Thursday, July 22, 2010

Book Worms Unite!

First of all I have to tell you it's kind of like the old Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ad. Do you remember?
Two characters are walking along, one is spooning pb out of a jar, the other is munching his chocolate candy bar and daydreaming about how good it is when WHAM!--they bump into each other--major collision! They both get all huffy about it.

Big guy 1: You got chocolate in my peanut butter!
Big Guy 2: No! YOU got peanut butter in my chocolate!

That's what happened to me today! If only it could have been with a Reese's Cup!
Here's what collided for me:

Big idea 1: What books to order from CBD so I can be a well-read blogger?
Big idea 2: What sort of resource for widows should I put together today?

Result: You got books in my widows!
           No! You got widows in my books!

So how about a sort of book club?!! Over the past months I've already mentioned several books as widows resources, I've traded titles with some of you, we've got some writers and authors in our midst . . . Sounds like a great group!

Here's what to do. Just suggest some Christian books in any of these 4 categories:
  • Grief for children and teens
  • Grief for adults/Christian living
  • Widowhood
  • Heaven  
Then I'll feature at least one book a month. I'll let you know what the title will be way ahead of time so you can read it if you want, and then it'll be great to hear your thoughts! We'll want to know what you liked, what you didn't like, if you'd recommend it . . .

In a different vein, if you're interested in reading classics, here's a great radio book club lead by one of my favorite profs from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Dr. Rosalie de Rosset: http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_ProgramMainPage.aspx?id=7058

Their next on-air discussion will take place in September 2010, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," by Betty Smith. It's not too soon to check it out from your public library and start reading.

In the meantime, please send me your list of most helpful books you've read, or send Reese's. Just don't send Reese's with bookworms. Thanks!
ferree

PS. Here's a recipe for peanut butter cups http://angelsinmygarden.blogspot.com/2010/06/reeses-peanut-butter-twins.html

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the book club idea! I've been wanting to do one for a long time but haven't found the time (big surprise, I know).

I have a couple of suggestions:
90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper
The Cross Gardener by Jason Wright
The Shack by William Young

I'm sure I'll think of more.

Wendy:)

Kelly C. said...

To me, it is important to be Biblically (is that a word?) correct about Heaven. Ron Rhodes' book "The Wonder of Heaven" is FILLED with Scripture references and thoughts from God-fearing and God-knowing people.

Another book which as comforted me and taught me SO much is "Angels Among Us", again by Ron Rhodes. There is a LOT of new age-y just plain WRONG info in the world (key phrase "in the world") out there, and we must be careful not to fall into disobedience when it comes to angels.

ANYTHING by Max Lucado is incredibly readable, as he writes to you as if you are his very dear friend. For widows, I believe it is essential to have a deeply ingrained trust in the Lord, and knowledge about His loving care is found in many of Max's books. He has written books for children as well.

Joannah said...

These books have really been a comfort to me in the last four months:

Heaven, Randy Alcorn

Getting to the Other Side of Grief, Susan J. Zonnebelt-Smeenge & Robert C. De Vries

Grace for the Widow, Joyce Rogers

If God is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil, Randy Alcorn

A Grace Disguised, Jerry Sittser

Heaven: Your Real Home, Joni Eareckson Tada

Bridgett said...

This is a great topic for a post!

These books have helped me through my husband's cancer and death:

50 Days of Heaven: Reflections That Bring Eternity to Light by Randy Alcorn

90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper

A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss by Jerry Sittser

A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis

Consolation by L.B. Cowman

From One Widow to Another by Miriam Neff

Grace Points: Growth & Guidance in
Times of Change by Jane Rubietta

Grieving the Loss of Someone You Love by Lynn Brookside & Ray Mitsch

Mourning Song by Joyce Landorf Heatherly

One Minute After You Die by Erwin Lutzer

Springs in the Valley by L.B. Cowman

Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman

These books have helped my children:

Someone I Love Died (Please Help Me, God) by Christine Tangvald

Wait Until Then by Randy Alcorn & Doron Ben-Ami

What Happens When We Die? Carolyn Nystrom

What is Heaven Like? by Beverly Lewis

Ferree Bowman Hardy said...

Thanks so much! I'll look these up and set a schedule for a few of them! I'll also check back here periodically to see if anyone else wanted to list other books.
Feel free to continue to comment.