Parenting By the Book--A Book Review

For a while, maybe beginning in the mid-1990s, my wife and I did not spend as much time reading books about parenting as we had previous the decade or two, because our girls were grown. But recently circumstances have caused us to return to old reading patterns, as we are now raising two grandsons. And we've discovered is that boys are different from girls. So we thought we might need a few pointers on parenting them.

We re-read of our old favorite authors like Gary Smalley and James Dobson. Mpt long ago we read a book by an author we did not know until the book was recommended by a youth minister and father of two little ones. The author is John Rosemond, and apparently he has been well-respected for quite a number of years by some of those that we've held in high esteem. The title of the book is Parenting by the Book.

Dr. Rosemond is very adamant in his position that the best approach to raising children, boys or girls, is to raise them using the wisdom of Scripture. Rosemond was trained in what he now calls postmodern psychological parenting. His book vividly points out the damage that has been done to our culture by those methods and ideologies. I found a few of his points enlightening. It is very easy to see some of his conclusions all around us today, even among Christian parents.

Rosemond also gives some recommendations about the ways to glean biblical wisdom and then implement that wisdom to our parenting techniquess. He is very certain that biblical wisdom cannot be surpassed for successful child rearing. It is a very practical book.

I was so impressed with this book that, even before I finished it, I had ordered several copies. I believe it is the kind of book that I will want to share with others in the days to come. I have donated one to our church library in the name of my paternal grandmother, Marie Bryant. I believe she would approve of the common sense that Rosemond expounds. She would never have written it in a book, but I believe her methods exemplify exactly what Rosemond wishes all of us would use to bring up our children.

Filthy Thirteen

I just read a book called, The Filthy Thirteen, about the WW2 paratroopers that were loosely portrayed in the movie, The Dirty Dozen. The author was one of the original group of demolition specialists who had combat jumps behind enemy lines at Normandy, in Holland, at Bastogne, and in Germany. They were recalcitrant soldiers who did not polish and shine and did not salute officers, but they were not criminals--as they were portrayed in the movie.

The book is graphic in its description of the war, but it is a good read. If you would like to see videos online about the group, here is a url that will help you find them: http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=+%22filthy+thirteen%22&num=100#

HOUSE, by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker

I love to read, but the horror genre has been off limits ever since I saw the original Psycho in 1960 and was scared to walk the three blocks to my home. I was 12 and I decided then that I did not want anything to do with such movies, stories, books, or even “fun” houses at the fair!

So I was surprised to receive a novel for Christmas, House, by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. My daughter, who gave me the book, knew that I loved This Present Darkness, also by Peretti, so she thought that I would like this one too. She said it was “Christian Horror.” I never knew there was such a thing!

I want to review the book here, and I hate to give away any of the drama in the book, but I am not sure how to give a good review without describing some of the key elements, so if you think you might want to read the book, maybe you ought not read any further in this post.

I entered the book with trepidation. I met Jack and Stephanie as they were on their way to a counseling session to try to salvage their marriage. Things had not gone well for them following the drowning of their daughter a year earlier.
Their trip took a detour that led to their being drawn to an isolated house that looked like an old Southern inn when they arrived. But it turned out to be anything but a place of cordial hospitality. Another couple, Randy and Leslie, also found themselves in the place that night. The four shared a night of unmitigated terror.

As the evening unfolded, the house seemed to be alive, with a mind of its own. It seemed to know the hearts of the four trapped inside by the machinations of the house itself and the villain, Barsidious White.

The story moves at a good pace and helps the reader to get a growing awareness that the personal guilt of the individuals was contributing to the animosity of the house toward the victims. I must admit that I can think of few things that are more horrifying and painful than having to come face to face with one’s hidden sinfulness.

The story allows for redemption and a victory of good over evil only if those trapped inside would indeed acknowledge the sins they had been covering up, while blaming others for their plight in life. Though the word is never used in the book, repentance is an absolute necessity if the sinner wanted to live another day.

Good does win out for some of the four, and though it appears the story is over, we leave the book with an awareness that the evil perpetrators were far from finished with their “game”.

The book has been recently made into a movie, released last November. I promise, I will not go see it. And I hope I do not have images appear in my mind in the night!





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Book Discussion--Mists of Avalon

About a year ago one of my favorite bloggers began a Book Club Discussion group. She has moved to her blog and her discussions to blogspot and all of us who participate would like to have you come by and put in your two cents. The book in focus this month is The Mists of Avalon.





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