Mid-month Mention: Fasting

One of my goals for 2025 is to fast more. I have spent time in prayer and fasting in the past, especially when issues grew intense with my addicted son. I'm not good at fasting. Still, I believe God is pleased when we not only bow our head to praise and petition Him, but also forego food to intensify our attentions. Indeed, I feel it is essential to pull down strongholds Satan may have on our loved ones.

When I was a teen, I babysat for a couple of children living in a Christian commune house in Chicago, near my home. I think there were two families and two single men, all sharing one roof. If my memory is correct (who knows), one of the single men talked with me about his fasting routine. He fasted one day a week. This is what I hope to build up to. It would be so cool to speak with him now, though I doubt he's still living there and may not even be living at all, as he was at least ten or fifteen years older than me.

To begin with, I am reading a chapter every other day in a book I had on one of our many bookshelves (oh, the purging that needs to be done there, sigh). I must have picked it up at a thrift store for the whopping price of 50 cents. May it be worth far more than that to my soul! It is called God's Chosen Fast: A Spiritual and Practical Guide to Fasting by Arthur Wallis. With a copyright of 1968, it is almost as old as me.

I recently took notes from Wallis' chapter on regular fasting. I want to avoid turning my regular fasting into a thing of legal bondage, as the Pharisees did in Luke 18:11-12. Wallis warns, "There is always the danger that any spiritual exercise that is done habitually becomes an empty form, a ritual devoid of any spiritual content." I will strive to fast without show and with focus on using the extra time for prayer for my sons. It was encouraging to read Wallis' example of the benefit of a public fast called for by the King of England in 1756, and again in the Second World War. Wallis observes, "Wherever in Scripture we read of a public emergency being met by a national call to fast, we find without exception that God responded in deliverance." May this bolster my heart! As Wallis states, "Fasting is calculated to bring a note of urgency and importunity into our praying, and to give force to our pleading in the court of heaven." We have seen awesome results of importunate prayer in the past. Now, again, may my humble prayers on behalf of my sons be fervent and effective.

I found a few other books on our shelves to tackle: R. A. Torrey's How to Pray, and Andrew Murray's The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer. A third book is written by a man I deeply esteem and love, Dr. Lyle Wesley Dorsett. I'm somewhat surprised my copy doesn't have his autograph. I have mentioned before that the Dorsetts took me under their wing during my time at Wheaton College. When I walked into the Wade Center to apply for a transcriber job, Lyle interviewed me and suddenly asked if he could take me next door to the Special Collections to introduce me to his wife, Mary. When I met her, Lyle spoke up. "Mary, doesn't she look just like our Erica might have looked one day?" They had lost their 10 or 11-year-old daughter just a few months before. I spent many happy afternoons in their home and they even took me along on an oral history interview trip in Scotland after my stint with the Wheaton in England program. Lyle's book, E. M. Bounds: Man of Prayer, must have been in his heart and mind during my association with him, because it was published in 1991, just four years after I graduated. As I read and as I pray, I will continue my intercessions for Lyle and Mary, who are battling dementia and cancer, respectively.

If you are interested in fasting, Bill Bright has a 7-step article on the Cru website.

Someone named Vlad Savchuk is encouraging a 21-day fast this month. I found this introductory YouTube video on his Fast Forward Challenge. Or you can watch his video of a Beginner's Guide to Fasting.

Have you incorporated fasting into your prayer time? Do you have a fasting testimony? Who knows, maybe sharing your testimony of victory through fasting might spur another individual on in their quest to seek God's forgiveness and healing in dire circumstances.

Book Review: The Wright Brothers - Highly Recommend

What a fascinating book by David McCullough! I highly recommended this to my son, Sean, who plans to pursue aeronautical engineering. I even read bits aloud to him and shared a story from Wilbur's youth that resounded with an important life lesson. As a teen, looking forward to attending Yale University, Wilbur encountered an accident that altered his life for three years. A neighbor boy (by intent or accident is unknown, although that boy proved in later years to be a serial killer) knocked out Wilbur's upper teeth with a hockey stick. He could not go away to school. Complications and emotional alterations held Wilbur hostage. During that time, he read voraciously, no doubt studying much that he would one day use in his invention. I observed to Sean (and later told Trevor), sometimes the worst things to happen to us can end up being the best thing to happen to us because it turns into something productive we could never have imagined.

Wilbur and Orville Wright, the famous Dayton, Ohio, brothers, dreamed of creating some means of flying. Many scoffed, imagining this an impossibility. It surprised me that the United States seemed disinterested in the brothers' advancements. Although the initial test runs took place in North Carolina, most of the introductory flights occurred in Europe. The French were especially interested in flight and several French aeronautical engineers were also working on making this dream a reality. Equally surprising, I learned Orville suffered an accident that claimed the life of his passenger (the first death associated with flight).

I enjoyed this dip into the history of flight. The dogged pursuit of these mild-mannered brothers was inspiring. Refusing to listen to naysayers, they quietly and persistently worked to understand the mechanics involved. Their invention changed our world. Even if you are not interested in exploring history, this book provides a human interest story full of inspiration and hope. Most of us will live ordinary lives of little to no consequence, but the Wright brothers deserve every accolade for their determination and courage.

December 2024 This and That

Somehow I didn't finish a re-cap of events in December in time to post at the end of the year, so bear with me as I look back now.

POEM:

Early in December, my sister (who is an officer in The Salvation Army) requested I write up a poem for her to use for her 3rd Sunday in Advent when she would preach on the wise men and the shepherds seeking. Initially, it was merely a poem. But just before I sent it to her, my devotional mentioned the song, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing." What good fortune! It fit the meter and rhythm perfectly. So, they sang my poem, "Longing for Christmas," to that tune on the 3rd Advent Sunday.

I posted the lyrics on Facebook. A friend who lives in another country took me to task, saying I only shared part of the story. This person argued the emphasis should not be on the birth, but always upon the death of Christ, because that provides atonement. They said the Bible doesn't emphasize Christ's birth or provide a date. While I agree that atonement only was possible because our Savior died on the cross, I celebrate His birth, because without it, we would still be in darkness (and indeed, it often feels as if we are still in darkness in the current state of this world). I will give this more thought (couldn't during preparations for Bryce and Elizabeth's Christmas visit). Perhaps I will add a fifth verse to emphasize the Light willingly entered darkness and separation from the Father on our behalf to reconcile us to God when we trust Him and accept His gift of salvation from sin (as purchased through His death on the cross).

PURCHASES

Our old navy couch set was becoming unbearable because the pressure of reclining had caused the foundation to sag. In 2023, a friend and her chiropractor husband visited. He couldn't even bear to sit in our loveseat. He jumped up and made an excuse to stand during the visit. Thus, on Black Friday, we snagged a holiday deal. I'm thinking now, the pressure for a snap decision, within the sale window, was detrimental. 

I went in with two options in mind, but neither were available to sit in and try out (no floor models for those less expensive sets, of course). The sales clerk led us to the pricier models and encouraged us to buy a set with power reclining (our previous was a manual recliner). When I sat on the loveseat of the one we settled on, I could not believe the softness of the fabric. It was a lighter color than I'd wanted and more expensive than I wanted. Still, the window was closing, and we needed to decide. Because of the extra expense, my husband vetoed the protection plan. I'm a catastrophizer. The whole drive home, I had images of the dog vomiting on the couch or someone spilling a drink on the loveseat. But what's done is done.

The set was due for delivery on Friday the 13th. Hmm. What a fright we received when only the couch arrived. I again jumped to worry, envisioning our holiday visit with only seating availability for 3 people. Thankfully, my husband called and arranged the loveseat delivery on the Thursday prior to Bryce and Elizabeth's arrival. Once both pieces were in place, we realized the set didn't blend well with our carpet. We ordered an area rug, but it did not arrive until after Bryce and Elizabeth returned to Dallas. I'd love to say I feel no regrets, but I'm not sold on this new arrangement. Since the couch is so tall, my feet cannot touch the ground when I sit on it. The power reclining requires longer to right itself than when you just pull a lever. The color is not what I had hoped for. Again, what's done is done, sadly.

PUZZLES

In December, with extra time out of school, Sean and Claire and I worked on two puzzles. The first was a 1000-piece one with cereal boxes. Claire has wicked puzzling skills! If I couldn't figure out where a piece belonged, I'd hand it to her and within seconds she'd be popping it into place.

Our second puzzle was 3-dimensional and more difficult (I hardly helped at all). Here's the box and the final product of the Harry Potter Knight Bus:

PRESENTS

I received some fun presents this year. My husband gave me 2 purple t-shirts with phrases about reading, a book about C.S. Lewis's brother Warnie, and gift cards to my favorite fast-food restaurants. Bryce and Elizabeth gave me a wedding memento mouse pad, and a beautiful framed family photo (plus some chocolate - yum). Sean gave me a Harry Potter puzzle, so I see more puzzling on the horizon, but maybe not until spring break. Claire gave me a Harry Potter Monopoly game, which we played one day during the break (Sean won, but we all had fun, I think).

PARTIES

After Christmas, I went to a birthday party at a tea shop about a half hour away. They offer a British high tea and other such options. How thrilling to get a scone with clotted cream. We all wore tiaras, which was fun!

PROJECTS

I have gone back and forth about a project for the year. It feels empty, not picking up the prayer project I tackled two years in a row. I decided against printing out the whole Bible. My wrists can barely manage my morning pages (daily free association writing/journaling I do after my devotions each morning). Perhaps I could type a Psalm a day. That idea falls flat for me, too. 

Another goal is to spend time in fasting and prayer for my sons. I am starting slow, with liquid fasting (allowing only liquids). Then, I plan to build into more complete food fasting, until I'm fasting one day a week for the whole day. Again, I'm not sure I have the discipline and fortitude to see it through, but I hold the goal, nonetheless. Nothing is more important than lifting my children to the Lord.

I guess my primary goal is to purge excess junk throughout the year. I started off the first 3 days well and then fell off the wagon, forgetting to find 10 to 20 items to purge. On day 6, I managed my goal, only because I purged items as I put away the Christmas decorations. This is why a plan with structure is so important. I am trying to note how many items each day, so perhaps that will help me maintain the momentum.

How about you? Favorite presents? Puzzle exploits? Writing accomplishments? Goals or projects for 2025? I'd love to hear them. It might jumpstart my discipline and commitment.

Book Review: Positively, Penelope

How grateful I am to Pepper Basham for providing another light-hearted, uplifting, clean romance! After enjoying Authentically, Izzy, I gave the second book in the series a go. Positively, Penelope returns to the same sibling set, but you could read it as a stand-alone novel. What a delightful and upbeat character! Penelope shines in a dark world. Since my world has had its own gloom, it was thrilling to enter this alternate reality and have Penelope's words "turn my frown upside down." (Ha! My husband's frequent complaint. He says I always frown. He's not alone. When I was in high school and concentrating on something I was learning, the teachers would often stop to say I looked like I was in pain. Oh my! I need to channel Penelope from now on!)

Penelope Edgewood loves musicals and all things theater. When she takes a temporary internship at the Darling House Theater on the island of Skymar, she brings her love of magic and fairy tales and princesses along. Is her positive spirit strong enough to battle the darkness of the owners (still reeling from several losses), the mystery of an idea thief, and her own bout with homesickness? Can she remain positive when life threatens to pull her down?

I had forgotten my intention of seeking a hard copy of the book for this second installment. Others complained about the awkward inconvenience of listening to each epistolary entry read aloud. It is true. Epistolary novels, especially if involving emails and texts, read better on the physical page. However, I love a good epistolary novel, so I put up with the email subject lines and text tags. This is a delightful series with fascinating and quirky characters, light-hearted romance, and other-worldly settings. I look forward to exploring the next book, Loyally, Luke.

Book Review: The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife - Highly Recommend

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife has been called a "funny and moving," "charming and clever," "sweet, touching life-swap adventure you won't want to miss." It is a great debut novel, billed as perfect for fans of two of my favorite novels, A Man Called Ove and Remarkably Bright Creatures. I'm a sucker for redemptive stories and this one was a good one. The willful suspension of disbelief, while taxed, was worth it for this zany tale of mistaken identity. Kindness goes a long way in a world full of hurt and pain.

82-year-old Frederick Fife is in a rough patch. He misses his deceased wife. His money and his house paid for her cancer treatments. He is facing homelessness when an odd series of events thrusts him into a world he doesn't deserve. Bernard Greer and Fred bear an uncanny resemblance. Thus, when Bernard disappears at a park outing, nursing home nurses take Fred home, thinking he's Bernard. Fred tries to set the record straight, but because Bernard typically responded with dementia-addled comments, nobody will believe Fred. Thus, he settles into Bernard's life, loving the care he receives at Bernard's nursing home. Bernard was grumpy, blind, and incontinent. Fred is endearing, lucid, and well-meaning. He is a man of integrity and kindness, intent upon remedying Bernard's blunders from the past. But how long until his mistaken identity comes to light? And is he really not hurting anyone by his deception?

I related to the issues Anna Johnston addressed within these pages: "grief, dementia, social isolation, cancer, and addiction (as quoted in the author's extensive and interesting acknowledgements)." I loved how the story lines merged. The beauty of Fred's intervention in broken lives made me wish for a Fred in my life. This was a lovely, feel-good story, even when things seemed beyond belief. Readers will root for Fred and his willingness to ride the fortuitous wave in order to help others around him. The book illustrates how older adults are often invisible or overlooked. It highlights the deep need we all have to belong and to forgive. It is a tale of second chances and redeemed brokenness. Magnificent! When they make this into a movie (some hints within the closing pages), I'll be there in the first row!

My Top Ten Reads of 2024

2024 was an outstanding year for reading! Out of the 67 books I read and reviewed, 42 of them (63%) were 4 or 5 star reads. Only 3 books (4%) received a 2 star rating from me. One third of the books were 3 star reads. In looking back over the quarterly lists, I highly recommended ten books:

Do You Pray? by J. C. Ryle - Christian Nonfiction

Loving Him Well by Gary Thomas - Christian Nonfiction

A Lifelong Love by Gary Thomas - Christian Nonfiction

Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner - Historical Fiction

If I Were You by Lynn Austin - Historical Fiction

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan - Middle Grade Historical Fiction

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Fiction Classic

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt - Fiction

Catching Foxes by John Henderson - Christian Nonfiction

Waiting Isn't a Waste by Mark Vroegop - Christian Nonfiction

I would like to give an honorable mention to the following five books:

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles - Historical Fiction

Authentically, Izzy by Pepper Basham - Humorous Christian Romance

The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold - Christian Fiction

Hope is the First Dose by Dr. W. Lee Warren - Christian Nonfiction

Funny Story by Emily Henry - Humorous Romance

2024 - Fourth Quarter Review

To assist my blog readers, I summarize my reading four times a year, providing a brief description, genre, the page count, and a grading scale (💖5 thumbs up - highly recommend, 4 thumbs up - enjoyed, 3 thumbs up - good, 2 thumbs up - meh, and 1 thumb down - regret, wishing I could get back the time invested). I read the following books during the fourth quarter of 2024 (links to full reviews can be found in the side-bar, or after 2024, found through the search bar at the right):

💖Catching Foxes: A Gospel-Guided Journey to Marriage by John Henderson - A pre-marital workbook with value to all pre-married and married couples. Nonfiction - Christian Living. 296 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 9-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍👍👍

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh - Two women embark upon a road trip that challenges their life decisions and solidifies an unlikely friendship. Christian Fiction. 370 pages, 👍👍👍👍

Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeeles - Book 1 in the Heaven's Cove series features Rosie Merchant's return to her childhood home after the death of her mother. She once fled the small Devon village; she now longs to retain her home and her memories. Women's Fiction. 330 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 8-3/4 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

Heroine by Mindy McGinnis - This YA book outlines a teen athlete's descent into opioid addiction after an injury. Hit very close to home, but it is such an important topic for young people. Young Adult. 448 pages, 👍👍👍-1/2

The Heirloomist: 100 Treasures and the Stories They Tell by Shana Novak - 100 vignettes about treasured items with sentimental value. Great photos. Fun stories. Nonfiction, 256 pages, 👍👍👍

Be Not Far from Me by Mindy McGinnis - Yet another McGinnis teen read about a girl lost in the Smoky Mountains. A riveting survival story. Young Adult. 240 pages, 👍👍👍👍

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons - Widowed bookstore owner, Gertie Bingham, takes in a headstrong German Jewish girl and discovers the power of books and found family. Historical Fiction. 336 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 9-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

Funny Story by Emily Henry - Two opposites, with a harsh shared past, attract in this very funny and romantic story. Instant #1 New York Times bestseller. Romantic Comedy. 544 pages (I listened in audio form, CDs, 11-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍👍-1/2

The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox - Sarah Ashby just wants to return home to help her grandmother save the family store. Yet, her mother is determined to keep her from settling for life in a small town. Christian Fiction. 336 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 10-3/4 hours), 👍👍👍👍

A Letter to the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles - Lettie Starcross arrives in Heaven's Cove with a key and a letter and a desperate desire to unravel their mysteries. Book 2 in the Heaven's Cove series. Women's Fiction. 314 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 8 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

💖Waiting Isn't a Waste: The Surprising Comfort of Trusting God in the Uncertainties of Life by Mark Vroegop - An exploration on biblical themes of waiting including why it is important, what it teaches, and how to do it well. Christian Living. 152 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 3 hours, and then skimmed the Hoopla e-book), 👍👍👍👍👍

The Christmas Pact by Meg Easton - Jack (a Christmas Grinch) and Noelle (Christmas personified, but mired in grief) attempt to overcome their hesitations in order to bring Christmas to life for Jack's nephew. Christmas Romance. 218 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 4-3/4 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - In Maine, 1789, mid-wife Martha Ballard documents and attempts to solve a rape and mysterious murder. Thanks to Ballard's literacy, the historical documents of her diary gave way to a fabulous fictional tale from her life. Historical Fiction. 448 pages (I listened in audio form, 12 CDs, 15 hours), 👍👍👍👍

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers - Erin Connolly is relieved to retrieve a favorite novel she accidentally donated to a Little Free Library. She is sure it is her copy because she finds her notes in the margins. Indeed, she finds someone else's notes in the margins and they are addressed to her. A mystery is afoot. Romance. 336 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 9 hours), 👍👍👍👍

Christmas Baggage by Deborah M. Hathaway - Claire Frost is infuriated when a stranger accosts her in the London airport accusing her of taking his bag. Who knew, hours later, he'd be accusing her of taking his bed? Or that she'd be stuck dealing with him on a daily basis. Christmas Romance, 302 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 8 hours), 👍👍👍👍

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman - 12-year-old CeeCee is sent to live with her great-aunt Tootie in Savannah where she is embraced and comforted by several unique and colorful women. Women's Fiction. 336 pages, 👍👍-1/2

Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig - Young women from Smith College travel to France to assist the poor in World War I. Historical Fiction. 544 pages (I listened in audio form, 13 CDs, 16 hours), 👍👍👍👍