My goal for this Christmas break was to blog about one book a day. I'm already a day behind....caused by a trip to the ER. Again. The youngest two boys were slithering like snakes under a thick blanket on the kitchen floor and somehow the youngest smacked his forehead on the corner of the kitchen island. This new scar will be a few centimeters over from the old scar also caused by crashing into the island.
The dr. gave me instructions which I could recite by memory...assess for concussions, wake child up in middle of night, no more than one episode of vomiting, do not get stitch area wet, keep band- aid on for 48 hrs, and the hardest one of all; make sure the child is inactive for the next two days to let the cut heal. wowzers.
Back to books. I finished "The Friendships of Women" yesterday and have pondered the book ever since. How do I treasure my friendships? What makes a good friend? Am I a good friend?
Author Dee Brestin, a pastor's wife, never felt settled in a new church until she had a friend. In this book she elaborates on three friendships told to us in God's word. David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi, and Elizabeth and Mary. The book is thick, full of friendship advice. We read about speaking the truth in love to our friends, relational idolatry, the women's biological need for friends, how to help your friend when she is hurting, and asking your friend for help when you are hurting. All in all I thought this was a fantastic book, complete with discussion questions at the end of each chapter. I appreciated how it made me evaluate my own friendships. I realized my deepest friendships are because of godly woman coming along side of me when our unborn son died. They followed God's leading and He used them as His instruments. I was comforted by them and challenged by their Godly example and I held on to them. Years later they are my "perennial friends" loving one another well year after year. The author also encouraged friendships with all ages learning from one another.
At times I found the author on the intense side but probably because of where she lives. In the states, moving around is more common than where I live. Friendships become long distance, and new friends are sought out. The author is passionate about friendships and this draws her intensity out. The book is still worth reading.
Poor Caleb! Did you have any luck at all keeping him quiet???
ReplyDeleteYikes about the ER visit. I slightly feel your pain our 2016 has not been a great start either. First day back at school our birthday boy (Gr. 2) got a gash in the back of his head before school even started. Next day I pick up the kids so that the one that cut hurt the day before didn't have to have his head bounced around on the bus (concussion) only to find his little brother (Gr. 1) with a huge welt on his entire left cheek. Needless to say I was a little worried about how Wednesday would go :P
ReplyDeleteI love all of your book reviews. I just finished one that I received from my late Opa's book collection, "The Occupied Garden" by Kristen denHartog and Tracy Kasaboski. It really opened by my eyes to the dutch occupation and the impact it had on the lives of those who lived through it. Maybe a little bit of a slow start, but I think you will enjoy it.
Ericka