The Christian Encounters:J.R.R. Tolkien by Mark Horne is a short, easy to read in an afternoon book. It gives a through overview of the life of Tolkien, without dwelling too long on any one area. A unique feature is that it ties in the potential and real relationship of Tolkien’s life to that of his storylines in his most famous publications, The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings. Most of the information appears to be drawn from several previously written biographies, but there is a bit of speculation throughout by the author himself. The end, following Tolkien’s death, is a little bit too much of a commentary in relating his influence on the more modern fantasy stories such as Harry Potter and Dungeons and Dragons; and while that may be true, given the controversy of those stories within the Christian realm, I think a few more references may be appreciated. I did enjoy learning more of his relationship to CS Lewis, however. Having personally read both of Tolkien’s most famous stories, but never a published account of Tolkien’s life, I found this book to be a wonderful insight, and enjoyed knowing more of his Christian background and how it may have played into his stories. This is also a great reference for young people who may just now be discovering the wonderful world of the shires.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Psst....I'm tired of waiting for "Someday"....
I want to redo my kids bathroom...
I want to hang current pictures....
I want to play games with my kids more...
I want to stop working at 5ish like it's a normal job...
I want to start exercising every day again...
I want to lose the weight I've been saying I would lose since my last baby.
I want to know what it's like to be a skinny minny! (within the reasonable range that I can be with a body that's born 4 kids...
I want to be a gardener.
I want to take more pictures of my daily!
I want to organize my files online!
I want to redo my kids playroom!
I want to wake up early, and grab hold of the promises God offers.
I want to go deeper that I ever have with Him.
I want to stop feeling guilty for stuff that really has nothing to do with me!
I want to LIVE the FREEDOM my Jesus promised! (And figure out what that means!)
Saturday, July 2, 2011
A Place Called Blessing by John Trent & Annette Smith
A Place Called Blessing
A Place Called Blessing is about a young man who has lived a life of difficulty, and lived under the false presumption that it is a result of his own actions rather than seeing the truth of it as an unfortunate result of accident. Therefore, when taken into a family who loves him more unconditionally than he realizes, he begins to understand what true blessings are, and the powerful impact of love, and ultimately, forgiveness.
It was a simple story, a very easy read, a little gripping. As a novel, I desired more to it; but knowing it was more an illustration of a spiritual lesson being taught based on John Trent’s Book The Blessing, I can honestly assume that it fulfills that purpose. However, if I am looking for a novel to just sit and enjoy without pondering the deeper lessons, I do not recommend this book. If you are looking for a simple read, even one to share with your family, this is a great book. If you are familiar with John Trent’s The Blessing, which I am not, then I am assuming that this would be a wonderful supplement to that teaching. At the end, there is a chapter by chapter group of discussion questions that bring the lessons to better light; having not read The Blessing, I found them to be helpful in understanding the ultimate purpose.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”