Motherhood in the Trenches

In the way of book recommendations, I have many. Not that I'm the final say on what is worth reading and what isn't, but a few months ago I read and thoroughly enjoyed this book on parenting little ones. Also, I feel like a small fish in a big pond reading about the author's great feats in raising five children--my responsibility seems insignificant in comparison. But admittedly there are days when one feels like five, and he isn't even crawling yet. Aah, how much I have to learn.


Rachel Jankovic has also written an excellent article that's been posted on the Desiring God website. Here's the link, and the article is entitled "Motherhood is a Calling, and Where Your Children Rank."

Totally worth the read, but only if your little ones bestow you with the time!

A Hot Day in June.

Now that I'm a mom, I have to weigh my decisions very carefully. A short stop in the mall could have effects well into the evening, if Eli decides not to cooperate. "Skipping" a nap could mean terribly unfortunate consequences for our family--like right now, in fact. Eli has been out all day and is currently laying on the floor, not a care in the world, crying for mommy to come play with him. His day is off kilter because we've been out and about in the big city. BUT, he is learning to be flexible, and that's never a bad thing.

Where were we, you might ask? Well, this morning we had the distinct privilege of visiting the Billy Graham Library in order to get Louis Zamperini (yes... the subject of my previous post) to sign the book Unbroken. At 94 years old, he spent two hours straight signing books. I was accompanied by a dear friend and coworker, and all three of us waited in line for 1.5 hours, hoping he would still be signing books by the time we reached the front of the line. Dripping with sweat, holding an umbrella to shield us from the sweltering heat, pushing a stroller, and holding Eli, I began to question my sanity in deciding to venture out this way.

All was well in the end and we are glad we went, despite the discomfort of the aforementioned. Unfortunately, the "photographer" who snapped the photos above was in a hurry and clearly not keeping my best interest at heart, which was to manage a photo with all four of us in it: me, Jane, Louis, and Eli. Oh well... I'm thankful for both the opportunity to meet Louis and to read the story that God chose to tell through his life.

Now back to managing my day!

What stays with you latest and deepest?

I am not an animal person. While I won't condemn those of you who are pet lovers, I will say that I don't understand you. :-) Of all the intrinsically valuable things I can think of, domestic animals would never cross my mind. Puppies and kittens are cute, but only if they aren't mine. Once they become my responsibility to care for, feed, groom, and yes... LOVE... I give up.

If you just gasped out loud at my ice cold heart, you can keep reading. This post actually has nothing to do with pets, but my aversion to domestic animals is what kept me from reading Laura Hillenbrand's famous novel Seabiscuit. Shamefully, I had little interest in reading a story about a horse. Maybe that's why I never enjoyed Black Beauty?

I did not, however, pass up the opportunity to read her NEWEST novel, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. Published and released last October, the book details the life of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, who enters WWII as a bombadier, wholly ignorant to the tumultous future ahead of him. Growing up, he was, as Hillenbrand says, a "one-man insurgency," wreaking havoc on his community and constantly shaming his parents. Once he enters the Air Force, his life is forever changed as he comes dangerously close to death on countless occasions. His experiences, like so many others during the war, are horrifying and difficult to fathom.

Hillenbrand spent nearly a decade researching, interviewing, studying, and writing in preparation for this novel, despite a chronic illness that keeps her confined predominantly to her bedroom or office. She tells the story as if it's fiction, making each event, person, and place come alive on the page. Not only that, but her tone is appropriately somber and respectful in all the right places.

Like David, Solomon, or Abraham, who encountered both gross sin and abundant grace throughout their own lives, Zamperini bucks against the authority of God and is met with miraculous provision. If ever a person seemed to have reason to doubt the existence of a loving Creator, Louis did. If ever a person seemed to have reason to become embittered, broken, and self-consumed, Louis did. But God in His sovereignty knew better.

To say that I enjoyed this book is an understatement. I was awed, humbled, and convicted in so many ways, and after a conversation with a colleague of mine, I came away agreeing with her. Every American should read this book. Maybe even twice.

This is a picture of Louis examining the flak from his beloved B-24.

Martin Luther and Changing Diapers...

If I thought I had little time before becoming a mommy, I was grossly misled. Not, of course, because I am constantly tending to Eli's needs which include feeding every three hours, changing his diapers (which appear to be getting somewhat tight--he is still in size 1), and ensuring that he gets his sleep. I am doing each of those things, but even more than these, I am savoring his presence in our home. I delight in seeing him smile at me after he's eaten and he's laying on my lap. I (somewhat foolishly) feel huge sighs of relief when he has just taken a quality nap because I know he needs it. I love watching him stare intently at an object in the most all-consuming way--as if it's the COOLEST thing he's ever seen. Unfortunately, he's developed an interest in the television, which is quite unfortunate as I assumed it would at least be a few more months until we had to limit our tv time.

Michael and I have been listening to a myriad of sermons from Doug Wilson on parenting, marriage, and the covenant home, and I can speak for both of us in saying we have been greatly enriched by Wilson's wisdom. I was reminded in a sermon about the differences in men and women that in whatever task you are undertaking, you are to do it to the glory of God--even changing diapers, as Luther stated. Having never heard of Luther discussing diapers, I came home and attempted to find the quote in question. I've read and re-read the following excerpt many times and have been immensely blessed after each reading.

Our culture is teaching us to view parenting as a hindrance to our pursuit of happiness, that it's a crap shoot in terms of how our children will turn out, that our children will grow to think we're know-nothings. But Scripture speaks in bold, confident language as it teaches us how to raise our children. There are promises kept to parents who have faith in those promises and abide by them, and I take great respite in knowing that my work now, as a mother to a 10 week old, is eternal work: a "golden and noble work," as Luther puts it.

As Eli continues to grow, our prayer as a family is that our home would be a place of affection, peace, and joy. Even when Eli is receiving his 10th spanking for repeating the same offense. Boy, how I look forward to those days!

Now observe that when that clever harlot, our natural reason (which the pagans followed in trying to be most clever), takes a look at married life, she turns up her nose and says, “Alas, must I rock the baby, wash its diapers, make its bed, smell its stench, stay up nights with it, take care of it when it cries, heal its rashes and sores, and on top of that care for my wife, provide for her, labour at my trade, take care of this and take care of that, do this and do that, endure this and endure that, and whatever else of bitterness and drudgery married life involves? What, should I make such a prisoner of myself? 0 you poor, wretched fellow, have you taken a wife? Fie, fie upon such wretchedness and bitterness! It is better to remain free and lead a peaceful. carefree life; I will become a priest or a nun and compel my children to do likewise.”

What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful, and despised duties in the Spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels. It says, “0 God, because I am certain that thou hast created me as a man and hast from my body begotten this child, I also know for a certainty that it meets with thy perfect pleasure. I confess to thee that I am not worthy to rock the little babe or wash its diapers. or to be entrusted with the care of the child and its mother. How is it that I, without any merit, have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? 0 how gladly will I do so, though the duties should be even more insignificant and despised. Neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labour, will distress or dissuade me, for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight.”

A wife too should regard her duties in the same light, as she suckles the child, rocks and bathes it, and cares for it in other ways; and as she busies herself with other duties and renders help and obedience to her husband. These are truly golden and noble works. . . .

Now you tell me, when a father goes ahead and washes diapers or performs some other mean task for his child, and someone ridicules him as an effeminate fool, though that father is acting in the spirit just described and in Christian faith, my dear fellow you tell me, which of the two is most keenly ridiculing the other? God, with all his angels and creatures, is smiling, not because that father is washing diapers, but because he is doing so in Christian faith. Those who sneer at him and see only the task but not the faith are ridiculing God with all his creatures, as the biggest fool on earth. Indeed, they are only ridiculing themselves; with all their cleverness they are nothing but devil’s fools.

- Martin Luther, “The Estate of Marriage”

Twilight - Why Vampires Aren't Really That Sparkly - Doug Wilson

I'm fully aware that I'm treading on what some might esteem as their favorite book, movie, etc., but Doug Wilson says here what I can only attempt to say in response to the "Twilight" series. I respect his attempt to confront such a popular series with honesty, frankness, and concern instead of dismissing the book in condemnation. Scripture tells us that we live in the world--to stick our heads in the sand naively is to ignore Scripture. And part of loving God with all of our minds is to exercise discretion and wisdom in the face of modern culture so that we are effective dwellers on this earth. Enjoy!

Wisdom From Prentiss.

‘God never places us in any position in which we can not grow. We may fancy that He does. We may fear we are so impeded by fretting, petty cares that we are gaining nothing; but when we are not sending any branches upward, we may be sending roots downward. Perhaps in the time of our humiliation, when everything seems a failure, we are making the best kind of progress.’

-Elizabeth Prentiss

Pastoral Fantods.

I can only think of a handful of times that I have laughed out loud... alone. Sometimes laughter is obligatory, sometimes it's contagious, and sometimes it's just a pure expression of humor.

This time, it was the poignancy of the words that made me laugh. in my classroom. by myself... once I looked up the word fantod, of course.

Fantods: a state of extreme nervousness or restlessness; the willies; the fidgets (usually prec. by the): We all developed the fantods when the plane was late in arriving.

Doug Wilson has begun commentating on each chapter of Twilight, the Stephanie Meyer book that has begun a nauseating wave of teen hysteria for what seems like eternity. Having read the first book myself (to see what all the fuss was about... I still don't understand), I appreciate Wilson's responding from a Biblical worldview by saying more than, "A BOOK ABOUT VAMPIRES?! WWJD??" I know my status as an English teacher warrants a more articulate explanation for why I despite the series, but he says it much better than I ever could.

In his reviews, he responds in detail to the characters, motifs, and assumptions about human nature. Even if you are a self-confessed, proud member of Team Edward or Team Jacob, please read at least one article. They are worth the time if we as thinking Christians are serious about changing the culture for Christ via wisdom and understanding.

Twilight Review

Feel free to comment, too. :-)

Cast Down Your Bucket

Race relations have never been more polarizing than now. In a time when electing a black president should equalize us all and improve the relationships between the races, it seems that, sadly, we have become more aware now of racial tensions than ever before.

According to many liberals in the political word, nearly every accusation, critique, crime is motivated by race. Joe Wilson's outburst during President Obama's address is a perfect example. Nevermind that his accusation had nothing to do with Obama being African-American. But he lives in South Carolina, so that MUST have been his motive. He CAN'T have been genuinely concerned that the President was lying about illegal immigrants and healthcare reform. The gravity of the accusation was immediately overlooked by the assumption that Wilson must be racist. Of course, this conveniently served to distract the public from the real issues. But today, it seems that pulling the race card is usually intended to distract.

In light of all that's transpiring in the political and social world today in regard to race, Booker T. Washington's autobiography Up from Slavery is perhaps the most poignant expression of what race relations should be. I finished reading the book two weeks ago and have been mulling over what to write about since. I feel compelled to include an excerpt from his most famous speech to the South in 1895. How widely different from the speeches on race relations we hear today.

"To those of the white race who look to the incoming of those of foreign birth and strange tongue and habits for the prosperity of the South, were I permitted I would repeat what I say to my own race, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” Cast down your bucket among these people who have, without strikes and labour wars, tilled your fields, cleared your forests... and helped make possible this magnificent representation of the progress of the South. Casting down your bucket among my people, helping and encouraging them as you are doing on these grounds, and to education of head, hand, and heart, you will find that they will buy your surplus land, make blossom the waste places in your fields, and run your factories.

While doing this, you can be sure in the future, as in the past, that you and your families will be surrounded by the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and unresentful people that the world has seen. As we have proved our loyalty to you in the past, in nursing your children, watching by the sick-bed of your mothers and fathers, and often following them with tear-dimmed eyes to their graves, so in the future, in our humble way, we shall stand by you with a devotion that no foreigner can approach, ready to lay down our lives, if need be, in defence of yours, interlacing our industrial, commercial, civil, and religious life with yours in a way that shall make the interests of both races one.

In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress."

What a promise that Washington made as a representative for African-Americans! True racial reconciliation is not giving one race more advantage over another (*ahem* the college admission process), or reminding white people habitually of the sins of the past, but Washington says it well when he says, "We shall stand by you with a devotion that no foreigner can approach, ready to lay down our lives, if need be, in defence of yours..." That is Christlike behavior to emulate, no matter what race you are.

Washington himself was a part of the system of slavery. He recalls the day when he and his family were freed:

"The wild rejoicing on the part of the emancipated coloured people lasted but for a brief period, for I noticed that by the time they returned to their cabins there was a change in their feelings. The great responsibility of being free, of having charge of themselves, of having to think and plan for themselves and their children, seemed to take possession of them. To some it seemed that, now that they were in actual possession of it, freedom was a more serious thing than they had expected to find it."

If anyone had the prerogative to harbor resentment, anger, and hatred towards the doers of slavery, Washington did. His comments about this are astounding:

"I have long since ceased to cherish any spirit of bitterness against the Southern white people on account of the enslavement of my race. No one section of our country was wholly responsible for its introduction, and besides, it was recognized and protected for years by the General Government. When we rid ourselves of prejudice, or racial feeling, and look facts in the face, we must acknowledge that, notwithstanding the cruelty and moral wrong of slavery, the ten million Negroes inhabiting this country, who themselves or whose ancestors went through the school of American slavery, are in a stronger and more hopeful condition, materially, intellectually, morally, and religiously, than is true of an equal number of black people in any other portion of the globe."

Booker T. Washington's belief in the sovereignty of God also amazed me:

"I condemn [slavery] as an institution, as we all know that in America it was established for selfish and financial reasons, not from a missionary motive--but [I] call attention to the fact to show how Providence often uses men and institutions to accomplish a purpose. When persons ask me in these days how, in the midst of what sometimes seem hopelessly discouraging conditions, I can have such faith in the future of my race in this country, I remind them of the wilderness through which and out of which, a good Providence has already led us.

These sentiments of a man who felt true discrimination astound me. Few, if any, experience it. What a wonderful example of forgiveness and reconciliation. If you've never read this autobiography, I highly recommend it.

The Power of the Imagination

Literacy Foundation: The Gift of Reading - Cinderella
Uploaded by hourigan. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.


What a great testament to the power of the imagination! Enjoy! :-)

Tomorrow is Another Day...

This summer, I finally got around to reading Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. Contrary to popular belief, this novel is about so much more than romance. It's about war. God. Culture. History. Despite the fact that it's a staggering 950 pages long, I have found it refreshingly simple to read. If you're looking for a good book to read, this is it!

In the preface, Pat Conroy paints a beautiful picture of why Gone with the Wind holds such sentimental value for Southerners, and especially for him (because of his mother). I wanted to include some of my favorite quotes from the preface, hopefully in an attempt to spark some interest in the novel :-)

"This is the Iliad with a Southern accent, burning with the humiliation of Reconstruction. It is the song of the fallen, unregenerate Troy, the one sung in lower key by the women who had to pick up the pieces of a fractured society when their sons and husbands returned with their cause in their throats, when the final battle cry was sounded."

"Even my young and tenuous manhood was informed by lessons of instruction from her interpretation of the novel and she would fight about it with my father. 'No matter what girls say,' my mother would tell me, and this was a recurrent theme broached upon often, 'they'd much rather marry a man like Ashley Wilkes than Rhett Butler.'"

"My mother's family suffered grievously during the Depression, but Scarlett taught that one could be hungry and despairing, but not broken and not without resources, spiritual in nature, that precluded one from surrendering without a fight. When Scarlett swears to God after rooting around for that radish in the undone garden of Tara that she will never go hungry again, she was giving voice to every American who had suffered want and fear during the Hoover years."

"I know of no other thousand-page book that reads so swiftly and grants such pleasure. The characters are wonderful, and the story moves with swiftness and bright, inexorable power. The novel allows you to lose yourself in the glorious pleasures of reading itself, when all five senses ignite in the sheer happiness of narrative."

Now go read! :-)

My dear Wormwood...

As an English teacher, it's difficult to pick a "favorite" book. Or I guess a more accurate statement would be: "As a nerd, it's difficult to pick a "favorite" book."

BUT if we're referring to a book that I could read once a year and still uncover precious truths, then C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters is a good example.

Here's an excerpt from Screwtape's letter to Wormwood about the Real Pleasure of reading:

"And now for your blunders. On your own showing you first of all allowed the patient to read a book he really enjoyed, because he enjoyed it and not in order to make clever remarks about it to his new friends. In the second place you allowed him to walk down to the old mill and have tea there--a walk through country he really likes, and taken alone. In other words you allowed him two real positive Pleasures. How can you have failed to see that a real pleasure was the last thing you ought to have let him meet? Didn't you foresee that it would just kill by contrast all the trumpery which you have been so laboriously teaching him to value? And that the sort of pleasure which the book and the walk gave him was the most dangerous of all? That it would peel off from his sensibility the kind of crust you have been forming on it, and make him feel that he was coming home, recovering himself?"

C.S. Lewis' perspective on literature:

“Literature exists to teach what is useful, to honor what deserves honor, to appreciate the delightful. The useful, the honorable, and delightful are superior to it [literature]. It exists for their sake. Its own use, honor, or delightfulness is derivative from theirsʼ.”