The only thing holding me back from finishing this book was the Book Discussion on it that I was trying to host. ::snort:: I didn't have time to write chapter summaries. I finally decided to finish reading it. Please let me know if chapter summaries would be useful to you and if so - I will write them. If you'd like to discuss this book further - we can. There are links to various chapters in the side bar of this blog. We can also discuss ways to make future book discussions more beneficial.
I may eventually write a seperate entry and expand these thoughts but I have a few thoughts to share. First, God does speak through the Holy Spirit using Christian authors. However, there can be so many voices in our lives (friends, authors, Bible Study authors, pastors, teachers) each sharing THEIR perspective, THEIR study, THEIR opinions that the contrasting voices can mute the voice of God in my life. Years ago I decided to learn how to study to Word for myself and to marinate in THAT word before all the other written words I was consuming. I've always been a voracious reader. About two years ago I did begin to read more Christian non-fiction authors.....and I'm glad I had spent the time to deeply know the word before I began. LOL
This is a book that "speaks my thoughts". Every once in a while you find a book like that. Sally has a heart for parenting/mothering that clearly shines in this book. She portrays motherhood as a calling and a ministry. She clearly outlines HOW we can minister to our children. I believe this book would benefit all mothers. Really. The concept of seeing motherhood not as a "job" but as a "ministry and calling" is BIG. It will change the way you order your daily life, the choices you make for activities, the stamina you have etc.
Sally does use the Scripture well and soundly - I appreciate that.
The only thing I don't like about Sally's books is that sometimes her portrait of her family comes off overly sweet....but then I've heard that they really are a sweet family. LOL Certainly, those few times when I involuntarily rolled my eyes and thought "sure your 15 year old son said it just like that" were not often enough to take away from the worth I felt in reading this book.
This is another fall reading book.
2 comments:
Great points. Growig up I did not usually feel like a "gift from the Lord" - more like a an added JOB for my poor mom who my dad left when I was young. When I got married I wanted kids, but little did I realize my upbringing made me too view them as a job, rather than a gift. It took a lot of pain, mistakes, and finally, thakfully, turning to the Lord to teach me how to be the Mom I always wanted and to have the family I always dreamed about . . . .
Vail - I changed my email signature line recently (I do that fairly often) to a quote from Charles Spurgeon: "A job is a choice; a ministry is at Christ's call" and I was thinking mostly of motherhood when I did so. This has been a thought that has been big in my life for the last couple of years....before that it was big in principle but I'd not severely cut things out of my life to make it as big as it needed to be in practice. KWIM? It's been painful but good a GOOD PRUNING! LOL
Post a Comment