Some Good Reads for This Season

If you've been hustling about, baking, shopping, making a list and checking it twice, might I make a suggestion??  How about taking a time-out, making up some hot chocolate with a big dollup of whipped cream (or even better--a scoop of ice cream!) for the whole family and curling up in your favorite chair? How about a good book? Or three?

The first: A beautiful way to start your day during this holiday season. We first read through this last year, taking this Jesse Tree Journey. It's a daily devotional reading, a journey really, through history and all the roads that lead to Jesus, for the Advent season.

Each day's reading begins with a portion of scripture. Joshua sees this as a time to sharpen his skills for the "sword drill" in his Sunday school class. I tell him what the scripture reference is and say "GO!". He flips through pages to find it in less than ten seconds.

Then he reads. I follow along in the devotional. Following the scripure reading are some thoughts to consider, which I read aloud. Deep thoughts. Thoughts you may not have ever considered, beautifully written in such a way that you really do take it with you throughout the day.  Then, it closes with a short prayer, and an idea for an activity you might do that day in response to the reading. Included with the devotional are images to cut out and use for ornaments should you decide to make a "Jesse Tree". Each day, the boys take turns putting on the ornament.

An excerpt from Day 13: And in Bethlehem, the elders trembled fear and wondered if this Samuel looking for a king had come in peace? "Yes, peace," he said, "for I bring a sacrifice." And on the night when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords came to Bethlehem, the shepherds shook sore afraid and wondered if the angels came to bring peace and they said, "Do not be afraid, yes, we bring you good news." The Prince of Peace had come! No need to knee-knock in fear for this Appointed King, Jesus, comes as Peace for He brings His own offering along with Him: Himself as the sacrifice.

It's short. It's beautifully written. It's for the whole family. And it's a  free ebook, written by Ann Voskamp.  Find it at A Holy Experience. 
While you are waiting for the book to finish printing, you may just want to stay and visit there as you will find it refreshing to your soul!

Second:  This book is how we've been closing out our days. I'd heard it mentioned several years ago and made a mental note to find it for our family. Well, as often is the case with my mental notes, it was forgotten, until last year a friend highly recommended it to me. So now this year we are finally reading it, and it is the perfect read for this season. The title of the book is Jotham's Journey, written by Arnold Ytreeide.

  The story is that of a ten year-old boy in search of his family. He faces many dangers: wild animals, thieves and kidnappers.  (I might suggest that this story be better suited to those age ten and up? Some of it may be frightening to younger ones!) But he also encounters new friends who help him on his way. Again, this is a story to be read throughout the Advent season. Each day has a chapter to read. And each night Joshua asks, "Can't we just read one more chapter?"

An excerpt: Nathan sat perfectly still, his eyes and ears searching the air for a hint of who was outside the cave. Jotham's heart jumped as the clatter of falling rocks pierced the silence once more. Nathan stood carefully so as to not make a sound, and crept silently over to the mouth of the cave.  Staying in the shadows he peeked outside.  Once again broken bits of rock fell, and this time Nathan saw that they fell right in front of the cave entrance. Decha's men were surrounding the cave, he realized.

Third: Last but not least, Two From Galilee by Marjorie Holmes. This is the greatest love story ever told, and I've put it on hold for a year!! Last year at this time my good friend loaned it to me. For some reason I put it aside for my "next read", and now, many "next read's" later, I am turning its pages.

Although I am not very many pages into this one, each time I've put it aside it's been because I've had to and not because I've wanted to. So far, very good.
From the jacket: Mary, a devout and beautiful young Jewess; Joseph, a strong, hard-working carpenter schooled in the traditions of the synagogue--young, in love, betrothed, joyously planning for their wedding and new home.
     Then comes the totally unexpected announcement to Mary, "You shall conceive and bear a son and he will be the Son of God." How could it happen? Believing but bewildered, the teen-age girl is faced with the practical problem of telling her parents and her beloved Joseph that she is to bear a child...the tender, moving love story of two young people whose love was strained almost beyond endurance, but whose faith in each other and in God always sustained and strengthened.

Have a Christmas cookie and enjoy!

Tuesday, a guest post!