The Centurion's Wife

The Centurion's Wife by Janette Oke and Davis Bunn; Started: June 29th, 2010; Finished: June 29th, 2010.

Yes.  I totally DEVOURED this 379 pg book in a DAY!

Wow.  Just.  Wow.  What a fantastic book (obviously I could hardly put it down) I wasn't bored for a moment, I was eager for each turn of the page.

This book is about a young servant, Leah, in the house of Pilate, and Centurion Alban, set in the days after Jesus is crucified and then risen from the dead.

We follow them as they are sent, seperately, (yet are betrothed) to discover the truth about Jesus.  And they do, more so than had been intended.

I don't want to say much more specifically about the book, because it should be read for itself, but I definately thinkit is worth a read, and I am positive there are things here and there that will jump out at me as my mind digests what I've read today.  I am looking forward to the next book in the series that's sitting there waiting for me on the shelf over there, The Hidden Flame, I'm sure it's going to be just as fascinating.

Living on Less and Liking it More

Living on Less and Liking it More by Maxine Hancock; Started: June 25th, 2010; Finished: June 26th, 2010

This was a great book.  Even though it's written back in the late '70s, it's not really that dated.  The way the topic is handled it's relevent to tday as well as 30+ years ago.

I found the end didn't Quite line up with the rest of the book, but maybe that's just me.

 In this book the author talks about finding ways to live more with God in mind, than for material possessions.  About making do with littler, whether by choice or circumstances.

About going from owning their home to renting:

"..From one which we owned, to one which we could only rent....I felt like a hen that couldn't quite settle back on the nest for fear it might be suddenly jerked away from under her." 

Being a renter myself I can totally identify with that feeling.  

I'm wanting to add this book to my personal library, as something to come back to from time to time, keep me on track.  While reading this book I felt the strength and courage to make choices within my own life for better financial stability and peace of mind.

Whether you are someone who suddenly finds themself on a small, limited income, or you've always had to scrape by, or even if money has never been something you've had to worry over, I feel that there is something for everyone within this book.

 

How to Raise Christian Kid in a Non-Christian World

How to Raise Christian Kids in a Non-Christian World by Youth for Christ & Victor Books; Started: June 23rd; Finished: June 25th.

This book was written in the late 80's, and you can tell, particularily at the begining, it's a bit dated.  But otherwise I think most of the information is relevent to raising kids today.

Personally I'm not sure if I would use every single idea, or be in agreement with every single idea, but we're all entitled to our own opinion and thoughts on things.  So, if taken with a grain of salt and with the above in mind, then overall I would have to say this is a really good book, and it did have some "click" moments for myself, especially towards the end of it.  There are ideas that I will be trying to implement within my own family that were in this book. 

I feel that it was definately a worthwhile read.

How to Raise Christian Kids in a Non Christian World

Father of My Heart

Father of My Heart by Janette Oke; Started: June 15th, 2010; Finished: June 16th, 2010

Another great book for a bible study or some such.

The Father of Love

The Father of Love by Janette Oke; Started: June 14th, 2010; Finished: June 15th, 2010

This would make a great book for a Bible Study group, as well as a way to quickly review the Love Comes Softly series.  Lots of good thoughts contained within.

The Father of Love: Spiritual Insights from the Love Comes Softly Series

The Bluebird and the Sparrow

The Bluebird and the Sparrow by Janette Oke; Started: June 13, 2010, Finished: June 14th, 2010.

Another good book.  I felt so sorry, from the very start, for the main character, Berta.  The way I could see her anger, bitterness and jealousy, ruining so much of her life, making her miserable and unhappy.

The book follows Berta, the eldest daughter, from the day her little, beautiful, sister is born, and through her growing up, always trying to "one-up" her sister for attention and love.  Following her into adult-hood, where all the negative emotion has locked her away from even her family and their love, and through her finally reaching out to God, and learning to accept herself for who she is, and realizing that she is special as she is.

Too Long a Stranger

Too Long a Stranger by Janette Oke; Started: June 12, 2010; Finished: June 13th, 2010

As is usually the case thus far with books written by Janette Oke, this was a great book.  Being a single mother myself, I really identified with the main character, Sarah.

I was looking forward to reading the book once I read the two main character's names actually, lol, Sarah and Rebecca.  (I am Sara, and my sister is Rebecca, aka Becky :D amusing coincidence)


The story follows a young widow, Sarah, who's husband is killed.  Rebecca is her young daughter, only about a year or so old at the start of the book.  Ssarah struggles to run her husband's freight business after he dies, struggles to make ends meet, pay off debts, and support herself and her daughter.  Through the kindness of neighbours, who freely offer to look after young Rebecca, she is able to do this.  She then decides it would be better for rebecca to be sent to boarding school to "learn to be a lady".

Sarah has a number of hardships to overcome.  She's not strong enough to handle the freight on her own, so must hire help for loading and unloading.  Winter's harshness, especially out on the prairies.  Competition, the opening of another freight run, which she takes on.  An accident that left her in bed for a number of days, but brought her closer to God.  And then teh return of her daughter, no longer the little girl she was when she went away, home, and accustomed to a different way of life.

I don't think I could ever send my children away, even for their own good, but luckily for me in a lot of ways times now are easier for a single parent than they used to be.  I did understand the, do what you can for them, and being determined to do it yourself, and not depend upo others, though I think at times she could have accepted the offered help, but I am also one to refuse help when I should probably do otherwise.

So yes, I Really identified with Sarah.  This was a really great book, as I said, and as all of Janette Oke's books I've read thus far (numbering around 30 I figure) I've been able to take something meaningful personally to myself from it.

Drums of Change

Drums of Change by Janette Oke; Started: June 11, 2010, Finished: June 12, 2010.

It says June 12, but I had actually stayed up late, into the am hours, to finish this book, so technically the 12th, but actually I finished it the same day I started reading it.

I think this book is masterfully done.  I loved it.  It made me think, and it fit into my own life.  (in regards to the spiritual side of things... hard to explain... and for another blog, lol) 

The story follows Running Fawn, a young First Nations girl in Alberta, around the time of the signing of Treaty Seven.  You follow her from when she is little, still in the traditional way of life, when white settlers are starting to come in greater numbers, through the disappearance of the Buffalo, to settling on the reserve, being one of two sent to a Mission school, full of white children, and strange things she has never seen or had to do before.  Her pain at being seperated from her family.  Finally returning to the reservation, and... I shall say no more lest I spoil it for you ;)

You feel Running Fawn's frustration, you can (at least I did) identify with her all the way along.  It's an incredible story.  There's so much more I wish I could say, but the words elude me, it's all more of a feeling than something to put into words... just.. a really great book and well worth the read.

Quiet Places, Warm Thoughts

Quiet Places, Warm Thoughts by Janette Oke; Started: June 10th, 2010; Finished: June 10, 2010.

There's not much can be said about this book, is a short book of very short stories and a few poems.  I liked it, though the stories were too short for my preference, but I guess that's what makes a great story, wanting more.

A good quick read, with some food for thought.

Beyond the Gathering Storm

Beyond the Gathering Storm by Janette Oke; Started: June 9th, 2010; Finished: June 10, 2010

This book is a continuation of Janette Oke's Canadain West series.  Following Elizabeth and Wynn's now grown adopted children. 

I enjoyed it, as I do most of her books.  It was a bit of a switch at first to shift gears from what I have bene reading back into fiction, but by about half-way through I was into it again.



It was alright.  Not sure I could say it's one of my favourites, and I did have difficulties with the abrupt changes in folling one person to following the other.  But the story was good.

The Conscious Kitchen

The Conscious Kitchen by Alexandra Zissu; Started: June 7th, 2010; Finished: June 9th, 2010.

What a Fantastic book!  I have only two 'complaints':  That it's pretty much exclusively American information (but it makes sense for the author to write what she knows, so that's not really a big deal, a person from elsewhere, such as myself, can do outside information thanks to the internet, and a lot of it is just 'basic' stuff that can be incorporated anywhere) and that the book is, sadly, limited to just the kitchen, lol.  By the end of it, especially when it got to the large appliances and cleaning stuff, I was wishing there was more of the house.  But I Suppose the book IS called the conscious KITCHEN, lol.

This book has fantastic idea for ways to eat and live in a more healthy and Earth-friendly way.  I loved it.  It took the back burner thought of getting items from a farmer's market into something I am now going to actively do.  I've never felt comoftable buying all that processed, packaged food that's available so readily everywhere.  I enjoy baking and making healthy food, especially for my children.

There are a lot of resources included throughout the book, books to read, many MANY websites to visit, I Loved there being websites included, being a net junkie for info myself.  True most is USA related, but that shouldn't deter people.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.  I don't think you will regret reading it.  It doesn't preach, it just gives the information, no judgements made about whether you use them all or one or none.  And she's amusing (at the end of the section about bottled water: "Stop the madness!" lol I found her amusing to read anyway, which makes it even more enjoyable)

I had a hard time putting this book down once I got more and more into it.  True, I didn't read fully into the seafood chapter, but that's because I'm not much of a seafood eater, and what little I do eat (tuna, clam chowder) I'm already very careful of.

Read it.  i think anybody could get even some small thing from it, and who knows, you may even get a lot more!

Anger: Handling a Powerful Emotion in a Healthy Way

Anger: Handling a Powerful Emotion in a Healthy Way by Gary Chapman; Started: June 5th 2010; Finished: June 7th, 2010.

I finished this book in a relatively short period of time.  There was a lot of information contained.

I was able to take some things from it, but felt that it only just touched on areas, and could have been expanded upon to be really useful to a person.  It's also written in a way that's very... teacher-ish.  It felt like sitting in a lecture room listening to someone drone on.  Yes you get something out of it, but you don't feel as engaged.  At least that's how I felt.  I enjoy books that get me involved, even as just a reader, in some way, whether by posing questions I have to answer within myself as I read or in some other way.


The discussion guide at the back of the book looks to be of some use, I wish it had been incorporated into the book as you read, rather than at the end of it all.


I think as a tool for a group discussion, this would be a great book.  reading on one's own.. it's still alright, but I'm not sure you get as much out of it.

Journal Keeping ~ Writing for Spiritual Growth

Journal Keeping ~ Writing for Spiritual Growth by Luann Budd; Started: June 3rd, 2010; Finished: June 5th, 2010

When I first started reading this book it was back in jan/feb of this year, and I just couldn't get into it. So I set it aside. While cleaning I came across it again, and was going to return it to the library, but then thought I would give it a second chance, and I am SO glad I did.

Personally I am in a different place now than I was when I had first sttempted to read this book, so I think the fact that I couldn't get into it until now was a good thing, because there was so much in this book that spoke to me, that wouldn't have back then. It is a fantastic book, with so much more to it than just journalling, but it is definately excellent in that regard as well.

The following is a quote from the book that really applied to my life of late:

"What is it about good writing - fiction or non-fiction - that seems to open me to spiritual things? I think it has to do with "the story". You don't analyze, just enjoy it, it slips past the defenses and lands in your heart - it allows you to ponder, question, view the thought from different vantage points with no conclusions. With stories I draw the conclusion. I determine what it means and I am open to my maxim- they're not judgemental and I don't have to be defensive - I can let the story in and in coming in, it may change my whole way of looking at the world. Once my paradigm shifts - behaviour soon follows."

Emphasis added is mine.

There's just.. so much within this book. It is one I want to buy so I can have it on hand whenever I wish to refer back to it. I think the only way to get all you can out of it is with multiple reads. It's one of those books.

I highly recommend this book to others. Whether you plan to journal or not, but definately if you are wanting to start journally. it has some great ideas on how to make a journal something meaningful and constructive in your life. I have been journally myself for many years, and I still found useful ideas from this book.

Financial Parenting

Financial Parenting - Larry Burkette & Rick Osborne Started: June 1st, 2010, Finished: June 1st, 2010

When I started reading this book I thought it was going to be one I fought to get my way through, but as it turns out I finished it within a day.

I think everyone should read this book, weather they have kids or not. It's hard to believe it was written in the 90's, you'd think it would have that out-dated feel to it, but it's anything but.

I don't know what else I can say about this one. There was plenty of information, even 'template' ideas towards the end to get you started with your kids.

It's just a great book. find it, get it, read it!

The Church of Facebook

The church of Facebook ~ Jesse Rice; Started May 8th 2010, finished May 9th 2010

Basically, I do believe it was about relationships, and connecting, and how facebook fits into all that,

An alright book I suppose.. the footnotes commentary here and there was amusing, but annoying to have to stop where I was reading, look down, read that blurb, then return to original programming. (whould have preferred brackets, but I've never cared much for any type of footnote so...)

There was too much.. random bits of info. A story about a blind man here, story about Hubble telescope there, and personally I didn't see much connection to what the book was about. I had a feeling the worthwhile stuff would be at the end, and sadly I was right. (It would have been nice if the whole book was worthwhile stuff) The book was interesting, don't get me wrong, the little bits of info here and there were interesting in their own right, just not in context to what the book itself was to be about.

Love Comes Softly Series

Love Comes Softly Series books 1-8 ~Janette Oke; Started February 2010, finished March 2010

This series was recommended to me by a friend here in town, and she was right, I loved it. It's not an intense read, the books are short, only a couple hundred pages, so it didn't take long to get through them (it just looks like a long time, but I had a few weeks break in there when I was busy with a practicum)

The books are about a prairie farm family, from the moment when the Mother first arrives on the prairie, and has just lost her husband, and carries on through her life, the hardships, adjustments, her faith, and the lives of her children.

I found this series very... inspirational. Some of the aspects of their life, the baking, the sewing (for me, Especially the sewing, lol) gave me the motivation I needed to make some changes in the way I do things in my own life and home.

I've been reading as many of Janette Oke's books as I can get my hands on. I've just finished the Women of the West books... and in each of them I could find things to apply to my own life, and in a big way, with the faith in God that is shown throughout the books.. I sit here and think about it, and it does surprise me, I've never had an authour's work affect me this personally, and effected this much change in my outer life.

Maybe I sound a bit whacky, and that's fine, but it's true. I highly recommend this series, and any others of Oke's books you can find.