The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah: A Book Review

It has been a LONG time since I shared a book review in this space. I’m reading a lot of books these days, but I haven’t spent much time actually writing out my response. I hope to change that this year, because I think I get more out of a book if I sit down and process it just a bit in written form—and because I can be a bit bossy at times and I like telling you what I think you should (and shouldn’t) read. 😂😂😂

I lucked out in getting Kristin Hannah’s brand new release, The Four Winds, a day before publication day through Book of the Month. I declared the rest of the school day to be canceled—my kids had a small celebration at that—and I sat down on the couch under a blanket to begin reading just minutes after I ripped open the box. Friends … it did not disappoint.

This is Kristin Hannah’s most beautiful book yet. I have loved almost everything she’s ever written, The Nightingale being my favorite book of all time. You know, the book I always recommend when anyone asks me for a good book to read. The book I would take to a deserted island and read over and over and over again. But the thing about The Nightingale is that you don’t really completely fall in love with the characters until the very end. And then you want to re-read the whole thing all over again.

But this book!!!!! The Four Winds grips you from the very beginning and never lets you go. I threw my book across the room after the first chapter because I was so angry I could spit. I was already so emotionally invested in the main character that I just wanted to cry. As the book went on, my emotional investment continued to grow.

We are just wrapping up our History Unit on the Great Depression, so I’ve read a lot about this time period over the last few weeks. This book is one of the most captivating historical fiction books I’ve read about the Great Depression. It made me think about things in a way I never had before, and I want to sit around and talk about it with people for days and days and days. I’m missing my Woebegone Literary Society gals so much right now and am tempting an impromptu outdoor book club gathering just for this book. Except it’s winter, so I guess I’ll just have to wait a little longer to discuss.

It is Hannah’s best-written novel from start to finish. She nailed the art of writing with this one. I loved every single moment of it. Even the scenes that made me angry. No, especially the scenes that made me angry.

It goes up there right next to The Nightingale in my list of books everyone should read. Just do it. You won’t be disappointed.

An Inauguration Day Lesson Plan

The first time I really paid any attention to the Presidential Inauguration was when George W. Bush was inaugurated in 2005. I was in law school and had spent months debating with other law students—and professors—about various political issues. I remember sitting in the lobby and watching the news as Bush took the Inaugural oath. In 2009, my sister and I made the trek to D.C. and met my aunt for Obama’s first inauguration. Although there was a huge mishap and we never made it to our seats to watch the swearing-in or the inaugural address, we will always have the memory of being bundled up, in the national capital on that historic day—and we DID get to see the We Are One Concert the Sunday before!

Four years ago I was feeling rather sad over where we were as a country and didn’t pay much attention to the Inaugural events. I was caught up in my own disappointments and struggles, and the state of the country just brought on more anxiety than I could handle. I was trying to live a life of hope, but everything I saw in politics shattered any hope I was clinging to.

The events of 2020 have put the Presidential election in the forefront of our home. This is the first Presidential election where my children are old enough to really understand what’s happening. We’ve spent three years learning about early American history, and they’ve seen the frustrations and hurts the world has experienced over the last four years. We have talked about the positive things that have happened over the last few years (not many in the world of politics), and we’ve talked about the struggles. We’ve talked about Black Lives Matter, we’ve put signs up in our yard, we’ve donated to campaigns. We’ve worn masks, we’ve stayed home. We read books about candidates, we walked to vote, and we cried when we heard the news saying Biden would be President. We watched the capitol insurrection just two weeks ago, and we continue to talk about the many struggles that our country will continue to face over the next 4 years.

It feels only right that this year, we celebrate Inauguration Day as the start of something new. As a day of hope in moving forward. I decided to postpone our normal lessons for the day and make it a day of “Presidential learning”. If you are looking for ways to incorporate Inauguration Day into your week, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Photo by David Rowe.

Read

I love using Picture Books in our Morning Time together. They help us center our thoughts and good snuggles on the couch first thing in the morning always help our day go a little smoother. Here are some of my favorite books to consider for this week. If you can’t grab any of these from your library before Wednesday, you can find almost all of them all online.

Joey: The Story of Joe Biden—This is a biography about Joe Biden written by Jill Biden, and it’s just delightful. It talks about Joe as a kid, and my girls found it very relatable. You can find a read-aloud video here.

Kamala & Maya’s Big Idea—A delightful story written by Kamala Harris’ niece about a big idea Kamala and her sister Maya had as kids and how they implemented it. It’s a great book for empowering kids to have dreams and work towards making them happen. The author does an online read-aloud here.  

Blue Sky White Stars—The images in this book are incredible. The words are simple, but when combined with the illustrations by Kadir Nelson, it becomes a profound book. This is one of my favorite children’s books about America. I highly recommend finding a copy of this one so you can look at the stunning images in person, but you can also watch a read-aloud here.

So You Want to Be President - This is a longer book works best with older elementary students. It has fun facts and great illustrations about every President through George W. Bush. We really enjoy reading this one together. You can watch a read-aloud here.

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez - SUCH a fun book about a girl who wants to make her neighborhood a better place. She learns about the many different steps one has to go through to make a difference, and how much determination it takes to become a leader. Especially President! Online read-aloud is available here.

The Buck Stops Here - This is the only one I couldn’t find as a read-aloud online. I found this one to be a little dry when we read it together, but my kids actually love it. They requested it from the library so many times that I finally just bought them their own copy! It has fun facts about all the Presidents through Clinton.

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash.

Writing Exercise

Challenge your kids with this writing prompt: You’re president of the United States. What do you say in your inaugural address to help bring people together?

If you have younger elementary kids, or kids who struggle with the mechanics of writing, I encourage you to make this an oral composition exercise. Have them tell you what they’d say and you write it down as they go. You’ll be surprised how well they can compose something in their head, even though they may struggle with actually putting it down on paper!

Photo by Manki Kim on Unsplash.

Tea Time

We love to have Family Tea Time once a month or so. It’s a time when we sit around and drink tea (or sometimes hot chocolate or lemonade or whatever else we can find in the house) and read poetry together. This month we’ll have Tea Time on Inauguration Day, and we’ll read the Inaugural Oath, as well as a few poems like I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman and On the Pulse of Morning by Maya Angelou. There’s a great Youtube Video of Maya Angelou reading her poem at the 1993 Inauguration. We’ll sing the Star Spangled Banner with Lady Gaga and maybe even America the Beautiful because singing is good for our hearts and our lungs. And of course, we’ll have a yummy snack to munch on. Maybe popcorn with strawberries and blueberries?

Photo by ramya_aiyappan on Flickr.

Art

No lesson plan is complete without a little bit of Art! Part of the Inauguration week kick-off included Kolam, a traditional Indian artwork, created by more than 1800 people all over the world. i can’t wait to take a look at some of the designs, and maybe even create Kolam of our own!

We are also huge fans of Chalk Pastels with Nana. If you have some chalk and some paper, you can follow along with her and paint your very own American flag. If you are a member of her art club, you can explore the three branches of government. I have to say I splurged on a membership in a fit of COVID-induced rage back in March, and it was my best impulse purchase of 2020! I can’t wait to paint the branches of government picture … whether my kids do it with me or not!

Photo by David Rowe.

Play

Play is such an important part of a child’s learning, as well as being an important way for us parents to foster connections with them. I have seen firsthand how my girls incorporate the things they are learning in their imaginative play. This week, consider putting on a puppet show together. Or if you don’t have puppets, pull out all of your stuffed animals.

Who will be the next Puppet President?

How will they address their audience?

Will there be music? Other speakers?

Don’t forget the swearing in!

Watch

Honestly, you can do none of the other things listed here and watch the Inauguration and you’ve done a great job of incorporating this historic day. There’s no official start time—the swearing in happens at Noon EST, but you can expect news coverage to happen all morning. Typically things start sometime around 11:30am EST.

And if you’re looking for some background music while you’re making dinner, check out this playlist the Biden-Harris team put together. I’ve been jamming to it all day!

Have so much fun in your Presidential Learning! This truly is an inaugural year like none other.

Top Ten Adult Reads of 2018

I’m not sure how I did it, but I read 109 books last year. 5 of those were picture books that snuck into the list and 24 of them were chapter books that I read with my 6-year-old, which means that I read 80 books for me and me alone. When I look back on them, it feels like a year of self-indulgence and luxury. There’s nothing like a good stack of books to make you feel like you’re traveling the world, meeting some of the most amazing (and maybe also some of the worst) people you’ve ever met.

Out of my 80 “adult reads” last year, there were ten that rose to the top as my favorites - and one extra that I added list because - well - it’s Jane Austen and she can’t be left out. Here are my favorites from 2018 - in no particular order.

The Snow Child - This was the last book I read in 2018, and I’m SO glad I snuck it in in the last week. I had thought about waiting until there was snow on the ground, but it came so highly recommended that I just couldn’t wait to open it. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. This book pulled at my heart in so many directions, and it’s a book I will read over and over again. It’s a magical fairy tale that will break your heart and full you with so much joy all at the same time. If you need a good book this winter, this should be at the top of your list.

Where the Crawdads Sing - I highly recommend the Audio version of this one. It was simply incredible. It made me think a lot about my own family roots, it made me miss the south, and the ending left me stunned. It’s a fantastic story of survival and of beating the odds. I was crushed when it was over.

I’ll Be Your Blue Sky - This was one of my favorite summer reads in 2018. It’s light-hearted and beautifully written. I had not ever read Loved Walked in or Belong to Me, so the characters were unknown to me. I love the way the story lines of two different women are interwoven to tell an intricate and beautiful story of finding oneself. I loved it so much that I read the first book written (Loved Walked In) and was sorely disappointed. I’ll Be Your Blue Sky stands alone - and far above - the other two books with the same characters.

The Light We Lost - This book captivated me from the first page. I fell in love with the characters, got angry at the characters, and really felt every emotion they were going through. It's a beautiful portrayal of love, temptation, despair, and how life may not always be as black and white as we might think. Although I disagreed with the actions of the main character, Lucy, I always FELT why she did what she did. Relationships are so complicated - love is so complicated - and this book really lifts that up in a beautifully written way. 

The Broken Girls - I’m not usually a fan of thrillers, but this one was exceptional. It was creepy without being too over the top. This is another one that’s worth an Audible credit - I really enjoyed hearing the story told to me as opposed to reading the words on the page. It was suspenseful, entertaining, and a story well told.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - I bought this book on a whim back in June when I was heading to a wedding and thought I might have a few extra hours of quiet. I tried to start it that very same day, but found it boring and whiney. I’ve told you before how I’m not afraid to put down mediocre books - and how, if the reviews are really really good, I’m also not afraid to pick them up and try again. I’m so glad I picked this one back up in the Fall, because I found it to be brilliant. It’s a book of character development, so read it when you’re ready to really dig into the characters - not when you’re wanting something full of action. It made me feel all the emotions, which is the true sign of a great book. I feel like Eleanor is a good friend, and because of that I’m pretty sure I’ll read this one over and over again.

An American Marriage - And now we’ve come to the books that had me coming undone at the seams. This one was so hard for me on an emotional level. It brings up contemporary issues of race, which always makes me angry at the world we live in and also a tiny bit uncomfortable (as it should). It’s not simply about race though - it also brings up topics of love and fidelity - and is just gut-wrenching on so many levels. But you guys … it’s SO SO good. If you didn’t read it in 2018, make 2019 the year you do.

Brown Girl Dreaming - I’ve had this on my TBR pile since it came out in 2016, and finally got to it this year. It’s a memoir written as poetry and is quite possibly one of the best pieces of creative writing I’ve read in a long time. It’s a quick read, and it’s one I’ll add to our school repertoire in a few years.

Dreamland Burning - Another book that made me think a lot about race relations, my southern roots, and just how far away we are as a society from where we should be. This one has a historical component to it, which I really enjoyed.

All We Ever Wanted - This is Emily Giffin’s best novel, by far. I’ve always been a Giffin fan, but her books usually fall in my beach bag and get devoured in a matter of hours, without much real deep thought. This book is so different. It’s incredibly thought-provoking, and brings up so many issues that I wanted to dig into with a group of friends.

Bonus - Pride & Prejudice - I am so ashamed that in 38 years of living, I had never read any Jane Austen. At the start of last year, I promised myself I’d get through at least two classics and this was one I chose. It was a slower read for me, because of the old English that it’s written in, but I really enjoyed it. I found myself really identifying with the characters and dreaming of what life may have been like. When I finished it, I watched the 1995 BBC production of it (hello Colin Firth!) and it made me appreciate the book even more. I’ve decided 2019 will be the year I read the rest of her stuff - because - well, why not?!

So there you have it. My favorite “adult reads” of 2018. What were your favorite books last year? What’s currently on your nightstand?

An Incredible Journey Begins

It’s 8:00pm. The kids have just gone to bed and my sweet husband is downstairs cleaning the kitchen. I tiptoe down the stairs, relishing the first calm and quiet of the day. I climb onto the barstool at the counter, take a deep breath, and throw out an idea I’ve been mulling over for a day or two.

“I have a crazy idea. You don’t have to say yes if you don’t want to … but you should want to.”

“Um, okay … what is it?”

“Well, I spend a lot of time teaching our children, right? Why don’t we spend some time teaching ourselves? We can use a mid-level curriculum from Ambleside, and set our own reading schedule. We can use the same Composer, Poet, Artist, and Geography lessons as I’m already using for the girls - and we can add in some higher level History and Literature. It’ll be fun!”

“Okay. Sure.”

“Wait. What? Okay? Really?! You’ll do it with me?!”

And just like that, we committed to not only educating our children at home, but also doing some intentional work on educating ourselves.

Our entire educational philosophy centers around the idea that “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” (Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6) I’ve spent hours coming up with a curriculum and schedule that puts that philosophy into action for our children. An atmosphere of appreciating rich ideas. One in which we live a life slower than the one society tries to push on us. An atmosphere where we are learning from every little thing we do. An atmosphere that is God-focused and Christ-centered.

Discipline to do hard things. To try new things. To persevere in the midst of adversity. Grace to make mistakes, and then discipline to do the hard work of fixing those mistakes - or to do better the next time around. Discipline to form the habits we need to keep ourselves healthy - in mind, body, and soul.

A life that is continually growing, shifting, and learning something new. A life in which we are not afraid to be wrong - one where we intentionally engage in meaningful conversations and dialogue with others. A life where we are open to new ideas in a variety of subjects. A life in which we are not afraid to change our mind once we hear or read a story that enlightens us to a new point of view.

It came to me, one night as I was lying with my 4-year-old waiting for her to fall asleep … if that is the education we are striving to provide for our children - shouldn’t we be providing it for ourselves as well?

The truth is, I have always loved learning. You know how when you ask most kids what they love most about school, they answer “Recess or P.E.”? Well, those were my least favorite. My favorite part of school were the books. I always loved to learn something new. I loved to read books about faraway places. I was a true Rory Gilmore. I can remember a time when my aunt told me I would end up being a "professional student.” And in so many ways, that prediction has come true. I guess my excitement over learning is contagious - because somehow I convinced my husband to come along with me for the ride.

So I started doing some research and we decided to start with the booklist for Ambleside Year 6 (which for most homeschooling families is somewhere around 6th or 7th grade). We have chosen to focus on History, Biography and Literature in addition to supplementing the Bible, Poetry, Art, Composer, Nature Study, and Geography that we are already using with the girls. We’re one week in, and I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we’re really loving the experience.

For history, we’re alternating between Augustus Caesar’s World and The Story of the Greeks. For Biography, we’re looking at Never Give In: The Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill. And for Literature we’re reading The Age of Fable as well as The Hobbit. In one week - and after narrating just a few chapters (side note: have you ever tried narrating a book? It’s HARD!) - I’ve already begun to learn more about the world than I remember learning in high school. I’m piecing things together in a way I never did as a younger me. I suspect that has more to do with my age and life experiences than it does with the curriculum itself - but what I am sure of is that we were never created to stop learning. I’m excited to see where this journey takes us over the coming weeks, months, and years.

How are you educating yourself these days?

How to Read More Books

It's no secret that I love books. At any given time, I have at least 3 books stacked on my bedside table - sometimes more - all in progress. When I was younger, my mom would regularly find me in my bed late at night with a book. In grade school, all of my teachers said I had read every book on the classroom shelf.

Remember the scene in The NeverEnding Story where Bastion is hiding under the blanket reading a magical book in the attic, and then he pulls out his sandwich and coke for lunch without stopping? That was my childhood dream ... to read in a secret place all the way through lunch and dinner. Like Bastion, I was often pulled into the story I was reading - in a way that made the characters feel real, and made me feel alive. People often ask me, 

Just how do you find time to read so much?!

Believe it or not, there have been times in my life when I go months without reading a book - but at the end of the year, I always end up reading at least 2 books or month as an average. Some months I fly through books - and there are other months that I end up savoring one or two books (mostly the nonfiction ones). There's just something magical about a well-written story, and it's often a book that gets me out of a mind rut. So today, I give you my top ten hints on how to read more books.

Read in front of your kids.

I'm not talking about reading books to them - although that's super important too - I'm talking about taking time yourself to read your stuff while they are around. It's important for them that they see you enjoying books. And it's important for your own mental sanity! For me, this means taking 20-30 minutes first thing in the morning to read a few chapters. Usually the girls will curl up next to me with their own books. Some days we talk about what we’ve been reading. Although Eden can’t read words, she will often tell me the story she’s been reading - either from having had it memorized or from looking at pictures. 

Bring a book with you.

Wherever you go. You never know when you might end up waiting in a line far longer than you would like. Or when you'll end up at a farm with a play space that you had no idea about (True story ... totally happened to me. We were there for 90 minutes ... and I had forgotten my book!) I've been known to read a book standing in line at the grocery store. This is called using your fringe moments (there's a book on that too!) Once you become aware of the opportunities in your day where you can read, you'll realize you actually do have quite a bit of wasted space in your day!

Turn off the tube.

I can't remember the last time I actually watched TV. We have one in the basement - but it hardly ever gets used. We cancelled our cable when we first got married over eight years ago in an attempt to save money, and we haven't missed it since. In fact, it's quite the opposite - the noise of the TV bothers me terribly. I'd much rather have music playing - or live in silence - than hear the constant sound of chatter. And don't even get me started on commercials. Give me a book over TV any day.

Disconnect.

Turn off your computer. Delete social media from your phone and download the free Kindle app. Sign up for the daily deals to get really cheap e-books. Or use Overdrive to download library books for free. You'd be amazed how much more reading you do when you don't have the ability to mindlessly scroll through Instagram and Facebook.

Set a goal.

Start small. Maybe it's one book a month. Setting a reading goal for yourself can help encourage you along the way. When you reach the goal, give yourself a pat on the back - or a big scoop of ice cream - as a reward. You'll have a new story in your head, you'll be a little bit smarter, and you'll feel amazing about yourself!

Listen to Audiobooks.

I recently joined Audible on a whim (because I got two free audiobooks with a 30-day trial), and it's been amazing for helping me - and the girls - enjoy books in a different way. I love that I can "read" while doing laundry, brushing my teeth, cooking dinner, cleaning up, driving from place to place. I have also noticed my laundry gets put away and my house cleaned way faster when I'm listening to a book - mostly because I look around to find mindless tasks to do so that I can listen to just one more chapter. If you don't want a monthly commitment to Audible, you can also listen to audiobooks from your library using Overdrive or Libby, or you can snag daily deals on Audible. (You can get a free 30 day Audible trial with 2 free credits. There's no penalty if you cancel after snagging your two free books - and they are yours to keep forever and ever. Why not try it out?!)

Don't be afraid to leave a book unfinished. 

I'm all for challenging yourself to read something outside of your comfort zone. It makes us better readers. It makes us smarter. It helps us see the world differently. But the reality is, if I’m not loving a book, I read some reviews. If they are overwhelmingly good, I try to push through. If they are mediocre, I give up. There have been several books that I've put down as "mediocre" to only later pick up again and completely adore by the time I've finished it. Sometimes I find my head isn't in the right space to finish it - so I simply save it for later. Sometimes I find it to be nothing like I expected - so if the reviews are overwhelmingly good, I try to challenge myself to push through to the end. But in the end, if I'm not feeling it - I close it and not look back. I give myself the freedom to pick it up again another day - or to just leave it on the unread shelf. Don't get stuck in a book that you just don't like. There are too many good books out there to read something that is mediocre.

Pay attention to your brain.

I try to vary what I’m reading. If I read a hard book, I follow up with an easy beach read. I want to enjoy reading - and too much of the same thing can become boring after a while. I like to think of my reading list as a feast, with several different courses, that I can move between fluidly. Sometimes our life is such that we just need to escape with an easy-to-read children's literature award winner. Sometimes we want a little spice between the pages. Sometimes we want to dig deep into an old beloved classic. Listen to your brain - and give it a variety of options.

Keep track of what you read.

You can do this in an old fashioned pen and paper journal or you can do it online. I ADORE Goodreads. There's something so exhilarating about finishing a book and marking it as "Read" on my Goodreads list. It not only makes me feel good about finishing a book, but it also helps me make sure I'm reading a variety of things. I also love that I can see what my friends are reading - especially in times when I'm feeling in a reading rut and don't know what to read next. 

Go to the Library.

Libraries are precious commodities. With no money in your pocket - or your bank account - you can go into a library, register for a library card, and leave with a stack of books. If you get home and decide you don't like one, it's okay ... you simply return it the next week and you haven't wasted any money! I like to place holds on books using the online catalog. The librarians pull the books for me and I can walk right in and check them out from the desk. It's like online shopping for books ... but totally free! If you aren't sure what to read, walk around the library stacks and check out the end caps to see what librarians have put out. I have often chosen a book simply by its cover - or its name. Librarians also LOVE to talk about books ... so don't be afraid to ask them what they recommend. Our library will even give you a custom book list based on your answering a few questions about what you like and are interested in. Or - if you're feeling really bold - ask any random person you see in the library what their favorite book is. You'll get a book recommendation AND you might make a friend in the process!

So there you have it. My top ten hints for reading more books. Now go get your summer reading game on! And tell me .... what will you read next?

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash.

Snow Day Maple Candy

When we made the decision to stay in Massachusetts instead of moving back to Georgia, we agreed that we had to do something to embrace the change of seasons. By now ya'll know winter is the hardest for me - it's cold ... snowy ... and it consists of bundling and unbundling small children any time you have to go outside. But I'm committed to this place ... and so this Winter I've been committed to appreciating the season that we're in, and finding the good things. After all ... There is a season for everything, right? (Cue the music...)

One of the ways we've embraced Winter this year is by making a list of all the snow-day activities we want to do. Then when there's snow on the ground, we can bundle ourselves up and make some fun out of it. After all - my kids adore the snow - and I just can't imagine their little lives without it anymore. So one day this week, when we were surprised by a couple of inches of snow, we decided to take a cue from Ma and Pa in our Little House in the Big Woods book and try our hand at making Maple Candy.

As you can see here, I poured way too much maple syrup in our pie pan of snow, so then we rushed outside to add more snow, thinking that would help it solidify; but all it really did was turn it into a big pie plan of mush. We ended up with something that resembled maple snow cream ... but we did end up with a few pieces of soft taffy at the bottom. Next time I'll use less syrup and boil it a bit longer so it hardens a little more. Regardless, it was delicious, and we made a happy Winter memory - so all in all, I'd say it was a big win.

January Book List

Winter is really the best time to read. The days are shorter and SO much colder, so it's so much easier to cozy up by the fire with a good blanket and book. Although we do a good share of reading in the Summer, we have lovingly dubbed Winter to be the "reading season." And let's be real ... most of my reading these days consists of children's books - either to my kids or in preparation for future homeschooling years. We probably read 10-15 books a day most days ... and while I'll save our favorite picture books from January for another post, I thought it would be fun to see a stack of what chapter books we're digging into this month.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street - One of the juvenile fiction books I read this month, it's such a cute story about a family in New York City who is on the verge of losing their apartment right at Christmas-time. The five siblings have eleven days to save their lease, and they come up with such clever, sweet ways to show their landlord just how much they love living there. It's a beautiful illustration of how we never know what is going on in someone's life, how sadness can be permeating if we keep walls up, and how simple acts of kindness and love can change a life. It's one that I'll pick back up come December as a bedtime read-aloud for A.

The Secret of Nightingale Wood - This is another one I found in the children's library, but it reads like a true classic. I found myself forgetting that I was an adult and falling into the storyline as if I was a 12-year-old girl. It covers some tough mental illness topics, and isn't one I'll be reading my children any time soon, but it's definitely one I'll come back to in several years when the girls are much older. Set in England in 1919, it is a fictional story of a mother who is mentally ill after the death of her son, and the struggles that the 12-year-old daughter goes through in trying to help. It raises issues surrounding depression and suicide and I think it could be a good conversation starter for talking about how we take ownership of our own health and choosing health providers that listen to us and our family members. As a reader, I loved every word of it and would recommend it to any teenager or adult. 

The Hideaway - This was my guilty pleasure book of the month - aka a great beach read or sit by the fire with a cup of tea read. It's set in the South, and I'm a sucker for good novels about people in the South. It takes me home and reminds me of my own family growing up. The story made me happy - as any good beach read should - and it reminded me how the older people in our lives all have stories that we've never heard. 

The Heart's Invisible Furies - This was my Book of the Month book for August. I started it back in August and put it down out of sheer boredom in September. But when I saw it won the award of Book of the Year from Book of the Month for 2017, I decided it was worth picking back up and pressing onward. I'm so glad I did ... it ended up being a beautifully written, thought-provoking novel about the coming of age as a homosexual in Catholic Ireland. While it didn't move me the same way A Man Called Ove did, it ends on a happy note and was well worth reading to the end. Not a BOTM member? Try it out ... I'm finding that I love every single book they send me and not a one is one I would have picked up from the library on my own.

Back Bay - I picked up Harvard Yard at a Library book sale in the fall and decided I couldn't read it until I read the first book in the series. It was nothing special, but I'm glad I read it. I learned a lot about the geographical history of Boston and a few fun tidbits about Paul Revere. It was a fun, quick read, and I'll definitely pick up Harvard Yard in the next month or so!

As Good As True - This is a brand new book that I got on my Kindle for free thanks to the Amazon First feature of Amazon Prime. A Historical Fiction book set in the 1950s, it tells the story of a Syrian woman who tries to stand up against her husband and daughter by letting a black mailman deliver their mail. There's quite a bit of domestic violence and abuse in it, so it could be a trigger for anyone who has stories of domestic violence and abuse in their life. I found it hard to read large chunks at once, but it's an incredible story of what life might be like for a minority in our society - not only in the 1950s, but also today.

River Runs Deep - I saw this on the endcap in the Children's Library a week ago and just had to grab it. It was good ... but not great. It did have some great nuggets of history that I had never heard before ... did you know that long ago there was a Doctor who turned a cave into a hospital in an attempt to cure tuberculosis? And that same cave served as a hideout for runaway slaves, who were aided by the slaves owned by the Doctor? I'm now so intrigued by Mammoth Cave, and am having the hardest time finding any adult material on it. If you know of a good book or two that tells the story of Stephen Bishop or Mammoth Cave, send it my way!

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids - I'm trying to read at least one book each month that has something to do with parenting or marriage. I come from a family where one parent was a yeller and I sometimes find myself falling down that road - particularly in times of stress or unrest. This book has been incredibly helpful in understanding how the brains of children work and how my actions and reactions help influence their emotions and actions far into the future. It not only gives helpful insights to what our children may need from us as parents, but also gives real steps that we can take to help shift our parenting from one of power and control to one of coaching and empowerment. It may be the best parenting book I've read in a long time (but truth be told ... I don't read a ton of parenting books.) She has another book out called Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings that will definitely be in my pile later this year. I need all the tips in helping my girls stop fighting and be friends for life!

Winnie-the-Pooh - Would you believe I had never read the original Winnie-the-Pooh? I read this to sweet A at bedtime and it became a great way for us to wind down after the day and just have some one-on-one cuddle time. Being the first chapter book we've read at bedtime, it started a new daily ritual for us, and for that I'm so thankful. For those of you who haven't read it, this is the first collection of Winnie-the-Pooh stories. We meet Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, and Kanga & Roo come along somewhere in the middle of the book. Written as if though the author is speaking to Christopher Robin, it has a unique writing voice that is lost in most modern children's books, and is the perfect bedtime story.

Little House in the Big Woods - These were some of my favorite books growing up - does anyone else remember watching the TV show with Michael Landon as Pa? I found the complete set of books at a thrift store some time last year and have been anxiously waiting the moment when my kids were old enough to appreciate them.  When we finished Winnie-the-Pooh and A asked for another chapter book for bedtime, this was the one I chose. When she saw we only had a few chapters left, she said, Oh Mama! Does that mean we get to read the next one soon? I love sharing some of my favorite books from childhood with her - and I'm finding that this one is really the perfect book to read together in the dark days of Winter. It's reminding me that there's beauty in simplicity, and just how lucky we are to have the things we have. It's opened up great conversation about what life used to be like and we've been able to talk about the similarities and differences between our life today and their life so many years ago.

So that's what I've been reading this month. What about you??

Every Ending is a New Beginning

As I left the courthouse, I went straight to my car and called my mom. As soon as I heard her voice, tears started streaming down my face. I was sobbing so hard I could hardly get the words out. Breathe, she said. Take a deep breath. What happened?

She told me to go back to being a lawyer. She said it didn't matter that I felt called to ministry - if I can't afford my obligations, I should do the very thing that I went to school for. After all, it will pay a lot more, and I won't leave him footing the bill. MOM - IT'S NOT FAIR! I don't deserve this! I thought this would make things better ... but how am I going to survive on my own?? Did I make a terrible mistake??

Some memories are so vivid, you know? If there was ever a time in my life when I thought I had it all figured out, it was then. I was certain God was calling me out of this marriage - a marriage that was destructive to both of us - a marriage that wasn't fulfilling either of us. A marriage that was broken - and one that, when it came right down to it, I just didn't have the energy to try to fix. I was so certain God was calling me out of this little mountain town and into the big city. Calling me out of the lawyering world and into the world of professional staff ministry. Certain that God had provided me with a church community that would sustain and support me through this darkest time of my life.

So, I left the marriage. I moved to the city. I accepted a full-time ministry position. I had it all sorted out.

And then it was over.

Although it was a no-fault divorce, it felt like the judge declared me to be the one solely at fault. The selfish one. The one who didn't care about my marriage, or about the person I was married to. And although they claimed to be neutral, it felt like most of our mutual friends took his side. And to top it all off, not long after, that ministry position I picked up and moved to the city for was eliminated - a mere 6 weeks after I accepted it and began work.

Fast forward 7 years. I'm in a second marriage - a marriage that is incredibly healthy, wholesome, fulfilling. A marriage that builds up our confidence rather than destroys our souls. A marriage that is faith-filled and oh-so-happy. We are a couple that strives for faith-based community. A couple that takes church seriously. A couple, with two children, who is determined to find a faithful place that fulfills the needs of everyone in the family. A family who had it all sorted out.

And then we didn't. A few months ago, we found ourselves in limbo once again - searching for that perfect church home - the one that would offer us everything we hoped for - a place for each one of us in our family to worship, to learn, to grow. Not because we didn't love that new place we found, because we did ... but our tinies didn't. So we found ourselves swallowing our pride, acknowledging that sometimes the voice of God comes in the form of a child's request to return to a place she loved - a place she cherished - a place she considered home.

In the first chapter of her new book, Out of Sorts, Sarah Bessey says this book is

About Jesus and why I love him and follow him. It's about church and church people and why both make me crazy but why I can't seem to quit either.
...

It's a book about not being afraid.
...

A book about how feeling out of sorts leads us to sorting it out.

Amen, sister ... Amen.

Here's to not being afraid. To sorting it out. To embracing church and church people and following Jesus - even when it all makes us crazy.

This post was originally written in 2015, in response to Chapter One of Sarah Bessey's book, Out of Sorts.  

Photo Credit