This is a book of daily thoughts and reflections taken from Madeleine L'Engle's writings. Probably they expect people to read only one day's thought aThis is a book of daily thoughts and reflections taken from Madeleine L'Engle's writings. Probably they expect people to read only one day's thought as a sort of devotion for that day and then think about it throughout the day. However, either personally or situationally, I just don't read books like that so it took me far less time that I year to read this book. It was a thoughtful and reverent book....more
Great. simple profound and wonderful. Almost a lite read, but there are deeper bits of MacDonald throughout that save this (and the other two volumes)Great. simple profound and wonderful. Almost a lite read, but there are deeper bits of MacDonald throughout that save this (and the other two volumes) from being like a Grace Livingston Hill novel.
"It is quite possible to be too much afraid of giving offence." (sic)
"I took a glance a tthe books lying about. I always take advantage of such an opportunity of gainig immediate insight into character. Let me see a man's book-shelves, especially if there are not extensive, and I fancy I know at once, in some measure, what sort of a man the owner is."
"It is not great battles alone that build up the world's history, nor great poems alone that make the generations grow. There is a still small rain from heaven that has more to do with the blessedness of nature and of human nature, than the mightiest earthquake, or the loveliest rainbow."
"God makes the glow-worm as well as the star; the light in both is divine. If mine be an earth-star to gladden the wayside, I must cultivate humbly and rejoicingly its green earth-glow, and not seek to blanch it to the whiteness of the stars that lie in the fields of blue FOr to deny God in my own being is to cease to behold him in any. God and ma can meet only by man's becoming that which God meant him to be. Then he enters into the house of life, which is greater than the house of fame."
"But I think how pleased I should be, if I had a daughter, and she loved me so well that she only smiled when I took her plaything from her. Oh! I will not disappoint thee--thou shall have thy joy. Here I am, do with me what thou wilt; I will only smile."
I can't believe I had never actually read this before. It was just great. It was also a little deeper than I expected with more of a moral/commentary I can't believe I had never actually read this before. It was just great. It was also a little deeper than I expected with more of a moral/commentary on good/evil within "man" than I thought would be there. ...more
This book was surprisingly wonderful. It is a nonfiction account of his boating the rivers in France (I think). Sounds like it should be boring, but SThis book was surprisingly wonderful. It is a nonfiction account of his boating the rivers in France (I think). Sounds like it should be boring, but Stevenson's descriptions and insights keep it from being so. Lots of great quotes:
(this is RLS talking about the book in the preface) Although it (the book) runs to considerably upwards of two hundred pages, it contains not a single reference to the imbecility of God's universe, nor so much as a single hint that I could have made a better one myself. - I really do not know where my head can have been. I seem to have forgotten all that makes it glorious to be man. - 'Tis an omission that renders the book philosophically unimportant; but I am in hopes the eccentricity may please in frivolous circles.
You might have trepanned every one of their innocent heads, and found no more than so much coiled fishing-line below their skulls.
To know what you prefer, instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive.
And surely of all smells in the world, the smell of many trees is the sweetest and most fortifying.
I was so astounded at the man's malice, that I could only stare at him in silence.
Those who stand still are always timid advisers.
But then no disgrace is attached in France to saying a thing neatly; whereas in England, to talk like a book is to give in one's resignation to society.
the heaven wept upon our heads.
There is no discharge in the war of life, I am well aware; but shall there not be so much as a week's furlough?
This was a re-read and I especially enjoyed it this time around because when I was younger I really didn't care either way about Almanzo, I just likedThis was a re-read and I especially enjoyed it this time around because when I was younger I really didn't care either way about Almanzo, I just liked the Laura books. The two things that struck me the most about this book are 1. The FOOD! It was like Thanksgiving every dinner. And 2. that the bad boys in school beat the teacher so badly that he died (!!) and that the next teacher brought a horsewhip to school and used it on the bad boys. Neither one would go over so well these days. I also thought the descriptive farm work was great and the way Almanzo's father gave him responsibilities and left him to figure out how to do them and the respect that Almanzo has for his father and for farming. ...more
RLS's notes about he and his family living in Silverado CA to escape the San Fran. fogs. Good descriptions but seems like there should be more to the RLS's notes about he and his family living in Silverado CA to escape the San Fran. fogs. Good descriptions but seems like there should be more to the book....more
This was fascinating. It was one girl's experience with anorexia when she was 11 based on her journals at the time. Fascinating read. On a different nThis was fascinating. It was one girl's experience with anorexia when she was 11 based on her journals at the time. Fascinating read. On a different note, this lady has a brilliant active mind....more
Laura's journal as they traveled from South Dakota to their new home in Mansfield Missouri where she lived the rest of her life. The journal is intereLaura's journal as they traveled from South Dakota to their new home in Mansfield Missouri where she lived the rest of her life. The journal is interesting but not the stories her other books are. WHY she didn't write about the rest of her life while living in Mansfield, I just don't know. I am sure I join millions and millions of people wishing that she had....more
I think I enjoyed reading this book but as I read it two months ago and can't even really remember much of it, it just isn't going to get a higher ratI think I enjoyed reading this book but as I read it two months ago and can't even really remember much of it, it just isn't going to get a higher rating....more
Interesting to read, but I just wouldn't trust this guy completely as his parenting philosophies are just different than mine in many areas (let your Interesting to read, but I just wouldn't trust this guy completely as his parenting philosophies are just different than mine in many areas (let your baby cry for at least 20 minutes, sometimes drugs to get your child to sleep are needed, when your child turns two, they will become a different and willful child, send your child to nursery school as the nursery teacher is trained to evaluate your child better than you...stuff like that). If he were my kids Dr., I would have to think about every little thing he said and evaluate it and THEN decide if I wanted to take his advice. ...more
I enjoyed reading this book. It has some kiddie recipes that I will have to try out. In a nutshell, the food philosophy is to feed kids whole natural I enjoyed reading this book. It has some kiddie recipes that I will have to try out. In a nutshell, the food philosophy is to feed kids whole natural foods and sugar and artificial anything is to be avoided at all extreme costs. Fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, & health food store-y things like nutritional yeast & carob powder: okay. Sugar: the Devil. It starts out identifying formula as artificial food which was probably pretty radical when the book was published in 1982. I think this book describes exactly my mom's philosophy of feeding her young children. Dad's would also have cut out the meat & dairy. ...more
Interesting and informative book about how one family homeschooled. It was published in 1987, back when homeschooling was not nearly as prevalent as iInteresting and informative book about how one family homeschooled. It was published in 1987, back when homeschooling was not nearly as prevalent as it is today. So there is a slight defensiveness to the book as they are explaining their then odd choice and how well it worked for them. They had some good suggestions of what worked for them. And it was an enjoyable book to read....more
The story of L'Engle's life and her marriage set around her husbands brief battle with cancer. This book had so many quotable sayings that I stopped trThe story of L'Engle's life and her marriage set around her husbands brief battle with cancer. This book had so many quotable sayings that I stopped trying to write them all down. It would have been much easier to keep track of them if I had read it on my kindle and could highlight easily. I felt sort of bad about wondering if she was a Christian or not because apparently she is very much so (but all that evolution talk threw me off!!). I am definitely going to keep this one around to re-read....more
The kids and I enjoyed this one too. It made me want to get some more blankets and start a fire in the fireplace and drink something hot though. I jusThe kids and I enjoyed this one too. It made me want to get some more blankets and start a fire in the fireplace and drink something hot though. I just can't get over how they would wake up with snow on their bed covers and have to break the ice in the wash basin it was so cold. I love living where it's cold when the temp drops down into the 50's. ...more
I picked this book up at the thrift store because Geneen Roth has (had?) a column in Ladies Home Journal (or one of those women's mags) that I always I picked this book up at the thrift store because Geneen Roth has (had?) a column in Ladies Home Journal (or one of those women's mags) that I always enjoy reading. She's a positive and thoughtful writer. This book is similar, but it was written 20 years ago and her writing has improved with time. She talked a lot about her childhood shaping how she ate/formed relationships (okay, fine, good) but stayed there too long and wallowed around too much (enough already!) for me. I would probably feel differently if I myself had eating or intimacy issues, but even so, I enjoyed reading the book....more
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