Recap Book Chat

One of our favorite quotes from Haven by Megan Wagner Lloyd is… “You don’t have to be big to be brave.” This book has love, adventure, and a whole lot of grit from a little cat that does not quit. Haven is on this journey to help Ma Millie, her human, who is very sick. She summons all her courage to venture outside to find the nearest neighbor, Jacob Levan, unfortunately he’s not home. This forces Haven to trek into town, a daunting feat for this fearful feline, but fortunately she meets a fox who volunteers to lead the way! But can the fox be trusted??? “Today’s biggest challenge will be the river,” the fox informed Haven. “Tomorrow, the ravine.” “What’s a ravine?” Haven asked. This delightful duo invites the reader to join the journey. “What’s a home?,” asked the fox. “A home is a place that’s just yours…where you’re safe.” “Life’s not safe…All the forest is my home.”  Haven struggles to keep up with the fox as they journey through the forest, whenever her strength fails she focuses on rescuing Ma Millie. There is one danger the fox never tells Haven about…a bobcat is tracking them!  What a wonderful mix of adventure, friendship, resilience, and purpose! Let’s join the boys for as they recap this beautiful book! Thanks to Aimee & Brody for recommending it!

Greetings Recapsters! Kate and Sheila dive into the Shakespearean comedy,  The Taming of the Shrew. Kate is the older sister that is as easy to get along with as a mama bear robbed of her cubs. Her sister, Bianca, draws suitors like bees to flowers. Here’s the rub, their father forbids Bianca to wed until Kate is married. No one is up for this arduous task until Petruchio comes on the scene. He has come to Padua ‘to wive and thrive’ and Kate suits his liking, however, she resists so forcefully he calls her a wasp to which she replies,  “If I be waspish, best beware my sting.” How will Petruchio tame Kate? He shows up to their wedding very late wearing rags riding a nag. “He has some meaning in his mad attire.” Why was he late? What’s with his clownish clothes? Maybe, absence made Kate’s heart grow fonder and when he finally arrived she was thrilled that he wasn’t a no show. When asked about his clothes, Petruchio replied,  “To me she’s married, not unto my clothes.” Then he whisks Kate away before their reception.  Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘kill them with kindness’? He deprives Kate of food because it’s not good enough for her. Along with a new dress and the bed which were also not suitable for his new bride. As her ‘taming’ continues readers can see Kate slowly beginning to change into a better version of herself. Some say Shakespeare crossed the line here. That he is a hater of  women but we beg to differ. He’s using humor and wit to show something very daring for the 1590s. Are you up for a bit of comedic culture? “...There’s small choice in rotten apples.” He is a wordsmith indeed, who but Shakespeare could make accident sound poetic…”’twas a fault unwilling.”  The Taming of the Shrew: Act I - The Play's the Thing | Acast Love Better: Untamed Love on Apple Podcasts

“And don’t you know that it is just when we are weakest that God can use us the most?” Wisdom from Mrs. Whestra, Andy’s neighbor in Witte, Holland.  While Andy’s family went to church he would go fishing and show up right when everyone was exiting the building and listen to their comments so he could talk about the sermon at home. Papa asked him when he was 17 years old, “What do you plan to do with your life?” What a clarifying question! Andy didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a blacksmith so he joined the army. His mama gave him her Bible which he packed away at the bottom of his duffle bag, unread, until he was wounded and needed time to heal from a shattered ankle.  “My sense of guilt wrapped around me like a chain–nothing I did — drinking, fighting, writing letters eased the stranglehold upon me.” He finally began to read his mama’s Bible. He wrote letters with Bible questions to a girl he had met, she helped him understand it.  God’s Word caused Brother Andy to do a 180. Andy said, “Karl Marx said, “Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world” meaning the letters of the alphabet. Well, this game could be played both ways.”  Please join Kate and Sheila as they recap Andy’s amazing life story in God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew with John and Elizabeth Sherrill. Andy evolves from a hooligan who played hooky from church to godly guy delivering Bibles to communist countries. Once when he was without a translator he used Bible verses to communicate! Remember Mrs. Whestra? Her family donated their VW car to  Andy for his travels to impossible places, trusting and praying and relying on God every step of the way. “First, earn the right to get their attention; then show them Jesus – perhaps not with words but always with action.” We’re thankful we met Andy in our quest to read the best, you will be too!

“Do you ever read any of the books you burn?”--young neighbor, Clarisse “That’s against the law.”--Guy Montag Join Kate and Sheila as they dive into Ray Bradbury’s classic, Fahrenheit 451. Guy Montag is a fireman in the future whose job is to burn books and houses in which the books are found. He begins to wonder how life got so empty after his wife, Mildred, emptied a bottle of sleeping pills. The pump snake guys come and ‘save’ her, then head off to their next disillusioned resident.. Guy wants to help Millie, but she tells him, “Let me alone” to which he replies, “We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while.” This book will bother you and challenge you too. Guy’s boss, Firechief Beatty quips, “People want to be happy, isn't that right?...They live for pleasure…” And as Dr. Phil always asks, “How’s that working for you?” Sadly, TVs take up entire walls of the houses. Mildred has a three wall TVs, which is not enough; she needs four. She refers to the shows as her family…’her family’ is on all the time. Guy has kept some books instead of burning them. When he tries to read Ecclesiastes 3, he struggles to get meaning from the text. He pays a visit to Faber, a retired English professor he met by chance in the park a year ago who had told him, “I don’t talk things, sir, I talk the meaning of things. I sit here and know I’m alive.” Are you ready to turn up the heat and read Fahrenheit 451? “To everything there is a season. A time to break down and time to build up. A time to keep silent and a time to speak…”

Do you hear the drum roll? We are on Rule #10 of House Rules by Jacob Hudgins! Today, Kate and Sheila recap… Just Because You’re Angry Doesn’t Mean You’re Right. Jacob starts with Cain, his anger was misinformed and misdirected. God told him, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at your door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:6-7 Cain doesn’t listen to God. He kills his brother, seeking a ‘permanent solution for a temporary problem.’ Anger clouds our judgment, like alcohol, it lowers our inhibitions. What we are doing feels right and appropriate. Remember the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, who was filled with fury when 3 Jewish guys dared to defy him? He orders the fiery furnace to be heated seven times hotter than normal, does this make sense? When we are angry we don’t seem to notice that our reasoning is impaired. When Jonah was angry at God for saving the people of Nineveh, God asked him, “Do you do well to be angry?” What a great clarifying question! Are you ready for a solution? House Rules refers us to James 1:19-20. The tone of Christian homes should reflect James’ powerful advice: Be quick to hear (we must learn to listen) Be slow to speak (anger can often alert us to character weaknesses within ourselves) Be slow to anger (the anger of men does not produce the righteousness of God) Please join us as we strive to keep anger in check! May you be blessed as we grow together striving to please God each day!

Lidia Zakrzewski’s real-life story of the Polish resistance fighters who struggled to force out the Nazi occupiers inspired Jennifer A. Nielsen to write, Uprising, an amazing novel about Poland falling into the hands of Germany. Lidia’s father went off to fight and she desperately wanted to go with him. The huge conflict of the occupation and the conflict on the homefront between Lidia and her mother keep readers on the edge of their seats. Why does her mother criticize so quickly? Why does Lidia refuse to see any good in her mother? Lidia’s brother, Ryszard, tries to help her. “That’s your problem, Lidia. You think you already know everything and can do everything and understand everything, but you don’t.” Lidia becomes a messenger for the Resistance and is led through the sewers by a girl named Ester. “I wasn’t worried. There was a calmness about Ester, and a confidence that kept me calm too…to have met Ester was entirely worth it.” What a goal for all of us to exude calmness and confidence in a confusing world because we are anchored to God! Uprising takes readers through the Invasion, the Occupation, the Uprising, and lastly, the Escape. Are you ready to join Poland’s 55,000 resistance fighters as they strive daily to outwit the Nazis? Please join Kate and Sheila as they recap a turbulent time in history when chaos surrounded the Polish people but they were still able to say, “...whenever we are with those we love, we are home.”

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Proverbs 25:28 “To the ancient mind, a city without walls is ripe for the picking. It lacks any defenses. It is susceptible to any passing army or group of bandits…When we lack self-control, we are setting ourselves up for disaster.” Self-control is not natural, it doesn’t come easy. In fact, one of the hardest folks to control is the face I see in the mirror, but saying no to self is empowering. When we become far-sighted, in tune with the big picture, the daily battle plan is much easier to execute. My goal is to please God, that sets the course for my why. Would this please God? If not, He will give me the strength to say no to myself. Children are not born with limits. We must teach them in such a way that when they leave home they will have the capacity to say no to ungodly things that will bombard their adult lives. How? By modeling this struggle daily while they are at home and by letting them practice it with our support. Let us embrace the rhythms of life like working before playing, praying before eating, and asking permission before doing something we’re not sure about. These rhythms will serve our children well, now and in adulthood, they won’t hurt us either : ) Boundaries help us respect each other. We cannot teach kids what we are unwilling to practice. Are you ready for the challenge of being far-sighted... think eternity? Please join Kate and Sheila as they recap Rule #9 We Control Ourselves from House Rules by Jacob Hudgins.

“The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn’t ready to hear it, and their story started with three simple words, ‘We were there.’” Are you ready for a challenge? The Women by Kristin Hannah was a tough read indeed! Sadly, Frankie McGrath’s wealthy California family communicated with each other less than people who don’t speak the same language. When her old brother was killed in action during the Vietnam Conflict Frankie quickly enlisted. The note, “Welcome to the 36 Evac Hospital, McGrath. Be the best version of yourself” starts her adventure with fellow nurses, Ethel and Barb. Frankie had no training but with their help she became a skilled surgical nurse. What’s up with The Stars and Stripes informing the US that no soldiers are being killed while Frankie, Barb, and Ethel and a host of others serving in Vietnam know that is a falsehood? This book shows us that things are not always what they appear to be and sadly that includes people as well. A raw, gritty, and tense look at the horrors of war and the countless difficulties those returning experience day after day after day. Join Kate and Sheila as they recap the heaviness of the rigor of readjusting in a country that refused to reaffirm those who gave so much and were appreciated so little. When we know better, we do better. We are so grateful to all who have served, may God bless you and your families! Thank you so much for listening! Remember, Stay on Track & Read Your Stack!

After you” “No, after you” Sounds a lot better than, “Me first!” Jacob Hudgins urges readers to break the pattern of getting, getting, getting to one of serving others instead. Join Kate and Sheila as they recap House Rules, Rule #8 We Lead By Serving. Let us make a shift from the “What’s in it for me?” mantra to “Here’s my opportunity to serve!” We want to emulate Jesus, the master of leading by serving! “We cannot allow the tone of the world to overwhelm us.” When we find ourselves anxious, upset, worried, or out-of-sorts we must adjust our focus from ourselves back to Jesus. “The pressing question for Christians in our time— is ‘what are we doing today that is good?’ Let’s teach ourselves and our kids that life’s not about being fair. What is fair about an innocent man dying for our transgressions? Jesus is the ultimate example of true leadership: ‘Lowering ourselves in love. He demonstrates complete abandonment of His own will—leaving behind the privileges of His status.” “Jesus calls us to be different. He urged His power-hungry disciples to channel all of their energy and desperate need for validation into a desire to serve?” Our prayer is that we become aware of opportunities to serve that God sends our way. May we roll up our sleeves and give our time and effort to bless and help others every day. We must be countercultural, the challenge is real, Set boundaries to stay focused, serving others isn’t based on how we feel! In the mighty name of Jesus, amen! Happy serving and reading dear listeners!

We are hoping you can ‘squeeze’ The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davis into your reading this summer. Join Kate, Sheila, and their special guest, Titus, as they recap the Treski siblings' war over who can sell the most lemonade. Evan, the oldest, discovers that his younger sister, Jessie, is going to be promoted into his class the upcoming school year. He has a lot of feelings but doesn’t share any of them with Jessie. He chooses to ignore her. Jessie feels like she’s lost her best friend, however figuring out feelings is not her forte and she’s as confused as someone trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together without being able to look at the picture on the box. The sibling rivalry is real but so is their sibling comradery. Grumpminster Fink was a mean, cranky man that Evan and Jessie made up back when their mom and dad were fighting so much. Dealing with the stress of dysfunction and divorce bonds the two together. After their dad left, they promised never to fight in front of their mom and even in the midst of their ‘lemonade war’ they kept this promise. Elbert Hubbbard was given credit for coming up with the phrase, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” back in 1915 when he wrote an obituary for an actor who achieved greatness despite dwarfism. The original phrase was “He picked up the lemons that fate had sent and started a lemonade stand.” We invite you to join us and let’s all strive to turn our problems into opportunities!