Sarah Holman's Blog, page 70

Film Friday: Mom's Night Out

My sister had revived free movie tickets and wanted the two of us to go see this movie. As it was marketed to mom’s, I wasn’t sure about it, but decided that it would probably be worth seeing at least once. This is now one of my favorite comedies of all time. Clean, funny, yet with a powerful message, I think that it will remain on my top ten favorites list for many years to come. 
Pros: Clean, funny, pro-family. Cons: One mother is a single mom and has not been married, and scenes in a tattoo parlor.

Homeschooled Authors

Are you here because you saw the article in THSC?
Check out HomescholedAuthors.com!

Adventure Between the Pages: How Do I Love Thee

Buy it Here
Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for romance and minor violence
Best for Ages: 18 and up
Description: She dreams of love for others but never for herself...
Elizabeth Barrett is a published poet--and a virtual prisoner in her own home. Blind family loyalty ties her to a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. Bedridden by chronic illness, she has resigned herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives...
"I love your verses with all my heart," writes Robert Browning, an admiring fellow poet. As friendly correspondence gives way to something more, Elizabeth discovers that Robert's love is not for her poetry alone. Might God grant her more than mere existence? And will she risk defying her father in pursuit of true happiness?

I have loved this whole series by Nancy Moser. I only have one left to read (Mozart’s Sister), and I am looking forward to it. Moser does her research on a character then writes a novel that makes you feel not only like you have met the person, but also makes you feel as if you know a lot of the history.

Some people found this novel very upsetting, because they did not understand the historical context. Elizabeth’s unquestioning obedience to her very over controlling father seems unthinkable to us in our modern way of thinking. Even I wanted to point out that some of her father’s rules were completely against the Bible. However, obedience to parents was not only drilled into children of that time, but universally expected. Unmarried children disobeying their parents were scandalous.

I loved the faith woven through the stories so artlessly. It seemed to be a natural part of not only the story, but of Elizabeth herself. Her failings are so human, yet she does seem to listen when she is pointed to God.

The thing I loved most about this novel? I felt I was learning as I was reading. So many real details were woven into the story. I want to give a huge thank you to Moser for this. To me, this is the best type of historical fiction, one that caused me to look up more on my own.

I recommend this book to those who like historical fiction, are interested in Elizabeth and Robert Browning, or just want a solidly good novel.


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Why Courtship?

In recent years, courtship has come under heavy attack. You say courtship in a room of conservative Christians these days, and battle lines are drawn. Some see it as a system that is horrific and archaic while others see it as a godly approach to finding a spouse. Let us understand a few things about courtship:

~ There are different type,s so the word can mean different things to different people.
~ The Bible has some principles, but doesn’t talk a lot about the method for finding a spouse.
~ There are stories and scriptures to prove both sides of the argument.

With these things in mind, why did I and my family choose courtship? As I mentioned, there are different definitions of courtship, so here is mine:

A parent involved way of exploring a relationship with a prospective spouse. It also assumes, from the beginning, that a person is a possible spouse and romantic relationships are not just for fun. It also is the belief that such relationships should start out based in friendship and deep understanding, not feelings or physical touch.

The outworking of this will look different for each of my siblings. In fact, my sister Rose has had a couple of relationships. Neither worked out, but both ended because she decided it wouldn’t work out. One of them she had talk to my dad first, the other didn’t. It varies with each sibling and with each relationship that happens. I want a huge amout of parent involvement when my time comes, and some of my siblings want less. However, I think no matter what you choose to call it, having involvement from someone older and wiser than you is important when picking a spouse.

The American culture touts being independent, self-sufficient, and so smart we don’t need anyone else. The Bible says just this opposite. It calls for us to be dependent on God, to seek others' advice, and to recognize that we do not have a corner on wisdom (please, don’t take my word for it, read for yourself.) When it comes to finding a spouse, our culture says it is your own business and you are wise enough, yet to me it is clear that God never meant us to make major decision without not only seeking His counsel, but that of from those who are wiser than us.

Some of us are fortunate enough to have parents we love, trust and respect. As I am one of those people, I have chosen courtship. For those who for one reason or another do not feel comfortable with this option, seeking an older couple who can help guide the relationship and give advice is a wise step.

Does seeking counsel, or courtship offer protection against a broken heart and disappointment? Perhaps a little, but it is far from a guarantee. Feelings are still hurt, hopes are still dashed, and hearts can be broken. No method offers complete protection for these things (anyone who tells you otherwise is probably selling something). However, it is my firm belief that many long term heartaches will and can be avoided by listening to wiser voices than my own, and not entering into relationships in a careless manner.

There is a lot more I could say about this topic, but I think this is enough for now. Join me next week as I explore another topic that has been controversial of late: modesty.

Just another week

I am so happy, I am actually meeting most of my goals. Slowly but surely, I am catching up and making progress. This week, a lot of editing and a lot of Taelis are happening.

Who I am

Because we all need to be reminded who we are in Christ.


Buy the song here

Kate's Capitol Cover!

Thanks to the amazing talent of Perry Elizabeth, (be sure to mention my name if you use her for design work) I am very happy to say the second Kate's Case Files book has a cover!

That is right! And you can now add it to Goodreads!

Film Friday: Beauty and the Beast

I didn’t see this animated film until I was sixteen and I fell in love with it. Unlike most Disney animations this wasn’t about falling in love with a beautiful person, this was about finding a person of character. This tale is something that very special. The music? Well, Disney always does a great job with that. Pros: good morals, loving father-daughter relationship, and fun. Cons: Magic.
(I also really love the play version)

Adventure Between the Pages: Two Short Stories

Buy it Here
Age Appropriate For: All Ages
Best for Ages: 8 - 10
Description: Twelve-year-old Keith is left in charge of the lighthouse and his two younger siblings while his dad goes out in the storm to help a ship in distress.
As the long night passes with waves pounding against the lighthouse, fear threatens to engulf him.
Can Keith stay awake and keep the lights burning? 
Will he worry away the night, or will he find comfort and peace in trusting God's promises?

I was reading through a few of the short stories on my Kindle, and this was one of them. While this story isn’t very long, it is very well written and has a good message. This would make a perfect family read-aloud on a stormy evening.

While this story could be read in fifteen minutes or less, the characters are well done and the story well told. Tero shows a lot of talent in being able to convey a lot in a very short amount of time.
While geared for younger readers, I even found the message to be good reminder. It is easy at times to become worried, but we are commanded in the scripture to trust God. This story, I think, can be enjoyed and be a blessing to a broader age range than even it was intended.

I highly recommend this story for younger readers, those who love short stories, and anyone who wants solid, biblical encouragement.



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Buy it Here
Age Appropriate For: All Ages
Best for Ages: 10 and up
Description: Raboc’s eyes narrowed to slits and he thrust his arm forward until his fingers closed around Ancel’s throat. The young man knew better than to resist the powerful lord, but his jaw clenched.
“To the dungeon with you. Guards!”
“Lord, have mercy,” Ancel pleaded. “Give me time and I shall pay the other half.”

One evening I decided to read a few of the short stories on my Kindle, and this was one of them. It was very short, and I found myself a little disappointed in it. While it was an interesting retelling of a parable of Jesus, it wasn’t long enough, nor did it have enough unique elements to really make it a stellar short story.

With that said, I did enjoy the story. Sometimes it is helpful to read a fictional story to see an old story through new eyes. For that reason alone, I think this story was worth the fifteen minutes or less it took to read it.

I recommend this short story for those who like stories with clear messages, retellings of parables, and stories set in the Middle Ages.


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Catching up

This week is just one in my mad dash to catch up on my work, reading, and life. I am also trying to to be more active (which is why I want to walk a mile each day) and keep my working sister from feeling she needs to clean the room on the weekends. 
The thing I am most excited about this week? The second Kate's Case Files is about to be placed into the hands of early readers!