Sunshine Days
Favorites
September has been such a beautiful month weather-wise. We've been able to sit outside & enjoy our new front porch.
It's also had its share of heartache, with friends & family members grieving the loss of loved ones. While many were reeling over the murder of a national figure, our family was grappling with if & how to tell kids about a death being brought at one's own hands. It's been a lot to process!
Reading-wise, I've read many more novels this month than in recent months. (Escapism maybe?) I came across an account on Instagram with some recommendations that fit my reading standards, so I'm adding those to my list. I also chatted with a fellow homeschool mom who gave me a couple to add. We'll see how they go!
So, here are my September reads!
If you've read Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, you will remember that Huck's companion on his journey along the Mississippi river was an enslaved Black man named Jim. James is a novel told from this man's perspective, covering some of the same events as those in Mark Twain's work, adding other events that help the reader learn more about the underlying nature & motivations of James (AKA Jim). Much of the narrative shows how James constantly forces himself to slow his speech, editing out the vocabulary that would give away his literacy. It shows the internal monologue of the smartest man in the room who knows if he showed that intelligence, it would mean death. The mental stress that enslaved people were under is probably one of the less-explored aspects of slavery. We see movies that depict the physical torture, the relational effects, the emotional turmoil. But the mental pressure--always thinking ahead, looking for danger, masking their true feelings, trying to stay ahead of their enslavers, guessing what fresh abuse they will encounter with each day--takes center stage here.
Wow! This is a really interesting look at how American politicians & leaders have been borrowing phrases from the Bible since the colonial days. From John Winthrop to Ronald Reagan, whether intentionally or not, we've been centering America's destiny in the narrative of Scripture. And we've been wrong in much of these interpretations. And many of those phrases have purposefully been used to accomplish selfish & often immoral ends. The author emphasizes the importance of not only studying the Bible for ourselves to understand the context of these verses, but she also uplifts the pivotal roles our fellow believers play in our study of Scripture. When we study with other members of our local body of believers, our Christian brothers & sisters can lovingly point out errors in how we're reading & applying God's Word. Super interesting read for those who are interested in the intersection between politics & religion & the ripple effects of how those meet.
Tyndale & I have read the Shoe books off & on over the past few years. I think this is the last of the readily-available ones. Some of it is a little outdated (figure skating is no longer about "figures" carved into the ice), but the lessons the girls learn are still valid. Lalla is a bit spoiled, being raised by a wealthy aunt who envisions her niece as a skating star. Harriet has a loving but less-than-well-off family. She has been ill & her doctor recommends figure skating as beneficial to helping her recover her strength. Lalla is used to having everything her way & that leads to trouble between the 2 girls. It's a sweet story of how these 2 girls at first simply fill holes that the other one doesn't realize they have. Eventually, they come to respect & understand each other, deepening their friendship.
This 60-day devotional was something I'd pick up if I only had a few minutes before the kids get up or if I had a few minutes extra before they got up. It's a beautifully written devotional with solid truths to carry through your day. They are convicting & edifying. This would make a wonderful gift for a Christian friend!
I saw the title of this book & immediately texted my sister. Our maiden name was Griffin, so having grown up as "the Griffin Sisters," it seemed like the perfect sister read. I'm not going to pretend that this is a squeaky clean read--it's got a scene or 2 (or 3) that you might want to skip over as well as a few swear words. Overall, the themes show the many layers of sisterhood, the price of fame or unbridled ambition, the enduring appeal of authentic talent. Zoe & Cassie are sisters; one desires fame while the other shows phenomenal musical talent. Between the 2 of them, they have the makings of a pop sensation. They're discovered one night & then the fame machine starts running away with them. Flashing between that timeline & their current life, we see how these sisters have protected each other but also hurt each other. We see how fame brought out the best & worst. I don't read much contemporary fiction, but I'm glad I read this one, especially with my sister!
I've read a book about boys by David Thomas before called Raising Emotionally Strong Boys. Having appreciated much that I learned from that book & from social media posts I see from David Thomas, I was eager to read this book. From their experiences as counselors or boys & men, both authors give their own perspective on the progression of boys from lovers to explorers & on. I'm sure that many parents of boys will tell you that their boys don't always fit into each stage or category perfectly. I also see that my 3 sons have characteristics from different stages, perhaps because of having brothers in those stages. As a somewhat regular reader of parenting books, I would say that I agree with about 90% of what I read. There will always be some of the authors' opinions that differ from your own, but overall, this is a great book for parents of boys.
From my understanding, this book is more of a collection of Tozer's writings on this topic, and was not originally intended to be published as a book. However, Tozer's writing from the earlier half of the 20th century is just as relevant for us today. Spiritual lethargy & apathy is so common. We are very much in danger of drowning in the shallow end of faith. I would encourage you to read this book if you are a believer. Even if you usually don't read Christian nonfiction, this would be a good one to pick up. It has short chapters (that I'm guessing were articles Tozer wrote over his long career in the Christian publishing ministry). While some references are bound to be outdated, the principles apply. It's a very helpful read.
Quite a few books completed this month! I mean fall is just a season made for reading, am I right?!
Are you my friend on GoodReads? I'd love to see what you're reading or recommend!
Cheering you on!
{Affiliate links are used in this post. Thanks!}
Enter your email to join the list and be among the first to hear about new shop items, special offers and blog posts.
Comments