Bogormen

Title: Spiritually Single Moms
Author: Nancy Sebastian Meyer
Genre: Christian non-fiction
Rating: 10/10
# pages: 175
Date read: May, 2007

Review: I am not a spiritually single mom yet (no kids), but I will be in a couple of years, and when that happens I will be sure to take "Spiritually Single Moms" down from the bookshelf for another read-through.

"Spiritually Single Moms" is an extremely personal book. By sharing her own experiences raising Becky without a Christian husband to help her, Nancy teaches mothers everywhere how to raise children the Godly way while still teaching them to respect and look up to their father, despite him being an unbeliever. We’re reminded that even though our husband is not a believer, he’s still the head of the household and should be respected and treated as such. It is important to find a way to teach your kids to believe in God, without putting their father in a bad light, because he doesn’t.

Finally Nancy reminds us that just as it isn’t our fault or responsibility that our husband doesn’t believe, ultimately nobody can force our kids to believe either. All we can do is plant and water the seed, and pray that God will help it grow into a strong and healthy tree.

Each chapter addresses a separate point of raising godly kids – answering tough questions, teaching them to serve others, teaching them (and you) to respect and love their father, helping them set healthy boundaries etc. – and is concluded with four sections:

Strength, which gives a key verse that confirms the focus of the chapter.

Strategies, which offers practical help of how to implement the teachings of the chapter.

Self-assessment, which provides a list of questions that will lead the reader to a more obedient walk with God through the parenting years.

Speaking with God, which contains a prayer based on Praising, Repenting, Asking and Yielding.

Even though the book is called "Spiritually Single Moms" it is just as relevant for Spiritually Single Dads. Nancy addresses moms as she is one herself, but dads can easily change the pronouns around and still apply the book to their situation. (Written for Armchair Interview)

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Title: It
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Rating: 8/10
# pages: 1022
Date read: May, 2007

Summary: Moving back and forth between 1958 and 1985, the story tells of seven children in a small Maine town who discover the source of a series of horrifying murders. Having conquered the evil force once, they are summoned together 27 years later when the cycle begins again.

Review: A couple of years ago I asked for recommendations of horror books, as I hadn't read many, but the ones I had, I rather liked (as long as the 'horror' part is psychological and the book doesn't depend on blood and gore to make it scary - same with movies really). This was one of the books recommended to me, and as I haven't been too thrilled by what I've read of Stephen King so far, I was actually really surprised to enjoy it as much as I do. Stephen King writes youngsters very believably, and writes fear very believably. The book is long, but riveting, so it never felt too long. It was scary and at times gross, but not so descriptive as to leave me disgusted. Definitely one of King's better books.

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Title: Black Like Me
Author: John Howard Griffin
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: 8/10
# pages: 188
Date read: May, 2007

Summary: In the Deep South of the 1950s, journalist John Howard Griffin decided to cross the color line. Using medication that darkened his skin to deep brown, he exchanged his privileged life as a Southern white man for the disenfranchised world of an unemployed black man. His audacious, still chillingly relevant eyewitness history is a work about race and humanity-that in this new millennium still has something important to say to every American. (From Amazon.com)

Review: I found this book fascinating and shocking at the same time. I know it took place almost 50 years ago, but that people can treat other people as less than human, just because of the colour of their skin... It makes me so angry. Especially people who claim to be Christians and yet see nothing wrong with being racists as well. *sigh* I'd like to think that we're better now, but I fear that the bigotry has just gotten more subtle so it's harder to call for what it is.

I wonder what would happen if a person tried a similar experiment today. I don't think he'd experience quite the same hardships and degredations as John Griffin, but it'd still be really interesting reading.

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