Book Review: Between the Mountain and the Sky

Now that I have read Between the Mountain and the Sky, I would love to see the documentary. Maggie Doyne's story of her gap year and mission to meet the needs of young Nepali children is inspiring. Would that every young woman identified and chased their dreams with abandon! Maggie is an extraordinary example of love's driving force for good. The number of lives she touched is probably immeasurable.

Maggie Doyne was drawn to the plight of a child banging a rock in the river in Nepal. Her dream of helping that child go to school grew into a vision for a children's home and school. With the help of Nepali friends and guides, Maggie spent her life's savings and began to tackle the dream bit by bit. When funds ran dry, she held a garage sale, sparking the attention of the media. Who knew she would end up adopting over 50 children. Over the years, her dream has been embraced by several philanthropic organizations eager to highlight her cause.

This is a deeply human story. It is not just about money thrown at a problem. Maggie invested her all into this dream. She loved, even when love cost much pain. Her story is heart-rending and motivating at the same time. Full of ups and downs, her journey is fascinating to read. If you've read the book or seen the documentary, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Book Review: Future Boy

There are so many little details I didn't know about the filming of Back to the Future. This little memoir, Future Boy, by Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry, is entertaining and informative. The role of Marty McFly didn't start out with Fox. Instead, Eric Stolz (the actor known for Mask) started the filming, but they really wanted Michael J. Fox. Finally, producers agreed to film at night so Fox could continue to film his Family Ties show during the day. Hard to believe this 23-year-old actor was able to film a sitcom character in the day and film an enigmatic film character in the evening hours. They usually started at midnight, so I should have said middle-of-the-night hours. I don't know how he endured on such a limited sleep schedule.

From lines made up on the fly (by Marty McFly, ha!) to the use of his own shoes, readers get the inside view of what it was like for Fox to pull of this iconic character. I was sharing some bits and pieces with my youngest (home for a break) and was shocked to learn he'd never watched Back to the Future. To remedy this, I dashed off to the library to rent both of the first two movies in the series (even though I know the second movie isn't nearly as good as the first).

I wish I could remember if I saw the movie in a theater when it first came out or if I waited and watched it later. I should dig up my college journals. It came out in 1985. I would have been at Wheaton then. Did I see it in the chapel some weekend? Suffice it to say, if you saw the movie and enjoyed Michael J. Fox's performance, you'd likely enjoy this quick little read. The book (together with experiencing the movies again) was a great little trip back in time.

 

Book Review: Stories from the River of Mercy

I should admit at the outset, I'm not familiar with Sheila Walsh's music. She strikes me as a vocalist who is vulnerable and real with her audiences. In 2018, I read her book, In the Middle of the Mess. Since I struggle with depression, it's refreshing to find a Christian who openly shares her wounds and battles. In Stories from the River of Mercy, we find an authentic telling of the conflict and resolution between Sheila and her mother-in-law.

From the outset, the two women saw things differently. Sheila's husband, Barry, was Eleanor's only child. As such, she had a hard time with the "leave-and-cleave" process. Not to mention, Eleanor had very firm opinions on how things should be done. I would have bristled, too, if my mother-in-law came in and reorganized my kitchen.

But, the heart of the story is the current of mercy that carries these two different women into reconciliation and deeper relationship because of Eleanor's battle with cancer. I don't believe I have the level of surrender or the heart for others that Sheila develops during this journey. If only I could access that simply by reading. Still, absorbing the story made my heart long to be a better person, to love through another person's prickliness, and to show grace when I want to demand my own perspective. This was a book I was ready to purge from my shelves. I'm glad I took the time to read this slim volume before sending it along to someone else.

Book Review: Lenten Lands

I knew I owned this book, Lenten Lands, by Douglas H. Gresham. I simply couldn't find it on my shelves. Finally, I discovered it tucked away with another category of books on my downstairs shelves. I've mentioned before, I met Douglas while he was researching and I was working at Wheaton College's Wade Center. We hit it off immediately. When he learned of my goal to write a book someday, we made a pact to exchange autographed copies one day. I have his book, albeit unsigned (as he always lived on another continent), but I was unable to find an address to send him my book. Besides, I learned from Patti Callahan Henry that Douglas is struggling with dementia. He certainly would not remember the pact I held onto for years. Still, I'd love to fulfill my end of that agreement.

You cannot help but put yourself in the author's shoes when you read. What a tragic beginning! Douglas left his father (already a tenuous relationship, given his father's addiction) when he sailed with his mother and brother to live in England. He was eight. My heart aches for this upheaval. Then he endured life in English boarding schools. Along the way, his mother (whose story I recently explored both in fiction and non-fiction forms), established a relationship with C. S. "Jack" Lewis. From each book I've read (Patti Callahan Henry's Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Lyle Dorsett's And God Came In, and Doug Gresham's Lenten Lands), you get a strong sense of the intellectual sparring that went on between Jack and Joy. Although some called it a "marriage of convenience," they clearly exhibited a depth of affection for one another. 

Although the book discusses Lewis in the decade Doug knew him, this is not solely a book about C. S. Lewis. Gresham articulates, as the subtitle promises, "My Childhood with Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis." Doug's life is interesting on its own. He carries with him the impact of an intelligent mother who died when he was young and a theological great who died when Doug was in his late teens. These factors forced him to make his own path. I'm thrilled that he found his way in the world. I'm equally thrilled that his way wended my direction for the space of a fortnight.

Book Review: Half Broke Horses

Someone in my book club suggested we read Jeannette Walls' Half Broke Horses. I was familiar with the author and the title. I read her memoir, The Glass Castle, years ago. While I couldn't remember what it was about, I vaguely remembered it being an absorbing read (never a dull moment). The front cover of Half Broke Horses declares it is a "true-life novel" (think "embellished memoir"). It is based on the lives of Jeannette's mother and grandmother.

Since Half Broke Horses begins with a flash flood in Texas, it grabbed my attention. The flooding on the Guadalupe River happened just weeks before I read Walls' novel/memoir. Thus, it sucked me in right away. My book club now picks two titles for the monthly meeting. The alternate title was Robert Dugoni's The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, a book I enjoyed when I read it years ago.

I re-read Dugoni's book and enjoyed it more than Half Broke Horses. Still, the true-life novel was full of action and adventure. It sometimes felt contrived. Everyone says real life is stranger than fiction. Walls' book was full of cowboys, fast horses, cars, and planes. It had devious and decent men, sad and stunning women. Life rambled across several states, and seemed packed with challenges and setbacks, courageously overcome. In the end, I could have skipped reading the true-life novel. Most of our book discussion centered on the Dugoni book. Then again, we often spend half the time discussing our lives, because real life is more pressing and interesting than fiction.

Book Review: Coming Clean - Highly Recommend

Did someone highly recommend Seth Haines' Coming Clean to me? I don't recall. Someone should have! This book, once read, demands passing along to others. It resonated to my core! 

Although it chronicles his first 90 days of sobriety, it is not merely a book for addicts. It is for anyone who has wrestled with the Lord over the pains and trials of this life. Seth paints vivid pictures of the searing despair that drove him to the bottle. Why do we seek our petty pleasures and diversions instead of allowing God to lance our wounds and heal our soul-sickness? It is easier to numb the pain than to bring it to the altar. 

And besides, pain has a way of giving rise to doubts... about God's goodness, will, presence, and purpose. It is much harder to turn to One you worry has betrayed you or abandoned you. Seth's raw honesty hit me between the eyes. It reverberated in my soul! If life has battered you, if you've sought artificial alleviations, or doubted the very One you claim to love, you need to read this book. Even better, try to find it in audio form because Seth's lyrical prose is breathtaking when read by the author.

How did I miss the buzz about this book? Coming Clean: A Story of Faith was published ten years ago and won a Christianity Today Book Award. I'm certain I wasn't ready for this book in 2015. God knew when my soul needed to hear the poetic words this author weaves about faith and forgiveness. Not only am I more familiar now with an addict's journey, but I recognize my own tendencies to wrestle with faith and seek comfort in clumsy coping mechanisms.

When Seth's infant son, Titus, fails to thrive and literally shrinks, faith and prayer feel insufficient while alcohol promises to numb the pain. He writes, "Is God with us? If faith starts as a mustard seed, maybe doubt does too.... Anyone who's felt the sting of unanswered prayer, shares the same searing question. Where did our God go?" This book is a journal of his process toward sobriety, his coming clean. He apologizes for his swirl of memories and metaphors, but that is the exact reason it packs such a powerful punch. That, and its honesty.

Seth seeks to identify the genesis of his pain and doubt. It seems to go back to a faith healer in his youth who promised God's cure for his severe asthma if he had enough faith. When the cure didn't come, his family moved on to a rigid church that shunned the miraculous and opted for personal holiness. Systems became the idol of choice. In the middle of his ruminations on the various theological approaches (and the inevitable pain they inspire), he poses this passionate question: "If you are not a people that believes in healing, what framework is there to reconcile a sick world?" Jesus didn't come for those who have it all together; He came to save sinners like me.

As Seth attempts to avoid relapse, he often relies on The Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." In brutal honesty, he observes, "If he doesn't act in accordance with our felt need, we see him as absentee, capricious, or a predestining God of sorrow." In our desperate groaning for redemption, we must submit our will to the will of God, just as Christ did in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he felt abandoned. We must forgive the kind-hearted people with their burning words, their platitudes of "it's all to bring God glory." Seth outlines his journey, "moving from doubt to belief, from drunk to sober, from prodigal to unified with the Christ of my youth." Who knows, his thoughts while coming clean might just fortify you on your journey.

Book Review: Choosing to SEE

While Steven Curtis Chapman is a popular Christian artist, I only knew two songs well: one was "I Will Be Here," and another was his 2007 hit, "Cinderella." Despite only having sons, I could appreciate the wisdom of cherishing moments of youth before our children slip away into grown-up lives. This beautiful song became even more poignant in 2008, when his youngest daughter was, indeed, gone. The Chapman's youngest adopted daughter, Maria (age 5), died in a tragic accident at their home when her beloved brother, Will Franklin (age 17), hit her with a car. I cannot imagine the grief! The intense grief of a parent losing a child in an untimely manner. The even more painful grief of the son, knowing he played a part in this devastating loss. Our entire nation watched with empathy as they navigated this unfair and undesired journey with grace and faith.

Choosing to SEE is a memoir written by Steven's wife, Mary Beth, together with the outstanding biographer Ellen Vaughn (author of the Elisabeth Elliot books I read a few months back). She takes us step-by-step through the days leading up to Maria's adoption and then eventual departure to be with Jesus. Since I've been walking a difficult path, it was encouraging to listen to the words of faith communicated in this book. It was a fantastic reminder that even when life brings pain that feels like it might rip out our hearts, God is at work and has all things under His control. He only allows what is good and we must allow Him to bring our brokenness the glory due His holy name. While it will still be painful, clinging to hope is the only thing that helps me endure. 

Book Review: The Olive Farm

After a few unacceptable attempts at audio book novels, I moved to the non-fiction section this time. I happened upon Carol Drinkwater's memoir, The Olive Farm. Drinkwater is an actress I'm unfamiliar with. I enjoyed listening to her tale of finding love and family in her dream-come-true, owning an olive farm. 

The author narrated it and I was eager to find out what she looks like. It said on the cover, "Drinkwater will be forever remembered for her part as the wholesome Helen Herriot in the television series All Creatures Great and Small." Although I couldn't access the one she performed in (from the '80s), I dashed off to the library to pick up the newer Masterpiece Theater version of All Creatures Great and Small. It was great fun watching the three seasons of the show (something I may not have done had I not listened to Carol Drinkwater's book). 

I loved the author's narration. Her British accent was delightful, and she rattled off in French too. It turns out she has a whole series of books with the word olive in the title. I could access them on Hoopla, but I think I'll pass. She even has a new one coming out this year, called Return to the Olive Farm (also available on Hoopla). My Hoopla audio list keeps growing and growing. Not to mention, I've recently learned how to access audio books on Libby.

Book Review: Tips on Staying Alive

At the beginning of the month, I reviewed a book called Reasons to Stay Alive. Now, I'm highlighting a book called Tips on Staying Alive by L. Neal Pearcy. I met the author at an author fair and we enjoyed good conversation. Pearcy is a ten-year cancer survivor. His little book can be broken down into two sections. The medical half is insightful; the story half is inspiring.

Tips on Staying Alive is an articulate, well-organized book. It provides tons of leads on places to secure information if you are battling illness. In fact, if you purchase the eBook version you can more easily follow the many provided links. Pearcy hooked me in the first sentence:

"The average life expectancy in the United States is 76.1 years, according to 2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

I began calculating how many more years I may have left if the CDC estimation is close. Since I'm facing a significant milestone year, it was unsettling. I read with interest the explanations of terms, outlines of treatments, and suggestions for staying alive longer. I fully intend to create some encouraging promises (or statements) to post around my computer and other areas in the house to encourage a positive outlook.

My favorite chapter, though, was the final one. What an interesting and unusual life Neal Pearcy has lived! He has triumphed over astonishing adversities. This makes his wisdom in the first half of the book credible and valid. He offers the heartfelt story of his challenging childhood. If someone can withstand and overcome parental death, abandonment, isolation, and low self-esteem, they can overcome illness with that same determined spirit. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read Pearcy's book.

Book Review: Letters from the Mountain - Highly Recommend

Bob Hostetler is not only the author of one of my favorite devotionals, The Shakespeare Devotional, but he also lures me into other books through his twenty-word book review blog. Some recommendations sit in my "Books to Read" file for a while. Bob recommended Ben Palpant's Letters from the Mountain three years ago. Books often meet us right where we need them. That is true of this book. It was like a salve on my wounded soul.

In these letters, Palpant writes to his daughter about the generative act of writing. The very nature of this gift blows me away! The letters are full of wisdom and encouragement. They express his deep love for writing, for God, and for his daughter. Since he is a poet, his words dance and sing. As I listened from my library Hoopla app, I grew desperate to hold the book in hand and underline and highlight. I heard so many nuggets of truth; I want to own this book.

Writers should aim for the soul with patient urgency and keen attentiveness, seeing what others cannot see. He calls the writer to cultivate the soil of the imagination. Foremost, a writer must serve the reader and let it go out into the world. He writes, "Work! Leave the prosperity to God!" We should remember our writing brings God's light. The light is important, not the lantern.

I loved his illustration about God's timing. He tells a story of their visit to Oxford, where he hoped to find C. S. Lewis' cottage and gravestone. The day was fraught with complications and obstacles. His wife was ill. They needed to find an elusive clinic. He even prayed for rain to help him gain his desired ends. Instead, the sun beat down, stoking his frustration. In the end, God revealed perfect timing.

I loved his insight about valuing the "day job," because it provides a wealth of soil for cultivation in the imagination. It "equips you to serve." Also, I needed his words about gratitude. It adjusts your vision to focus on abundance rather than scarcity. Instead of keeping your eyes riveted on your empty left hand, recognize your right hand is overflowing with God's blessings. Oh, how my eyes linger on scarcity! He writes, "Worry reigns when we try to fix what only God can fix and know what only He can know."

The book is full of beautiful images of what it means to write for the Lord. He shares architectural principles that can apply to writing. He gives numbered lists of actions to employ. (As usual, walking makes the list!) He says that, as Christian writers, we are viaducts bringing living water and lanterns shining His light in a dark world. Our words can be life-giving if we will give them and leave the results to God. Those words, so often, come from places of deep pain.

Palpant points out, we should not fear suffering. It is often the soil that grows beautiful and true writing. His words remind me how important it is to nurture our gifts. This book has beckoned me back into the arena to pick up my weapons again. I have shared before that I have been in a spell of relative inactivity. Finding my son mid-overdose and walking through the subsequent descent into deeper addiction has somehow numbed my pen. I can pour out personal writing and have kept my book review blog going, but projects require more than I can give. For quite some time, I have been in a liminal space. That is okay. If God so desires, I will catch the spark again. Certainly, this book is full of embers waiting to re-ignite my dampened calling.

Book Review: This Must Be the Place

Sara Brunsvold recommended This Must Be the Place by Jami Nato. Sara's words were a siren song to me: "It’s the kind of book that you have to sit with. And it’s the kind of book that will always guide you from dark places back to laughter and hope." She offered a warning about the mild use of profanity, but I was game to see how my own bread crumbs in life lead me back to the purpose for which God has formed me.

Sometimes, things in our lives seem incongruent with God's plan. We think to ourselves, as Jami did, "Surely God couldn't want marital infidelity! Divorce can't be within God's plan." Or my question, "How could God allow a broken leg and the prescription for opioids?" Descent into addiction must be a departure from God's will and plan. Right? It would be wonderful if we could always say with certainty that God's will  is only for good paths and not bad ones. Jami Nato is not saying God causes marital infidelity, divorce, opioid use, addiction, or any other trial we encounter, as His divine will. Only that God allows these negative blips in our life stories to shape and form us into exactly who He wants us to be. If we trace the paths we have crossed, we often come to see a vision and purpose that God is shaping us for within those negative influences.

Jami Nato wants us to see that our past, present, and future can serve as a compass. She suggests a deep look at where God has been, where He is, and where He is going before you. As I reiterated to my prodigal son after listening to this book, "Nothing is an accident! Every positive and negative in your life is leading to God's gifting you in perfect ways for the ministry He desires you to fulfill." I wanted to go back into the e-book version so I could answer the questions provided at the end of each chapter and chart out a deeper understanding of what God might shape me to do. As I've said before, our God wastes nothing! He will take what looks like the worst thing (I'm remembering that minor story in The Wright Brothers) and turn it into the best thing to mold you for His purpose.

Content caution: 📒 - language

Book Review: A Thousand Times Yes

A few years ago, I noticed this title, A Thousand Times Yes: Two Doctors Who Answered God's Call, on my friend's Good Reads shelf. She gave it 5 stars, so I looked into it and purchased the book. My friend is training to be a doctor and a missionary, so I understand the appeal this book had for her. I began reading this last year, during my January trip with my sister to visit my parents. However, I abandoned the book when my dad encouraged me to read a book from his apartment called Heaven Rules. This year's trip to FL (for my mother's celebration of life), I brought it along again and completed it.

Wana Ann Fort shares the story of her life and her calling to be a missionary doctor, something she felt was far out of reach. I was interested in following this story of her missionary exploits in Africa because two of my friends were on a sister trip to re-visit Africa, where they had lived temporarily with their missionary parents when they were children. Combining viewing their stunning photos while reading the Forts' adventures and faith bolstered my spiritual fortitude when I needed spiritual fortitude more than you can imagine! Here is an example of one amazing shot taken by my friends while on their reunion trip to Africa:

(photo credit: Beth Petrie)

I once desired a missionary calling. I did a brief stint on a summer mission team in the Philippines. When I returned, I had a new view of my privilege and my heritage, so often taken for granted. But God led in a different path. I admire those who give their lives in service to Christ and His kingdom. They will reap rewards in heaven. My path holds just as much purpose and challenge as a missionary life, but I'm still aware of the comforts I look upon with expectation. May God use my faith for His kingdom, just as he did the faith of the Fort family.

Compilation: Twenty Books on Memoir

Next month, I plan to visit with a dear old friend who has quite a story to tell. She has asked for my assistance in getting that story down. I feel privileged and honored. Plus, it will be a great distraction from the current intensity of my own story these days. In light of that upcoming process, I compiled a list of memoirs featured on this book review blog. I had not realized the extent of my reading in memoirs. I found around 45 titles. This seemed too intense to provide, so I gleaned a baker's dozen of my favorites to offer up here:

1. Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas Sparks - memoir of a prominent author's travels
2. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson - memoir of a humorist
3. Bloom by Kelle Hampton - memoir of life with a special needs baby
4. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch - memoir of wisdom in facing death
5. The Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison - memoir of simple pleasures
6. Coming Clean by Kimberly Rae Miller - memoir of a hoarder
7. Colors of Goodbye by September Vaudrey - memoir of a loss of a child
8. Educated by Tara Westover - memoir of life pursuing betterment
9. Beautiful Boy by David Sheff - memoir of life with addicted son
10. An Ocean, an Airplane and Two Countries Full of Kisses by Maria Novajosky - memoir of Italian food, faith, and family
11. Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber - memoir of coming to faith
12. My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me by Jason B. Rosenthal - memoir of remarriage after death of spouse
13. Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal - memoir of writer's life

In addition, here are 7 books I've read on writing memoir (some involve writing in general):

1. Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner
2. Handling the Truth by Beth Kephart
3. Fearless Confessions by Sue Silverman
4. Before We Get Started by Bret Lott
5. Letters and Life by Bret Lott
6. Old Friend from Far Away by Natalie Goldberg
7. Five Pages a Day by Peg Kehret

What about you? Do you have a life story you need to share with the world? Do you enjoy reading memoirs?

Book Review: The Year of Less

I enjoy learning what others are reading via Goodreads updates. A friend highlighted this book as one she wanted to read. It sounded intriguing. Cait Flanders is the author of The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store. As if to emphasize less, the title is all in lower-case lettering. Of course, the length of the subtitle is more. Crazy!

This book (part self-help, part memoir) is a fascinating tale of paring away inessentials and analyzing what drives us to buy when we don't need and cling when we should release. Since my goal is to pare down my belongings, I thought this book might provide insight and motivation. Flanders explains how emotionally fraught our purchase patterns are. Some people (myself included) overeat when they avoid feelings, some people binge watch movies (myself included), and some use retail therapy. For years, Flanders used alcohol, food, and pointless spending to assuage feelings of insufficiency. After success in getting sober and losing weight, she addressed the money/belongings issue.

As her bio on the back cover proclaims, she is "a former binge consumer turned mindful consumer of everything. Through personal stories, she writes about what happens when money, minimalism, and mindfulness cross paths." Her writing is fluid and easy to follow. She provides expert insight into her addictions. (Her biological father should be strung up for his role.) Her self-examination and her willingness to sit in the pain causing those behaviors endear her to the reader. 

Although I am not a binge shopper, I am often lured into purchases under the guise of saving money. My frugality isn't economical when I buy what I do not need. Hopefully, by reading this and other minimalism books, I will get a handle on the excess in my life and strip down to a more meager existence. In some ways, I have no choice. If we move after our youngest graduates, we will not be seeking a home along the scale of what we now maintain. 

Indeed, we would not have selected this house if we weren't meeting family needs by taking residence. Previously, we lived in a two-bedroom bungalow in DeKalb, Illinois. Our oldest son's room wasn't big enough when our middle son came along, so Trevor's crib was in the dining room. Now, after years of filling the extra space we have, I am tasked with going back to a bare-bones existence. We shall see if reading books helps me face this challenge. It is easier to read about minimalism than to implement it. Thankfully, I will have my husband to hold me accountable.😇

A Multitude of Movies in March

I spent the first week of March watching quite a bit while staying with my mother. She calmed to every musical and somewhat when I watched the BBC's The Monarch of the Glen (a series I have no access to, but my parents own 7 seasons of it - I only managed 3-1/2 seasons). We watched her beloved Meet Me in St. Louis, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Singing in the Rain, Les Miserables (a staged production), and my favorite, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. My house is very quiet. We don't watch television at all (don't have cable or any other access points). Still, the practice of watching must have influenced me because I watched more movies in March than I have in a long time.

Not long ago, I discovered my library access to a documentary/movie portal called Kanopy. It is like Hoopla (a certain amount of credit per month), but focuses on documentaries and movies. I watched a documentary about William's Syndrome called Truelove: The Film. Then I got on a Felicity Jones kick. I watched Like Crazy, about a British student attending college in America who overstays her visa. It was a sad and disturbing movie about how bureaucracy stood in the way of her marriage. Not one I recommend. My next Felicity Jones fare was the Masterpiece Theater production of Northanger Abbey, a book I read 5 years ago.

After that, I explored famous writers who lost children (don't ask me why). So, I watched the Roald Dahl story, To Olivia. Then, I watched the 1977 movie, Mary White. William Allen White was a writer and author in Emporia, Kansas. His 16-year-old daughter died when she struck a low-hanging branch while riding her horse. The actress who played Mary did an outstanding job of communicating the girl's spunk and convictions.

Sean was interested in the Mary White movie because it corresponded to a period in history that he was then studying in his AP US History course. I also watched another movie at his behest. He had read the book Into the Wild for another class. I regretted that choice because it had a few minor nude scenes in the telling. No doubt this is why the teacher didn't share the movie with the class, ha!

Watching some of the Viking TV episodes about Great Britain led me to seek some more British fare. Thus, I watched Irish Wish, a cute little movie set with gorgeous footage of Ireland. It is about a young American girl who makes a wish on an ancient stone in Ireland. She wishes to marry her best friend's fiancé. As her wish unfolds, she learns it wasn't the best wish. I also made a 20-mile trek to the closest theater I could find showing the movie One Life. I adored Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham Carter in the film. Yet, I think I would have been fine waiting for library access and watching it at a later date. In my opinion, the documentary my husband and I watched on Kanopy in February (called Nicky's Family) was a more compelling telling of Nicholas Winton's story. Oh well.

So, what did I do besides all that movie watching? Well, nothing much. It seems I've been expertly avoiding thinking about difficult things. I did, however, begin purging in the kitchen. At this point, I only have two bags and am through a third of the cupboards. I attended a webinar on memoir writing (not for myself, but because a close friend has asked for help in writing her memoir). I would love to pick up where my writing stalled out mid-year, but still haven't made that happen. If my friend can get me writing again, even in a quasi-manner, it will be helpful.

Book Review: Like a River

Granger Smith addresses his book, Like a River, to anyone who has experienced loss. That's a wide audience. Personally, this book resonated a bit too much for me. From the start, I could not stop reading. Although much of his story differs from mine, so many things feel the same. Not to mention the date of their trauma in 2019 matches the date of my traumatic event in 2023. I could relate to his struggles with intrusive thoughts and nightmares. I, too, have sought therapy using rapid eye movement. Parts of this book were excruciating to read. His story resonated more than I wanted.

Granger Smith was outside with his three young children (London, age 7, Lincoln, age 5, and River, age 3) when he noticed silence. Any parent of boys knows to suspect that sinister silence. When he identified the dread, he discovered his 3-year-old son lying face down in the water of their gated and locked pool. Despite efforts to revive the boy, River died that horrible day in 2019. Many responded with judgement and condemnation. Why is it so hard for people to tread cautiously when someone is sitting in fresh grief?

Granger's book emphasizes his drive for self-improvement and his efforts to carry the load with his own strength. No surprise! Those efforts failed miserably. My timing in reading this book coincided with sentences in my BSF Bible study that support Granger's message: "We can do nothing to revive ourselves and restore our relationship with Him. No noble act, payment, right thinking, or self-help program will do what only God can do." (Ephesians 2:8-9) When Granger surrendered himself to the river God had placed him on, and placed his total trust in Jesus, he gained the resources needed to thrive in life once again. This heartfelt testimony has a heavy emphasis on the gospel message of salvation. I identified with his struggles and his solution. Perhaps you might as well.

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On this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for the Lord's protection and preservation of my children. It is a gift I do not take for granted and one that blesses me daily. I'm grateful that in our times of lament, the Lord hears our anguish but never feels offended when we struggle with His plan for our lives. He carries us, shelters us, and guides us. He redeems our broken pieces! He makes beauty from ashes! Praise God!

Book Review: The Sand Bucket List

One of my favorite things to do is meet other self-published authors. It is an uphill climb. It's good to know there are other climbers around on similar journeys. Plus, there's something special about reading a book after you've met the author. I met a local author, Brad Fischer, at my library in July. Brad received a terminal cancer diagnosis at age 46. He captured funny stories from his past to convey to his beloved daughters the lessons he hoped they might learn from this crazy life we're given. Although The Sand Bucket List was written with this fine-tuned lens, the lessons are such that anyone can derive meaning and insight from them. The excellent writing sucks you into these life lessons with ease.

Brad has a knack for finding hidden nuggets of wisdom amid humor. He shared the story of the prank he and his buddies played in their youth. They left a manure-filled purse on the side of the road to observe reactions. Now, he experienced similar feelings of being cheated by the cancer purse, a bag he wished he hadn't found along life's road. Another story he shared, with purpose, was about a time he and his wife went snorkeling. He accidentally allowed his wife to float away from him. This related to his cancer journey, as well. He explained how difficult it was for him to vocalize his fears or despair and that left his wife floating alone with all that emotion.

After reading his book, I feel even more kinship with him. Like Brad, a dog bit me in the butt once. And like Brad, my husband used to entertain our oldest son with a puppet show. Brad gave the Frog and Duck Show, while my husband's antics animated a Ronald McDonald puppet and a Dopey dwarf puppet. Sometimes a Woody (Toy Story) doll joined the mix. One night, a naughty Woody simpered, "Roses are red, violets are blue, poops are stinky, and so are you." We were mortified the next morning at church, when Bryce parroted Woody aloud to the girl in the pew in front of him.

I wish Brad all the best in this endeavor. His writing skills shine. He begins each chapter with a short blurb or lesson and wraps up each chapter honing in on that lesson again. Plus, he tackles even difficult subjects like religious belief with honesty and vulnerability. He struggles with the bad that sometimes comes from good people of faith. His questions are valid and voiced with sincerity. We may not share the same spiritual perspective, but we found common ground. His stories reminded me of my stories, and that is the beauty of books. We can always see something of ourselves in the stories of others. 

Book Review: Spare

Yes, I gave in to the hype. Currently at #1 for Audible books and #1 for British biography, it seems like everyone wants to get their hands on this book. My natural curiosity (would he trash his family?) kicked in. It was funny. My middle son saw the audiobook case and said, sneering, "You're listening to that? Seriously. Have you heard the snippets they're playing?" He then played me a horrifying bit that Prince Harry shares about his private parts. Oh, brother! I could have done without that bit! Do they think people want to hear stuff like that? Thankfully, most of the book was clean.

My heart grieves for Prince Harry and also for his family (both his wife and children, and his father and brother). Like everyone, I remember the images of Harry and William walking behind their mother's coffin. Difficult for any pre-teen, but Harry wasn't just any pre-teen. He was a royal pre-teen in the middle of embroiled relational discord from adulterous parents. He watched the press hound his beautiful, beloved mother, and he knew it was during pursuit that she met her demise. Well, he knew, but part of his childlike soul still wondered whether she had fabricated the incident so she could just disappear and start up a life elsewhere.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, the author proclaims he wants the press to cease and desist. On the other, he draws attention by saying, "I don't want all this attention." Yet, I understand he feels that the truth needs to be published since the tabloids and general press delight in producing enough lies to keep the gaping masses purchasing their rags. They wronged him, and he hopes that by telling "his side" the wrongs will go away. Sadly, not likely.

I understand his need to withdraw from the pressures of royalty. His desire to protect his small family is honorable. If entering with an open mind, the book is certain to nurture sympathy. All he wants is to live a normal life without being smeared and criticized by the masses who consume tid-bits written and photos taken to generate profit. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be hounded and chased, drawn and quartered, pinned on a specimen board for entertainment.

The void left by his mother led to problems (including drugs - the drug use in this book is staggering). What a different world it might have been for him, if someone had protected and championed this young man when his mother died. You would think that family would step up and meet those needs. You would think. Alas, not so for Harry. Yet, in his desire to proclaim the truth, he ended up smearing his family. His portrayal, while it may have been truth, will not heal what is broken.

I can only go back to my response to James Patterson's book on Diana and her boys. When we elevate mere humans to god-like worship, they will disappoint us. Sin and dysfunction cause problems in every family. Salvation through Christ's blood is the only cure. But will they ever hear and heed the gospel? I doubt it. The mess will proliferate and expand. Now that Harry has put his side out there, reconciliation will be hard-won.

Content Caution: 📒 - language, drug use

Book Review: My Jesus

I struggle with change. My experience with this book highlights an example. I happily added my name to the hold list when my library shared about this recent acquisition. Okay, so I love my library's hold options. I love being able to drive up and, long past the initial pandemic necessity, have someone walk my held books out to my car. Thank you! Thank you! 

What I do not love is my library's new card catalog platform. Why mess with a good thing, I ask? I used to be able to see early on if a book had no option for renewal (meaning the hold list is long and the next person is already waiting for their turn). Now, patrons are told how many times they have renewed a book, rather than how many renewals are still available. Thus, you remain in the dark until a few days prior to the due date, when the library sends a notification explaining that a further renewal is not available. I desperately need more than a few day's notice.

So, there I was, facing down the notification email. I had three days to return this book, My Jesus: From Heartache to Hope by Anne Wilson. Thank goodness it is a short, easy read (194 pages). I suppose the key is simple. Check out fewer books and get around to them the moment you bring them home - ha!😉

My Jesus shares the personal testimony of a new Christian recording artist, Anne Wilson. The tragic loss of Anne's older brother, in a car accident, shifted Anne's career trajectory. Her dreams of becoming an astronaut (something my youngest has expressed a vague interest in) faded when a talent scout found a video of Anne singing her funeral contribution, "What a Wonderful Name." Sadly, I was out of the loop on this. (When I still had my van with its broken CD player, I usually listened to Christian radio. Now that I'm in a car with a functioning CD player, I tend to use that time to listen to audio books.) Apparently, Anne's first song, "My Jesus," went to the top of the charts immediately.

If you are seeking a quick and encouraging Christian testimony, this book fits the bill. While the writing is not noteworthy, the story is sincere and inspirational. Of course, as soon as I closed the book (just in time to return it to the library, shwew), I logged on to YouTube and listened to "My Jesus," "What a Wonderful Name," and one other song called "No Place Like Home." They were a great accompaniment to this personal story.

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Now, I wouldn't be averse to a change like this: A library in Colorado has a self-checkout station where you can select the language for your receipt. One option is "Pirate" language. This is how the receipt prints out:

(Photo from Carole O'Brien on Facebook)

Book Review: Dear Dana

Two things converged to bring this compulsively readable book into my life. Thanks to an Amazon gift card from a friend, I felt free to spend the money on books. Then, to earn more sweepstakes entries, I signed on for Book Bub. This has been a double-edged sword for me. While I love book recommendations, the daily smattering of titles increases my burgeoning wish list and TBR piles. For this book, I saw the title (Dear Dana: That time I went crazy and wrote all 580 of my Facebook friends a handwritten letter), noticed the low e-book price ($.99), clicked to purchase, and immediately started reading (on my Kindle for PC).

I love everything about this idea. Letter writing saved my life! When I moved in my senior year of high school, when I launched out at a college where I knew not a soul, when I moved overseas to live and work in England for seven months, and when I courted my husband during graduate school, letter writing kept me going. I still keep a stack of those old letters in my closet. I may not read them often, but they are too significant to throw away. They were a lifeline to sanity when loneliness might have driven me crazy.

Crazy! That's what Amy Weinland Daughters must have been to embark on this daunting task. But, how cool! Amy noticed a Facebook friend, Dana, posting about her son's battle with cancer. When the mother and son moved to Memphis for his treatment at St. Jude's, Amy felt compelled to send letters. Sadly, the stricken son died. Amy recalled a comment by a neighbor who, after grieving her lost husband, mentioned that at some point the casseroles and letters cease. Amy didn't want that to happen to her Facebook friend, even though they hadn't seen one another in thirty years. But how to continue expressing her condolences and prayers? She didn't even have an address for Dana. This little realization triggered something that resonated deep within. The impact of receiving a handwritten letter is incalculable. What if Amy wrote a letter (not just a note, but a 2-pager) to every Facebook connection she had?

What's even crazier? She put feet to the plan. She created a spreadsheet, placed the names in a box, pulled out each name, and wrote to each individual, no matter how close or distant in life. I rarely highlight passages in memoirs, but I did so in this book. The exercise changed Amy's heart, and mine too. I wanted to share a few of those nuggets, but in writing them down, they took up almost two pages. Here are a few key points: small, everyday actions can morph into big things; writing letters is therapeutic for both the sender and receiver; intentional letters have no monetary value, but exponential personal worth; and our interactions with people can change us if we remain open and teachable, looking for that potential in even seemingly insignificant or limited relationships (i.e., Facebook friends you have never even met but connected with through some random situation).

She presented one concept I'd love to explore more. Dana asked Amy to join in a 5K for cancer awareness. The physical exertion of this was more than Amy was accustomed to (after health issues). Her observation about praying through the physical pain struck me. She wrote, "Not only did turning my focus to God get me through the next lap, I prayed in a way I never had before. Being depleted physically seemed to augment me spiritually." I'm guessing this principle might apply to fasting as well. Hmm.

As her sister-in-law said, "Don't think that your words aren't life to someone and aren't well received if they don't quite know how to respond." So often, we crave feedback from what we send out into the world. This is inspiration and encouragement for writing, as well as posting on Facebook. Amy wrote, "The key is to... continue to press on boldly... regardless of any lack of feedback." She encourages the reader to never let a lack of "likes" keep you from sharing something that might help another individual.

Amy's correspondence with Dana was life-giving. She gave of herself in prayer and writing. Dana responded, "Know that every word you write matters!" In the same way, through her Facebook letter writing project, Amy learned, "Being connected to each was far more than an exercise in randomness and instead a very deliberate pattern that meant God had been looking out for me through relationships from the beginning."

Deal for today only: To the first five individuals who send me their email that is attached to their Kindle account (you can easily read with the Kindle for PC or Kindle on phone app), I will gift you a copy of this e-book. Express your interest and send your email address to wendy@wendygortonhill.com. Merry Christmas and happy reading and letter writing!