30 Day Book Challenge! Day 5: Happiness

Today is a lovely day:
~ the sun is shining
~ students have been prepared, and know their pieces well
~ plans for the recital are coming right along
~ I got a new book in the mail
~ mama made fresh, spicy salsa
~ August plans are on the road either to be turned upside down or completely solidified

...And besides all that, it is just a glorious day! What have your smiles been about today? I promise you that, no matter how crazy or hectic life may seem, God has sent you at least one...just don't turn your nose up at the little things. A bird's song, a gust of wind, flowers growing in an unlikely spot...there's always something beautiful to smile at, because evidence of our Father's character is everywhere. Keep your eye out - you might be surprised at where and when you have a God-sighting!

Day 5: What is a book that makes you happy?

This question completely confused me. Books make me happy. Unless they're terrible, nasty, rotten books - in which case they make me mad for wasting my time. Even sad, turmoil-filled books like Wuthering Heights make me happy, since in the end all is set right. I thought about just saying, "Um...all books besides the dumb ones make me smile," but that kind of ruins the one-book-answer for which I've been shooting. It was then I realized that the question doesn't ask what story, poem, essay or philosophical soliloquy make me smile, but what physical book makes me happy. That narrows it down to only about 50...because as far as the actual book is concerned, it's the old, antique covers that make me smile. My 80-year-old copy of Tennyson's Poems? The 120 year old Henty book? After much deliberation, I finally decided upon...

Isn't it beautiful? Yes, it makes me happy ~ the cover, the age, (it's about 140 years old), and the precious, sweet story. The Opening of a Chestnut Burr is a dear record of an earnest, Christ-following girl and a bitter, angry young man whose anger and bitterness melts away as the Holy Spirit reveals Himself through the girl and her father. One thing I love about this story is that the man does not believe in God as everything falls into place and begins to go well in life. No, he learns to trust God when he is forced to leave the girl forever, when he must submit to the hateful lies, hypocrisy, and triumph of a used-to-be friend who is engaged to the one he loves, when his life indeed looks the most hopeless - that is when he learns to trust. It is refreshing to read a conversion story that so fully smacks of the "real world"; and it consequently teaches far more about wisdom and patience than the typical "everything's good so I'll believe in God" stories. E.P. Roe clearly shows that the real story of the book is the eye-opening, repenting, and conversion of a man...then - and only then - do you get a happy ending.

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"His face was white with fear, and there was terror in his tone as he turned and said to her in a low voice, 'Miss Watson, that is what I have been coming to see and dread of late.... I carry hell in my own heart. When I am alone my imaginings frighten me; and when with others, impulses arise to do the devil's own work.'

'But it is the nature of God to save from all this. Christ, who is God, came to earth for that very purpose. I am so sorry that you do not understand Him better.'

'He saves some,' said Gregory gloomily.

'But many will not let Him save them,' urged Annie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, a well-told story of the merciful salvation of our God makes me smile!

 

30 Day Book Challenge! Day 4: "Guilty Pleasure"?

A right interesting question for today:

Day 4: What is your "guilty pleasure" book?

Whenever asked for a guilty pleasure, there must needs be a confession behind it, and here is mine: I have not, to date, outgrown my love for the fairy tale (and I hope I never will). There are so many things wonderful and real about "prince and princess" stories; they are beautiful because they can reveal truth in a new light, and cause you to think about real things in a different way. At least, this is the case for many of them. There are some, however, which are pure sugar: fun, sweet, entertaining reads, with a smile at the end, that one has to be careful not to eat too much of too frequently (lest you rot your literary teeth and find they've grown too weak to tear off meat). This is my definition of a "guilty pleasure" book: a treat that should not be indulged in too often. And by such definition, I submit to you...

A twist on the story of Cinderella, Ella Enchanted is the tale of a girl who is given a most unusual (and not-quite-as-good-as-it-sounds) fairy gift at birth: obedience. Although forever compliant on the outside, she struggles to defy the spell that denies her the gift we often fail to be thankful for, the gift of free will. In the end, of course, love will be the answer - but in the meantime she must suffer the thoughtless commands of those who love her, the cruel commands of those who hate her, and the potentially fatal commands of those who wish to destroy her and all she holds dear.

"Anyone could control me with an order. It had to be a direct command, such as 'Put on a shawl,' or 'You must go to bed now.' A wish or request had no effect. I was free to ignore 'I wish you would put on a shawl' or 'Why don't you go to bed now?' But against an order I was powerless.

If someone told me to hop on one foot for a day and a half, I'd have to do it. And hopping on one foot wasn't the worst order I could be given. If you commanded me to cut off my own head, I'd have to do it.

I was in danger at every moment."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What is your favorite candy-book?

 

30 Day Book Challenge! Day 3: Favorite Series

"The tree which sprang from the core of the Apple that Digory planted in the back garden, lived and grew into a fine tree. Growing in the soil of our world, far out of the sound of Aslan's voice and far from the young air of Narnia, it did not bear apples that would revive a dying woman.... But inside itself, in the very sap of it, the tree (so to speak) never forgot that other tree in Narnia to which it belonged. Sometimes it would move mysteriously when there was no wind blowing...."

- The Magician's Nephew

Day 3: What is your favorite series?

"'Logic!' said the Professor half to himself. 'Why don't they teach logic at these schools? There are only three possibilities. Either your sister is telling lies, or she is mad, or she is telling the truth.'"

- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

No matter how many series I have enjoyed over the years, no matter how many sequential books I have devoured in my days, there is only one series that deserves the title of "favorite".

"Who are you?" asked Shasta.

"Myself," said the Voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook: and again, "Myself," loud and clear and gay: and then the third time "Myself," whispered so softly you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it.

- The Horse and His Boy

"The first tree she looked at seemed at first glance to be not a tree at all but a huge man with a shaggy beard and great bushes of hair.... The same thing happened with every tree she looked at. At one moment they seemed to be the friendly, lovely giant and giantess forms which the tree-people put on when some good magic has called them into full life: next moment they all looked like trees again....and all the time that strange lilting, rustling, cool, merry noise."

- Prince Caspian

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series I've been listening to, reading, and discussing for as long as I can remember. For years, daddy would read the books aloud to us at the dinner table each night. Hanging on every word, we would beg for "one more chapter" and sit spellbound for over an hour after the evening meal was finished. We read our dear paperback books until the disintegrating spines absolutely could not be held together by tape any longer. Then we got a hardback version that held all seven books at once. The front and back cover are missing now

"'Oh, Aslan,' said Lucy. 'Will you tell us how to get into your country from our world?'

'I shall be telling you all the time,' said Aslan. 'But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river. But do not fear that, for I am the great Bridge Builder.'"

- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

We memorized and re-enacted lines from the old animated film, critiqued the cast of the BBC version, and attended the midnight showing of each new movie in full Narnian garb.

"'I was wondering - I mean - could there be some mistake? Because nobody called me and Scrubb, you know. It was we who asked to come here. Scrubb said we were to call to - to Somebody - it was a name I wouldn't know - and perhaps the Somebody would let us in. And we did, and then we found the door open.'

'You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you,' said the Lion."

- The Silver Chair

Our wireless network is called "Narnia" and each computer in the house possesses the name of a Narnian hero or heroine (my dear pink laptop is the none other than the revered Lady Polly). Yes, we are a bit obsessed - but we love Narnia in this house. I love the story, the characters, the adventures - but most of all, I love the insights, and the way C.S. Lewis has of knowing precisely how to explain those deep feelings for which there are no words. Of course, by words no one can exactly explain them, but he alludes to them so perfectly that you know just what he is talking about.

"'Have you not guessed?' [Aslan said]

.... 'all of you are - as you used to call it in the Shadowlands - dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.'

And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

- The Last Battle
 

30 Day Book Challenge! Day 2: More than 3 Times

Good morning to you! How's your Saturday faring? We just got back from a delish pancake breakfast at the local fire station - it was great! Had breakfast, met friends, watched the Littles spray the fire hose at a wooden house structure, observed the fire men taking a car apart...good stuff! Lots of pictures to be had this morning...if I had a working camera. As it is, you can just imagine the fun! :)

Today's question is...

Day 2: Which book have you read more than three times?

This is, oddly enough, a bit of a tricky question for me. I have books that I know for sure I've read two times, but more than three? Usually after the second time, I hardly file it away as 'reading' the book. I pick it up to find a favorite part, and end up sitting down and re-devouring it 'accidently'. However, I'm fairly certain this is a 3+ timer. :)

"The 'Old-Fashioned Girl' is not intended as a perfect model, but as a possible improvement upon the Girl of the Period, who seems sorrowfully ignorant or ashamed of the good old fashions which make woman truly beautiful and honored, and, through her, render home what it should be - a happy place, where parents and children, brothers and sisters, learn to love and know and help one another." - Louisa May Alcott

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Honestly, I don't know where to begin or how to end in the praise of this darling tale of Louisa's. A story that fills one with all sorts of "warm fuzzies", An Old-Fashioned Girl holds a special place in the heart of anyone so fortunate as to have read it. It is the story of Polly, a little "old-fashioned" country girl - her life, her thoughts, her failings and her triumphs. It is the story of Fanny, Polly's oh-so-fashionable best friend, whose life is changed by the sweet, down-to-earth sense, styles, and joys of her visitor. It is a story of encouragement to any and all girls who have felt out of place for being "old-fashioned" in their convictions, style, or tastes.

(I also happen to love the particular version I have - printed in 1928, precious pictures...hooray for ebay!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Fanny had been to many elegant lunches, but never enjoyed one more than that droll picnic in the studio; for there was a freedom about it that was charming, and artistic flavor to everything, and such a spirit of good will and gayety [sic] that she felt at home at once. As they ate, the others talked and she listened, finding it as interesting as any romance to hear these young women discuss their plans, ambitions, successes, and defeats. It was a new world to her, and they seemed a different race of creatures from the girls whose lives were spent in dress, gossip, pleasure, or ennui. They were girls still, full of spirits, fun, and youth; but below the light-heartedness each cherished a purpose, which seemed to ennoble her womanhood, to give her a certain power, a sustaining satisfaction, a daily stimulus, that led her on to daily effort and in time to some success in circumstance or character, which was worth all the patience, hope, and labor of her life."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What's your favorite Louisa May Alcott? Why?

*all pictures take by the generosity of Emmy's camera :)

30 Day Book Challenge! Day 1: Best Book of Last Year

All has been rather quiet around here for a while. It ought to have been! Between scheduling recitals, and having parents gone every weekend for a month, and birthdays, and summer planning, and Mother's Day, and reading, and the beginning of summer parties (we're going to the first - a roasting party - tomorrow evening!), and the 4H-ers starting to vamp up for the fair in August, our lives have been pretty full.

Believe me when I say, though, that the silence has not been due to lack of material - I have several posts bouncing around in my head at the moment - but rather from a lack of blogging time. (Not because I have no spare moments, but because I've been filling them with books instead of notebooks...check out the "Reading" tab for more on that.) So, in an effort to combine the two - reading and blogging, that is - I have embarked, commencing today, on the "30 Day Book Challenge". *sounding trumpets*

I will not, can not, promise to only give one answer to each question - but I will really-and-truly try my hardest. Nonetheless, there may be days when I am forced, against my will, as it were, to give at least "extra suggestions" to the day's query. Time shall tell.

So, without further ado, let us begin.

Day 1: What is the best book you read last year?

I had a sadly small amount to choose from for this question (although that didn't keep from deliberating between two different titles) since I read very little last year, but in the end I decided upon:

The Shadow of the Bear is definitely a candy book, yet one that was both exciting and enjoyable to read (as were the other two in the series). Usually "retold fairy tales" set in the modern day are a let-down. They either use completely off-the-wall, bizarre events to keep the story following a fairy tale, or else become entirely predictable. Add to that the "modern" slant of compromised heroes and heroins with no moral fortitude or higher calling, and you find many of these tales belong in the garbage or the burn pile (depending on the level of the fairy story's degradation).  The Shadow of the Bear belongs where all good stories do, in your hands or on your shelf. While the book itself is not particularly well-written, it is a tale well-told. In these pages, you find a story so compelling and realistic that only a scent of "long ago and far away" (despite the contemporary, New York City setting) reminds you of the story's origins. In these pages, you find a story so complexly-woven that the authoress, Regina Doman, keeps you guessing at the outcome, even when you know the "happily ever after" ending! In these pages, you find a story so sweet, so funny, so suspenseful that it will be nigh-impossible to put it down before the final page.

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"Have you ever felt that there was something going on in life that not everyone was aware of?" Rose asked, turning her mug around in her hands. "As though there's a story going on that everyone is a part of, but not everybody knows about? Maybe 'story' isn't the right word - a sort of drama, a battle between what's peripheral and what's really important. As though the people you meet aren't just their plain, prosaic selves, but are actually princes and princesses, gods and goddesses, fairies, gypsies, shepherds, all sorts of fantastic creatures who've chosen to hide their real shape for some reason or another. Or have forgotten who they really are. Have you ever thought of that?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Shadow of the Bear. My favorite read from last year. Have you read it?

{I would love to hear your answers to the questions as I go through them, too. Leave a comment and let me know! :)}