Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns
If you think Jesus would have come into your home that day and not issued a strong rebuke to the head of household, you are mistaken. These words of condemnation have been haunting me for days now. They aren’t all that different than the soundtrack I play in my head on an almost-daily basis. It’s…
I am nesting. On Saturday I emptied the refrigerator. Last summer’s homemade pickles in their jars. The bread ends that seem to multiply on every shelf. The eggs. The milk. The fruit and veggies. All of it sat on the floor or the counter as I carefully removed the shelves and wiped them down with…
I’ve heard that life is like a highway. And it definitely seems like that sometimes. The pace of life swirls around me at dizzying speeds. We’re all so busy. In such a hurry. Always somewhere to be, something else to do. I’m a get-to-the-point, get-there-quick kind of girl. I don’t like to waste time on…
The Civil War is my favorite era of history. I’m not sure why. Maybe Gone With the Wind had something to do with it.
In A Sound Among the Trees, Susan Meissner crafts a tale of heritage, love, loss and the search for truth across multiple generations. Set in Virginia, in a plantation house that survived the battle of Fredericksburg during the Civil War, the novel opens with a garden party, celebrating the marriage of the latest woman to live and love in the home.
Past and present collide at every turn as Marielle, the new bride, tries to make sense of the superstitions and stories surrounding the house. Some say the house is haunted by the ghost of Susannah, a woman rumored to be a Union spy during the War. Others think the house is cursed and the women who live there, destined for disaster.
Meissner takes us on Marielle’s quest for truth amidst her struggle to find her place, not only in the history of the home but in the family dynamic.
It’s a fascinating read — my first from Meissner but certainly not my last. The author has a knack for painting an unforgettable picture with words, appealing to every sense.
Take this description of a sound, for instance:
“The hinges squawked a weak protest as she opened the door and stepped inside the half-shadowed room.”
Poetry.
Historical fiction is becoming my favorite genre. While this isn’t exactly historical fiction, I enjoyed the connection between past and present and how our perceptions of what happened generations ago can influence our lives today.
This is a winner of a book.
Watch the video below for an introduction to the story.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2sNVzS-iPu8]
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In exchange for my review, I received a free copy of A Sound Among the Trees from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
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Some weeks, it’s the little things. Lately, it’s almost always the little things that are making me smile.
Like my daughter calling me “your majesty,” when she really wants something or is extra thankful for whatever it is I’m doing.
Or my son talking in his sleep. Or saying ridiculous things when he’s super tired. Like last night at the concert. It was past his bedtime and he asked, “Where’s the diaper bag?” I asked him why we needed the diaper bag. “There’s cookies in there.” There weren’t, but he was persistent. “There’s cookies in there.” I laughed. Not much later, he asked, “Where’s the butter?” Holding back more laughter, I asked what he needed butter for. “The cookies! Where’s the butter, Daddy?” Maybe you had to be there.
Other moments on my list this week:
Looking up from whatever I was doing to find this:
She’d seen a girl at library storytime whose face was decorated like a cat. She wanted to copy.
Seeing family
Making new friends who also are pastors’ wives
Reconnecting with friends who also happen to be musicians whose songs are on the radio
Watching my kids watch a live concert
The coffee hasn’t totally kicked in this morning, so there may be others from the week, but those are what come to mind first.
Are you smiling about anything this week?