Musings by Melissa

A few weeks ago we brought four little chicks into our lives. I had done a lot of internet research on how to raise chickens, and so I thought we were ready. And we were, but then I heard about this book, “Raising Chickens for Dummies,” and I saw that it had receieved high ratings on Amazon. So, we welcomed yet another book into our home! ~smile~

I was really looking for a book that included blueprints for building a chicken coop when I noticed this book. I never did find what I was originally looking for, but “Raising Chickens for Dummies” will be a very valuable book as time goes on.

I haven’t read the whole book yet. (Since we have just three week old chicks, I’m not worried about breeding them!) I’ve just read the pertinent information, and, as with all the dummy books I’ve read, it’s thorough and well-written. It includes everything I was looking for in a basic chicken care book.

If you’re just getting started with chickens, this will be a book you’ll at least want to browse through. And, while you could probably find a lot of the same information online, there’s just something cozy about being able to snuggle up with a book. And so, this book will be on the table next to my tub for awhile as I continue to glean information from it.

I’ve been told for years that I need to read this book … Gone with the Wind.  But it’s such a big book that I knew I’d never have time to finish it while I was on Christmas break from college.  And besides, having just finished finals, who wants to spend their vacation with their nose in yet another book?

But I recently heard that the book is celebrating it’s 70th anniversary.  So, I thought to myself, “It’s now or never.”

Having never seen the movie, I had no idea what was behind the next page turn.  I had no idea, even, of the overall plot.  And I’m sure that made reading the book more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise.

I found myself in a love/hate relationship with Scarlett, the main character in the story.  Because she was the main character, I wanted her to succeed.  But because she was a selfish, step-on-anyone’s-toes-to-better-myself kind of person, I wished her failure. 

I respected her for her honesty.  She often said she wanted nothing but money, and lots of it.

I disrespected her for her greed.

I respected her for stepping up to the plate and taking care of things when need be. 

I disrespected her for being, what would today be called, an enabler.

She married for all the wrong reasons.  And I hated that.  I felt badly for her husbands.  I felt even more badly for the children that resulted from these marriages.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the historical parts of this book.  I often wondered if they were true.  If so, then my comprehension of that time period was quite askew!  As Scarlett would say, “Northerners would never understand our way of life.”   And yes, I’d have to agree with her on that one!

As I finished the next to the last chapter, I thought to myself, “Finally!  She finally gets it!”  And with great eagerness I read the last chapter, only to find myself wishing I had put the book down and picked up a magazine about face cream reviews instead.  Oh, maybe it wasn’t that bad, but it didn’t end as I wanted it to.  But I suppose I could say it ended as it should have ended.

A well-written book.  Definitely one worth reading.

I recently read “A Cry from the Streets: Rescuing Brazil’s Forgotten Children” by Jeannette Lukasse.  This book follows Jeannette and her husband, Johan, as they meet, marry, and follow God’s plan for their lives.

God’s plan for them involves working with the street children in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

This book was a tremendous eye-opener to me as to the needs of the children in Brazil.  Many of these children were sent out of their homes at the age of three to start earning money for the family.  They soon learned, even at that age, that they were better off keeping the money, not returning home, and living on the streets.  These kids are often abused by their parents, by the police, and by adults who use them for sex in exchange for a meal.

I was also shocked by how quickly these street children will turn on each other.  Life is cheap for them.  They don’t even have any qualms about torturing infants.

And yet these children need the Lord.

Enter Johan and Jeannette Lukasse, missionaries with YWAM.  They have worked for many years with these kids, and God has lead them to open different houses in Brazil to meet the various needs of the children.  They opened a house for boys and one for girls.  There is a house for kids with AIDS and a house for pregnant mothers.  They also have a house that ministers to kids with disabilities.

The story of how God brought them from the Netherlands to the heart of one of Brazil’s biggest slums is incredible.  God definitely takes care of His own!  When finances were needed to move forward and purchase the next house, He always provided their needs.

Reading the stories of some of the kids they have helped just breaks my heart.  Many of the kids have gone on to do mission work themselves.  PTL!

I enjoyed this book because it really opened my eyes to the plight of street kids, not only in Brazil, but also in India, Africa, and other parts of the world.  These kids definitely need our prayers.

Well, I’m still working my way through “Living by the Book.”  And I’m still enjoying that one.  But it’s slow-going because I need to apply it as I read it.

So, I need something else I can read at the same time.  Nothing’s been grabbing my attention… until yesterday.

Yesterday Alicia and I went out looking for a “new” winter coat and a “new” pair of Sunday Shoes.  We visited about six thrift shops, and I got a bookcase full of “new” books!  (And they ranged from a dime to a quarter each!)  Now my problem isn’t that I don’t have anything that grabs my attention.  Rather my new problem is that I have a dozen books that all look good!

~sigh~

Too many books… Too little time.

One of my favorite places to read is while I’m in the bathtub.  For some reason, my kids know that when I’m in the tub, I’m usually not to be disturbed, and so, I enjoy taking a book with me.  This week the book that is sitting on the edge of my tub is Living by the Book by Howard and William Hendricks.  It’s published by Moody Publishers.  I picked up my copy of this book at a book sale for homeschoolers.  I’m sure I only paid a dollar or two for it, but the price on the back is $18.99.

Anyway, enough judging a book by it’s cover.  Let’s get to the inside!

Actually, before we open the book, I must admit that I was a bit concerned about the title of the book.  I thought it would tend to be rather legalistic.  But I have been pleasantly surprised.  It’s not about legalism at all.  Rather Living by the Book is a handbook for studying the Bible.  The subtitle of the book is “The Art and Science of Reading the Bible.”  And while that sounds a bit dry, it’s a more accurate reflection of the contents of the book.

I must admit that I’m not too far into the book yet.  (And so, next week’s “What I’m Reading” column may be a continuation of this book.)  But I’m about a quarter through the book, and so far it has been very readable.  That means a lot.  The authors don’t use “high” language.  They are writing to the average person who wants to learn how to get more out of Bible study.  Specifically, they are writing to people who are discouraged in their Bible study.  I can’t say I’m discouraged with my own study of God’s Word, but I’m looking forward to learning some new things.

The book starts with a comprehensive list of reasons why people don’t study the Bible: no time, its lack of relevance, its reliability, lack of know-how, etc.  Then the authors go on to stress the advantages of Bible study, making us realize how important Bible study is.

From there, an overview of their method of Bible study is given.  It focuses on observation, interpretation, and application.  I have only read the section on observation, but I like the fact that they demonstrate how to make a good observation.  They take a verse and go through that one verse step by step.  I learn best by example, so this is much appreciated.

In my reading of this book, I am just getting into the section on how to read a book, and I think it’s going to take me awhile to get through this section.  Not because I’m a notoriously slow reader, but because at the end of every chapter (which are relatively short), is an exercise to practice what I’ve just learned.  And so this is what will take time.

So, until my next “What I’m Reading Column,” I’ll be busy continuing to read Living by the Book and learning how to read!  ~grin~

Last night I decided to take a soak in the tub, and while I was enjoying the warm water, I finished “Why Won’t the Listen?” by Ken Ham.  Ken Ham is the founder and president of Answers in Genesis, which opened the Creation Museum near Cincinnatti just over a year ago.  He was one of the speakers at the Defending Your Faith in Secular America conference that Wayne and I attended in Branson this past summer.  In fact, this book was one of many that we purchased while we were at the conference.  (Can’t beat those conference prices when it comes to books!)  One of the presentations given by Ken Ham at the conference covered the same material that is in this book.  However, reading it as a review was definitely a good idea for me.

“Why Won’t They Listen?” is about witnessing methods.  I guess that’s how I’d say it.  He starts out by comparing Acts 2 and Acts 17.  When Peter speaks in Acts 2, the result is a tremendous response.  Why?  When Paul speaks in Acts 17 in the Areopagus, the result is minimal.  Why?

Ken boils it down to the fact that in chapter two the people were Jews and in chapter 17 they were Greeks.  The Jews knew the law.  They knew about sin and sacrifice.  They had a solid foundation already in place.  When Peter came in, the Holy Spirit basically connected the dots and put everything into proper perspective for them.

However, in Acts 17, Paul was preaching to the Greeks.  The thing I remember most about this chapter is the altar entitled, “To the Unknown God.”  Anyway, these people did not have the proper foundation.  They had nothing to build on.  Not that the Holy Spirit can’t work in such circumstances!  Ken used the illustration of the sower and the seed.  When Peter spoke to the Jews, he was sowing seed on ground that was ready for planting, but when Paul spoke to the Greeks, he was attempting to sow seed on hard ground. 

When we’re in a circumstance like Paul was in, we need to work the ground.  We need to be able to defend what we believe about the Bible, about God, about Jesus, about sin, about Calvary.  Ken went on to say that our society is not “Jewish” but “Greek.”  To believers I’m sure that comes as no surprise!  The transformation has occurred slowly over the last 100 years.  That’s why crusades in the past could be used to convert large numbers of people.  Typically that’s not the case today.  Why?  Because 75 years ago (or so) prayer and Bible reading were still a part of public school.  Even though all the students weren’t Christian, they had a solid foundation.  In other words, the soil of their lives was ripe for someone to plant seeds.

But today, having removed the Bible and prayer from schooling and having replaced it with evolutionary teaching that denys the truth of the very beginning of the Bible (God created), what are we left with?  Students who don’t have any Biblical foundation at all.  Students whose foundation is not only “not Biblical” but in actuality completely opposed to God.

So, what are believers to glean from all this?  Know the background of the person with whom you are sharing Christ.  Does this person have a Biblical foundation, even though they may or may not know it?  Or does this person have a foundation of evolution/humanism?  (Be aware that church attendance does not at all guarantee a Biblical foundation!)  Knowing what foundation they have is important for establishing a starting point.  It also is important because if they have a foundation of evolution/humanism, they will likely need to hear the truth many times before they can accept it.  Holes need to be punched in their foundation while your foundation needs to be proved.

Take heart.  With God all things are possible.  Whether that be learning to defend your faith or whether that be understanding the issues.  Lean on Him.  He will never let the righteous fall.