My Personal Fab Five

Everybody needs good advice from their friends.  These literary figures have long been my good friends, so much so that I call them Aunt or Uncle depending.  These are not my favorite saints.  That's a whole different thing.  This is more about camaraderie than hero worship, though I'll admit to a little hero worship.

Tante Corrie (Ten Boom)
The consequences for her sympathy for others are horrific, but no matter how much else she lost, she never lost this basic instinct of caring for others in trouble.  I want to be as brave and forgiving as she was.

 Auntie Jane (Austen)
She pushed herself to write for publication, but never lost her own voice.  I want to be published.

Aunt Flan(nery O'Connor)
She woke me up and made writing seem like something worth doing.  I never understood what redemption meant until The Violent Bear It Away.  Now I can't stop looking at it--through parted fingers, but still.

Uncle Jack (C. S. Lewis)
His tape started running in my head when Dad started reading me The Chronicles of Narnia at two and finally left off reading me Lewis with That Hideous Strength when I was off to get married at twenty-three.  I marvel at how he shapes my mind, down to a fascination with medieval literature.  I hope to learn his kindness.

Uncle Frebby (Frederick Buechner)
He is my only living model, which was quite a comfort when I was lonely.  He is so patient with his faults and honest about discussing them.  I grew up in a world where flaws were hidden or everyone was too intimidated to state the obvious.  I want to be that genuine. 

Courses I Have Loved

The Great Courses from The Teaching Company were something I let sit on my radar for far too long.  If you like to learn new things, this is the company for you.  As a homeschool parent, this is a source of grade A information without the grade A strain.  My first purchase, like most things, was for the kids, but now I've collected a good number of courses that were just for me.
They are so good I usually watch or listen to them more than once.  Here are some of the courses I got for me.
Building Great Sentences ****This  course was a bit of a stretch as my preferred writing style is to cut everything down rather than build up.  I'm finding it challenging and handy to do it another way.
Optimizing Brain Fitness ****I like the way Professor Restak uses all the tricks to enhance how much we retain of his lectures.  This is a short course, but very helpful.
Effective Communication Skills *****This course is the first one Kurt bought for himself.  It's been amazing what we've learned and all the ways that the information can be applied.
How to Read and Understand Poetry*****I bought this on audio because the sale price was that good.  I've listened to it twice so far.  The professor's sense of humor keeps this course interesting and moving along.
From Plato to Post-modernism *****Filled in a lot of holes in my education as well as sparking real interest in the subject.  I read Hegel on the strength of one lecture.  Wonderful class on Literary Criticism
Reason and Faith:  Philosophy in the Middle Ages *****The illustrations in this class are so helpful and stay with you when you encounter the material in other settings.  Beautiful, just the right size for getting into the subject without going in over your head.
The Life and Writings of C.S. Lewis *** I think it would have been better if I hadn't cut my teeth on all things Lewis, literally, Dad read me Narnia when I was a toddler.  I'd outgrown this course before I took it.
The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition *****Excellent for recreational viewing and as a reference work.  Dr. Robinson is exactly what you want in a philosophy professor, charming, knowledgeable, and certain without being assertive.
Great Authors of the Western Literary Tradition ***** Excellent team teaching effort.  I loved each section and hated moving on to the next.  These professors care so much that their subjects can still move them to tears.  Great overview and sampler if you're looking for some new reading material.

Dibs on Reepicheep!

I love giraffes.  They are beautiful and awkward and far sighted, so this road sign had my immediate attention and has held my thoughts for several weeks.  I don't have the patience to study through the "No Labels" website to see where I agree and where I disagree, but the folly of our current stand off is so obvious it reminds me of Reepicheep's cry of "Stop fighting!  Push!" 
Even when everything is in such chaos, some of the best people I know won't even shake hands with some of the other best people I know, at least not without Purell nearby.  I have a friend who is uncompromising on the issue of safety--he will keep you safe, whether you like it or not.  His dedication and passion encourage me and make me feel safer.  On the other hand, I have a friend who picks up those people who have already been trampled by life and helps them find a way back to breathing.  His compassion inspires me.
Getting those two in the same room is unlikely, but if I could get them talking about Chinese food or something, I think they would like each other and see that their hearts and goals are similar.  What they might never acknowledge is that they need each other.  That the world at large needs them both.
"Stop fighting!  Push!"

Sweet Treats

Christmas was good to me. Kurt started with the perfect pair of slippers--very hard to find for a woman who hates anything on her feet. He followed up with the Wii Fit, which is just right on the money. I am in need of a new gimic that's family friendly, and this fits the ticket. My mother bought me a very nice pen inscribed Truth Alone. It's sitting on the "BlueThing" I bought in highschool, some people have wondered what it was like. Finally Kurt told me to just go and buy my own set of the Chronicles of Narnia in hardback. I've wanted them for years. We're reading them aloud each night after dinner.

The Weight of Glory

I am a woman who struggles with avarice when it comes to books. One of my favorite things about Kurt is his complete acceptance of my need for books. One time I was apologizing, yet again, for an expensive trip to the bookstore and he looked at me and said "But you need them." That my friends is how you know you've got a keeper. In any case, I still agonize over book purchases. Could I get this from the library? Will I want to reread it? Is this really important enough to spend book budget on?
Sometime during college, I began to notice a certain nudge from the Holy Spirit when a book wasn't an indulgence, but an important step forward in my growth. I've found that I never regret books purchased after listening to that nudge. On my day off a week or two ago, I picked up the Joy of Cooking and then enjoyed an aimless wander through the shelves at Barnes and Noble. On an end cap was an array of Lewis. I don't have a complete collection of Lewis, much as I would like one, so when the Holy Spirit nudged me to pick up The Weight of Glory I didn't waste any time agonizing. I've been so glad I listened.
First, I found myself struggling to understand the conflicts within my conscience, and then as I was reading my latest acquisition, I came across the surprisingly applicable essay "Why I am not an Atheist." The way he laid out what our conscience is and how we are to use it was tremendously helpful. Second, I was reading Transposition when I suddenly understood a friend's short story in a new and helpful way. Thirdly, sorting through my conscience had led me to my JEPD crisis, and there it was again, my issue in Lewis' collection of essays. Lewis says much the same things about the Old Testament that my new Catholic Bible says. Now that's an opinion I can trust.
It is a surprising thing to hear from the Living God in a quiet nudge, and to find obedience so overwhelmingly repaid. I wish all the little nudges were this easy to discern and obey. I would be a much better person than I am.