Book Report: Father to Nobody's Children

"Father to Nobody's Children" by David E. Fessenden is a short book about the life and work of Thomas J. Barnardo among the homeless boys in London.

With plenty of direct quotes and first-hand accounts, this book pulled together the threads of comments and themes in others I have read.

Readers of "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery may remember how Marilla had declared she would only adopt a Canadian born boy. "At first Matthew suggested getting a Barnado boy. But I said ‘no’ flat to that. ‘They may be all right—I’m not saying they’re not—but no London street Arabs for me."

And "Dusty Diamonds, Cut and Polished" by R. M. Ballantyne highlights a couple of street boys who ended up taking the opportunity to move to Canada, which Barnardo gave to the boys he saw would do well building a new life out of the city.

Overlapping the latter half of the life of the famed father to orphans, George Muller, you can notice some similarities in Barnardo's work, as well as some clear differences. God leads each of His children to do His work in unique ways!

Keep reading...

~ Hannah

"Thunder Cake" Book Review

A little thunder, a little hail...

...and a good dose or two of rain suddenly turned our world green in early May!

• Lily of the Valley moving into the brick path •

• Wild Ginger •

But not everyone enjoys thunder as much as I do. Especially not little ones, which is why books like "Thunder Cake" by Patricia Palacco were written. (And why my sister got it for her kids!)

In a delightful way, the author teaches children that they can choose to do things even when they are scared... and that they don't actually need to be afraid of a sound.

We love this book's vivid artwork highlighting the author/artist's cultural background - especially her Babushka (Grandmother).

And when asked what was her favorite part of the book last week, my 3 year old neice said "the cat." Plus she likes the part where they are gathering the ingredient "milk" for baking a Thunder Cake.

▪︎ My little shadow and her big shadow ▪︎

Live & Learn Event - This Week!

Hello, Readers!

You may have noticed that some of my post graphics are labeled "@Purely.HannahMary"... such as in the previous "Be Still" post. That is because they are also posted over on my Instagram account with the theme of:

NATURAL LIVING made SIMPLER
▪︎ Clean Thinking ▪︎ Clean Gardening ▪︎ Clean Personal Care for the Whole Family

If any of this interests you, feel free to find me on Instagram @purely.hannahmary or the Facebook Page of the same name. And read on for a special opportunity for a Free Learning Event this week!

Also, I don't think I've mentioned it on this blog before (because I do not mean to make this a place of advertising), but if you are interested in help finding clean and non-toxic products for personal care for all ages, as well as clean hair care, skincare, beauty products, spa-at-home, and more - including thoughtful gifts for those going through cancer or other health struggles...

Please text my Lemongrass Spa number with the word "info". (To try avoid unwanted messages, my number is split up on the lines below.)

(218) 271

... 8677

Just before explaining the learning opportunity, I have a quick question for you: 

What do you think when you hear the words “Live and Learn”? 

Rather than the negative connotations often attached to that phrase, I love the fact that as long as we Live, we can continue to Learn!

And so I am offering a free, three-day texting event centered around Enjoying Life & Learning Together! With the goal of featuring new topics every other month, each “Live & Learn” event will include 2 days of exclusive video content I record on a variety of topics, with Day 3 saved for catching up and wrapping up.

Here is some feedback I have received from private texting events in the past:

Would you like to join one of these events?
You are invited to the first "Live & Learn" this week! 
• Wednesday–Friday, September 27^th – 29^th 

This month’s topics (shared via videos, under 10 minutes each) are:
• Why Ingredients Matter + Clean Swaps for the Whole Family
• What to Read for Fun & Growth at Any Age (including FREE book lists!)

Of course every texting event also has a giveaway! And those who choose to order any products through this event will be entered to win all the event's Host Rewards of free and half-price items from Lemongrass Spa!

TO JOIN, simply text "LiveAndLearn" to me at the number above!

• No purchase necessary to join the event or win the giveaway.
• Lemongrass Spa and I can ship to US addresses only.
• The Host Rewards winner will be drawn from points earned according to order sizes.
• Event messages and video links will arrive by text so you can watch at your convenience and have the option to opt out at any time.

Have more questions? Text them to me at the number above.

I'd love to "see" you there!

~ Hannah

"Mountain Born" and Raising Men

I think good books are always worth re-reading!

So I borrowed this little one from my nephew for a second time and was not disappointed. Instead I was struck deeper with the straightforward, yet kind way in which the boy, Peter, was being raised to be a man of character, strength, and courage.

Are you raising any boys to be men? Don't miss out of this little gem of a book! (Even girls learning to be women shouldn't miss it.)

 

"Wolves were not heard of again in that countryside. No tracks were seen in the snow during the winter; no hungry howling came on the frosty wind at night; and none of the farms knew loss.

"'There are some things,' Benj commented on it to Peter, 'that can't seem to live right with the rest of the world. They cause trouble to the good things and so they have to leave. I don't like what has to be done at times like that, but--' he sighed heavily, 'a man's got to be able to do it.'

"'David was able, wasn't he, Benj?'

"Benj thought a long time. 'He was so, and he wasn't afraid to stand up to a big one named Goliath who was causing trouble in his countryside. Easygoing is the way we all like best to be, but we can't let easiness take the fight out of us.'

• "Mountain Born" by Elizabeth Yates

A Lamp to my Feet

To illustrate the Swedish Proverb shared in my previous post, I recently re-read a good book which has been a favorite since I first found it in our home library in my youth. When young I mainly enjoyed the exciting story. But through all the [dozen or more] times of re-reading it since then, The Princess and the Goblin amazes me more each time with the truth which George MacDonald fit "between the lines." For example:

"She jumped up: she had but to keep that light in view, and she must find the house.

"Her heart grew strong. Dark as it was, there was little danger now of choosing the wrong road. And – which was most strange – the light that filled her eyes from the lamp, instead of blinding them for a moment to the object upon which they next fell, enabled her for an instant to see it, despite the darkness. By looking at the lamp and then dropping her eyes, she could see the road for a yard or two in front of her, and this saved her from several falls, for the road was very rough."

Maybe you need to read the story to see the connection clearly, but this little description is to me a beautiful picture of how God's word is our light through all the dark and rough paths of life. If only we will keep looking to it/Him as our guide and focus.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
   and a light to my path. 

• Psalm 119:105

The Princess and the Goblin:
Free audiobook on LibriVox: Listen or Download Here
Free e-book on Gutenberg: Read or Download Here

The Best is Between the Lines

 

In a good book, the best is between the lines.

This Swedish Proverb explains why good stories written for children and youth continue to be some of the most inspiring to me all through the years!

When a deep truth is tucked into an engaging story, stirring adventure, or masterful word-picture, it sticks with us in a way that an essay packed with facts usually cannot.

At least for me. How about you?!

Reading Log

Do you keep a list of what books you've read? Here are some reasons I do:

- Makes a good list from which to recommend books to others

- A place to rate how good [or bad] books are

- Easy resource for choosing a book to re-read

- Provides an overview to gauge your mental diet and what should be added or cut back

- Brings back memories years later

- The yearly totals are fun to track!

In 2021 I read a total of 99 books, 40 of which were new to me.

In 2022 I read only 82 books, but more than half (48) were first-time reads.

The only way I can read this much in a year is by enjoying audiobooks while knitting 43 pairs of mittens, cleaning, washing dishes, doing laundry, etc.

And if these numbers still look high, realize that several are little books for kids and a bunch more were written for youth - such as the YWAM biographies which are 5-6 hour audiobooks. Besides enjoying literature for the young myself, I am always on the lookout for good books to recommend to families.

No matter how many or few books you read this year, try writing down and rating each one!

What to Read: Part III, Books for Her

Don't we all wish at times that we could be writing our own life-story to “fix” all the things that seem to have gone wrong?

I love how this cosy book addresses that:

"’Wouldn't you like to be writing that book with us all in it, Mother, and make Daddy come home soon?’

“Peter's Mother put her arm round him suddenly, and hugged him in silence for a minute. Then she said:— ‘Don't you think it's rather nice to think that we're in a book that God's writing? If I were writing the book, I might make mistakes. But God knows how to make the story end just right— in the way that's best for us.’

"’Do you really believe that, Mother?’ Peter asked quietly.

"’Yes,’ she said, ‘I do believe it— almost always— except when I'm so sad that I can't believe anything. But even when I can't believe it, I know it's true— and I try to believe. You don't know how I try, Peter.’”

• The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit 

Hans Christian Andersen put it this way: “Every person’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers.”

Stories have a way of illuminating truths that would just go over our heads in a sermon. That is why I found it such a joy to voice the oldest girl, Roberta, in the LibriVox full-cast recording of The Railway Children.

I mention this to bring up the fact that there are many ways to enjoy books these days. While still a big fan of holding a hard copy in my hands and turning paper pages, I am grateful for all the digital versions currently available for free.

[“Currently” – meaning there has been legislation considered which would threatened free access to public domain audiobooks such as those recorded by volunteers on LibriVox.org. But for now we can still download as many as we choose – as well as a wealth of free e-books from sites such as Gutenberg.org and Archive.org.]

Just as in the Books for Him book list, I hope these Books for Her will provide more than mere entertainment, enjoyment, or even increased knowledge. In addition, you will find beautiful role models, true faith, and sanctified imagination.

Before wrapping up, I want to acknowledge that there is much overlap between my book lists for Him and Her. After all, I have read both lists during my life as a girl and woman! 

Not having grown up with any brothers, I had to prepare the masculine list based off what I have seen my boy-students, cousins, and friends reading, as well as what my sister used with her tutoring students. But I also included books I knew from my own reading to have at least half or more of the focus on boy-characters. Not every guy will be into some of those books, just as not every girl will be into all the books on today’s list. And that’s fine!

But for the readers who just can’t get enough books, I am including a master-list of both book-lists combined, called WHAT TO READ. There are even a few bonuses in this list – including several daily devotionals at the end!

Click below for your free, downloadable book lists. And please share this post with others who may be blessed by it!

Books for Her  PDF link

What to Read  PDF link

Happy reading!

~ Hannah

What to Read: Part II, Books for Him

As stated in the Elizabeth Yates quote I shared in my previous post, “A man must have a care to what he puts in his mind, for when he’s alone on a hillside and draws it out, he’ll want treasures to be his company, not regrets.”

Do you have trouble finding books worth “putting into” your mind or those of your children? I hope today's book-list will help!

When gathering books for boys (and men), I looked for more than just adventure, mystery, or daring deeds. Those are included! But I also wanted to provide good role models, true faith, and sanctified imagination.

For example, Amos Fortune: free man by Elizabeth Yates is one of those books that is meaningful and inspiring no matter what age you read it. I first met Amos Fortune this winter of 2022. Even though he died in 1801, I say "met," because he was a man whom everyone would want for a friend.

Despite all the pain he came through - including being captured by another African tribe and sold into slavery in his teens, spending decades earning money to buy the freedom of more than just himself, losing loved ones, and being mistreated - Amos had a soft and grateful heart. It wasn't easy, but he lived out his faith in a very practical way and learned the value of following Jesus' direction to “turn the other cheek.”

"Amos watched the fire climb slowly at first, starting from a dozen different places; then like a wall of destruction it moved up the steep sides until the flames met and linked in a vast pyramid of fire at the summit, consuming everything that could be consumed and leaving the mountain bare and smoldering.

"Hate could do that to a man, Amos thought, consume him and leave him smoldering. But he was a free man, and free at a great cost, and he would not put himself in bondage again."

On my Books for Him list, you will also find older titles you most likely have not heard of, including several featuring boys by Johanna Spyri – Swiss author of the famous Heidi.

As C.W. Stork wrote in the forward to Vinzi, "Madame Spyri's panacea for the ills of life is an old one, but it is doubtful whether anything better can be found than her combination, which is: Faith in God, active helpfulness toward all around, love of beauty, fresh mountain air, and good food."

From the lively animal-characters of Beatrix Potter or Thornton Burgess, to the riveting lives of Brother Andrew and George Muller, readers of any age should find some “treasures” to store away and pull out in the years to come.

Click below for your free, downloadable book list. And please share this post with others who may be blessed by it!

Books for Him  PDF link

~ Hannah

What to Read: Part I

I need to explain today's post a bit. A few new readers ["Welcome" to you!] may have already read it published as a guest-post on another blog, and long-time readers of this blog will recognize some of the content. But besides being pulled together in a new way, there will be something new coming up in this short series that you will not want to miss: free downloadable book-lists!

But first, let me back up and introduce myself...

Hello. My name is Hannah, and I love to read! Maybe the same is true of you. Or you may have children whose voracious appetite for books is hard to keep supplied with wholesome fare. Possibly you have the opposite challenge of finding any books that could interest your child in reading!

I have been gleaning the benefit of other people's book-lists through the years – including suggestions from some of you blog-friends! Plus when my nephew finishes a first time through his new chapter-books, he passes them on to us. Yes, this 2-year-old has "read" each and every book he gets as gifts. Children are never too young to enjoy read-alouds… and parents [or aunts, uncles and grandparents] are never too old to enjoy children’s books!

Some of my earliest memories include our parents reading aloud to my two sisters and me. Beatrix Potter and Laura Ingalls Wilder were favorites with Mom, while Dad brought Poor Ralph, The Droodles and The Chronicles of Narnia to life. We also loved poring over the Kurt Mitchell illustrated editions of the Biblical books of Jonah and Esther, both during read-alouds and on our own.

Even though my childhood and youth were filled with books, I have probably read more in the past eight years than the previous three decades combined. For that I have chronic illness to thank. But due to a combination of physical and adrenal weakness and the resulting PTSD, I haven’t been able to handle many of the books I used to enjoy. So, while I used to read a higher percentage of heavier and non-fiction books both for school and leisure, these years have leaned toward more fiction and biographies - especially those written for children and youth. It is a joy to see how God turns that limitation into a blessing as I now have more books to suggest to parents.

Another blessing that has come out of years of weakness is learning to appreciate audiobooks. Since our local library didn't have enough good options, I began searching online. That led me to LibriVox.org: a growing library of free, downloadable audiobooks recorded from works old enough to be past copyright and in the public domain. Though most of the volunteer readers are not professional, my family has enjoyed book after book as if friends are reading aloud to us.

At some point during those first months of listening, an old dream began to revive. Years ago when my Grandpa, an avid reader, lost his eyesight to macular degeneration, I wanted to record books for him to enjoy. But that was not possible due to copyrights. Since joining the team of LibriVox volunteers in 2015, I now help to record public domain books that can be enjoyed by anyone around the world. I am still amazed that God gave back this dream when so much of life as I knew it had crumbled.

Besides learning to be an audiobook narrator, I now have the joy of sharing book reviews and recommendations on several platforms. This eclectic blog often features the books I am enjoying, and my LibriVox reader-name of HannahMary has inspired the following accounts.

Instagram: @storytime.with.hannahmary
YouTube: Storytime with HannahMary
Telegram channel: Storytime with HannahMary

At the request of another blogger I have now put together some book lists that I hope will be a blessing to you and your families. I’d also love to hear of your favorite books! Simply leave a comment below.

I'm nearly through with this lengthy introduction, but hopefully it helps explain where I'm coming from as you watch for the book lists in upcoming posts.

For now, please note that my inclusion of an author does not condone all of their books. I have read many more by some of these authors as well as by authors not listed. If I know a reader or parent personally, I can maybe suggest more. But in these lists I tried to include only the cleanest and best for the imaginations and characters of any reader.

Also, while my lists are ordered roughly from younger to older readers, please do not feel stuck to reading in any order. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “No reader worth his salt trots along in obedience to a time-table.” Every reader is unique!

I also once heard C. S. Lewis attributed with saying, “Good fiction is a ship carrying a cargo of truth.”

And since I personally learn best from stories – both real-life (biographies) and fictional, my lists include many of them. You will see that fiction and non-fiction are all mixed together. I believe that can be a healthy way to read. Just as a balanced diet includes a wide variety of foods, our hungry minds need a mixture of healthy facts and nourishing stories to help us learn and grow strong in character and faith.

As a favorite children’s book (which I first read as an adult) puts it:

A man must have a care to what he puts in his mind, for when he’s alone on a hillside and draws it out, he’ll want treasures to be his company, not regrets.

• Mountain Born by Elizabeth Yates

My hope is that you will find many new treasures for your reading in the days ahead!

~ Hannah

Sufficient Grace!

In 2022 I came back to a daily devotional which I haven't read for several years. It is as good and "down-to-earth" as I remembered!

Quiet Moments on the Way Home was written by Norwegian pastor H.E. Wisloff during difficult war-time years. That knowledge makes his scriptural meditations have even more impact.

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Sufficient Grace! Should we not praise God for this?

It is so easy for us to stare at our infirmities until we become blind to the glorious realities of grace.

We who are so aware of our insufficiency are permitted to live in the eternal sufficiency of God’s grace!

Our feelings are not enough, nor our faith, nor our prayers, nor our godliness. But God’s grace is sufficient.

And not only this, but God’s grace is perfected in our infirmities. It transforms the weakness in our lives into peace, victory, courage, and joy. It is to save us, sanctify us and make us useful in God’s service.

We need nothing more, nor do we solicit anything more. We fold our hands and thank Him who loves us and gives us all that we need. God’s grace is our sufficiency!

H.E. Wisloff, Quiet Moments on the Way Home, January 8th

Lessons from a Sheep Dog

Reginald was our second, lively Border Collie since moving onto this hobby farm in 1985. Neither he nor Kep (named after a dog in Beatrix Potter) ever learned how to handle our flock of sheep, but they found ways to pretend to "herd" anyway.

Even if you haven't tried to raise one of these bundles of intelligent energy, the descriptions in Lessons from a Sheep Dog by Phillip Keller bring them to life in a special way.

And, as in all his books, Keller finds deep spiritual significance in his everyday interactions with the world around him - here focused on a dog named Lass, who was about to be destroyed until she came under the care of a loving and patient shepherd.

"Lass, of course, could not fully comprehend the complexity of the work we were doing. And at times she gave me the distinct impression that for a dog as energetic as she was, to 'stay' was almost asking too much of her.

"God used this element in Lass to teach me a most important principle. I began to grasp the absolute necessity to be quietly steadfast and faithful wherever He placed me. In a sense these interludes in life were a test not only of my faithfulness to God, but also of His to me."

"Lass helped me to understand that it is often in the darkest hour, during pressing danger, that the Master is closest to us. He cares, and He cares profoundly. It is His presence which gives us peace. It is His nearness which gives us hope. It is His protection which gives us life."

Amos Fortune: free man

Amos Fortune: free man by Elizabeth Yates is one of those children's books that is meaningful and inspiring no matter what age you read it. I first met Amos Fortune this winter of 2022. Even though he died in 1801, I say "met," because he was a man whom everyone would want for a friend. 

Despite all the pain he came through - including being captured by another tribe and sold into slavery in his teens, spending decades earning money to buy the freedom of more than just himself, losing loved ones, and sometimes being mistreated - Amos had a soft and grateful heart. 

It wasn't easy, but he lived out his faith in a very practical way and learned the value of following Jesus' direction to turn the other cheek.

"Amos watched the fire climb slowly at first, starting from a dozen different places; then like a wall of destruction it moved up the steep sides until the flames met and linked in a vast pyramid of fire at the summit, consuming everything that could be consumed and leaving the mountain bare and smoldering.

"Hate could do that to a man, Amos thought, consume him and leave him smoldering. But he was a free man, and free at a great cost, and he would not put himself in bondage again."

His gravestone in New Hampshire reads:

Sacred

to the memory of

Amos Fortune

who was born free in

Africa a slave in America

he purchased liberty

professed Christianity

lived reputably and

died hopefully

Nov. 17, 1801

Aet. 91

How To Make Readers

 

Children are made readers on the laps of their parents. - Emilie Buchwald

Project update: I continue refining and formatting my book lists. Getting close!!

Hopefully one result will be encouraging parents to read to their children even before they can read for themselves. If children don't see their parents put any value on reading, they are less likely to value it themselves. 

Read me a Story Chapter

"Read me—not a sermon chapter, but a story chapter; they've pictures in them, which I see when my eyes are shut. Read about the New Heavens, and the New Earth; and m'appen I'll forget this."

'Bessie Higgins' in North and South

You have probably realized by now that I love a good story! And North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell is one of my favorites. 

What sets it far above books such as Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice or Emma and even Gaskell's own Cranford and Wives and Daughters (which are all enjoyable stories) is the undercurrent of true faith in God, even if not frequently mentioned.

Even Jesus the Christ frequently used stories [parables] to teach in a way His hearers could absorb and apply to their own lives.

But the above quote goes beyond simply a good work of fiction to the best stories of all: those collected in the Bible. 

What makes them "the best"? Because they are True - from the history in Genesis to the prophecy in Revelation! Rather than calling them Bible "stories," a more fitting word is  "accounts." 

The fictional and endearing 'Bessie Higgins' was chronically ill and stuck in bed with the constant pressures of physical pain and emotional stress when she asked the main character, Margaret, to read to her from the book of Revelation.

Through my own years of chronic illness I can fully understand how much more readily a weak brain and weary spirit can absorb truth from a story than from a sermon or epistle.

And so, as mentioned in a recent post, I am back in the book of Genesis - learning from our earliest ancestors as well as later heroes from among God's chosen people.

And all along, I'll be finding signposts pointing to the greatest story/history of all: the gospel [good news] of Jesus.

What parts of the Bible keep drawing you back the most?

Public Domain Illustrations:

Frontispiece from North and South

Hubert and Jan van Eyck, Adoration of the Lamb from the Ghent Altarpiece

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Woodcut for "Die Bibel in Bildern", 1860.

Unknown Artist, Joseph makes himself known to his brethren