A Prescription for Hell-in-a-Handbasket Sydrome

01/28/201901/27/2019 / CAstfalk / 12 Comments

Hell in a Handbasket Prescription

Every now and then I feel a little world-weary. I’m sure you’ve felt it too. The ol’ Come Soon, Lord Jesus-weary, if you know what I mean.

10 Tips for Treating Hell-in-a-Handbasket Syndrome. Share on X

Recently, my world-weary mood seemed to be teetering on the edge of dejection. You can imagine the things going on in the United States that may have contributed to that feeling. Those, and other worries closer to home, forced me to consider how I could adjust my perspective and lift my mood. Here are some ideas that help me and might just help you:

Unplug. Limit time on websites and social media. For me, this meant checking notifications and groups only and avoiding scrolling through feeds.
Step out of the 24/7 news cycle. We used to get our news in limited doses. Ironically, I felt better informed then than I do now.
Get a good night’s sleep. During this time, I was averaging 5-6 hours sleep each night. It’s not enough for me anymore.
Get outside – literally. It didn’t help that during this time it was either extremely cold or raining heavily (both of which included gray skies). And, the entire outside world reeked due to adjacent farms coating the fields in fertilizer. Even so, stepping into the larger world and especially into God’s creation is remarkably refreshing.
Get outside – figuratively. Leave behind the world around you and lose yourself in a novel (lots of recommendations here), movie, or music. Immerse yourself in the arts.
Focus on the people around you, especially those who matter most. Invest time in your significant other, children, or friends. Look them in the eye, listen to them, be with them. Your interactions with them carry far more weight than a shrill scroll-by post on social media. Same goes for doting on any furry companions you may have, who, blessedly, do not speak.
Look inside. Focus less on the flaws of the world and more on perfecting yourself.
Be a student of history. Things have been bad, really bad, in lots of times and places. We don’t have the market on depravity.
Pray and fast. Self-explanatory, no? Fasting resources here.
Trust in God. See the little blessings. See the big ones. Trust that it’s all in His capable hands.

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Relevant Fiction Reviews: Children’s Classics

01/18/201901/17/2019 / CAstfalk / 2 Comments

Relevant Fiction Reviews

Timeless children's classics the family can enjoy! Share on X

I’ve read a fair number of children’s classics over the years. There are those I read or had read to me as a child. Those I’ve read to my children. And those I’ve read since for my own enjoyment. While I’ve enjoyed them at every stage, I do think that books we experience as children can find a special place in our hearts.

I’ve reviewed a handful of children’s classics below. If you’re looking for a listing without the reviews, there are many more books on my children’s classics Goodreads shelf. I also encourage you to check out the many children’s classics reviewed on Sabbath Rest Book Talk.

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At first I admit to being somewhat bored with this book and ready to chalk it up to another children’s story I didn’t “get” because I was first reading it decades beyond the target age range.

However, Sara’s magnanimous way of living grew on me as she suffered a reversal in fortune and her true character was tested. It is one thing to be kindhearted when you have so much largesse and quite another when your mettle is tested.

In the end, A Little Princess is a charming tale, probably best-loved by children, about loyalty, generosity, kindness, perseverance, and the kind of outlook that finds joy and beauty in simple or adverse circumstances.

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An enjoyable chapter book for kids set in medieval England. Young Robin, crippled and alone, is taken under the wing of a friar, where he learns to see possibilities where there appear to be none. The attention he receives help to restore his body, mind, and spirit.

A hopeful story of love, loyalty, and heroism.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read and re-read Heidi when I was a child. But over several decades, I’d forgotten much of it.

Reading it aloud to my children, I was re-introduced to the beauty of Heidi’s simple mountain life and the relationships with Uncle Alp, Clara, and Peter. The setting and the characters are the highlights of the book as the plot seems rather thin.

As an adult, I recognized the simple Christian messages interspersed throughout the novel, which were well-placed.

A lovely classic enjoyed by many generations!

Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Freckles left me with mixed feelings. I loved the setting – all of the exotic flora and fauna of the Limberlost. Freckles was a sympathetic, admirable character.

But, Freckles and the Angel were a bit too perfect for my taste. Too much of Freckles’ value was laid on the shoulders of his parentage and too little on his own character. His love for the Angel was a bit over the top – kissing a preserved footprint in the muck!

Too much emphasis seems to be placed on parentage, above character. While others seems to love Freckles for who he is, despite his circumstances, he himself measures his worth solely by his parents’ presumed character.

Part of my displeasure probably stems from my reading with a 21st-century outlook. And, reading as an adult, when I think this may capture the imaginations of children more than it did mine.

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book aloud to several of my children. The little ones lost interest, but my 9-year old loved it. She had recently devoured the Little House on the Prairie series, and this appealed to her in the same way.

For myself, I found Caddie Woodlawn a pleasant story with likable characters, humor, adventure, and even some heart-tugging moments as Caddie matures and things come full circle.

A lovely book that families can share and enjoy!

Guest Post: Your Theme in 2019

01/14/201901/27/2019 / CAstfalk / Leave a comment

Your Theme in 2019

Every January, we commit.

We commit to exercise more and eat healthier. We resolve to have the best year ever at work. And yet, we neglect the essential part—our spiritual connection with Jesus.

Some people have the same reaction to the term “spiritual goals” as they do to the word “budget”! Begrudgingly, we settle for the more-easily-said-than-done, simple fixes. If you ask a friend how they’re going to improve their spiritual relationship with Christ this year, they may give you one of these examples: Continue reading →

Introducing the Faith through Fiction Series from Catholic Teen Books

01/08/201901/07/2019 / CAstfalk / Leave a comment

Catholic Teen Books is launching Faith through Fiction, a monthly video series hosted by authors Leslea Wahl and T.M. Gaouette.

January’s episode features author Theresa Linden and includes a discussion of bullying.

For more information on the series, visit Catholic Teen Books.

Make sure you never miss an episode by following on YouTube or subscribing to the Catholic Teen Books monthly newsletter.

Don't miss the 1st episode of Faith through Fiction from @CatholicTeenBo1! January's topic: bullying. Share on X

An Open Book

01/02/201901/08/2019 / CAstfalk / 4 Comments

An Open Book Logo

Welcome to the January 2019 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com!

Christmas reading continues in our house through the whole Christmas season. While the days leading up to Christmas were short on reading time, we’re now enjoying a more relaxed pace and delving into some Christmas gift books!

You’ve heard of The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher, right? (See An Open Book: November 2017.) My husband has been reading The Beer Option: Brewing a Catholic Culture, Yesterday & Today by R. Jared Staudt. It is of special interest to him as a Catholic home brewer. From the description: “The Beer Option proposes a renewal of Catholic culture by attending to the small things of life and ordering them toward the glory of God and the good of the community. Beer has played a surprising role in the history of Catholic culture, spurred on by the prayer and work of brewing monks. . . This book offers a tour through Catholic history and Benedictine spirituality, illustrating how beer fits within a robustly Catholic culture.”

He’s also been working through a bit of required reading for work. If you work in sales, you may want to check this out: Fanatical Prospecting: The Ultimate Guide to Opening Sales Conversations and Filling the Pipeline by Leveraging Social Selling, Telephone, Email, Text, and Cold Calling by Jeb Blount. (Wow! That subtitle fills almost a paragraph itself!) It has great reviews, so if you sell for a living, this looks like one to read.

I’ll be putting together a blog post with Christmas books, but I’ll share just one more I’ve read here. I enjoyed His Mistletoe Miracle in one evening (that stretched into early morning.) It’s a fun, light Christmas story that includes the smart, slightly irreverent wit I’ve come to expect from Jenny B. Jones. Combine quirky characters, charming banter, and a swoony guy. Then add a pinch of Christmas kitsch and you’ve got yourself a delightful Christmas read!

I took a brief break from Christmas novellas to read a more serious women’s fiction novel: Swimming in the Deep End by Christina Suzann Nelson. Told in the first person, the book examines the rippling effects of an unplanned pregnancy from the perspective of the unmarried teen mother, her mother, the baby daddy’s mother, and a woman seeking to adopt. Without glossing over the heartache of grief, guilt, and sacrificial love, the author shows the reader that there is joy to be found when we love, forgive, and support one another.

My tenth grader and a partner selected John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas: A Novel for an upcoming English project. This story about a couple looking to skip all of the Christmas hubbub for a Caribbean cruise is the basis for the movie Christmas with the Kranks. No one in our household has yet read the book or seen the movie. Any opinions on it?

We give each of the children a book at Christmas, and my fifth grader was the recipient of Corinna Turner’s Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon. (See my recent interview with Corinna here.) My daughter is really enjoying it so far – which I suspected she would! It’s the creative tale of a sheep/girl (Mandy) and includes a vampire and a werewolf as well! Not your typical vampire or werewolf story, it’s a fun story about friendship with a pulse-pounding climax and an element that resonates in every story: self-sacrifice.

I discovered Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe because of its inclusion in Ruah Woods’s Rooted: K-12 Theology of the Body Curriculum. This Caldecott Honor Book is beautifully illustrated and recounts the tale of two sisters, Manyara, who is selfish and unkind, and Nyasha, who is warm and generous. The king must choose between the two for a wife. On their separate journeys to the kingdom, their true character is revealed.

I brought out one of my husband’s old Christmas books to read to the little kids: Petunia’s Christmas by Roger Duvoisin. This out-of-print picture book is an unusual romance between two geese. The gander is being fattened for Christmas dinner, and Petunia, resident of a neighboring farm, will do whatever she must to save him from that fate. A sweet story of sacrificial love.

What are you reading? Share it at An Open Book and find new book recommendations too! #openbook Share on X

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Want more details on An Open Book? You can also sign up for An Open Book reminder email, which goes out one week before the link-up. No blog? That’s okay. Just tell us what you’re reading in the comment box.

Starting Fresh in 2019: 20 Years Is Too Long to Hold Onto Bad Advice

01/01/201901/08/2019 / CAstfalk / Leave a comment

Photo by Tero Vesalainen, pixabay

As new homeowners twenty years ago, my husband and I relied on the opinions of “experts.” We listened to the realtor, the home inspector (who was oddly more concerned with ancient damage by powderpost beetles than existing basement puddles), and the plumber/electrician.

Let me tell you about the plumber/electrician. He came with a recommendation and a good price. I think his night job was tending bar at a private club. The details are fuzzy now. But I have a couple of stories, and this is one. Continue reading →

My Favorite Books Read in 2018 and A Look Ahead

12/31/201801/08/2019 / CAstfalk / 7 Comments

Time to look back and then ahead! Looking back, I came up with a quick list of my favorite books from 2018. These are not necessarily books published in 2018, but books I read in 2018.

You can see in which category I read heavily: contemporary romance, which is also what I write.

My favorite books of 2018 - and a look ahead! Share on X

In a similar look back last year, I laid out all the books I wanted to read but didn’t get to. Let me tell you, looking at that list is humbling. I’ve read only one – ONE – book on that list. But, I’ve already started another, and those books are rocketing to the top of the 2019 list so I need not embarrass myself again next year.

Finally, I’ve listed some authors whose books I’m looking forward to reading in 2019!

Best Overall

Continue reading →

This Year’s 4- and 5-Star Christmas Reads for Adults

12/29/201811/29/2020 / CAstfalk / 2 Comments

I know some people have already packed up their Christmas decorations, but ours have been up for less than a week, and we’re enjoying the Christmas season! I’ve been devouring Christmas books for a bit longer, and will likely continue into the new year.

Aside from those of us who celebrate Christmas during Christmas more than before, there are those who enjoying reading Christmas stories year round! These recommendations are for you! (Or, bookmark this page for next year.)

Here then are my 5-star and 4-star Christmas reads so far this season. For more books, including children’s books and reviews from previous years, check out my Goodreads Christmas shelf.

The best Christmas books I've read this year! Share on X Continue reading →

Carolyn Astfalk, Author

Relevant Fiction for Body & Soul

Author: CAstfalk