This is my second time reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, so I won't review it all over again. Here's my first impression of the book: Uncle Tom Review. I decided to re-read it, now that we're naming our first daughter after one of the most redeeming characters from the story--Evangeline. As a keepsake for our birth mom, we will be giving her a copy of the book with highlighted portions that exhibit what we love about Evangeline's personality. We will also be giving her a Jordy Nelson jersey, since that's another interesting aspect of our adoption story. We're hoping they will be a sweet reminder for her of the sacrifice she made for her daughter.
Ally's #40: "What to Expect When You're Expecting" by Murkoff & Mazel
This book is so jam packed with information, it would be easy for a newly pregnant mom to be overwhelmed and driven to fits of anxiety over all of the possible things that could go wrong. After skimming through and intentionally skipping over all that did not directly apply to my situation (i.e. smoking, STDs, twins/triplets, etc), I found that my favorite part of the book was the monthly breakdowns. The sections were a quick read, but incredibly interesting in the details provided about the development of the baby, as well as what changes you could anticipate in your body. I'm a very visual person, so it was fun to be able to compare the growth of the baby to commonly known fruit. I can't speak to the quality of previous editions, but it seems like the authors have put a significant amount of time into making this edition an easy and jovial read. I found it to be a good balance of seriousness and helpful terminology with humor to keep the mood light.
One quick caveat for dads interested in reading--part 5, entitled "Dad's Are Expectant, too" is pretty bogus. I read it to Jim and was laughing out loud at how ridiculous it was. This is the gist of what is says: "Your wife is going to be a cranky wench, but she has every reason to behave however she wants, and you need to bend over backwards, walk on eggshells, and bring her warm milk and muffins before bed so she doesn't kill you in your sleep." Dads, read the other stuff with your wives, and only read the section directed at you specifically for a good laugh.
Ally's #39: "How to Read the Bible Book by Book" by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart
This is a pretty phenomenal sequel to How To Read the Bible For All It's Worth. When I first started planning for my chronological Bible class, I was under the very wrong impression that there was nothing available for me to use as a text book for my class. So, my plan was to try to simplify the 66 book intros found in my ESV Study Bible. Duh, there's no need to reinvent the wheel! I'm so grateful I found this just in the nick of time.
Again, I appreciate Fee/Stuarts down-to-earth writing style, intermingled with great insights into the big picture of each book in the Bible. The synopses are brief (3-4 pages), and also include sections that break down the book by section. I've recommended to my students that if they struggle seeing the forest for the trees (usually, my biggest issue), the section break down can help them to refocus.
This book will be next to me from now on whenever I study my Bible.
Ally's #38: "How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth" by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stewart
Holy moly, it's been a long time since I've posted! I fell of the radar right about the time we were asked to be adoptive parents to a sweet baby girl. I'm going to do my best to get caught up, and will also be posting some preemptively (nearly done reading), as my leisure time is about to vanish :)
I had the pleasure of reading this book over the summer in preparation for a chronological Bible class I am teaching at Fort Riley. I can't even explain how incredibly helpful it has been in giving me the big picture of how to approach each genre found in Scripture according to its particular literary features. I now feel like I have a very strong grasp on the importance of and differences between exegesis and hermeneutics. I really liked Fee and Stuart's writing styles, but the only parts that I was tempted to gloss over were the portions of practical application where they walk step-by-step through portions of Scripture. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it read a little slow for me.
I'm a bullet-point kinda girl, so the lists the authors offered as a recap of the main points they made in each chapter were incredibly helpful. These brief lists made it easy for me to pass on this information to my students. Some of the ladies in my class have never read through the Old Testament before, and what Fee/Stuart shared was accessible and easily understood. I love that you don't have to be a seminary student to get a lot of this book!
Ally's #36: An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The fifth and final book of L'Engle's quintet was pretty great. My favorite is still book three, in spite of its minor annoyances. An Acceptable Time is about Meg Murray-O'Keefe's daughter, Polly. Polly is on break from high school, a place unable to adequately stimulate her brain, to visit her grandparents at the historic Murray ranch. Her days passed quickly, studying under her grandparents, swimming, chatting, and taking strolls around the property.
It seems the conversations that fill the Murray household are always super intellectual in nature. Whether it be about microcosms, macrocosms, time travel, or the like, it seems challenging for this family to ever just talk about run-of-the-mill things. A neighbor and friend, Bishop Colubra, has discovered ancient stones dating around 1000 B.C. on their adjoining properties. He's somewhat alarmed when he learns that Polly and her friend, Zachary, have run into strangers on the land that is to be off-limits to the public. He's alarmed because a secret he has been trying to keep from his more pragmatic sister and friends (the Murray's) is about to be revealed.
To make a long story short, there are overlapping rings of time that are allowing people from both ends to cross over, either 3000 years before or after their time. The big question that remains hanging until the end of the story is for what purpose this time overlap has been allowed. Is it to bring peace to the native tribes that once lived there? Is it to give Bishop Colubra greater faith? Is it to teach Polly the sacrifice and courage it takes to save someone else? Is it to teach her friend, Zach, that money can't buy everything and that the world doesn't revolve around him, even if he is dying of a bad heart? To all these questions and more, I heard a resounding "yes" at the end of the story. It was a rather interesting resolution. We don't always know or understand God's purpose in things, but we can trust that He always has one, and that it's good. On the flip side, for those who don't know God and are unwilling to trust Him, what is scary in life can become all the more frightening.
Ally's #37: The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus by John Cross
In preparation for teaching this upcoming semester through PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) on Fort Riley, I was asked to read this book. Pretty much from the start, it wasn't my favorite. Part of it was my problem, and part of it was the author.
The goal and purpose of this book is to give a broad overview of the entire Bible and squeeze it into 275 pages. Not an easy task. It took me several chapters to force myself into a readjusted perspective that this tool could be helpful in reaching cultures wholly unfamiliar with Christ, Christianity, and the Bible. I could see portions of it being helpful in explaining certain concepts to new believers, but I would do so with caution, always emphasizing that what is in this book is simplified, and that the real meat and substance is found in Scripture.
I also found myself irritated with the author's oversimplification of certain Bible characters or historical events. He also threw in random tidbits that I thought detracted from the goal and focus of the book. For example, in a chapter that deals with atonement, Noah, and Babel, he writes:
At least part of Heaven will be occupied by a large city. It has been calculated that if only 25% of the city was used, 20 billion people could be accommodated with plenty of room to spare. This city is called the New Jerusalem.
Say what?! Of course, there were no footnotes, so there was nothing I could refer back to to see what these "calculations" were based on. After this point, I struggled not to shut down mentally and just criticize the rest of the book.
The one chapter I made it through without putting question marks in the margins was the chapter on the Tabernacle, the unbelief of the Israelites, and the period of Judges, Kings, and Prophets. The latter portion was the most helpful, and is something that I will refer back to when my chronological Bible class gets to the portions of Scripture that deal with this time period. I also love the 2-paged family tree at the end of this chapter, that traces Jesus' lineage all the way from Adam and Eve. It highlights important historical events, like the splitting of the Northern and Southern kingdoms, the prophets, the kings, and various empires. It would almost be worth it to buy this book just for this map, but I'm still glad I got it for free.
The final two chapters are a serious plea to the reader to place his/her faith in Christ. Chapter fourteen begins with a recap of the entire book, and chapter fifteen outlines the believers responsibilities, obstacles to faith, and resources for building one's relationship with God.
Again, not my fave, but that certainly doesn't mean God can't use it for His glory.