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Hot Flashes from Heaven: Help When Midlife and Menopause Meet
Millions of women enter what is called “mid–life” (over age 40) every year. Speaker, writer, and “Sister in the Journey” Ronna Snyder shares how these women can avoid a crisis and discover instead a joyful beginning of a richer and deeper way to live. Ronna found herself going from doctor to doctor trying to find someone who could tell her what was wrong with her. She heard words like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and depression before finally hearing a specialist on the radio listing all of her symptoms and realizing that she was experiencing the beginning of menopause. With all the changes this time of life brings—kids leaving home, parents needing care, new marriage roles, etc.—the turmoil and addition of the physical and emotional effects of menopause can seem overwhelming. Ronna writes with humor, faith, and transparency to help other women face down their fears and live with passion and fullness.
- GenresNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 25, 2014
First an explanation. Goodreads one star rating = I did not like the book.
And, wow. Did I not like the book.
I am a member of the target audience for the book (which is why I read it) but the book fell short on delivery, as far as my experience with the book goes.
Some problems I had with the book:
* The author's folksy "voice" was a bit too precious with which to contend. The author refers to dating as "shopping", her running dialogues (with God) seem off (in that the author refers to herself in the third person and as "Daughter" and "Dear One", continuously).
* Mrs. Snyder's comparisons seemed out of place, to me. Comparing a diagnosis of cancer--and awaiting potential death--to waiting in line (on a 110 degree day) in order to consume a Dove Bar (Heavenly reward will be much better than that Dove Bar the author explains...more poetically than I just did - but the end result is the same.) The comparisons are dressed up to be themed and oh-so-cute. There are topics which should not be made into themes (or cute). Cancer is one of those topics. (I will disclose that my views toward this subject, in particular, might be hyper-sensitive as my father died from cancer.)
* Hopefully you like the title of the book. You'll be reading it. A whole lot. The author calls her (many) conversations/inspirations with/from God "Hot Flashes from Heaven." By chapter two...I was exceptionally tired of reading the phrase.
* God told her (in Walmart) to buy purple nail polish. In another retail establishment (I think it was Costco...) God instructed her to buy a black Harley-Davidson. She purchased the bike. Without knowing how she was going to pay for a $20,000 bike. Whoa. (To add to this, further, she had wanted a Harley-Davidson the color of the purple polish that God told her to buy...but her husband said that she should look into getting a black bike because if she decided biking wasn't for her a black bike had a stronger resale value than did a purple bike. All of that to say...a couple of months after buying the black bike - God told her to buy a purple Harley. So she did. Still not knowing how she would pay for the bike.)
That whole point still makes me blink. Rapidly.
Saying nothing regarding that God is giving her counsel on nail polish colors and purchasing motorcycles which she intones could not be afforded. Again I say it: whoa.
The book did not work (at all) for me.
I believe in personal accountability. I believe that God has more on His plate than worrying about what shade of nail color a person wears...or what color of (expensive) motorcycles one is going to purchase (without an idea of how to pay for said purchase).
I believe that we (as older women) would do well to reflect on becoming stronger, wiser women as we reach this "Special Time" in our lives. I also believe that this is a great time in life to explore things that weren't experienced (or that could not be experienced) when we were younger. I think it is very important to take (calculated) risks...and have some fun. Inject color into our lives. Do something new. Think outside the box.
I just don't necessarily imagine that God has the time to give each of us a personal go ahead (a "Hot Flash from Heaven") before we purchase a bottle of nail polish at Walmart.
The author's folksy approach clearly works for other people (Ms. Snyder has been a contributing editor, as well as a writer, for "many" magazines and newspapers) but her voice just did not work for me.
And, wow. Did I not like the book.
I am a member of the target audience for the book (which is why I read it) but the book fell short on delivery, as far as my experience with the book goes.
Some problems I had with the book:
* The author's folksy "voice" was a bit too precious with which to contend. The author refers to dating as "shopping", her running dialogues (with God) seem off (in that the author refers to herself in the third person and as "Daughter" and "Dear One", continuously).
* Mrs. Snyder's comparisons seemed out of place, to me. Comparing a diagnosis of cancer--and awaiting potential death--to waiting in line (on a 110 degree day) in order to consume a Dove Bar (Heavenly reward will be much better than that Dove Bar the author explains...more poetically than I just did - but the end result is the same.) The comparisons are dressed up to be themed and oh-so-cute. There are topics which should not be made into themes (or cute). Cancer is one of those topics. (I will disclose that my views toward this subject, in particular, might be hyper-sensitive as my father died from cancer.)
* Hopefully you like the title of the book. You'll be reading it. A whole lot. The author calls her (many) conversations/inspirations with/from God "Hot Flashes from Heaven." By chapter two...I was exceptionally tired of reading the phrase.
* God told her (in Walmart) to buy purple nail polish. In another retail establishment (I think it was Costco...) God instructed her to buy a black Harley-Davidson. She purchased the bike. Without knowing how she was going to pay for a $20,000 bike. Whoa. (To add to this, further, she had wanted a Harley-Davidson the color of the purple polish that God told her to buy...but her husband said that she should look into getting a black bike because if she decided biking wasn't for her a black bike had a stronger resale value than did a purple bike. All of that to say...a couple of months after buying the black bike - God told her to buy a purple Harley. So she did. Still not knowing how she would pay for the bike.)
That whole point still makes me blink. Rapidly.
Saying nothing regarding that God is giving her counsel on nail polish colors and purchasing motorcycles which she intones could not be afforded. Again I say it: whoa.
The book did not work (at all) for me.
I believe in personal accountability. I believe that God has more on His plate than worrying about what shade of nail color a person wears...or what color of (expensive) motorcycles one is going to purchase (without an idea of how to pay for said purchase).
I believe that we (as older women) would do well to reflect on becoming stronger, wiser women as we reach this "Special Time" in our lives. I also believe that this is a great time in life to explore things that weren't experienced (or that could not be experienced) when we were younger. I think it is very important to take (calculated) risks...and have some fun. Inject color into our lives. Do something new. Think outside the box.
I just don't necessarily imagine that God has the time to give each of us a personal go ahead (a "Hot Flash from Heaven") before we purchase a bottle of nail polish at Walmart.
The author's folksy approach clearly works for other people (Ms. Snyder has been a contributing editor, as well as a writer, for "many" magazines and newspapers) but her voice just did not work for me.
November 2, 2008
Funny in parts. It was okay.
February 21, 2009
While I realize I am no where near my menopausal years...I couldn't resist this book! HILARIOUS and insightful. Reads like a devotional. I loved it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews