Archive | June 2010

Poem #28: A Poison Tree by William Blake, 1794

Jun4

“Poetry reflects on the quality of life, on us as we are in process on this earth, in our lives, in our relationships, in our communities.”~Adrienne RIch

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

Whoa, talk about manipulative bitterness! The entire poem, and the one from earlier this week, both remind me of House, a TV show that Artiste Daughter and I were watching just this evening. One of the themes of this season on House has been the balance between honesty/self-acceptance and kindness/love. Dr. House harbors bitterness and pain, and when he tries to become a more loving and giving person, he’s still manipulative. He gives gifts in hopes that “karma” will bring the good back to him.

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Impossible? Yes, absolutely. Blake knew it. You know it. And I do, too. On our own, we all produce poison trees of wrath full of poisonous apples for those we consider our enemies. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Jun4

OK, this one is easily the best children’s fiction title I’ve read this year. It has all the following strengths:

1. It’s funny. Cf. the first chapter, entitled “I Am Not Exactly in the Lake District.” What makes that funny is that Liam, the thirteen year old protagonist and narrator of this adventure story, is actually “on this rocket . . . about two hundred thousand miles above the surface of the Earth.” Cosmic is about how Liam got into space and what happened when he did. Short version: he lied about his age.

2. It’s British. Not too British. Not so thick with slang that one has to have a dictionary, but still the Britishisms are there and delightfully so. Liam and his dad carry a “mobile,” not a cell. Things are either “rubbish” or “cosmic.” Liam eats crisps. You get the idea.

3. It’s got a good solid, unbelievable, but satisfying premise: child pretends to be adult, and hijinks ensue. Freaky Friday material. But there’s no magic involved. Liam just looks old. He has facial hair at thirteen. He’s very tall. He keeps getting mistaken for an adult, so he does what most thirteen year old boys would like to do: he goes along with the mistaken identity. Liam’s lack of a driver’s license only slows him down, but doesn’t stop his adventures.

4. It’s well-written and well-paced. Stuff happens. Liam gets into trouble, out of trouble, back into trouble, out, then into MAJOR trouble. Being stuck in space with four other kids who don’t know much more than Liam about how to fix an off-course rocket is Trouble.

5. Liam’s voice is splendid. Examples:
“That night Dad wanted us all to play Monopoly in the new kitchen. Has anyone ever played Monopoly to the end? Don’t most people just sort of slip into a sort of boredom coma after a few goes and wake up six months later with a handful of warm hotels?”

“Being doomed is Not Good. But being weightless is Outstanding. Every time I lean forward I do a perfect somersault. When I stretch my arms in the air I levitate. Back on Earth my only skills are being above average in math and height. Up here I’ve got so many skills I’m practically a Power Ranger.”

“In World of Warcraft you can have weapon skills, gathering skills, or trade skills. You can have mining skills, too, but they’re a bit rubbish and you have to buy a pickax.”

“I didn’t really want to think about things going wrong so I just concentrated on the drinks menu. I couldn’t believe when the others all asked for coffees and teas. There were so many drinks to choose from. I spotted something called the Cosmic Quencher, which I had to order because ‘cosmic’ is my favorite word.”

See what I mean. Liam is Cosmic!

Weaknesses of the book:
1. Totally unbelievable. How many thirteen year old boys can masquerade as the dad of one of their classmates?
2. Sometimes silly. Liam is not the brightest bulb in the ummmm, light fixture.
3. Disrespectful to adults. The adults in the story are also not too bright.
4. Encouraging irresponsible behavior. Don’t try this at home, kids!

I can’t think of any more weaknesses, and I actually think the weaknesses are strengths, too. Cosmic is a cosmic book for cosmic kids. Check it out.

More love for Cosmic:
Kelly at Big A little a.
Nayu’s Reading Corner.
Noel de Vries at Never Jam Today.

And it’s going to be made into a movie!

June 4th is Aesop’s Day

Jun4

A farmer placed his nets on his newly sown plough lands, and caught a quantity of Cranes, which came to pick up his seed. With them he trapped a Stork also. The Stork, having his leg fractured by the net, earnestly besought the Farmer to spare his life.

“Pray, save me, Master,” he said, “and let me go free this once. My broken limb should excite your pity. Besides, I am no Crane, I am a Stork, a bird of excellent character; and see how I love and slave for my father and mother. Look too, at my feathers, they are not the least like those of a Crane.”

The Farmer laughed aloud, and said: “It may be all as you say; I only know this, I have taken you with these robbers, the Cranes, and you must die in their company.”

Moral: Birds of a feather flock together.

I Corinthians 15:33 Stop being deceived: “Wicked friends lead to evil ends.”

Voices of the Faithful, Book 2, compiled by Kim P. Davis

Jun3

Inspiring Stories of Courage from Christians Serving Around the World

When I received a copy of this book of daily devotional stories from Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze Program, I planned to use it to read aloud to the urchins each day about missionaries and their service. I had hoped to form a habit for our family of praying for others outside of our immediate circle and of caring for God’s people around the world.

It didn’t happen –for lots of reasons, mainly my lack of discipline and my faulty memory.

Nevertheless, I would still like to share this book with my family, and maybe if I can get my act together we’ll start this summer. I did browse through the book and I’d like for my yound students and disciples to hear about:

Danika who at age 90 heard about the gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time—and at 94 years of age, believed in Him.

“Ratko” who came to English club to cause trouble and learned that God’s plan was to make peace with estranged sinners.

Daniel who prays daily for and writes letters to hundreds of missionaries around the world.

Walmiy who patiently endures the hardships of life in a hot, desert climate in order to share Jesus with the the nomadic tribal people living there.

And there are 362 more stories in this encouraging, convicting book. The missionaries who share their stories in the book and who live out the gospel all around the world are Southern Baptist missionaries working under the auspices of the International Mission Board of the SBC, but the stories and the people in them transcend denomination. If you are a Christian and you want to be challenged to live a life of sacrifice and service to the Lord, read these stories. If you want your children to be challenged in the same way, read the stories to them. Then, pray together, like Daniel, that God will continue to work through the missionaries of the International Mission Board and other missionary agencies to reach our lost world with the gospel good news that God is in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.

I’ve talked myself into starting tomorrow.

Summer Plans

Jun1

A friend of mine posted this message on her Facebook:

So, am I the only one who starts EVERY summer with big plans that seem to disappear into thin air? This year I am dreaming of sorting and organizing so that I will have a stress free and wonderous school year, funny thing, I had this same plan last summer and the last and……..

My reply:

My kids laugh at my grand plans–for the summer, for the school year, whenever. However, when I have plans I at least get something done; when I don’t nothing happens at all.

I have Friday field trips planned for the younger set. We’re doing a modified version of school, at the very least math and reading every day. I want my Brown Bear Daughter who attended public school this past year, to learn some things at home that she’s not getting at school. Engineer Husband wants to go to South Dakota for a wedding and to Indiana to visit Eldest Daughter. I would love to get my house clean, preferably by magical means (fairies in the night, perhaps?). Of course, I plan to read a lot.

So, what about you all? Do you have grand plans for the summer?

Disrupting Grace: A Story of Relinquishment and Healing by Kristen Richburg

Jun1

I have my own share of family, well, not secrets, but things that are too painful and raw to talk about or to blog about. I can’t imagine writing a book about my own wounds, even after they someday, God willing, are healed. Nevertheless, that’s what Kristen Richburg has done in this book, and I admire her honesty, even though it’s almost too painful to read.

Disrupting Grace is about attachment disorder and about an adoption that didn’t last. Of course, the operative question going into this true memoir of an adoption gone terribly wrong, is how? How could anyone give away their own child, adopted or not? Why would anyone give up their own child, no matter how damaged or disturbed?

Well, all I can say is, that after reading the book, I understand how a family could come to such a decision, and I believe Ms. Richburg when she says that relinquishment was the most loving decision her family could make in the interest of all concerned. From the book’s preface:

“I have two children. I used to have three. My third child didn’t grow up and leave home; she didn’t die. I relinquished her. I stood before a judge and said that I was no longer able to meet her needs. She is living with another family now and has a new last name. . . .

How did I get here? Were those five years a dream? Aren’t adoption stories supposed to have happy endings? . . . What are families to do when despite all their efforts, their child isn’t thriving, and the rest of the family is coming apart at the seams?

Sometimes I wish I could erase my adoption story. Most of the time I am thankful I can’t. I know there was a purpose for all of it. And my life will never be the same.”

I believe in adoption. I know many, many happy, well-adjusted adoptive families. However, we live in a broken world. And just as I believe in marriage and yet know that sometimes divorce is a last option, I can also see that in some situations the only “solution” might be to place a child, adopted or not, in another family where he or she has a second chance to bond and grow and be loved.

This story is important for families who are considering adoption, for those are supporting adoptive families in prayer and encouragement, and pastors and counselors who might be confronted with difficult adoptive situations. I found it fascinating, and although I hurt for both the Richburg family and for the little girl they adopted, I was also able to see God’s grace and mercy through the pain of a very difficult journey.

Kristin Richburg’s website gives links to resources for adoptive parents in addition to more information about the author and the book.
Here’s a bibliography of resources about attachment disorder.