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Spiritually Minded Women

Some of my friends, doing what we do best: shepherding God’s future warriors.

At church a few weeks ago, our Bishop was addressing a room full of women. He asked if we had noticed a moral decline in the world, specifically when it comes to church attendance. He said that he had noticed that many people nowadays just go to church because it’s the thing to do, but that they don’t go as a way to worship and help them be closer to God throughout the week. Nobody said anything.

I raised my hand and said, “Bishop, I don’t disagree with you, because I think that is precisely the way the world is headed, but I think many of us women are fortunate to have a lot of friends who still do care about their God and not just on Sundays.”

I went on, “I am personally privileged to have a lot of inspiring women as friends.”

I kind of ruined his point, but I wouldn’t change my honesty. I have so many wonderful women in my life. They all inspire me to be a better daughter of God. To be a worshipper of my Savior Jesus Christ. To be a mother who loves with all she’s got. To be a wife who honors her husband. They inspire me to higher grounds.

They inspire me in real life. They inspire me in my cyber life, and they inspire me with His word. Many of them do all three. Nicole is one of those. I was so grateful for her recent flattering words. Her words were strong evidence for my argument to my Bishop. What could be better in this world then us women who rock the cradle, backing each other up? Not much. Unless that backing was with God. Because nothing can penetrate that. Nothing at all.

Book Review: A Million Little Pieces

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I want to start this review out with the F word somehow because I probably read it at least a thousand times in this book. I kept telling myself I should quit because of the language and the questionable content but I was riveted as I was transported into a body that was experiencing detox and drug rehabilitation. I felt like every one of my 5 senses were awakened as this book was a chilling piece of fiction. I justified reading the questionable material because it was a part of the typical drug rehab center. The author did an amazing job of helping me to experience the touching, seeing, hearing, tasting, and smelling that druggies engage.

There is so much I could say about what I enjoyed about this book, but the ONLY real reason I kept reading was because I felt completely educated by each word found on the pages. I feel I can understand addicts of all kinds better now. I can love them better and judge them less. In fact, I found myself thinking of all the addicts I know and wishing I could give them a copy of this book. In the words of the author is found the precious key to combating addiction: getting in touch with your inner self and learning how to control your out of control emotions.

I know there is some controversy surrounding this book. In fact the librarian mentioned it when I checked the book out. She wouldn’t tell me WHAT exactly was the controversy, but I did glean some things during the course of reading the book. As I mentioned my reading it to friends, they said that the author James Frey had this book published as a piece of non-fiction, when it is very much fictional. I do have to say that it would be much more powerful if it was actually non-fiction, but the fact that it is untrue, does not completely rob the book in enlightening the reader about the workings of addiction. I plan to go and read everything I can about this controversy, but I wanted to write my review before I do, so that I won’t be tainted.

There were parts of the book that I didn’t like. I wish it could have been written with less offensive language; I don’t think it was absolutely necessary. I also don’t really agree with the author’s criticism of the 12 step program or his agnostic views. However, I did learn some things from the referenced Tao teachings and find those in sync with my religious views. I find myself adding the Tao book to my to read list. For some reason, A Million Little Pieces was a long read for me. I kept telling my husband that I didn’t know why it was taking me so long to get through it. I was interested and reading consistently, yet it still took me a good week and a half and I’m not really sure why.

Overall, I would recommend the book to anyone struggling with addiction or with an addict in their life. I would also refer it to anyone having an inner struggle learning about themselves. But, I would NEVER refer it to any of my Mormon friends, as they would probably suffer a heart attack from all the language.

View all my reviews >>

Book Review: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Sheila asked if I am being paid to do book reviews and the answer is regrettably “no”. Although I will be sharing a book review next month on a book that was sent to me to review, so I guess technically I was paid in a free paperback.

LeGrand was so jealous that he offered to trade me my blog for his law practice. Because we are so poor, he was surprised when he had thought that I ordered a book to be shipped. I nonchalantly told him it had been sent to me to review on my blog. A day later he said, “Alice, I don’t think you know how cool it is that someone just sent you a free book to review on your blog!” I guess I don’t, but I do like it that my husband is jealous of me.

I have said it a million times that I would never want to be paid for my blog because I feel like it would force me to settle with expressing my true opinion and that would be tragic.

However, I have made it a goal to read more. I have completely quit watching T.V. and I am enjoying more reading at the especially perfect time of year: SUMMER.

I like to share my reviews because it forces me to take a moment

and reflect on each book to completely integrate into my life.

Take them or leave them. Better yet, read the books for yourself.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Besides being a quick read, this book was not only historically rich with a view into Seattle during times where Jazz was new and racism was old, but was also a touching story of first love and family ties. I gained an open window into the history of WWII, especially the shame that surrounds the American government imprisoning our own citizens solely because of their race.

I enjoyed the age old and overall theme of children who have to find their own way among their parents’ expectations, especially when the parents are sometimes wrong. Ford privileged us with two generations worth of intertwined plots. I normally don’t like books that time travel, but this book was done with such ease that it didn’t bother me at all. Reflection was an important part of this book and memories written as if you were there actually left me with an equal desire to read of the past and present.

Most of all, this book was a love story. I am sure that the overriding love themes are probably the real reason for the book’s popularity. Loyalty to love, loving your choice, the complexities of love and hopes between family members, and always remembering your first love are all the meat of the book. And of course, the most exciting theme of all is that it is never too late for love.

The only complaint I have for the book is the ending. I always struggle with the end of books. If I ever write a book, the end is going to be perfection because I am all about THE END. This end was good, but not prefect. At least it wasn’t a bad ending and that is hugely complimentary from me because I bet 80% of the books that I read have bad endings. Even if the author would have thrown in “and they lived happily ever after” it would have at least given me a little more closure;I am all about the closure, especially when it comes to fiction. When the closure has to be derived from my own imagination, I don’t like it; I want the author to dictate his own story, especially the end.

View all my reviews >>

Book Review: Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book was a little racy for my taste, especially in the middle. There was a lot of inappropriate sexual content…at least for my pretty sheltered mind. I don’t tend to like the slow going pace, and this book was especially slow at first, but I am glad I persevered as the author did a good job of portraying the horrors of the Civil War. I guess slow going reading favors the period of time that the book depicts.

I saw into a window of the lives of backwoods people in The Appalachians, but a lot of the time it was a window that I would have liked to walk away from to pretend it was not there. I don’t like some of the oddities of the people portrayed, especially as a Tennesseean. It’s books like this that make some people think we are still all barefoot and pregnant living off the hog and our veggie gardens. I am sure much of what is talked about it true, but I just don’t like it…maybe that makes me a fool, but I would rather pretend stuff like incest doesn’t exist in the world as I know it. Sometimes I felt like I was reading an awkward story that was the frame for the awkward movie Oh Brother Where Art Thou.

I really enjoyed reading about the art of homesteading and the author’s beautiful and sometimes very detailed descriptions of nature, especially our own gorgeous Appalachian Mountains.

My favorite line by far was the old goat lady who said, “Marrying a woman for her beauty makes as much sense as eating a bird for it’s song.”

View all my reviews >>

Eric Carle

This will be a post without a picture because I would never ever dream of breaking the copyrights of Eric Carle. He is BY FAR my favorite artist, writer, and illustrator. You may be familiar with his work. Two of my favorites are Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you Hear? and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

I was moved by this part of his autobiography in The Art of Eric Carle.

In 1935 I started school in Syracuse. I remember vividly a sun-filled room, large sheets of paper, colorful paints, and fat brushes. One day my mother was asked to see the teacher. Convinced that her son had misbehaved – why else would a parent be asked to come to the school? – she was immensely relieved to be told that her boy not only enjoyed drawing and painting but that he was good at it. It was impressed upon my mother that from now on she was to encourage and nurture this talent. This was advice she would honor for the rest of her life.

It struck me as I kept reading how this small experience of a teacher praising a talent in Kindergarten, totally and completely shaped the work of Eric Carle. His mother always encouraged him from that time forward and Eric remembered this as his initial moment of feeling talented.

I want to be the person who inspires others. I want to motivate by compliment. I want someone to do something great because I took a moment to notice something small. And what if I can multiply that by 100? And what if I multiplied that every day? And what if we all just tried to look for the good in each other? Would we all live a life that felt as nice and as happy and uplifting as any page of any book of Eric Carle?

To me, heaven couldn’t get much greater.

Yes, there is a Santa Claus

After a recent depressing blog post,

I received an outpouring of love.

It was truly a miracle.

A Christmas miracle.

I had tried not to talk about our deplorable situation.

I didn’t want to be needy.

Or ungrateful.

I also didn’t want to make my husband feel bad.

Because he has been busting his tail.

But when one is building his own business straight out of college,

it is rough. Really rough.

And even rougher when you have a family to support.

This has been the worst fiscal year of our lives.

And that says a lot.

Because you all know we were in law school with three kids.

And we lived on less than $18,000 a year.

For those who aren’t Mormon.

You gotta know that Mormons keep a supply of food for emergencies.

Months back, we lived on that food for the first time in our married lives.

After months of living like this, I finally fell apart on my blog.

I threw it out there.

And I only threw a small portion

of the load that I had been carrying.

As to not make anyone feel bad.

Especially my husband.

Who I honor, respect, and admire.

Shortly after I threw it out there,

Miracles started to happen.

(LG sarcastically remarked that I should have begged on the blog earlier,

like when the kids needed shoes for school.)

I can’t even think about some of them without crying.

For instance,

A friend I haven’t spoken to in years called and asked what she could buy my girls for Christmas.

She had read the blog and felt inspired.

I am deeply grateful for all of the little miracles in 2009.

God has been good to us.

But one miracle in particular,

deserves a special mention.

A special mention

because

I met the wife of Santa Claus

when she found my blog years ago.

I would have never known Santa Claus without the blog.

Did you know that Santa really lives in Nevada?

Last week I got an e-mail from him.

The message line.

Yes, Abigail, Sophia, Bella, Caroline..there is a Santa Claus.

Along with it there was a notice to pick up a trampoline at our local Wal-Mart.

Santa’s wife had read my blog.

She notified her kind and generous husband of a Christmas need.

It wasn’t really a need, but a want.

A want on the Christmas list.

A want that some down and destitute parents could have never fulfilled.

And they would have never asked for help.

Because it was just a want.

And their kids had what they needed.

And the kids had become very aware that the basic necessities of life were blessing enough.

They could ask Santa for some amazing gift,

but he probably would be too busy helping some even more destitute kids in Africa.

But guess what?

Santa wasn’t too busy.

And on one day of the year,

nothing was too much to want.

Because on one day of the year.

Miracles happen.

And some precious little girls in Knoxville, TN got a trampoline.

Even when their parents had told them repeatedly

that Santa had kids to feed in Africa.

And would probably be too busy.

And one very little blogger.

with a very small readership.

Got her Christmas miracle too.

Santa Claus read her blog.

And on Christmas Day,

he made her husband smile.

Really smile.

And that is all she wanted.

And she had wanted that for a very long time.

Ever since last Christmas.

But she thought Santa was too busy in Africa.

But, Santa was in Nevada.

And he not only read my blog.

But he made miracles happen at my house.

That is so like him.

I heard this song on the radio the evening of Christmas.

I bawled my eyes out.

That evening my prayer went something like this:

Give Santa a halo for me, will ya?

Oh, and send his wife a big fat kiss.

Knock Knock

Knock Knock.

Who’s there?

Nobody.

Nobody who?

silence

The other day, the girls and I got some good laughs while telling & retelling this oldie but goodie.

The reason for this post is to admit I have been missing in action.

I would like to explain.

I have never claimed to be a real blogger,
but sometimes I feel bad for disappointing those

who like to read “unreal” blogs.

To you three people who found me in my other cyber FB world, I am truly sorry for my absence.

I just have a hard time getting the creative juices flowing when I am sleep deprived and busy eating rocky road ice-cream to deal with the stress that is always present in my mind while dealing with a crying infant.

I am also sorry to all of you who have felt the pinch in numbers while I haven’t been reading my blogroll either. I hope to be back soon.

Just as soon as I find myself on the other side of the knock knock joke.

Go…hurry…free stuff.

Cally is the queen.

facebook

My brother Adam has been guilting me about it for over a year.

I had been a member about four years ago, but it was back in prehistoric times and wasn’t that exciting when it only included a couple of moms from church. (no offense to you moms)

So, I got a rare e-mail from a high school friend Shelly. She just had her first baby.

I wanted to comment on cute little Carlos. No, I NEEDED to comment. He is adorable and this mom HAD to tell that mom.

The next thing I know, I am SUCKED in. I mean, like I have been at my computer for two days straight. It’s a really good thing that I have a newborn to blame for my inproductivity! (Sorry honey…no dinner again…she’s just been so fussy all day)

Besides getting a sweet message from my first kiss, (If you are reading, you made my hubby cringe with your sweetness) (And LG, you know, I only have eyes for you!) I found another awesome find today.

BreezyMama

It’s a blog by two friends from High School. I loved this post by Chelsea about the Current Top 10 kids books. You all know how I love to read. And Where The Wild Things is my favorite of all time.

And on a sidenote. It’s amazing how after almost 20 years, you can still share so much in common with classmates. Does this sentence from their “about” page not just sound like I could have written it:

“They love being a mom but have no problem admitting it’s hard.”