When Morning Gilds the Skies by Dr. John Oswalt

I have a masters in theology, but this book taught me more about the Old Testament than I ever knew. Did you know that there is no Hebrew word for "presence" so that when the Bible talks about God's presence, the literal translation is "His face"? 

Dr. Oswalt has written commentaries on the books of Isaiah and Exodus so I was not suprised that he had so much to teach me, but this is no dry textbook. Every page is saturated with reminders that God invites us to walk in intimate fellowship with Him. This book could easily be called a primer on sanctification because every question you've ever had about it is answered clearly and winsomely. 

Here's an excerpt from October 27: Do we need the Old Testament? Many people today, including some prominent preachers, say no, but they are wrong. We do need the Old Testament. Why? The answer is pretty simple; we need the Old Testament to understand the New Testament correctly. The two testaments complement each other. Each one is incomplete without the other. For instance, it is very easy to make the God of the New Testament just a kindly grandfather who will let you get away with anything. On the other hand, it is very easy to make the Old Testament God a terrifying ogre who will strike you dead if you cross Him. Neither view is correct.... We need both testaments to get an adequate picture of God. For example, the Cross is the answer, but what is the question? Why did Jesus die? If you only know the New Testament, you may well say that it is, "How can our sins be forgiven so we can go to heaven?" But that is wrong. The question the Cross is answering is the Old Testament one: "How can a holy God take up residence in a sinful person?" Does God want to forgive our sins? of course. But that is the begining of the story of redemption, not the end. (p. 318) 

Dr. John Oswalt makes the Scriptures come alive with his insightful commentary. A really wonderful devotional book!

Blessings,

To Be Where You Are by Jan Karon

Although Karon originally planned to end the Mitford books with book 9, Light from Heaven, she kindly graced us with several follow-up novels. Books 10 and 11 focused on Father Tim (travelling to Mississippi and to Ireland, respectively). Book 12, Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good, took us back to Mitford and re-introduced all her beloved characters. Books 13 and 14 focus on Father Tim’s adopted son’s marriage and career. But most of the Mitford crowd shows up in all their glory and humanity. To Be Where You Are (#14) is the last and longest in the series (450 pages), and does its best to tie up loose ends.

The writing is always good. It is amazing how Karon gives each character his or her own way of speaking – not just their accent, but also their vocabulary. Then there are the literary nuggets “hidden” throughout the novel that make lit lovers’ hearts sing. I chortled on page 44 when Father Tim ruminated on a past experience: “He had been there, done that, and upon arriving home, caked with mud, half-starved and exhausted, he had agreed with his wife in what the raven had so judiciously quoted.” (a sly reference to Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem). Later as the police chief instructs Coot Hendricks on how to act like Santa for the Christmas parade, he tells him to touch the side of his nose, which fans of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” will understand perfectly. Finally, she definitely had my number when she mentions the drool-worthy Library of America editions of favorite authors on page 343. (Have you ever seen those????? They are gorgeous hard covers with ribbon markers that fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. A book lover's dream.)

I know I say this in every review, but Jan Karon is one of the few authors of light fiction who capably adds heft to her work by showing both the joy and suffering of human existence. She also succeeds in weaving faith into her stories without giving easy, pat answers. The fact that the story ends at Christmas makes it especially poignant, and it also brings wonderful closure. As Father Tim and Cynthia read their Christmas cards to each other, we hear bits and pieces about the friends we met in the novels that took place outside of Mitford (Whitecap Island, Holly Springs, The Blue Ridge Mountains, and Ireland).

This was the perfect ending to the Mitford series.

Blessings,

In the Company of Others by Jan Karon

From what I’ve picked up from other people’s reviews, Jan Karon originally planned to stop writing the Mitford books with book nine, Light from Heaven. Her next project was the Father Tim novels of which there are two, Home to Holly Springs and In the Company of Others.

I was forewarned that these latter books were not as cozy as the original Mitford books so I was not shocked when some dark family secrets were revealed in Home to Holly Springs, a book with tells the backstory of Father Tim’s childhood. In the Company of Others was not nearly as somber. Yes, there is plenty of heartache, but, as always, Karon skillfully interweaves hope throughout the narrative. In this second Father Tim novel, he and Cynthia finally go on a long-awaited trip to Ireland. Because Cynthia injures her ankle, they cannot do all the touring they had planned and, hence, the story takes place almost completely in the inn where they are staying.

The writing is excellent as usual. Cynthia sat reading amid a wave of books washed onto the shore of the duvet. He was stashed in the wing chair, imbibing his own pleasures. And there are nods to many favorite authors. At one point, Father Tim remembers that Dorothy Sayers said, Where Christ is, cheerfulness will keep breaking in. [This was] a description, in toto, of the woman who shared his bed.

More than any other book this one is a tribute to Cynthia: her tender heart toward those who are suffering, her upbeat look at life’s challenges, and her giftedness as an artist.

The following paragraph shows a glimpse of their delightful banter. 

“You love me,” she said, amazed and certain. It was like her to say such things, completely out of the blue.

“I’ve always loved you,” he said, “From the time I was born.”

“How did you manage that?”

“I think I came into the world seeking something not absolutely tied to this earthly realm. Your open mind, your curiosity, your reverence promised that and drew me in.” He put is arm around her, felt the cool of her flesh against his.

“My mother had it, you have it,” he said. “She took the red dirt and made gardens that people came from miles around to see. No earthmoving equipment, just a wheelbarrow and shovel. No money, just hard work, ingenuity, and passion. All the time, everywhere you go, you know how to make something out of what most people see as nothing. You’ve made something out of me.”

“No, sweetheart, you were quite the finished product.”

“Never. I was an overworked, underfeeling man growing old alone. I thank you for teaching me not to fear intimacy; for making me do this thing we call marriage.”

“I made you do it?”

“I quit, but you didn’t. Of course I was praying you wouldn’t, but I fully expected you to.” He put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his and kissed her. "Happy birthday, glimmering girl. Sorry it’s been such a hassle.”

“It isn’t such a hassle, really. It’s just life – quirky and scary and lovely and immense.”

I’ve been re-reading all the Mitford novels this year, but this was one I’d missed before. So glad to have found it.

Blessings,

Best-read vs. Well-Read - Quote from Dennis Kinlaw

Five years ago I posted a quote from one of my favorite pastors and thinkers, Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, on the importance of deep reading. This week I was listening to one of his sermons, and was delighted to hear more of his literary journey. He shares about a time as a young pastor when he was acting as chauffeur for visiting speaker, A. W. Tozer:

Tozer had an 11th grade education. I had my Masters of Divinity degree and had studied a couple of years at Princeton. We talked books, and he told me about books I never knew existed. He was the best-read man I had ever talked with. Maybe not the most widely read, but the best-read. As we talked about books, he suddenly looked at me and said, "Kinlaw, don't ever read a good book!" I blinked and said, "I beg your pardon?" He said, "You'll never have time to read all the best ones, for goodness sake don't waste your time on a good one." 

That was a moment of liberation for me because I had a lot of friends. When we pastors would meet together, one of them would say, "Have you read...?" and I wanted to be able to say, "Oh, yes, I've read.... But have you read...?" And we played one-upmanship with each other. And the prize went to the one who'd read the most, not the one who'd read the best. 

After that moment, I found myself re-reading some things. You know you don't get any credit for a second and third time through. But it will make a radical change in the inner dialogue of your inner being. So I've always given thanks to A.W. Tozer [for deepening my reading life.]

I don't think this means that we only have to read theology books. But I do know that once I trained my literary taste buds to enjoy deeper books, it became very hard to read fluff. In between Christian classics, I also enjoy WWII memoirs, children's lit and vintage detective fiction. Plus, now that I'm 63, I definitely don't have to time to read mediocre books!

Blessings,

The Four Loves by C.S Lewis

I was intrigued when I heard that C.S. Lewis narrated this book himself, and was pleased to see that my library had it for digital download. But I didn’t realize that there were two versions. The one that Lewis does so wonderfully is a set of four lectures he gave on the radio in 1958, and is basically a rough draft of the final book, which was released two years later. I enjoyed the radio talks so much that I dug out my physical copy to underline favorite bits. I discovered, however, that it was practically impossible to find the same passages because the final book is twice as long as the radio talks. Obviously, he reworked and rewrote quite a bit of it.

The four loves are 1) Storgé/familial love, 2) Friendship, 3) Eros/romantic love, and 4) Agape/Charity. His description of storgé was so endearing that I had to stop listening and write it down. It comes from Greek and refers to affection, especially of parents to children.

It’s usually the humblest of the loves. It gives itself no airs. Storge is modest, even furtive and shame-faced. Storge has a very homely face. So have many of those for whom we feel it. It’s no proof of your cleverness or perceptiveness or refinement that you love them nor that they love you. To have to produce storge in public is like getting your household furniture out for a move. It was all right in its native place, but it looks tawdry out of doors. And the feeling of storge is so nearly organic, so gradual, so unemphatic, that you can no more pride yourself on it than on getting sleepy towards bedtime. It lives with humble, unpraised private things: the thump of a drowsy dog’s tail on the kitchen floor, the sound of a sewing machine, easy laughter and easy tears on some shrewd and wrinkled old face, a toy left on the lawn. It’s the most comfortable and least ecstatic of loves. It is to our emotions what soft slippers and an easy, almost worn-out chair, and old clothes are to our bodies. It wraps you round like a blanket almost like sleep. At its best, it gives you the pleasure, ease, and relaxation of solitude without solitude itself.

Beautiful, right? But just when I was completely enamored, he delineates all the ways this kind of love can be distorted. That is how the book goes. He explains each type of love at its glorious best and then shows how easily it can turn into something manipulative and selfish. His conclusion comes in the final chapter where he emphasizes the importance of self-giving love as the only solution for keeping the other loves from becoming corrupted. In this chapter he writes his famous lines:

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable…. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell. (p. 121)

Note: The book gets a bad rap for some comments he makes about the differences between men and women, but, honestly, don’t let that keep you from reading it. Anything written by Lewis is worth tackling for his wonderful clarity and depth.  

Blessings,

How I Read Ten Books at Once

It is one of my greatest joys to sign into Goodreads and mark a book "finished." But every time I do that I see the eight or nine books that are still in progress. And they never go away! That's because I actually read that many books at one time. This is how I do it: (All of these are physical books unless marked otherwise)

1) With my morning Bible reading I always read a Bible study book (usually Kay Arthur) and a few
pages in my hymnal. (and the Bible!)

2) After breakfast my husband and I have prayers together and read a book with daily Bible passages related to the church calendar and another book of inspirational devotional thoughts.  

3) Friday is our date day and we read outloud to each other from a book of short stories. (It's been James Heriott for the last four years.) 

4) An audiobook to listen to while in the kitchen or doing exercises (varies between fiction and non)

5) One non-fiction book on my nightstand to read before bed

6) One non-fiction book on my Kindle to read when I'm bored (usually on a long trip)

7) One fiction book (Kindle or physical) for escapist reading

To tell the truth, beside the four titles I read every morning, I probably read only one or two of the others each day. So it's not as overwhelming as it seems. Still, it looks pretty crazy!

Anyone else a serial reader???

Blessings,

Set in Silver by C.N. Williamson

I thought I knew all the vintage authors worth reading, but thanks to a friend at Goodreads, I discovered the Williamson writing team. Charles (1859-1920) was a “motoring journalist” at a time when it was still a novelty to own a car. His wife, Alice, turned his travelogues into romance novels, which explains why much of the stories are embedded in facts about quaint, historic English towns.

Set in Silver is a far-fetched comedy of errors that was perfectly delightful. It’s a love story in two senses. First, it’s the tale of a man who comes back to England after many years and rediscovers his passion for the country of his birth. Second, it is the traditional yarn of boy-meets-girl.

I’m prejudiced toward British writers and the Williamsons did not disappoint. The novel was loaded with literary references to Greek mythology, literary classics and the Bible. It was not Christian by any stretch of the imagination (Lionel’s sister is annoyingly religious), but if you know the Bible, the off-hand allusions to scriptural passages were often laugh-out-loud-funny. The frequent references to Arthurian legends were also a big plus for me. (It’s amazing to think that this “light” novel was written with the expectation that people would catch all these references, which they still did in 1909.)

Even though I could hardly put this book down, it took almost a week to read. It was 400 pages on my Kindle and I refused to skim over the descriptive passages (except for the last 40 pages when I just couldn’t wait a second longer to see how it was all going to turn out).

If you like a good vintage novel that is more lighthearted than sappy, this should do the trick. It had me smiling from start to finish. And it’s free for Kindle. 

Blessings,

A Fugue in Time by Rummer Godden

What a strange and delightful book! It tells the story of a house that has sheltered three generations of the Dane family. The book opens during WWII as Sir Roland looks back over his life and over the century that his family has lived in the house at 99 Wiltshire Place. People are randomly introduced, but are fleshed out as the novel progresses. There are Griselda and John, Roland’s parents. Of their nine children, only three play a major part in the narrative. Another member of this second generation is Lark, an adopted orphan. Finally come Grizel and Pax (the third generation).

Another major character in the book is the house itself. It seems to hold the memories and conversations of all who have lived there. These voices sometimes talk to Roland, which may be disconcerting to some readers, but I found it intriguing. Take this paragraph which describes a young woman (granddaughter to John and grandniece to Roland) who comes for a visit:  

It seemed to her all at once that the house was immensely bigger than she had first thought; it had, she glimpsed, a common life far greater than the individual little lives that were her grandfather and herself. It held them both. He was dead, she was alive, but there was no difference between them in the house. Grizel did not like that. She was insistent. ‘No. No,’ she cried. ‘He is dead, It is I, Grizel, who am alive.’ Then her cheeks warmed. It was as if someone had coldly remarked, ‘What a clamor you make, Grizel.’ 

It can be confusing because the narrative is not told in a linear fashion, but jumps back and forth between time frames; you only know when a particular episode takes place by paying attention to the names given to the servants or to Sir Roland. (He is young “Roly” as a boy, and grows into “Rollo” as a young man. At the end of his life, he is referred to as “Rolls.”)

Being musically challenged, I did not know the significance of the word fugue in the title, but other reviewers helped me see Godden’s genius in using it. Sara (at Goodreads) explains, “A fugue is a musical movement in which melodic lines run independently but also merge to create a harmony…. Godden has created a fugue in her novel, telling individual stories, with individual voices, but layering them atop one another to show both the passage of time and the continuity of time, simultaneously.”

It's complicated, but patient reading brings rich dividends. The writing is lovely. For example, the empty nursery is described not as “vacant” but as a place with a sense of an inner cheerful life of its own like the sound of the sea, once known to the shell, that always remains.

One reviewer calls it a feminist book, but I beg to differ. Yes, one of the women in the family chafed at the marital yoke and wished she had never had any children. But the two unhappiest characters are those who have shut themselves out of relationships to stay “safe.” Grizel and Pax must decide if they will choose safety and order over the potential discomforts of joining their lives together.

This is a unique book that must be read slowly. Its beauty brought tears to my eyes more than once. 

Blessings,

What I Read and Watched in August

I've been too busy recently to do these recaps, but this month I watched two movies that were too good not to mention. A Hidden Life  tells the true story of Franz Jagerstatter (an Austrian who refused to pledge allegience to Hitler), and shows the terrible consequences he suffered. It is beautifully filmed (though the constant shots of windows and doorways seemed a bit quirky at times) and very harrowing. We had to spread it out - an hour a night for three nights. Not exactly a "feel-good" movie, but our hearts were strengthened after viewing it. 

No Highway in the Sky is an underrated gem that we found on YouTube with Jimmy Stewart as the proverbial "absent-minded professor." But this is no comedy. Theodore Honey is a widower. He is an aeronautical engineer who believes that a newly manufactured plane has not been tested sufficiently, and he goes to great lengths to prove that it is not safe for flying. There are many poignant moments and wonderful acting by Stewart - and also by Janette Scott (who plays his young daughter) and Glynis Johns and Marlene Dietrich (who both fall for him). The movie was extremely engaging and had a good balance of light and tense moments.

I also finished three books that I've been reading for months: The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis (Vol. 1), Poems and Letters of Emily Dickinson, and Listening to God in Difficult Times by Kay Arthur (a three month deep dive into the book of Jeremiah.)

I continue to plow through the Mitford series and read books 8 to 10: Shepherds Abiding, Light from Heaven, and Home to Holly Springs. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook of Agatha Christie's The Secret of Chimneys and C.N. Williamson's vinatage novel, Set in Silver. (review coming soon)

Honorable mention goes to an excellent book I finished in July that will be reviewed here soon: A Fugue in Time by Rumer Godden. 

It was a great month! Has anyone else enjoyed these movies or books?

Blessings,

Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray

Oswald Chambers (through his classic devotional My Utmost for His Highest) has often been the "kick in the pants" I've needed to keep me from being a lazy Christian. But when I feel fragile and need encouragement from a more sympathetic counselor, Andrew Murray is the one to whom I turn. His call to the holy life is just as strong as Chamber's, but his approach is decidedly more gentle and winsome. 

Teacher and theologian Dr. John Oswalt, in his book When Morning Gilds the Skies, writes, Many Christians are trying to live God's life in their own ability and wondering why they so often fail. It is when we allow the Spirit of God to take us over, to fill us, that He enables you and me to live His life. Yes, we have to cooperate with Him. Yes, we have to do our part, but in the end, it's a life of rest, of settling down in Him and allowing Him to do what we cannot do.

That is the continuous message that you hear in Murray's 31-day devotional Abide In Christ. My heart was encouraged and strengthened and I marked many passages to re-read.

Day 28 seems to have been written just for me: The Christian often tries to forget his weakness; God wants us to remember it and feel it deeply. The Christian wants to conquer his weakness and to be freed from it; God wants us to rest and even rejoice in it. The Christian mourns over his weakness; Christ teaches us to say, 'I take pleasure in infirmities; most gladly will I rejoice in them.' The Christian thinks his weakness his greatest hindrance in service to God; God tells us that is the secret of strength and success. It is our weakness heartily accepted, and continually realized, that gives us our claim and access to His strength. (II Cor 12:9)

A lovely bedside book!

Blessings,

C.S. Lewis on the Perfect Walking Trip

I am reading The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis (Vol. 1). It is rough going since the first half is obligatory letters to his father, which, in order to avoid all potentially controversial subjects, keep Lewis confined to discussing health and weather. But the second half has some nice nuggets. In a letter to his brother, Warnie, in April of 1927, he writes of a recent walking expedition. Apparently, he didn’t mind all the discomforts of an all-day hike as long as there were good places to stop for meals along the way. This particular trip did not start out well.

Thursday opened with discussions. A survey of the maps showed a lamentable discrepancy between the route we wanted to follow and the possible places for lunch. Then emerged the dark and hideous prospect of ‘taking’ our lunch. Perfectly simple you know. Buy some bread and cheese before we start and have lunch where we like. Makes you independent you know. Drinks? Oh, get a few oranges if you don’t feel inclined to carry a bottle of beer in your pack for the first ten miles. I need hardly say that our novice member was entirely in favor of the scheme. I, of course, who have seen days spoiled this way before, was the head of the opposition. The wrong party won. We stuffed our packs with bread, butter, cheese and oranges. The only thing I look back on with satisfaction was that the butter, at any rate, was not in my pack. 

Because of rising winds all day, the group was cold and miserable by lunchtime. The packed lunch was entirely unsatisfactory. He continues: The midday siesta, that great essential of a day’s walking, was out of the question in that abominable camp, and we set off gloomily.... [at dusk] no one can describe the delight of coming to a sudden drop and looking down into a rich wooded valley where you see the roofs of a place where you’re going to have supper and a bed: especially if the sunset lies on the ridge beyond the valley. There is so much mixed in it: the mere physical anticipations as of a horse nearing its stable, the sense of accomplishment and the old romance of travelling. It always seems to sum up the whole day that is behind you – give it a sort of climax and then stow it away with the faintly melancholy, but not unpleasant, feeling of things gone past.

In an earlier letter to Arthur Greeves he describes the delight of finding a perfect spot for sitting and "soaking" in the beauty and peace of nature. He writes, I have one great addition to my comfort here, in the discovery of a ‘soaking-machine,’ which conveniences are very scarce in England, owing to the strict customs which prevent the mildest trespassing. My new palace, is at the foot of a great oak, a few yards off a lane, and hidden therefrom by a little row of shrubs and small trees. Completely private, safe from sun, wind or rain, and on a ridge. 

Soaking up the beautiful countryside, conversing with like-minded friends, and arriving at the end of the day to a good meal, warm fire and comfortable bed. Sounds perfect!

Blessings, Hope

(Photo by Tomasz Filipek on Unsplash)

Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II by Larkin Spivey

I must confess that most of my reading about WWII (over 100 books) is about the home front or POW stories. I know very little about specific strategic battles. When I picked up Stories of Faith and Courage from WWII, I was expecting the personal narratives that I’m accustomed to (i.e., uplifting stories of people whose faith helped them to get through the trials of the war), but it was something quite different.

Each month covers a different battle or aspect of the war. January covers the European front with a brief historical overview and includes a map which shows where the major battles were fought. The daily readings, though not heavy on military details, mention the battles, and it is very helpful to have the map at hand. Though the readings are mostly personal reflections from diaries, letters and speeches, I appreciated being able to read them in the context of the much bigger picture.

Also, though many of the entries were uplifting and encouraging, many others gave details of the thousands and thousands of lives lost. Intermixed with letters displaying unusual courage were letters admitting discouragement and despair. Accounts of heroism were inspiring yet heartbreaking. It was a very sobering read.

Here is just one example from March 13:

Life aboard a merchant ship in convoy across the Atlantic was a mixture of boredom and fear. Long days and nights passed without incident. However, when something happened, it usually happened suddenly. Life jackets and precious valuables were kept close at hand. There was also the issue of where to sleep.

The civilian Merchant Marines who manned the ships grimly calculated where they slept aboard ship by the cargo they carried. If you were hauling a load of iron ore, you slept on deck for you had only a few seconds to clear the ship once a torpedo hit. If you carried general cargo, you could sleep below decks but kept your clothes on because your survival time was calculated in minutes. If, however, your ship carried a load of aviation fuel, you were free to sleep naked below decks, with the door closed since you would never have the time to escape the certain and sudden oblivion of a torpedo attack.

This is supposed to be read as a daily devotional book, but I had trouble putting it down. It would be an excellent primer for someone who wants a good overview of the history of the war. I am so glad I read it.

Blessings

Quote from Thaddeus Williams on the Heroism of Everyday Obedience

The greatest adventure we can aspire to is composed of a million seemingly small cross-shaped acts. The adventure Jesus calls us to does not include thrilling escapes from the realities of ordinary life. Christ enters our lives and baptizes the mundane with meaning. We embark on this adventure by sacrificing for others over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways. By preaching the gospel with our words and embodying it in our daily actions, we toss the ring into Mount Doom, fire the proton torpedo into the Death Star exhaust port, and destroy the Horcruxes. 

Daily life takes on eternal significance. Because we are eternal beings, we can join the real adventure that lasts forever. In Christ, ordinary work mingles with the extraordinary. In all the menial tasks, we find ourselves thrust into an epic story with eternal implications.  

(From Don't Follow Your Heart, which I liked, but didn't love. It was a bit too "cluttered" with its chapter headings, hashtags, personal testimonies, "to do" lists, and prayers. You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble has a similar message but it is more straightforward, and was my favorite book in 2022.)

Still, DFYH had many important ideas, and wonderful quotes. 

Blessings,

Two More Molly Clavering Novels

My first Clavering novel was Dear Hugo, which I read two years ago. It got some negative reviews for not having the requisite “happily ever after” ending, but I liked it for not being too formulaic.

Sara Monteith is a young woman who lost her fiancé, Ivo, in WWII. Years later she moves to the village where he grew up to try to bring some closure. She gets to know the townspeople and writes about her experiences to Ivo's brother, Hugo.

I enjoyed the lovely writing and the vignettes of small-town life in 1950s England. Of course, any book with casual nods to the Bible, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Gunga Din, Kubla Khan, Cranford, Sir Walter Scott, the Brontës, Louisa Mae Alcott, and The Book of Common Prayer would be sure to make my literature-loving heart sing for joy.

Because of the reviews, I braced myself for the ending, but, honestly, I didn't mind how it all played out. Sara lives an unimpressive life as far as book heroines go, but I loved it that her quiet steadiness couldn't help but have an impact on her community.

Yoked with a Lamb was my fourth Clavering novel. It was much more adult than the other novels in terms of language (mild swearing) and subject (adultery), but still very chaste by modern standards. 

Lucy and Andrew are trying to put their marriage back together after his dalliance with another woman. They do not love each other, but various motives propel them to try again. Their relationship is the background for much of what happens in the novel, but the story is peopled with many other strong characters such as Kate Heron, Robin Anstruther, and Robin’s formidable Aunt Jean. The ending was not quite as tidy as I had hoped it would be. But Clavering had her own way of resolving the Lucy and Andrew's situation that was satisfying enough. I wasn’t expecting to like the book as much as I did. 

I'm glad my library has four more Clavering titles!

Blessings,

The Dazzling Darkness by Guy Bowden

I bought The Dazzling Darkness (1950, Longmans, Green and Co.) mostly because it was the perfect size for reading in bed at night. It was also hard cover, inexpensive, and about a subject that I always enjoy. The subtitle is “An Essay on the Experience of Prayer” and the main title is taken from Henry Vaughan’s poem, The Night. I couldn’t find any pertinent information on Bowden so I went into the book “blind,” which was an advantage since I couldn’t judge the content by any pre-conceived notions.

Bowden opens the book self-deprecatingly: Books about golf are usually written by experts; so are books about Prayer. This one is not. It is written by one who has made, by personal experience, most of the mistakes it is possible to make in praying, and has discovered by the method of trial and error a great deal about “How Not to Pray.” His advice is extremely practical and his excellent prose is sprinkled with quotes from a variety of writers such as St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis de Sales, Anthony Trollope, C.S. Lewis, E.M. Forster, Shakespeare, Dante, biblical authors, and Carl Jung (more about that later).

Although Bowden does not deny the mystical aspects of prayer, he affirms again and again that it is often just plain hard work. Yet it is a "duty" that brings rich spiritual dividends. I loved his constant emphasis on prayer as willful obedience – not as a slave to a master, but as a son to a beloved father. If we wait until we “feel like” praying, it will rarely happen.

To realize His presence is a very different thing from having sentimental fancies of sugary religiosity in which we can imagine ourselves to be enveloped as it were in the eiderdown of His protective care. To seek for an emotional thrill in every prayer is sentimental nonsense. If the emotion comes, it comes; let us thank God for the refreshment, take courage and go forward. If it does not come, it does not; we have to accept the fact.

We must not think, then, that because there may be very little pleasure in prayer, we must, therefore, be failing miserably. To judge the worth or the value of prayer by the amount of pleasure it affords is to apply far too subjective a test. It directs attention to us and our feelings rather than to God and His purpose and thereby makes us the center of interest instead of Him. If we expect prayer to be always pleasant, we are saying in effect, “Every time I say my prayers I ought to be provided with appropriate feelings” – presumably by God. But the assumption that God ought to do anything wrecks the whole relationship between soul and God, because it puts God in the position of a servant who is expected to perform certain duties, whereas He is King and sitteth between the cherubim. (p. 24)

My only quibble with the book is Bowden’s occasional nod to psychology. He never lets it take precedence over true faith, but he interjects a Jungian understanding of the soul when he talks about repression and the subconscious in chapter 10. That did not, however, dampen my enthusiasm for the book. It was a great encouragement to me to be more diligent in this area of my Christian life knowing that God is greater than all my weaknesses. And that the rewards far surpass any effort involved.

Blessings,

Audible Haul – Bargain Basement or Money Pit?

Spending more than a few dollars for a book puts me in panic mode. But when I tried Audible.com ten years ago, I enjoyed the many bargains I was able to get. There has been no need to re-subscribe now that my library offers digital downloads of almost everything. So why on earth did I fall for the “3 Months free” offer earlier this year? Pure greed.

Not only did I get my three free books (technically 13 books for 3 credits), but my wish list had become so extensive that I bought three more credits (for a small discount). The folks at Audible are not stupid. I wonder if anyone really ever signs up for the free months and gets away unscathed. Here is what I ended up buying:

For the free credits: C.S. Lewis Essential Audio – nine of his non-fiction books (39 hours), Hercule Poirot Short Stories (35 hours, reg $50), Homer Box Set: Iliad and Odyssey by W.H.D. Rouse – (25 hours) but it came with a BOGO offer so I also received George McDonald’s Fairy Tales)

For my purchased credits, I got the C.S. Lewis Essay Collection (reg $23), Ten Charles Dickens novels (reg $25), and the first five Lord Peter Wimsey novels (38 hours, reg $32)

Did I stop there? Oh no, dear reader. How could I turn down Charlotte’s Web read by E.B. White? ($10), and The Magic Apple Tree by Susan Hill ($13), and 36 hours of Agatha Christie for ONE DOLLAR?

Was my heart satisfied? Not yet. I had to have my favorite, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir ($10) and 12 hours of Miss Marple’s short stories (when it went on sale for $8), and Sean Bean reading King Arthurand the Knights of the Round Table by Benedict Flynn (another $8), and James Herriot’sTreasury for Children ($5)

Well, I’m not sure if I did well or if I was just plain hoodwinked. My three free months led to a spending spree of around $90 - something I would never actually spend in a real bookstore.

Granted, if I had used their regular prices of $15 per credit, I would have gotten only 6 books for that amount. As it happens, I purchased 32 books and dozens of short stories so I am not too disappointed. All I need to do now is to cancel my “free” subscription before my husband checks our credit card statement. And to find time to start listening! 

Do you do Audible? What do you think? 

Blessings, 

Two Molly Clavering Novels

I read my first Clavering novel two years ago and I'm not sure why it took so long to get back to her. Now I’m gulping them down one after the other!

Recently I read was Mrs. Lorimer’s Quiet Summer. It was a pleasant surprise to have the protagonist be married and middle aged (but still very much in her prime). Lucy Lorimer has been mellowed by life, and her gentleness and wisdom attract people to her. She’s not perfect though, which makes her very endearing. Clavering’s books remind me a lot of D.E. Stevenson, but she has her own style, which is lovely. The writing is good and, so far, none of the novels have followed a predictable formula.

The next novel I read was Because of Sam. Millie is a widow in impoverished circumstances, but she has her own home and manages to scrape together a living by running a dog kennel. Her pragmatic adult daughter is sometimes a trial to her, but they bungle along as best they can. There is some romance, but it is not the main reason I keep coming back to Clavering. Her heroines are strong without losing their womanliness. The writing is scrumptious and sprinkled with literary references:

Millie walked easily and lightly in the sparkling clean air, enjoying the sensations of having the whole world to herself and of being ridiculously young. Both were illusions, both were wholly delightful, a part of the fine day and the lonely upland place. Cares and troubles fell away from her like Christian’s burden.

Like D.E. Stevenson’s novels, the houses often have their own personality: The front garden on its steep slope seemed to be tumbling downhill to meet one, and behind it the house looked out with a welcoming twinkle from its windows, rather as if it stood on tiptoe to see over the flowers and shrubs. It was a low house, built before the craze for ornate architecture had set in during the nineteenth century, and its proportions and style owed a great deal to the inspiration of the brothers Adam. The door had a bell-shaped fanlight above it, and a large window on either side, matched by the three windows of the upper story. Tall chimneys rising at each end added to its appearance of eager watchfulness.

I was able to read these through my library (Hoopla), but they are not too expensive for Kindle. A lovely way to spend an afternoon!

Blessings,

What I Read and Watched in April

I had some heavy reading to do for two classes (Thaddeus William's Don't Follow Your Heart, which is a diatribe against radical individualism and Reflecting the Divine Image by Dunning), so it was great to escape into a few Molly Clavering novels: Because of Sam and Yoked with a Lamb. I also read two free Kindle titles: The Quest of the Simple Life (a memoir of a Londoner who moved to the country, which was just okay) and The Storme Centre (historical fiction of the American Civil War, which was surprisingly good). Both were published in 1906. I tried very hard to get through Everything Sad is Untrue because of all the rave reviews, but it's depressing tone was adding to the stress in my life so I had to put it aside. 

I listened to the wonderful audiobook Poirot Investigates. These short stories by Agatha Christie were read by Richard Armitage, the crème de la crème of narrators.

My husband was kind enough to watch the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice with me. The script was excellent and kept us chuckling throughout the four nights that we spent viewing it. On my own I watched Two Aurora Teagarden mysteries (The Julius House and Till Death do Us Part) because they were being shown on Brazilian TV. 

A very satisfying month! Any opinons on these books or movies?

Blessings,

Stories as a Source of Truth - quote from Russ Ramsey

I recently finished Russ Ramsey's fascinating Rembrandt is in the Wind. I enjoyed his good writing and his deft weaving together of biography, art history and devotional thoughts. Here is one of the many quotes I underlined.

Story is a trojan horse for truth. It can sneak truth past the gates of our defenses and prepare our hearts to hear things we might have resisited if they had come as mere declaration. (p. 14)

(Depending on what "truths" are being taught, that can be a good thing or bad!)

Blessings,

In This Mountain by Jan Karon (Mitford #7)

I am slowly re-reading the first eight novels in the Mitford series to refresh my memory before tackling the later novels (which I somehow missed). It's a joy to be revisiting these dear literary acquaintances after almost two decades.

Every time I review a Jan Karon book, I reiterate that I don't know of another author of light novels who so deftly weaves together stories of joys mingled with suffering. She manages to write about the Christian life in a way that puts most Christian fiction to shame. Take this conversation between Father Tim and Buck Leeper as an example. Buck and his new wife Pauline came from rough backgrounds, but after putting their faith in Christ, are trying to piece together some of the wreckage from their past. One thing they are attempting to do is find her children (who she gave away at various times when she was too poor or too drunk to take care of them). 

"A few days ago I asked Pauline to tell me everything she could remember about the boys, like if they had any birthmarks, an' th' color of their eyes."

"Good thinking."

"She couldn't remember the color of their eyes." 

There was a long silence between them.

"When she realized she couldn't remember the color... Buck hunched over, his head in his hands. "It was the alcohol, of course. All those years...."

"Those years are behind you." 

"Yey, they are, thank God." Buck looked at him. "But you pay the consequences."

"True. But now God is in the consequences with you." (p. 83)

I have seen a lot of miracles in my sixty years, but I know that God just as often works through the daily grind of life. I despise books where everyone gets saved and their problems just go away; that is not how real life (or real Christianity) works. Karon beautifully balances the miracles with the uphill climb that life can be.  

In this seventh novel in the series, In This Mountain, Father Tim has a brush with death. Instead of having him say a prayer that erases all the toil of his slow recovery, Karon paints a believable picture of a man who struggles just to get out of bed in the morning and who has to learn all over again how to trust God for every single step he takes. 

As usual I was encouraged by the reference (which appears in almost every Mitford book) of "the prayer that never fails." This is the prayer of surrender, "Thy will be done." Last of all, I enjoy Karon's books for their lovely literary references. When Father Tims meets up with his bishop (and faithful friend of many decades), Karon describes their reunion: "They laughed together, at ease. Few things in life were more consoling than an old friendship in which all the hair, as in the story of the velveteen rabbit, had been rubbed off."

For previous reviews click on these titles: At Home in Mitford (#1), These High, Green Hills (#3), Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good (#12).

Any other Mitford fans out there?

Blessings,

The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni

I often say I prefer Catholic authors to modern Christian fiction writers because they address human suffering without giving overly simplistic answers. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni is a perfect example.

The novel take place in Italy in the 17th century, and covers actual historical events of that time, particularly the plague of 1630. Renzo and Lucia are pledged to be married to one another, but serious impediments arise that keep them apart for several years. Can their love withstand the challenges that each must face alone?

Fortunately, this is much more than a story of separated lovers. There are villains and heroes. In the midst of political instability, lawlessness, famine, kidnapping, rioting, and narrow escapes, themes emerge of redemption, forgiveness, and trust in God's ultimate plan. It shows suffering as the great equalizer. When famine comes, both the rich and poor go hungry. When the plague hits, both outlaws and saints succumb to death. AND yet there is a difference in the reactions to the calamities. Some become hardened and rob the dead bodies and pillage the houses. Others lay their lives on the line to help the helpless. Though written from a Catholic perspective, The Betrothed does not blindly glorify Catholicism. Selfish, ungodly leaders intermingle with the humble and self-giving ones. 

During the plague, the priests are given the task of manning the lazarettos (housing for the sick and dying). Manzoni writes that as the plague took its toll, means, men and courage failed as the necessity for the lazarettos increased. Nine out of ten of the priests died. But where suffering was, there they were. 

Without giving any big spoilers, I will say that both Lucia and Renzo grow through their trials and learn that God never disturbs the joys of His children but to prepare them for one more certain and endurable. Manzoni reminds us that the most cautious and blameless conduct cannot secure us from troubles. [But] when they come, whether by our own fault or not, confidence in God alleviates them and makes them cohesive to a better life.

If anything, the book teaches that the Christian life is full of testing, but that God is faithful.

The Betrothed is supposedly the most famous and widely read novel in the Italian language. I listened to a good translation, but I will admit that it was still not easy to get through. Some of the chapters on politics and geography (and even the detailed descriptions of the plague) were laborious. The audiobook, narrated by Nicholas Bolton, helped me to stick with it, and when it was all done, I felt deeply nourished by the hours I had spent in this book. 

Anyone else familiar with this title?

Blessings,

What I Read and Watched in February 2024

We arrived back in Brazil in January which is summer vacation month. Hence we were able to ease back into our ministry responsibilities and I had loads of time for reading. I read (or finished up) nine books in January and eight in February.

J.K. Rowling's The Christmas Pig was my favorite January read (reviewed here) and the quirky movie "Esio Trot" with Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman was my favorite movie. (I purposedly did not post a trailer because they all give the story away!)

In February I read more non-fiction than usual. Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II was an excellent overview of the war with inspiring stories (review forthcoming), How to Flourish was an abridged version of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Then came two books on the Christian life with an emphasis on prayer. Henri Nouwen's The Way of the Heart dovetailed nicely with The Dazzling Darkness by Guy Bowden (review forthcoming). Interestingly, both had completely different takes on what it means to "pray without ceasing." A Quiet Life in 7 Steps by Susan Cain was one of the dumbest books I've read in a long time. Cain makes a not-too-convincing case for spirituality without God. 

I read two books in preparation for the Literary Life Podcast. Howards End surprised me by being much more than a comedy of manners. Many snippets of its excellent prose went into my commonplace book. The second LLP title was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which I liked more than I thought I would. Last of all, I read Esio Trot by Roald Dahl after I saw the movie, but it wasn't nearly as delightful.

We mostly watched selections from our DVDs (My Three Sons, Perry Mason, I Love Lucy). We had our annual viewing of True Grit, which, in spite of its violence and rough language, is one of our favorites for its excellent filming and storytelling. And the soundtrack!

Blessings,

He Goes Before Them by Meredith Helsby

I am a huge fan of P.O.W. memoirs, so when my sister told me about this book, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

Meredith and Christine Helsby arrived as missionaries to China in 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th brought an abrupt end to their language study classes and marked the beginning of fifteen months of house arrest. Later they were transferred to the “Weihsien Civilian Assembly Center” in Shantung Province with their two-year old daughter, Sandra. Because they were civilians being guarded by civilians, they did not receive the brutal treatment so famously recounted in other P.O.W. memoirs. (Japanese soldiers reportedly had only disdain for Allied soldiers who were “cowardly” enough to surrender and treated them accordingly.) Though the Helsby’s captors were often gruff and unfair, the prisoners’ greatest depravations came from lack of good food and medical care.

At times the story is told from Meredith’s viewpoint and sometimes from Christine’s. They write winsomely of how the Lord brought them through many trials.

He Goes Before Them was fascinating to me on various levels. First, because the Helsbys were able to maintain a vibrant faith in the midst of tremendous adversity. Second, because they were imprisoned with Eric Liddell of “Chariots of Fire” fame. Christine writes of Liddell's godly influence on the young people in the camp and of the tragedy of his death (caused by a brain tumor) in Februrary of 1945:

Funerals in the Weihsien prison camp were common enough during those dreadful days, but there was no funeral like Eric’s. The wave of sorrow which swept over Weihsien was unbelievable. His was by far the biggest funeral held in the two and a half years of our stay in the camp. Impressive was the fact that not only the missionary community attended his funeral, but many others whose lives he so powerfully impacted. Among them were the usually cynical business people, city government administrators, and even prostitutes. His unassuming naturalness had given him rapport with everyone he met. 

The final reason I enjoyed it was because after the war, the Helsbys served in Taiwan and were good friends of my parents. Growing up I always thought of them as a sweet missionary couple, little dreaming of the tremendous suffering they had experienced. 

Blessings,