May 2025 Book Reports

The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor - I received this book as a gift years ago and have only read stories here and there. This year, I decided to read all of the ones I had never read. Flannery O'Connor shocks, and that's true in every one of these stories. Some are definitely better than others, which is probably why there are a few I've read a dozen times while others remain relatively overlooked. My favorite story is still "Revelation," but O'Connor isn't the kind of author I could read all day long for weeks on end (like Jane Austen). (copy received as a gift from my husband)

King Lear by William Shakespeare - This was my second time reading King Lear, this time with my book club. We had a lively discussion of this play, with its depictions of flawed relationships between fathers and children. It is one of the most violent and depressing of Shakespeare's plays, so my children read it in twelfth grade. I read my No Fear Shakespeare copy, which is the series I've mostly collected for my kids. Now there's a revised/updated Folger series I really like, though we only have one or two of them. Look for the larger paperback size (about 5.5" x 8.25") rather than the mass market paperback size. I'm not sure every play is available in the larger size yet. (purchased copy)

Paul for Everyone: Romans Part Two by N. T. Wright - I read the older version of this edition. This is the second half of Romans. (I finished the first half back in 2024.) The Paul for Everyone series covers a lot of the New Testament books. (purchased used) Here's what I wrote about the series before:

N. T. Wright is an Anglican priest and an expert on Paul. Using his own translations, he provides Scripture in short selections (but with nothing missing) and then thoughtfully reflects on them, always including a relevant story from his own life. For the most part, Wright's commentaries have nothing contrary to the Catholic faith, but it is good to have a knowledge of the major differences between Anglican and Catholic beliefs when reading, like the differences between the recognized books of the Bible and those of Jesus' immediate family.

Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis - link to my post about the whole trilogy (received as a gift from my brother-in-law)

The Mindful Catholic: Finding God One Moment at a Time by Dr. Gregory Bottaro - I read this book far too quickly, trying (and failing) to stay ahead of my daughter who read it one chapter a week. I included it in our Health course in high school because it does a great job presenting mindfulness from a Catholic standpoint, showing how it is compatible with the Catholic faith and a robust prayer life. I should really return to it and take the time to put the practices into action. (purchased copy)

We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite by Musa Al-Gharbi - link to my post (library copy)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

October and November 2024 Book Reports

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger - This was our book club read for the month, and I absolutely loved it. I read it at the airport and on a couple of flights, finishing it in just over 24 hours. I will definitely be reading it again. (purchased copy)

The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church by Rachel L. Swarns - Kansas Dad recommended I read this book. "In 1838, a group of America's most prominent Catholic priests sold 272 enslaved people to save their largest mission project, what is now Georgetown University." It echoed many of the themes in The History of Black Catholics in the United States, but with even more modern sources. It is good to be aware of the sins of the past and to think deeply about how we can be a part of the reconciliation process. (Kansas Dad's purchased copy)

Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers - This is one of the novels recommended for Level 6 Year 2 (twelfth grade) in the Mater Amabilis English plans. I read it a little ahead of First Daughter. I haven't read any other Peter Wimsey novels, but I enjoyed this one. As I neared the end, I certainly neglected some of my chores because I was eager to read more. First Daughter loved it and promptly checked out every Peter Wimsey book she could find at the library. (shared by a member of PaperBackSwap.com)

Paul for Everyone: Romans Part One by N. T. Wright - I read the older version of Romans for Everyone, and am not entirely sure I should count it as its own book since there's a Part Two. (I'll get to that one, too.) I'll quote what I wrote about a different book in the Paul for Everyone series:

N. T. Wright is an Anglican priest and an expert on Paul. Using his own translations, he provides Scripture in short selections (but with nothing missing) and then thoughtfully reflects on them, always including a relevant story from his own life. For the most part, Wright's commentaries have nothing contrary to the Catholic faith, but it is good to have a knowledge of the major differences between Anglican and Catholic beliefs when reading, like the differences between the recognized books of the Bible and those of Jesus' immediate family. (purchased used)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

June 2023 Book Reports

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh - Our book club selection this month. Well-written, but I just couldn't feel comfortable reading about family life from a woman who had so much privilege. How lovely to have two weeks alone at the beach to contemplate your life as wife and mother! How much easier it would be for the rest of us to see the beauty in our lives if we could get away from it and have as much help as she did. I actually loved this book when I first read it, many years ago, perhaps before I had children. (purchased used)

Eric Sloane's Weather Book by Eric Sloane - link to my post (purchased new)

Lives from Plutarch (Hillside edition) - This is a great early introduction to Plutarch, suitable for middle school readers. It's part of the Mater Amabilis lesson plans for Level 4 (eighth grade), but I assign it differently, so that my student finishes it in one year. (purchased new)

Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters by N. T. Wright - The newer edition of this book is called Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon for Everyone. N. T. Wright is an Anglican priest and an expert on Paul. Using his own translations, he provides Scripture in short selections (but with nothing missing) and then thoughtfully reflects on them, always including a relevant story from his own life. For the most part, Wright's commentaries have nothing contrary to the Catholic faith, but it is good to have a knowledge of the major differences between Anglican and Catholic beliefs when reading, like the differences between the recognized books of the Bible and those of Jesus' immediate family. (purchased used)

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini - This is the fourth book in the Inheritance series. If you read the first three, you will probably read this one. It's a satisfying end that also leaves a lot of questions unanswered to ponder, discuss, and hope for more books. (First Daughter's purchased copy)

The Diary of a Country Priest be Georges Bernanos - First Son was reading this in Kansas Dad's class in college this year, so I decided to read it as well. This was my second time reading this book, and it was less confusing than the first time. It's a powerful argument for grace in a quiet life and the love of God, but it is a difficult read. The priest's thoughts aren't always well connected (though this makes the diary more authentic). I also often felt like I didn't understand everything the people were actually saying. I think this book is one of those that benefits from additional readings and gets better each time you read it, especially as the reader matures in years and faith. It's worth reading even if you don't understand everything. (Kansas Dad's copy)

Judges and Ruth (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible) - I read this alongside one of my high schoolers. She wanted more context than just the text, and the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible has extensive notes at the bottom of each page as well as some commentary before and within the books. I think my preferred series would be the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, but they haven't gotten to Judges or Ruth yet. (purchased new)

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - In this dystopian, but not futuristic, England, children are raised merely for their organs. The question I saw woven quietly throughout the book is, "What is it to be human?" (library copy)

Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty - In this languorous novel, a young woman gets married amidst the love and chaos of her large family. I should have made a list of all the family members as they appeared, because I had trouble remembering which one was which. I loved how no matter what happened, the family members just kept right on preparing for the wedding and loving each other. (library copy)

I have not received anything in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

October 2022 Book Reports

Deuteronomy and Joshua, both from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible series - This series gives the text of the Bible using the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition along with an introduction for each book, annotations on the text, word studies, topical essays, and study questions. I think it's a decent series. I prefer the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, but that's not available for the Old Testament. I read these because I had planned for my older daughter to use them in her Scripture study. Mater Amabilis schedules readings from the Bible so that a student will read the entire Bible over the course of the four high school years, with some books read more than once. My daughter always has lots of questions when reading the Bible, and I thought these books would give her more context. We ended up dropping Scripture as a school subject because she reads her Bible every night, so she hasn't read these yet. (purchased copies)

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather - This is one of my favorite books. This was my second or third read-through. It's a gentle story of quiet strength and courageous faith, surrounded by exquisite descriptions of the American southwest. Highly recommended. (copy from a fellow member of PaperBackSwap.com)

Australian Legendary Tales collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker - link to my post (purchased copy from Living Book Press)

Paul for Everyone: 2 Corinthians by N. T. Wright - I think the new edition of this is now called 2 Corinthians for Everyone. N. T. Wright is Anglican, not Catholic, but he's a leading authority on Paul. I like how he translates the letters himself, which makes them seem fresh and new to me. He breaks the letter down into little chunks. Following the Scripture excerpt, he provides connections to our own modern lives with personal stories and in-depth explanations of his translations, including connections to other verses of Scripture. (purchased used)

Knights of Art: Stories of the Italian Painters by Amy Steedman - I bought this book from Connecting with History to give us a break from picture study in First Son's last year or so at home. Once a week or so, I would read the story of one of the Italian painters. They were mostly enjoyable stories, though the kids were always excited when there would be one with a happy life; there were lots of illnesses and early deaths in those days. (purchased from Connecting with History; link is not an affiliate link)

Chatter: The Voice in our Head, Why it Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross - link to my post (library copy)

Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri - link to my post (library copy)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

Ninth Grade Scripture Commentary: A Schedule and Suggested Essays

A few days ago, I posted on A Path through Genesis which First Son read as commentary along with his Scripture reading for ninth grade. For those who might be interested in something similar, I wanted to share a schedule and some essay questions.

First Son read Scripture once a week: Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers. At another time during the week he would read Commentary, a selection from A Path through Genesis. Consequently, he read Genesis twice - once in Scripture and once embedded in the Commentary. The next time we come around to ninth grade, I'm going to assign Scripture twice a week and substitute A Path through Genesis for Genesis. When the book is over, the student will use a personal Bible to read Exodus and Numbers.

Here's the anticipated schedule (narrations daily):

Week 1
1. A Path through Genesis - first half of the Introduction
2. A Path through Genesis - second half of the Introduction

Week 2
1. Part One: The Meeting of God and Man (just this part, stop before Chapter I)
2. Chapter I: Creation

Week 3
1. Chapter II: The Creature Man
2. Chapter III: The Fall

Week 4
1. Chapter IV: Before the Flood
2. Chapter V: The Flood

Week 5
1. Chapter VI: Before Abraham Was (prepare for exam)
2. Essay exam on Part One, first half

Week 6
1. Essay exam on Part One, second half
2. Part Two: Hebrew Beginnings AND Chapter VII: Abraham the Patriarch

Week 7
1. Chapter VIII: Abraham the Friend of God
2. Chapter IX: The Man of Faith

Week 8
1. Chapter X: Jacob the Supplanter
2. Chapter XI: Rachel the Beloved

Week 9
1. Chapter XII: Jacob Becomes Israel (prepare for exam)
2. Exam on Part Two

Week 10
1. Part Three: Israelite Beginnings AND Chapter XIII: Joseph in Egypt
2. Chapter XIV: The Stuff of Dreams

Week 11
1. Chapter XV: The Sowing of a People
2. Epilogue (prepare for exam)

Week 12
1. Exam on Part Three

Starting in the second term, the readings would decrease to just once a week.

Exodus 1-4
Exodus 5-8
Exodus 9-12
Exodus 13-16
Exodus 17-20
Exodus 21-24
Exodus 25-28
Exodus 29-32
Exodus 33-36
Exodus 37-40

Numbers 1-4
Numbers 5-8
Numbers 9-12
Numbers 13-16
Numbers 17-20
Numbers 21-24
Numbers 25-28
Numbers 29-32


Exams

I didn't give any exams in Scripture based on the readings from Exodus and Numbers. All exams on A Path through Genesis were open book.

This is an open-book test. You may refer to the text to answer the questions, but you must write the answers in your own words. If you need to quote the author, be sure to use quotation marks and reference the page number.

For each essay, I asked First Son to write 2-3 paragraphs on another sheet of paper. Each question was worth ten points. Depending on the exam, he chose one question for each chapter or one question for a pair of chapters. The first exam was spread over two days as Part One in the book covered a lot of thought-provoking material.

Exam #1, Part 1

Chapter I: Creation (choose one)

1. Describe the difference between the God of the first chapter of Genesis and the first gods in the creation myths of Egypt and Babylon.
2. Explain what the author (Bruce Vawter) thinks is meant by “image and likeness” of God.
3. Explain what the author (Bruce Vawter) means on page 49 when he says, “The creation story of Genesis neither affirms nor denies our scientific knowledge of the universe; it disregards it.”

Chapter II: The Creature Man (choose one)

1. What does Genesis tell us about the garden of Eden?
2. What does Genesis tell us about man’s relationship with God before the Fall?
3. Describe what Genesis tells us about women through the Creation story.

Chapter III: The Fall (choose one)

1. What does the author of Genesis tell us about temptation?
2. What are the effects of the Fall?

Exam #1, Part 2

Chapter IV: Before the Flood (choose one)

1. What does the story of Cain and Abel tell us about the sinfulness of men?
2. What do you think is the meaning of the genealogies of the people before the Flood?

Chapter V: The Flood (choose one)

1. Compare the record of the Flood in Scripture with the myths of great floods in other cultures.
2. What does Noah’s experiences in the Flood tell us about how God interacts with mankind?
3. What evidence does the author (Bruce Vawter) provide for his assertion that the story of the Flood is a combination from multiple sources?

Chapter VI: Before Abraham Was (choose one)

1. How does the genealogy after Noah describe the relation of the nations of the world according to the mentality of the Old Testament Jew?
2. Describe what the book says about the story of the tower of Babel.

Exam #2

Chapters VII and VIII: Abraham the Patriarch and Abraham the Friend of God (choose one)

1. How is Abraham a “Patriarch?” (chapter VII)
2. Describe one way or one instance that shows God’s protection of Abraham in his wanderings? (chapter VII)
3. How is Melchisedec a “type” of Christ? What does this mean? (chapter VII)
4. Explain what a covenant was in the time of Abraham and describe the covenant between Abraham and God. (chapter VIII)
5. Describe one of the following encounters between Abraham and God and how it might inform your own faith: (chapter VIII)
1. Abraham’s laughter (Genesis 17:15-27)
2. Abraham the generous host (Genesis 18:1-15)
3. Abraham the bargainer (Genesis 18:23-33)

Chapters IX and X: The Man of Faith and Jacob the Supplanter (choose one)

1. What does the author (Bruce Vawter) say about the ages attributed to Abraham and his descendants? (chapter IX)
2. What was Abraham’s most heroic example of faith? Why is this story in our sacred Scriptures? What do we learn from it? (chapter IX)
3. How does Jacob supplant Esau? What does the author (Bruce Vawter) say about the events? (chapter X)
4. How and why is Genesis “preoccupied with the identification of various sacred places in Palestine with one or another of the patriarchs?” (according to Bruce Vawter, chapter X)

Chapters XI and XII: Rachel the Beloved and Jacob Becomes Israel (choose one)

1. Compare and contrast Lia and Rachel in both their marriages to Jacob and their children with him. (chapter XI)
2. Describe the relationship between Laban and Jacob and how it changed over time. (chapter XI)
3. Describe Jacob’s interactions with Esau when he returns home. (chapter XI)
4. What happens with Jacob wrestles with God in Genesis 32? How is Jacob changed? (chapter XI)

Exam #3

This exam covered only three chapters and was overall more familiar to us. I asked him to choose two of the following questions.

1. What was the Hebrew understanding of Sheol? (Chapter XIII)
2. Why was Joseph’s refusal to sin because it was against God while he was in Egypt a unique argument? (Chapter XIII)
3. Why do you think there is no record of Joseph in Egypt despite his high position? Use information you’ve learned in the book to give support for your belief. (Chapter XIV)
4. What was “the blessings of Jacob” and what does it mean for the Israelites? (Chapter XV)

Commentary on Creation, the Fall, Abraham, and Joseph: A Path through Genesis

A Path through Genesis

by Bruce Vawter, C.M.

published by Sheed and Ward in 1956 with an imprimatur

In the Mater Amabilis™ high school beta plans (available in the facebook group), ninth graders read Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers. I wanted a commentary to read alongside. My first thought was to use the Catholic Scripture series (we own the volume on John), but they haven't published any Old Testament commentaries. Kansas Dad, of course, is a theology professor, but his area of expertise is early Church history and ethics, not Old Testament, so I asked one of his fellow professors for a recommendation. He's a Hebrew scholar who earned his PhD in Israel. He gave me a couple of books to skim from his personal library and I decided to buy a copy of A Path through Genesis. It's out of print, but readily available. When I was searching for it, I found a review by Flannery O'Connor in her book, The Presence of Grace and Other Book Reviews (Google books).

Vawter's commentary includes the entire text of Genesis (from The Holy Bible, translated from the original languages...by members of the Catholic Biblical Association of America, St. Anthony Guild Press, 1952). Some of the names were spelled a bit differently than in the NAB First Son received from our parish, but he was able to follow along without difficulty.

A Path through Genesis provides cultural and historical context for Genesis, grounded in solid theology, from a Catholic theologian interested in walking laypeople through the text. Throughout the book, Vawter guides the reader in understanding the meaning of the author of Genesis and therefore discerning the essential truths of the events and stories inspired by God.

The Bible was not written in a vacuum, but by men of highly individualized personalities whose powers of mind and spirit were separate creations of God. Inspiration did not change, it accepted these men. Their writings bear the impress of themselves, of their times, of their capabilities and limitations. If we would know the meaning of the Bible, then, we must take it for what it is, the noblest work of human endeavor.

Throughout the book, Vawter emphasizes when appropriate the relationship between our faith and modern scientific thought. Written in the 1950s, it addresses evolution and creation, repeating the teachings of the popes and the councils that dispel the myths of conflict between faith and reason.

We must today interpret the Bible in the light of knowledge that was denied our ancestors. Any interpretation of Scripture that contradicts a known fact of science we may be very sure is no true interpretation. This principle was established fifteen hundred years ago by St. Augustine, who in his De Genesi ad litteram attacked the problems of Genesis in the light of the knowledge of his age. We can do no better than imitate his spirit.

A Path through Genesis emphatically rejects a literal reading of Genesis.

"Fundamentalism" or "literalism" has never had a home in the Catholic Church. It is regrettable, however, that some Catholics have felt that the fundamentalists are "on our side" in their reverence for the letter of God's word amid a world that has so largely gone over to unbelief. Fundamentalism is not born of respect for the Bible. It is born of contempt for man's God-given intellect. It has failed the most elementary task of religion, which is the rational service of God. 

I read this book alongside First Son. Not only is it clear in its explanations of ancient and Biblical history, but it is often eloquent in its delight of Scripture and in bringing Genesis directly to the present.

To be like God: there is the root of sin. To acknowledge no dependence, to be a law to oneself, this is the vulgar idea of being like God. Man was made in God's image, intended to be like God, but in God's way and with God's means. Satan counted on enticing man to adopt his own means, and he won.

What precisely was the sin that Adam and Eve committed, we shall probably never know. In all likelihood the author of Genesis was quite as ignorant of it as we. 

Vawter connects the foibles, mistakes, and misunderstandings of the men and women of Genesis with our own today. Abraham laughed when God said he'd have a son.

There is the temptation that has plagued men of faith throughout the centuries. Faith generally meets its test in small things rather than great. The man who can cheerfully face death in the arena where the issues are clear and drawn may thread his way only with difficulty through a world which is not black and white but considerably grey.

It is deceptively easy to think we would have been holier than the patriarchs, that we would not have doubted. Vawter, though, places them within their own times, revealing their limitations and therefore the greater leaps they made to a faith that is already prepared for us.

Abraham lived without the Church, without the sacraments, without the consolation of the fulfillment of prophecy, all of which we have. H had to walk virtually alone, gropingly, with only his strong faith in a future he was not to see in this life. We must candidly confess, if we had lived in the time of our father Abraham, we would only with God's help have done as he, and we would have one it far less well.

I asked First Son whether he thought A Path through Genesis was a good addition to his studies this year. He whole-heartedly approved. He found it helpful in his understanding of the text and enjoyable to read.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post and all opinions are my own. I purchased a used copy of this book. The link above is an affiliate link on Amazon, but the book can be found at all the usual used book websites.

Proverbs, Shakespeare, and an Education of Connections

I was feeling disappointed toward the end of our school year, when I realized my grand plans for Shakespeare would not be realized. We would not read Henry V. We would not even read As You Like It. Instead, we would barely finish memorizing the passages from Henry IV, Part I from How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare.

First Son surprised me in the last weeks of school, though. We were reading through some passages of conversation between Falstaff and Prince Hal quoted in How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare where Prince Hal says:

Thou didst well, for wisdom cries out in the streets and no man regards it.

Immediately, First Son announced, "That's in Proverbs."

And we all learned on the following page:

And here we have another one of those remarkable epigrams that Shakespeare drops into the dialogue like an extra piece of candy that we didn't expect. It is an allusion to Proverbs, 1:20:

Wisdom cries out in the streets and no man regards it.

"How did you recognize that?" I asked First Son.

"Oh, I just remembered it."

Somewhere, at some time, in our years of reading Scripture or in the hours he's spent in classes or at adoration in our parish, that bit of Proverbs nestled in his mind, ready to be sparked by a bit of Shakespeare.

We will begin next year with As You Like It and hopefully make it through that play and Henry V, but if we don't, I will console myself that my children are storing up what we do read somewhere in their hearts and minds. Perhaps someday, years from now, they will be reading or listening or watching and will recognize an allusion to Shakespeare. Perhaps they may even remember fondly the dramatic scenes re-enacted by such illustrious action figures as Darth Vader in the role of Macbeth.

Reading Sacred Scripture: The Gospel of John

The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture)

by Francis Martin and William M. Wright IV

Mater Amabilis™ ™recommends reading the synoptic Gospels over three years, following the liturgical readings for the given year in Matthew, Mark, or Luke, in Levels 3 (6th and 7th grades) and 4 (8th grade). First Son was taking Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level 3 in his sixth and seventh grade years which includes a lot of scripture study and I hesitated to add something to his schedule that was already covered at least in part. This year, though, in eighth grade, he did not attend Catechesis. Because St. John is the patron saint of our parish and we already owned this book, I added it to his schedule rather than one of the synoptic gospels.

The short review is: great book with clear commentary and thoughtful application written at a level that is accessible for a Level 3 or Level 4 student (as well as an adult). It's an excellent example of how to incorporate knowledge Tradition, the Catechism, church documents, and other sources while reading sacred scripture.

The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series has a consistent structure that I would trust, even though there are different authors for the various books. I would choose the commentaries on Matthew, Mark, or Luke, though, rather than John. John's gospel is much more ethereal gospel than the others and I think it might be a more beneficial study to begin with those (as Mater Amabilis™ suggests).

The chapters of the commentary do not exactly follow the chapters of the gospel, instead dividing them up to conform to the contents of the verses. The chapters have a descriptive title and clearly show the reference for the verses included. Each one begins with a brief introduction. The exact Biblical text (New American Bible, revised edition) appears in bold, broken into small sections. Just below each section are references to other Scripture passages, sections in the Catechism, and any appearances in the Roman lectionary.

In between the sections of Biblical text, the authors provide explanations of what is happening, with quotes from the text in bold and the reference in the margins. They draw extensively on a variety of theological sources to provide both historical context and contemporary thoughts. Every chapter includes at least one section of "Reflection and Application" which directly challenges the reader to consider the meaning of the verses in his or her own life.

Throughout the book are plenty of sidebars presenting historical information and thoughtful commentary on issues that have arisen over the centuries related to the Biblical text. For example, there is one in the chapter on the trial before Pilate called "The Church's Condemnation of Anti-Semitism" with quotes from the Second Vatican Council, the Catechism, and other Scripture references. (There's a very helpful index of sidebars, too, at the end of the book, so it's easy to find them again if you want to return to explore the additional references.)

First Daughter is beginning Level 3 in the fall, as a sixth grader. The 2018-2019 liturgical readings will be drawn mainly from Luke, so I intend to purchase The Gospel of Luke from this series for her. It is scheduled to come out in September, but we'll just wait to start her gospel reading until we receive it. [Update 7/2/22: I did not purchase or use the commentary for Luke. First Daughter just read from the Bible she had.]

We used this book in a parish adult education class. The Amazon links above are affiliate links. The opinions here are my own.

February 2015 Book Report

Stout Hearts and Whizzing Biscuits: A Patria Story by Daniel McInerny is the first is a series (of two novels and one novella, so far) that has been highly recommended to me from a variety of sources. I was a little nervous because it looked like they might be self-published and sometimes those books were refused by publishers for good reason. I thought it was pretty fun and offered it to First Son (11) who declared it fantastic and read it in a few hours (over two days). First Daughter (8) is reading it now and also enjoying it. It seems to be just challenging enough for her. I had to request it through inter-library loan, but after I suggested it to the library, they have ordered both of the books. My kids are really excited to read the second one! (inter-library loan)

Happy Times in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren is a sequel to The Children of Noisy Village (recommended by Mater Amabilis for Level 1A and a truly delightful book). I learned only recently about the sequel and was thrilled when the library purchased a copy. It's just as delightful. The first book includes a bit more than a hint that Santa Claus does not actually deliver presents which I modified a bit when I was reading it aloud because we like St. Nicholas around here and I didn't want to ruin the fun too early for the girls. There's nothing like that in this book, so I'm comfortable handing it over to First Daughter (8) who will read it independently for her lessons when she finishes the Patria book. (library copy)

The Call of the Wild by Jack London was a book I was going to pre-read for First Son, but decided we'd just listen to it when I saw the library had it on audio CD. I have never read anything by Jack London myself. There were a few scenes in which animals were cruelly treated (most often by other dogs) and one fairly gruesome scene at the end where Buck attacks and kills a large number of people. As far as I know, it was all historically accurate (though fictionalized) and it was certainly beautifully written, but I probably would not have let my girls (6 and 8) listen to it if I had read it myself beforehand. They handled it without comment or gasp, though. It would have been worthwhile independent reading for First Son (11) either for school or summer reading. (audio CD from the library)

The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home by David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler - my review. (purchased copy from Sacred Heart Books and Gifts)

The Bad Beginning: Or, Orphans! (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1) by Lemony Snicket
We listened to the audio CD read by Tim Curry. It was delightful. Though awful things happen to the children, just as promised, there are frequent moments of laughter and ridiculousness. We love Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, and can't wait to hear more about them. (audio CD from the library)

The Bible Compass: A Catholic's Guide to Navigating the Scriptures by Edward Sri was recommended as background reading for Volume 1 of Connecting with History (Ancient History). I read The Drama of Scripture, which Kansas Dad recommended, but thought it would be nice to read this one as well for a Catholic perspective. The first part of the book was a little frustrating as I felt like he was telling me only what the Catechism would tell me about the Bible (which I could look that up myself), but as the book progressed there was more detailed information about Scripture and how to read it. Overall, I feel like it's a good overview, especially for someone who is feeling intimidating about reading the Bible. (purchased copy from Sacred Heart Books and Gifts)

Miss Happiness and Miss Flower by Rumer Godden is recommended by Mater Amabilis in year 2 of level 1A (third grade) for People and Places. I did not consider it for First Son when I saw the plot focused on Japanese dolls, so this is the first time I've read it. A family comes together to create something beautiful and perfect, in the process providing a path for a young girl to establish herself in a new home. First Daughter is going to love it! (library copy)

In Her Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from Grandmas Around the World by Gabriele Galimberti - my review. (review copy from Blogging for Books)

Bleak House by Charles Dickens - my review. (library copy)

Priest on Horseback: Father Farmer, 1720-1786 by Eva K. Betz is a book I read about but was always daunted by the high price as it is out of print. I was delighted to discover it on LibriVox coincidentally as we were studying colonial American history. First Daughter loved the story but the others were not as interested. This book gives a look at what colonial life was like for a traveling priest at a time when many people distrusted or outright hated Catholics. The reader is not my favorite, though I am glad she recorded this book. (listening with the children on LibriVox)

Marriage: The Mystery of Faithful Love by Dietrich von Hildebrand - my review. (inter-library loan copy)

Books in Progress (and date started)

• Open Mind, Faithful Heart by Pope Francis (January 2014) 
• The Education Of Catholic Girls by Janet Erskine Stuart (February 2014)
• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• The Religious Potential of the Child: Experiencing Scripture and Liturgy with Young Children by Sofia Cavaletti (September 2014, with a book club at our parish)
• Good Poems ed by Garrison Keillor (October 2014) 
• Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization by Scott Hahn (January 2015, with our adult education class at our parish)
• For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay (January 2015, with my Start Here book club)
• The Story of the Amulet by E. Nesbit (February 2015, listening with the children on LibriVox)
• The Story of a Bad Boy by Thomas B. Aldrich (February 2015)
• The Best of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (February 2015)
• The Sinner's Guide to Natural Family Planning by Simcha Fisher (February 2015)
• Humility of Heart by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (February 2015)

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon, I receive a small commission if you follow one of my links, add something to your cart, and complete the purchase (in that order). My homeschooling budget is always grateful for any purchases. 

Links to RC History are affiliate links.

Links to Sacred Heart Books and Gifts are not affiliate links.

These reports are my honest opinions.

Lenten Cross for the Range

Last year, I was a little disappointed in our Lenten readings and wanted something different. Inspired by the success of our Jesse Tree, I decided to make a Lenten cross as found in Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church: Activities to Celebrate Catholic Liturgical Seasons by Catherine and Peter Fournier. Like for the Jesse Tree, the Fourniers selected Scripture passages for the forty days of Lent (not counting Sundays). They give lots of options for making a Lenten cross including pictures for each of the days. Personally, I find some of the Jesse Tree images a little difficult to connect to the readings. I also wanted something more unified and pretty (maybe even beautiful?) in Lent as well as Easter.

I spent a long time considering and pondering and wondering about this cross: what materials to use and how to attach them. I really wanted to be able to flip from one side to another as the season progressed but struggled to decide what would be on each side. I especially wanted something beautiful for the Easter season. I finally mentioned it to Kansas Dad. At first, he listened and claimed he had no advice to give me, but before too long he suggested Easter lilies. That man is a genius in addition to being so good-looking.

Then I spent hours (it's a little embarrassing how much time I put into this little project) browsing online to find copyright free images I could print and place just perfectly to form the cross. I had purchased a foam board during the back-to-school sales and was determined to use it, so the dimensions were a constraint.

• a photograph of Micheangelo's Pieta found on Wikipedia Commons for the centerpiece during Lent
• Fra Angelico's Resurrection of Christ and Women at the Tomb also at Wikipedia Commons
• Easter lilies from Vintage Images (I trimmed this image down in Photoshop to make the fifth copy of it at the bottom of the cross.)
• the words "He is risen! Alleluia!" at the very bottom

In the end, I'm really pleased with it. The first picture shows how it will look during the Easter season (for as long as I leave it up). The second picture shows how it will look during the season of Lent. On each card, I've put a small cross, the day number, the Scripture reference, and the title or theme of the reading. (All of these can be found in Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church: Activities to Celebrate Catholic Liturgical Seasons. Please note, if you have an old version of this book like I do, Day 13 should be Jericho not Moses again. You can find the correct information on the author's website or, presumably, in the newer edition of the book.) 

If you want to make your own Lenten cross and choose to make it the same size as mine, you can use the PDF I made of these images and shared on Google Docs. (It would be so kind of you to link back here if you post pictures on your blog or Facebook or Pinterest or other such places.)

It took me about two hours to complete the cross once I had all the materials in front of me, including writing the Scripture references, laminating the cards, cutting them out, placing them on the foam board (which involved some problem-solving when my tacky was defunct). Hopefully with my suggestions, you could get the time to just over an hour. Here's what you need:

• foam board or background (mine was 20"x30")
• purple construction paper (Hobby Lobby sells nice packages of single colors.)
• a cross punch (I bought this one at Hobby Lobby for about $6 on sale and intend to use it for First Communion as well...somehow.)
• a fine tip Sharpie marker (I used black.)
• printer paper for the Scripture side of the card (I used cardstock, but recommend paper. A light purple might be nice.)
• your images (or print mine on white cardstock)
• a paper cutter or scissors
• glue or double-stick tape (to hold the materials together until you laminate them)
• a laminator (I have this one.)
• laminating sheets (I usually purchase these at a superstore.) 
• Tacky or sticky tabs to attach the cards to the foam board so they can be flipped and reattached

1. First I cut the cards for the Scripture side. If your foam board is the same as mine, the cards can be 2" square. I did not take into account the extra space for the laminated edge, so my cards go a little off the top and sides. I used white cardstock for the Scripture side in addition to the image side, but two layers of cardstock was a little much for the laminator. I used plain printer paper for a few at the end and those worked better. (Another option would be to write directly on the back of your images, but I was worried the marker would bleed through. Also, I messed up a few times and it was very easy to grab another plain 2" square rather than reprinting the image.)

2. I punched a large pile of crosses out of the construction paper, then used a tiny bit of glue to put them in the upper left hand corner of the cards. I just needed them to stay in place long enough to be laminated.

3. Using the fine tip Sharpie, I wrote the day number at the top. (I highly recommend having the number so they're easy to line up properly every year.) The Scripture reference is key as well, so you don't have to look it up every day. I wrote a title for it as well. As I mentioned above, these are all found in Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church: Activities to Celebrate Catholic Liturgical Seasons but make sure you have Jericho for Day 13. (You may be able to see in the picture that I realized the error later.)

4. Line up all the Scripture cards on the cross in the order you want to flip them. For 2" square cards, you'll need 8 squares for the top and sides (each) and 16 squares for the bottom. When we read our Scripture, we'll read the four on the top of the left side beam and then read the four on the bottom of the same side before moving to the right side beam.

5. Use the paper cutter to cut the first image. Again, you'll want 2" square (or whatever will exactly match your Scripture cards). No matter how carefully I thought I had cut my squares, they didn't match completely when I paired them up. Life goes on.

6. After you cut the image, carefully flip the Scripture cards for the appropriate rectangle, then set your image cards down so they match up to form the image. (So the top left of your flower image is on the back of day 1, etc.) You want the image to make sense when you flip the cards day by day.

7. Repeat the process for each of the other five images.

8. Use a dot of glue or a bit of double-stick tape to keep your image and Scripture cards lined up as nicely as possible. Place each one in your laminating sheet. I put nine on each sheet.

9. Run the cards through the laminator (using all the usual precautions here).

10. Cut the cards. As I mentioned earlier, mine were too thick so sometimes I had to cut where I could see they hadn't sealed completely. I used some clear tape to seal them.

11. Attach the cards to your foam board. Here's where I ran into problems. I had some poster tacky stuff in my stash but found it all dried up. Instead, I used a sample of reusable poster stickers like these. I think something similar might work, but I had so few in my sample package I had to cut them quite small and they won't work as they are for all of Lent and Easter. I'm thinking of trying something like this. Even if it only lasted one year, the cost would not be excessive to place new tabs each year.

Your Lenten cross does not have to look like this one. My friend, Monica, shared a picture of hers a few years ago.

You can read more about some of our other Lenten plans in my post from 2013. We'll definitely have our flower prayer garden and bean jars again. The flower garden in particular is one of my favorite Lenten practices. (The kids' favorite tradition is ice cream sundaes for dinner on Fat Tuesday.)

Ash Wednesday is February 18th so you have a little time yet to think about what you'd like to do with your family. Any favorite traditions to share? Does anyone else have a Lenten cross?

2013-2014 Memory Verses: Fourth Grade and First Grade

Here are a few lists of the memory verses for fourth grade and first grade in 2013-2014.

We also sometimes memorize entire psalms or parables, but I put those in our poetry memorization rather than Scripture verses. Basically, if it's too long to go on an index card and gets put in the memory binder, it's "Memory Work." If it's on an index card, it's "Memory Verses." We practice and review them both about four days a week.

For all our memory verses and parables, I use the NRSV (except for one difference, noted below). If it's a psalm and in our memory binder, I usually use the KJV.

First Son's Fourth Grade Memory Verse List

• Psalm 27:4 (from previous year)
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
• Ephesians 4:31-32
• Isaiah 11:1-3
• Mark 8:34-36 (in progress)

First Daughter's First Grade Memory Verse List

• Psalm 45:10 (from previous year)
• Psalm 33:22
• Jeremiah 31:25
• John 6:35
• Psalm 139:13-14
• Philippians 4:13
• Isaiah 9:2 (RSV)
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (in progress)

Here's a link to First Son's first grade memory verses.

2012-2013 Memory Verses: Third Grade and Kindergarten

I'm organizing our work on Scripture memory verses and realized I haven't posted our memorized verses in a while. I like to have these on the blog for my own benefit and you never know when someone might search for something like "good memory verses for a third grader" and find what we did.

We also sometimes memorize entire psalms or parables, but I put those in our poetry memorization rather than Scripture verses. Basically, if it's too long to go on an index card and gets put in the memory binder, it's "Memory Work." If it's on an index card, it's "Memory Verses." We practice and review them both about four days a week.

For all our memory verses and parables, I use the NRSV. If it's a psalm and in our memory binder, I usually use the KJV.

First Son's Third Grade Memory Verse List

• Matt 5:43-45
• Matt 19:26
• Phil 4:19
• Matt 7:7
• Matt 5:42
• Romans 15:13
• Psalm 27:4

First Daughter's Kindergarten Memory Verse List

• Matt 18:20
• John 3:16
• Psalm 45:10

First Daughter was not very interested in memory work after the first few weeks of school. As I recall, she had already memorized a handful of poems and I just stopped the memory work until first grade. You can see First Son's kindergarten memory work on this page.

August 2014 Book Reports

The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith (library)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a current hit amongst teens and others, especially with the movie recently being released. I found it a well-written account of the love that develops between two teenagers with fatal cancer diagnoses. While it's not particularly religious (some may even say anti-religious), I found the response to the question of the meaning of life to be wonderfully consistent with faith and even intriguing. It's definitely a book for mature teenagers, but I think it would be quite interesting to read and talk about with young adults. (library copy, reviewed on another website)

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is another teen book I reviewed for another website. It was also fun to read, though the ending is quite dramatic and terrible. Again, this would be a book for older teens, though not one that had quite as much interesting questions to discuss. (library copy)

A Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup is a fun book I picked up thinking First Son might like it. It's the first in a series and full of jokes and quips as well as exciting twists and turns. I think it'll be on the recommended list for next summer (between fifth and sixth grade) but I might read the others in the series first. (library copy)

The Black Pearl by Scott O'Dell is the story of a boy who finds the most tremendous pearl when diving in a cave that supposedly belongs to an unnaturally large and malevolent manta ray. What follows offers an interesting number of questions about fear and faith and presumption. I'm not sure what the right age for this book is, but it might be acceptable for First Son to read next summer (before sixth grade). I think he'd be ready to think about some of it. (library copy)

101 Famous Poems ed. by Roy Cook is a book of poems I picked from the library nearly at random. I recently decided I'd like to read a poem or two every day and just wanted something with a variety of poems. It was acceptable, but not nearly as enjoyable as other anthologies. I do like reading some poetry every day, though, and think I'll continue. (library copy)

The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story by Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen (Kansas Dad's copy)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Open Mind, Faithful Heart by Pope Francis (January 2014) 
• The Education Of Catholic Girls by Janet Erskine Stuart (February 2014)
• Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (February 2014)
• A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller (April 2014)
• Genesis: The Book of Origins by Albert Mary Joseph Shamon (July 2014) 
• Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus (August 2014)
• Revolutionary by Krista McGee (August 2014)
• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri Nouwen (August 2014)

Book Review: The Drama of Scripture

The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story by Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen

This year, the children and I are cycling back around to Volume 1 of Connecting with History, Old Testament and Ancient History. I asked Kansas Dad for recommendations in placing the Old Testament in the context of history and this is the book he recommended. He uses it in his theology courses.

This book is not written by Catholics, but the text is still valuable. I noticed one reference to Jesus's siblings (which of course Catholics would say were cousins). Also, the books of Maccabees are placed in the intertestamental period rather than the Old Testament. Interestingly, though, the authors never explicitly say the books of Maccabees are non-Biblical, and they present the content of those books with as much authority as those they cover in the Old Testament section. Also, the appendix in the back that lists all the references used in the course of the book includes 1 and 2 Maccabees without even an asterisk. So in some ways, it is perhaps more Catholic than I expected.

Basically, the book presents the historical thread of Scripture as a single story, combining the events of all the books of the Bible. The goal is to see the overall picture of God's work on earth and his plan for all of creation, including ourselves.

One of the aspects of the book I found most helpful was the authors' ability to explain the understanding of the Jewish people of the Scriptures as they were handed down and how that understanding (or misunderstanding) was addresses by Jesus in his teachings and in the moments of his ministry selected and emphasized by the writers of the Gospels. Lots of sources tell a bit of what life was like in Jesus's time, but this book incorporated all of Old Testament history to generate a picture of the Hebrew people as a whole, including those areas in which there was debate and disagreement.

The church of the first century is almost two thousand years removed in time and (for most of us) half a world away in distance...The biblical accounts of how all these different people struggled to live faithfully in their distant times and places may seem to have little to do with you and me.

Yet it is not so. The world of the Bible is our world, and its story of redemption is also our story. This story is waiting for an ending--in part because we ourselves have a role to play before all is concluded...We must resist the temptation to read the Scriptures as if they were a religious flea market, with a basket of history and old doctrines here, a shelf full of pious stories there, promises and commands scattered from one end to the other.

The authors are interested in convincing their readers to integrate the story of Scripture into their lives, not just on Sundays or during a prayer time, but throughout their days. We are participating in God's kingdom already come but not yet complete.

Salvation is not an escape from creational life into "spiritual" existence: it is the restoration of God's rule over all of creation and all human life.

Because our own culture is very different from that in which Jesus and the apostles ministered, we must be creative in how to understand and carry out that continuing mission today.

Witness will mean embodying God's renewing power in politics and citizenship, economics and business, education and scholarship, family and neighborhood, media and art, leisure and play...It means that the way we live as citizens, consumers, students, husbands, mothers, and friends witnesses to the restoring power of God.

As I said, Kansas Dad uses this book in his university level courses, so it's written in an academic style. That doesn't mean it's impossible to understand for a layperson, just that there are a lot of quotes from academic theologians (those that publish in academic journals) versus popular theologians (those that write most of the books and do most of the touring around the country to speak at conferences for laypeople). There are lots and lots of endnotes, which makes me happy. It is a little dense for someone wanting to just sit down and read a bit now and then. I generally found I understood it better if I read it while the children were focused on something or in bed. Interruptions were problematic.


All product links in this post are affiliate links, either with Amazon or RC History. Our homeschool budget is grateful for any commissions we receive, but all opinions in this post are objective and not written at the prompting of any vendor.

Book Review: My Big Book of Catholic Bible Stories

My Big Book of Catholic Bible Stories by Heidi Hess Saxton

I love this book of Bible stories!

We've been using this book for two years now, reading aloud one Bible story to all of the children twice a week. There is a brief introduction for each story but the text is directly from the Bible, the NRSV. At the end of each passage is a small prayer, often verses of a psalm or a traditional Catholic prayer. There are often quotes or tidbits of information as well.  I appreciate how selections are included from less common "story" books like Baruch and Sirach.

The Going Deeper section lists related Bible passages, other readings used at Mass with the Bible story, or sections of the Catechism. You could use these readings with older children to delve more deeply into the text. This section also includes one or two recommendations for actions related to the Bible story. I love that these are not sickly sweet at all, but suggestions even adults might appreciate.

There's an excellent illustration for each Bible story in full color. I found the illustrations tasteful and realistic.

After two years of two stories each week, we're about two-thirds of the way through the book, so there's a lot of material within the book. My children are currently 10, 7, 5, and 3 (though the three year old doesn't always listen quietly to the story). I began reading from this book when First Daughter was in kindergarten and think it works well starting at that age. Because it's the NRSV, there's no reason older children can't appreciate it as well.

Both First Son and First Daughter will be reading independently from retellings of the Bible next year in our history studies. There are reasons to use a children's Bible, but the writings of Charlotte Mason and Sofia Cavalletti have persuaded me that even very young children can grasp the essential truths of Scripture. Not every Bible passage will be appropriate for children, so I appreciate this book in which Scripture passages are selected with children in mind but presented through the NRSV.

Book Review: A Family Journey with Jesus through Lent

A Family Journey with Jesus Through Lent: Prayers and Activities for Each Day 

by Angela M. Burrin

I bought this book at a going-out-of-business sale at a bargain and decided to give it a try this Lent. It has readings for each day of Lent (Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, but not for Sundays which are technically part of Lent). Every reading is based on a Gospel passage and is narrated by a child or a disciple. The concept allowed the child narrators to share bits of life in Israel at Jesus's time which might be new to readers, but it was confusing because the narrators would switch between children and towns. I was surprised to see a reference to eating "popped corn." Because corn is a New World crop, they would not have eaten actual popped corn and the insertion of something weird like that made me question all of the details.

My biggest disappointment was the language used to retell the Bible stories. This is probably a symptom of my studies of Charlotte Mason's works and those of Sofia Cavaletti, both of whom argue we should read the actual words of Scripture to our children (albeit sometimes abridged to shield the littlest ones from violence or adult themes). The retellings seemed more than anything to be a weak substitute for Scripture itself. Quite a few of the stories also included wording like "this story means" or "this story teaches us." Words like that insinuate there is only one layer of Scripture. It's so much more beautiful to read Scripture with children and then wonder together about what it means, as Sofia Cavaletti suggests.

After the Gospel story each day, there is a section called "Jesus, Speak to Me" in which children are admonished by Jesus to pray or serve their family or trust him. There was nothing wrong with this section except that it sometimes seemed forced. A few of the activity suggestions almost made Kansas Dad and me groan as we read them.

I suppose this book might be good for a family without a history of reading Scripture or praying together because it gives a structure, but I'm sure there are better books available. Next year, I'm choosing something else.

The Catholic Company Book Review: Prayer

Prayer
Pope Benedict XVI

I have been wondering a lot about prayer recently: why I pray, what I expect when I pray, what I should pray. When I saw this book in the list of review books for The Catholic Company, I knew I should request it. I was a little worried that Pope Benedict would be too academic, but was instead surprised at how applicable the book was.

Pope Benedict presented forty-five catecheses on prayer during his general audiences from May 4, 2011 to October 3, 2012 that were edited slightly to be published as a single book. Over the course of the book, he draws extensively from Scripture as well as the writings and experiences of a few saints.

I could have quoted from every chapter. There is so much richness in each one.

The Giver is more precious than the gift. For us too, therefore, over and above what God bestows on us when we call on him, the greatest gift that he can give us is his friendship, his presence and his love. He is the precious treasure to ask for and to preserve forever.

The most important result of my time in prayer is the development of my relationship with God. It is not about asking for something and receiving it (or feeling like I don't). It's simply about spending time with him so that he can change me and change how I act in the world.

My favorite chapter was the one on St. Paul. Pope Benedict explained three results of the work of the Spirit. The second of these (you'll have to read the book to learn the other two) is a complete trusting of the Lord despite any trials and suffering.

We understand that with prayer we are not liberated from trials and suffering, but that we can live through them in union with Christ, with his suffering, in the hope of also participating in his glory.

In the chapter on St. Alphonsus Mary Liguori:

More than anything else we need his liberating presence which makes us truly fully human and hence fills our existence with joy. And it is only through prayer that we can receive him and his grace, which, by enlightening us in every situation, helps us to discern true good and by strengthening us also makes our will effective; that is, renders it capable of doing what we know is good.

A final quote:

The more and the better we pray, with constancy, with intensity, the more like him we shall be, and he will truly enter into our life and guide it, bestowing up on us joy and peace.

I am still working through the purpose and results of prayer myself, but this book was a wonderful source of thought and contemplation for me. Though I did not stop while reading it to look up the Scripture references, I have noticed the themes standing out more clearly to me in my Scripture readings. I highly recommend this book; it's definitely one of my favorites of all The Catholic Company book reviews I've done over the years.


I received a review copy of this book.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Prayer - by Pope Benedict XVI. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith. 

The Range Finally Gets a Jesse Tree

There's nothing like celebrating Lent by writing about Advent. I've started most of my Advent posts, though, so I don't want to waste the time invested already by just deleting them.

I've tried a Jesse Tree in the past and have always been disappointed by the response of the children, but I felt like I needed one more thing for Advent and a Jesse Tree seemed perfect. This devotion is such a beautiful way to include Scripture in our Advent plans. Also, the Jesse Tree aids us in preparing our hearts and waiting for the Messiah in a way reminiscent of the way the Hebrew people waited for the Messiah. Ideally, we would also remember we are still waiting--for Christ's second coming.

I used the Jesse Tree from Advent, Christmas Epiphany in the Domestic Church. (You can find it for a reasonable cost at Sacred Heart Books and Gifts.) I like this version which focuses more on the "waiting" aspect of Advent rather than just the lineage of Jesus. It also does not include the O Antiphons, which I wanted to do separately.

I made two copies of each page of Jesse Tree ornaments (photocopies are permitted with purchase of the book). I colored them with colored pencils so I had two colored copies of each ornament. I cut them out and glued one set to some Christmas paper I had left over from last year's Advent drawer project. (Pink and purple would have been better but I didn't want to buy anything and already had this paper.)


Then I created a little book of the readings. I copied the NRSV text from an online Bible and pasted each day's reading into a new page of a Word document. I added a little purple rectangle at the top right corner for the second set of the ornaments I colored. I put them all in sheet protectors (because I love sheet protectors) and made a binder for our Jesse Tree readings. I took this picture when I had glued the ornaments to the page but before I had found a binder for them. Most of the readings fit on one page. I always put them in the sheet protectors so you could read the entire reading without turning a page. If it needed two pages, I put them facing each other. I've uploaded a PDF file of the readings to a Google drive and you should be able to access it here and download it for your own use. If I recall, there are a few formatting blips, but it still works.

It would be nice to read each night from an actual Bible, but this book is much easier for daily prayer time with young children. I grab the book and we're ready to go. The kids can look through the ornaments for the matching one for the day.

We don't have an actual Jesse Tree. One of these days Kansas Dad will make one for me, but I have to figure out a good place to put it so I'm not in a hurry. In the meantime, we taped them to the side of the bookcase (high enough to keep them away from the two year old; they're destructive by nature, you know).

I think the Jesse Tree in 2012 here on the Range was a success. I was a little sad to notice that First Son did not seem as interested in the picture books each day, even the new ones, but he was always focused for our Jesse Tree readings. I felt a little like the Holy Spirit led me to put all the pieces of the Jesse Tree together this year because First Son needed a little more depth to our Advent. 

You can find a lot more wonderful ideas in Catherine and Peter Fournier's books or on their website: Domestic-Church.com.