Informative, not Inspirational

After holding onto this book for more than a year, I finally decided to write a review of Voices of the Faithful: Book 2, Inspiring Stories of Courage from around the World. I had such high expectations for it since it carried Beth Moore's name on the cover (although she just wrote the introduction) and since I grew up reading thrilling missionary stories. This devotional was not what I expected. I guess the best description would be that I found it bland. There is a short devotional for each day of the year, headed by a verse and then a short snippet written by one of the missionaries from the Southern Baptist Association. Each entry ends with a prayer for the people of the region highlighted.

The stories I enjoyed most centered on specific people whose lives were radically changed by the gospel, but it's hard to develop an inspirational storyline in three or four paragraphs, so most of the entries just generalized about the struggles of the missionaries or the peoples of the particular region highlighted. I just don't feel that it lived up to its billing as "inspiring stories of courage from around the world." On the other hand, it was nice to read the thoughts of actual missionaries that the Southern Baptist Association supports, since as a member of a SB church, I have had very little contact with their missionaries. And it's a good reminder to pray specifically for those on the front lines.

Bottom line: informative but not inspirational.

What's all the buzz?

As a parent, I really appreciate the message of Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure. It addresses sibling rivalry and a parent's unconditional love for his children. The theme of accepting yourself as a unique creation of God's is also interwoven throughout. This DVD offers parents a good opening to discuss some of these important themes with their children.

As far as my young children (4 yrs old and under) are concerned, this is not one of those videos that they ask to watch repeatedly, but neither do they protest when I put it in. Perhaps the themes are a little more relevant to the 5-7 yr. age group? Overall, I'm happy with the video and believe as my children get older, we will be able to use this video as a springboard for discussions about each person's unique, God-given gifts.

Review of House of Dark Shadows

I'm very conflicted in my opinion of Robert Liparulo's House of Dark Shadows. On one hand, the characters are engaging and likeable, especially Xander and David, the 15-yr-old and 12-yr-old brothers, who explore together the creepy old house that their family moved into. As I was reading the book, it reminded me a little of a Stephen King novel as far as the shadow of horror and impending doom that color every page. On the other hand, I find it extremely annoying to have so many loose ends left flapping with the final page. For instance, the boys discover that the linen closet leads to a school locker. So what? Nothing ever develops from there. Now, perhaps Liparulo is setting the reader up for a development in a sequel, but if so, I think it should have been introduced and developed in the sequel. I don't want to spoil the ending, but it is much the same. Lots of new info is introduced without coming to a resolution.

Perhaps I'm unfair in my disappointments with this book, expecting too much from a work written for a young-adult audience. However, I feel that this book is really only the introduction to the novel. To be called a book is a stretch. If you're committed to buying the whole series (which is in the process of publication as I understand it), I would recommend reading this book, but if not, it's so incomplete that it cannot stand by itself.

Beautiful Illustrations--Review of My Little Girl

I just finished reading My Little Girl by Tim McGraw and Tom Douglas to my three girls, ages 3, 2, and 1. It was the kind of book I expected from a celebrity author that depended more on the name to sell the book than the content. However, despite my disappointment with the story line, I must give kudos to the illustrator, Julia Denos. The illustrations were GORGEOUS and MADE the book, in my opinion. Denos' use of vivid colors and expressive faces brought the characters to life and made me fall in love with little Katie, for she reminded me of the adorable faces my own daughters wear.

As far as the story line goes, it was strangely disjointed. It jumped from one day to another and one scene to another without logical transition. I had to check several times, thinking I had skipped a page as I was reading it aloud. Perhaps the story is based on the lyrics to McGraw's song? It's been at least a year since I heard his song and so I don't remember the lyrics, but I didn't think it translated well into a story book. The IDEA behind the story, however, is a beautiful one, of a daughter and daddy spending the day together, just enjoying each other's company.

So... did my daughters enjoy the book? Because my girls are so young, they're much more interested in the story the pictures tell anyway, so they liked examining the illustrations and asking questions about the dog:) We'll see if they ask to read it again--that's the litmus test for any book at our house:)

The New Eve

For the past three months, I've been part of a Bible study at my church in which we've read The New Eve. Can I just say, ALOT of food for thought! ALOT of hard truths about womanhood and whether the Bible is relevant to modern life. This book has helped me look at the whole of my life and work towards the end goal--a great marriage with a godly husband, three daughters confident in their inward strength and beauty as they find their place in Christ, a life filled with service to others using the talents God's given me in teaching and writing. I would highly recommend it, especially for the teenager/young adult who is just starting out in her journey towards womanhood...