Books and Life Long Learning by Colleen van Nieuwkerk

Today we are pleased to welcome Colleen van Nieuwkerk as our Guest Blogger. We hope you will enjoy reading how books have been her lifelong companions.

Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. There is hardly a day that goes by where I do not read something.

Reading was a pastime encouraged by my mother as she instilled a love for reading into me and my four siblings. She read a lot herself, she sometimes read to us, and we received many books as gifts from our parents as well as from our grandmother who owned a Bible Book Store which she ran from her enclosed front porch. There were many treasures found there!

I remember the first time I went to the public library. I was amazed. So many books from which to choose—The Trixie Belden series, The Bobbsey Twins, and Joy Spartan of Parsonage Hill. Grace Livingston Hill was a well-loved author I read as a teen. Required reading at school did not seem to be a chore to me. I have always loved to study.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre. I am the family archivist and reading historical fiction has helped me to understand what our families walked through as they emigrated from Europe to the United States and then into Canada. My husband’s parents lived through WW2 in Holland and emigrated to Canada.

Some fiction authors I enjoy are Brock and Bodie Thoene, Lauraine Snelling, Lynn Austin, Jane Kirkpatrick, Jan Karon, and Francine Rivers as well as many others.

A slower pace these days has not diminished the life-long desire for learning that was developed through reading and studying over many years. As I served in full-time vocational ministry in our church for twenty-three years, I chose to create a plan that would round out my reading and allow me to grow in many areas. In the beginning, about thirty years ago, I began to read in four separate areas, often writing notes and recording quotes:

1. Theology—Bible reading and study as well as authors such as Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Ann Voskamp, Elisabeth Elliot, and Beth Moore.

2. Womanhood—We can always grow as women, even as our age and stages of life change. I read authors such as Sally Clarkson, Jean Fleming, and Anne Ortlund. These authors and others have influenced me in growing into the person I desire to become. Many of these authors write in all these categories and I have collected many of their books in different genres.

3. Children and Ministry to Children—Authors such as Edith Schaeffer, Tedd Tripp, and Jani Ortlund, as well as many curriculum developers influenced my philosophy of ministry to children and helped me to parent our children.

4. Leadership and Ministry—Authors such as Kevin Leman, Oswald Sanders, Michael Hyatt, and Gordon and Gail MacDonald have all had an impact on my life. Since retirement, I no longer read in the areas of Children’s Ministry or Leadership, but I do continue to read about womanhood for my own personal growth, and also as an author who leads as I write and teach curriculum for women. Theology is still on my reading list. I have recently added two new areas of reading in these genres:

5. Grief and Loss—I became a widow five years ago, and have read excellent books by Jerry Sittser, Clarissa Moll, Lisa Appelo, Elisabeth Elliot, and Mark Vroegop who have helped me to learn to allow joy and sorrow to reside side by side deep in my soul. These books were hard reading and yet became so precious to me as I read good and practical advice.

6. Writing—I love to read Memoirs, Biographies, and books about how to grow as a writer. This is an area where I need more study.

Book clubs have never really interested me, except where I have gathered women in a church setting to read and study both the Bible and godly authors who help all of us to grow in our faith.

The ministry that I lead, Heart2Heart: Strength and Dignity, was influenced by reading books about intentionality and legacy. God used these topics to enlarge my writing as ideas for life and ministry alongside women became a new focus for me. I look back over these past ten years, as I have written and taught this course, and am amazed at how books we read can change us forever. Legacy becomes the opportunity we gain to encourage others who are on the journey behind us as we continue to learn ourselves from those who are ahead of us—this is lifelong learning!

Thank you for the opportunity to share my love of reading and studying with you all. I enjoyed reading your posts and now have some new authors to search out.

Colleen van Nieuwkerk is GG to three sons plus 3; twelve grandchildren; and two great-grandsons. She loves to read and enjoys reading to the littles in the family as well as gifting books to them. Colleen writes curriculum for women as well as teaches and is currently writing the story in book form of how this all came about. She lives in northern Alberta and can be found online @colleenvannieuwkerk.com

A Bookshelf Tour ~ Valerie Ronald

 

When my husband and I moved to a smaller house last year, my extensive collection of books needed downsizing. It took time and consideration for me to decide which books made the cut and which did not. Those I kept reflect my reading interests and history. Come with me on a journey through my bookshelves to catch a glimpse of my reading world.

Bronzed bookends styled with swirling vines and leaves hold several favorite children’s books. Bound in faded blue cloth, The Enchanted Garden by E. Nesbitt, was a book prize presented to me long ago, as top pupil in my grade five elementary class. I read this treasured book often as a child. Its setting in Victorian England sparked a life-long interest in that country. Beside it are several picture books containing art by my talented daughter, a children’s book illustrator. Her creations remind me of helping her discover the magical world of books by reading to her when she was a little girl.

The next shelf holds collections of books I never tire of re-reading, written by two of my favorite novelists, Rosamunde Pilcher and Elizabeth Goudge. Both these British writers, though living decades apart, excelled at creating beautifully detailed settings that come alive in my imagination. Goudge’s vivid scenes are particularly vital to her engaging plots, rich in nostalgia and hope still found in the timeless corners of the world and in the hearts of those who live in her stories.

“Her books satisfy my yearning for the mysticism of old legends and folklore, yet they are founded on the truth of Christianity. Jesus walks every page of her books without being named, for He shines in the eyes of innocent children and beasts, He paints the natural world with strokes of love and beauty, and He speaks through the struggles and fortitude of characters who strive to do the right thing.” 1

Below a display of my travel keepsakes are the books which have taken me far spiritually. Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts, Charles Stanley’s The Spirit-filled Life, Richard Foster’s Sanctuary of the Soul, and several books by Jan Johnson. Her book, Enjoying the Presence of God, helped me discover how to enjoy God’s presence in the rhythm of my ordinary days.

Next to my collection of rustic angel figurines are devotional books I read yearly. I met author, Jane Rubietta, at a women’s conference where she was the keynote speaker. Her seasonal devotional books companion my daily quiet time with God, bringing depth and application through studying the lives of Old Testament characters. There is a list of these books at the end of this post. 2

An old book is more than just words on paper ˗˗ it is a sensory experience engaging smell, sight, and touch. It gives me satisfaction to hold a well-worn volume in my hands as the pages fall open, emitting the scent of old ink, paper, and glue. That is only one reason why I am drawn to an old book. I like to think about who its previous readers were and what drew them to this particular book. Reading words from a bygone age captures the atmosphere of the era when they were written. Some of my bookshelves house early editions of the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maude Montgomery, leather-bound copies of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, and the Brontë sisters’ Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Most cherished is an English translation of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, published in 1887. And, yes, I do read my old books.

My personal library does not have a particular theme or favorite topic. Rather, I choose to think of my books as old friends, varied in personality and character, like my human friends. I do not just see books on my bookshelves, I see a treasury of beloved stories, characters, and wisdom that have positively influenced my writing life and more. They have shaped my thinking, my beliefs, my creativity, and most of all, my imagination.

1 Learning in the Shadow of Two Elizabeths

2 devotional books by Jane Rubietta - Winter - Finding Your Way (Adam and Noah), Spring - Finding Your Promise (Abraham), Summer - Finding Your Name (Isaac and Jacob), Fall - Finding Your Dream (Joseph)

Valerie Ronald writes from an old roll top desk in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, with her tortoiseshell cat for a muse. A graduate of Langara College School of Journalism, she writes devotionals, fiction and inspirational prose. Her purpose in writing is to encourage others to grow in their spiritual walk.

A Few of My Favourite Writers by Alan Anderson

 

“God gave me poetry to help me from losing my mind in the darkness.”

…Alan Anderson

Perhaps because I am growing older, I am particular in what I read. I keep current in what I read but hold on to favourite writers I have loved for years. If I were to write a post on my favourite writers, we would need to split it into at least two or three parts. In this post, however, I will highlight but a few.

Henri Nouwen (1932 to 1996)

The writings of Henri Nouwen continue to hold my hands and let me know I am not alone. His book, The Wounded Healer, has nurtured my heart since I engaged with it years ago. Throughout my studies at seminary, Nouwen often attracted my attention as I sharpened my people-helping skills.

Henri Nouwen’s words helped me free myself from the head knowledge of what I was required to read at seminary. The tone, the sensitivity, the honesty of Nouwen’s writing, are evidence he spent quality time with people and was aware of his own times of darkness. His awareness of himself as a wounded healer allowed him to come alongside other people in their brokenness. With this self-awareness, he brought hope.

The writing of Henri Nouwen helped me develop my personal tagline, “touched by grief, held by hope,” for much of my writing. If I cannot show I have walked alongside people in my writing, I have missed the mark.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 to 1926)

A priest friend introduced me to Rilke’s work after my wife and I joined an Orthodox Christian church. I was hooked on Rilke’s poetry from then on.

Rilke’s stages of poetry paint a picture of one who is on a search in life. I appreciate his themes on existence, solitude, and the divine. A lesson to take from Rilke’s writing is to give deep thought to what one writes.

John O’Donohue (1956 to 2008)

If there was ever a poet of recent history I would have loved to chat with, Irish poet John O’Donohue would be the guy. I believe he and I would have been buddies. His book, Anam Cara, drew me in and established him as one of my favourite writers.

Anam cara is an ancient Celtic term for soul friend. This is such a beautiful thought to hold to your chest, dear reader. Here are a few lines from John O’Donohue to ponder,

“In everyone’s life, there is a great need for an anam cara, a soul friend. In this love, you are understood as you are without mask or pretension. The superficial and functional lies and half-truths of social acquaintance fall away, you can be as you really are. Love allows understanding to dawn, and understanding is precious. Where you are understood, you are at home. Understanding nourishes belonging. When you really feel understood, you feel free to release yourself into the trust and shelter of the other person’s soul.” Anam Cara, John O’Donohue, 1997, p. 14

Scott Cairns (1954 to present)

I first heard of Scott Cairns after listening to podcasts of poet Angela Doll Carlson. Both are Orthodox Christian poets I resonate with and love their way with words. Scott Cairns is a multi-published poet, memoirist, professor, workshop and retreat presenter.

These days I am reading his book, The End of Suffering, for the second time. He offers an even-tempered, not carried away by emotions, perspective on how one may find purpose in suffering and pain.

The writers I mention all stir my soul. There are those who make my soul weep. After reading their words, I often sit and ponder. I mull over what they teach me. There are times their words cause me to invite quietness and solitude to cloak me in silence.

I write best in quiet settings to calm my soul and help focus on how to present hope to those who honour me by reading my words. What about you, dear reader?

 

Alan lives in a small village called Deroche, British Columbia, with his wife, Terry, and their poodle, Charlie. He enjoys walking on the dike near his home with trees all around and where he finds inspiration to write. He occasionally writes articles for FellowScript Magazine and is a regular contributor to the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship blog. Alan’s website and blog is https://scarredjoy.ca.

A Serious Reader by Gloria Guest

For this month's blog I decided to re-post a blog from several years ago, with a few updates. I feel confident that since we can re-read the same book over and over and still receive something from it, my past blog can pass also.😉

I’m a serious reader. By that, I don’t mean that I devour books weekly and have an entire stack by my bed. In fact, truth be told, it’s been quite a while since I’ve read my way through an entire book. I’ve been guilty of dropping quite a few of them smack dab in the middle and not finishing them, for reasons I’m not sure, other than they didn’t entirely hold my interest. This is not to say that they weren’t well written however. I feel it is more likely due to some chronic stress that has been a part of my life for awhile now. That being said though, a book for me, or most anything I read, needs to be deep, usually spiritual, although not directly, and purposeful.

I do daily read up on current events. It seems to be a need of mine, to know what’s going on in the world around me. I suppose even though I haven’t worked in the field for a while now, I’m a reporter at heart, as I tend to also feel the need to share my findings on social media.

I like to read historical fiction, and so have read many of Brock and Bodie Thoene’s books, and others who write in that genre. I also am drawn to memoirs. The saying that ‘the truth is stranger than fiction,’ is intriguing and often true. I myself have had some of my own truth questioned, in parts of my memoir. Memoir writing is perhaps one of the most vulnerable genres one can write in, and even though I shrink from it at times, at the same time I am fascinated and drawn in by it.

One book that has piqued my interest in the last while, and I hope to finish by summer's end (meaning I won’t drop it half way through) is such a memoir. It is called educated (in small letters) by Tara Westover and chronicles the author's life beginning in hardship and deprivation, from a young girl born in rural Idaho in 1986, to first setting foot in a classroom at the age of seventeen, and onwards to her further education at Brigham University and Trinity College and Cambridge University. Tara was born to survivalists in the mountains, who stockpiled supplies in the expectation of a government takeover. She and her siblings saw no doctors or nurses, and they were kept so isolated from mainstream society that there was no help to call when her dysfunctional family slipped into violence or her father became delusional. I find it hard to grasp that this was this young girl's life in 1986, in one of the most developed countries of the world. It’s also fascinating and uplifting to read her journey that takes her from such despair and want right into the some of the most upper education halls, in that same country. The strength and determination of the human spirit shines forth.

With this month’s theme being about our reading, I can’t help but think, what a fitting choice; to read about a young woman who wasn’t given the opportunity to read. It makes me realize that I take reading for granted. Reading came easy to me in school and was my most loved subject. From my early years of reading Curious George to Charlotte’s Webb to Little Women to The Hobbit (plus many more) and on to Shakespeare and the classics in high school; I wished that, that was all there was to school! It was the only subject that I was always at the head of the class for; reading and literature.

Next on my list is another memoir, called From The Ashes by Jesse Thistle. It chronicles his life in foster care as a young Metis-Cree from Prince Albert and the abuse he went through, and also the healing. Now living in Toronto, he has climbed through it all to become an assistant professor in Metis Studies at York University.

I believe that there is much to learn from a book, whether we agree with it or not. A book leads us into the lives of others, into our own lives, and our surrounding world. And no matter the subject, as a Christian I believe that God wants to also show up in the pages of the books we choose to read, to lead us ultimately to Him and His goodness. I can’t imagine my life without being able to read. Yet in our country and others there are still those who are illiterate or have never been taught to read well. Now I enjoy reading to my Grandchildren, and it was in fact, the first activity I did with the five year old twins who joined our family nine years ago now. I read to them from my son's book that I had read to him as a child called Butter Cup the Cow, and the bonding began. :)

I don't want to continue to take reading for granted, so as a 'serious reader' my plan is to start taking the privilege of reading, more seriously.

Gloria reads and writes from the prairie town of Pangman, SK. She is a past reporter with many published articles and columns in various newspapers and a prolific reader of world and current events. She also especially enjoys reading memoirs and devotionals. She has taken editing classes online from Simon Fraser University, Creative Writing classes from the U of T and has published fiction in two anthologies. She continues to dabble at writing her own memoir, along with having other writings in the works.

Reflections on Reading and Writing by Lorilee Guenter

 I am a voracious reader. I crack open a book and step through the door to another place, another time. Each book offers a chance to peak through the window into another person's life. I begin each year with a plan to keep a record of the books I read. I envision ending the year with a list of titles I've read, and authors I spent time with. I expect this list to remind me of the characters who entertained me, and the thinkers who made me consider a variety of ideas. Like many good resolutions, this one falls.

I read to be informed and to learn. I am actively reading at least one non-fiction book, maybe more at any given time. My e-reader currently has half a dozen titles in various stages of completion. Sometimes the books all relate to a topic I am researching. Other times biographies and autobiographies are found in my reading pile. This month none of the books I'm reading (physical or electronic) are biographical, which is unusual. I especially enjoy reading the published journals, letters, or biographies of authors and creators.

I read to be entertained. Some of the earliest books I read, remain favourites. I suspect it is because they opened up new worlds of imagination. The first book I signed out of the school library was "Charlotte's Web." Other early favourites include "Winnie the Pooh" and "Anne of Green Gables." Over the years many other characters and books have joined these three as favourites. There are now too many to list.

Sometimes I pick up a book by a new to me author and enjoy it so much that I hunt down everything I can find by them. Other times I pick up a book and set it aside after a few pages. (Confession: This rarely happens since even writing I don't enjoy is useful if I can determine what I dislike. My writing becomes stronger because of what I learn from other styles.) 

A few years ago I would say "I read anything except romance and horror." Then Dad challenged me to write a romantic suspense. Since I don't think it is possible to write a good book in a genre you don't read, I went to the library and signed out a stack of romance books. Some I enjoyed. Some I thought, "yeah right, like that's realistic." As someone who reads fantasy and science fiction, it might seem contradictory to critique a book as unrealistic. However, each genre has its own expectations and in my opinion there should be enough realism in romantic suspense that the reader is willing to enter the story. I have taken Dad's challenge and written a draft of a romantic suspense. It will take much revision and editing before I'm convinced it meets the realism test. I think I can still safely say I don't read horror, although that might be because no one has issued a challenge regarding horror and offered recommendations.

While I always have at least one book I am reading, I write in fits and starts. Sometimes the words spill from my pen. It is as if I am compelled to sit and think through the tip of my pen. Other times I seem to find any and every excuse to leave the pen undisturbed on the desk. I don't know why. I get agitated during these times because I should be writing. I should be creating not just consuming. The 'shoulds' throw up one block and then another until the tower of bricks topples for lack of a strong foundation. Excuses that began as good reasons are washed away. Then one idea leads to another. The time of contemplation and silent processing comes to an end. 

I begin to pick up my pen. I pause. I am learning to embrace the pause and trust the Holy Spirit will guide my words when I am ready for them. Until then, I read, I visit with friends and family, I garden and I wait. I try not to let agitation invade this time of waiting. I am learning, but I am not there yet. Too often I still run on ahead, only to crash into the tower of excuses. Perhaps one day I will recognise the healthy rhythm God is trying to teach me.

Lorilee Guenter is a Saskatoon based artist and writer. Her writing stems from the many questions she finds herself pondering and from the things she observes on her wanderings. One such question is how did events she lived through become the subject of history.

A Favourite Pastime by Carol Harrison

 

I have enjoyed reading since I first learned how with Dick and Jane. Reading opened a world of possibilities for me. The library and church library became favourite hangout spots in my growing up years. Chores got delayed, much to my mother’s dismay at times, because I got lost in a good story and needed to read just one more chapter.

Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Danny Orlis series, and Grace Livingstone Hill were authors and series I gravitated towards. Yet I also could spend hours browsing through the set of World Book Encyclopedias my parents scrimped and saved to buy by the time I reached Grade four. What a wealth of information for my inquisitive mind.

Long after my light should be off at bedtime, I read by the little lamp beside my bed until I heard my parents’ footsteps of the staircase. Sometimes I would then try and read by the light of the street lamp outside my window. This worked better in winter when the trees no longer had leaves to shade the light from shining inside.

By junior high I loved to read to learn. Teachers assigned essays that required research and I never complained. After all my homework involved reading and writing about it.

I married someone who loved to read as much as I did and books became part of our home. Board books appeared before the little ones could hang on to them or do more than chew on the corners. Chores still became sidelined as I succumbed to the urge to read just one more chapter.

Now reading occupies much of my time over the last couple of years. Research has become easier with Mr. Google at my fingertips. The library is right around the corner from my condo and e books are available with the push of a button arriving on my phone like magic.

I firmly believe the saying the writers need to be readers. It opens up a gathering of ideas about styles and different genres. It sometimes shows me what not to do in my writing and other times gives me ‘ah ha’ moments of what might work better to grab a reader’s attention and hold it through the entire story. Both of these ways help improve my writing. As I while away the hours with my nose in a book.

My bookshelves are stuffed to overflowing. I enjoy collecting and reading books by authors I have met along the journey. I have also enjoyed a variety of series by Janette Oke, Lauraine Snelling, and Robin Jones Gunn. Lately I have been reading some Christian suspense. One author that grabs and holds my attention throughout the story is Lynette Eason.

There are many more authors I have read over the years since that first magical moment with Dick, Jane, Spot, and Sally. It’s a wonderful past time and learning opportunity.

Carol Harrison loves to curl up in her big chair in the reading corner of her home in Saskatoon. Here she reads, journals, and just takes time to daydream as well.
 

To All the Books I Love - Condensed Version by Sharon Heagy

  

A Corner of My Writing Sanctuary

Some smells are just the best. My list of wonderful scents includes: a little kid fresh out of the tub, a forest full of pines, cedars and lush mossy undergrowth, a freshly mown lawn or hay field. Lilac blossoms filling the air with hope after a long cold winter. The stomach gurgling aroma of frying chicken. A stationery store with crisp white paper and an abundance of good pens, a bakery full of fresh bread and pastries that you can smell a block away, a library with books read by many and a bookstore with fresh un-cracked volumes. All of these cause me to pause and take in a full breath, close my eyes and release a satisfying sigh. Ahhhh.

As I pause and reflect I may have always been drawn to these wonderful nose sensations but the scent of books holds a special place. From the Grade One world of Fun with Dick and Jane by William S. Grey ("Run, Spot. Run, run, run. Look, Dick. Look, Jane.") to the first time I borrowed a book with my very own library card, reading has been one of my passions. That first volume on loan from the library coincided with my love of horses, Galloping Gold by Patsy Grey. Though I never ever had a horse I was enamoured with the idea of owning one and imagined all the adventures we would have together. 

The next phase on my literary journey took me to my brothers' The Hardy Boys collection and a love for mysteries was born. Authors Agatha Christie and Louise Penny, among others, became my authors of choice. 

My nieces and sister introduced me to the Mitford Series by Jan Karon. One of my nieces even treated us to "Esther Bolick's Orange Marmalade Cake" when we went to visit. It was a divine and decadent treat. Even now my mouth waters at the memory. Those who know me well know I have a weakness for a good cake even though I am generally a salty savoury snacker with one exception of some mighty fine chocolate. 

Recently some friends introduced me to another set of books, the Sensible Shoes Series by Sharon Garlough Brown which follows the spiritual journey of four ladies who come from varied backgrounds and life experiences, and I enjoyed them all.

As a member of Inscribe I have been swept up by a whirlwind of inspiration and imagination among the pages of books published by members as well as a number of their anthologies. Wow! Some savvy writers  have even created entire worlds beyond our own! All InScribe writings encourage me to continue with my own scribbles and intimidate me a little bit. Yet, having met some of the people behind the stories and having listened to the words of their hearts, I know they support and care for each and every member and are sincere in their encouragement no matter the writer's experience. I say this quite seriously, this is not an Inscribe ad but a genuine observation. 

Being a member of a bookclub has increased my reading world and has given me greater understanding of what readers glean or look for in a book. What amazes me almost every time we meet are the varied opinions and details each person takes note of as they read. We have read what some may call real duds and we have read some fascinating volumes, many I would not have chosen on my own but absolutely adored. My heart seeks to find something commendable, a phrase or portion I like, even in the so-called duds, because I know the effort and work that has gone into writing that book. 

Writers of faith have nurtured and helped my spiritual growth in ways I could never have imagined. Books on prayer, fasting, and apologetics line my shelves beside devotionals and Bible studies and commentaries. All are read with the Bible alongside to guide and make sure the material I am consulting is true to the Word. There are a multitude of authors I enjoy but Philip Yancy and Henri Nouwen wake up my gray cells and get me to consider things in a different way.

There are some fabulous books on writing from which I have gleaned much knowledge. Authors like Natalie Goldberg, Anne Lamott, and Stephen King have graciously shared their vast experience in order to spur us on. I must say On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King was quite a wonderful surprise. While I don't read his chosen genre, I found this memoir revealed the heart of the man and the way his writing process developed and I gained new respect for him. I think we could even be buddies.

Non-fiction books are also a part of my library and a couple I have read recently include Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas and The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. The depth and detail to the section of WWII history chosen by each author held me captive. 

This is Happiness by Niall Williams, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman and The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg are three of my current fiction favourites, subject to change without notice.

This blog post could be another couple of pages in length if I included all my favourite books and authors. Two pages of filled looseleaf lay on my table before I quit listing favourites and decided I couldn't use them all. (Oh, what about that one? I need to add it too!) So I won't bore you with any more details. I will say I am thoroughly enjoying reading bits and bobs of everyone's thoughts on reading and look forward to the rest of the month. Wouldn't it be lovely if we could all get together for tea, and of course cake, and discuss this topic further. Perhaps we will have a tea and cake session at conference, heavy on the cake. In the meantime, God bless and I hope you come across a marvellous book that you are excited to share with us all. Maybe your own! Maybe mine?  How wonderful that would be. "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26b) Until next month I leave you with my favourite cheeky Irish blessing, "May the light always find you on a dreary day, when you need to go home may you find your way, may you always have courage to take a chance, and never find frogs in your underpants." (Author unknown) God bless.

Sharon Heagy writes from the little town of Rockglen, which is nestled in the hills of southern Saskatchewan. her kids have flown the coop so she and her husband have retired to town. She writes to inspire and give hope with a chuckle or two along the way.

Are You Aging or Maturing as a Reader? by Steph Beth Nickel

 
Book Lilac Flowers - Free photo on Pixabay
 

This post originally appeared on Janet Sketchley's blog, Tenacity, in February of this year. I appreciate the opportunity to guest post on her blog on the last Friday of each month.


Over the next couple of months, I will be having cataract surgery on both eyes and may need corneal transplants in the years to come. I can no longer go as long between workouts and not get stiff—not the good kind that comes from beneficial exercise but the kind that comes from too much inactivity. My sleep patterns are wonky, admittedly because I often stay up too late.

Are these signs of maturing or aging? Easy answer, right?

Sadly, we often think of aging in negative terms and maturing in positive ones, but I truly believe we can combine the two—while acknowledging the challenges of the passing years.

Below are some tips for older readers. (If you haven’t felt the effects of aging as of yet, hopefully you’ll find a few tips that will benefit you as well.)

Tips for Readers

As we age, our bodies and minds often get less pliable, less flexible. Just as regular physical activity can be beneficial to our body, reading can help us continue to mature and reduce the mental signs of aging.

While we all have our favourite genre(s), there are many benefits to expanding our horizons. Why not pick up a book in a genre you don’t typically read?

Have you been wanting to develop your skills in an area you’re familiar with or learn an entirely new-to-you skill? Why not nab a book in your favourite format—or pull one off your shelves you’ve been meaning to (re)read?

Just as it’s beneficial to read a wide variety of genres, there are advantages to consuming books in multiple formats: physical books, e-books, and audiobooks. In recent years, I’ve consumed far more audiobooks than I’d ever imagined I would, being more of a visual learner than an auditory one. When I’m tired or busy doing something that doesn’t require my undivided attention, I enjoy having an audiobook playing.

You can use a library app and borrow audiobooks (and e-books) for free, make individual purchases from sites such as Chirp Books (their deals are phenomenal), or pay a monthly subscription rate to a service such as Rakuten Kobo and download as many e-books and audiobooks as you like.

True confessions: I have numerous apps on my phone for consuming books and hundreds of unread volumes.

How about joining (or starting) a book club? If you don’t have enough friends or family members who enjoy reading to begin your own book club, you may want to join an in-person or online club that reads books in one of your preferred genres.

Happy reading, all!

Note: My cataract surgeries went well, and after more than 50 years wearing glasses, I no longer have to do so for distance and only have to wear "cheaters" when reading and working at the computer. I'm extremely thankful for advancements in the medical field (and others) that make aging a little easier.

So Many Books...So Little Time by Sandra Rafuse

Photo by Greg Hladun

    

There is a secondhand bookstore in Cranbrook, B.C., that is worth stopping at even if you are just driving through the city and think you don't have time. Stop anyway. The store is large and full of all kinds of items to browse through besides books. When you first walk in, there are shelves of magazines, calendars, key chains, stuffed animals, magnets and much more. As you make your way further down the aisles, the bookcases appear to be endless, and there are signs up on the sides of the shelves telling you what you will find in each section. If you ask where the Children's Books are, you will be directed to the back of the store. It's not that easy to locate it quickly. But you will find it, and when you do, you will step up three narrow stairs, turn left, and you will find yourself facing a small rectangular area with books crammed onto the shelves on either side and at the end. There is a child's chair in the corner that you can pick up and take with you to sit on as you look through the books. Be careful. You will have to step around few stacks of books piled on the floor as you walk further in.

The books are packed so tightly together that you will have to remove at least three or four of them at a time to be able to finger through the others to loosen them up to be able to see the front covers. Once you do that, you enter a world like no other. If you are a book lover, it is a familiar world. One where the comforting scent of old books finds its way into your nostrils. Where your knees and back will get sore from kneeling down a bit lower every few minutes to get to the books below. Where the sounds of voices and movements from other people in the store will diminish and be no more. For you will have been caught up in the excitement of discovery; moving book after book aside, glancing at old familiar titles, then also (oh joy) coming across new titles you never knew existed.

Sometimes you will pull out a book that is in such perfect condition you wonder why that book is in that second hand book store anyway. You will open it up and there, at the top of the right hand page, will be an inscription; To Johnny, Merry Christmas! Love always, Grandma and Grandpa. You will continue leafing through the pages, hoping to find even one small smudge mark, a wrinkle or a tear that will prove that Johnny has gone through the book, even if just to look at the pictures and not to read the words. But often there will be no smudges, no wrinkles, and no tears; the book will be as pristine as can be. I have to admit it makes me rather sad to think that the book wasn't used the way it should have been but it will be one of several you will purchase that day.

I discovered the secondhand bookstore in Cranbrook a long time after I took a university class called Children's Literature. By then I had become a dedicated collector and reader of children's books. And things changed in my classroom because of of what I learned in that class. Story time became the highlight of the day for my students and me. They would sit down and wait expectantly for me to pick up the current book we were reading. Sometimes I shut the lights off to add a relaxed ambience to the room. Unless, of course, we were reading a scary book. Lights on was the rule then. Seasonal books were favourites because when the time came to start one I had such strong feelings of pleasure and anticipation about reading it. I was very familiar with each book by then and the reading of it was profoundly satisfying.

One of my favourite C.S. Lewis quotes is: "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest". He's right. When I walk past my bookcase I often stop, pull out one of my books, and turn to the page that has my favourite paragraph(s) to refresh and enjoy the memory of those words. And a second favourite quote is: "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally - and often far more - worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond". It's true. Most of the books I listed below are novels for teenagers and each time I read one of them I am amazed at the depth and quality of the writing I am reading. I would not have understood most of what I am reading as an older adult if I had read the book in my teenage years. God used children's books to teach me about life. I learned about the importance of family, of the pain of losing someone you love, of how precious and necessary friends are for all of us from those books. I read how God brought people together because he knew they needed each other even though they didn't know it at the time. And I could always sense his love in every story. The good parts were very good and the bad parts were very bad. Good against evil. You could find it quite easily. I know God has all kinds of ways he uses to teach his people. He used children's books as one of his ways to teach me.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 NIV

A very short list of some of my favourite children's books:

1. The Christmas Tapestry, and Mrs. Mack, by Patricia Polacco

2. Baby by Patricia MacLachlan

3. Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Merrion (Mem) Fox

4. The Very Best of Friends by Margaret Wild

5. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit

6. Homecoming, and Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voight

7. The Dark is Rising; a series made up of 5 books by Susan Cooper

8. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

9. The Best/Worst Christmas Present Ever (that's right...present...not pageant) by Budge Wilson

10. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey by Susan Worjescowski.

 

Sandra lives in Rockglen, Saskatchewan, with her husband, Bob, a very old cat named Kitty, a Gordon Setter named Sadie, and a Peregine falcon named Peet.

She is enjoying writing to share experiences from her life where God has been teaching her so many things.

My Reading Life by Bob Jones

 

I read all my books on Kindle.

I gave up the pleasure of reading printed copies when my role as a pastor with a large office came to an end. Ceiling to floor bookcases occupied two of the three available office walls and were lined with thousands of books collected over 40 years of pastoring. In moving out, I donated hundreds to my colleagues, and friends and a Bible College library. The remaining books were boxed up and carted home. Those boxes sit unopened six years later in our basement. Our home features one small bookcase that was already overflowing.

Thus, all my subsequent purchases became limited to digital. It’s a space efficient way to store a portable library online.

The most recently downloaded books are an unbalanced mix of work-related and for pleasure. 80/20 work-related.

Kindle

Open my Kindle and you’ll find books that follow a read to lead theme: books about church health, pastoral health, church systems, leadership, change, vision formation, succession planning, culture creation, and network leadership.

You’ll also see my latest read, Nancy French’s, Ghosted. I’ve tracked with David and Nancy French for a couple of years. David writes for the New York Times. Nancy is a ghostwriter who was employed primarily by Republican officials as a speech writer and biographer. They are some of my favourite writers. Ghosted is filled with behind the scenes insight to many things political, Nancy’s hillbilly anecdotes, and her sense of humour.

“My dad described his twenty-five cousins as ‘rednecks, rough and ready,’ and they drank, fought, and stole their way honestly onto those wanted posters. I loved my family and never feared them, though my uncle Jasper pulled me aside and threatened to kill anyone who harmed me. I thought this was normal.”

Scroll through a few more and you’ll see another favourite, Kristin du Mez’s, Jesus and John Wayne.

Every so often I re-read books from the American Civil War era: Killer Angels, The Battle of Gettysburg, Robert E. Lee, and The Last Full Measure.

I don’t follow a reading program although I was a founding member of a book club in 1996. The group still meets. Wednesdays at 8:00am. My participation ended five years ago when my new work schedule regularly filled that time slot.

Reading and Writing Life

My reading life influences my writing life in a simple way. I appreciate the pace and look of a well-written paragraph.

Ronald Tobias, author of The Elements of Fiction Writing: Theme & Strategy believes,

“The rhythm of action and character is controlled by the rhythm of your sentences. You can alter mood, increase or decrease tension, and pace the action by the number of words you put in a sentence.” Mike Skotnicki, Briefly Writing, March 27, 2012

However, Joyce Carol Oates, aged 86 and author of 58 novels, says it best about paragraphs,

“…how to structure it, what sort of sentences (direct, elliptical, simple or compound, syntactically elaborate), what tone (in art, “tone” is everything), pacing. Paragraphing is a way of dramatization, as the look of a poem on a page is dramatic; where to break lines, where to end sentences.” Alexander Sammon, Mother Jones, September 10, 2016

Looking forward to observing the reading lives of our InScribe writers.

Thank you for reading. Find more of Bob’s content at REVwords.com