Old Books for a New Year

Happy new year! How can it be 2020? I remember the "Downton Abbey" episode where the Dowager Countess exclaims, "1920! I feel as old as Methuselah!" I wonder what Granny and her counterparts would think of our world one hundred years later? That reminds me...this was my grandmother's 101st New Year's Day!

Well, technology may advance, but you know by now that old books only seem more endearing to me. My husband and I have a custom of eating downtown early on Saturday mornings at a 1950's-themed diner located in an old pharmacy. The walls are lined with glass medicine bottles once used there, and the soda jerks still wear bowties, with waitresses in poodle skirts. Sometimes  Frankie Avalon's "Venus" plays more than once on the jukebox while we're there! 

After breakfast, we often stroll a few doors down to the Hospice thrift store. The proprietors, a charming married couple, also have breakfast at Mike's, and we're all full and happy. Who wouldn't delight in a greasy omelet followed by the musty smell of old books, furniture, and bric-a-brac? It's a fact that I will almost always leave that store with something in my hand (yes, usually an old book). I'm crazy about two of my latest finds there:

This copy of 'Round the Year With the Poets by Martha Capps Oliver was printed in 1900. The inscription inside reads, 

To my dear 

Cousin Laura 

on her wedding-day. 

Alfred H. Stroh  

Nov. 30th

1900

Dear Cousin Laura must not have gone 'round too many years with the poets, because of the book's pristine condition! I have examined (almost to the point of insanity) the first name of the giver of this book. I'm pretty sure it says "Alfred," but there's a chance it's "Alford." I decided to look the name up. There's nothing for Alford, but evidently Alfred H. Stroh (1879-1922) was a Swedish Canadian who translated the works of one Emanuel Swedenborg. There is even a photo of Stroh, and his age would match nicely with the book, making him twenty-one at the time of his cousin's marriage. I have done more detective work on this book, the details having startled me, which will be revealed in a post in a few days. 

At any rate, this book is a compilation of nature poems, one for each day of the year. It includes the poetry of Longfellow, Shakespeare, Whittier, Kingsley, many female poets, and even some anonymous ones. I'm thrilled to start this new year (and decade!) by using this book in our homeschool. After our Bible reading, the girls and I will read each day's selection. We're actually doing school this week (with today off), so we spent Dec. 30 examining the Preface, and Dec. 31 reading a poem for January penned by the author. 

Look at those charming crinkle-edged pages! I believe Alfred would be delighted to know that his gift is being used almost 120 years later.

The second find contains three volumes in one book: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther by Dr. H.A. Ironside. I spied the spine among junky books, and when I pulled it out, the cover told me instantly I had found a gem. Yes, I confess that I do often judge a book by its cover. These titles were published in 1913, 1914, and 1905, respectively; this actual printing is from 1976. 

I did a bit of research on Ironside, and his life is fascinating! He was born in 1876, a boy-preacher, starting his own Sunday school of one hundred children when he was ten years old. At age 12, he heard Dwight L. Moody preach, and in 8th grade he went to work as a cobbler and dedicated his life to Christ. By age 18, he had to slow down only some, as his 500-a-year preaching engagements became too taxing. He spent his life preaching, teaching, and writing.

In reading about him, I've decided that H.A. Ironside was once a household name, probably well-known to anybody who called himself a Christian, yet virtually unheard of today. It's sad how time's march can trample the memory of such a prolific writer and preacher. I'm grateful that God led me to his writings. Not by coincidence (because the Lord orchestrates everything perfectly), when I found this book, I had already been going a little through the book of Ezra with the help of my Table Talk magazine. I added Ironside to it, and was instantly convinced that I will be on the lookout for more of his works. He tells the Word like it is, takes God's promises for what they are, and doesn't suffer fools. His intolerance for irreverence isn't at all legalistic, but the way all Christians--modern or a hundred years ago, as God's Word stays the same--should view it. I have enjoyed being under the rich tutelage of Ironside, and see him as a trusted mentor. 

Coming Soon: The treasure I found because of Martha Capps Oliver and Alfred H. Stroh...

Coming Down From Chaos

When you've had a succession of busy days or months (or years), do you feel the need to "come down" from the chaos? I certainly do! The things filling up this time might all be good, but even so, they leave me breathless and desperate for a rest. God made our bodies to need rest, and He demonstrated this by resting after creating the universe. Jesus confirmed that the Sabbath was made for our rest. But, boy...it can be hard to stop!

The funny thing is, it can take me a while to rest, even on rest days! I find myself finding it hard to settle down all morning, and not really "resting" until two or three in the afternoon! In his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Peter Scazzerro addresses this in detail. He speaks to the fact that although it's counterculture these days to stop and rest (he even calls it "doing nothing"), God's design for us never changes. We're left tired because we go, go, go. 

Isn't this little spread lovely? Several weary women flopped down at this outdoor table one Thursday evening some weeks ago. We chatted, laughed, shared stories, threw in some talk about Charlotte Mason's methods, and enjoyed each others' company. What refreshment!

Back to the busyness. The past few months have consisted of us deciding to downsize, getting rid of stuff (where did all of that come from??), launching into a whirlwind adventure of a fast house sale and buying one half its size, having a charming three-week respite at Ravenswood (see past post), then moving to our sweet tucked-away, over-fifty-year-old "new" house. 

Somehow we started back with school, then the month of May brought three tennis tournaments, two of which are big, special, out-of-town ones. As much as our family enjoys the sport and our daughters love to play, we are intentional about participating just once or twice a month. However, May is always the busy tennis month, and this year proved challenging because of our tiredness from the move. This is what prompted me to reevaluate the Sabbath, making sure that we are intentional about keeping days of rest. Per Scazzero's encouragement, I also like to take mini-moments of rest throughout the day. I've been known to drop my cares outside:

Poetry is something I'm also learning to love. Homeschooling has done that for me; my own experience in school caused me to dread poetry, as I was forced to write it while uninspired, or pick it apart for something my teacher was looking for. How refreshing it is to experience it for poetry's sake, to use it for cursive practice, and for our enjoyment of something beautiful:

May also brought several end-of-year activities, which meant planning and preparing. I felt sometimes like I was drowning in a fog, thinking about school, laundry, menu planning, cleaning, and when to practice for all those tournaments. These things that I love on a regular basis started to suffocate me. The devil loves to do this to us, take things in which we normally delight, and cause them to create havoc in our lives. I daily had to step back and breathe. Normally, we don't live activity to activity, in a state of chaos. No wonder people these days are frazzled, with no time. I had to purposely get lost in the roses: 

I said yes to my mom's invitations to the lake, even when there was housework and other stuff to do. 

Who wouldn't be invigorated after an afternoon at this place? There's no question that the hot South Carolina sun, the wind whipping my face and hair on a boat ride, and Jim's hot dogs followed by the ever-expected ice cream sandwich, all contribute to putting my brain back in order. 

One of our tournaments was in Greensboro. We found a cottage from 1900 in Winston-Salem, and stayed there for the weekend. The neighborhood is being revitalized, and houses over a century old are coming back to life: 

On the Saturday morning of our stay, I relished some moments on the front porch, praying and reading Scripture, enjoying the view of an old street, gazing at the big, red house across on the corner, and examining a blue jay who became my momentary companion.

During this time of unusual busyness, my dad developed an infection that landed him unexpectedly in surgery and in a long recovery, where he still is. Another thing continuously looming about in my mind is church. As our move put us over 40 minutes from our church home, we've been searching closer to where we live. I've long desired for church and community to be in the same place, and the search for a church home is neither easy nor a quick process. We've been surprised by the idea of home church, and are exploring this with great care and lots of prayer. 

Alongside all the activity and mind exercise, I've suffered physical anxiety and been very near to panic. People respond to stress in different ways. My stomach takes a beating, and in extreme times, I launch into a fog, losing focus, feeling short of breath and almost like an elephant is standing on my chest. There has been lots of prayer, and lots of stopping to regain focus. 

Thankfully during this time, my daughter made homemade monkey bread! 

When we were putting our house on the market, I had a few moments of tears as I sat in my cherished "red room." This room is where I started my days, at my grandmother's old secretary desk, after prayer in a yellow chair I bought some years ago at an antique store. I couldn't bear the thought of giving up my red room, and prayed for a new spot, one that I'd enjoy just as much.

This photo of my grandmother's living room was taken sometime in the 1970's: 

I remember when this furniture was reupholstered. It was around 1984, because I was about eight years old. I went into the house, and the room was empty. When I inquired about the furniture's whereabouts, my joking Papi said that some man had come by and said it was his, and had taken it. I knew better.

This furniture was acquired by my great uncle, Narcy Quintero, in New Jersey. Evidently, a friendly neighbor old lady left it to him, and she had gotten it from England. He offered it to my grandmother, who had to pay a whopping $25 to have it shipped to South Carolina. And the rest is history.

That furniture (still covered in the upholstery from '84) now sits in my new special place, the room that is the answer to my prayers:

 ...and I still spend my quiet times at the secretary: 

It's among these things that I'll be taking some good, long rests for the rest of this week. The final trip for a while was a four-day stint in Cary, the home of an incredible tennis facility where my daughter played in a southern level junior tournament. She kept winning, so we kept staying! I love the buzz of excitement at these events, the friendships made between girls and their parents, and the fellowship of seeing these friends, especially those we've gotten to know from all over our state of North Carolina. The competition was fantastic, and the time spent with my girls was wonderful. The highlight of the trip was watching my daughter play on a stadium court, with its own chair umpire calling the score! 

But now we're home, and are purposefully taking the next few days off from much of anything. I think I'll need several days to "come down" from it all!

Until next time...

Good Reads

Here are some good reads I've enjoyed lately:

These two books were finds at the local library. My girls and I like any picture book by Jan Brett; her illustrations are breathtaking! Mossy is a cute story about a turtle that grows a garden on its back. Also impressive are the watercolors and narrative of Say's Grandfather's Journey, the touching story of the author's grandfather's life in Japan and later in the United States. In the library's children's section, my kids look over the chapter books while I peruse the picture books. There's a lot of twaddle among the shelves nowadays, but fortunately, not all the gems have disappeared. I tell my girls, you outgrow some things, but good picture books will never be one of them!

Are you familiar with lovable Lyle, the crocodile? I think I recall him from my own childhood. Bernard Waber's illustrations are familiar from other works as well, with their funny facial expressions. I used to love another of his books, Nobody is Perfik. 

Lyle appears in several books, and what's hilarious is that he carries on as a normal member of society! This particular book deals with the fact that Lyle is the perfect candidate for several jobs, but his owners, Mr. and Mrs. Primm, refuse to let him work. I especially get a kick out of his mother, Felicity, a crocodile who works as a nurse in the hospital maternity ward!


These were some finds at a favorite used book store: 

I wasn't planning to get them, but wanted to glance through them just for fun. This book store seems to know when it has nice, old, rare finds, and will often ask more for them than I'm willing to pay. However, when I saw that the price of each was a mere dollar, I had to rescue them! Look at their charming inside covers! 

 Here are two books that I've enjoyed recently:

Come Home Laughing started out as the Master's thesis of Tanya Lyons, an unknown author, and unraveled into this marvelous book dedicated to adults whose parents divorced when they were children. The design is unique: a fiction story with factual data woven throughout. Sloane and others examine the relationship between their struggles as adults and the wounds they incurred as children. They learn to heal from the inside out through time together doing life, and at an intense retreat to promote healing. Lyons' book is written from a Christian point of view, and shed much light for me personally. This book masterfully tackles issues that a large number of Americans probably have, yet haven't dealt with. I plowed through it in a few days, with laughter, tears, prayer, and note-taking.

 Have you read Corrie ten Boom's classic, The Hiding Place? This was a picture I took to send to my dad, and as I was about to crop it for this blog, I decided it was worth keeping the grass and flops! The photo captures the moment in which I finished this riveting read, the true story of the Christian Dutch family who valiantly harbored Jews in their home during World War II. We get to know the ten Booms twenty years before the war, and are horrified at all they endure during the war for standing firmly against Nazi-perpetrated evils. The faith of Corrie and her family is expressly from God, with no other explanation. I remain astounded at their courage in the midst of unimaginable horrors, one after another. The ten Boom family is well worth making a part of one's "cloud of witnesses."

Finally, this school term, we have a new poet to study: William Wordsworth. At the library book sale last fall, I purchased a volume of his poems (published around 1890) for probably a dollar. How extraordinary to read and copy his poetry directly from a book from that time period! 

Each school year, Charlotte Mason's students studied the poetry of one author for a term of twelve weeks, for a total of three poets per year. We began with Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and I believe our favorite was "The Charge of the Light Brigade." Then came twelve weeks of Emily Dickinson, whose haphazard use of hyphens and capitalization break every punctuation rule I've attempted to teach so far! I personally found her poetry lukewarm, as famous as it became after her death, and never was able to truly endear myself to this reclusive, odd individual. 

Wordsworth's poetry, however, is a breath of fresh air. I think my girls concur; I haven't asked them outright, but I can tell from their attention and expressions that they enjoy his descriptions of childhood, godly things, butterflies, sparrows, and outside play. One can practically feel the fresh air of his poetry, and the heart seems to lighten while reading it. Again, we don't rip it apart in search of meaning; it's there simply to read for pleasure, and to copy for penmanship and spelling practice: 

Picture Book Ministry

When I was eaten up with regret yesterday morning remembering an ungodly way in which I had behaved, I was surprised to have a familiar verse brought to mind: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9). A new thing to consider is that even in past mistakes, things we want to change but can't, Christ indeed can bring redemption. His grace and strength are the answer in our issues, present, future, as well as past.

The Holy Spirit enabled me to see the connection between this verse and another, one that I mull over when faced with reminders of other incidents I wish I could change. That verse is also in 2 Corinthians, 8:12: "If there is a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have."

My eyes and heart are opened to a direct link! What Paul expresses in one verse, he says with different words in another: When we are helpless, Christ is able. This refers to every moment of every day, past, present, and future, by the way! May we be still enough to hear His quiet, powerful instruction. 

Speaking of powerful instruction....

A wonderful memory I have is that of my dad reading to me as a little girl. I loved the voices he'd use for the characters in picture books. A collection of my books were destroyed by a water leak. I recalled a Babar one that had been a favorite, although I could never remember the title.

A month ago, coming back from a Pens hockey game in Raleigh, we stopped by a massive antiques store in Burlington. Guess what I found...(and in an antiques store!!!!)? 

Immediately I recognized it! I had to have it! And would you believe there were actually two copies in this store?! I took pictures and sent them to my dad, asking if he remembered. Of course he did! I can still hear him changing his voice to fit the characters. Guess who else does that when she reads to her children? 

Woe to the individual past age 8 who discards his or her picture books! May we never, ever grow weary of the richness of these treasures. All too soon, it seems that educators (traditional and home alike) rush to put away the "little kid" books and usher kids into something that seems more "grown-up." Christ Himself states that we are not truly portraying His kingdom unless we demonstrate the innocence of children (Matthew 18:3). 

To quote Charlotte Mason, "...the answer cannot be given in the form of 'Do' this and that, but rather as an invitation to 'Consider' this and that: action follows when we have thought duly. The life of the mind is sustained upon ideas; there is no intellectual vitality in the mind to which ideas are not presented several times...every day." (A Philosophy of Education). So, does that mean that children's books are full of "ideas" and things to "consider"? YES!!!!

How can they not be, if the Creator of the universe tells us to humble ourselves like children, because His kingdom belongs to "such as these"? We sell children short. Mason has much more to say on the subject: 

"But the children ask for bread and we give them a stone...Our business is to give them mind-stuff...for the best thought the world possesses is stored in books; we must open books to children...every modern educational movement tends to belittle them intellectually."

"So," you say, "my kids are eight and nine; shouldn't we be focusing more on chapter books than the skinny ones with pictures?" NO!!!!! Rather, focus on every bit of it! Take your bag to the library and fill it up! Never, never, never fall into the trap of being too "old" for a picture book! All of America needs more doses of good, rich children's literature!

In fact, a few weeks ago, I checked a picture book out specifically for myself, for the "little girl" who so loves to be read to. She still deserves a "mind sustained upon ideas," and "open books" that provide "mind-stuff." That mind-stuff can come out of anything from Charles Spurgeon to Marc Brown's Arthur! Sometimes I check out picture books just for myself!

The other day, one of my children was late getting down to breakfast. I decided to pull out a library book and read aloud while we lingered at the table. The next thing I knew, it was over an hour later, and we'd gone through all the books in the bag! It's a ritual I hope to repeat often.

Here are some that we enjoyed that day:

Earl is a lovable squirrel who can't figure out how to get his own acorns. He cleverly surprises his mother and readers with his smarts, and delights with his innocent charm!



Remember the poem "Casey at the Bat," which you probably read at some point in high school? Endear yourself to it anew with Patricia Polacco's version! This is a wonderful way to introduce a classic to kids.

It hasn't taken much to make me a Polacco fan! Thunder Cake is the creative tale of a girl whose grandmother uses her resources to end the child's fear of thunderstorms. As in Casey, Polacco's illustrations mesmerize.




And who can resist the animals of Jan Brett? She puts great love into her work. The Turnip is the funny story of some animals who aren't sure how their turnip is going to come out of the ground...until they receive unexpected help from some other animal friends!  




Finally, do you remember Mike Mulligan? I had always heard of it, but had never actually read this classic. Boy, had I been missing out! I felt like a kid who, upon the story's ending, wanted to say, "Read it again!" Yeah, that's what picture books do, even to adults.




One adult in my life has alluded to me several times about not being read to as a child, not once. Not once. God has wisdom in this, as in everything else: "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten...You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied" (Joel 2:25-26). Well, the way the Lord spoke to me about helping this individual get back those years is to sit down and read him a picture book! I'm learning to be obedient to God's direction, even if it seems downright crazy. His ways aren't mine, after all. 

Anyway, as I mulled over this idea for a few days and had pushed it aside, I came across the perfect book: 

That little child was finally read to! I don't know who enjoyed it more; the "kid" (who is actually an adult), or me! How wonderful to be used by God for His redemptive plan. Never underestimate the power of a book, or anything else, to be used by God to bring joy, healing, and restoration in any situation. I wonder how many more adults out there yearn to be read a good children's book, to be shown that they matter? How many children want to throw standardized testing and "Common Core" out the window and just hear a solid story with "voices," not to spit out the information, but just because? Do it...for yourself, and your children! 

Another bit of "literature"...
I have a copy of the Spartanburg (SC) High School student handbook from when my mom was in school. Believe it or not, this comes from a version revised in 1962: 

We have swung too far in a mere fifty-six years. I'm grateful for the freedom to model my own school after a code more like this than after those that have kicked God out. His way will never go out of style.

Finally....

I had a dream about my grandfather, "PeepEye," last night. I don't recall details, but what was important was his presence, and his gladness to see me. There was joy in the fact that we were going to spend time together. I'm glad that twenty-five years after his death, I'm still allowed vivid glimpses of him. The Lord is gracious to me in many, many examples such as this. 

Don't be afraid to "feel," even with tenderhearted tears and lament. Our enemy hates for God's people to feel love, empathy, and beauty. He is out to crush it. I strongly encourage crushed adults to get back what has been stolen, to take back those years the locusts have eaten. Fight! (1 Timothy 6:12).

Sights & Traditions of Christmas

The familiar, cozy sights of Christmas are warm and comforting. Here are some I want to remember from this year: 

These were Abue's angels. I have nice memories of them at her house, and love seeing them every year now at my own. My girls say I'm the one in the middle, and they're the ones on either side.

Here is a powerful excerpt from Bonhoeffer's God is in the Manger: 

This was our church's Advent book last year. Since I like tradition and familiar things, I decided it would be my Advent book each year. Because Advent started late this year (Dec. 3), I ended up missing a week in this book and The Cloud of Witness. From now on, I will begin both books the Sunday after Thanksgiving every year, regardless of the official "start" of Advent. 

These were creations the girls made at the party with their American Heritage Girls friends: 

(Front and back)

I covered the plates with plastic wrap, and we enjoyed looking at them throughout the Christmas season.

One of my girls has a birthday one week before Jesus's, so we always have non-Christmas sweets for her special day: 

These had chocolate chips and Andes mint chips baked in!

Baking is a big event during this season. It's easy to get overwhelmed with sweets. Next year I believe we should start baking earlier. We waited until Dec. 19 to make treats for friends and family, and ended up with some for us, too. The closer to Christmas Day it is, the more sweets seem to accumulate. Why not bake around Dec. 10 and stagger the desserts? This would also enable earlier distribution to neighbors.

A note I made to myself last year was to set aside an entire afternoon or day for baking. It's terrible to cram such a joyful activity in with other things and feel rushed. I was thankful we planned lots of time for the gingerbread, my girls' favorite Christmas project. Their designs are more elaborate every year! 

We always use the same recipe, same vintage tablecloth, same cookie cutters...and listen to our "Wonderful Christmastime" station while working. As I said, there's nothing like the comfort of traditions, and I delight in the memories my girls and I are making.

A slight break from food, back to the real meaning of Christmas...Here is my favorite decoration of all time: 

This is another of Abue's former things. When I was a child, it moved to my house, and then my mom graciously gave it to me. My girls now cherish and delight in this manger scene. Abue tells me every year that she bought it in 1966 for $6. I keep it in its original sturdy cardboard box. We had to replace the old newspapers (from the 1960's) that cushion the figures, but even the straw is original to the set. The one thing that hasn't survived are the plastic trees. They lasted until about two years ago, and finally crumbled. The star is shabby, but still holding on. This set is one of my most special treasures.

Here is another treasure from a grandmother: 

Jeremy's Granny Beulah had this ceramic tree out every Christmas, and later, kept it in her room when she moved in with my in-laws. What a privilege to have it in our home now, and carry on the tradition! It reminds us of her, too.

We put up two artificial trees in our home each year:

The tree on the left is our big one in the den. It has three light settings: white, colored, and both flashing. We prefer the colored lights, since for years, all we saw were white. We keep presents for the girls under this tree. The smaller tree rests nicely in the dining room by the window. I've had to re-string it over and over, but it's a sweet little tree under which all other gifts go. We remove its ornaments after Christmas, but I carry it down to the basement and leave the tree standing as it is, lights strung, until I get to carry it back up next year.

Back to the dainties, and other fun things: 

A blessing from our friend and his cappuccino maker

An afternoon of homemade peppermint patties, and anything else we could find to dip into chocolate (pretzels and spoonfuls of peanut butter)

Mimi's pork crown roast...

...and ice cream roll! 

Brick always brings us joy!

Speaking of animals and joy....

What do you think of Liz's gifts to Nibbles? The poor guinea was a good sport, and the girls were overjoyed! 

A new rodent was under the tree: 

Meet Sidney the hamster, named for the Pens #87!

We are officially rodent experts. The difference between a guinea pig and hamster is tremendous, although both are cute and lovable.

My hubby knows that for me, nothing is more exciting than unwrapping old books: 

I spotted these at the antiques mall, and knew what I wanted for Christmas. He navigated his way through, found them, and put them wrapped up under our den tree! Jean Ingelow's poems are throughout The Cloud of Witness, and I couldn't resist this beautiful book, especially since my girls and I study a poet per twelve-week school term. The McKinley book was written in 1901, right after his assassination, and is full of striking photos and information. I even discovered a folded-up church devotional guide from 1903 in the pages!

We ended Christmas with two more favorites: 

Deep fried duck...

...and sweet potato soufflé loaded with spices and gooey marshmallows!

Merry Christmas!!!!