Baby Zebras

Ah, the Zoo.  The penultimate family vacation destination.   A place where small children can run around crazy with the other children and gawk at a variety of animals they would never encounter otherwise.

On our latest sojourn to this fun and educational locale, we selected the Atlanta Zoo as our destination.  My son, as always, loved it.  I too was enjoying this excursion when we happened upon an area set aside for children to explore animal development in real world applications.  For example, you can attempt to lift a handle weighing the same amount a baby, teenage, and then adult elephant can lift.  You can view, through a scope, the difference in the visual acuity of a chick versus an adult Snowy Owl.

And then there's the scale.

I will be the first to tell you that I have NEVER been a small person.  Due to a medical condition, my weight is a forever battle for me.  I know that if I even THINK about falling off the diet wagon and indulging my culinary whims for more than one meal a month, I will be fighting to take the weight back off for several months to come.  It is a battle that I have learned to manage as best I can.

That being said, this area also includes a scale that not only shows your weight; it will also compare your weight to that of an infant or adolescent member of the animal kingdom.  Z thought it was superfun to hear the noise it makes while tortuously slowly easing up the number line and slowly inch ever closer to the heaviest animal on the scale, a baby giraffe.  While I was perfectly content to skip that particular activity, Z would have none of it.  Since he is only three and doesn't quite understand the implications of PCOS and its unforgiving side effects, I decided to indulge him.  And promptly learned that his mommy is roughly the size of a Baby Zebra.

Having come to terms with my condition and what it takes to ensure my weight remains manageable, I can happily say that I didn't fall into a complete depression that ruined the remainder of our trip.  Long ago, I was taught by my mother that the measure of a person's worth is NOT equal to the measure of that person's girth. I am not content with my weight, I never will be.  But I also no longer allow my dress size to dictate how I feel about myself.  I try my best to be a decent and loving person.  I don't always get it right, but I never stop the journey.  I don't beat myself up if I have more than one of the aforementioned "cheat" meals in a month.  I simply allow myself to understand that I am human and take the stairs instead of the elevator.  By allowing myself to be free of the guilt, I am happier and able to show my son that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

And, really, aren't stripes supposed to be slimming provided they are vertical??

Pants On The Ground

I like to think of myself as an open-minded person.  I was raised to believe (and do) that a person's worth is not based on his/her color, class, creed, sexual orientation, or whatever.  I like to think that people are innately good, regardless of how naive as others may find that line of thinking (or how many exceptions I see to this rule).  That being said, I received a lesson today that I thought should be shared.

A woman was attempting to get a shopping cart of her own this morning.  The carts were stuck together, and she was having a difficult time getting one to use.  Before I could get , I saw a young man stop in his tracks,  turn around, walk back out of the store, and pulled a cart loose for her.

While this would normally just be seen as common courtesy, I was struck by the scene.  The young man who went to help her was African-American, wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head, and jeans that were sagging to his knees.  The woman was petite, Caucasian, and of a mature age.  I was admonished and learned three things in that very instant:

1.  Chivalry is NOT Dead.  I often have doors slammed in my face and have other drivers cut me off in traffic just to get to the next turn two seconds faster.  We often think that kindness is a lost art, generally because it seems that way.  This young man proved to me today that this is certainly not the case.  There are many people in this world who take time to hold doors for Mothers who struggle with strollers, individuals with limited mobility, and anyone else who happens along the way who could use a day brightening moment.  I watched this woman's  face light up at the small gesture provided for her.  That, dear friends, is the true beauty of the world.

2.  People ARE innately good.  At any given moment in time, you can check out the news to hear any manner of sad and desolate news. It is nice to see those stories that detail how kind we can be to one another.  This are the rule, not the exception.  Jackson Browne said "Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking." I agree, and the young man I saw today proved he is of impeccable character.   He also restored my faith in the belief that people, for the most part, are innately good, regardless of what the news says.

3.  Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover:  I will never understand the point of wearing jeans so large that the wearer has to walk with legs two feet apart just to keep them up or who continually pulls them up in an effort to prevent mooning the world.  That being said, in the end they are just clothes.  Teens in the 60's who had long hair and wore bell-bottom jeans were looked upon as lazy, and those teens grew up to become some of the most influential members of our society.   There is all the possibility in the world that the young man I saw today will do the same. And I would do well to remember that.

Still Wandering. Just a little lost.

As a standard rule, I am the strong one.  The rock.  The stable, dependable, stalwart one.  Basically, I am a Labrador Retriever.  Once you become the LR, it's very difficult to get out of that role. Others rely on you to be the one to whom they can come if they need a pick them up.  You are expected to have all of the answer, because you normally do.

I don't generally resent this role.  I actually relish it, because I find my mission in life to ease the worries and concerns of others.  If, for just a brief moment, I can make life a little better for someone else, then I feel as though I have fulfilled my purpose.  Lately, I have been wishing that I could really break out of this mode.  There are days where I would like to be the one who gets to step back and break down.  I would like the opportunity to just make the world stop, even for a brief moment.

Because lately, I am feeling a little empty.  I feel like I am running in circles; wearing myself out and not really getting anywhere.  And the worst part-I don't know how to change it.

It was during my most recent search for something to sing during church service in a couple of weeks, that I stumbled across a song called Resurrection. Unlike most songs on the subject, this one speaks of personal resurrection.  It is in listening to this song that I realize why I don't know how to change things.  It's because I CAN'T.  No matter how much I want to take my life by the reigns and go in the direction I want, I know that this is the actual root cause of my problem.

The chorus of this song says "Here I am once again I'm in need of resurrection." And that's the way it feels.  I feel like I keep coming back again and again to have the scattered pieces put back together.  

Isn't that what's supposed to happen?  In my human mind, I think that I should be as strong as the other humans around me expect me to be.  But God doesn't.  He doesn't expect me to be the LR.  He isn't coming to me to be rebuilt and be formed once again.  That's not how it works.  Instead, He's the rock.  He's the strong one.  He's the stable, dependable, stalwart one.  And in remembering that, I continue to wander, feeling a little less lost.

Review - The Silent Governess

In her novel The Silent Governess, Julie Klassen weaves the tale of Olivia Keene and Edward Bradley.  One evening, while escaping her own demons, Olivia overhears some information that Edward would rather not be revealed.  In an effort to ensure that she not spread this damaging evidence, Edward insists that Olivia take a position in his house in the nursery. As time progresses, more intrigue and deception come to light.  The meaning of family is tried and tested, with the definition being changed at every turn.

Klassen, a lover of Jane Austen and writer of Regency-period set fiction, has woven a beautiful tale of mystery and romance.  The cast of characters display a range of personalities, each one surprising the reader with unexpected depth.  As the tale continues, twists and turns abound.

That would be one concern I can express with this novel.  Those twists and turns can become very difficult to follow, and I had to reread some passages to figure out who was who and what exactly was happening.  While it does keep the story interesting overall, too many of these trails can leave a reader lost in the woods. I personally would have also liked to see Klassen follow the personal journeys of faith of both Olivia and Edward.  She begins to do this at several points, but she does not ever follow them to any personal spiritual revelation.

Overall, Klassen's novel was a quick, inspiring read.  As it is set in one of my favorite periods of history, I really did enjoy reading her tale of a family where not everything is as it seems. Klassen's tale is well-written and riveting.  She tells the story eloquently, adhering to the time period with only a few liberties taken that do not rewrite the history of the period.   I certainly look forward to reading other work by Klassen in the future.

This book was provided free of charge by the publisher as a review copy. The publisher had no editorial rights or claims over the content or the conclusions made in this review. Visit www.bethanyhouse.com for more information on this book.

Review - Sense and Sensiblity Insight Edition

 If given the opportunity to travel through history, one of my first stops would be the Regency Period of England and the world of Jane Austen.  I have been a fan of  Austen's since I read the first page of Pride and Prejudice.  I currently own all of her published works, some having been replaced a couple of times due to wear.  Since my latest copy of Sense and Sensibility bit the dust a month or so ago, I was thrilled to get Bethany House's copy in the mail this week.

In terms of the actual novel, no changes have been made to Austen's original work.  The novel is printed in all its glory with my favorite characters and places still in tact.  What has been added by several of Bethany House's writers are notes and annotations about the life and times of Austen.

The book comes complete with a key, which indicates the type of note/annotation being applied in each instance.  The notes fall into the following categories: "historical and cultural details [...] from England in the early 1800's," "fact and tidbits from Austen's life," "references to S&S in today's culture, particularly in film," "unscientific ranking of the novel's most frustrating characters," "themes of faith drawn from the novel or Austen's life," "comments and asides on the book's characters or plot," and "the parts of the novel that just make us smile."

I LOVE the additional comments, quips, and bits added to Austen's work.  They serve to add the insight intended into a world of ladies and gentlemen.  The authors who have offered their take on Austen's work compliment the novel by adding interesting references and inserting a little comedy into one of the best loved novels of all time.

On the minus side (if you can really call it that), the novel did take more time to read.  I found myself reading a page, seeing the notations, and reading the page again to see if the added information changed the image I create in my head of Austen's world.  In most instances, it certainly did! It did make the reading more cumbersome at some points, but overall  I really enjoyed this take on one of the best loved works of literature.  I plan to order the Insight Edition of Pride and Prejudice and look forward to many more such editions.

This book was provided free of charge by the publisher as a review copy. The publisher had no editorial rights or claims over the content or the conclusions made in this review. Visit www.bethanyhouse.com for more information on this book.

Review - This is Your Brain in Love

 In This is Your Brain in Love, Dr. Earl Henslin examines the impact brain disorders can have on our relationships.  The book comes with five tests included that are intended to help you determine both your own and your partner's loive style. From there, Dr. Henslin describes those love styles and details first how to control the issues associated with that particular style if it is your own, and then how to communicate with your partner if he/she is of that particular style.

First: the high points:  I do like that Dr. Henslin attributes some of the issues we have as couples to issues that we might be facing in brain chemistry.  I think too often people attribute poor choices with a lack of personal responsibility.  There are instances where obsessive and depressive behaviors are simply not something a person can "get over."  I also like that Dr. Henslin both details the problems people may be facing in brain chemistry and ways those can be overcome.  He details behavior modification, diet, supplements, and finally medication as options for treatment.  I am very excited that he doesn't skip straight to medication as a fix all method.  Dr. Henslin also relates the stories of his patients in each of the five categories, which helps to put a real world feel to the information he is relating.

On the down side, Dr. Henslin relies too heavily on brain chemistry and less on the fact that people can still make different choices.  While I will concede that there are some instances where brain misfires can override good decision making, I would like to believe that these are the exception and not the rule.  Otherwise, it would mean that I have absolutely no control over my own actions and decisions.

I also had a difficult time relating to this book, as I didn't fit into any of the five love styles Dr Henslin details in the book.  Rather, I exhibit some of the behaviors in all five of them.  It was also difficult to apply any of the love styles to my husband, as he also had some of the attributes in each of them.  Without any definitive path, it would be hard to put any of the principles into action.

In addition, much of Dr. Henslin's book reads like an endorsement for Dr. Daniel Amen (who is a brain researcher).  The brain scans on which the test and theories are based are from Dr. Amen's research. In addition, many of the supplements recommended by Dr. Henslin are from Dr. Amen's practice.

In the end, I have to put this one in the land of the middle as far as my recommendation.  If you are able to relate either your spouse or yourself to any of the five love styles, then many of his principles could be put to good use.  Since I was unable to do that, I simply find it to be an interesting read. I am very drawn to

A note of warning:  if you are looking for ways to improve your relationship based on Godly principles found in his Word, you will not find them here.  There are biblical references as far as God's plan for marriage and the marriage bed in the book, but the actions needed to improve a relationship (from Dr. Henslin's view) are based on scientific research and not the theological variety.

This book was provided free of charge by the publisher as a review copy. The publisher had no editorial rights or claims over the content or the conclusions made in this review. Visit www.thomasnelson.com for more information on this book.

Review - Once An Arafat Man

Each time that I hear about deaths due to conflicts in the Middle East, my heart breaks. I will be the first to tell you that I know very little of the history of the conflict there.  That being said, my feelings do not change about the pain I feel in the wake of the loss of human life.  Any loss of life appeals to my humanity and always triggers the need to pray for the families that will now be morning the loss of those they love.

At one point in his life, Tass Saada had a hand in causing many of those deaths.  Throughout his youth, Saada was sent from place to place with his family, a refugee family tossed about as the turmoil in the area and the conflict grew stronger.  Saada became more and more angry as he developed the belief that he and his people had been robbed of the land that was rightfully theirs.  As a teenager, he enlisted in an organization under the leadership of Yassar Arafat, bent on doing what they felt the government could not.  Saada allowed his anger and resentment to fuel the violence and took the lives of countless people in the name of recovering what he felt he and his people were due.  If the story stopped there, it would be fitting to admonish Saada for glorifying a life that led to the deaths of so many.  But, as is always true of a conversion story, that is not the end.

Many years after Saada managed to leave that life behind and emigrate to the United States, his life was changed by a man who epitomized everything Saada had learned to despise in his youth: a Jew.  Saada's rebirth in the holy spirit happened in a flash, and he began to examine what the Bible had to say about the promised land and in whose hands the land should actually be.  He learned through God's word that the land was to be shared and made it his life's work to bring the people of the Middle East to a point of reconciliation.

Saada's story is one that truly displays the awesome power that Christ can have to change a life if He is simply allowed into a heart to make the change. This book is broken into three parts: the first details Saada's life before Christ, the second details his life after accepting Christ, and the third details his beliefs about what can bring true peace to the Middle East.  Through God's word, he feels that true peace can only be brought through reconciliation and details how he thinks that can be accomplished.

The point that strikes me as the most harrowing in this book is not the image that Saada paints through the eye of a sniper's rifle, not the one where he details God speaking to him, but of a man whose life has been changed so wholly that he can stand in a room of Israeli widows and ask forgiveness for the part he played in the destruction of their families.  Saada recounts his story without glorifying his actions, giving all of the credit for the change in his life to the almighty.  He speaks about hope for humanity in the face of great odds, counting on God to bring the peace that is so desperately needed into a tumultuous region.  It is that hope that can be taught to each member of the world, ensuring that we love like Christ loved, without malice, prejudice, or conditions.


This book was provided free of charge by the publisher as a review copy. The publisher had no editorial rights or claims over the content or the conclusions made in this review. Visit mediacenter.tyndale.com for more information on this book.