Book Review: The Tartan Pimpernel

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The title of The Tartan Pimpernel hearkens back to the The Scarlet Pimpernel, the imaginary but legendary rescuer of those unfairly appointed to death during the French Revolution. In this case, however, the rescuer was a very real Scottish pastor in France during World War II.

On the brink of the German invasion of Paris, Donald Caskie, pastor of the Scots Kirk there, led his people in considering Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” and Matthew 24: 6-8: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” He commended them to God and told them good-bye: though he thought perhaps a minister might have met with some respect of enemy soldiers, he had publicly denounced Hitler more than once and knew his record might put him in danger. He decided to go back to Scotland to render service there and “take stock of [his] future.”

He joined the multitude of other refugees fleeing the city on foot, rejoicing whenever he could find a pile of straw to sleep on, a cow to sleep next to for warmth, or a grapevine from which to eat along the way. Days later, nearing exhaustion, receiving timely aid from a couple of good Samaritans, he finally reached the British Consulate only to decide he must stay in France. There was a ship available, but he felt the wounded men needed the space more than he, while his help was needed in his besieged adopted country.

Praying for guidance, he was led in a marvelous way to the abandoned British Seamen’s Mission in Marseilles and told he could aid seamen and civilians, but not soldiers, and to expect surveillance and raids to make sure he was keeping within those parameters. Caskie had a clear conscience about “going underground.” Though being closely watched, somehow he was able to hide and aid soldiers, becoming a major link in their escape route back to England. Food, clothing, false identification, guides, everything needed was marvelously provided time and again. The elaborate details needed to secretly get these men out of the country are amazing, especially in that time without the ease of communication we have these days with cell phones, GPS devices, etc. It is estimated some 2,000 sailors, soldiers, and airmen were aided by him in their escape back to England.

Donald was arrested and eventually sentenced to death, but a German pastor intervened for him. Though nearly starving and in solitary confinement for much of his imprisonment, he felt the interruption in his work, the worry his situation caused his mother, and the inability to minister help to those in prison were his crosses to bear. He remained a prisoner until liberation, when he again began to minister, reopening Scots Kirk, becoming a visiting minister to those in camps, prisons, and elsewhere, and aiding the British with his experience and knowledge of the area and the happenings during the war.

He was urged to write of his war-time experiences and finally did in the mid 1950s, using the book as a fund-raiser to rebuild the church, which had been damaged and decayed. (An interesting side note is that Eric Liddell preached in this church instead of running on Sunday during the Olympics, though a different church than this is actually shown in the film Chariots of Fire.)

Though words like “brave” and “inspiring” describe Caskie in the blurbs on the outside of this republished edition, he wrote the book in an unassuming, matter-of-fact way laced with quiet humor. Some sections are quiet suspenseful, as when a traitor is suspected in the ranks.

This book spoke to me on many levels, a couple of which I elaborated on in an earlier post, especially the quiet heroism and bravery of men and women who weren’t trying to be heroes, but had to stand up and do the right thing, as well as those behind the scenes who aided them.

Though the Lord’s hand is evident throughout, I would recommend the book more from a historical vantage point than a spiritual one, as I would disagree with Caskie on a few points, especially calling a works-based denomination “Christian.” A little odd is his claiming of a Celtic gift of “second sight,” an “uncanny ability to anticipate events.” I don’t know what to make of that, but as the introduction concludes, “The Tartan Pimpernel illustrates the tremendous height to which the human spirit can soar in the horrors of war and is a fitting legacy of a man of outstanding courage and integrity.”

Random Dozen Meme

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Linda at 2nd cup of coffee created and hosts the Random Dozen meme every Wednesday. The first 6 questions today come from Kelley at I Didn’t Know That!

1. Do you use the labels various charities send you as “free gifts?”

If I like them I do; otherwise I throw them away. I used to feel guilty about doing either, but some of them, I’m sure, send them for that very purpose: that people would feel obligated to send a donation for these unasked for gifts. I refuse to feel manipulated like that.

2. What is your favorite time of day (or night) for skywatching?

Sunrise or sunset if I am at the window or outside for either.

3. What is the most adventurous you’ve ever been with trying a new food?

My daughter-in-law is Indian, so I have tried various Indian foods. Generally they are more spicy than I like and a different type of spicy than I am used to, but she made some chicken curry last weekend that was my favorite Indian food so far. Also a few years ago at a seafood restaurant in Charleston I tried alligator. I don’t remember being impressed one way or the other. Normally I am not an adventurous eater at all.

4. Have you ever heard a rock sing? (Trust me, there’s a reason for this one!)

It will be interesting to hear your reason! No, I never have, but I can imagine if it had a crack in it for wind to pass through or a build-up of air pressure inside, it might make some melodious-sounding noises. Luke 19:39-40 does say, “And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” So He could have them say something if He wanted to.

5. If you could learn a language you don’t presently speak, what would it be?

I honestly can’t think of any, unless I were to someday live in an area with a lot of non-English speakers. There is no language I want to learn just for the “fun” of it.

6. Al Capone’s tombstone read, “My Jesus, Mercy.” If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?

“I told you I was sick.” No, not really. I don’t really know yet, but I like William Carey‘s: “A wretched, poor, and helpless worm, On Thy kind arms I fall.” Probably a verse of Scripture like John 3:16 or John 11:25: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

7. If you were a famous musician who was known by one name, like “Cher,” “Sting,” or “Jewel,” what would it be? It doesn’t have to be your first name, but it can be, if you’d like.

I have no idea, but there is little probability of that ever happening.

8. Have you ever been inordinately “into” a television show?

Yep. 🙂

9. When you sneeze, do you go big, or do you do that weird “heenh!” sound that makes people think you’re going to blow your brains out? Any other variation we should know about?

Much bigger than I like. I can’t seem to sneeze in a delicate lady-like manner.

10. Do you still read an actual newspaper that you hold in your hands, or do you get your news elsewhere?

If one is around when I am eating breakfast or lunch, I’ll flip through it. But we don’t take it any more. I get most headlines online or through radio news, and if there is anything I am interested in, I’ll look it up online. I like to get the Sunday paper for the sales fliers and coupons.

11. Are you a good speller?

I used to be. I think I have gotten too dependent on spell check. But I have more of a problem with typos or lack of attention than actual misspellings.

12. At what time each day do you start thinking about lunch?

It depends on what I had for breakfast and when I had it. Some breakfasts don’t last as long as others. If I have plans with someone for lunch, I think about it as soon as plans are made.

And that’s it for today! Have a good one.

The Week In Words

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http://breathoflifeministries.blogspot.com/2010/01/announcing-week-in-words.html I saw at Carrie‘s and Susanne’s last week that a new weekly carnival has begun called The Week In Words, created and hosted by Melissa at Breath of Life which involves sharing some words from your reading. Melissa explains,

“Playing along is simple, just write a post of the quote(s) that spoke to you during the week (attributed, of course) and link back here [at Melissa‘s]. They can be from any written source, i.e. magazine, newspaper, blog, book. The only requirement is that they be words you read.”

I’m excited about this because I often mark quotes that speak to me in books, but I don’t often think to write them down, and this will be an excellent reminder to do so. Plus it will be fun to see quotes that stood out to other people: sometimes they point out quotes that I have read but did not see in the same light they did, and it it eye-opening.

So here are a few things that stood out to me this week:

I’ve been reading The Tartan Pimpernel about Scottish Pastor Donald Caskie who ministered in France at the onset of WWII and who decided to stay and help rather than flee for his own safety. Among other things he became an important link the escape route for British soldiers behind enemy lines. In one section he tells of friends who both helped and inspired him. One was a Pastor Heuzy:

The gentle good-humoured voice, which I knew and loved, speaking its odd Franco-Scottish English, when it preached in beautiful French from the pulpit in his church, excoriated the evil-doers who had ravished France. He was warned to be more discreet but, serenely believing in God and the impossibility of a pastor telling anything but the truth as he saw it under God, he continued (p. 104).

Another friend was a college professor named Jacques Monod who was a pacifist, but “the evil of the Nazi war-machine, and his love for human beings…compelled him into an active share in the fight against Hitlerism” (p. 103). Not long before he died, Jacques wrote a letter to his family which contained the following:

I leave the world without hate in my heart, Nevertheless, we Christians should never allow pagans alone to offer their lives in the name of a purely political ideal, in a fight in which we are involved with the fate of the State, the fate of the Church, and the spiritual destiny of our children” (p. 105).

These quotes speak to me on two levels. On one, we’re told today that Christians should not get involved in politics,  especially pastors in the pulpits. I think people who say that must not have read much history from the era of America’s quest for independence, but be that as it may, while it may be wise to avoid “spouting off” about politics in general in many cases, there comes a time when honest people must stand up for what is right and speak out against falsehood.

On another level, these quotes and indeed this whole book show that many heroes don’t set out to be heroes. In some cases they’d rather be doing anything than what they’re doing, but an issue or need has arisen that they cannot pass by and they must help no matter what it costs them.

I’m about 30 pages away from finishing this book and hope to review it later this week.

This quote is from Elisabeth Elliot’s book Keep a Quiet Heart from a chapter titled “The World Must Be Shown,” which was also included in her e-mail devotionals, and which I was recently reminded of at Diane‘s.

It had to be proved to Satan, in Job’s case, that there is such a thing as obedient faith which does not depend on receiving only benefits.

Another Elliot quote Diane reminded me of that I have read often before but can’t locate what book it came from is:

Many women have told me that my husband’s advice, which I once quoted in a book, has been an eye-opener to them. He said that a wife, if she is very generous, may allow that her husband lives up to perhaps eighty percent of her expectations.  There is always the other twenty percent that she would like to change, and she may chip away at it for the whole of their married life without reducing it by very much. She may, on the other hand, simply decide to enjoy the eighty percent, and both of them will be happy. It’s a down-to-earth illustration of a principle: Accept, positively and actively, what is given. Let thanksgiving be the habit of your life. ~Elisabeth Elliot

This quote is from Warren Wiersbe’s With the Word from the commentary on Revelation 12:

I’m not afraid of the devil. The devil can handle me — he’s got judo I never heard of, But he can’t handle the One to whom I am joined; he can’t handle the One to whom I’m united; he can’t handle the One whose nature dwells in my nature. — A. W. Tozer

I am afraid of the devil. so this is a good reminder for me.

That’s probably more than enough for today. I promise sometimes to have some “lighter” quotes as well.

In His Love and In His Pity

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In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:9.

In His love and in His pity He redeemed us.
In His love and in His pity He provided heaven.
Never has another loved us like the Savior loves.
How can any one suspend himself upon a cross, and die for me?
Die willingly, to set us free.

But He did love, He had pity on us,
He provided heaven at last.
Shall we not return the favor,
Live each day for our dear Savior,
And one day He will return for us.

How He suffered in the garden for your sin and mine.
See Him trudge up Calvary’s mountain, “Not my will, but Thine.”
Cursing mobs and angry soldiers spit upon that face.
Then the sky in winter darkness proved the depth to which our sin would go,
And Jesus died, He loved us so.

Yes, He did love, He had pity on us.
He provided heaven at last.
Shall we not return the favor,
Live each day for our dear Savior,
And one day He will return for us.

~ Kurt Kaiser

I wish I could find the whole song online somewhere, because the music really helps portray the message beautifully. There is a 90-second clip here. I had only ever heard it sung by Robert Hale of Hale and Wilder fame, but there is another clip with a different section of the song by George Beverly Shea here.

Laudable Linkage

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Here are a few things of interest I found here and there over the last week or so:

Recovering the Wonder, HT to Lizzie.

Miss Sandy and the Blustery Day, another Miss Sandy Misadventure. Though sorry for Miss Sandy’s misadventure, I just love the way this is written.

A Mess May Mean Success! by Chris Anderson.

Beyond the Book by Karla Dornacher, about a unique approach to women’s ministry.

Maintaining Sanity During Dementia’s Cognitive Decline at Eldercare ABC Blog.

Lord, When Everything is Stripped Away, May It Be You They See at Lori’s Reflections.

Needy Women at Femina.

And on the crafty front:

DIY Wrapping Paper and Ribbon Organizer, HT to Tipnut.

Fabric sunflower brooches. I’m not a big sunflower fan, but I know a few people who are. These are really cute.

Treasury of Memory collage.

Fabric wallet tutorial.

Some cute card designs here, here, here, here, and here, and a couple of cute favors here and here.

We have had none of the predicted snow yet at our house as of 11 p.m. Friday night, though some friends have reported some via Facebook. We’re supposed to get together with some of our oldest and dearest friends Saturday night — we’ll have to see what happens with the weather. But otherwise we’re all set for bad weather for a couple of days.

Hope you have a happy Saturday!

Friday’s Fave Five

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Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts a “Friday Fave Five” in which we share our five favorite things from the past week. Click on the button to read more of the details, and you can visit Susanne to see the list of others’ favorites or to join in.

1. Sunshine! We had so much rain Sunday that it cause some relatively minor flooding in our house. The sun has been out every day since, and  temperatures were mild enough yesterday to go out without a coat. The ground is still a little spongy, though, and sleet and snow are predicted for tonight. The adults are praying the bad weather will hold off until after special meetings at church tonight; the kids are praying it will come early so they’ll be able to get out of school. We’ll see who wins. 🙂

2. Quick restoration of power. We came home Monday evening to find the power out in our neighborhood. I never did hear what caused it. I was ashamed at myself for feeling depressed about it, especially in light of what people are suffering in Haiti. We were only home a short while when my son and daughter-in-law called and invited us over to their house (which did have electricity), and our power was back on by the time we came home a couple of hours later.

3. This battery-powered lantern. We originally got it for camping, but I keep it handy in the living room closet for power outages. I’d like to find more, but I haven’t seen this style lately.

4. This batch of miniature carnations that a grocery store had for sale this week offered a bright spot of cheer.

5. This cute little toile heart from Cindy at My Romantic Home.

Bonus:

6. The PBS Masterpiece Classic production of Jane Austen’s Emma the first part of which aired this past Sunday evening. It’s been more then 30 years since I read Emma, so I don’t know how it compares to the original, and I really like the Gwyneth Paltrow version, so I wasn’t sure I wanted to see a new interpretation. But I really liked this actress when I saw her in Amazing Grace and Daniel Deronda. So far I am liking it (except I prefer the earlier version’s quintessential Mr. Knightly to this one.)

7. The fact that January is almost over! Spring is that much closer!

Happy Friday!

Beholding His glory

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One thing I have discovered in having a blog for 3+ years now is that sometimes when something is on my mind and I think perhaps I should work through it by writing about it, as that for me is often the best way, I realize I already have. I’ve also discovered how often I need reminders of the same lessons, perhaps sometimes applied in different ways. This morning I was pondering my tendency to get angry too easily (something you might not know about me from my blog), and the thought that “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy” (Psalm 145:8) just melted my anger away. That reminded me of my need to look to Christ not only in worship and thankfulness, not only for help and blessing, but also because the process of doing so changes me like nothing else can. And all of those thoughts reminded me of this post from January 2008 titled “The Means of Change.”

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Recently, as happens so often, I came face to face with an issue involving my own selfishness.

After confessing such incidents to the Lord, I tend to have a couple of responses. One is to just acknowledge it as one of my “besetting sins” and to forget about it until the next time. Yet deep down I know that’s just an excuse.

Another response is to decide I need to make a plan of action. That’s not bad in itself, but it usually fizzles out like New Year’s resolutions.

I may even decide to look up and meditate on various Scripture verses on the subject at hand. That’s a good response as far as it goes. Romans 12:2 tells us we’re transformed by the renewing of our minds, and one way we do that is by changing our thinking, lining it up with what God’s Word says, putting specific Scriptures in our minds that the Holy Spirit can then use to remind us.

But my problem isn’t just isolated individual sins. It’s a nature that is totally and completely self-focused, self-serving, self-promoting, self-loving. Though we receive a new nature when we become Christians, that old one is still there and will be til we get to heaven. How do we resist that constant pull? How can our new nature grow and become more like Christ?

II Corinthians 3:18: But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Beholding His glory….how little we do that. How often do we approach the Scripture just to fulfill our quota of Bible reading for the day, or even just to “get something” to carry us through the day?

We need to — I need to — remember to seek Him in the Scriptures, to behold His glory. Sometimes a study of His attributes would be more helpful than just studying about my particular sin, though both are necessary.

I read a quote once in a missionary biography (I haven’t been able to find it again: I thought it was Rosalind Goforth’s, but I didn’t see it in my last reading) that this particular person was having a hard time being loving. For years she constantly looked at herself and her lack of love and told herself over and over that she needed to be more loving. Yet she didn’t grow in love, only in discouragement. She began to meditate on God’s love for her…and without even realizing it, she began to slowly change to the point where others commented to her husband on the change in her.

We know what it is to gaze on an object of love. We smile indulgently at a young couple’s doe-eyed peering at each other. We understand a mother’s loving, wondering gaze of her new baby. We love to behold and contemplate the beauty of a perfect rose or a masterful painting.

How much more should we behold the One who loves us most, who is more beautiful than anything we can imagine, who is perfect holiness and righteousness.

Exodus 33:18-23; 34: 5-6:

And [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth…

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4.

May that be our desire as well.

The Biggest Loser

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I don’t usually discuss TV much here, but I’ve been wanting to jot some thoughts about  The Biggest Loser. I’ve only been watching it for a few seasons now, but here are some general thoughts about it.

What I like about it:

  • The opportunity the contestants have to put everything else aside to concentrate on their health.
  • The opportunity to lose weight with specific instruction and guided workouts.
  • Eucational segments, like when they show the actual calorie content of many popular foods.
  • When they show simple, healthful, tasty alternatives.
  • The medical evaluations where the doctor shows scans of the amount of body fat in their system and their actual body age based on their health vs. their actual age. Painful, but it is a needed wake-up call.
  • Seeing the contestants’ progress.

What I don’t like about it:

  • The trainers yelling in the contestants’ faces.
  • The trainers referring to workouts as “beating them up” or “torturing them.”
  • Unnecessary producer-induced drama: some change or shake-up or requirement brought in just to add drama to the show. Sometimes it does help the contestants to realize that whatever they’re depending on — their routine, partner, etc. — is not what they need to be leaning so heavily on, and in that sense it is good to help them find the source of strength they need to carry on despite circumstances. But sometimes the changes seem to be designed just to get people upset so the camera can catch it so they have conflict for the show.
  • When they send people home in the first show. One or two seasons ago they sent one half of every couple home and it was up to their partners to keep losing enough weight to stay on the show and bring them back after some period of time. This season just a few minutes into the show, two teams were sent home with the opportunity to come back in a month, and whichever had lost the most could stay. Can you imagine the excitement and preparations only to be sent home so soon without the opportunity to learn what you came there to learn?
  • Jillian’s penchant to reducing a contestant to a blubbering mess so they’ll open up so she can psychoanalyze them. They all probably do have issues besides diet and exercise they need to deal with, but I don’t think it has to be done that way.

Why I could never be on the show:

  • I could not weigh in in public in those outfits designed to show every bump and bulge, not just because of embarrassment, but because of modesty. I couldn’t do so even if I was slim — especially if I was slim.
  • I could.not.stand the yelling in the face thing. Or yelling at all.
  • Physical issues that would mean not being able to do the kinds of physical things they do as much as they do them. They do sometimes have someone with bad knees or something who has to work out in the pool, but I think it puts them at a disadvantage on the show in the long run. I think it would be interesting for them to do a season with people with physical limitations just so people in that situation know it IS possible. But they probably would not have the big dramatic weight losses every week.
  • I don’t really like group things. I tried Weight Watchers for about a month but really didn’t like the sessions.
  • I’m too private to do all of that in front of the group there, not to mention in front of cameras and the public eye. Blogging about it is one thing — I did have a weight-loss blog at one time (I still have it, but have not done much with it) and participated in group weigh-in and encouragement blog until it went defunct, and I like reading other people’s weight-loss blogs, but I would feel uncomfortable in a group setting in person.

Meanwhile I’ll keep watching and hopefully learning and being inspired. Ironically, though, every time I watch it I want to eat during or after it….

Flooding and Mudding

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It rained all day this past Sunday, just a sprinkle at some times and a downpour at others. The main problem that creates for us is that one corner of our “sunroom” floods when we get a lot of rain. This is the room the previous owners added on, and I don’t know if they did something wrong or what.

Our patio has a little brick wall around it with a drain that we have to keep leaves and gunk out of.

We had the roto-rooter guys out a few months ago to thoroughly clean out the drain, but it didn’t help a lot. They had a $1,200 solution to offer us, but we’re trying to come up with a less costly alternative.

So until we figure out what to do or have time to do it, we have a routine established. Jim bought a pump that we put in the corner of the patio which usually works fine. But yesterday, though we had the pump going full blast, the sunroom still flooded in one corner. We have a Wetvac and went through a lot of towels to try to keep it contained. I asked Jim if the pump just wasn’t keeping up for some reason — he said it was pumping, but the ground was so saturated there just wasn’t any place for the water to go. The water in the yard was almost to the level of the little brick wall around the patio and was about to overflow it.

(This was taken Monday just to show the wall, so no flooding is shown. The side next to the yard is not as deep as the side next to the patio.)

But finally about 11:30 p.m., the rain had moved out and everything seemed to settle down.

It was bright, sunny, and windy Monday morning, so I had great hopes for everything outside to dry out. When I took some trash out to the garbage can around lunch time, I noticed pieces of cardboard and what looked like an old handle of a rake or shovel out in the yard, so I ventured out to get it…and sunk past the level of my shoe in mud.

I’ve mentioned before that I have balance problems — I told my husband that it was a good thing that long handle was out there to use as a walking stick, or I would have been out there hollering for help until someone heard me inside. But I was able to gingerly step around the swampy area enough to get the big pieces and get back to the house.

And when I told my dear, sweet, sympathetic husband this, he replied…

“I wish I’d had the video camera!”

Thanks, Dear. 🙄 🙂

What’s On Your Nightstand: January

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What's On Your NightstandThe folks at 5 Minutes For Books host What’s On Your Nightstand? the fourth Tuesday of each month in which we can share about the books we have been reading and/or plan to read. You can learn more about it by clicking the link or the button.

Wow, it’s the fourth Tuesday already?

I didn’t do a nightstand post in December because I had just had a lengthy Fall Into Reading wrap-up post the day before and because we were on an anniversary trip that day. So, if it is ok, I’ll list the books I’ve completed in the last two months:

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, a compilation of 22 Christmas related essays from authors varying from Augustine and Luther to Piper, not reviewed, but highly recommended.

The Heirloom by Colleen L. Reece and Julie Reece-DeMarco, reviewed here.

American Haven by Elisabeth Yates, Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman, and A Vote of Confidence by Robin Lee Hatcher, all reviewed briefly here.

Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury and Fit to Be Tied is by Robin Lee Hatcher, both reviewed here.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, reviewed here.

I’m currently reading The Tartan Pimpernel, which is an autobiography of Donald Caskie, a Scottish pastor in France during WWII who helped establish safe houses and escape routes for Allied soldiers, and Words Unspoken by Elizabeth Musser about…a lot of things actually, but the main story line involves a teen-age girl who feels she caused the accident that killed her mother, and eighteen months later still has panic attacks when she drives. Her father hires a kindly, wise, older man as a driving instructor who tries to help her in various ways but who has other issues in his life as well.

I have so many good books waiting to be read, I’m not sure which to choose next, but among my choices are: The Hidden Flame by Janette Oke and Davis Bunn, A Touch of Grace by Lauraine Snelling,  Detour, a non-fiction sequel to Dr. Frau: A Woman Doctor Among the Amish by Grace H. Kaiser, Parting the Waters:Finding Beauty in Brokenness by Jeanne Damoff, Where My Heart Belongs by Tracie Peterson, Dr. Sa’eed of Iran: Kurdish Physician to Princes and Peasants Nobles and Nomads by Jay M. Rasooli and Cady H. Allen (which I looked up mainly because a poem from it was read at Dr. John Dreisbach‘s funeral), Interwoven by Russ and Nancy Ebersole, about two missionaries whose mates died and who then found each other, Port of Two Brothers by Paul Schlener, the name of a village along the Amazon in Brazil named for two brother missionaries and their families who worked there, Beyond Prison Walls by Marian Bomm, about her interment in a Japanese prison camp in WWII…and many more. Decisions, decisions!!!