The Swiss Family Robinson
Today Grace and I finished reading The Swiss Family Robinson. Having watched and loved the Disney movie so many times as a child, I looked forward to reading this story of adventure with my daughter.
We discovered that, though Disney produced a wonderful family movie, it should be titled: The Family That is Not the Swiss Family Robinson.
We were happy to find, though, that the book is far more wonderful than the movie even though there are no pirates to thrill the reader. The story is not without its thrills; there is a boa constrictor scene that will fulfill the wants of any adrenaline enthusiast. There are also some scenes of animal violence that would need some helpful explanation and guidance from Mommy or Daddy to help a child understand the context of these particular scenes.
The most memorable part of this story for me, though, is the attention given to family prayer, worship, and devotion. In several places throughout the book the characters stop to express gratitude and need for protection from God. The father provides spiritual leadership to his family throughout the book by gathering the family for prayer and worship. The family’s daily life is undergirded with a consistent lifestyle of Christian family discipleship.
One of my favorite passages occurs as the family is remembering the anniversary of their escape from their ship wreck:
“Afterward we sat together for a long time, enjoying the calm beauty of the morning and talking of all that had taken place on the memorable days of the storm a year ago. For I desired that the awful events of that time should live in the remembrance of my children with a deepening sense of gratitude for our deliverance. Therefore I read aloud passages from my journal, as well as many beautiful verses from the Psalms, expressive of joyful praise and thanksgiving, so that even the youngest among us was impressed and solemnized at the recollections of escape from a terrible death, and also led to bless and praise the name of the Lord our Deliverer.” (Chapter 22, “Thanksgiving Day”)
Sadly, you just don’t get that kind of writing in contemporary children’s literature.
The Swiss Family Robinson is a story well worth reading with your own family, and portrays an example of family worship that is well worth replicating.
Book Review: What He Must Be…If He Wants to Marry My Daughter
As you know, I’ve really been looking forward to reading What He Must Be…If He Wants to Marry My Daughter, by Voddie Baucham. It exceeded my expectations on every page.
Far more than an instructional manual for nervous fathers, this book informs and engages all Christians regardless of their marital status. Mothers, fathers, sons and daughters will benefit from Mr. Baucham’s explanations of Biblical commands and principles for marriage and choosing a spouse. More than that, the reader will find himself pressed to reflect on his own character and worldview as our compromise in submitting to cultural rather than Biblical standards is exposed.
One good look at any high school campus, youth group, or mall will tell you that things are not well. The trajectory for our single people is not hopeful. The legacy they are inheriting from their parents is a sham. Many will call for more of the same, but What He Must Be calls for strong and courageous men to join Mr. Baucham in counter-cultural Biblical manhood and fatherhood.
What He Must Be is well written and an engaging read; however, you may want the assistance of a good dictionary or a seminary student at a few points along the way. Vocabulary (for example “soteriology”) peppers the text, which can be intimidating for the layperson. For the most part, though, the reader will find the book to be easy to follow and understand. Mr. Baucham’s examples and stories are very helpful in illustrating his points, making his vision tangible. His arguments are solid and Scripture driven; his conviction is absolutely contagious!
Book Review: On Becoming Babywise
Reviewed by Catrina.
On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam, M.D., is one in a series of parenting books. This particular installment focuses on training your infant to sleep through the night with techniques that also assist in stabilizing his or her eating patterns/metabolism and naptime/playtime rhythms.
I found this to be a very helpful reference during these first three months of Grace’s life. As suggested by the authors, Grace did indeed begin sleeping through the night between seven and eight weeks. The Parent-directed Feeding (PDF) offers flexibility with predictability to our days.
The author’s philosophy is clear and logical, applying common sense to the questions of parenting. Their writing style is easy to follow and the book is organized such that I can quickly find sections I’m looking for when I need to review (often). Unfortunately, the authors spend too much time at the beginning of the book making their case for PDF. The evidence they present is very good, but could be summarized more briefly.
I would recommend this book with one caveat. For anal-retentive, excel-spreadsheet-lovin’, rigid personalities like mine, I strongly recommend reading this book with an emphasis on the flexibility, remembering that moms are not going to be graded at the end and there is no final exam. For the rest of you who are normal, read! And enjoy sleeping through the night!!!
