A Mother’s Heart by Jean Fleming

Although I’ve already discussed some of what has been on my mind and heart that led me to read this book, I want to come back and express my thoughts on the book as a whole, especially since I know that many of my readers are at a similar place in life as I am and might find this book refreshing to their spirits. 

As I was finishing A Mother’s Heart, this word picture from the book of Proverbs came to mind: 

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. 

Jean Fleming’s encouragement in this book has been just that for me:  words “fitly spoken” into my life at just the right time.  Nothing that she says in this book is new or different or groundbreaking; instead, the value of her message is in the fact that it is time-tested.  Motherhood is tough; no one would deny it, at least no one who knows anything at all about it.  Fleming’s gentle words in this book helped me to see the meaning under all the work:  that what I’m doing here really does matter, and I’m the best person to do it.  Yes, someone else could do it, but to believe that someone else should do it or would do it better is to believe a lie. 

I think the best way for me to respond to this book is to simply share some excerpts that really spoke to me–the ones that “hit me right between the eyes”:

I must constantly remind myself that though the visible, tangible world is so insistent and clamorous in its demands, I must not let it badger me into spending my life unwisely.  The result of living by God’s value system isn’t immediately apparent like clean windows or a newly papered wall.  But years from now, by God’s grace, my time with God and my children will produce results brighter than sparkling windows.  I must take the long view.  I must choose to do those things which will give satisfaction as I view my life as a whole, rather than measure satisfaction at the end of each day.  (50)

Well, you already know how I feel about clean windows.  (Sorry!  I couldn’t resist.    )

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Almost every Christian parent wants to have their children honor God as they mature.  But we may expect the product without being willing to involve ourselves in the process.  Do we value our children enough to pay the price?  (56)

I really need to remember this one, especially when I am disciplining one of the girls over a repeated infraction.  Yes, it gets tiresome and difficult, but it actually does mean something.

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Lila Trotman, widow of the founder of The Navigators, once said to my husband, “Roger, always remember that God is your only circumstance.”  God towers above our circumstances.  He wants to use the difficult aspects of our lives for our good.  “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  (Romans 8:28)

Whether the difficult cirumstances we face are from God’s hand or because of our own poor choices, He is able to produce from them something positive and glorifying to Himself.

The apostle Paul had problems–physical illness, beatings, imprisonments, stonings, hunger, and more (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).  But whatever the circumstance, Paul strove to know Christ and to make Him known.

God did not allow these circumstances in order to frustrate Paul’s desire to experience Christ more fully, or to stifle the progres of the gospel.  Instead, God intended them to form boundaries for Paul’s life.  Paul did not kick down these boundaries so that he might get on with the job as he saw it.  Rather, he accepted the boundaries and worked within them.  He sang and praised God from a gloomy prison, used appearances abefore questioning officials to testify of his faith in Christ, gathered firewood and encouraged others after a shipwreck, and worked with his hands making tents amid a busy missionary schedule.

God has set boundaries around your life, too.  Your children form part of the boundaries.  But remember, God brings the circumstances to better define your life, not to restrict it.  (179-80)

Thinking about these “boundaries” put in place by God made me think of this excellent book.  Reading these paragraphs also made me realize something about my life:  I am willingly making the choice to be what I am, a mother who works full-time in my home.  But sometimes I feel affronted by the idea that my life should be more–that I shouldn’t be content with what I’ve chosen.  It seems like everyone, from Christian psychologists to the media to the girls I went to high school with, offer the refrain that we should be careful not to “lose ourselves” in motherhood.  I like how Fleming paints the picture–that God has put these boundaries in our lives; they’re there of His choosing.  Why shouldn’t I be content in this role?

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To live by faith is to live with tensions, with blurred lines and with an uncomfortable lack of definition, because God wants us to look to Him for wisdom, strength, and direction as we parent our children and live our lives.  (194)

Ah, that’s it, isn’t it? The answer to my questions of “Does the tension ever get easier?” and “How does one come to a place of true contentment with what she has chosen?”  It’s all about commiting my way to God and walking in faith.  What else can I do? 

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Well, that’s not much of a review, is it?  I’m still thinking about all of this stuff–mulling it over in my brain.  The Lord has been speaking to me lately about my ”job” through my perceptive and loving mother-in-law and my pastor’s recent sermons, as well as this book, and I feel fairly certain that all of this will yield yet another blog post in the next few weeks.  Stay tuned. 

Read Aloud Thursday

This week’s selections have something in common:  each one of these books immediately made me think of another children’s book that we have enjoyed in the past.  I thought we would shake this week’s Read Aloud Thursday up a bit and have a little fun.  I’ll describe the book, and you try to figure out which book it is a perfect complement for.  Here goes!

Sophie’s Masterpiece by Eileen Spinelli is the story of a little spider named Sophie who looks for a home among the tenants of an apartment building and is duly chased from every apartment until she arrives at the apartment of a young, expectant mother.  Because the young woman is so welcoming of her presence, Sophie spends her last bit of energy creating her masterpiece as a gift for the young woman’s new baby.  My girls particularly like this story because it contains the word bootie (as in baby booties), and they think this is hysterical due to the influence of my nine and ten year old nephews.    But I digress.  Jane Dyer’s muted watercolor illustrations are perfect for this gentle tale. (Let’s face it:  a spider with a personality is still a little off-putting for those who are arachnophobic, but these illustrations really take the bite out of it.)  Now, this connection should be obvious, but if you’re not sure, go here or here.  By the way, Eileen Spinelli, who is the wife of the fabulous Jerry Spinelli, has a fun website which you can access by going here.

Little Whistle by Cynthia Rylant is the story of a guinea pig named Little Whistle who lives in a toy store.  At night, Toytown comes to life and Little Whistle has all sorts of adventures.  He chats with a toy sailor who gives Little Whistle his coat to keep him warm in the drafty store.  He attends tea parties hosted by some of the dolls.  Of course, the inevitable occurs, and some of Little Whistle’s friends are purchased by eager children, but Little Whistle doesn’t mind:  “Toys love being sold to children who care for them.  Little Whistle knew this and understood.”  Tim Bowers‘ illustratoins are warm and sweet, just as one would expect in a tale of a toystore after closing time.  (And who could resist Little Whistle’s sweet face on the cover?)  The connection between this one and another children’s picture book probably isn’t quite as obvious, but I’ll give you a moment or two to think about it. . .

 

 

 

 

Give up?

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Don Freeman’s Corduroy, of course.  The toys that have come to life, the store, the warmth–it’s all there. 

 

 

Well, that was fun!  I hope you’re having a great week that is full of opportunities to read aloud with your family!  Be sure to tell us about it in the comments or leave a link to your own Read Aloud Thursday blog post.  Oh, and don’t forget about the button! 

 

Have a terrific Read Aloud Thursday!

The Carrot Seed Go-Alongs and a Sweet Little Experiment

As I wrote earlier this week, we have thoroughly enjoyed The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss here at the House of Hope.  This is a picture book that is accessible across the ages due to its simplicity.  Although our schooling has definitely taken a backseat to swimming and splashing at the local splash pad over the past month, we have kept up our reading aloud, as well as a few other schoolish activities.  This is our last official Before Five in a Row selection before we begin kindergarten next month!

When we read The Carrot Seed , I knew just the book to pair with it.  We read The Giant Carrot by Jan Peck some time ago, and the first reading was just as good as the tenth.  This charming and funny picture book is an adaptation of a Russian folktale entitled “The Turnip.”  This version is peopled with rustic characters very appropriately described as tall Papa Joe, wide Mama Bess, strong Brother Abel, and sweet Little Isabelle.  Through the combined effort of Papa Joe’s composting, Mama Bess’ weeding, Brother Abel’s watering, but mostly Little Isabelle’s singing, they grow a gigantic carrot which will not come out of the ground until sweet Little Isabelle lends her strength (and her voice) to her very able-bodied family’s efforts.  This is all told with humor, repetition, and dialect which my girls just loved.  Barry Root’s illustrations are really a grand addition to this delightful tale–the spread of the carrot forcefully coming out of the ground always dissolves my girls into hysterical giggles.  This story is the perfect companion to The Carrot Seed.

Another great go-along for The Carrot Seed is the Caldecott honor book Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens.  This book purportedly picks up where “The Tortoise and the Hare” leaves off, only this time, the wily hare snookers a lazy bear.  The hare figures out a way to get the food he and his family needs:  he will trick the bear into giving it to them!  I don’t want to ruin the surprise if you’re unfamiliar with this story (or if you can’t figure it out from the title ), but it’s a good one!  It also has the distinction of being a picture book that opens vertically rather than horizontally, so it really gets the kids’ attention. 

 Of course, I couldn’t bear to read a book about root vegetables and pass up an opportunity to do a little science experiment.  It helped that we already had a sweet potato sprouting in the cabinet!    (Hey–books are my thing, not home organization, as evidenced not only by the potato, but also the dirty window!)

 

I figured it was probably a little late to do the trusty potato-in-the-glass experiment, but at the very least, I thought it would illustrate phototropism for the girls. This is the potato in the glass on Thursday, July 2:

 

And here it is on Monday, July 6:

 

It looks like I was right! 

The most memorable part of this experiment for me was Louise’s question as we were preparing to submerge the potato in the water. She queried, “Will it be able to see in there?”  Although I’m really not sure that sweet potatoes have eyes like potatoes do, I got my chuckle of the day out of it, at least. 

Carnival of Homeschooling

The 184th edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling has been published at Why Homeschool.  I have an entry in this week’s carnival, and there is a wealth of other good reading there, too.  If you homeschool, won’t you consider participating in this wonderful community of homeschool bloggers?

River Rising by Athol Dickson

I picked up this book through Paperback Swap because it is the July selection for the Semicolon Book Club.  Although I cannot meet face-to-face with Sherry and her other book club members in Texas, I trust her book recommendations, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong if I played along this year.  River Rising is the third Athol Dickson book I’ve read (read my other reviews here and here), and I actually read the others due to Sherry’s choosing River Rising for the book club, so I have her to thank for my introduction to this very talented author of Christian fiction. 

River Rising is the story of Hale Poser, a black man who appears in Pilotville, Louisiana, in the 1920s in search of his roots.  Pilotville is something of an anomaly for this time period in the South; on the surface, it appears that blacks and whites get along together and actually have some sort of relationship, even if they are still segregated where it matters most:  in the Lord’s house.  However, there is an evil lurking in Pilotville that Hale, due to his spiritual vision and his faith, is led by God to help expose. 

I’m writing an intentionally vague synopsis because I don’t want to reveal anything about this very suspenseful plot, but I will say that the twists and turns in this story are shocking–it’s a real roller coaster ride.  As I mentioned in an earlier review, Athol Dickson’s writing reminds me a little of Frank Peretti’s.  However, I end up liking the characters more in Dickson’s books.  That is certainly the case in River Rising.  Hale Poser is a character who really grew on me over the course of the story:  he is a meek Christian man who prays about everything.  He has a very childlike faith; when he prays, he actually expects God to hear and answer his prayers.  The events that transpire in this story seem divinely (or diabolically, or both) inspired to test Hale’s faith to the breaking point.  Hale becomes puffed up with pride due to what he sees as God’s special provision for him, his chosen vessel, and then, when God fails to come through for him when he needs help the most, Hale almost gives up on God.  It is in the blockbuster ending that God shows up in a big, big way and redeems the situation. 

I use the term “blockbuster” because this book reminds me of a movie–I could see this being shown on the Hallmark channel.  I usually don’t care for this type of writing–I find it too predictable,  almost patronizing in its predictability.  However, the subject matter (which I’m dancing carefully around, in case you haven’t noticed) kept it from being too much this way for me.  I’ll leave it at that. 

Dickson tackles some heavy themes in this novel, especially for southerners.  This quote sums it up pretty well:

. . .although men of every color shared work and sports and whisky, incredibly, God’s own house remained the final refuge of the Fall.

I can only speak from my own experience, but segregation, whether intentional or not, does still exist in the Body of Christ, at least in my little neck of the woods.  This book made me take this familiar fact out and study it again before relegating it to the corners of my mind where it lurks, hiding there because it’s something I feel like I can’t change.

If you’re looking for a quick summertime read that still gives you food for thought, this is it.

Author/Illustrator Spotlight::Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson

Summer has done a number on our schedule. I used to think we would school year ’round so that we could take breaks when we needed them and have a more go-with-the-flow existence than a traditional school calendar allows, and while I haven’t given up on that plan altogether, I am already seeing that what I envision and what actually transpires in this exciting experiment of home education are surely two different things. Summer time just offers too many opportunities for us to be tied down at home every day.

I picked up The Carrot Seed several weeks ago as what will be our last Before Five in a Row selection of Lulu’s preschool.  We will probably pick up the ones that we haven’t done as a part of Louise’s preschool this year and possibly revisit some old favorites, but I’m calling it done for this year with this book.  We will begin with volume one of Five in a Row as a supplemental (read fun) part of Lulu’s kindergarten when we convene school in six weeks or so.  (Why I make the distinction between Lulu’s and Louise’s preschool when there are only eighteen short months between their ages, I don’t know.  It keeps me sane in this thinking about their schooling, I guess.)

With right at 100 words, The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss captures the anticipation and faith involved in growing carrots and believing in dreams.  The little boy’s detractors are his family members, no less, but he continues steadfast in his belief that the little seed he deposited in the earth will grow, and he is rewarded with a wheel barrow sized harvest of one giant carrot.  My girls love this simple little book.  They love the chorus of “it won’t come up” repeated by the little boy’s mother, father, and brother.  They love the triumphant ending in which the little boy wheels away his impossibly large carrot.  The simple illustrations by Crockett Johnson are limited in color to mustard yellows and browns, with an occasional punch of red, orange, or green.   We have enjoyed several other books that are thematically related to this book, so be sure to come back on Wednesday when I highlight those titles!

I picked up A Very Special House at the library without realizing it is also by Ruth Krauss.  When I first began reading it to my girls, I thought to myself that this is the sort of old, nonsensical story that doesn’t translate well to modern readers.  We kept on reading, though, and my girls, especially 3 1/2 year old Louise, LOVED it.  (Of course, since then, she has informed me that she did NOT like this book.  Hmph.  Kids!)  The illustrations in this quirky little book phrases are by Maurice Sendak and won the distinction of  a Caldecott Honor in 1954.

All of this brings me to what is possibly my favorite picture book of all time:  Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.  I’m pairing Ruth Krauss (author) and Crockett Johnson (author and illustrator) together because they were married!  I kid you not.  It’s amazing what you learn when you just do a little research, huh?  I just love that I started highlighting a Before Five in a Row book and ended up writing about the genius that is Harold. If you experienced Harold and the Purple Crayon yet for yourself, you need to!  The concept behind this book is amazing:  a little boy named Harold creates his own world with his trusty purple crayon, all the while illustrating a clever story that is chock-full of word play.  In a household where the second theings the girls do every morning is make something with paper, yarn, and glue (the first thing is the rallying cry of “Read a book!”), Harold and the Purple Crayon reminds me of the importance of creativity and imagination in children (and adults!).  Our copy of Harold and the Purple Crayon is in a wonderful anthology of picture books that we own.   I’m excited that Harold and the Purple Crayon is included in volume two of Five in a Row, which we should be ready for at least by next school year.  I even found this little animated adaptation of this book that stays very close to the original.  Harold and the Purple Crayon was published in 1955, and it illustrates the fact that simple, good art and childish imagination never go out of style. 

Reflections in Progress::A Mother’s Heart by Jean Fleming

I picked up A Mother’s Heart: A Look at Values, Vision, and Character for the Christian Mother for my daily quiet time reading after finishing this book .  I’ve fallen into the habit of beginning my quiet time with some sort of devotional reading to quiet my heart and spirit before I go any further with Bible study, prayer, or further reading.  I procured A Mother’s Heart through Paperback Swap after reading Fleming’s Feeding Your Soul (my thoughts here).  I knew her to be a quiet, contemplative, encouraging sort of writer, which is just what I need. 

Lately, as Lulu nears the age of school attendance (’though not yet mandatory school attendance age, certainly past the age at which most children in our acquaintance have attended some sort of institutional school), I have begun wondering exactly what it is I am doing–what I am building my life upon.  Well, not that, really–I know I am building my life upon Christ; rather, what it is I am spending my life for.  I love being with my children every day.  Do I love it every minute?  No, of course not.  Who does?  But is there anything in the world I’d rather be doing?  I can answer a resounding no to this question.  Living on one income in a two income world, especially when my return to work would almost double our household income, is hard.  Don’t get me wrong–we are not in need.  Sometimes, though, I have to admit that I am in want.  It is made even more difficult by the fact that we have no close friends who are doing this.  I am hoping that once we begin attending our homeschool group in the fall that we will make some friends who are living out similar choices, but until then, I’m just really having to figure this one out on my own with the Lord’s help.

I think about this giving up of myself on so many different levels, and all of these levels are felt/experienced with all of my heart.  For example, I WANT to do this–to be this vital part of my children’s education.  In fact, sometimes I think this want drives me above all others.  Equally, though, is the want for the elusive “better life” for my girls.  (I’m ashamed to type this, even as I do.  What on earth could possibly truly make their lives better?!?!)  This “better life,” which I would even have a hard time honestly defining, requires a two-income lifestyle, I’m sure.  (I’ll leave you to wrestle with the logic of that one.)  When I leave the materialism out of it entirely, I think that I am more likely to become the person I am meant to be if I am able to have a quiet life at home.  I need lots of “margin” (as I’ve heard it called–from a book which I’ve not read and can’t remember the title of at the moment) in my life.  I desire to live a meditative, prayerful life.  I’m not sure I could do that as a working mother.  (Disclaimer:  This is not a slam on working mothers or any implication that they are prayerless, etc.  It is just my own rambling thoughts.)  My life is most likely to approximate that goal if I have time to accomplish it (and more discipline, of course). 

I’m sure you’re wondering what on earth this has to do with my opening paragraph about A Mother’s Heart.  I’ve read just over half of the book, and while there’s nothing earth-shattering about it, at least Fleming has reminded me that although what I’m doing earns no paycheck, it does have huge spiritual implications.  Chapter seven, entitled “Going Beyond ‘God Bless Charlie,’” resonated very deeply with me this morning.  In this chapter, Fleming obviously focuses on the importance and power of prayer in our children’s lives, and not prayers they pray themselves–prayers we pray for them.  She states,

It is impossible to begin too soon, or to pray too much for our children.

I feel like I”ve barely scratched the surface.  I’m always in a hurry to go on to the next thing–blogging (I admit, it’s high on my list), laundry, cleaning, reading, cooking, whatever.  I know this is a season in my life that will soon be over, but I need God to partner with me in this mothering thing now as much as I ever will.  When, oh when, will I ever learn this lesson?  Fleming quotes S.D. Gordon’s Quiet Talks on Prayer:

The great people on earth are the people who pray.  I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those people who take time and pray.  They have not time.  It must be taken from something else.  This something else is important–very important, and pressing, but still less important and pressing than prayer.

Ouch.  This all seems to be so intertwined to me–my inability to finally put to rest my desire for a “better life,”  the equally strong desire to live a life of sincere piety, and the realization that I can’t have it all.  I really just need to come to a place of peace about where I am going in life.  I’m wondering, especially for those of you who have been at this gig for a while (i.e. homeschooling and/or homemaking), does this tension ever get easier?  How does one come to a place of true contentment with what she has chosen?

This type of confessional post is highly unusual for me, but it’s what’s going on in my mind while reading A Mother’s Heart.  I don’t like to wear my heart on my sleeve blog, but thank you for listening. 

Caught Reading #2

Read Aloud Thursday

Would it be cheating if I begin this Read Aloud Thursday post with a review of a book-and-CD combo?  No?  Good, good–because that’s what I’m going to do!    While I haven’t had a chance to read While Mama Had a Quick Little Chat by Amy Reichert to my girls, I did listen to it with the girls as we ran a few errands after picking out some new goodies at the library.  I think I enjoyed this story every bit as much as the girls, if not more, because it is almost a cautionary tale for distracted parents, which I must admit to my chagrin that I sometimes am.  In this story, Rose tries and tries to get Mama’s attention while Mama has a “quick little chat” on the phone with Uncle Fred.  Mama, of course, repeatedly brushes her off and ignores her, all the while missing out on the excitement that Rose is trying to alert her to.  By the end of the story, Rose has had all sorts of adventures without leaving her home, and Mama is just happy that Rose managed to prepare herself for bed while she had that “quick little chat.”  Seriously, folks, I was laughing out loud at this one.  Now that I’ve had an opportunity to look at the illustrations for this story, I must mention that Alexandra Boiger’s heavily stylized characters really add to the charm of this story.

As far as books go, these two books that I’m highlighting couldn’t be more different.  That’s one thing I love about Read Aloud Thursday, though–the variety!    Duck!  Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld is more a series of illustrated optical illusions (really, primarily one illusion–the one on the cover) than it is a story.  Well, there is a story–it’s an argument between two speakers who never make an appearance in the book over whether this animal is a duck or a rabbit.  That’s it.  What I like about this one, though, is that my girls really got it and connected it to other optical illusions we’ve seen.  In fact, when Lulu saw the cloud illustrations (which, of course, are in the shape of rabbits and ducks) on the flyleafs, she immediately said “It Looked Like Spilt Milk!”  Now that’s the kind of connections I love for my girls to make! 

That’s it for us this week, folks.  Our read-aloud times seem hard to come by now that summer’s here.  Oh, we still read a good bit, but it seems like I’m more distracted this time of year by all the possibilities of places we can go and things we can do.  I thrive on routine, so this sort of living makes me a little antsy, but I also want to go with the flow since we’ll be on to the serious business of kindergarten soon enough.    What about at your house?  Has your family read anything good this week?  Do tell!  Leave a comment about it or a link to your own Read Aloud Thursday blog post in the comments!

Have a terrific Read Aloud Thursday!

I Read It! Girl Meets God by Lauren F. Winner

After reading Carrie’s review, my interest in this book was definitely piqued.  Janet’s review sent me clicking to Paperback Swap to order my own copy.  I’m glad I did.  Reading this book frustrated me, fascinated me, sent me on more than one journey of self-examination. 

First, the frustration.  This book meanders.  Boy, does it meander.  Part of it could be that my understanding of its organization was very superficial because I know little about the Jewish calendar or the ecclesiastical calendar, and both of these provide the scaffolding for this book.  It also helps to look at this book as a collection of essays instead of a linear story, which I did not do until I had finished it and had time to reflect on it.  One more more thing that made this book difficult for me to follow was Winner’s inclusion of so much of her personal life.  I had a difficult time keeping all the characters (her friends, classmates, boyfriends, rabbis, priests, etc.) straight.  Really, though, these complaints are minor when compared to the overall enjoyment and challenge I received from this book.

As I mentioned in my monthly nightstand post, it was fortuitous that I read this book just after finishing Potok’s The Chosen  (my review here) since Orthodox Judaism figures heavily into both of them.  While Winner’s journey away from Judaism is towards Christianity and Danny’s is towards modern psychology and all its implications, their experiences are similar in that they both lose their communities (families) as a result.  I also got a kick out of the fact that Winner mentions Potok so much in her own book.  At one point, she even imagines her life as the heroine of a Potok novel! 

This book also caused me to pause and consider my own journey.  Although I have certainly not left the faith of my fathers, aren’t we all sort of reconfiguring our practice of that faith in our own lives?  I certainly am.  Having grown up in an extremely conservative church and family, I find myself doing things I never thought I’d do, but ones which I feel have more to do with personal preference than divine edict.  (I’m not talking about sin here, but rather what are called “convictions” in my circle.)  This sense of identification was most strong to me while I was reading about her journey away from Orthodox Judaism.

My identification with Winner also extends to her love of reading and books.  For example, while reading the section in which Winner gives up reading for Lent, I was nodding my head furiously because I can remember when, as a teen, I attempted to give up reading for pleasure on Sundays.  Like Winner, I was unsuccessful. 

I just plain old enjoyed reading this book.  I like Winner’s style.  I’m about as far from her theologically as two people can be, I think, and still be adherents to the same faith, but I enjoyed reading about her conversion and her extremely bookish life.   (Take that as it is:  an off-the-cuff statement, not a declaration of doctrine.)  When I’m reading a book I especially like, I dog-ear the pages which hold passages I find moving or memorable or ones I want to blog about later.  This book has nearly twenty dog-eared pages.  Obviously, I can’t share all of the passages I like, but here is a small sampling:

The Incarnation appealed to the literature buff in me.  Embodiment was the novelistic culmination of anthropomorphism, of assigning God human characteristics.  All through the Torah, God is pictured as having hands, a face.  The rabbis say, Of course God doesn’t really have hands, but the Torah uses language of faces and hands and eyes so that we will have an easier time wrapping our minds around this infinite, handless God.  That is what you say if you are a rabbi.  But if you are a good novelist, you actually give Him hands and eyes by the end of the book, and that is what the Bible does.  It says, in Deuteronomy, that God brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; and then it gives Him an arm in the Gospel of Matthew.  (52)

This is one of the things that happens when you convert:  it happens when you grow up a God-inclined half-Jew who abandons her parents’ ways for the rigors oand requirements of Orthodoxy, and it happens when you are a long-skirted, long-sleeved frum Jew who somehow turns and kneels at the foot of the Cross.  One of the things that happens is, you feel family-less, even if your own family doesn’t cast you out, and you lean on your friends and your classmantes and all the people in your new religious world more than you should.  Your roommates, and their parents, and their friends, you gobble up their lives, adopting and being adopted and fitting yourself in just so.  You need a family and you love them like a family and you make them love you back just that way, and they do. And so, should you convert again, you lose all sorts of things:  not just your library and your vocabulary and your prayers, but also your family, all the people who made you their own and who you made yours.  It’s a good reason to only convert once, if you can help it.  Because it is more than just your religion that you lose.  (178)

All the stories look different through Christian glasses.  (241)

When God made His Covenant with Abraham, He promised that He would “make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.”  Jesus is the needle who sews the children of God who are not descendants of Abraham into that nighttime sky.  (248)

I am interested to read more of Winner’s books.  I don’t agree with everything she says, but I enjoy reading her thoughts.  For more about Lauren F. Winner, go here.

And for more I Read It!  posts, go here!