Justify Protestant teaching for me real quick, m'kay?

I just wrote this email to one of my favorite podcasts, one by a Protestant married couple that revolves around marriage and family life. I figured I'd just post it here in case someone wants to respond:

Hello!
I've been listening to your podcasts for several months and I look forward to them every week! I value how conversational it is and how you clearly both make the effort to show love to each other regularly. Additionally, I'm very impressed at how well-organized and researched it is, especially considering your busy lives! Christ's role in marriage has a mouthpiece in your podcast, so thank you!

I was just listening to your latest podcast (on awful marriage advice) and for one of the first times I cringed at something you said. You were sharing how some women in the Nashville mom's group had said that the men needed to "take care" of their sexual needs themselves sometimes. I appreciated that you combated that by pointing out that a man who does so regularly will start to weaken the bond between him and his wife. I want to challenge you to go deeper than that.

Why do you think masturbation is so wrong? I believe it's because it's a lie, just like sex before marriage is a lie, and why artificial contraception is a lie. The sexual act, as you said, was created by God as a part of marriage. It must be free, total, faithful, and fruitful in order to avoid becoming a lie. If any of those elements are removed, it becomes a lie. If a spouse masturbates, he or she is seeking pleasure with the parts of their bodies that God designed to help men and women bond in marriage, grow in their intimacy, be in cahoots with our Lord in creation (if it's the right time of the month) and to communicate, "I give my whole self to you."

Christ's love was and is free, total, faithful and fruitful and He calls us to act that way in everything we do, as well. He withheld nothing on the cross and we are called to do the same for Him and His Church. Marriage is an essential part of that. (I know this is a training video for teachers of this curriculum for teens, but it's a good peek into the Church teaching)

Basically, I'm asking you to justify non-Catholic Christian sexual morality teaching. Hahaha no big deal. I write this with some apprehension because I want you to know how much I appreciate so much of what you share. I also want to *listen* to a non-Catholic Christian try to explain the deep theology.

Thank you!

Elizabeth

Priests marry the Church

Priests Marry the Church. Yup. And all need to take that seriously: priests, lay people, friends of priests, all of us.



Thank you, Father John Hollowell!

Moments 'til Midnight: The Final Thoughts of a Wandering Pilgrim, book review

Moments 'til Midnight: The Final Thoughts of a Wandering Pilgrim (aff) by Brent Crowe


The picture and the description led me to believe this book was going to be a series of first person thoughts from Paul's perspective. Instead, the book uses Paul's final hours before his execution as a frame for telling the reader modern day anecdotes and feelings-based theology. Frankly, it's nothing I haven't already read or heard and there isn't really any meat on the bones. I thought there would be more historical research and insight, but it's really just a few sermons on grace, living with purpose, the value and role of friendship, pilgrim mentality, virtuous living, unity with the family (body) of Christ, and more. It didn't grab me.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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Let There Be Light: An Opposites Primer, book review

Let There Be Light: An Opposites Primer by Danielle Hitchen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The illustrations in this board book are gorgeous. This book has binary, opposing words on each page with an accompanying Bible passage. I like the concept, as learning opposites without context is pretty fruitless, but I don't know if those Bible passages are the best choices for the pairs. Perhaps a kid-language explanation and then the passage would have been more effective. As it is now, it is just a good way to read the Bible to your child in bite-sized pieces. The two opposites on the page are there in case you can work in the language development during the book reading.

I received this book for free from NetGalley and Harvest House Publishers in exchange for a fair review.

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From Eden to Bethlehem: An Animals Primer, book review

From Eden to Bethlehem: An Animals Primer by Danielle Hitchen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful introduction to sacred scripture through the interest of animals! This is a book a parent or adult would need to read with a child. It could be a read aloud, but not one in which you expect toddlers or K-2 kiddos to really understand that well. There are direct quotes from the Bible that refer to whichever animal is featured in the beautiful accompanying illustration. The Bible passages are sometimes intermixed with a more succinct transition, clearly so that the adult isn't just reading verse after verse to someone with such a short attention span.

This is definitely something to put on your shelf, if you want to surround your family in scripture and to show it is relevant to their interests. Again, those illustrations are delicious! I received this book for free from NetGalley and Harvest House Publishers in exchange for a fair review.

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The Accidental Beauty Queen, book review

The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

To begin, I read this book more quickly than I read a lot of books. I pretty much knew how it was going to go and the character's voice reminded me a lot of others that I've read (or seen in movies or TV shows), but something drew me to read it constantly over a couple of days. For that reason, and for the fact that it doesn't pretend to be different than a light read, I'll give it three stars.

This novel is a cute chick lit work that takes the new feminist stance on beauty pageants (excuse me, scholarship competitions), much like the movie Miss Congeniality. The main character takes her twin's spot in a beauty pageant, something her bookish, make-up-less self would never have willingly entered. Prior to agreeing to the switch, the main character meets a Mr. Darcy character and the whole thing is set in motion.

The plot points are predictable, but, as I said, they kept me reading. The main character's voice is on script for a 2018 sense of humor, but both she and her twin sister sound like they're much younger than the 29 years old they are cast to be. There was some character development, certainly, but some of it was spelled out for the reader.

*spoilers*
Yet, I must mention how many times my eyes rolled with regard to the love story. Again, I recognize the purpose of the genre and I was enjoying it as I read it. It's a reflection on the low standards our whole culture has for what True Love can be and look like that this woman could take so few details about someone she barely knows, plus the physical attraction, and turn that into a night of passion that has her staring into the mirror at a woman "in love" as she completes the walk of shame back to her hotel room. There were so many references to great classical works and their love stories, but that would suggest the main character has a more mature understanding of dedicated, self-sacrificing love. And I don't think that's what she got. It was just as hormone-dependent and sex-first-relationship-later as any other contemporary woman is supposed "to be cool with."

In conclusion, the book entertained me and I sought more time in my day to read it. That has to stand for something! I received this book from NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for a fair review.

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See You in the Piazza: New Places to Discover in Italy, book review

See You in the Piazza: New Places to Discover in Italy by Frances Mayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

Mayes brings her delectable writing style to the pages of this travelogue/memoir/guide for all of us who wish we could take two weeks to walk in her shoes. Italy isn't just a place but an attitude and way of living, something Mayes makes clear through gently describing the distinctions between one little town and another.

This is not a book you pick up with your map in hand to help you plan your trip to Italy so much as it is like a first date (or first date in a long time) with the Italian way to spend your day. Yes, she has the book organized in such a way that you could look up the province and town you want to visit to see her recommendations. However, she doesn't cover every little town (nor should she, as this isn't Frommer's) and she presents them in a well-organized tapestry of anecdotes of her experiences there. Mayes implies so much about what it means to be Italian and live like one without having to hold your hand to communicate it.

Read it because I have a feeling you'll learn how to appreciate Italy after you travel through it with her. Perhaps you'll even find a way to sit in a cafe around your own corner and ponder with peaceful quiet the way she can in Italy. You'll get both story and guide in this book. Thank you, Frances Mayes! Now I'm saving up for another trip to Italy!

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Advent to Epiphany: Engaging the Heart of Christmas, book review

Advent to Epiphany: Engaging the Heart of Christmas by Liena Apsukrapsa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to the authors for creating a resource that applies to Advent and the entire season of Christmas! All twelve days!

I can easily see how this daily devotional would help a Christian focus effectively on the seasons of Advent and Epiphany. If you're looking into buying this book, it's probably because you know that focus is often lacking for the sake of the busyness of the seasons. Each day's devotional is structured: Prepare for your time with the Lord in the devotional, prayer, scripture, reflection, going deeper, prayer, journal.

The "going deeper" and the journal prompt questions were poignant. I can't wait to use this when Advent begins.

This would be a good investment for a church or parish to have on hand and to give to the congregation at the start of Advent, or even a few weeks before. For Catholics shopping this book: the scripture readings do not correlate with daily readings. Also, while I'm delighted and surprised that there were reflections on Mary in the devotional, they don't go as deeply as we would like in reflecting on the woman who brought Christ into our world.

Overall, two thumbs up!

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Mother Teresa, book review

Mother Teresa by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an adorable book to introduce kiddos to the life of service that was Saint Mother Teresa's! The illustrations in the book are colorful and I could see how they would maintain the attention of the child listening. The story is directly told (trying to tell her entire life story in read-aloud form must have been tough) and weaves some phrases from her most famous quotes ("do them with great love").

The book doesn't mention Jesus or her love for Him through the poor. I recognize it's a non-religious book, but that was her purpose. I also might have chose a serif font (so so picky, I know. That doesn't play a role in my rating.) so that early readers could start identifying the letters and sight words used in the text.

The book did a fine job of showing her loving nature. I am not sure how to do this with a children's book, but this woman was also an extremely strong woman. The meekness of her definitely comes across, but I'm not sure the strength is obvious and that's one of the important balances of being a saint.

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From the Draft Archives: NFP thoughts

**I wrote this in 2014 and never published it... but it made me chuckle to think about this season of life.**

Let me tell you something.

Chastity is hard.

It's not hard like: man, I just sprinted a mile in under 7 minutes for the first time and my muscles are burning and my lungs are wheezing.

It's hard like: Man, who blindfolded me one month after my stomach stapling surgery, threw me in an unmarked van, and then pushed me out at the threshold of an outdoor all-you-can-eat food festival.

Yes, I'm hungry and I need to eat, but I also know what is better for me and eating the entire table full of hot wings and sweet potato fries is...not.

The discipline and prayerful discernment required to successfully practice NFP has produced the fruit of a more unified marriage, a greater understanding of self-sacrifice, and a deeper devotion to God's will. Why binge on spam when you can have steak?

Friendly Fire

**I wrote this back in 2015 and never got around to posting it. We now have a beautiful one-year-old daughter and would love for God to bless us with more children. I know my voice is a little hurt and harsh; it might be off-putting to some, but it's like a time capsule of what I was going through 3 years ago.**

Nunya, but...

We have been faithfully practicing NFP throughout our two year marriage.  During that time we have been properly offended (of course we have, this is 2015, after all) by many sides of the aisle.  One acquaintance casually (drunkenly) said, "They're CATHOLIC, man! Of course they're going to be pregnant immediately." Others on that side of opinions have slyly pointed out that it's good we're not pregnant yet, "You want time to travel and to just be married before you decide to have kids." Others who join in that opinion openly chastise parents of more than two kids for having a lot or for having them close in ages; "Why?! Why would you decide to do that?!"

You see here, people: you can "decide" that you're "ready" for kids (cue the veteran parents' guffaws now) or that you've done enough traveling to warrant "getting around to" having kids, but you don't decide when they actually show up. That may seem laughable to those who are treating their "disease of fertility" with oral contraception or barrier contraception, but here's a wake up call: we're not actually in control here.  I know multiple human beings who exist though their parents weren't ready or hadn't traveled enough, as evidenced by the chemical control the woman thought she had over her body. Now many beautiful people exist, despite that assumed control.

It goes the other way, as well.  You don't automatically conceive and host a baby for nine months every time you play house, do the deed, tie your shoes, or whatever the kids call it these days, even if you're following all of the rules. You can know everything about your body's fertility signs and how it works, but that's still not a guarantee that you'll hold a tiny human in your arms in nine months.

How am I supposed to share the truth with people who don't agree with me if I can't even share the truth with people who do agree with me?

You have to think about how many factors have to going into having children.

Open to life means being open to as many children as God gives you and it also means being open to as few children as God gives you.

This is not a cry of, "Get off my back, I'm not a baby-making machine!" This is a call for you to realize you're talking about Love between a man and a woman, which deserves your respect. DATA about fertility and how would your tone change if you knew they were struggling with fertility.

It's none of your business. No matter which side of the aisle (fully secular vs fully NFP - which, unfortunately means have as many children as you can), you shouldn't be asking those questions or prodding.

How to write at letter to someone (you don't know) on a retreat

Years and years ago, I wrote a guide on How to Write a Letter to Someone on a Retreat. It has brought more search engine-arrived traffic to my blog than any other post, by far, and I hope it has been helpful.

As I was cleaning up the spam comments, I saw a real comment from someone suggesting I write a How-To on writing a letter to someone one doesn't know who is also on a retreat.

Super hipster photo by MILKOVÍ on Unsplash

This is a common act of service: writing a letter (palanca, as they are called in my circle) to someone on a retreat even when they are a stranger to you. When retreatants are given their packet of letters and they notice letters from people they've never met who are praying for them, they're further surrounded by the Body of Christ. It can been the source of transformation for someone who might not regularly feel that familial Love within the Church.

In my other post on writing retreat letters, I began with a series of questions to figure out how deep you want to go with the person to whom you're writing. Obviously, that's not a step we can take here. Instead, examine yourself and how you can authentically communicate what you know about Christ's message.

1. What's the likelihood that this person had to battle with the Evil One to make it to this retreat? Consider warning them that they might be going through complicated emotions and obstinate during the retreat because the devil doesn't want him or her there. This might help them feel a little relief over the battle going on inside and open their heart a little more.

2. What was your experience when you were on one of these retreats? Give them an anecdote, especially if it's a truthful one about how you didn't necessarily have that giant 'ah-ha' moment that everyone else seemed to feel. Encourage them that the journey to Faith isn't about the seen and the felt.

3. What works of mercy can they employ during the remainder of the retreat? Encourage them to reach out to someone they've never met before or to go on a hike when they really just want to lay on their bed. Challenge them to treat the retreat like a chance to do something differently. They can always go back to "normal" when they get home (little do they know that our Lord will always be working on them).

4. Are they journaling during their time? Enclose a blank piece of paper (and a pencil, if possible) and encourage them to write down some of their thoughts. Tell them that it's okay if the thoughts are rants or if they seem pointless. God can work with that.

5. Obviously, you have to keep this letter slightly general and one-sided, as you don't know this individual. Know that when I received letters during my retreats from people I didn't know, I was reminded about the Body of Christ. We are all in the Communion of Saints and I was privileged to know that someone cared enough about the Church (the people in it) to write to a stranger.

Things to remember:

• Less is more. Lots of words do not always mean more love. You can have a greater impact with carefully chosen, few words.
• Keep in mind that he or she is probably exhausted. Retreats can take it out of you, physically and spiritually. He or she may not know how he or she feels at that point. Assure them that's okay.
• He or she either learned new facts about the faith or are trying to convince himself or herself they haven't learned anything. Assure them that retreats affect people differently.
• The person to whom you are writing may disagree with or dislike something about the faith. Encourage them to ask questions of the priest, if you suspect this is the case. Remind them to remain calm and polite when doing this. Discussion is good, but hostility will produce skewed results.
• Quotes are used so often because smart people pack HUMONGOUS messages in succinct, profound nuggets. Before you start your letter, pick a few quotes or Bible verses that embody what you'd want to hear at a retreat. You may be surprised by what comes out of your pen without aid and may not need to use the quotes/verses... but it doesn't hurt to have them if you need them.

Don't Forget to Say 'Thank you!' book review

Don't Forget to Say Thank You: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God by Lindsay Schlegel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Stop whining." That's what God has to keep telling me repetitively and that's one of the phrases Lindsay Schlegel unpacks in this ode to understanding a bit of what God goes through as a parent.

I wish I reflected on how cleansing and self-sacrificing motherhood is in the moment, rather than in regretful moments after I let frustration or despair take over. But I'm the sinner and God is Love. The author wrote nicely about the difference and the similarities from which we can learn while living our role as parent. She uses oft-repeated parental phrases ("Don't forget to say 'Thank you,'" "Stop whining," "Wait a minute," etc) and shows how they apply to our lives as God's children. "What if I don't want to 'wait a minute,' God?! What if I want it RIGHT NOW?!"

It helps with empathy, yes, but Schlegel's objective is clearly more so that we can picture ourselves in that role of child again. This way, we can more easily let God provide for us through His will and in His all-knowing way. That letting go feels impossible sometimes, but if we can step back and take small sips of life as dedication to that calling, as Schlegel suggests, we'll improve.

I enjoyed the anecdotes and the way I was pulled into the comparison between my parenthood (or really, more so my experience as a teacher, as my daughter is only one year old as I write this) and my daughterhood. For example, guess at what time I read the chapter about how we make sure our children get enough sleep, while staying up too late or skipping the sleep we so desperately need? 4 am. Because I decided I wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep and so I just got out of bed. God's whispering, "Go to bed."

Some of the unpacking was a little direct, rather than guiding. The book is a good set of experiences from the perspective of one woman and I could see it being a choice for a Catholic women's book club. The reflection questions and prayers in the back of each chapter would make that fruitful! Thank you to the author for using her time and talents to give voice to what many women think, feel, and need to hear!

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Christ in the Classroom, book review

Christ in the Classroom: Lesson Planning for the Heart and Mind by Jared Dees
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Catholic school principals, dioceses, Directors of Religious Education, team leads in Catholic schools, and anyone who wants to be an effective catechist, listen up: you need to read this book. And if you are a leader in your parish or school with teachers or volunteers who teach kiddos, you need to buy a copy of this for every one of them.

As a teacher, I can confidently share that Jared Dees has compiled current research on pedagogy in a succinct manner and applied it to the religious education classroom. Is teaching the Faith about knowing the answers to pop quiz questions? The author says it is not and all of us should agree. But how do we accomplish bringing our students to learn to love God rather than just know about Him? This book breaks down an encompassing method: apply Lectio Divina to your lesson planning.

Dees doesn't just mean that you should be preparing your lessons through prayerful consideration and meditation, but he actually creates a structure for the lesson that follows the four steps of Lecito Divina (he adds one more), corresponding to the chapters. He encourages teachers to be the "guide on the side" instead of simply lecturing and to engage students through those Lectio Divina steps: reading, meditating, praying, contemplating, and acting. Dees concludes that this structure is not meant to be a template (probably so a teacher who has been teaching for years doesn't throw their hands up in frustration that they're supposed to change everything they're doing), but that the teacher can just apply the principles to what he or she is already doing. Personally, if a teacher aims to lead his or her students to Christ, rather than just to answering the questions right, they would follow his structure (and abundant tips, resources, examples, and suggestions!) to a T.

Many parishes and Catholic schools hire good people who have never taught before or who need a refresher on the best way to teach (read: don't just lecture all day). This book, if read and discussed in a staff-wide book club, could be a linchpin. It teaches pedagogy for all education philosophy, reflects on the importance of leading students to encounter Christ, and provides specific and concrete resources that teachers can take and use in tomorrow's lesson plans. Highly recommended.

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Light's Dawn: A Novella, book review

Light's Dawn: A Novella by Yvette Bostic
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Light's Dawn is a story of the triumph of good over evil and courage over fear. It's uniquely positioned, beginning as a historical fiction and morphing into a fantasy novella. The prose is succinct and I am glad the author wrote simply instead of with flowery language.

The prose, dialogue and details are not fine-tuned to the historical (early 17th century) era. It's written in modern English, making it easier for young adults and middle grade readers to understand and enjoy. Light's Dawn sets up a series with a decent foundation and easy to picture world building.

I really appreciated how fast-moving the story was; it kept me interested and entertained. About halfway through, I was surprised by a spiritual component planted by the author. The allegory and direct themes to God in the novel are pretty straight-forward, so this is definitely appropriate for a Christian to read. I don't think it would convince someone who was not already a believer and I doubt that was the author's purpose. Raphael, Mikel... where's Gabriel? ;-) Maybe I'll have to read the next books to find out.

Overall, I was entertained and would recommend the book for younger readers. However, I don't think it was quite rich enough for me to invest more time in the series right now.

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The Taco Tuesday Cookbook

The Taco Tuesday Cookbook: 52 Tasty Taco Recipes to Make Every Week the Best Ever by Laura Fuentes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I only had time to try one of the recipes, but YUM! Who doesn't like tacos? Tacos make "chicken night" something special. I appreciate that this book has a diverse set of cooking methods and tastes. Taco Tuesday will probably extend beyond Tuesday.

My daughter currently eats everything and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I feed her everything. This book gives your kids the fun factor (tacos, especially if they can build them on their own) and the diverse foods factor.

I received this book for free in exchange for a fair review on NetGalley.

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Stand Up

It was the beginning of true adulthood and I was trying to make friends. Therefore, I got in a reply-all email argument with an acquaintance and got kicked off the team.

When I was just starting work life after college life, I joined a kickball team to try to meet new people. It was so far out of my comfort zone that everyone might as well have been speaking a different language, playing a game I'd never encountered, on Mars, all while in their birthday suits. But I joined and went and played anyway.

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I was surviving, barely. This introvert went to every game, even when the nausea began hours in anticipation of the weekly meetups. Halloween rolled around and the team was emailing back and forth on a thread about what costumes they would don at our next match. One particularly good-looking and friendly acquaintance on my team shared his idea:

"I'm going to wear all black, tape a little white rectangle to the top of my collar, and borrow my nephew's Toy Story Woody doll to hang out of my pants. I'll be a priest with a woody!"

Hilarity ensued. And I couldn't decide if that was rage or more nausea boiling up inside of me.

I'm not big on controversy. I'd much rather everyone just make the right choices, keep everyone happy, follow the rules, and everyone just do what they should, thankyouverymuch. I do my best to fit into that mold and people please as needed along the way. In a perfect world, I never have to face controversy. I was at an impasse:

If I want people to follow the rules and do what they should, what should I be doing in this moment?

I fired back about how I am Catholic and that he can't be serious with that costume. He and others laughed it off and responded with gentile manner about how it was just to be funny and that the costume was harmless. Again, impasse: laugh along with them and decide I was taking it too seriously, or continue my protest. You read the first paragraph, so what do you think I did?

Here's the problem with that costume (as if it weren't obvious). It makes a mockery of a really challenging vocation AND simultaneously makes allusions to these horrific acts in which so many priests have engaged.

The hilarious costume wearer told me in a private email that he didn't think it should be considered offensive because "[he] grew up Catholic," (always a point of credibility ex-Catholics think they should share). He said it wasn't offensive because he was just saying that a priest (who, in case you didn't know, takes vows of celibacy in the effort to devote his life to the Church and her sheep) probably had a ... you know ... from time to time. And that makes him laugh.

I told this comedian that not only does that make light of an honorable sacrifice that he obviously couldn't hack, but the fact that he was using a small, male children's toy to HANG OUT OF HIS PANTS conjured images of pedophilia. You better believe this guy is upset at this moment over this grand jury report about which we all learned. But when it's a Halloween costume, it's funny and in no way links him to the evil in our world that leads men to make these horrifying mistakes.

Two comments before my revertigo anger bubbles. This guy (and all y'all) needs to think about how his actions are building morale up rather than going for the laugh at the expense of tearing down the good in our world.

And secondly, good friends are not a dime a dozen. As Mr. Feeny said in the graduation episode of Boy Meets World, "Do good," not just "well," do good. Surround yourself with people who raise your standards for yourself.

Within a day, the coach of the kickball team told me there was another team that was operating with too few players and wanted to know if I'd like to switch. I switched. And within a few weeks I became much more involved in my parish's young adult group. The same group where I met the man who is going to get me to Heaven (God-willing) and who gave me my daughter.

The King and the Catholics: The Fight for Religious Liberty in Georgian England, book review

The King and the Catholics: The Fight for Religious Liberty in Georgian England by Antonia Fraser
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars
Antonia Fraser is clearly one of the most scholarly writers for today's living room history enthusiasts. This book thoroughly investigates a topic that I believe has a dearth of information uncovered: Catholicism in the British Isles after the famous Henry VIII converted the islands on their behalf. I've never learned so much about the intricacies of the time period related to Catholics and it's clear she intimately combed through her research to arrive at the information she shared.

It's not a book for someone who wants a light read for bedtime. I had to concentrate heavily to absorb any of the information. And for what it's worth, I'm Catholic (lots of background knowledge there) and a lifelong Anglophile. I've devoured so much historical and fictional literature about the UK over the years and I had to rely heavily upon that while reading this.

Disclosure: I received an uncorrected proof copy of this book for free from NetGalley in order to review it before it was published.

This book is set to be published on September 25, 2018.

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Sweden, book review

Sweden by Matthew Turner
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars
I hate that I'm giving such a low review for this book because I loved the unique premise and how it gave a fresh perspective on the Vietnam War. I also appreciate the author's use of purposeful description. I saw that metaphor and allegory in it most of the time he was using it and I'm happy to read that in a contemporary novel.

However, the story dragged and I had a hard time pushing myself to keep reading it. Perhaps if I had more background knowledge in Japanese culture or the Vietnam war or military culture, I would know when we were on the verge of a shift. As it happens, I have a little knowledge of Japanese culture and I was interested in building on it. Unfortunately, I felt like I had to wait a lot before story elements moved along. I thought the character focuses were interesting (Harper was my favorite and he felt the most real), things just stalled out for me.

I would definitely try another book from the same author in the future. As I said, I liked his writing style and this unique angle. The story just needed to be a little stickier.

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Bringing up Bébé

Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**I'm updating this review to give it another star because I haven't been able to stop talking about, thinking about, mulling over, and agreeing with the philosophies I learned in reading this book.**

I came into the reading this book with a pretty firm understanding of how I want to raise my children. I was skeptical when my sister recommended it to me, because when I think of French people the label "not spoiled" does not seem to fit. But having just read French Women Don't Get Fat, I started to think deeper about how there is so much healthy delayed gratification in the culture of France. So I gave it a try!

So much about French living is that Le Pause that she speaks about in French parenting. I know I would do well to include such a pause in my own adult life. Druckerman does a fine job of explaining all of these concepts, which revolve around learning how to wait, and thinking critically about "educating" children to delay gratification.

When you break it down, it is basically the way that our great-grandparents would have preferred to raise children: adults are in charge, they know they're in charge, the children respect that, and the respect is mutual.

I'm giving it four stars as it's not a comprehensive book for me because it doesn't include faith in it (not a surprise), but I really enjoyed a lot of the takeaways I got.

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If My Moon Was Your Sun, book review (children's book)

Book review:

If My Moon Was Your Sun
by Andreas Steinhöfel | Nele Palmtag
Pub Date: 01 Nov 2017

This is one of those books your read to your child (or class) so they become more emotionally intelligent, while you, the adult, choke back tears. This book was touching because of the idea of a young boy loving his grandfather so deeply, but also in the way the character's voice was so distinctly 10 years old. Max is in that perfect stage between misunderstanding the way adults act because of his childishness and understanding the same scenarios more profoundly than even the adults. He was the perfect character to portray such a sweet story of love for someone he knows, deep down, isn't going to be around forever.

It's a longer book and would work well for teaching making inferences, voice, plot structure, and a few other elements. It's likely a story to which upper elementary to middle grade students might relate.

★★★★

The Ageless Beauty Grail, a book review

Book review:

The Ageless Beauty Grailby Sandra Bloom
Pub Date: 08 May 2018

This book is for those women who are facing hair-loss or other unexplained (by their doctor) symptoms of what one might think is simply aging. This is for that woman with a lot of symptoms that she doesn't understand and who is willing to look into holistic treatments. This ideal reader is also in want of one introductory resource to explain to her in a somewhat narrative way the basics of what goes on in one's body and how changes in diet and environment can help.

The book was readable and pretty comprehensive. It didn't break ground, but if someone has never looked into holistic or food-based, anti-toxin lifestyle changes, this would be a good one to choose.

★★★

Edison, book review (children's literature)

Book review:

Edison
by Torben Kuhlmann
Pub Date: 02 Oct 2018

Firstly, the illustrations in this book are gorgeous, of excellent quality, and highly detailed. Secondly, I love that there exists a passionate engineer-minded artist who wants to introduce these scientific ideas to kids in a children's book. The story is decent for a children's story, obviously enhanced by the illustrations. However, the word choice and lack of complexity in the syntax leaves something to be desired. It feels quite casual, as if the author didn't think a child could understand a higher level of vocabulary or less obvious conversation. I would rather a parent participate in the book with the child to help them understand (especially, again, with the help of those fantastic illustrations) than for the language and vocabulary to be dumbed down. I write this from the perspective of an elementary English learner teacher. Overall, I would like to have this book on my daughter's shelf because of the science and the illustrations, but I would probably ad lib some more interesting dialogue and vocab.

★★★

The Yellow Envelope, book review (memoir/travelogue)

Book review:

The Yellow Envelope
by Kim Dinan
Pub Date: 01 Apr 2017

I wanted to like this because I have had fantasies of doing the same thing as the author: give up virtually of my stuff and travel with my husband. The trouble here was that it just wasn't a compelling read. She has a popular blog and I can see how that would be true. Pictures might have spiced things up a bit. But the voice she used felt like she was dragging her former self around by a rope, inching the story out a bit at a time. I think it could have been pieced together differently to draw me in, or, at the least, there could have been some kind of literary element (repetition, consistently inserted anecdotes from others' perspectives, or a more playful tone) to prevent the book from being a little boring.

It was interesting to see the adventures, I just didn't enjoy the presentation.

★★

The Music Box, book review (children's literature/graphic novel)

Book review:

The Music Box
by Script by Carbone / Art by Gijé
Pub Date: 20 Jun 2018

So many of my 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students would devour this and the upcoming graphic novel series. Its reads as the kind of book a student wouldn't want to put down. These illustrations are delightful. They're full of life and the use of color is delicious. I love the imaginary world and how the quest is helping Nola during her time of pain. As a teacher, I always wish our standard for higher level vocabulary was taken up a notch in children/ya literature. While the story arc is solid and I look forward to more from this collaboration in the future, I wish they would push the figurative story elements a little harder and challenge their readers with their word choice.

★★★★

The American Catholic Almanac, book review

Book review:

The American Catholic Almanac
by Brian Burch, Emily Stimpson
Pub Date: 30 Sep 2014

(I downloaded this sooooooo long ago and took this long to review it...)

Brian Burch and Emily Stimpson clearly worked hard to craft thoughtful reflections for each day of the year for American Catholics. The book is organized by months and days in which the reader digests reflections about Catholic Americans past and how they affected our present. I would love to try to become a part of our future!

★★★★

If, book review

Book review:

If
by David J. Smith
Pub Date: 01 Aug 2014

This teacher and art lover is elated that this book exists. Gorgeous illustrations match well with a creative display of scientific "what ifs" to make our world more relevant and exciting to young readers. This is an excellent book for your collection, especially for homeschoolers who are comfortable with the theory of evolution.

★★★★★