Light Fare

I am grateful for the responses from yesterday about your “catapult” into reading. Because I never read much as a child, I missed out on the whole Little House series. Last year, believe it or not was my first time reading through the entire series, and I think it is wonderful. I have a whole new commitment to reading them to my children after seeing your response in yesterday’s comment box.

The Little House books are an extremely easy, yet entertaining read. Light reading is a wonderful way to get into the habit of reading. I think it was Briana who asked about books to just “veg” with instead of t.v. and the following are my answers to her question. Notice they are mostly in a series…I love to get hooked into a series an then read book after  book.

The Little HouseSeries by Laura Ingalls Wilder. No need to continue here, but the whole pioneer thing is extremely fascinating to me.

The Anne Series by L.M. Montgomery. If you have seen the amazing movies, you really should try reading the books. The first movie is very close to the first book, but the second movie barely resembles the next three books. Find out what happens to our favorite spunky red headed orphan as she teaches, goes to college, and eventually marries Gilbert and has five children. Then read about her children in Rainbow Valley and Rilla of Ingleside. Little bit of warning here: these are books geared toward pre-teens. You may find that Anne is a bit too perfect by book 3 or 4. Still, the colorful characters, amazing descriptions, and even the quintessential Anne make for a fantastic read. I literally go through these almost every year.

The Mitford Series by Jan Karon. What could possibly be interesting about the life of an unmarried sixty year old Episcopalian priest? You will be surprised to find yourself loving Father Tim as well as his parishioners and friends in the sleepy little town of Mitford. There is a wholesome little romance, a bit of mystery, and at some point in every novel – the gospel. That said, these are not Christian books, but they are truly wholesome. The best description of these books is that the author does an amazing job portraying the beauty of everyday people living everyday life.

Stepping Heavenwardby Elisabeth Prentiss. This is one of my all time favorite pieces of fiction…yes, it is fiction. The journal like format could be misleading, but this isn’t the life of Elisabeth Prentiss, it is her insightful story (I am sure heavily based on her own experience) of a woman who over time is transformed from a typical teen to an extremely godly woman. I love watching the evolution of Katherine. This book has a way of inspiring me to want to grow in godliness. It really is a very edifying book…but still a very easy book to read.

There you have it…my Light Fare recommendations. What are you favorite “veg” books? What books in a series do you recommend? Be sure to tell a little bit about why you love them. I just have the latest Mitford book to read, so I’m looking for a new series to begin. Thanks ahead of time.

The Catapult

My catapult into a love for reading was Victorian classics. These are girly books for the most part. What sets them apart for me is the travel back in time and theinsight into human character these writers had. Whether it was in the disclosure of a thought, a witty exchange, or simply a description of a dress these writers make me say, “Oh…I know exactly what she means!” “I know a girl just like her!” or “This is me!”  If they add insight and not just relevance, even better. As you can see character, setting, and theme take precedence over plot for me. As far as plot goes, I like it to unfold so subtly that it almost goes undetected while you get lost in the lives of the characters.

A few of my favorites are:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. This book has a very slow beginning, but there is a fantastic twist that is worth persevering for. Come now, who can resist a wholesome love affair between a plain governess and her dashing older master?

Wuthering Heightsby Emily Bronte. Okay, this is not my favorite, but it is so different from the other Victorian writers of the time I have to suggest it. It is very dark. Keep in mind if you read it that the story is told by the biased old governess who loved Heathcliff and hated Katherine. It may help you gain more perspective as you read…otherwise, you just hate Katherine and give Heathcliff sympathy he doesn’t deserve.

Middlemarchby George Elliot (who is a woman, by the way). This is my all time favorite novel. It basically examines the dynamics of a fictional town in Victorian England from the highest of aristocracy to the lowest peasant. The beauty is how all of these lives that begin as random vignettes come together in the end. This novel is not for the beginner. Not that it’s too hard, but it takes serious plodding through (totally worth the effort). Can I get a witness?

Anna Karinina, by Leo Tolstoy. This book reads a bit like a soap opera. The difference is that when the characters make poor choices, they suffer serious consequences. I love that Tolstoy doesn’t romanticize sin. He shows the corrupting effect sin has on the lives of individuals. But he also shows hope as a character who was grievously sinned against is able to forgive. This is another novel that requires a bit of perseverance and commitment. The hard part is keeping the characters straight. You will find that at some point you know exactly who is who…hang in there.

Any of the Jane Austin novels. If you like the movies, you will love the novels. I enjoy being transported to a different time in history with all of its elegance and formality, and still feeling like these could be girlfriends of mine. And while there are similarities between the Austin novels (young girl falls in love, gets thwarted in love, and is married in the end) I find them each unique and equally engaging. My favorites are Emma and Pride and Prejudice.

Reading is a subjective experience. We bring to a novel our own personalities, preferences, and life experience. This means what is a fantastic read for me may not be interesting to you at all. For example, I don’t like fantasy. I have tried….really hard. That whole “willing suspension of disbelief” that is crucial for enjoying fiction doesn’t happen for me with a fantasy novel. (I am so sorry all of you Tolkien fans. I know this feels very personal to you .)

My suggestion is this: try a book, any book you think you might be interested in reading, and if you don’t like it after a couple of chapters, put it down. Yes, you heard me…don’t finish it. I hear certain ones of you grating under this, but really – you don’t have to finish a book just because you started it. Move on to something else.

What was your catapult? And even if it was the Dr. Seuss books at age four, I’d love to hear!

Learning to Love Reading

I haven’t always been a reader. I was never a “book worm” as a child, and in fact, even though I have a degree in English, I really did not cultivate a habit for reading until the end of my college education.

My husband was never a reader either. Now, since we’ve been married, he has become a rather prolific reader and thought I should write something on my blog about how both of us learned to love reading. Maybe it will help a few of you out there who want to be readers, but either don’t have time or inclination to pick up a book and jump in.

Probably the single most important thing I can offer is this: begin by reading what you are interested in. So often we hear about all of these amazing spiritual books and think we must begin reading here. This is a goal of sorts, but my experience is that you will get there eventually, but don’t necessarily start there. Well chosen fiction, or books about topics that you just kind of want to know more about are a place to begin.

What is now a love and commitment to reading began for me with Jane Eyre. I moved from one Bronte sister to the next and read Wuthering Heights. I began to make my way through every classic I could get my hands on. Contrary to popular belief these books are not hard to read, and they are classics for a reason. I also read the Anne of Green Gables series about once a year, as well as the Little House books, and my new light reading choice of late is the Mitford books.

My husband began his reading passion with historical fiction by Jeff Shaara, and Randy Alcorn’s fiction. He almost always chooses something connected to history. He went through his Theodore Roosevelt phase a few years back reading five biographies of his life. Right now he is reading Mayflower. Okay, so what floats one person’s boat may not float another’s. That’s the point: find what you like reading.

How does reading Anne of Green Gables or a biography of Theodore Roosevelt help in a cultivation of reading? The more you read, the faster you read. The more you read, the more adventurous you are in going to new territories to read. Jason and I both read fiction, biographies, non-fiction, and spiritual books. This is not meant to be a boast in our reading habits, it is just to say that even those of us who didn’t grow up as readers can cultivate a habit to read good books, you just may want to begin with reading what you enjoy rather than force yourself to use your reading time for something overtly spiritual.

That said, the most important reading I do outside of the Bible is spiritual reading. I love being exposed to writers who stretch my thinking about God. I love reading about ways to grow in Biblical Womanhood. I consider these books some of my best friends and counselors. So, though I recommend beginning with whatever you just simply enjoy…it is so valuable to persist until a habit for reading spiritual books is in place.

One last thing, you are probably thinking, when do you have time to read? Jason and I read before bed every night. It may be for an hour, or it may be for five minutes, but no matter what we read before we fall asleep. You would be amazed what even fifteen minutes per nght will accomplish. This is pretty much the only time I take for reading in the season I am in. If it is a spiritual book, I read it after my Bible reading in the morning (usually) and “chew” very small pieces at a time.

Later I may post a few suggestions for books that made me love reading. I’ll post some of Jason’s favorites as well.

When I Grow Up…

I want to be like this.

Dazzled By God

What I wrote yesterday is related to a wonderful teaching by Ted Tripp entitiled Dazzled by God from a series called A Case For Kids that he and his brother, Paul recorded. The teachings begin with a biblical framework for parenting, continue by addressing goals of parenting various age groups, and end with this fantastic teaching on the importance of helping our worshiping children behold the glory of God. The last teaching is my favorite.

Tedd Tripp wrote Shepherding a Child’s Heart which is an outstanding parenting book. The audio series  Case for Kids contains similar content, but the advantage is you can listen to it while you do the dishes, tidy the familyroom, etc.

One last thing, this book and this teaching will have a wonderful way of ministering to you, and helping you “shepherd your own heart” in addition to envisioning and equipping you to do the same for the precious children God has blessed or will bless you with

Future Worship Leader

Generally, I won’t be your go-to girl for parenting advice. My shortcomings in mothering help confirm that if there is ever an area I should not try to “teach” about it is about how to raise children. Trust me, this isn’t false modesty.

I am so grateful for the various “go-to” folks around me, as well as those who have written insightful books or given helpful teachings on the topic. And while I am hesitant to critique parenting counsel coming from a Christian source, I find it important to be discriminating about which counsel to heed and apply.  Last week I read a Q & A where the counselor answered a question concerning a chronically discontent 9 year old son (prone to grumbling, complaining, always wanting something more), by seeking to persuade the mother that returning to a better time when children had meaningful hard work was the answer to her son’s problem. There is a measure of truth here, but still – I got to thinking…

One of my children in particular sounds a bit like the son described in the Q & A. This is the child who on the way home from two hours at Chuck E. Cheese will ask if we are now going to get ice-cream. He tends to want the latest and greatest Lego ship, Bionicle, Attack-tics, etc. He gets bored, and with a built in playgroup (two brothers in his age group).  It’s not that the others don’t struggle with these things, it’s just that he is amazingly persistent and vocal about it. Of course, were he to obtain the object of his desires, the novelty would be gone in mere days. My husband and I have sought to deal with this area in my son’s life by emphasizing the cultivation of contentment and gratitude. And believe me when I say that his struggles are extremely familiar to me.

But there is something else to see in my child’s heart. Maybe the fact that he isn’t easily satisfied could work to his benefit. We have heard the C.S Lewis quote that says something to the effect that the problem is that we are too easily satisfied with inferior pleasures. So a child who isn’t easily satisfied with Chuck E. Cheese, legos, etc. is perhaps better postured to see his hungry soul’s need for satisfaction in God. Perhaps this child’s capacity to worship is a bit greater than others…it’s the object of this passionate worship that must be addressed.

So as I attempt to shepherd my child’s heart through his cravings that seem insatiable, it is important that I direct Him to the all-satisfying One. If I only deal with this child’s ingratitude and discontent, I might miss the opportunity to direct his desires to be satisfied in Christ. Am I showing Him this beautiful, all-satisfying God? Am I thinking throughout the day when my heart is stirred about the character of God, to share this with my kids? I want them to see Him. I want them to behold His glory in His word, and also in the midst of life. How I long for all of my children to be captivated by the glory of God and live their lives in worship to Him.  I want to pray that God will do what only He can do: open my children’s eyes to see Him, to see the all-satisfying beauty of the Savior.  My heart burns for this.  When I look with eyes of faith at this boy of mine, I don’t just see the discontent and ingratitude that needs to be addressed, I see the hungry heart of a future worship leader.

Cake Decorating 101: the icing on the cake!

Before I begin, let’s talk about icing. Here are few things to know:

1. Even though you can get clear vanilla extract from Wilton in order to keep your icing pure white, I prefer the taste of 100% pure vanilla extract.

2. When making a cake like this, it is harder to work with real butter in the icing. I have tried it many times, but it just doesn’t work as well as the crisco.

3. I use the Wilton professional butter cream icing recipe. It’s available online.

Decorating the cake:

1. Begin with a crumb coat. (picture far left) after icing the top of your bottom layer and stacking your cakes, cover the entire cake in a thin layer of icing. This is to catch all of the crumbs so that your second coat it pure white.

2. Generously ice a second time. Try to get the icing as smooth as possible with the spatula.

3. Use a viva paper towel (must be Viva, cloth-like with no dimples) to smooth your wrinkles and cracks out of the icing. (second photo)

4. I used a shell border around the base and top of the cake. I can’t give directions briefly enough here, so you may want to visit the Wilton website. Other easier options would be just a simple “ball” border. You need a rather large holed tip to pipe these, but they’re very easy. Also, when I was less consistent with my piped borders, I just used candy to line the base of the cake (skittles, m&m’s, etc).

5.  I used a suncatcher from the children’s craft section at wal mart for these flowers. I just pressed them gently into the icing and filled in the lines from the imprint with piping ge.

6. write your message. As you can see from photo#4 – I am not great at writing! But I keep on trying .

Ask questions if any of this is unclear. You can find thousands of websites that walk you through this in a more comprehensive way. I just thought I’d let you in on the fact that it’s easier than people realize to decorate a cake!

Cake Decorating 101: The Cake

Years back my friend Kathy and I took a Wilton cake decorating class. It was really fun, but if you don’t have time or money to attend a class, I’ll pass on the helpful hints on how to do a simple decorated cake.

1. Success begins with the cake. A firm cake is easiest to work with (both for handling and for decorating). I combine a pound cake with a regular box cake mix. You can use a box pound cake mix, but your favorite pound cake recipe will taste better. The box cake ensures moistness…you simply can’t beat a box cake for this! Also, a white or yellow cake mix is best for beginners because of the crumb factor…I’ll talk about this later when we get to icing the cake. If you are combining a chocolate cake mix with your favorite pound cake recipe, you will need to add cocoa and vanilla so that the cake stays dark brown and chocolaty.

2. Over-fill your cake pans. The goal is to get the cake to rise above the rim of the pan (without over flowing into the bottom of your oven) so that you can cut the top off, and have a thick layer for your cake. (I fill a little above 3/4 of each pans). Also, the Wilton cake pans tend to be deeper and this makes a prettier cake.

3. Let your cake sit for 15 minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto foil or your surface of choice. Let them cool completely. They will be easily picked up to place on your serving dish, because of the sturdiness of the pound cake. If you want to torte your layers (cut them in two across the middle to create four layers of icing) you may want to freeze the cake. They are much easier to cut when frozen. Torting makes the cake taller, and obviously increases the icing to cake ratio. Because I prefer the cake to the icing, I don’t often torte the cakes. My exception is for the topsy turvy cake because I’m going for as much height as possible. (It also makes for a prettier slice).

*The picture above is my cake with it’s top cut off. The kids love cake top! It is the best part of the cake.

Rambling and Random

Now if that’s not a compelling title, I don’t know what is!

First, I want to explain why I haven’t been writing much lately. My children are at summer camp during the day all week and it gives me precious time to meet with ladies, get ready for school, and do some organizing around the home-front. without my precious little distractions.  So that’s what I’ve been up to on the days following the conference.

Second, I wrote a lengthy reflection on the Worship Conference but it disappeared when I refreshed my computer. So I am just going to say that because all of us are worshippers by nature (if not of God than of some created thing), the teachings from the main sessions are highly relevant, and worth purchasing the set for. My top picks if you are looking for something easily applicable to wife and motherhood are Bob Kauflin’s teaching on Pursuing the Active Presence of God. Most helpful in Bob’s teaching for me was the first section on cultivating “desperate dependence” on God.  A whole group of moms just thought, “yeah, desperate dependence…that’s about right!”   Also, Randy Alcorn’s extremely practical (if you can believe it) teaching on Heaven, is a must as well. It provides a more concrete view of heaven, as well as connects our lives here to what the Bible says about our future.  Finally, and perhaps my personal favorite was a workshop by Don Shorey called Igniting Your Passion for God. Don defines passion, helps us discern our passions, then shows how to pursue passion for God by walking us through a passage in Isaiah.

If you haven’t heard, Steve and Vikki Cook recently released a cd called Before the Throne of various songs they have written sung by Vikki. All I can say is that when I find myself sobbing during a worship song, chances are it has been written by this gifted couple. The new album has a soothing feel to it. It includes wonderful songs like Before the Throne, O Wondrous Love, a cool Nickel Creek-ish version of Lord, You’re So Good To Me, and a few new songs that are absolutely wonderful. My kids were silent the entire way to camp as we listened to it on Monday…now if that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is.

Finally, I have a little “helpful hint” to pass along. I like using a table cloth at the dinner table, but don’t like washing it every time we have dinner. I find the vinyl cloths lacking for decor.  I couldn’t find a high quality clear table covering anywhere. There were really thin ones at the dollar store, but I knew they would only last a day or two with my group. I think it was my sister who recommended a clear shower curtain. I put my lovely table cloth on first, cover it with my shower curtain and voila! it works like a charm. I get the beauty of a cloth table covering with the wipe-ability of a vinyl one.

So there you have it! Seriously random, and definitely rambling.

Worship God’06?

Bob and I go way back. When I was about 15 he came to our house with Mr. Detwiler and my proud mother announced to Mr.Kauflin, “our daughter Laurie plays the piano…Laurie, play a little something for Mr. Kauflin” I tried to communicate telepathically to her which I assumed would be no problem since she freakishly knows what I’m thinking all of the time. My thoughts were, “Mom, this is Bob Kauflin, you know, of GLAD…the group you hear on the radio!!!” I think I tried for a few minutes to get out of it, but there is no use going up against a doting mother who had no idea what my real skill level was. So, I played fur elise for Bob Kauflin. He was very gracious, I’m sure – but I’ve blocked most of this experience out due to the humiliation of it all.

So, I’m going to see Mr. Kauflin again…this time to hear him, thank goodness! I am looking forward to good teaching and good fellowship. Don’t know if I’ll blog at all while I’m there, but if you’re interested in following along Tim Challies is live blogging the conference. If you’ve never read a live blog, you are in for quite an experience. He is amazing at it.