The Lord hath showed me the vanity of these outward things. That they [...]]]> Written by a woman who had been captured by Indians and seen her youngest child (6 years old) die a slow lingering death from a gunshot wound and spent several months nearly starving in captivity until she and her remaining 2 children were redeemed:

The Lord hath showed me the vanity of these outward things. That they are the vanity of vanities, and vexation of spirit, that they are but a shadow, a blast, a bubble, and things of no continuance. That we must rely on God Himself, and our whole dependance must be upon Him. If trouble from smaller matters begin to arise in me, I have something at hand to check myself with, and say, why am I troubled? It was but the other day that if I had had the world, I would have given it for my freedom, or to have been a servant to a Christian. I have learned to look beyond present and smaller troubles, and to be quieted under them. As Moses said, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14.13). (Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, final paragraph)

I [...]]]> Seriously, if you haven’t read any of the 8 or so noves by Jasper Fforde, then you’re missing out. I have never seen an imagination so bizarre, and yet oddly educated and strangely enthralling. I’m sure it’s not for everybody, but I think that if you love to read novels, you should give these a try!

I just finished Shades of Grey, Mr. Fforde’s newest novel, and it was a hoot. Maybe a little harder to get a grip on in the beginning than some of his other ones, but very worth the effort. It’s about a young man coming of age in a bizarre future world where everybody is colorblind in some way (some can see red, some blue, some yellow, some two colors, but nobody can see the full spectrum), and the society is entirely run by those who have the highest perception of their own particular color, rather than those who are the smartest, most worthy, most educated, most well-bred, or any other way societies are usually organized – all according to the Rules of Munsell, handed down after the Something That Happened wiped out the previous civilization, many, many years in our future. Eddie Russett (an untested, but highly perceptive Red) gets sent out to the boonies to do a Chair Census as a penalty for a minor prank – the boonies are much more complicated than he anticipates, however, and he soon finds himself embroiled in a number of plots, ranging from minor medicinal color smuggling, to helping unsuitable couples elope, to trying to break the hold of the Head Office over the entire civilization and change life as he knows it. It’s the first novel in a series, and I am eagerly anticipating the next installment.

For my book group here in Oregon I am reading The Book of Margery Kempe an autobiography by a medieval mystic. Here’s an example:

Then it was our Lady’s turn to speak with me, [...]]]> I feel like I’m in school again. Currently I am reading not one, not two, but three “big” books of the harder, good-for-you variety.

For my book group here in Oregon I am reading The Book of Margery Kempe an autobiography by a medieval mystic. Here’s an example:

Then it was our Lady’s turn to speak with me, in my soul: “Daughter, you are well blessed, for my son Jesus will flood you with so much grace that all the world will sing your praises. Be not ashamed, dear daughter of mine, to receive these gifts which my son will give you. Never be ashamed, dear daughter, of him who is your God, your Lord, your love……

Margery endured much “shame and criticism” because when Jesus visited her with “much grace” she inevitably wept, sobbed, and frequently cried out in an incredibly loud voice, sometimes thrashing about on the floor. Oddly enough, she didn’t seem to be very popular among her neighbors and fellow pilgrims. I’m supposed to finish it by early February.

My next book is St. Augustine’s Confessions, which I’m reading with my friend Mystie. It’s a good thing we’re planning on taking all of 2010 to read it, because it’s a huge book, and so far (although I’m only 24 pages into it!) cannot be described as “a real page turner.”

And last but not least, in the spirit of “It’s time to really set our nose to the grindstone and DO this homeschooling thing,” I’m attempting Volume 6 of A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason.

Commonly we let reason do its work without attention on our part, but there come moments when we stand in startled admiration and watch the unfolding before us point by point of a score of arguments in favour of this carpet as against that, this route in preference to the other, our chosen chum as against Bob Brown; because every pro  suggested by our reason is opposed to some con  in the background.

A little thick perhaps. And there’s plenty more where that came from: 5 more volumes, in fact.  Miss Mason’s ideas and insights are worth slogging through, I think: her idea of what the point of education is, developing children’s personhood for their lifelong benefit, appeals to me, as do her simple and no-nonsense sorts of teaching “techniques.” But it’s not exactly a book I want  to reach for when a spare moment arises.

So, wish me luck.

And would somebody please recommend a good novel?!!!!