The Four Loves - Introduction

Our book discussion group had it's first official meeting last night. I enjoyed it so much. We are so blessed to have such a thoughtful and intelligent group. We tossed around questions such as:

• is love just an emotion or something more?
• was there sin before the fall?
• do any humans love with purely selfless motives?
• can unbelievers truly love?

I loved hearing different perspectives. I enjoyed some of the definitive answers and some that seemed more flexible. I loved the passion behind some of the responses and the debating banter that some of the questions provoked. In fact, the only thing I didn't love was that the discussion took off with such fervor a few times that several cross discussions were happening and I couldn't hear everyone. There was no lag in the discussion, and in that sense it was a tremendous success!
Kendra and I had the idea for this group, but there is no doubt that God is putting it together, building a group that can ignite deep thoughts and inspire passionate living. Years ago I belonged to a little group called Can of Worms - and even while in the middle of it I knew it was one of those "best things" in life that you remember forever. I have a similar feeling about this group. I am so excited about where it will lead us.

I Want Me One of These

I don't covet often, although I wouldn't necessarily say that I have mastered the art of contentedness. Most of my discontent centers around people and places rather than material things. (This has a lot to do with my homesickness for WV!) I am blessed to have all that I need, truly - but sometimes once in a great while I find something I really want. I have recently become obsessed with the desire to be the proud owner of an Amazon Kindle. I am not an electronic gadget person. In fact I prefer to use my paper planner than all the gadgets and programs that are on my laptop - but there seem many advantages to this thing. Books are heavy making it difficult to lay in bed and read - and I love reading in bed. I also love to take books along with me wherever I go. I have to admit that I also hate reading ebooks or internet pages off of my screen. Blogs are about the most reading I can do - but I think you can even read those on Kindle. At $399, I won't be getting one anytime soon. But a girl can dream.
Check this baby out:

Oh my gosh!

Let's Go To the Mall - You Know They Have it All

If you are even a semi-regular reader to this blog, you may have caught wind of the fact that I would rather have a root-canal without anesthesia, give birth to a 34 pound baby au naturale, or a number of other torturous things than go to the mall. I don't like shopping in general, but the thought of going to the mall gives me hives. So, it is no small thing when my daughters ask me to get in the car and schlepp them 40 miles down the road to the crack cocaine experience of shopping. The only consolation prize, and the only way I can even manage to go most of the time is if I get to hang out in the bookstore. Tonight I was smart, thinking "I'll bring my laptop and catch up on some blogging." I have been SO busy the last few days that I have had blog posts rattling around in my brain and no opportunity to outlet them. Now most of them are gone like dissolving clouds and flying pink elephants. (Did you catch another drug reference? Yikes.) I get to the bookstore cafe, grab my caramel macchiato, browse a few books and sit down with my laptop to blog and I realize I have WAY too many distractions to really blog my deep thoughts here. It is like taking a child to a candy store - the kind where they make the candy there and you can smell chocolate, fudge, butterscotch, and caramel - and telling that child NOT to think about candy. I adore books, there is amazing music playing, and I am pumping an intense dosage of caffeine - so I am WAY overstimulated in every possible way.
So, I have two books that I am torn between - Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren and The Barbarian Way by Erwin Raphael McManus that was recommended by Gayle. Leaning heavily towards the Brian McLaren since I've wanted to read him for a long time - I just wish it was paperback. Helpful book lady informed me not until October - well I can't wait that long.

Just for Fun but it Made My Day

Okay - typically I think of my blog as chaotic ramblings, an outlet for the writing that I so much enjoy, and often unformed thoughts in process. I found this little "test" for my blogs reading level and was quite excited to find my non-college educated self blogging on a "college" level. Woo hoo! It is probably a hoax - I am going to try it a few more times and see if I get the same result, but for now - I'm just gonna enjoy it! Take the test and let me know how it comes out. I put in a few of your URLs and I'm not mentioning any names - but somebody got a "Genius" rating!

Blessed Immersion

Do you remember the joys of childhood, before the stress and strain of responsibility, bill paying, menu planning, laundry folding - when you still had two brain cells left to pursue something you loved? My son loves Marvel comics - and especially Spiderman. He is waiting with baited breath for the next movie to come out. The other day, everything was Spiderman, and I caught him during some drawing time. I just love this picture. He was so into it that he didn't even notice me creep up with the camera. (I'm like a ninja stalker with that thing around here trying to capture awesome "un-posed" moments - of course the flash usually gives me away!)
In the last couple of days he has gotten into the Magic Treehouse books that I bought quite some time ago. He read one about Sabertooths, and is now unable to put down "Tonight on the Titanic". I took a picture of him this morning, as soon as he woke with his head sticking out of the covers and the book in his hands. The very first thing he said is, "Do NOT put that on your blog mom!" So I guess I won't be sharing. Too bad for you - that one is drenched in cuteness!

East Texas Weather

I had complained so much about the large amount of rain we had here in Texas - but then we were blessed with a couple of weeks of sunshiny weather, great temperatures, and the first signs of spring - blooming flowers, tweeting birds, gentle breezes. I have enjoyed it so much.
Yesterday afternoon I spent a couple of hours on my porch swing with a good book. Kullen came out for a while and we read some Shel Silverstein poetry. He cannot get enough of it! The weather was absolutely perfect. It was an idyllic lazy Sunday afternoon. Not even the cars driving by seemed in any hurry.
This morning when I woke, it was not daylight. I would have thought it was just the time change if it hadn't been for my husband calling on his way to work to let me know a serious storm system was headed our way. Now it is almost 9 am and it is PITCH BLACK. There are thunder claps and lightning zaps everywhere. I don't mind the storm as much as the idea of tornadoes. I got online specifically to look up tornado warning signs and found this great website from NOAA weather service. It had a lot of pictures, warning signs, and ideas of how to be prepared and what to do. So here I sit, looking for green clouds! (Did you know that was one of the warning signs of a tornado?)

I'll post our most recent favorite Shel Silverstein poems in another post later!

Glorious Spring!

One of the definite things to LOVE LOVE LOVE about Texas is the early spring! The temps have been in the 70s all week - windows open, ceiling fans blowing a gentle breeze in off the front porch. Life.is.good! It makes me feel emotionally more grounded - and while I have never had a diagnosis of seasonal disorder - I think it must at least give me a pretty good slap across the face every year.

Spring typically does NOT make me think of reading. I read all the time, but I usually snuggle in and read more in the winter. However Callapidder Days is hosting a "Spring Reading Thing". It is a challenge to help you make a list of things you will read this spring, and work on it. It starts on March 21st. Go on to her blog and read all about it.

Another beautiful thing is that all the bushes, and plants around my yard are blooming. It is such an awesome time. Spring is the perfect time to celebrate Easter - the new life we have in Christ is the only thing that has more potential to breathe new life into us. I am so thankful for a God that paints the world with pictures of spiritual lessons!

Pit Dweller No More!

I am a frequent visitor at the blog of one, Boomama. One day while innocently visiting there, I read an announcement that she was going to be starting a "Bloggity Book Club". My first instinct was to RUN. I love to read books, and I love book discussions, but I don't have time, money, energy for another one right now, or so I thought. At the same time this announcement goes out, I hear that HSB is also starting up a Literary Club. And, (shameless plug) some friends and I are starting an Inklings book club reading C.S. Lewis and other Christian authors on a yahoo group. (See the sidebar to join us!)

At any rate, I digress.

I skimmed the post about the book club at Boomama's, learned that they were going to be discussing Beth Moore's new book Get Out of That Pit, and decided, nah. Okay, my first and most shallow reason for abstaining is that the book, being newly released would be in hardback only. I absolutely loathe hardback books, and especially ones that come with dust covers, even if cutie-patootie Beth Moore is on it. But, a week or so later, I was in Sam's club and saw "the book". It was only $12 which is very reasonable for a new hardback book, and when I picked it up, it just felt right. (not too heavy, nice paper) I know it's a weird way to examine a book – but reading is not just in the brain, it is kinesthetic and aesthetic for me as well. If the book feels weird, I just can't do it. I am certain there is medicine for this, however, since it is only this one little thing, I think I'll just allow myself to ruminate in this one itty bitty little quirky behavior. (Those of you that know me ITF "in the flesh" can keep your comments to yourselves!) Long story short - I bought the book.

All kidding aside, I just finished it, and while I'll reserve the majority of my comments for the discussion that I intend to participate in fully, I will share something that God spoke almost audibly, as if the words lifted off the pages and became sound – because I've been hurting in this specific way for a little over a week. On pg 176 was a statement that spoke right to my wounded spirit:

Nobody gets the right to keep you in a pit or to shame you for bailing. Not even your mama.

In context, Beth was explaining how some people (specifically family) get mad when you leave the pit of family dysfunction and seek to live life in the freedom that comes from Jesus Christ. I know what she means – boy, do I know.

Shut My Mouth!

Since my blog has been such a downer this past weekend, I wanted to lighten it up and share a cute story my daughter Kendra shared with me this morning to cheer me up. She has been reading "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" (Read her blog-all-about-it!)and read it at such a ravenous rate that Friday I bought her "Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courtship" and she is about halfway through it as well. In the second book Joshua Harris tells of overhearing his father telling his younger brother why God gave us two ears and one mouth - because He wants us to listen twice as much as we talk. Evidently the younger brother took this to heart, and began sharing it with others around him. My sentiments, "Shut My Mouth!"
(There is however, no application of this to blogging as we do not use our mouths but our fingers! And in case you haven't noticed I've been going blog-wild with 21 posts last week alone! That's 3 a day people - do the math!)

Book or Movie - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

There is much excitement building as the day approaches for the premiere of The Chronicles of Narnia presentation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and I can hardly wait! I was at my friend Kathie's house last night. Our conversation had been somewhat peaceful being that there were eight kids in the house, and without realizing it had built to a crescendo as the kids had entered the room and made more and more noise. Kathie mentioned that read-alouds were somewhat like that at her house - how she starts reading in a normal, relaxed voice, and then it builds. I got curious, and asked what she was currently reading aloud - and she said The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe! I was so excited because I am too. I don't like my children to see a movie typically unless we've read the book beforehand, especially if it is a classic book. This opens the door for much discussion about what was good, bad, different between the two. I think this is an opportunity for critical thinking together as a family. Sometimes, it makes us all sad that we went to see the movie - because it totally changes the pictures we had in our imagination of characters, etc. Sometimes producers leave things that we feel are very important COMPLETELY out of the movie version, and it is hard to reconcile why such choices are made. Often we feel as if the work that was done, was untrue to the book author's actual story. I will say that the trailer for this movie looked absolutely captivating, and because C.S. Lewis' stepson was involved in production, I am very hopeful that this will be a great movie. I am also excited about the potential for allegorically spreading the gospel!

Family Reading

When our family decided to take the plunge, pull our oldest daughter out of kindergarten and become homeschooling pioneers in our own rite, we only knew two homeschooling families. These two families were very different in their homeschooling lifestyles - and yet on one thing they were in passionate agreement: a well-rounded education involves reading, reading and more reading - but most importantly sharing good books as a family. Having grown up in a family that never read together at all, this was quite a foreign concept. I am sure that my parents read story books to me when I was quite small, and then passed the torch when I was able to read for myself at the tender age of 4. If I had never met these two women, who shared their contagious joy of family reading, I would have missed out on one of the best experiences I could have ever shared with my children.

When we plunged into the homeschooling world, there were two other families that were jumping in with us, and so we started a little "support group". Mostly we got together and asked lots and lots and lots of questions to these veteran moms. Often the questions about registering with the school board and how to test, when to test, what curriculum to use, how to pull it all off on a shoestring, etc. left me feeling confused and frustrated. It seemed like another life task to be overwhelmed by - until my friend said very simply to me, "You'll never do wrong by your kids if you spend time reading with them. Just read." This simple sentiment was not lost on me, and I quickly discovered the joy of reading aloud to my family. One way to implement this activity was that our small group began to have book discussions. I will never forget the first book they decided to introduce us to was Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson. Then we got together for a fun afternoon of snacks and book discussion. The kids were all very small at the time. Now before I incite a fury, and onslaught of hate mail - I don't like reading books about animals. And yet, there was such a benefit, a connectedness, a treasured time spent together of snuggling up with my kids and sharing these stories. Our second book The Little House on the Prairie was right up my alley - and we devoured that one very quickly. One of the best book discussions we ever had was on The Giver by Lois Lowry about a Utopian society and the pitfalls perfection can create. Awesome.

What I want to convey in this post is that reading is in and of itself a definite pleasure. I wish I made more time for it personally. There is a quiet joy in meeting new friends, sharing their lives, and understanding more about yourself in the process of the slowly unfolding stories a good book shares. But better than that, when in our frenzied, hurried, busy lives, we take time to just sit quietly, snuggled up on the sofa or with pillows piled all around us on mommy and daddy's bed, and share stories together, you create family memories that last a lifetime. To be able to talk about books you've shared together is one of the best connections you can make with your children. Over the years our family has read missionary biographies - one of our favorite was Torches of Joy, and we like the "Heroes then and Now" Series by Geoff and Janet Benge. We have read stories that brought us closer to World War I like House of Sixty Fathers. We have listened to many books on tape, such as the one we heard in its entirety played on our long trip to the Outer Banks in NC - we had two teenage friends in the car with us, and all five children were spellbound - nobody talked, nobody slept - everybody listened the whole way, called "Z" is for Zachariah - a story about the end of the world. Another great book that stands out is Homesick by Jean Fritz, a famous author who shares her stories of growing up as a young girl in China. Her descriptive writing about the culture, the people, long voyages in boats, and riding in a rickshaw will make you feel as if you are really there.

What I want to know is, do you read with your family? Do you share good books together? Do you desire to develop reading comprehension, listening skills, communication ability, attention span, etc. in your children? Reading aloud to them is an awesome way to work on each of these skills. But aside from all that, do it for the intense pleasure it will bring to you and your children. Pick a good book and start today! No child is too young, nor too old. I have an 8 year old who has been listening to chapter books along with his sisters since he was a baby and I still read to my teenagers. We are currently reading a missionary biography about George Muller during our family devotional time, and daddy is even enjoying that one. Let me pass on the best, simplest piece of advice my friend ever gave me about homeschooling with you- Just Read!

If you are interested in doing this with your family, please feel free to email me for ideas, or encouragement. You will also find the best resources in a series of books called Honey for a Child's Heart, Honey for a Teens Heart, and Honey for a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt. The names of her books were inspired by this verse: Pleasant words are a honeycomb; Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24 It is my hope that you will share good books with your family and sweeten your life!

There was a very thought provoking post on Amy Beth's blog. She was asking for a respectful conversation - not debate about the difference between the witches and such in the Chronicles of Narnia - stories such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe versus other types of fantasy wherein witchcraft is present and evil is a thematic element. I would like to continue that discussion here - and hear comments from anybody interested in participating in what I hope would be a continuation of the conversation that was started on Amy Beth's blog.

First of all, when the Harry Potter series first came out my children were much younger than they are now, and my thoughts on the Christian controversy were that there were so many other good books to read, they had no need of getting involved in something that clearly contained witchcraft. The Bible warns against participation in witchcraft as a practice, and also that we are to abstain from even the very appearance of evil. But as I took my stand the controversy brewed on. During that time, I saw an increase in books related to the occult, witchcraft, spells, etc. appearing on the shelves and highlighted in special displays in our library. Here is where my concern began. It is one thing to read fantasy, but it is another all together to benignly expose yourself or your children to things which allow an opened door for evil into your life.

However, I read a book three summers ago, just prior to a long trip to the South Carolina coast called Honey for a Teens Heart by Gladys Hunt. Having trusted her recommendations for years in Honey for a Child's Heart, I was stunned to discover in the fantasy section of this book full of reading recommendations for teens - the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I will share some of her synopsis here: J.K. Rowling, who has authored the most astonishing series in the history of children's publishing, causing many former non-readers to take up her Harry Potter books, has said that she has been deeply influenced by C.S. Lewis. That's one reason there will eventually be seven books in the Harry Potter series, just like the Narnia Chronicles. They are so wildly popular because they work well on several levels - as laugh-aloud books with word-plays, jokes and spoofs of British boarding school life, and as an introduction to a thoroughly real set of true-to-life characters who have their own quirks, foibles and endearing charms paralleling our own. Except for the Dursleys, there are no cardboard, predictable characters. These include elves, giants, ghosts, animals and oddball teachers of all sorts. Most importantly, Hogwarts is a complete world unto itself, a believable sub-creation in which the characters take chances, grow, fail, are forgiven, and learn discernment as they join the fight for the life-giving good against the life-destroying evil Though Rowling is not a Christian believer, we can see the C.S. Lewis influence on her work in how she has created a "Moral world that is consistent with biblical revelation of the nature of good and evil" (Connie Neal 176). Our recommendation if you hesitate to to let your children read Harry Potter because of the many claims that the books promote witchcraft as a positive lifestyle, is to read them yourselves first. Then explore the well balanced, in-depth discussion in Connie Neal's What's a Christian to do With Harry Potter? You must be fully convinced in your own mind, but exercise that mind prayerfully and with all the facts. You may become convinced, as we are, that not only are the books excellent fantasy, but that God can use them for redemptive conversations within your family and with the larger culture.

I immediately went to the library and checked out Connie Neal's book and read it in a day. She presents the arguments, assertions, and conflict between Christians on this subject, and I felt like I had an intelligent opinion afterwards - not just a random fear. As believers we read about witchcraft, demons, dragons, murder, prostitution, etc. all in God's word. It is the practice that is forbidden, not reading about it. C.S. Lewis himself states in The Screwtape Letters that there are two equal and opposite errors one can make about demons - the first is to be convinced that they do not exist - the second is to have a preoccupation with them. (my paraphrase). I believe we can see the same dynamic in this realm. We either behave as if witchcraft does not exist, or have an unhealthy fascination with it. That needn't be so. Christ has set us free. We can read fantasy without condemnation, and with grounded convictions avoid the fear of being sucked into a practice the Bible forbids. During our trip to the beach that year, I read the entire first book in the HP series.

I do not believe these books are for young children, and yet after reading the first book in the Harry Potter series, and handing it over to my daughter to read - I was able to have one of the best discussions I've ever had with her. I have found this "read it first" or "read it with" practice to be an incredible relationship builder with all of my children. In the very first book, Harry is an orphan because his father was killed, and his mother died saving his life. This is an easy way to communicate the gospel to unbelieving teens who are familiar with this story - because rarely in real life do we have examples of this sacrificial kind of love.

Something I found extremely enlightening in Ms. Neal's book is that Christians often accept other stories widely - that have ghosts, witches, and the like. A Christmas Carol and it's musical counterpart Scrooge for example have the "ghosts" of Past-Present-and-Future, as well as a apparition of Ebenezer Scrooge's dead partner Marley coming back from the dead. Scrooge himself participates in a ritual called astral projection - in which his spirit leaves his body to travel around London in order to see and yet not be seen. Most Disney movies have a villan, often a witch, demon or other evil influence, and yet we watch these fantasy stories with our children benignly without a second thought.

Here's my advice - don't jump to conclusions and be afraid. Read books with your kids or to them as a family read-aloud and discuss the things in them that you find are contrary to the word of God. Raise your kids to be thinkers, not those who shrink back in fear of the unknown, so submerged in their own little world that they cannot engage the culture around them. Help them be challenged in what they believe by reading things that they or you may disagree with. And, assert your opinions and convictions with respect to those around you! So if you would like to post a comment - please do so - even if you disagree - as long as you are considerate of others.