Christmas Favorites

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."     -Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States (Brainy Quotes)


Calvin Coolridge had the right attitude about Christmas. I've realized that over the years my own attitude about Christmas has changed. At Christmas I realize that I don't need anything at all. There is no object that I want or need. So why do I celebrate it? First of all, because it's a spiritual time, a time to think about the birth of Christ and to pray for world peace. Christ is peace, not war, and we must apply this to our own lives. Everywhere we look these days people are acting out on their anger and misery, causing destruction everywhere they turn. But true peace begins with a kind gesture to someone. It beckons me to be a peacemaker, to see the good in everyone, and to always hope for the best. The second reason that I enjoy Christmas is that I get to spend time with my family. With our son living in Northern Ohio and our daughter away at college for her Senior year, these moments are priceless. The time that I spend with my daughter baking Christmas cookies is my most cherished Christmas tradition, and I look forward to it so much. By the way, Lydia, I've penciled in our cookie day for Saturday, December 12, so don't plan anything else then! We love to bake, decorate, and arrange a variety of cookies. Then we divide them up among friends and put some in the freezer. You can never have too many Christmas cookies, pretzels dipped in chocolate, and pumpkin logs. Everyone seems to appreciate receiving something that is homemade.

I've read several Christmas books in the last few years, and I thought this would be a good time to share them with you. My favorite one is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. I read this book about 20 years ago and laughed all of the way through it. This little book will help you get in the true Christmas spirit. It's about some little ragamuffin children who go to the local church for the first time and want to be in the Christmas play. You can imagine what sorts of things happen when these poor, dirty kids get involved. Another great little book is Two From Galilee by Marjorie Holmes. This fictional account of the birth of Jesus gives you some things to think about as you read the real Christmas story this year. After reading this book you may want to read the sequel, Three From Galilee. Another one of my favorites is Christmas in Plains by Jimmy Carter. The Carter family celebrated the birth of Jesus in meaningful ways, always emphasizing their deep faith and reliance on Christ. I remember meeting Carter here in Durham about ten years ago when he visited The Regulator bookstore. I waited in a long line to get his autograph in several copies of his books. As the line winded down the stairs to the basement of the bookstore, I saw the secret service agents and realized that none of us were allowed to shake Carter's hand. Still, I remember that he said "Hi, thanks for coming" to me, and it was special. I was able to take some quick pictures too. I've read several of Carter's books and enjoyed them all, but I have to admit that I just couldn't get into his novel, The Hornet's Nest. I never finished that book. He was here in Durham, in fact, to promote The Hornet's Nest that was hot off the press at the time.

Some other good books for adults are Skipping Christmas (the basis of the movie, "Christmas With the Kranks"), Blue Christmas, and The Christmas Train.There are many, many more Christmas-themed books out there for us to enjoy this Christmas, so if you need a little nudge to help you get into the Christmas groove, these might help.

There are a lot of great Christmas books for children as well. All of the books that I read to my children at Christmas are still on a special shelf. Here is a list of some of our favorites:

1. Luke 2 in the Bible, the real story of Christmas
2. The Small One by Alex Walsh (it's about a boy and his beloved donkey)
3. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski (this one has to be my favorite for the beautiful story that it tells and the beautiful illustrations)
4. The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg (a MUST-READ)
5. Santa's Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki
6. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
7. Country Angel Christmas by Tomie de Paola

There are many other good books to read during the month of December, so in my next post I may add some additional books to my list. I'll also discuss the book that I started reading yesterday, The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. It's a novel about Ernest Hemingway and other writers. Thank you, DH, for loaning this book. I'm enjoying it already. I had started one of the classics that I recently bought, but I just can't "get into it" right now. If you are an avid reader, you know what I mean. I'm sure I'll get back to it soon.

There's so much to read and so little time, so I will close. Any thoughts on the books that I've discussed? What are some of your Christmas favorites? Hey, our son is now a part-time writer for www.epicstream.com so check it out! Look for Ben Hill's name. His first article is about horror films that people might like to watch this Halloween weekend. As they say, the nut doesn't fall far from the tree - this young man really likes to write.

Hey, have a great Fall weekend!

-Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
Amazon used book seller: MCH Seller

Memoirs and More

"I tell of a time, a place, and a way of life long gone. For many years I have had the urge to describe that treasure trove, lest it vanish forever. So, partly in response to the basic human instinct to share feelings and experiences, and partly for the sheer joy and excitement of it all, I report on my early life. It was quite a romp." -Mildred Kalish, author of Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression


It's a beautiful Fall day here in North Carolina, a good day to meditate on a busy week. I want to thank all of you for reading and sharing my post from last week. Some new readers read my thoughts on the life of Corrie ten Boom, the Christian who suffered horrific persecution at the hands of the Nazis in the Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany. I even had the opportunity to share the post with a man who I met in Starbucks. He started talking to me and commented that I must be working very hard, but I told him that it wasn't actually work, but it was an interest of mine, my blog. I gave him my card with the web address of my blog and felt confident that he would read my posts sometime. Some of you shared my post with your friends or family members, and I want to thank you for that as well.

Last night we had our annual Hispanic Heritage Night at our elementary school here in Durham. I can't even describe how much physical and mental work that it involved, but I had great people to work with and the event was a great success. I would guess that there were approximately 200 people present for our program and potluck meal. There was standing room only during the program, and the cafeteria was so crowded that many young people sat on the floor in the gym to eat their food. The children of our school sang songs such as "De Colores," "Bienvenidos," and "Somos el Barco" and shared information that they had learned about famous Latin Americans. There were displays of student work in the large hall as well. The projects that were shared were amazing this year and showed the great talent of our students and staff. I'm thankful that our event was a great success as we celebrated the heritage of many of the children in our school.

Now to proceed to something else that I love to talk about...books. I've been thinking about the memoirs that I've read over the years, some that are funny and some that are both funny and inspiring. Then there is the category of "memoirs that are very serious." Rhoda Janzen wrote two very funny memoirs about her life as a Christian and spiritual seeker. These books will probably make you laugh out loud. The first one that I read is entitled Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? As you can imagine, this book is hilarious as Janzen reflects on her church life, what others think of her, etc. As a church-goer myself, I have seen a lot of funny things happen in church as well, but I don't think I've had the kind of experiences that Janzen has had. Of course, it helps that she has the talent to make just about anything sound funny. Her other funny book is called Mennonite in a Little Black Dress.

Tina Fey wrote a well-known memoir called simply, Bossypants. She cannot help but be funny, so if you're looking for some laughs, this is a good one. Doris Roberts, the actress who played the mother on "Everybody Loves Raymond," has a fun memoir as well, Are You Hungry, Dear? Her book is full of funny anecdotes of things that happened behind the scenes during the production of the show. You also get a recipe at the end of every chapter. Another funny memoir that I enjoyed is Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish. I read this book in 2009 and sent an email to the author when I finished it. The book is about the childhood of Kalish as she grew up on an Iowa farm during the depression. Her family was very poor and often neglected to be an emotional presence in the lives of their children, but Kalish made it through tough times. I was very excited when Kalish responded to my email immediately. At that time she was living in a retirement community in California. If you've never corresponded with an author that you admire, I recommend it because they might actually respond. This has happened to me before as well. Little Heathens has a lot of humor, but it's not strictly a funny memoir - it's more of an "inspiring" story that has funny aspects throughout it.

Here is a list of some of the other memoirs that I recommend.:

Angela Ashes, 'Tis, and Teacher Man by Frank McCourt, the Irish immigrant.
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
My Life in France by Julia Child (she was pretty amazing!)
My Life in Orange by Tim Guest (it's about a boy who grew up in a cult)
How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill (excellent & interesting story!)
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
Swimming Across by Andrew S. Grove (one of my favorites)
An Hour Before Daylight and Christmas in Plains by Jimmy Carter (must-reads)

What memoirs can you recommend? Why did you enjoy them? A penny for your thoughts...keep reading, and keep writing.

Melissa Hill
Book Blogger: www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
Amazon used bookseller: MCH Seller

The Loud Stillness of Corrie ten Boom

"...the Lord gave Lotte a hymn of several verses, in Dutch, which she translated into German and English, and which we sang to a seventeenth century Dutch tune. Tante Corrie was so happy with it, doubtless, also, because she had been instrumental in its being written in that she had prayed for it. She liked us to sing it to her often:

"Jesus Christ alone is Victor
     now and in eternity!
In His sovereignty He reigneth,
     great in power and majesty."

I read a powerful book this weekend that has greatly encouraged me. The book, The Five Silent Years of Corrie ten Boom, is about the last few years of Corrie ten Boom's life. "Tante Corrie" as she liked to be called, was a Christian missionary and servant of Christ for the entire 91 years of life, and she became known after her miraculous release from a concentration camp during WW II. I remember hearing about Tante Corrie way back in the '70s. I believe it was around that time that I read her book, Tramp for the Lord, and soon thereafter I saw her movie, "The Hiding Place." The movie was based on her book by the same name. If you have never seen this movie, PLEASE get in from Netflix or your local library. It describes Tante Corrie's life as a watchmaker, a Christian who was always fervent in prayer for the Jews, and a person who helped her family hide many Jews in a small "closet" that they had built behind her bedroom wall. Three years ago my daughter, Lydia, and I had the opportunity to visit the home of the ten Boom family in Haarlam, the Netherlands, and I will never forget the lessons that I learned there as a born-again Jew told us all about the ten Booms.

The Five Silent Years of Corrie ten Boom begins with the author, Pamela Rosewell, thinking about her upcoming interview with Tante Corrie in her home in a suburb of Haarlam, her hometown. This unmarried British woman is about to interview with Tante Corrie for the position of companion. She knows that this will be a position that will require a lot of patience and prayer, but she doesn't realize the full extent of how this woman will change her life. At the time of the interview, Tante Corrie is at the age of 83, and Rosewell serves as her companion for the nine years until her call to heaven at the age of 91. Rosewell didn't expect to work for a woman who was so energetic at her age, yet she found that many times she couldn't keep up with this fervent Believer. They traveled together, hosted many visitors from all of the world, and shared the Gospel in airports or wherever they happened to be. Tante always carried copies of Tramp for the Lord to distribute to people who she meant along her days of travel, speeches, and writing of books. It is fair to say that Tante prayed about everything. She lifted up her hands in prayer to God, seeking His will in everything. To her, everything was worthy of bringing before the Father, and He led her all of the way. She was so driven to share the Gospel at all times. She enjoyed getting up early in the mornings to talk to Pamela about their plans. Even at her advanced age she always had many plans, plans to share her message, "Jesus Christ is victor," with everyone she encountered.

Eventually Rosewell and Tante Corrie settled in California in a home that was provided for them. After several years of traveling, writing books, and more, they continued their ministry in this suburban neighborhood where they could enjoy roses, orange trees, and the heavy traffic of constant visitors who wanted to meet her or to ask her for her prayers. Although this was Tante's final earthly home, she never saw herself as "retired." Instead, she remained very furtive in ministry even though her traveling days were over. At approximately the age of 86, Tante began to have strokes that caused her to lose her speech and some of her mobility. After her third stroke, she never spoke again. It is amazing how these days that were very trying for her and her care-givers, Tante was able to communicate somewhat through gestures or looking at things that she wanted to talk about. Even when she could not speak a full sentence, she could at times respond with the Dutch "ja!" to express that she was in favor of what was being discussed. She still closed her eyes in prayer, even though she could no longer lift her hands toward heaven.

Corrie ten Boom left this earth quietly on April 15, 1983, when she was 91 years old. She was bedridden for the last three years of life, taken care of by her faithful companion and other helpers. Everyone involved believed that God would take Tante home at the appointed time, and not before, because they could see how God continued to use her even though she was in a diminished state and unable to communicate with words. Even in death, her voice sang out, "JESUS CHRIST IS VICTOR" and people were greatly encouraged by her faithfulness. You see, Tante Corrie and her sister, Betsie, had suffered greatly in Ravensbruck concentration camp. They and their father were arrested because a traitor told the authorities that they were hiding Jews. They had always prayed for the Jews and felt strongly that they should protect them, no matter what the cost. Betsie died in Ravensbruck, but Corrie was released due to a "clerical error" that no one has ever explained. I call that a miracle of God, for He had important plans for her. For the next decades of her life she helped people who were displaced due to the war by setting up rehabilitation centers. She went on to speak to great crowds of people about hope, forgiveness, and the power of God. Her books, movies, and Bible studies leave a legacy that still encourage many people to this day.

I believe that this book about Corrie ten Boom will encourage every person who reads it. If Tante Corrie could be hopeful in all of the circumstances of her life including the years in a concentration camp, then surely I can get through my own difficulties. One of her themes that she and Betsie clung to when they were imprisoned goes something like this: "There is no pit too deep that God's love cannot reach into it." So be it. Corrie ten Boom's message is still spoken loudly for all who will hear it.

Here are the very last 11 books in my card catalog. I should start over because I've added books since I began typing this list that goes back to 1984, but I won't do that. Instead, maybe I'll come up with some other type of list, such as my favorite poems, memoirs, etc. So, drum roll please....

1. To Know Her by Lori Wick
2. Night by Ellie Wiesel
3. What is Theology? by Maurice Wiles
4. Sighing for Eden by William H. Willimon
5. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
6. A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg
7. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (one of the best novels that I've ever read)
8. Coffee Lover's Bible by Jill Yates (a gift from Rod many years ago - great fun)
9. The Shack by William P. Young
10. The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian
11. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (great book and movie)

Have a blessed day,

Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
Used book seller: MCH Seller

Bookstores: A Great Escape

Edith Wharton, author & poet
 

"We don't need a list of rights and wrongs, tables of dos and don'ts: we need books, time, and silence. Thou shall not is soon forgotten, but Once upon a time lasts forever."

 -Phillip Pullman as quoted on www.flavorwire.com.


It's a beautiful day here in North Carolina and the weather in general has been very good this week. Popping my own bubble, I checked the forecast and saw that tomorrow the rain returns once again and the high temperature will be in the 60s. Some of us haven't had a chance to work on our yards for some time now because it has been rainy on almost all of the recent Saturdays. Nevertheless, we will make the best of this one day of sunshine that we have this weekend.

This morning I stopped in our local Barnes & Noble store just to browse. I didn't see anything on the bestseller paperback shelf that interested me, so I wandered into the "classics" section as I often do. Before I knew it I had bought three classics. They were BOGO and I had a 20% off coupon plus my membership card, so I got all three books for $16. I'm looking forward to reading Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience, plus This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. While I've read a small portion of Walden in the past, I'm looking forward to reading the entire book. I had good English teachers in high school and college, but I never had the opportunity to read these recent purchases. I won't be hard on myself about that though, because I've continuously been reading other things. Incidentally, if you love to read you should see the movie "Midnight in Paris." It's a romantic comedy of sorts where some very famous artists and writers appear as characters: Picasso, Hemingway, and others. You can get this movie at your local library as we did and I'm sure you will enjoy it.

The next few days will be very busy for us. Tomorrow we're taking a day trip drive down to our daughter's college, Gardner-Webb University near Charlotte, to visit her and to watch her in the homecoming parade and half-time festivities at the football game. Lydia surprised us when she told us on Monday that she was one of four candidates for homecoming queen. Only seniors are allowed to be nominated, so apparently one of Lydia's roommates nominated her. We will leave home at
8 a.m. and should arrive back home sometime after midnight. Unfortunately, the game doesn't start until 7 pm, and we need to stay at least through half-time to see our daughter and her fiance walk out on the field. It will be a fun day. We'll go preparing to sit through rain but we will make the best of it. We're so proud of Lydia and the kind soul that she is. We haven't seen her since she returned to college in August so a visit is long overdue. Gardner-Webb University is about 3 1/2 hours by car from our house, but it's mostly interstate. Her college town only has one traffic light so the students go to Gaffney, SC or Shelby, NC when they need to shop or get gas. We've been very happy with Lydia's college experience and she will soon be a proud alumnus.

On Monday I have the opportunity to take a day trip to the N.C. mountains with a group from our church. We will depart at 8 a.m. to drive to Boone where we will drive around and see the fall foliage, eat lunch, etc. I'm looking forward to this "mini-vacation." It's been a very long time since we've been to our mountains during the fall. We're hoping for a beautiful sunny day, of course.




For over a year now, I've been sharing the list of books that I've read since 1984. Today I noticed that my list is dwindling, so I'm almost caught up on them. Here is my list for today:

1. Yesterday I Cried by Iyanla Vanzant
2. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (one of my all-time favorite novels)
3. Stuffed (Adventures of a Restaurant Family) by Patricia Volk
4. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
5. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
6. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (this one will help you live a life that is meaningful)
7. Father, Son, & Co. by Thomas J. Watson Jr. (the history of IBM written by its founder)
8. General Washington's Christmas Farewell by Stanley Weintraub
9.  Quite a Year for Plums by Bailey White
10. In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White

Have a wonderful weekend,

Melissa Hill
Book Blogger: www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
Used Bookseller on Amazon: MCH Seller

"Life is more important than death." -Thoughts of Addie Baum upon the death of her mother in The Boston Girl, 2014, by Anita Diamont.


"When they lowered the coffin into the ground, I remember thinking, She won't be able to make me feel like there's something wrong with me anymore.

But when the first clump of dirt hit the coffin, I realized that I would never stop wanting my mother to tell me that I was all right and that's when I started to cry."

These again are the thoughts of Addie Baum, the main character in The Boston Girl, a historical fiction book that I read this weekend. You may remember that Diamont also wrote The Red Tent, a popular book that I read several years ago. Diamont wrote other novels and non-fiction books as well, so she is very prolific. I'm glad that my friend, Anita, recommended this book because she understands what kinds of books that I read. There's nothing like an "old" friend of 40 years who shares your love of reading and knowledge, so I often ask Anita to recommend a book for me. I'm so thankful for Anita because she has been invested and committed to our friendship since the 9th Grade at Scott County Junior High School. We remained friends through high school, college, grad school, weddings, the births of our children, and beyond. The last time that I saw Anita was in May of 2014 when our son graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. We met at the Waffle House in the Mt. Juliet area and had a great talk. So Anita, THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU.

I got The Boston Girl from the library and read it in just a few sittings. I didn't want to put it down because the main character's life was so interesting and emotional. Addie was born in America to Jewish immigrant parents in 1900, a time of uncertainty and great difficulty for most Americans, and especially the immigrants. As I read I realized how this story brings to mind other historical novels that I've read in recent years, books such as War Brides, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street. While War Brides is about young women who lived through deplorable conditions during World War II in Europe, the others are about people who endured poor living conditions, unfair treatment, and a suppressed economy in the cities of America. I highly recommend all of these well-written books because they depict an important part of our past.

The Boston Girl begins with a chapter set in 1985, when the speaker/narrator is a grandmother. The next chapter goes back to the year 1915 when the speaker, Addie Baum, was a child. As the story begins, Addie and her family live in a one-room apartment in a Boston neighborhood that smelled of garbage. There was no indoor plumbing, and a trip to the outdoor toilet wasn't pleasant due to the filthy floors that were covered in dirt and grease. Addie was considered the "smart one" in the family so she got to go to school all the way through some of high school. She was a curious person and loved to learn. As she grew up she acquired some secretarial skills that helped her avoid some of the more severe types of work that her sister had to do. Her life at home was very difficult because her parents were constantly fighting. Her mom never said a kind word to her, as is reflected in the quote above. She desperately wanted her mother to say something positive about her, but she never heard it until her mother was somewhat delirious at the time of her death. I think there are a lot of people like this - even though a parent has hurt them so badly, they still cling to the hope that someday, somehow, somewhere, that parent will show that he/she loves the child. Although Addie didn't feel loved by her parents, she did get emotional support from her two older sisters. Yet her life was filled with sorrow and loss - she lost her sister, two nephews, and her mother too early. But at least she knew her sisters cared about her. It was through a Saturday girl's club that Addie began to feel positive about herself, and she received mentoring from the women who led the group. This was her salvation out of despair, and it made all of the difference. As the story continues, Addie works as a secretary and a newspaper journalist before she marries the love of her life, a young lawyer who genuinely cared for people and was eager to share his life with Addie. I hope you will take the time to read this book.

Here are the next ten books that I've read since 1984:

1. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
2. The Pearl by John Steinbeck
3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
4. Wild by Cheryl Strayed (a memoir - I enjoyed the movie too)
5. The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain
6. Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
7. Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler
8. Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler
9. Cabin by Lou Ureneck (nice story about a man who built a cabin)
10. Finding Grace by Liere Van

Have a great week -

Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
Seller of used books on Amazon: MCH Seller