A few years ago, I read a book called Seduction of the Lesser Gods. It was quite a good book and it has come to my mind many times over the years. Basically, anything that we give more importance to than God becomes an idol. Anything can become an idol--friendship, children, jobs, and even love.
There are different kinds of love. If I were to describe God's love--I would turn to I John, and the verse that said (to paraphrase) that if we love one another, then God's love is made complete in us. But, most Christian fiction seems to center around romantic love rather than loving one another--and living out the second greatest commandment. I know C.S. Lewis has written much about the different types of love and to be honest, I haven't read all of it. But, I understand the basic ideas that he was trying to convey. In most Christian fiction, the plot centers around eros, or romantic love. I do really enjoy such books, but I think it can give me a false picture of reality if I read too many and foment discontent when life doesn't have a happy, comfortable ending. Unfortunately, I don't find too many that don't center around it. BUT, the two books I'm going to be reviewing this week don't. I received both as complimentary copies from the publisher--and I am thankful that I did because I really enjoyed them. They are two of the first books in a very long time that I have read that were simply good stories about life.
Today I am posting a review for the first book: The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson
Betty Kowalski is an widow who's children live far away from her. Her son has married a woman who has a daughter from a previous marriage and only speaks with her on the phone once in a while. Her daughter lives far away with her own family as well. Her dearest friends used to live behind her, but they have now passed away. A young man, Jack, has moved in. He makes a lot of noise and seems (from the outside) to be destroying the house on the inside. This hurts Betty's heart because she loved her friends.
Here is an excerpt from the book:
http://www.revellbooks.com/Media/MediaManager/Excerpt_9780800718817.pdf
She is mourning the loss of her friends and feeling very lonely. She is set in her ways--we all do become set in our ways more and more as we get older. So, it is hard for her to adjust to her new neighbor, Jack. Then, a stray dog enters--who she thinks belongs to Jack. It is a source of frustration for her, but then one of comfort in the end. It's hard to describe much of the story without giving away the plot.
One of my dearest mentors is now living at an assisted living home with dementia. I have known her for the past 3 years and it was only in the last few months that her illness took a quick and rapid acceleration. When I read this story about Betty, I pictured her much like my dear friend was before the onset of her illness. She was a dear lady who sometimes repeated herself and dwelled on the same things--but don't we all do that no matter what age we are?
This story warmed my heart with a fondness and respect for people as they get older. Read this book with a love for your grandparents and parents and for life as we get older. Life doesn't stop when we get older. No one is useless or worth less. It grieved me to read about how Betty's children treat her and yet it is something I have witnessed many times as children take for granted that their parents will always be there. It is only when something drastic happens (like my friend's illness) that we often realize that we need to make the most of the time with people that we love and care about.
Sit down with a cup of tea or hot chocolate and a warm blanket and read this sweet story about life. It is true to life--with its downs and its ups. Happy Reading!
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