivational book about giving your disappointments to God and allowing Him to shape the dross into reams of gold. 256 pages - 👍👍👍👍

Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir by Carolyn Weber - A memoir of the author's path to conversion while studying at Oxford University. 474 pages - 👍👍👍

When You Love a Prodigal: 90 Days of Grace for the Wilderness by Judy Douglass - This book of 90 essays with reflective questions to ponder aids parents of prodigals by reminding us (sadly I'm in that camp) that God is our supreme source of comfort and strength. As God woos our prodigals, He also sculpts us into His image so that we can, like Him, offer scandalous grace. - 240 pages, 👍👍👍👍

Book Review: When You Love a Prodigal

Motherhood is the toughest job I've ever encountered. Plus, it feels like the most important job to get right. And, oh, the unsought advice and unwelcome criticism it opens for us. How easy it is for someone else to judge and say, "Well, I wouldn't have handled the child that way! It's no wonder he's going astray!" I don't bristle because I think I never fail. I'm sure I do. Thus, I devoured a Crosswalk article titled "Five Ways You May Be Ruining Your Child's Life," a list that didn't help me in the slightest. Then, I opened an email from Million Praying Moms titled "For the Mom Who Thinks She's Failing Miserably." Instead of an article I could skim, I had to listen through a podcast (about losing tempers with small children) that left my needs unmet. I mused, "Yeah, but these women are not encountering the devastation and challenge I'm walking through with my wayward son."

Thankfully, the very next MPM podcast episode interviewed Judy Douglass. She is familiar with the rebellion I'm facing now. I discovered her book, When You Love a Prodigal: 90 Days of Grace for the Wilderness. Even though it is a 90 day devotional, I devoured it in a few days, eager for the encouragement. Judy offers her story but primarily focuses on God as a resource and strong tower amid questions, despair, and fear.

Some individuals in my life believe I am not tough enough on my rebel. I appreciated Judy's observation that "tough love is not always God's approach." In the prodigal son story in the Bible, the father did not tie down the rebellious son or refuse to allow him to leave. He stood ready to welcome him back with open arms. I agree with Judy's statement: "It takes supernatural wisdom to blend justice based on truth with benevolence based on grace." I may long to be in control, but his rebellion will not lift because I execute and enforce rules. That is the very nature of rebellion, violent or open resistance to established authority. God must change his heart, and on this tough road He is not only refining my prodigal, but He is refining ME!

Any parent of a prodigal will appreciate the essays and reflective questions. Judy doesn't shy away from the hard places, but stirs hope and peace to cover the pain. Her foremost message is that God is trustworthy and, above all, gracious. He has a plan and can grow both prodigal and parent through the trials of rebellion. I agree. My son is a GIFT! Even the anxiety he induces is something to thank God for and to assist me in recognizing that all hope comes from God, the only genuine source of comfort, peace, and control. This path will not be an easy one. I have no way of knowing how long we must walk it or how it will end, but "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day!" (2 Timothy 1:12).

Side note: HE IS ABLE TO KEEP - I am neither responsible for nor capable of mustering, in my own strength, the necessary faith to face these challenges. Praise God, it is HE who keeps us, not ourselves! His grace saved me; His grace keeps me; His grace will lead me home.

Book Review: Surprised by Oxford

The best thing about reading Carolyn Weber's memoir? Reliving some wonderful memories of the times and experiences I had while studying at Oxford with the Wheaton-in-England program. I could relate to so many little nuances and highlights. I recall getting sick while there, trapped in my tiny room alone. In the summer of 1984, long before cell phones and e-mail, my homesickness (like Carolyn's) almost derailed me. Plus, so many little tidbits about Oxford (places I visited, words I encountered, impressions I had) were familiar and nostalgic. In some ways, it was like stepping back in time.

In other ways, it felt unfamiliar. Perhaps it is because even though I studied at Oxford, it was under our own professors, so I suppose my encounters can't really align to Carolyn's. The dialogue in this book may have been embellished to increase the drama and tension (as my friend Catherine observed in her review), but I know that my colleagues didn't spout memorized passages of poetry and profound expressions of enlightenment. Even while I wondered at the author's ability to recall such intense and ornate discussions, her storytelling pulled me in thoroughly. The characters were interesting. The shock factor of the initial conversation where her Christian professor stuns her with his use of a swear word came around full circle in the ending comments from that professor's wife. The reader walks alongside the struggle as the author moves from Christian opponent to proponent.

I loved many of her observations:

"I now understand why the words conversation and conversion are evocative of each other, turning toward each other, yet separated merely by where you are 'at.' All being said, it was probably [his] unwavering tone of patience, respect, and kindness that spoke more to me than all the syllogisms or intellectual arguments put together."

She also highlighted a friend's instruction about leaving the spoon in the teacup while you pour the tea because the metal in the spoon serves as a conductor to keep the china from cracking at the introduction of the hot water. I loved that illustration. Fear can break us apart, but we need the tempering God offers in the midst of the heat of life.

If you are interested in conversion stories, this one was interesting and full of literary flair (an immense number of literary references). Lit-lovers or Oxford aficionados will dance through the pages. Those seeking a winding love story will appreciate that element. The author gives a nod to C.S. Lewis's love relationship in his book, Surprised by Joy, and mentions the Inklings enough to satisfy fans of Lewis or Tolkien. For me, I enjoyed this walk down memory lane.

Book Review: It's Not Supposed to Be This Way

I was glad when my library began to offer drive-up services. I put a hold on Lysa Terkeurst's It's Not Supposed to Be This Way in audio. I was quickly drawn into the tale of her life and admired both her vulnerability and humility. I've had my share of "it wasn't supposed to be this way" moments. I needed this reminder to place it all, the dust and debris and disappointments of our lives, into God's hands and allow him to spit life into it and form something anew.

Toward the end of the audiobook, she talked about a concept I've already had cemented into my head in other terms. I've mentioned before, the sermon I heard as a teen where the preacher emphasized "what has your attention, has you" repeatedly, until I held it fast in my brain. I like the way Lysa put it - "I will steer where I stare." Such a succinct and potent truth. I wanted to take down her "fighting words," so I secured the e-book from Hoopla and discovered further gems at the end of each chapter (questions to ponder and Scripture to penetrate). So, I think I would recommend the physical book over the audiobook. Indeed, I may have to check the physical book out from the library so I can photocopy the "fighting words" in Chapter Ten. If you are facing disappointments or a situation you didn't anticipate or want, please allow the words of this book (and of The Book she quotes throughout) to penetrate the emotions of your trial. And by all means, be careful where you focus your attention, because you will certainly steer the car of your life in the direction you stare.

Forgiveness and Redemption Movies

I love books and movies about forgiveness and redemption. This is probably because I so desperately need forgiveness and redemption in my life. My mistakes and faults are numerous. Oh, how I need the grace of God and others!

Even though many of the pandemic restrictions are lifting, I still attempt to shelter in place as much as possible. Home is safety and security in an increasingly unstable world. Thankfully, besides reading (easier now than when the pandemic started), I have been watching some noteworthy movies and shows. I'm grateful for the Hoopla resources and Amazon Prime.

Back in October 2019, I read Simon Winchester's book, The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary (my review here). I discovered the 2019 movie version of the book on Hoopla and eagerly watched. All the while, I thought in my head, "Now here's a movie my husband would enjoy." He is most particular and quite fed up with modern fare, full of foul language, superfluous sexuality, and intense violence. I warned him that some aspects of the movie are loathsome, but necessary to express the tale of redemption. So, after viewing it alone, I watched again with my husband. I was right - he said it was a fascinating and thought-provoking movie.

If you are looking for a movie that fleshes out themes of forgiveness and redemption, this overlooked 2019 production of The Professor and the Madman satisfies. I marveled at the forgiveness and love offered by the victim's wife to the madman. Yet, Dr. Minor struggles with accepting her forgiveness (and God's) believing he must somehow make his own atonement for his sins (one of his more atrocious, disturbing acts). In his attempt to make up for her loss, the doctor improves this woman's financial and educational lot in life. Although he has shattered her life, in some ways, he has also saved her life and the lives of her children, in giving her the power of words. Though his mental illness harms society, it also profits society.

And once again (as in my book review), I kept reflecting on the precise timing and gracious redemption of Dr. Minor's story. If he hadn't been a doctor in the Civil War, he might not have done the atrocious things required (branding awol soldiers and severing gangrenous limbs). Without that devastating experience, he might not have gone mad. If not mad, he might not have murdered. Thanks to the verdict of insanity, he was secluded in an asylum at just the right time to encounter the professor's plea for help with the dictionary. Without Dr. Miner's time and tenacity, we might not have the OED as a resource today (they may have given up on the tremendous task). Moreover, we might not know this extraordinary example of God's gracious redemption of sin, pain, and suffering. The movie provides so much to contemplate about sin and the prevenient grace of God (God loved us while we were sinners - our depravity deserved death, but God offered grace).

Another outstanding opportunity through Hoopla - the chance to take in Cameron Mackintosh's 25th Anniversary performance of the musical Les Miserables. After completing college, I spent six months working in London on a student work visa. During that time, I snagged a rare treat. I secured a second-row seat for Les Miserables (off to the side, mind you, in a restricted view area - although I thought the view excellent) at the student fee of 5 pounds. What a marvelous experience. I ended the evening with the purchase of a tape of the performance and a mug.

I listened to that tape often enough to have the words of almost every song memorized. However, this 25th anniversary celebration provided the entire story in song (different from the musical I viewed way back in 1987). It was a rich and thrilling show! I wouldn't suggest it to my husband, because although it is a tale full of forgiveness and redemption, I had forgotten how many of the lyrics are rather raunchy in tone. Then again, the pristine doesn't require redemption.

It was magnificent! I couldn't help but sing along. So many fabulous soloists - young Cosette ("Castle on a Cloud"), Eponine ("On My Own"), Marius ("Drink With Me"), Gavroche, and of course, Jean Valjean ("Who am I?" and "Bring Him Home"). Talk about a tale of redemption! If you're unfamiliar with Victor Hugo's story, it is a must read. It tells of Jean Valjean, a man who steals a loaf of bread, serves his time, and then flees for years from a policeman who is intent on re-capturing him (despite the remarkable gift of grace that has turned Valjean to a life of redemptive sacrifice and service). One minor act of forgiveness (the priest's assertion that Valjean didn't steal his silver, but forgot to take the gifted candlesticks, as well), propels grace upon so many other lives. What powerful juxtapositions: Valjean's grace next to Javert's vengeance; Valjean's acceptance of grace and Javert's suicide because he cannot accept Valjean setting him free; the contrast between mercy and the law (as Javert sings in "Stars" - "those who falter and fall must pay the price"). Impressive!

Then I found another convicting movie called End of the Spear. I was already familiar with the story of the five missionary men who lost their lives trying to witness to a savage tribe in Ecuador. Since several of them attended Wheaton College (my alma mater), I had heard the devastating details and even had a close friendship with the niece of the widow Elisabeth Elliot (Jim Elliot, one of the five, is most known for his quote, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.")

Presented from the perspective of Steve Saint (a mere child when natives speared his pilot father, Nate Saint), End of the Spear is a magnificent tale of forgiveness and redemption. After the five men died, the wives and their children moved to live with the violent tribe and show them the personal forgiveness that wooed them to God's ultimate forgiveness. The ensuing friendship between Steve and the man who killed his father is a testament to what God can do in a heart. Convicting! I struggle with forgiving far lesser offenses. Indeed, what is a marital conflict over parenting tactics when held against the murder of a family member? Why do I worry about offending others by speaking of my faith? Oh, for the depth of grace and forgiveness shown in these movies and the unwavering dedication to sharing the gospel of salvation from sin through Christ's death on a cross. I need that constant reminder from Matthew 6:14-15: "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Book Review: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy - Highly Recommend

How sad I'll be when I have no more unread Gary D. Schmidt books! What an outstanding author! He taps the heart of things and communicates significant truths packed in the garments of story. Published in 2004, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy is an earlier book, but just as powerful as The Wednesday Wars, Okay for Now, Orbiting Jupiter, and Trouble. Indeed, it was a Printz Honor book and a 2005 Newbery Honor book. Thankfully, I have a few more Schmidt books to read if I can lay my hands on them (at least one of them is available in audio form on Hoopla).

I had to read bits of this aloud to my boys because I knew they would sympathize with the protagonist,  Turner Buckminster. After a horrific introduction to his new life as the minister's son in Phippsburg, Maine, all Turner wants to do is run away. He doesn't fit in a town full of bullying peers and cantankerous elderly neighbors. The church elders are eager to clear out a shanty town on a nearby island, to make room for a lucrative tourist resort, and hope to garner Reverend Buckminster's support. Lizzie Bright lives on that island and becomes Turner's only friend. But it is 1912, and others frown on his associations with a young black girl. (Indeed, what a timely tale! If we all worked on building cross-cultural relationships, we might bridge the racial divide.)

The characters are endearing. Turner's struggles are excruciating. The plot pacing perfect! While this is a sad book (death occurs), it also speaks of hope and redemption. What a wonderful piece of historical fiction, spurring universal inspiration to seek love and justice. Schmidt proves, once again, that he weaves wonder in the ordinary struggles of life. Perhaps it appeals to me more as a pastor's kid, but I think it will hold equal appeal to other readers and would be a superb selection for teachers seeking relevant literature to discuss race and justice in classrooms today.

Book Review: Hometown Legend

This was not a book I normally would have picked up or read. I'm sure Jerry Jenkins is a fine writer (I've listened to several of his writing tips and even considered joining his writing course). Still, I don't seek football books, unless I'm skimming them to offer them to my sons. If I recall, the library had an audio book sale, clearing out their old cassette fare. I purchased a Maeve Binchy, and you got one free, thus Hometown Legend came home in my bag.

Cal Sawyer owns a failing company that produces leather footballs. His business provides employment for many in his struggling town. But business isn't the only thing drying up. The once vibrant high school football team's only hope is in the return of a coach who lost his son during the last game he coached. Can Cal save the business? Will the coach rouse his players to victory? What does it take to have a faith that endures through loss?

I enjoyed the narration, and the story was interesting. It has everything a football fan could want: a down-on-its-luck team, a town fighting extinction, a drifter with wicked talent, and even a few dashes of romance. Still, it felt predictable, and the happy ever-after ending seemed too sunny. While the book conveys that winning isn't the primary goal, and that genuine faith persists despite loss, the message is packed in almost too neat a package. The book released on September 10th, 2001, so its timeline doesn't reflect America's reality. Who knows? If my sons want to watch the movie version, available through Amazon Prime, I might be game.

Book Review: A Beautiful Mess

One thing I love about my Salvation Army heritage is the ability to go anywhere and find others who immediately feel like family because they share mutual friends, live similar lives, and hold comparable values. When I lived in London for a time, after my college graduation, I attended the Army there and fielded questions about Salvationists back home. They broke with tradition and allowed me to rehearse with their senior band (they didn't allow women in British senior bands then - oh the indignity!). We rehearsed pieces written by mutually familiar composers.

I can normally walk into an Army service in another city, state, or country and find some connection to the people. Yet, it is rare to be in another church setting and discover people who know of some Salvationist. Danielle Strickland holds such a following and I've run into several non-Army friends who have heard her speak. She is a dynamic speaker, writer, and advocate. (Here's a 3 minute clip where she presents a snippet of the message of this book.)

Her biography on Amazon supports the buzz - "author of 5 books, host of DJStrickland Podcast, and founder of Infinitum, Amplify Peace, Brave Global and Women Speakers Collective." This book, A Beautiful Mess: How God Recreates Our Lives, conveys a powerful message in a tiny capsule. Using a framework of God's process of creation, Strickland identifies the order God brings to our lives from chaos. She challenges us not to run from chaos, but to embrace this divine pattern toward order and purpose.

I loved her illustrations. When learning to swim, we must let go and plunge into the scary water. She mentioned the Magic Eye images - something I recently passed along to Trevor. He figured out how to see the hidden images faster than I had when I first encountered them. You must train your eye to take in the complete image, to allow your eyes to catch the outline of what is hidden within the bigger picture. An example, taken from Henri Nouwen, talked about the importance of our reliance and trust in God, just as a trapeze artist can only take impressive risks when he/she has absolute trust in the catcher.

She writes, "Our connections, our desires, our relationships need to be tended to like a garden." Plus, she reminded me that every season of life has its own purpose and glory (here's an excellent blog post she wrote about reclaiming desert spaces). It is wrong to assume our work or success determines our value and even while I know that, I often live with that assumption, anyway. We were made in the image of God to reflect His divinity to a fallen world desperately in need of Him. Her reference to Mother Teresa's directive challenged me: "Spend an hour with God each day and don't do anything you know is wrong." Excellent words to follow.

As a writer, I couldn't help but take down the many reflective questions offered at the end of each chapter. These will serve as prompts for my daily pages for quite a while and might help me flesh out changes I would like to make in my life. Here are a few (some verbatim, some paraphrased) I found intriguing:

• Do you feel lost in the work and/or the people you are leading? Why is this? What do you need to change?
• What is the greatest challenge you are facing?
• What is your answer to the "why" of your life?
• What blocks your vision of the big picture?
• Are you rooted? Do you live a flimsy life?
• What words would others use to describe your life?
• Is your life static or stuck, or is it rich with life, movement and growth?
• Where do you sense a need for greater depth in your life?
• Are you stewarding your resources and using them to bring life to others?

This small but powerful book has provided me with much to ponder. Am I moving from chaos to God's designed order? Am I basing my life and worth on His foundation? What are the things I need to change to pursue God and His will more? If I want to live a life that causes others to reflect and say "she was a good and faithful servant," what should I be tending more fully?

Book Review: Virgil Wander

Leif Enger's recent novel, Virgil Wander, has been on my radar (just look at that stunning, enticing cover). I intended to read it in time for a library book club session that my friend, Stacy, leads. Then came COVID, and the library closed. Since I could access it through Hoopla in e-book form, I was undeterred.

After an automobile accident, Virgil Wander can no longer summon all the words normally at his command. In fact, he feels like an entirely different person, a likely response to a near-death experience. As the doctor urges him to find someone to live with him temporarily (to keep him from forgetting a pot on the stove), a man wanders into town seeking information about a son he didn't know he had. Virgil invites Rune into his home and revels in the man's kite production and flight. While Rune learns more about his son (who disappeared from the town years ago), Virgil begins to understand more about his new person and place in the world.

Like the title character, the novel wanders amiably, yet I never grew disinterested. By the end, the pacing ratchets up a notch and I couldn't wait to find out what further misfortune might arrive for the struggling town and characters. The tiny Minnesota town by the sea is a character in and of itself and plays a big role in shaping the novel. Russ Ramsey, author of Struck: One Christian's Reflections on Encountering Death, interviewed Leif Enger on The Rabbit Room blog. Leif observes, "Virgil lives on the borders of faith and doubt, speech and silence, lucidity and confusion, civilization and wilderness, order and chaos. The inland sea is also a constant reminder that life is unpredictable and fog-shrouded and that tragedy is tethered to beauty and in fact joy."

What a beautiful novel! I enjoyed the characters, the writing, and the story line. I might have enjoyed the book discussion too, but they held it on Zoom (I hate Zoom). Still, I wouldn't have risked exposure for an in-person discussion either (our library plans to resume regular services on June 10th). Extended isolation to avoid a pandemic is as powerful a life-changing event as plunging into a body of icy water in a car. We will all respond to the world differently, just like Virgil Wander.

Book Review: The Antelope in the Living Room

I like Melanie Shankle. She's genuine, vulnerable, and funny. I'm so glad I purchased this brief audio book when Christian Book Distributors had a recent dollar sale. Yep, I got it for a buck (along with 11 other books, videos, and miscellaneous items my husband believes we never needed). Plus, in purchasing this, I discovered she is a San Antonio blogger and has a new book of essays encouraging readers to look for the good in others. Here's a link to her blog.

The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life is a breath of fresh air when cooped up together, sheltering-in-place with different perspectives on what that should look like. Let's just say I had to put off listening to this for a few days because I was in no mood to reflect on marital bliss. But, frictions blew over, life went on, and I ditched the music CDs to get back to listening to a book while walking (an option already challenged with my library's closure and my CD player's demise - it was skipping even when playing brand new CDs, so it is not a case of over-used discs causing the interruptions). I appreciate how Melanie can inspire laughter one moment and serious reflection the next. Plus, I agree with her conclusion - despite the bumps along the way, it is better to do life together than to go it alone or to throw in the towel when tempers flare and you feel you may never want to speak to your spouse again. Besides, I should count my blessings: we have woods on our property and yet my husband hasn't once gone hunting and brought home an animal head to mount in my living room.