Brownish Pinkish Yellowish White

Have you ever read Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein? 

Some of his poems are delightful, some are silly, some are strange and some speak truth.  My current favorite is "Colors" because this describes my thoughts.

COLORS

My skin is kind of sort of brownish

Pinkish yellowish white.

My eyes are greyish blueish green,

But I'm told they look orange in the night.

My hair is reddish blondish brown,

But it's silver when it's wet.

And all the colors I am inside

Have not been invented yet.

by Shel Silverstein               

I suppose some would read this and say "it's about tolerance and being nonracist". And that would be one way of interpreting it- I don't know exactly what the author had in mind.  

But when I read this I see someone who doesn't have life all figured out yet.  A person who sees possibilities and potential and maybe is a bit confused.  Which color should I be today?  Am I a blue?  Or am I supposed to be teal? 

As adults we're supposed to have life all figured out, right?  

We're not supposed to waver about what we think, feel, or value.  

We have opinions!  We have convictions!  We have rights!  

We are adults.

But lately I've been looking at my ideals, my plans, my 'this is how life should be' and wondering if I'm missing out on the "reddish blondish brown, silver when it's wet" adventure.  

Am I living out all that the Lord has planned for me?  

Am I living too safe?   

Am I too comfortable?            

Snow, Snow, Snow

This winter feels like we're living in Narnia under the rule of the White Witch -it is always winter and never Christmas!  The drifts on the road are now taller than a pick-up truck in places. If the joy of new snow has lost it's luster read The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. It captures the wandering adventures of a little boy named Peter as he explores his snow-covered world.

If you would rather count your blessings of food, shelter and warmth read The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  When you read it in the middle of a winter storm the determination and strength of that little house takes on a whole new meaning.  Make sure you have plenty of hot chocolate on hand to keep you warm while you read!

Reading Update

For those of you who were wondering... I am on chapter four of The Inferno and chapter five in A Godward Life. I finally made it past the first chapters!

The latest find at a book sale last Saturday and one that I haven't read yet is Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery. So that is on the list to read next.

Have any of you read Dare to Dream by John C. Maxwell? I picked that one up at a conference but haven't started it.

The sun shown for four days in a row this week but it started raining this morning. The forecast says it will last through the weekend. Hopefully I can snuggle down with a cup of tea and my books and watch the world go by. Sometimes I need to retreat from the harshness and busyness of life.

Happy Reading!

My Dad and Benjamin Franklin

I haven’t checked recently but is Ben and Me still in print? My father introduced us to Benjamin Franklin through this book. Thankfully we’ve read more factual biographies since then. Lol!



Dad has always liked Mr. Franklin. I’ve never asked him why… I should do that some time.





What men or women have inspired you? Have you shared their story with your children?

Learning to Share

My grandmother just moved to town. She went from a nice ranch-style home to a duplex. In the process of down-sizing she let us (the grandchildren) pick out our favorite books.



I let my brother take home Munro Leaf’s The Story of Ferdinand. I liked that story but I let him have it instead. Much to my surprise I have since found that Ferdinand has been reprinted. Yeah!


What makes this book so nice in my opinion are Robert Lawson’s humorous illustrations. The pictures of the matador are so funny. I think Mr. Lawson is the first illustrator that I learned by name and started to look for his books.

A Mouse, a Princess, and Spiritual Lessons

After a recent sojourn to the nearest bookstore I came home with another book that has no space to call its own. I originally heard about it at a L’Abri conference and wrote it down in my notes.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is a really fun read. I can see where this would make a great read-out-loud book for evenings by the fireplace. The subtitle sums up the story – The Tale of Despereaux: being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread.

What caught my eye was how easily parents could use this unlikely hero of a mouse to begin spiritual discussions with their children.

The book talks about light and darkness, moral issues, family fidelity, good and bad leaders, envy, resentment, forgiveness and love in a charming way.

My copy has the note “Soon to be a major motion picture from Universal Pictures.”

Suggestion: Read the book before Hollywood ruins a delightful tale!