Book Review: Master of One

Despite my intense love of books, I follow very few authors. Ever since I read Called to Create, I have received and read Jordan Raynor's weekly newsletter. I appreciate his focus on doing our very best work for the Lord. Moreover, I always anticipate the possibility of finding another book to read because he ends each newsletter with an excellent book recommendation. I even took time to listen to his podcast for a special interview with C. S. Lewis's stepson, Douglas Gresham (a man I met while working at the Wade Center).

Master of One is Raynor's newest book (I love this cover design). It follows the theme of his primary focus - seeking excellence in the one thing God has called you to do. I will admit I agonize over this quite a bit. If you asked me what I'm most passionate about, I would say reading and writing books. Yet, given my lack of success, I always doubt whether this is the one thing God has gifted in me. I persevere, despite silence. That is why I struggled most with one particular quote from the book: "Commit to developing the one plot of land that is starting to produce the fruits of divine multiplication." What if I never experience divine multiplication? Should I "refuse to plant more seeds in the rocky and thorny soil" or should I persevere and practice more? Maybe my one thing is just raising boys (yikes, I don't do that well either) and I should set aside the writing. Yet, I cannot seem to let it go.

My favorite part of this book is the story of Antoni Gaudi and his church of the Sagrada Familia. Last summer, when Bryce and Elizabeth returned from their European adventure, I asked what Bryce considered the most significant highlight of the trip. Hands down, he said it was Barcelona and the church of the Sagrada Familia. His enthusiasm bubbled as he discussed this gifted architect and his passion for the ornate church. I wanted to visit this masterpiece myself. Now, having read about it in Raynor's book, I am even more eager to make a trip to see this. It is said they will complete it around 2026. Since John and I will not get a 30th anniversary trip (in this COVID climate), perhaps I shall set my sights on a trip to Barcelona in 2025!

Another exciting example prompted me to share the passage with my middle son. 3-D printing has always fascinated him. He took a course at the library and made a few intricate items on their 3-D printer. When Trevor mentioned a site that offered a small house for $13,000 in 24 easy installments (what a goal for a young man - set aside money each month for two years and have a small home on your family property - heck, I'd rather have him living near us than the neighborhood projected for just across our meadow), I had to share this amazing story from Raynor's book. An innovative 27-year-old, Brett Hagler, has created a 3-D printer that prints a home. Not only that, it completes the home in less than 24 hours at a cost of only $10,000. Raynor notes that instead of using this brilliant innovation to his own personal profit, Hagler intends to take the machine to El Salvador with the goal of meeting needs of the homeless. (For a more up-to-date news coverage on his community building in Mexico, click here to listen to a Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast.)

Raynor offers many examples of individuals who give their all to the gifts God has endowed. The book was informative and inspirational. I liked it even more than Called to Create. So many challenging quotes! You can also go to a website to download a workbook as you process the questions offered at the end of each chapter. If you are interested in honing your personal mission statement and driving toward a goal, this book is for you.

Book Review: Things Pondered & Further Still

Things Pondered and Further Still are both books of poetry and vignettes from the Bible study writer, Beth Moore (a woman whose work and writings I admire and respect). The first book, Things Pondered, is very raw and personal. Moore tells of difficult parental challenges with grace and humility. Interspersed with the prose stories of mothering and observations about Mary, the mother of Christ, she has included several poems. Many of these stories are ones she has shared in various speaking engagements. The second volume, Further Still, offers more vignettes and poems. My favorite three poems from this book: "A Tattletale," "My Prodigal," and "The Poet." Moore's genuine vulnerability and meekness is refreshing and real.

Book Review: The XX Brain

I looked forward to this book when I put my name on the library hold list. The sub-title reveals why it might appeal to me: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer's Disease. I'm all about brain study. I'm deeply interested in preventing the Alzheimer's that plagues my mother. Yet, I completed this book with no sense of empowerment or vision of a secret unveiled for staving off cognitive decline.

Lisa Mosconi, PhD, is the director of the Women's Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell Medical College. She's an expert. As the title hints, the book's major thrust decries how medicine has treated women up to this point, failing to recognize that a woman's brain differs from a man's brain. It's not that I'm arguing her point, but I expected more emphasis on practical steps for women to boost their brain health than on a political analysis of the medical establishment. Give me the facts, ma'am! I finally arrived at Chapter 9, 150 pages in, where the book begins with advice about diet, stress, sleep, etc. Yet, I still couldn't seem to engage with the material.

I skimmed through the rest and briefly glanced at a handful of recommended recipes (none interesting enough to copy). The most significant benefit was a reminder to make better food choices when ice cream calls and the fruit looks insipid. Ha - this makes me think of my mother-in-law, who always offers fruit for dessert, and I stare in wonder because I don't consider fruit a "dessert!" Dessert is something sweet and tasty and bad for you (cake, pie, ice cream, cookies). Then again, she is almost 92 years old, so fruit as a dessert is probably not a bad call!

Book Review: The Life of Our Lord

At some point I wandered down to the bookshelves in our basement. I noticed this Charles Dickens book propped up against the top shelf (I think it was a gift from my mother-in-law after she learned of my love of Dickens). This was a lovely retelling of the life of Jesus Christ. How thrilling to view the pages of Dickens's actual manuscript, written for his children in 1849 and never intended for public consumption! Indeed, only after his son, Henry, died did other family members allow publication. While it was a little weak on theology (presents Jesus as a good person and emphasizes being good over the gift of salvation through Christ's sacrifice on our behalf), I loved this beautifully done Thomas Nelson gift book. Dickens was not only a brilliant writer but also a devoted father who intensely desired his children to know about the Savior (not necessarily to know his saving grace, but to know who he was and emulate his character).

Mourning Loss of CBLI 2020

Today would have been the start of our annual Bible camp, Central Bible and Leadership Institute - CBLI. Neither of my younger boys intended to go along anyway, but I had hopes of going solo for the first time since my teen years. I even contacted an old friend who provides a great deal of care for her grandsons. I pitched the idea that we share a Shagbark cabin together and I could have the counselor's room for privacy, yet be there to help her with the kids. I had visions of such fun because this is a cherished old friend whom I hardly ever see and love to spend time with.

Enter COVID-19. Exit dreams of CBLI-20. 😢

So, I came up with a plan to celebrate CBLI in my own way this year. I cannot benefit from the outstanding Bible classes. But, I can make a point to focus on my own Bible study. Since there are nine days to CBLI, I selected the one book of the Bible with nine chapters - Amos. I don't know how it will go, but I'll give it my best.

My Bible introduction to the book states:

"Amos prophesies during a period of national optimism in Israel. Business is booming and boundaries are bulging. But below the surface, greed and injustice are festering. Hypocritical religious motions have replaced true worship, creating a false sense of security and a growing callousness to God's disciplining hand. Famine, drought, plagues, death, destruction--nothing can force the people to their knees. Amos, the farmer-turned-prophet, lashes out at sin unflinchingly, trying to visualize the nearness of God's judgment and mobilize the nation to repentance. The nation, like a basket of rotting fruit, stands ripe for judgment because of its hypocrisy and spiritual indifference."

My, my. Timely!

Secondly, I decided to write nine letters (a letter each day) to individuals who have blessed me during my CBLI years and to make a point to pray specifically for them on that designated day:

1) I will start with Laura Allen, whose friendship and constant presence at CBLI have been like returning to a warm hug. She provided me with tons of camping tips (things she learned in her years of CBLI and CMI attendance - I think she's probably stayed in every cabin on the campgrounds - including Navajo, to which she wrote "NAVA-NO!!" when she spent the week there with mice - that cabin has since been condemned and torn down - yikes). I always look forward to our annual selfie and since she is a far better photographer, I often steal some of her images for my CBLI Re-cap posts. I have known Laura since my parents moved to an appointment in Chicago my freshman year of high school and am so grateful that our friendship endures and that she is always at CBLI, as well.

2) I could not miss thanking Linda Himes for being a Bible teacher extraordinaire! Over the years she nurtured my return to the importance of time in God's Word. I have such fond memories of all the deep learning in her classes on Ruth, covenant, and the tabernacle (those are the three that stand out the most - but I took other ones, as well). She always takes time to talk to me outside of class and has been a true blessing in my life, spurring me on to depth of Biblical study.

3) Many different individuals have led the worship times at camp over the years. When I think back to my first years of bringing Bryce to CBLI, I reveled in the worship leadership of Randy Bonifield. I can still remember standing with his wife, another Wendy, remarking on how odd it was to watch all the teens and remember that we were in that teen track over a decade before. And I will never forget the experience of one particular worship song Randy led (I believe it was a song called "I Went to the Enemy's Camp"). The teens went absolutely crazy during the chorus where they would chant of the devil, "He's under my feet!" and jump around in their rare teenage enthusiasm. Us oldsters (we were what? 35?) sat in the back and sucked it all in.

4) Another blessed memory, both with Bryce and from the years when my younger sons were small - fishing on the pier with Todd Thielke. He was so kind to take time for us (first helping Bryce to catch fish, then in later years, watching over Trevor and Sean in their enthusiasm for fishing). He took a photo of Bryce's largest fish title catch, but sadly, we couldn't seem to get it from his phone to send to me (probably because we had such archaic phones back then). I remember it was a whopper! Todd's kindness to my boys and enthusiasm for fishing will always be linked with our CBLI experiences.

5) There have been a few couples whose regular attendance at the camp always blesses me. Cheryl and Tom Westberg come to mind. Cheryl had a light bulb idea one year. Since she works in the book industry, she decided to set up a  Little Free Library at camp. For several years, she would load up tons of books to display on shelves and tables, free for the taking for campers to read during their free time and even to take home with them. You can imagine how much that thrilled me! She was also the mastermind behind several mom's day out trips into the nearby town of Antioch. I am so grateful to her husband Tom for keeping my boys so that I could participate in those adventures. We would go to the ice cream shop, the candy shop, and often a thrift store, too. It felt great to be included in that group.

6) Another regular couple at CBLI - David and Dawn Tooley (Dawn is one of the women in this ladies day out photo - This also makes me smile because Louise Rowland is in the photo and her friendship was very dear that year). I always appreciate their friendship, but I also benefited from several of David's classes. I think my favorite two were the ones he taught on John Ortberg's The Me I Want to Be and Donald Miller's book, Storyline.

7) In recent years, I've been blessed by the song leadership of Eric Himes and The Singing Company (for a few years, my niece, Kirsten, was a member of the group). He instituted something called Evening Hymn Sing. Individuals would go to the front to share a brief testimony and then select a hymn or chorus from a laundry line of possible titles and we would join in corporate worship together. I don't often get the chance to experience intense corporate worship like I experience at CBLI. The swell of voices communicating praise to God brings me right to His throne. I have several favorites, too many probably to mention. I even used one to prompt a focus phrase one year - "Let Nothing Be Wasted." He is an outstanding songwriter and worship leader.

8) Carol Wurtz has been such a good friend to me during the years of her leadership at CBLI. She made it possible for the boys and I to continue coming to CBLI even after we stopped attending The Salvation Army on a regular basis. She always asks after me, talks to my boys, and prays with me when things are stressing me out (like one dreadful night last year when the troubles with my prodigal son were first appearing). We owe a great debt of gratitude to her.

9) Way back when we first attended CBLI, Bryce and I always knew we would get to spend time with Carol Hedgren and her girls (close to Bryce's age) and Christy Mantel and her kids (her youngest daughter was Bryce's age). We hung with them during the mid-week trips to Great America, took classes together, and spent free time sharing in the same activities (down at the waterfront, rocking the Funbugs - triangular boards you stand on and move across the water with your body movements - this is a photo of Carol's daughter, Jordan, who recently got married - ah, time flies). Many happy memories. Sadly, they stopped attending so it has been years since we were able to hang out together.

Third, I plan to focus on one worship song/prayer chorus with sentimental meaning on each day. These are songs I remember singing at CBLI. The links to the YouTube versions don't always communicate the same vigor we sung them with, but give you a taste of each tune:

1) "I Went to the Enemy's Camp" (this version is not nearly as energetic as Randy Bonifield's)

2) "Let Nothing Be Wasted" - original by The Singing Company

3) "These Are the Days of Elijah" - my boys begged to listen to this after we returned from camp one year - I love the part where everyone chants "There's no God like Jehovah"

4) "Never Mind, Go On" - another Singing Company song

5) "10,000 Reasons" - This was another favorite often requested by the boys

6) "Be Thou My Vision"

7) "Shine, Jesus, Shine"

8) "In Christ Alone" - this version is sung by Owl City - I love his voice!

9) "No More, No More!" - another Singing Company song

So, as I mourn the loss of my beloved Bible camp experience this year, I will celebrate all the memories and carve out a special observance of my own. I will study the Word, express gratitude, pray, and sing praise. It won't be the same, but perhaps it will in some small way dull the pain.

Book Review: These Fevered Days

I wish I had what it takes to be a poet. Condensing ideas and images down to the bare bones doesn't come easily for me. Even though I'm a musician, when I attempt rhythm I often create a sing-song sound. I rarely select poetry when looking for things to read. Most of what I've read resulted from literature course requirements. After attempting to write poetry, this book on the "making of Emily Dickinson" stood out to me in the recent acquisition list at my library.

These Fevered Days outlines ten "pivotal moments" that changed Emily Dickinson and propelled some of her writings. She is definitely an interesting character. I had always imagined her seclusion was total. This book clarified times when she left her house, even living in a boarding house for treatment of her eyes when threatened with blindness. This is a perfect book for anyone intrigued by a writer with no desire to see any of her work published. The irony made me laugh. I'm a piss-poor poet passionately pursuing publication while she, a master wordsmith, held her words tightly and refused to release them to the world. I wept when I read that her instructions included burning all of her papers after her death. Thank goodness, her relatives ignored that decree.

So many things I cannot imagine: writing without dating her material, sending some poems to individuals in letters without recording them first for herself, and hearing praise yet fighting for privacy. Even choosing to live such an austere and limited life while her imagination and command of language soared boggles my mind. Some things make me chuckle in recognition: writing on odd scraps of paper and then losing track of those pieces or their importance, keeping some masters of letters sent to others, despising the commotion of guests and callers, and the immensity of fear when faced with failing vision (no reading? no writing? How could one live?). This book was a treat!

Book Review: My Reading Life

I've never read a stitch of Pat Conroy's writing. Indeed, I don't know a thing about his style or subjects, or if his work is full of profanity and unnecessary sensuality. The cover of this audio book, My Reading Life, enticed me with its winged birds emanating from a pile of books and the promise of hearing what one author read before setting out to write something himself. I'm always intrigued to discover what books a person credits with changing or influencing their life. Listening to Conroy list his favorites made me question my own selections. Do I read enough classics? Am I devouring everything from a writer to get a solid feel for their style and skill?

What a blessing his mother must have been in his life. My mother nurtured my love of reading and writing. She spurred me on to tackle the true greats, first by encouraging my siblings and me to read the books from our beloved "Authors" card game, and then by sorting through the recommended reading list provided in my Individualized Reading course during my senior year of high school. Conroy's mother was like my mother, only on steroids.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to his deep homage to authors and their books. His writing sings with the possibility of literature to heal deep wounds. Books transport us out of misery and into mystical worlds. Through reading and writing, he processed his tough childhood. Although I was a Salvation Army officer's kid and not full military, I understood much of what he shared when detailing the difficulties of repeated uprooting, of suffocating expectations, and of relational limitations. I'm glad I listened to the audio version because it ended with an interview with the author - always a treat!

Book Review: Prodigals and Those Who Love Them

I believe I discovered Ruth Bell Graham's poetry in the basement of a college friend's family home. The cover, Sitting by My Laughing Fire; the texture of the paper. The memory is hazy and might be false. Yet, I can recall recognizing a writer who not only turned a phrase with rhythm and grace but also packed a punch of understanding with her words. I loved her poetry, yet I never read a single further book by Billy Graham's articulate wife (although she wrote Legacy of a Pack Rat and I know, irony of ironies, I have that downstairs somewhere).

After reading When You Love a Prodigal, I joined with many parents on International Pray for a Prodigal Day, June 2nd. Petitioning God's throne for my wayward son prompted a search on Hoopla for similar books. Ruth Bell Graham had to parent her prodigal in the public eye. She offers so much in her book, Prodigals and Those Who Love Them. From the five biographies of famous prodigals at the beginning, to pertinent hymns and Scripture passages, to various poems and quotations, Graham covers the gamut of emotions engulfing parents when children go astray. Two of Ruth's poems hit home for me: "For All Who Knew the Shelter of the Fold" and "They Felt Good Eyes Upon Them."

This book will be a springboard for further investigation. The chapter on John Newton led me to view a movie offered on Hoopla, outlining Newton's testimony and transformation. Perhaps I will also watch the more recent movie about Newton, called "Amazing Grace." This journey will strengthen my understanding of God's amazing, extravagant, and scandalous grace! Praise be to God! He does not base His love, His acceptance, or our salvation on OUR actions. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

Book Review: The Wicked Boy

I have a master's degree in history, with an emphasis on Victorian British history. Long ago, in a world far, far away, with a personality long-gone, I aspired to write books about British history. I was interested in Dickens and his commentary on society. I was interested in the orphan problem. For my degree, I wrote a 37 page paper titled, "The Integration of Law and Religion in 19th Century Britain." I remember immersing myself in Victorian criminal cases. The bibliography of my paper cited many titles with "murder" as a keyword.

Oh, how I wish I had written this book, The Wicked Boy: An Infamous Murder in Victorian London. Kate Summerscale provides a riveting tale and brings the story of this tragic lad to life. On a scorching July day in 1895, two brothers (Robert and Nattie Coombes) head to a cricket match after telling a neighbor that their mother has gone away. The true story of their mother's whereabouts doesn't come out for over a week, when Robert confesses to stabbing her in her bed. It is the kind of crime you cannot understand or accept. How could an adolescent boy do such a thing? How could he feel no remorse as he spins around town attending sports events, pawning trinkets, and sleeping in the same house, knowing full well his mother's corpse is rotting in an upstairs room?

Was this the result of reading so-called "penny-dreadfuls" or a case of temporary insanity? This question alone brings the case into modern relevance. Many assumed the boy's choice of literature led to his callous disregard for life. Others argued against such influence. The author cited a Pall Mall Gazette article declaring, "In every other age and class man is held responsible for his reading, and not reading responsible for man. The books a man or woman reads are less the making of character that the expression of it." When the jury pronounced Robert Coombes guilty, but insane, they shipped him to Broadmoor Asylum (the same asylum holding the murderous Dr. Miner, from The Professor and The Madman).

The rest of the book focuses on Robert's life after his committal. While I never grasped what motivated this boy to commit such an atrocity, it was a fascinating (if morbid) read - excellent narrative non-fiction. Robert had a profitable life, even saving many other lives. At one point, authorities remanded him to a Salvation Army colony (interesting). Summerscale's research is thorough and her writing is engaging. She not only outlines the story but also provides sufficient backdrop and commentary on the time. I will happily seek further historical crime books by Kate Summerscale (indeed, The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, is available in both book and movie form on Hoopla).

Book Review: Walking Home

In 2014 , I entered Rachel Joyce's magical world of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (a book I highly recommend). Fry's quest to keep his friend alive until he can walk the distance between them, leads him to live and hope again. In 2018, I read Paul Stutzman's non-fiction account of hiking the Appalachian Trail. His journey of faith reflection led to a greater understanding of God and His purpose for our lives. When my blogging friend, Amy, highlighted poet Simon Armitage's book Walking Home: A Poet's Journey, I made a point of requesting an inter-library loan to access the book. I'm not at all familiar with this author or his poetry. I was more interested in, once again, learning what he gleaned from the journey.

Many writers attribute inspiration to time spent walking. Dickens was a famous walker. His nightly treks through London peopled his books with the likes of the Artful Dodger, Little Nell, Scrooge, and a host of other vivid characters. Simon Armitage took a page from the Lake District poets and walked the Northern countryside of England to glean inspiration. In 2010, he set out on The Pennine Way. Instead of following the usual path (south to north), Armitage walked north to south, so that his walk led toward his home (extra incentive to keep going). Along the way, he offered nightly poetry readings, by donation only, as a way of giving back and of assessing what others felt his poetry was worth. Sadly, Armitage offers little of his poetry along the way, but I came away wondering what I might have put in his sock at the end of his reading.

If I had to pick a pilgrimage, both to walk and to read, I would, without hesitation, select Harold Fry's journey from the south of England all the way to the north. While nature inspires, I'm more captivated by individuals along the trail. Moreover, Harold Fry's quest inspired such hope and meaning. I don't regret reading Armitage's book, but simply prefer the fictional quest over realistic sojourns through hills and valleys. Come to think of it, I'd much prefer fiction to the realistic path I'm hiking through in my life's hills and valleys.