Tuesdays are our library day around here...

...and we brought home a HUGE basket full of books last week.

I'm so glad to be reading for fun again, and am working my way through a book or so a day, which is my "usual" reading pace.

One of the first books I read was this one:

I'm pretty certain it's a Newbery book, and it's been on my list for a while. I found myself wishing I owned it so I could underline. (When it's MY book, I always read with a pen in hand. Fiction, nonfiction, textbook, Bible, you name it. I just need one!)

Here are a few of the things I wanted to underline:

Sophy's mother advises this receipt. She says it makes a successful cake, and easily prepared:

One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, and four eggs beat well together. It may be baked in pans or cups, no more than twenty minutes.

I've made a similar recipe in the past and thought it would be fun to try again!

Mammann disciplined Matty today..."You must learn to like the doing of that which we like you to do. Glad submission of the will," she explained, "is the obedience that proves control. I do not mean you merely to comply. Reflect, accept, obey!"
...Discipline of will, not relinquishment, is the lesson's desired end. How hard this is for each to learn, and how necessary.

And that idea continued later:

At the start of this journal I wrote of my wish to stay here for ever and ever; also that I wished to become better and more gladly able to do what I am asked. Today, reflecting on Aunt Lucy's letter, I know I shall find good consequence in what ever is decided by Father and Mammann. Thus it now appears to me that trust, and not submission, defines obedience.

Trust defines obedience. If I trust God, I will obey him. When my children have trust in me, they are more likely to obey. A simple idea, but one to ponder, I think.

I'm always amazed at the nuggets of truth found hiding in books--even children's books. Want to read this one--and have your own so you can write in it? Visit my bookshop here.

Comments

[Farm Fresh Jessica]

Hmmm... that sounds good.

Maybe you should use post-its. I read w/ post-its and a pen in hand...I hate to mar a book. Crazy I know :-)

[Karen]

A book a day? That's amazing! You said: "Trust defines obedience." That's good. That's one to write down.

Hope you have a great week!
Karen

[Michelle]

I LOVE writing in my books...I write in ALL of my margins. You know what else goes great with pens and books? Sticky notes! I have a slight problem with a teeny bit of a sticky note fetish...but that's OK.

On a totally different note...I was watching God.tv today. The speaker, Benny Perez, (he has a blog) is a pastor from Las Vegas. He said he asked God one day, "why did you send me to the desert?". And God told him.."I send all the crazy people to the desert!" Crazy for GOD, that is. So really...being sent to the desert...is a GOOD thing...and it shows that God has ultimate confidence in you and your husband to be obedient and to do His will. I told this to my husband earlier and he said, "Oh great...you're just crazy enough that WE might get sent to the desert, too." Amen to that!!

[Melissa@ Breath of Life]

I was so interested in this book, I immediately tabbed over to my library's site to make sure they have it. And they do! I'm adding it to my list.

[Carly]

thank you for the "trust defines obedience" nugget of truth. i'm working on obedience with my two year old little boy and four year old girl (she gets it so much easier and quicker than he EVER will, I think). so it is nice to consider these lessons in context of trust. thank you!

[Kimberly]

We have been doing the Half Priced Books Summer Reading club...can get a $3 coupon once a week. My two year old picked out a bunch of Winnie the Pooh books (original) on the clearance rack on Monday. We already have the huge anthology of all the books but these are individual books perfect size for her hands and her purse (we have been running earrands with all the books in her big purse)...sorry to babble...Anyway there are some great quotes in Winnie the Pooh. She is in bed so can't quote any now. Thanks for sharing. Friday is our library day. The guy who checks us out knows us so well he (Cliff) suggests moives and books! I love it.
K