Recap Book Chat

Greetings dear listeners! Please join Kate and Sheila for Rule #5–No Gossip Allowed in Jacob Hudgins’ book, House Rules. We have an enlightening interview with Jacob coming out on Tuesday. We hope you’ll join us! What does God’s Word say about gossip? The Bible uses words like slander, speak evil of, whisperer, reviling, back-biting, busybodies, talebearer, and meddling. Whew! Quite a list! “...blending together the various biblical expressions, gossip is saying bad things about other people to ruin their reputations or condemn them, especially when they are not present.” In Christian homes, there is no gossip allowed, we want to build up not tear down. Jacob gives different reasons why we gossip, such as: laziness, jealousy, revenge, or for fun. Gossip is not a victimless vice, it hurts not only the one being thrown under the bus and also the thrower. Is it a lack of gratitude on our part that unleashes the gossiping gargoyle, destroyer of trust and wrecker of relationships (with people and with God)??? Help! Improvement Wanted! “For lack of wood the fire goes out…” Prov 26:20 Let’s start with us-Be aware. What are my intentions? “The fact that I know something doesn’t mean I have to say it.” Ask bold clarifying questions-”Is that what they said or just what you heard? Push back with compassion and understanding-”break the self-centeredness cycle” Complimenting the victim can change the tone. Use caution at home not to take the bridle off our tongues, or as Kate said, “Never put stretchy pants on the tongue” Bahaha! We must strive to build and create (like our Heavenly Father) instead of destroy and distort. We thank you for striving to be intentional with us as we journey toward knowing God better! Happy Growing and Reading!!! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

The Horse and His Boy is book #3 in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia timeline. Readers meet Bree, a powerful and confident war horse, whose homeland is Narnia, hence the reason he can speak to Shasta, a poor fisherman’s boy, on the brink of being sold into slavery. Bree convinces him to escape. When Bree finds out Shasta can’t ride he asks him if he can fall. “I suppose anyone can fall,” said Shasta. “I mean can you fall and get up again without crying and mount again and fall again and yet not be afraid of falling?” What a vivid picture of perseverance! Shasta and Bree’s path crosses with a princess fleeing from an arranged marriage, Avaris. They start journeying to Narnia together but are separated when Shasta is suddenly mistaken for a prince and whisked away. Meanwhile, Avaris overhears an evil prince plotting to capture Queen Lucy in Narnia and destroy another land along the way. When Avaris and Shasta reunite they ride for all they’re worth to alert King Lune of the trouble. Bree says he can run no more and even gives the reason why. “But one of the worst results of being a slave and being forced to do things is that when there is no one to force you anymore you find you have almost lost the power of forcing yourself.” Aslan tells Shasta, “I was the lion…I was the lion who forced you to join Arvais. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the horses the new strength of fear for the last miles so they should read King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat wakeful at midnight to receive you.” Guidance, courage, justice, and forgiveness are some of the impactful themes wonderfully woven through this gripping tale. Won’t you join Kate and Sheils as they saddle up for Narnia? Happy Reading dear friends! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

“Sometimes little things matter a lot. Words change things. Words start wars—and end wars. Words start marriages—-and end marriages. Words make us feel like we can’t go on—and make us feel like we can. We speak with love.” Jacob Hudgins shows us in House Rules why Rule #4 We Speak with Love is so vital for families. James 3:7-8 tells us that the tongue cannot be tamed, that it is restless evil, full of deadly poison. Doesn’t that sound serious? Time should be taken before speaking so our family hears the point not the anger. We must watch what comes out of our mouths because it reflects what is in our hearts. As Eph 4:29 says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Don’t you love that terminology? Build up vs destroy, which has a path for growth? Here’s this week’s diamante: Anger Harsh, destructive Provoking, attacking, labeling Insults, tone, patience, consistency Nurturing, growing, benefiting Kind, constructive Love Thanks for joining Kate and Sheila as they seek to fill the quiver of families with godly wisdom that can impact today’s homes in such a way that will glorify our Father in heaven! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Let’s look back to a simpler time, when kids played outside until dark and phones were attached to the walls. Have you seen the movie Secretariat where the father says to his sons, “Get your devices off the table,?” The devices were their toy airplanes, that always cracks me up but it also is a reminder of how much things have changed. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger reminds us of a less hurried time. He wrote from his hear masterfully weaving together a novel of historical fiction, matters of grief, coming of age (bildungsroman), and mystery. The story is told from Frank Drum’s viewpoint as he, now a grown man, looks back to the summer when he was an unsettled kid of thirteen grappling with what manhood was all about in his mixed-up world. His younger brother, Jake, has a stuttering problem. He also has deep insight. He didn’t fake things, he was the real deal. Ariel, their talented older sister, was soon to be on her way to Juliard. Their father, Nathan Drum, pastors 3 churches, ministers to his war buddy,Gus, and pours into the whole community. “My father and his great embracing heart.” On the other end of the caring spectrum we meet Ruth Drum, distant mom and wife, being a preacher’s wife is not what she signed up for. Kruegar shows the after effects of WWII. “I think that it wasn’t so much the war as what we took into the war. Whatever cracks were already there the war forced apart, and what we might otherwise have kept inside came spilling out.” The novel starts with an accidental death of a small boy then the boys find a homeless man who died of natural causes. Next, there’s a suicide attempt and a murder! Not a book for youngsters, the content is heavy and the language is like that of sailors, but for readers that are ready it is a gift. We are shown the different ways people work through grief. “Hope was what my father held to. My mother chose despair.” “I (Frank)felt ______’s death had shoved me through a doorway into a world where I was a stranger.” Jake said, “If we put everything in Gods’ hands, maybe we won't have to be afraid anymore.” Please join Kate and Sheila as they dive into the 1960s. Blessings to you, dear readers! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Our Bonus Bite for this week continues from House Rules by Jacob Hudgins with Rule #3: We tell the truth. Let’s embrace the simplicity of telling the truth. “We serve a God who tells the truth (John 17:17) and cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44).” We really only have two choices. Christian homes need to be places where the truth is told. This takes much work and intentionality, nothing drifts to the top. If our purpose is to glorify God and live a life pleasing to Him then we must be able to admit our wrongs. We must keep our commitments as we strive to be faithful like our heavenly Father (1Cor 1:9, 1 Cor 10:13, 1 Thes 5:24 & 2 Thes 3:3). Why are we afraid to tell the truth? Is it facing the consequences? Is it angering or disappointing others? Is it fear of losing love? Any or all of these could be the culprit. How do we overcome these hurdles and avoid developing a habit of dishonesty? To borrow a phrase from the classic character from the old Andy Griffith show, “Nip it in the bud.” Yes, we must own our mistakes and overreactions. The sooner the better to avoid trust issues. In our homes we must feel safe to admit wrongs and move forward. Let’s not give the devil the foothold of dishonesty. Here’s this week’s diamante contrasting Lies with Truth. Lies Selfish, fearful Damaging,betraying,consuming Disobedience, consequences trustworthiness, humility Admitting, confessing, committing Faithful, intentional Truth. Please join us as we strive to live out these House Rules…’ what starts at home changes the world!’ Happy listening and reading dear friends! Book mentioned: Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God by: Jamie Winship --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Greetings book friends! Join Kate and Sheila as they dive into The Persian Pickle Club. What a timely tale stitched up by Sandra Dallas that takes us back to the dirty thirties to the town of Harveyville, Kansas! There’s a plethora of personalities around the quilting frame but one thing that stands out like a beacon is how these ladies show up for each other in times of need! “There wasn’t a quilt top turned out by a member of the Persian Pickle Club that didn’t have fabrics from all of us in it. That made us all part of one another’s quilts, just like we were part of one another's lives.” Queenie Bean, the youngest member, came up with the idea of doing a Celebrity Quilt to auction off and help a home for unwed mothers. When Rita, Mrs. Ritter’s daughter-in-law, arrives from the big city, the Pickles welcome her with open arms even though her attitude is less than stellar. Rita cannot grasp the closeness of the quilters but she did write an article about the Celebrity Quilt for the newspaper. Mrs. Judd is a powerful force who exercises tough love for Queenie after a terrible ordeal that caused her to lock herself in the house and refuse to interact with others. “You can stay locked up here feeling sorry for yourself like Lizzy Olive would have done, or you can put the bad time behind you like Ella did and think about all the things the Lord gave you. He’ll keep on giving them to you if you let Him, but how can you take advantage of His opportunities behind the kitchen door with the hook on.” When the skeleton of one of the quilter’s husbands turns up buried in his field, Rita turns into super sleuth and attempts to solve the murder so she can write another article and kiss the dust of Harveyville goodbye. Who killed Ben Crook? How are the quilters going to use one problem to solve another? What made these hard times bearable? Are you ready to join these calm, caring, conscientious and concerned quilters who stitch up more than quilts? They connect with each other’s lives in ways that remind us to ‘go and do likewise.’ Happy reading dear friends! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Please join Kate and Sheila as they recap rule #2-All people deserve respect— in Jacob Hudgins book, House Rules. Respect may be a bit challenging to define but it is easy to see the lack of it. Where is respect taught first?... You guessed it–The home! We are made in God’s Image and God values all people, yes ALL people, the good, the bad, and the disparaging. It is not about us or them, it is about our Heavenly Father, 1 Peter 2:17 says to ‘honor everyone’, quite a challenge when leaders are unjust. David was a good example of respecting an unjust ruler. David could have killed King Saul but would not because he was the Lord’s anointed, he trusted God’s timing and was known as a man after God’s own heart. This is a tough rule indeed. It is easy to see when this rule is not kept. In times past, manners, kindness, and courtesy were modeled in the home. Where/when did we lose ground in this arena? Instead of looking back and pointing fingers let’s look forward and endeavor to make a change. Do you want to set your children up for a more joyful life? Give them the gift of respect.Thanks so much for listening as we strive to live lives pleasing to our heavenly Father! This week we have a diamante poem to highlight the contrast between the dark side and the light. Disrespect negative scornful Belittling, ignoring, interrupting Arrogance, inconsiderateness, appreciation, kindness Empathizing, listening, teaching Positive, valuable Respect Additional books mentioned in this podcast: Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs — by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer The Devil and the White City by Erik Larson --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Cathy Gohlke’s book, Ladies of the Lake, has astute readers asking a plethora of questions from the get go. Why is Rosaline Murray no longer Adelaide? Why won’t she go to her daughter’s graduation? Why did she want to disguise her voice? What is Dot’s secret? What is Rolsaline’s veil for? Join Kate and Sheila as they join Addie on her tumultuous journey. “Dear God and Father of us all, we come to You heartbroken, grieving the sudden and terrible loss of Adelaide’s beloved parents. We grieve for the loss of their strong arms about her and the loss of the home where she was born and felt safe. Now she’s on a journey, Lord, into the unknown. Be with her Father. Let her know Your love and care. Bring others into her life to help her. Remind her daily in tangible ways that she does not travel this life alone…Hold her, guide her, Father. Bless her with courage and peace only You can give. Thank You for placing this dear girl, my new friend, in my path. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.” What a beautiful prayer from the lovely woman, Mrs. Simmons, that Adelaide aka Addie met on the train! Addie’s older brother, Lemuel, sends her off to Lakeside Ladies Academy in Connecticut after the sudden drowning of her parents at sea. At the young age of twelve, she is whisked away from Prince Edward Island enroute to a new country. Addie meets Dot, Ruth and Susanna who become dear friends. The girls graduate in 1910 and Addie and Dot remain at the school to teach. They are both in love with Stephen Meyer and as tension between the girls mounts so does the tension between townspeople toward the Meyers family because their family came from Germany. Fear fuels folks to throw bricks and hand out white feathers. Are you ready to read a gripping tale told by two narrators, Addie and Dot, in two time periods, 1911-1917 (past) and 1935 (present day)? “We are all scarred in one way or another.” Ruth Scars, inside or out, should not define us. Our identity shouldn’t be in what we’ve lost but in God’s plan for us. Happy reading dear friends! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Greetings dear friends! We are embarking on a new impactful Book Bite journey. Join Kate and Sheila as they start 10 Guidelines for Christian Homes in House Rules! The book connects with the timely quote by Fredrick Douglass, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Jacob Hudgins delivers a clear and concise plan to help readers build homes where families thrive. “Homes are where kids’ hearts are formed and if we get home wrong we cause unspeakable damage.” Homes are: Habit incubators Growth engines Hypocrisy revealers Homes feed societies. Sadly, homes are under attack. Do we have our armor on? Let’s start with Rule #1 Home is a Safe Place. We have to be intentional, godly homes do not just happen. We have to swim upstream against the cultural current. Are you ready for this week’s poem? Environment safe continual speaking, failing, learning Love unconditionally like God Home One of our favorite quotes was, “Children’s questions are windows to their hearts.” Another one that packed a punch, “What starts at home changes the world.” Thanks so much for having ears to listen and learn with us! Happy Reading! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Ruta Sepetys' finely crafted WWII novel, Salt to the Sea, is a gem. It was inspired by the real-life tragedy of the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff which claimed over 9,000 lives making it the greatest maritime disaster in history. The story is told in four voices, each from a different homeland, Readers will meet: Emilia, a 15 year old blond Polish girl with unbelievable perseverance and resilience. Joana, a smart young woman with some medical training that abounds with kindness. Florian, a handsome wounded German that saved Emilia from a Russian soldier. Florian is holding secrets, he was once a restoration assistant. Alfred, a Nazi sailor on the Gustloff, concentrates on the people he hates, thinking of getting rid of Jews, Poles, and disabled as a disinfecting. In the group of refugees, there was a cobbler, nicknamed the shoe poet for his gift with words. “The shoes always tell the story…Your boots, they are expensive, well made. That tells me that you come from a wealthy family. But the style is one made for an older woman. That tells me they probably belong to your mother. That tells me you are loved, my dear. And your mother is not here, so that tells me that you are sad, my dear. The shoes tell the story.” “Yet amidst all that , life has spit in the eye of death.” The shoe poet’s wise words after a baby is born in the chaos of war. “You’re a blister, Ava, a sour little blister.” The colorful way he described the negative lady in the group. How do these lives connect? Sepetys depicts the rawness of war and the kindness of caring at the same time in this remarkable book! “Just when you think this war has taken everything from you, you meet someone and realize you still have more to give.” Thanks so much for joining us. Happy reading!!! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Kate and Sheila wrap up Rebecca DeYoung’s Glittering Vices in this episode. It has been an enlightening trek. As Horace said, “To flee vice is the beginning of virtue.” The Rest of the Journey wraps up our study on the seven deadly sins and their remedies. Pride is the root and the trunk of the vice tree and vainglory, envy, acedia, avarice, wrath, gluttony, and lust are the main branches. The worst thing about the vices is that they thwart our ability to love and be loved. “Why are you relying on yourself, only to find yourself unreliable.” –Augustine Our habits say a lot about who we are by reflecting the shape of our hearts and minds. Practicing spiritual disciplines helps bridge the gap between vices and virtues. These daily practices that help form virtuous habits are not always exciting but little by little they transform us into becoming more Christlike. This journey must be intentional, as John Stott said, “Holiness is not a condition into which we can drift.” “The process, it is a gradual process dear heart, of putting off the old self and putting on the new self reveals nothing less than God’s power at work within us.” The process is comprehensive and includes all areas of our lives. It is also concrete. For example, if someone is practicing gratitude they would also do grateful things which would cause them to view the world through a different lens. Lastly, it is a communal endeavor. We all need help along the way, God created us this way. “Are you ready to start the journey toward a closer relationship with Him, confident that God who began a good work in you will bring it to completion, for your good and His glory?” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Have you ever heard the last two lines of this poem? “Water water everywhere And all the boards did shrink, Water water everywhere Nor any drop to drink” Join Kate and Sheila as they discuss Samuel Coleridge’s Four Types of Readers: Sand-glasses / Hourglasses- like sand that runs in and out and leaves not a ‘vestige’ behind, in other words, these readers retain nothing. They are simply passing time as one might do when they are waiting at the dentist office perusing a magazine. Sponges-absorb all they read and return it nearly in the same state only a little dirtied. They don't think much for themselves so they may miss the point. Strain bag / Jelly bag - squeeze out valuable information and hold onto the unimportant or in Coleridge’s words, “retain merely the dregs of what they read.” The violent, shameful, or sullied parts stick and the main points get tossed out. Can happen when one is reading above his/her level. Mogul / Golconda - profit by what they read and enable others to profit by it too. These readers are able to cast aside all that is worthless and retain the pure gems. Picture the miner with a sieve working away searching for nuggets of gold. Annotating and making connections can help us glean from what we read and be more enlightened readers : ) Reading can be a rollercoaster ride, the highs would be the Mogul moments and the lows would be hourglasses and the others. It is interesting to note that we do not always bring our A game to our reading endeavors but maybe Coleridge can help us figure out when we don’t and possibly help us back up the train (of thought : ) to refocus and go for the GOLD! One last Colerige quote, “Little is taught by contest or dispute, everything by sympathy and love.” Clever wording that connects with an old favorite that I just read in The Persian Pickle Club, “... you can get more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Aren’t connections cool? Check out The Read Well Podcast episode #43 to hear where we discovered these four types of readers. We hope you have a blessed week. Thanks so much for lending us an ear, may your day be filled with cheer. Happy reading! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Please join Kate and Sheila as they discuss the last vice in Glittering Vices by Rebecca DeYoung. She defines lust as a disordered desire for sexual pleasure. Lust begins as a sin of weakness not malice. This habitual attachment to pleasure erodes our relationship with God. DeYoung puts it this way, “Lust is a problem with the heart above your belt before it is a problem with the heat below it. Fulfilling pleasure without full human intimacy is lust’s false promise… an imitation of happiness.” Vice happens when we try to make good gifts fill gaps that only God can satisfy. There is no substitute for God. Lust connects with pride. Engineered happiness results in a shallow version that only satisfies for a moment. Lust plays the same tired old game as the rest of the vices, winning the game means you lose. Lust not only has a lot of collateral damage but it damages the person who lusts as well. Despair, depression, shame, callousness, blindness to beauty, loneliness, disrespect, and self-loathing lay in its wake. “When we misuse something habitually we tend to lose our appreciation for its true goodness. The choice to love is an opportunity to appreciate and value a flawed human for his or her sake.” What is the antidote? Some call it temperance, some call it integrity of the heart, DeYoung calls it chastity. What is chastity? The virtue of chastity must be cultivated inside and out. It grows greater with time and experience. The patience that Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13 is a must in this department. “Do we live a life intentionally bathed in the love of God, a love that quiets our deep search for happiness and communion elsewhere?” “We need communities that show us how to rely on the Spirit’s power in faithfulness and hope.” “Give the body discipline, and you will see that the body is for the One who made it,” says the desert mother Amma Theodora. These early Christians took the unity of body and soul more seriously than we do today. Following Paul’s advice to pursue what is true, honorable, just, pure, excellent, and praiseworthy (Phil.4:8) helps prevent worldliness from drifting in. Thanks so much for listening as we discover how to say good-bye to lust and hello to chastity! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Let’s meet the brothers: Dmitri- the eldest, impulsive, strong, uneducated, driven by desires Ivan- the middle, the intellectual, preoccupied, gloomy atheist Alyosha- the youngest, kind, thoughtful, brave, spiritually minded Smerdyakov-illegitimate, ungrateful, sneaky, devious (creeper alert) Please join Kate and Sheila discussion about the age-old struggle of good versus evil by looking at the gifted Russian writer, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s discordant family found in The Brothers Karamazov! (Translated by the award winning team of Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonskyy) The father, Fyodor, was selfish, crude, neglectful, immoral, and muddleheaded. All his sons were raised by Grigory, his servant. Fyodor quipped, “I’m a buffoon out of shame…I act up because I’m insecure.” Alyosha chose a different path than the others. “I want to live for immortality, and I reject any halfway compromise.” His mentor, Zosima, taught him from God’s Word. He also advised the elder Karamazov, “Above all, do not lie to yourself. A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others.” Dmitri shares with Alyosha, “Here the devil is struggling with God, and the battlefield is the human heart.” Ivan’s words from his famous speech, The Grand Inquisitor, “He (Jesus) came to give His life for them! Instead of taking over men’s freedom, you increased it and forever burdened the kingdom of the human soul…by so terrible a burden as freedom of choice.” The action culminates in an unforgettable courtroom scene. Both the prosecutor and the defense attorneys give moving speeches that end with applause. Did Dmitri murder his less than stellar father? If he didn't, who did? Dostoevsky packs a lot into this book. What is the purpose of life? He shows the importance of living a life well and how the life we live affects others. As Alyosha says in closing, “How good life is when you do something good and rightful.” “A crust always looks bigger in another man’s hand.” Trust us this book will look big no matter whose hand it is in : ) It is a mammoth read (823 pages) but well worth the effort if you are looking for a challenge. Happy Reading dear listeners! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! This vice really hit home. Gluttony, like all the vices, begins with something created for good but sin creeps in and our desires run amok. Gregory the Great from the Middle Ages summed gluttony up in five categories: Too daintily (nothing is ever quite right) Too sumptuously (lavishly) Too hastily (gobble and go) Too greedily (ravenously-think Augustus Gloop) Too much (tastes like more) We learned that “what’s being eaten” deals with the first two and “how the food is eaten” deals with the last three. Indulgence whets the appetite instead of satisfying it. Ecclesiastes 6:7 reminds us…”his appetite is not satisfied.” The trouble with instant gratification is it only lasts for an instant. This quick fix leaves us depleted and spiritually starved. We’re made to find our flourishing in more than physical pleasure. Something I need to remind myself when I reach for chocolate! God made food good for our bodies and He made taste buds for us to savor the flavor. It all goes south when we try to do what Adam and Eve did long ago in the garden. When we choose to rely on food or drink instead of God we thwart our spiritual growth. Every virtue has two vices, extremes in both directions. Those joyless about food lack appreciation, while the self-indulgent are striving to provide pleasure through food. How do we get off this hamster wheel and unlearn the bad habits we’ve picked up? Rebecca DeYoung guides us in Glittering Vices to give up gratification for gratitude.Yes, intentionality is key as is practice. Will it happen overnight? Not a chance, change takes time, however, rightly forming our desires will put us on the right pathway. Please join Kate and Sheila as they strive to say, Good-bye gluttony, Hello temperance. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

“No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice.” What a powerful quote in The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis! The prequel to the enduring and ever-popular The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Readers discover how Narnia came to be in this timely tale when two children from London, Digory and Polly, stumble upon Digory’s Uncle Andrew; he tricks them into putting on rings that transport them to another world. They encounter the evil queen, Jadis, who destroyed her world and seeks to destroy theirs as well. Polly and Digory work together to get Jadis out of London before that can happen. This amazing story shows readers the consequences of impulsiveness and selfishness and the beauty and strength and obedience found in putting others first and doing good. “All get what they want; They do not always like it.” Join Polly and Digory as they meet the great Aslan, whose presence scares Jadis aka the witch causing her to skedaddle. The talking animals debate whether Uncle Andrew is a vegetable, mineral, or human and finally decide he is a tree and plant him thigh deep in the dirt : ) Digory tells Aslan his mother is dying. He asks if he could send him back with something from Narnia that would heal her. Aslan looks at him with tears in his eyes and tells him that the two of them are the only ones in Narnia who know about grief. He encourages with these words, “Let us be good to one another.” Aslan sends the adventurers on a mission. Will Digory and Polly succeed or will the mission be thwarted by the evil witch. The kids are stronger in making wise choices the closer they are to Aslan. Isn’t that how we are? The closer to Christ we are the more we are able to battle the troubles and struggles in life in a manner that strengthens instead of devastates us. Self-control is a struggle and obedience is too but we never regret doing the right thing. Please join us as we dive into the first chronicle and meet the young adventurers, the self-absorbed uncle, the cool cabby and his steadfast steed, the evil witch, and the magnificent lion. Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea or listen as you go for a walk if the weather’s cooperating as we visit the land of Narnia. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Join Kate and Sheila as they dive into the vice of wrath from Glittering Vices by Rebecca DeYoung. There are two schools of thought on this vice. Aquinas believed it was a natural expression of a human emotion and it could be righteous if it targeted injustice. Anger as a holy emotion has justice as its object and love as its root as Jesus overturning the money changers tables. Anger turns wrathful when it fights for its own selfish cause. Cassian claimed all anger causes blindness which obscures our ability to see Christ. In James 1:19-20, “...we are told to be quick to listen…slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” “There is nothing that can be done with anger that cannot be done better without it.” Dallas Willard was in Cassian’s camp. Psychologists call anger a “secondary emotion” because it masks other sorts of distress. John and Julie Gottman liken our emotional life to an iceberg: only anger shows above the surface, while fear, grief, and shame lurk under water. What is our anger guarding? Is it our deepest attachments to worldly desires or the most significant sources of our identity? Wrath reveals idolatrous attachments and our prideful sense of self. Disrespect rankles us. It is a struggle to take a breath and give grace. How can we thwart this powerful vice? We hope you will join us as we go over the virtue that can kibosh wrath. Good-bye wrath, Hello Gentleness! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Welcome back, Recapsters! In this episode of the Recap Book Chat, we delve into the rich tapestry of Fyodor Dostoevsky's masterpiece, "The Brothers Karamazov." Settle in with your favorite cup of tea as we embark on a journey through the complex dynamics of faith, doubt, and familial bonds. First, let's meet the titular characters: Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha Karamazov, three brothers who couldn't be more different yet are deeply interconnected. Dmitri, the passionate and impulsive eldest brother, Ivan, the intellectual skeptic grappling with existential questions, and Alyoshai, the pious and compassionate youngest brother, serve as mirrors reflecting the multifaceted nature of the human soul. Their father, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, is a deeply flawed and hedonistic man whose actions cast a long shadow over his sons' lives. Fyodor's contentious relationships with his sons, coupled with his libertine lifestyle, serve as catalysts for the unfolding drama within the novel. Central to "The Brothers Karamazov" is the exploration of faith and doubt. Dostoevsky masterfully weaves existential and religious themes throughout the narrative, inviting readers to ponder the nature of belief in the face of moral ambiguity and suffering. Ivan's famous philosophical dilemma, the "Grand Inquisitor" chapter, challenges conventional notions of faith, while Alyosha's unwavering devotion to his faith provides a counterbalance. As we sip on our Honeybush tea, we'll discuss how Dostoevsky skillfully navigates the labyrinth of human consciousness, inviting readers to confront their own existential quandaries. In this first part of our exploration of "The Brothers Karamazov," we've only scratched the surface of Dostoevsky's magnum opus. Join us in the next episode as we delve deeper into the intricate plot twists, profound character developments, and timeless philosophical questions that make this novel a literary classic. Fear not dear listener, no spoilers in this episode in case you haven't yet embarked on the journey of "The Brothers Karamazov," yet. Until then, keep sipping, keep reading, stay on track and read your stack. Cheers! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Greetings Recapsters! For this episode, we discuss Gretchin Rubin’s book, The Four Tendencies, where she discusses how people respond to inner (stop nagging) and outer (traffic laws) expectations. She also wrote Better than Before to help us discover why some people can form habits more easily than others.How do we change? Habits are the invisible architecture of our lives. 40% of our daily behaviors are repeated, why not harness this information to gain self-knowledge that will help us adopt habits successfully? 41% of the population are Obligers. “You can count on me and I’m counting on you to count on me.” They are motivated by external expectations and struggle with inner expectations and with saying no. 24% of the people fall into the Questioner category. “I will comply if you convince me why.” They are motivated by clarity, reason, logic and fairness. They can have bouts of analysis paralysis. 19% of folks are Upholders. These are the people that respond readily to inner and outer expectations. Discipline is their freedom. 17% fall into the Rebel category. “You can’t make me, and neither can I.” This group places a high value on authenticity and acts best when you give them the information and let them make a choice. Our tendencies color the way we see the world. If you want to take the short quiz to discover your tendency click here. Thank you for joining us on our quest to read the best! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

Glittering Vice # 4 — Avarice What do Ebenezer Scrooge, King Ahab, Lot, and King Midas all have in common? They all give us a clear picture of the vice of avarice. They put themselves first. Did Scrooge even see Tiny Tim? Did Ahab understand why Naboth said ‘no deal’? Why didn’t Lot insist that Abram have first choice on the land? Why didn’t Midas appreciate what he had? What causes this unquenchable desire for more, more, more? Horace’s pithy quote packs a punch, “The one who is greedy is always in want.” Sadly, greed corrodes the virtue of generosity and also leads us to shun the claims of justice. “Our greedy tendency to trust in wealth for happiness and security undercuts our trust in God.” In Glittering Vices, Rebecca DeYoung puts it in a nutshell, “Those with well-entrenched avarice are willing to use people to serve their love of money, rather than using money to serve their love for people.” Our attachment needs to be to God, the great provider and we should NOT seek to take over God’s role. When we give to others we are offering the world a picture of God’s heart. “Detaching from material goods means using them as a means to a great end which is attachment to God and to fellow human beings.” Please join us as we try to flesh out a strong desire of the flesh…by knowing our own weaknesses we can struggle to be free from the grip of this vice. Good-bye greed, Hello trust! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message