Jesus was a teacher and storyteller. The book of Matthew records numerous stories. While speaking to a crowd he told the parable of the sower who encountered different types of soil. (Matthew 13) Speaking to his disciples he told the story of the lost sheep (Matthew 18). There are many more parables throughout the gospels.… Continue reading The Importance of Story
Category: Book Reviews
The Hidden Child: Book Review
Whenever I visit the library, I check the display of new books. Recently The Hidden Child by Louise Fein caught my eye. This historical novel, set in the 1920s, tells a story that connects the eugenics movement and the plight of a child with epilepsy. (Eugenics is a theory that the human race can be… Continue reading The Hidden Child: Book Review
Women Establishing Order in a War Zone
In 1917 eighteen Smith College graduates went to France to provide relief measures and establish order in war torn villages. Lauren Willig has written a novel based on the reports about this group. The author read a memoir by one of the members of the Smith College Relief Unit and letters written by the young… Continue reading Women Establishing Order in a War Zone
Immigrant Women and Midwives
A couple of books have stirred my thoughts and emotions. I read a lot—sometimes three books in a week. I don’t review many. These two books have touched me. The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin is historical fiction based on a real event. In 1888 a blizzard came on suddenly in Nebraska and took the lives… Continue reading Immigrant Women and Midwives
Pause to Pray
A small group in our church is reading and discussing the book, How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People by Pete Grieg. Grieg introduces the acronym P.R.A.Y. Pause, Rejoice, Ask, Yield. Why do we need to pause? Perhaps that is a silly question when we consider our hectic lives and the issues that… Continue reading Pause to Pray
Enneagram: Understanding Others
All around us there are designs and patterns that are pleasing to look at. I enjoy the vast array of flowers that bloom indoors and outdoors. Lately I have been reading about a different kind of design/pattern. In the book, The Road Back to You, Ian Morgan Cron describes the enneagram as a map of the… Continue reading Enneagram: Understanding Others
Historical Fiction: 3 Good Reads
This year my mind has become weary with the news. The amount of time that I spend watching the news on TV is decreasing and the amount of time that I am reading is increasing. I admit that I have been a bit of a political junkie, and it is good to spend more time… Continue reading Historical Fiction: 3 Good Reads
Year of Disappointment: An Anchor for the Soul
This year, 2020, might be called the year of disappointment. Everyone has been affected by the pandemic whether it be financially, socially or physically. The politics in our country has been hard to watch. We have flawed men seeking the presidency. The recent revelations of corruption are disheartening. The bias in the media and the… Continue reading Year of Disappointment: An Anchor for the Soul
Mercy in a Children’s Book
A terrible accident took place in the hills of Switzerland. A child sustained a debilitating injury and one boy, Lucien, had provoked the accident. This is how the story begins in Patricia St. John’s book, Treasures of the Snow. This book for children was first published in 1948. As I continued to read, I was startled… Continue reading Mercy in a Children’s Book
The Cherry Tree and Martin Luther: Life Lessons
My husband has offered to cut the cherry tree down. Several times. I was thrilled when the tree offered a bountiful harvest of cherries, sweet with a little tartness. Then came the year of brown rot and mold. We spent a week picking all the rotten fruit and cleaning up the mess. Another year a… Continue reading The Cherry Tree and Martin Luther: Life Lessons