Book Review: Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead

Anne Lindbergh was only 23 when she wrote the letters and diary entries found in Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead. I was impressed that, while she was still so youthful, she was also extremely literate. She writes to her family with amazing candor about "celebrity" and being followed by the media of the day. She touches upon her fears about motherhood, and in a section that is very poignent, she frets to her mother over the safety of her little son.

Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead is the second in a series of 5 books containing Anne Morrow Lindbergh's personal letters and diaries. I didn't realize that when I picked it up, but it stands alone, and was an enjoyable and thoughtful read. This book covers the period of 1929-1932, during which Anne married Charles Lindbergh, gave birth to their first child, and flew to the Orient with C.L.

But the Hour of Lead is the most riveting section, detailing the infamous "Lindbergh kidnapping" and the death of the Lindbergh's first son.

Anne was pregnant with her second son when little Charlie disappeared. As we know from history, after ten weeks of negotiations with kidnappers, the boy's body was found not far from their home. He had been killed the first day.

The book caused me to reflect upon my own grandparents, who also lost a child when my grandmother was carrying my mother. They never found out what happened to the boy that they lost, it is generally thought that he drowned, and I don't believe that either my Grandpa or Grandma really recovered from it.

Anne Lindbergh expressed her concerns that she would not be able to feel for the second child what she had for the first, that she would be always comparing the two. I wonder if this is how my grandmother felt. My grandmother's family was thousands of miles away in a time when travel was not easily available. Anne Lindbergh was blessed to have the close and loving support of her family, which greatly comforted her.

This book affected me in that it caused me to think about others, and to look at my grandmother (who was difficult, to say the least) with a different eye...perhaps a more sympathetic one.

Overall, a good read. I recommend it and am looking forward to reading North to the Orient, the chronicles of Anne and Charles Lindbergh's 1931 trip to Alaska, Russia, China, and Japan.

Quote of the Day: Matthew Henry

It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our final day.
~Matthew Henry

Amen, Mr. Henry. It's all about eternity...

Merry Christmas

Another Case of my Quotes Smacking Me Around A Bit...

This is why I need to pay attention to what I put on my blog...
I just wrote (and then deleted) a long, ranting, whining post about what I don't like about Christmas. Lest you think I am a total humbug, there are lots of things I do like...I am just in a self-pitying, self-absorbed, self-I-think-I-see-a-trend mood.
And then as I was posting it, I reread the quote from Spurgeon that I posted this morning. Interesting how the Lord uses things that I have said (or, in this case, quoted) to smack me upside the head.

Quote of the Day: Charles Spurgeon

If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all.
~Charles Spurgeon

Quote of the Day: Anne Morrow Lindbergh

"I am reading Jane Austen to calm my nerves."
~Anne Morrow Lindbergh in a letter to her sister during a period of great busy-ness

That's the way I feel about Jane Austen...like a cup of tea with my feet up at the end of a long day.

Now Here is a Promise You Don't Ever Hear About...

When was the last time you came upon this verse in your Bible Promise Book?

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12

But why isn't it among the greatly quoted promises?

Isn't it all about the results of the persectution and suffering? What happens in my life when I suffer? And what happens in other peoples' lives as a result of my suffering?

According to the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4: 17-18: For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

When we are suffering, when we are persecuted, the Lord is working out His purposes in our lives. Suffering leads to dependence upon Him, it leads to godly living, and it leads to opportunities to minister to others. Really, it's not about me. It's about my response to the Holy God in the middle of trials. It's about how He is transforming me into His image through my brokenness.

It is for His glory. Not mine.

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it;
For how should My name be profaned?
And I will not give My glory to another.

Isaiah 48:10-11

I Was Feeling Smug Until I Compared Myself to Someone Smarter

Hey, this is funny. You can type in your URL and this magically determines your "readability". Apparently it didn't take the cartoons and goofy attempts at humor on my website.

By the way, Poiema, you scored a "genius", and I am torn by being very impressed, or very envious at my obvious lack of intellectual achievement.

Slightly Tacky Winter Humor

Thanks, Belinda...

I needed a laugh at work.

By the way, I always thought Frosty was a little "off"....

Christmas Q and A

I've had about a dozen people email me this list in one form or another...so I am posting it here. Enjoy my self-indulgence as I assume you all wish to read about me.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually wrapping paper with my (now famous) recycled ribbons.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Tree...tree...I think we had one of those once. No room now. (I might be slightly bitter about that!)

3. When do you put up the tree? Read question #2.

4. When do you take the tree down? What's this?! More lemon juice on the papercut?!

5. Do you like egg nog? Oh, YES!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I did have a green and yellow Tonka truck that I remember loving!

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, the old and much loved one that I grew up with.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My stepdad...but I think I finally nailed it this year!

9. Easiest person to buy for? My mom...hands down!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. Except for co-workers and local friends. They get an email...

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Oh, easy! My mom gave me her old waffle iron one year...I don't mind hand-me-down gifts, but this was the worst waffle maker ever. I remember it sticking everytime we used it when I was a kid. Worst of all, I hauled that thing around for years, never used it once, until Mom came to visit one time and said "let's make waffles" and I told her the sad truth. The waffle maker then hit the dumpster. And we still laugh about it. At least I do.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? "It's a Wonderful Life". And I cry at the end every time!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I buy things when I see them, so I am usually done by December.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? (head hung in shame) Yes

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Turkey and the trimmings. And German Apple Pancake for Christmas breakfast!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? What's with the tree again!? OK, if I had one...white.

17. Favorite Christmas song? This year I am enamoured with "What Child is This?"

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Oh, I'm flexible...

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeers? You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, but do you recall...the most famous reindeer of all...Rudolph... (is it cheating that I just sang that at my computer?)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Sigh...I give up...

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One present Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People who don't work full-time telling me how busy they are.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like color...lots of color!

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? A really, really good new digital camera and tripod and lenses.