Recap Book Chat

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! This vice really hit home. Gluttony, like all the vices, begins with something created for good but sin creeps in and our desires run amok. Gregory the Great from the Middle Ages summed gluttony up in five categories: Too daintily (nothing is ever quite right) Too sumptuously (lavishly) Too hastily (gobble and go) Too greedily (ravenously-think Augustus Gloop) Too much (tastes like more) We learned that “what’s being eaten” deals with the first two and “how the food is eaten” deals with the last three. Indulgence whets the appetite instead of satisfying it. Ecclesiastes 6:7 reminds us…”his appetite is not satisfied.” The trouble with instant gratification is it only lasts for an instant. This quick fix leaves us depleted and spiritually starved. We’re made to find our flourishing in more than physical pleasure. Something I need to remind myself when I reach for chocolate! God made food good for our bodies and He made taste buds for us to savor the flavor. It all goes south when we try to do what Adam and Eve did long ago in the garden. When we choose to rely on food or drink instead of God we thwart our spiritual growth. Every virtue has two vices, extremes in both directions. Those joyless about food lack appreciation, while the self-indulgent are striving to provide pleasure through food. How do we get off this hamster wheel and unlearn the bad habits we’ve picked up? Rebecca DeYoung guides us in Glittering Vices to give up gratification for gratitude.Yes, intentionality is key as is practice. Will it happen overnight? Not a chance, change takes time, however, rightly forming our desires will put us on the right pathway. Please join Kate and Sheila as they strive to say, Good-bye gluttony, Hello temperance.

“No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice.” What a powerful quote in The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis! The prequel to the enduring and ever-popular The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Readers discover how Narnia came to be in this timely tale when two children from London, Digory and Polly, stumble upon Digory’s Uncle Andrew; he tricks them into putting on rings that transport them to another world. They encounter the evil queen, Jadis, who destroyed her world and seeks to destroy theirs as well. Polly and Digory work together to get Jadis out of London before that can happen. This amazing story shows readers the consequences of impulsiveness and selfishness and the beauty and strength and obedience found in putting others first and doing good. “All get what they want; They do not always like it.” Join Polly and Digory as they meet the great Aslan, whose presence scares Jadis aka the witch causing her to skedaddle. The talking animals debate whether Uncle Andrew is a vegetable, mineral, or human and finally decide he is a tree and plant him thigh deep in the dirt : ) Digory tells Aslan his mother is dying. He asks if he could send him back with something from Narnia that would heal her. Aslan looks at him with tears in his eyes and tells him that the two of them are the only ones in Narnia who know about grief. He encourages with these words, “Let us be good to one another.” Aslan sends the adventurers on a mission. Will Digory and Polly succeed or will the mission be thwarted by the evil witch. The kids are stronger in making wise choices the closer they are to Aslan. Isn’t that how we are? The closer to Christ we are the more we are able to battle the troubles and struggles in life in a manner that strengthens instead of devastates us. Self-control is a struggle and obedience is too but we never regret doing the right thing. Please join us as we dive into the first chronicle and meet the young adventurers, the self-absorbed uncle, the cool cabby and his steadfast steed, the evil witch, and the magnificent lion. Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea or listen as you go for a walk if the weather’s cooperating as we visit the land of Narnia.

Join Kate and Sheila as they dive into the vice of wrath from Glittering Vices by Rebecca DeYoung. There are two schools of thought on this vice. Aquinas believed it was a natural expression of a human emotion and it could be righteous if it targeted injustice. Anger as a holy emotion has justice as its object and love as its root as Jesus overturning the money changers tables. Anger turns wrathful when it fights for its own selfish cause. Cassian claimed all anger causes blindness which obscures our ability to see Christ. In James 1:19-20, “...we are told to be quick to listen…slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” “There is nothing that can be done with anger that cannot be done better without it.” Dallas Willard was in Cassian’s camp. Psychologists call anger a “secondary emotion” because it masks other sorts of distress. John and Julie Gottman liken our emotional life to an iceberg: only anger shows above the surface, while fear, grief, and shame lurk under water. What is our anger guarding? Is it our deepest attachments to worldly desires or the most significant sources of our identity? Wrath reveals idolatrous attachments and our prideful sense of self. Disrespect rankles us. It is a struggle to take a breath and give grace. How can we thwart this powerful vice? We hope you will join us as we go over the virtue that can kibosh wrath. Good-bye wrath, Hello Gentleness!

Welcome back, Recapsters! In this episode of the Recap Book Chat, we delve into the rich tapestry of Fyodor Dostoevsky's masterpiece, "The Brothers Karamazov." Settle in with your favorite cup of tea as we embark on a journey through the complex dynamics of faith, doubt, and familial bonds. First, let's meet the titular characters: Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha Karamazov, three brothers who couldn't be more different yet are deeply interconnected. Dmitri, the passionate and impulsive eldest brother, Ivan, the intellectual skeptic grappling with existential questions, and Alyoshai, the pious and compassionate youngest brother, serve as mirrors reflecting the multifaceted nature of the human soul. Their father, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, is a deeply flawed and hedonistic man whose actions cast a long shadow over his sons' lives. Fyodor's contentious relationships with his sons, coupled with his libertine lifestyle, serve as catalysts for the unfolding drama within the novel. Central to "The Brothers Karamazov" is the exploration of faith and doubt. Dostoevsky masterfully weaves existential and religious themes throughout the narrative, inviting readers to ponder the nature of belief in the face of moral ambiguity and suffering. Ivan's famous philosophical dilemma, the "Grand Inquisitor" chapter, challenges conventional notions of faith, while Alyosha's unwavering devotion to his faith provides a counterbalance. As we sip on our Honeybush tea, we'll discuss how Dostoevsky skillfully navigates the labyrinth of human consciousness, inviting readers to confront their own existential quandaries. In this first part of our exploration of "The Brothers Karamazov," we've only scratched the surface of Dostoevsky's magnum opus. Join us in the next episode as we delve deeper into the intricate plot twists, profound character developments, and timeless philosophical questions that make this novel a literary classic. Fear not dear listener, no spoilers in this episode in case you haven't yet embarked on the journey of "The Brothers Karamazov," yet. Until then, keep sipping, keep reading, stay on track and read your stack. Cheers!

Greetings Recapsters! For this episode, we discuss Gretchin Rubin’s book, The Four Tendencies, where she discusses how people respond to inner (stop nagging) and outer (traffic laws) expectations. She also wrote Better than Before to help us discover why some people can form habits more easily than others.How do we change? Habits are the invisible architecture of our lives. 40% of our daily behaviors are repeated, why not harness this information to gain self-knowledge that will help us adopt habits successfully? 41% of the population are Obligers. “You can count on me and I’m counting on you to count on me.” They are motivated by external expectations and struggle with inner expectations and with saying no. 24% of the people fall into the Questioner category. “I will comply if you convince me why.” They are motivated by clarity, reason, logic and fairness. They can have bouts of analysis paralysis. 19% of folks are Upholders. These are the people that respond readily to inner and outer expectations. Discipline is their freedom. 17% fall into the Rebel category. “You can’t make me, and neither can I.” This group places a high value on authenticity and acts best when you give them the information and let them make a choice. Our tendencies color the way we see the world. If you want to take the short quiz to discover your tendency click here. Thank you for joining us on our quest to read the best!

Glittering Vice # 4 — Avarice What do Ebenezer Scrooge, King Ahab, Lot, and King Midas all have in common? They all give us a clear picture of the vice of avarice. They put themselves first. Did Scrooge even see Tiny Tim? Did Ahab understand why Naboth said ‘no deal’? Why didn’t Lot insist that Abram have first choice on the land? Why didn’t Midas appreciate what he had? What causes this unquenchable desire for more, more, more? Horace’s pithy quote packs a punch, “The one who is greedy is always in want.” Sadly, greed corrodes the virtue of generosity and also leads us to shun the claims of justice. “Our greedy tendency to trust in wealth for happiness and security undercuts our trust in God.” In Glittering Vices, Rebecca DeYoung puts it in a nutshell, “Those with well-entrenched avarice are willing to use people to serve their love of money, rather than using money to serve their love for people.” Our attachment needs to be to God, the great provider and we should NOT seek to take over God’s role. When we give to others we are offering the world a picture of God’s heart. “Detaching from material goods means using them as a means to a great end which is attachment to God and to fellow human beings.” Please join us as we try to flesh out a strong desire of the flesh…by knowing our own weaknesses we can struggle to be free from the grip of this vice. Good-bye greed, Hello trust!

Letters From Rifka by Karen Hesse is told entirely in letter format, so here we go: Dear Reader, The year is 1919 in the month of September when Rifka (age 12) and her family make their escape from Russia. Sadly, the trip to America was eventful. In Poland, Rifka and her family got typhus except for her ornery brother Saul. After the family recovered their journey continued. Rifka befriends a Russian peasant on the train by fixing her hair. The vivid description of the peasant’s scalp by the author is graphic so when Rifka is diagnosed with ringworm, there is no doubt where she caught it. Her long golden curls fall out. But there is something worse than losing her curls, losing her family. Her family must continue the journey to America where jobs await them. What will become of Rifka, astute readers ask? How does she survive? Fortunately, the country of Belgium opens its arms to immigrants. “That is what you are when you are wandering between two worlds.” Rifka is left with mama’s locket and papa’s prayer shawl. A kind Sister treats her ringworm everyday. She receives hospitality from a generous couple who share their home with her for about a year until her condition is completely healed. Finally, she is on to America! After waiting for a year, imagine her dismay when the Americans refuse to let her in because she is bald. During her journey, Rifka has been writing her cousin on the white spaces found around the poems in the Pushkin poetry book Tovah gifted her when her family left Russia. Rifka has the gift of language but better than knowing different languages is her gift of compassion for the hurting. The orphan baby with typhus becomes her mission as does the 7 year old Russian peasant boy that will not talk or eat. Can she help them? Will she be reunited with her family? “Suddenly I realize how defenseless we are —not just Jews, all of us…I realize how precious our lives are. And how brief.” May you join Rifka on her journey and see her wonderful example of taking life one day at a time and blooming where one is planted! Your fellow recapsters, Kate & Sheila

Glittering Vice #3 Acedia (uh·see·dee·uh) What is acedia? Maybe we should first say what it is not. Acedia is often called sloth. The problem with this term is it helps to camouflage the real vice. Sloth paints a picture of one who has an aversion to work, like Tom Sawyer taking it easy while his friends whitewash the fence. Actually, the lazy person and the busy person can both suffer from hearts afflicted with acedia. The original definition of sloth was lazy about love not work, a faintheartedness accompanied by unhelpful thoughts that threatens our core commitment to our identity. It thwarts our fundamental identity as someone devoted to developing a lifelong relationship with God. Remember Lot’s wife? During the family’s lifesaving rescue, what did she do? Sadly, she looked back. Why? She was reluctant to leave her former life of ease. People with acedia choose to stunt their spiritual growth by avoiding the tough stuff while we work feverishly on minor things that are ‘urgent’. Ouch! Aquinas defined acedia as “aversion to the divine good in us.” We are made in the image of God, but we have many struggles to overcome to stay focused on pleasing Him. These struggles come daily so our response to them must be daily. Think about it, relationships need to be invested in to thrive, whether they’re with God or family or friends. When acedia creeps in those relationships flounder instead of flourish. What can we do? Relationships need sacrifice, nurturing, and effort. We cannot exterminate this vice without consistent commitment. Our love for God, our choice to be like Him, must be lived out day after day as we dedicate ourselves to developing and deepening our relationship with our Heavenly Father and the relationships of those near and dear, whether we feel like it or not. This daily discipline, this perseverance, this weaning off worldly wants and learning to enjoy God’s presence is a process. Join us as we struggle, with our Father’s help, to overcome this vice that often goes under the radar. Good-bye acedia, Hello diligence!

Join Titus, Kate, & Sheila as they discuss The Wingfeather Saga, book 1, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. They meet Janner, a 12 year old questioner, Tink, a brave 11 year old with a fear of heights, and Leeli, their younger sister who has a twisted leg and a dog named Nugget. The kids live with their mom, Nia, and their grandfather, Podo, an ex-pirate with a pegleg. The Igiby family lives in a land that has been taken over by flagitious forces. This gritty determined family endures many hard times because the brutal Fangs have the family’s homeland in their cruel clutches. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is filled with enlightening quotes: “It does no good to worry over what’s already happened. What matters is now. The past and future are both beyond our reach.” Nia told the boys this after Slarb took Leeli. Podo, the grandfather, shares his wisdom. “To think too long on what might happen is a fool’s business.” “Part of being a man is putting others' needs before your own.” “Lad, it’s one thing to be poor in pocket—nothing wrong with that. But poor in heart—that’s no good. Look at them. They’re sad in the eyes, and it’s a sadness no amount of money could repair. Why, they hardly remember what it’s like to laugh from the belly anymore.” Titus started his summary with the Igbys wanted freedom…Isn’t that a quest for us all? Freedom doesn’t come easy, dangers and struggles ensnare, Be bold dear readers, be aware— Discover the truth if you dare!

Glittering Vice #2 Envy What is envy? Rebecca DeYoung explains this vice so well. “Jealousy is envy’s close cousin. Both are personal and related to love. The jealous “have” something or someone they love but might lose. The envious, by contrast, are the “have-nots”--they do not have the good their rival does, and they do not have self-love either.” Let’s look at two athletes and contrast the differences. In 1924, Eric Liddell raced against Harold Abrahams in the 400 meter race in the Olympics. Eric said he felt God's pleasure whenever he ran, not when he won. (This explained why he confidently switched to a race he had not trained for because he would not compete in the 100 meter that was held on Sunday.) Harold devoted himself to winning. Winning was his goal and the fear of losing was what drove him. What is driving us? We all need to be loved and found worthy but the envier makes it competitive. “Envy is ever joined to the comparing of man’s self; and where there is no comparison, no envy.” --Francis Bacon To escape this vice we must find a different foundation for our self-worth as we work on a new vision of who we are, unconditionally beloved children of God. There’s a lot of talk about identity. We should all rest assured and repeat— I am a child of God! My worth is found in my Creator. Let’s reframe our vision of the world, ourselves, and others beginning with a change of heart. Please join us as we strive to exchange fear and resentment for gratitude and contentment. Good-bye envy, Hello love.