In So Many Words

Remembering You

By Tricia Goyer

In the last ten years since I started interviewing veterans for my WWII novels, most have passed away. Some of them—realizing their days on earth were coming to an end—returned to Europe one last time with their family members to walk along paths they’ve never forgotten. Those trips inspired my most recent novel, Remembering You.

One of the most amazing experiences was when I received an email from a woman named Hana. She’d heard of my book and knew I’d interviewed some of the veterans. She asked if I’d interviewed any medics. Then she told me an amazing story. Hana was born on a cart just outside of Mauthausen. Her mother had survived being a prisoner of another camp and was transported to Mauthausen at the end of the war.

Hana was just three weeks old when the Americans arrived, and she was very ill. Because of the filthy conditions she got a skin infection and sores covered her body. No one expected her to live. Yet one of the medics saw the small baby and knew he had to do something. Even though it took most of the day, he lanced and cleaned all Hana’s sores, saving her life. Over the years she’d wanted to find the medic, but didn’t know where to start.

I was amazed by Hana’s story and told her I knew one medic—maybe he remembered who that man was. I gave Hana the contact information and I soon heard the good news. My friend LeRoy “Pete” Petersohn was the medic who’d saved her life! The two were soon reunited! After all these years Hana was able to look into the eyes of the man who saved her and thanked him. After all these years Pete was able to meet the woman he saved. “Baby!” he called out when he met her.

Remembering You is a work of fiction, but the experiences of the men are true. The experiences of the main character, Ava, are also true-to-life. I was busy with life when God pointed me to an amazing story, and to even more amazing men. I’m so thankful I took time to listen and care. I’m so thankful I allowed these men to share what … and who … they remembered most.

Tricia Goyer is a homeschooling mom of four and an acclaimed and prolific writer, publishing hundreds of articles in national magazines. She has also written books on marriage and parenting and contributed notes to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Tricia’s written numerous novels inspired by World War II veterans, including her new release Remembering You. Tricia lives with her husband and four children in Arkansas. You can find out more information about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

Title: Where Angels Go
Author: Debbie Macomber
Length: 304 pages
Genre: Inspirational Fiction
Publisher/Date: Mira, 2007
Source: Kindle Edition (Borrowed)

About the Book
Archangel Gabriel and his three mischievous Prayer Ambassadors—Shirley, Goodness and Mercy—lend their celestial aid to three needy Christmas cases. Harry Alderwood, 86, prays that his increasingly forgetful wife, Rosalie, will agree to move into assisted living before he dies. Meanwhile, nine-year-old Carter Jackson begs God for a dog, even though his mother and father tell him that they can’t afford to keep a pet, while Beth Fischer’s mother prays that her divorced paralegal daughter, nightly engrossed in a World of Warcraft online game, will start a new life. The busybody angels work behind the scenes and provide a few delightful surprise twists as lives transform.

My Thoughts
This was an enchanting Christmas book. It followed a typical pattern of introducing us to several different people with Christmas prayers, but then added another layer of holiday magic with the involvement of the prayer-answering angels. It was a sweet story that was in turn light-hearted and tear-jerking; a bit predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless.

I’m glad I stumbled across this one; I have read a lot of Ms. Macomber’s books but had somehow missed it when it first came out. I read it on the Kindle app on my iTouch, which I am still not completely in love with but is convenient when you haven’t been to the library in a while. I kept feeling that I was missing something by not having a book in my hands; however, I would recommend this one either way.

Note: This is Book #53 of my 2011 Reads (master list here).

Continuing with the tradition started earlier in the month, I am posting mini reviews of the last 5 books I have finished this year. I realize they are very heavy in the fantasy area; this is mainly because I haven’t read much of this in the last several years and am indulging myself in some of what I missed.

Anyway, this brings my total for the year to 15:

The Wizard of London (Elemental Masters, Book 4) by Mercedes Lackey
I skipped book 3 in this series since it was not available at my local library, so hopefully that wasn’t a mistake. I have to admit that didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first two. I also didn’t recognize which fairy tale it was drawing from, although I’m sure that just shows my unfamiliarity with many of them. It is still worth the read if you are a fan of the series.

The Fairy Godmother (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms) by Mercedes Lackey
After reading several of the Elemental Masters books, which draw on fairy tales in a more subtle way, I greatly enjoyed reading the first installment in this more lighthearted series about a world where “Tradition” is a force to be reckoned with at your own peril.

The main character in this book is a girl who almost but doesn’t quite fit the bill as a Cinderella, and instead of marrying a handsome prince is given the opportunity to become a Godmother (since not all of them are true fairies anymore). It was a lot of fun to experience the unfolding of the story and see how Elena finds her own path amidst the strength of Tradition.

Autism & Alleluias by Kathleen Deyer Bolduc
This book is a truly heartfelt series of vignettes written by a woman who has an adult son with autism and intellectual disabilities. She reminds me of a psalmist as she openly shares some of the low points of her journey along with the revelations of God’s provision and faithfulness through it all.

It is a testimony to how God will meet us where we are, no matter how many times we end up there, just as we do for our children. I appreciate her willingness to share the lessons she has learned and understanding she has gained while walking this road ahead of me.

Murder at Mansfield Park: A Novel by Lynn Shepherd
I wasn’t at all sure what to expect when I picked up this book on a whim at the library. I have read many Jane Austen inspired novels, but can’t comment on this one in that vein since I am not actually that familiar with Mansfield Park and didn’t really care for the original that much.

Overall, I did like this book. The introduction of a murder mystery with a London detective thrown into the mix was very intriguing, and the plot twists and turns were engaging.

One Good Knight (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms) by Mercedes Lackey
Very fun to read, this is the second in the series about the 500 Kingdoms where fairy tales are a force to be reckoned with. I loved how the story weaves in and around the traditional paths as Andie and George find their way to a happy ending.

I am really enjoying all the little touches Lackey adds to the world she has created in these books.

You can see all the books I’ve finished so far this year on the bookshelf on my Books page or read all of my mini reviews by clicking on the 2011 Reads tag.

After having finished only five books as of January 25, I have read five more just in the week or so since then. I have decided to attempt to write a few comments about each book that I read this year and realized that the post would get pretty long if I stick to posting the list once a month. So I am going to post these “mini” reviews whenever I finish another five books (or so, depending on when I get around to it!).

Without further ado, here are my most recent reads of 2011:

The Gift of Love edited by Lori Foster
I picked this up from the new books shelf at the library because I had decided to read some short stories this year and the description on the back of the book sounded like this would be an interesting look at different types of love with family relationships.

It turned out to be more like the equivalent of eight mini romance novels that had nothing to do with the grandiose promises made by the description. The only story I liked was “The Wolf Watcher’s Diet” by Paige Cuccaro; perhaps somewhat coincidentally, it was the only one without an explicit sex scene. Other than taking a few moments to read that charming tale, I would give this book a pass.

Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn
I have always enjoyed reading Robin Jones Gunn; she writes fun inspirational chick lit which is great for a light read. Sometimes I have wished her characters would be a bit more developed, and in this story I was pleasantly surprised by more depth that I remembered from her other books.

I’m not sure if it’s because there are fewer main characters than in some of her series or because the subject matter is so near to her heart, but I was very impressed and encouraged by this story about a couple who hits a snag in their marital communication and has to decide whether their marriage can be revived, or even saved.

Intrigues: Book Two of the Collegium Chronicles by Mercedes Lackey
I loved this book almost as much as the first one in the series and am seriously considering going back and re-reading the older books to brush up on my Valdemaran history.

The Serpent’s Shadow (Elemental Masters, Book 1) by Mercedes Lackey
This story, set in early 20th century London, is a fascinating mix of magic, medical practices, women’s rights and figuring out who to trust along the way. I found it utterly enchanting and suspenseful.

The Gates of Sleep (Elemental Masters, Book 2) by Mercedes Lackey
Where the first book in the series takes place in the city, this one is set in the countryside, which was interesting. I also enjoyed the mild allusions to Sleeping Beauty. I hadn’t actually realized that these books were connected to classic fairy tales before I started this one and was struck by the christening scene, but looking back I can see the Snow White imagery in the first book. Very cleverly done.

You can see all the books I’ve finished so far this year on the bookshelf on my Books page or read all of my mini reviews by clicking on the 2011 Reads tag.

The prompt for this edition of Blog Gems is to “link up a post that tells us about a holiday, any kind of holiday even just a weekend away (or an hour to yourself!).” All you have to do is link up your post and then read and comment on the two posts listed before yours (at least!). Visit Blog Gems – Air Your Archives #8 to link up your post or read some other entries.

As I was reflecting back over what I have written about this topic, I realized that I have just passed the three-year mark of my start in blogging, as my first post was published on January 26, 2008. It has been quite the adventure, and I still love it!

The holiday story that comes to my mind, however, is not one that I wrote about here. Instead, it was one of my very first posts on the site 5 Minutes for Special Needs, written just after it started in July of 2008.

I am reprinting the post here to make it easier. I know this is a pretty broad interpretation of the prompt, but since this is what popped into my head, here it is!

Redeeming Elvis (A Vacation Story)

What a whirlwind the last couple of weeks have been – working on articles and various details for the launch of 5 Minutes for Special Needs between posting on my own blog, going to work, taking care of my husband and son, handling ongoing transportation problems and getting ready for a family vacation that started the day before the site went live! Despite the continual itch to sneak away and visit the wifi hotspot during our vacation, we had a wonderful time with each other and my husband’s family.

One of the highlights of the trip was going to a horse riding place where the younger kids had pony rides while the older kids and some of the adults went for a trail ride. As the guide, Matt, helped my son onto his horse, I mentioned that he has autism and may not always answer when spoken to. Matt’s response was to ask me to join them, so of course my first thought was that he was worried about how my son would behave and didn’t want to be alone with him in case there was a problem. But it turned out that he actually wanted to talk to me.

As we walked along the path, he told me about about a child who has come into his life who has Asperger Syndrome. At the stable they have a horse, named Elvis, who was rescued from an abusive situation, and he wasn’t sure if they would ever be able to use him with guests. This boy has really taken to Elvis, however, and the horse has responded by being very gentle around him. From this experience, Matt has looked into the use of horses as therapy with children and adults who have various disabilities and is now planning to become certified for therapeutic horseback riding.

I never know what the response will be when I tell someone that my son has autism, although I am amazed at the number of times the person will begin sharing their concerns about a niece or nephew, a grandchild, or even their own son or daughter. This encounter, however, was such an encouragement to me. Although we hear stories every day of kids who are ostracized or damaged in some way by the people in their lives, here is a guy who had an experience and has responded by looking for a way that he can make a difference in the lives of others. All I can say is, “Way to go, Matt!”

So what’s the best reaction you have gotten to your child’s disability? Please leave a comment and share it with us.

Title: Fearless
Author: Max Lucado
Length: 240 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher/Date: Thomas Nelson, 2009
Source: Review copy from Booksneeze

About the Book

From the publisher:

Each sunrise seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.

They’re talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, turnovers at headquarters, downturns in the housing market, upswings in global warming. The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word terror. Fear, it seems, has taken up a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, fear herds us into a prison of unlocked doors. Wouldn’t it be great to walk out?

Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.

Can you imagine your life without fear?

My Thoughts

Although I haven’t read many of Max Lucado’s books, I remember being touched by some of his writings a number of years ago, and I have enjoyed several of his children’s books immensely. The subtitle of this book, Image Your Life Without Fear, intrigued me when I saw it on Booksneeze, so I requested a review copy on the basis of that.

Unfortunately, while I appreciated the overall message and even highlighted a few things in the first couple of chapters, I found this book to be a bit lacking in depth with regard to the complexity of the issue of fear. The later chapters seemed to simply take the basic message and apply it to examples in different arenas of life rather than to delve more deeply into the topic itself.

I am not saying that Fearless is completely without merit. I think it would make a good Sunday sermon. And as I mentioned, there were a few sentences that struck me as interesting. Here are some examples, along with my reactions:

“Imagine your life wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?” — I’m not sure how realistic this is, but it would be wonderful. The idea of visualization (imagining things to be a certain way) has been recommended by many people as a tool to shape future behavior, so perhaps it is possible to get closer to this type of reaction via that method.

“Fear unleashes a swarm of doubts, anger-stirring doubts. And it turns us into control freaks. . . . Fear, at its center, is a perceived loss of control.” — A good reminder of the fact that anger is a secondary emotion and that we need to look behind it to see if the anger is masking fear or some other emotion.

“Wise are the parents who regularly give their children back to God. . . . We can be loyal advocates, stubborn intercessors. We can take our parenting fears to Christ.” — I can relate to being an advocate for my son but oftentimes forget that the ultimate source of direction and inspiration is God Himself. I need to seek His guidance first as I make decisions about my son.

So, while I might recommend the first couple of chapters of Fearless, I wouldn’t suggest spending the money to buy the book. I was much more impressed and personally helped by reading Plan B by Pete Wilson, which I read shortly after I had received Lucado’s book.

Note: This was originally posted on a separate blog that I had started, and I moved it here when I decided to merge the blogs back together. It was originally titled “My Weekly Reads.”

I’m thinking I need another title for my book review posts, since I’ve not been posting them on a weekly basis like I planned to, but I haven’t thought of one yet.

Anyway, here’s a few recent reads that I thought worth passing on to you:

 Resurrection in May by Lisa Samson

I loved, loved this book!  It’s Christian fiction with non-stereotypical characters and a non-formulaic plot – which, as you may or may not be aware, can a rare commodity in this genre.  It’s hard to say too much without giving away the plot, so I’ll just say this is definitely worth the read, even if you don’t read as many books as I do.

 Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther by Ginger Garrett

There have been quite a number of novels about the life of  Esther, and I think this is one of the more interesting ones.  Placed in a modern-day framework as a discovery of the ancient text supposedly recorded by Queen Esther, the commentaries on women’s issues in the appendix are quite clever and thought-provoking.

If you enjoy fictionalized accounts of Biblical characters, you would probably enjoy this one.

 The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

I am a big fan of this writer, so I was excited to see this book on the library shelf.  It took a bit longer than some others to get into the story, and I don’t know that I was ever totally engrossed, but this novel is still a cut above much of what is published today.

I think what frustrated me was seeing all these characters who, although they are getting ready for their 40th high school reunion, are still acting like immature teenager in many ways.  It made me uncomfortable to think that there is no age where you necessarily have it all together!  For Berg, the transition seems to occur when you begin to take responsibility for your own maturity instead of depending on the acceptance of others to make you happy.

My favorite part was the last chapter, where we see how the main characters have ended up a few months later.  I guess that’s because I want to believe we will all find our way through to a better place in our lives, although I really don’t want it to take so long!

Lately I have been drawn more and more to blogs about how we can live our lives more simply and purposefully. I have been taking baby steps in that direction and am finding a lot of inspiration from sites like these.

Here are a few links I thought may be of greater interest to others:

• How I Meditate – Examen from Darren Rowse

– a discussion of a practical Christian method of meditation

• What Does This Make Possible? from Michael Hyatt

– the question to ask when something negative happens in your life

• A Definition of Clutter from Becoming Minimalist

– a good way to determine what should stay and what should go

• Using Aromas To Lift Our Moods from Simple Mom

– tips for beginners on how to use natural aromas throughout the day

Enjoy!

I generally find myself reading fiction when I want a break, but sometimes an inspirational book with stories about other families is a wonderful thing. As a Christian, I also appreciate reading about others who have dealt with issues of faith related to having a child with a disability.

There are many books like this available now – here are a few:

General

• Autism Heroes: Portraits of Families Meeting the Challenge by Barbara Firestone, PhD
• Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Heather McNamara and Karen Simmons
• A Cup of Comfort for Parents of Children with Autism: Stories of Hope and Everyday Success edited by Colleen Sell
• The Elephant in the Playroom: Ordinary Parents Write Intimately and Honestly About Raising Kids with Special Needs by Denise Brodey (I have seen this one mentioned by several other autism bloggers this month.)
• You Will Dream New Dreams: Inspiring Personal Stories by Parents of Children with Disabilities edited by Stanley Klein and Kim Schive

Devotional/Prayer

• Angel Behind the Rocking Chair: Stories of Hope in Unexpected Places by Pam Vredevelt
• Finding God in Autism: A Forty Day Devotional for Parents of Autistic Children by Kathy Medina
• His Name is Joel: Searching for God in a Son’s Disability by Kathleen Deyer Bolduc
• Special Strength for Special Parents: 31 Days of Spiritual Therapy for Parents of Special Needs Children by Nina Fuller (Added on 4/19/08)