The Saturday Six

One.

I attended Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church for eleven years, beginning in college (when the church I grew up in had dwindled down to a handful of people, and I knew I had to find a church with people my own age) and ending when God called me to move to a new church, for reasons that were then unknown to me. Pastor Steve Colter was my pastor all of those years and he continues to serve that church today. He was featured as the pastor of the week on the IWU alumni blog this week, which is a well-deserved distinction. He shepherded me through some tough times in my personal life and I continue to be grateful for him!

Two.

My sister introduced me to a new blog this week, and I found a post that I just loved! Ways to spread kindness on long winter days. Winter has indeed been long here this week, and I love these ideas for spreading cheer.

Three.

We quote Proverbs 3:5-6 so often, it sort of feels mundane in our minds. Jennifer Rothschild's words on this passage are beautifully written. If you're going through a season of hurt or confusion, take a look at what she has to say!

Four.

Whew! This one could be a hot topic - and I promise I don't mean to start fights! But I am curious about your thoughts on the matter. Many of our friends (and family) are working hard to weed out the stuff in their lives, and that includes the number of possessions their kids have. Of course that creates an issue for grandparents, doesn't it? They want to spoil and aren't fond of the "less is more" mentality. This article encourages grandparents to put their spending and spoiling toward college savings instead of toys. I'm not sure if that would be the best solution for everyone, but what do you think? Do grandparents (of today) spoil too much?

Five.

Looking forward to the winter Olympics? We are! If you're like us, you might also know embarrassingly little about the host city of the winter games, so here are a few facts for you!

Six.

My most recent read isn't a recent book at all. In fact, my guess is that most of you have probably read it! The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder is the sixth book in the Little House collection. Laura wrote these books about her own childhood in the late 1800s, and even though they're intended to be children's books, I think they're just as great for adults. (Check out my vintage copy, even! Yes, it says 95 cents in the upper left corner!)

If you've watched the TV series, you'll probably recognize some names in the book, as the show adapted a few of them and made regular characters out of them. (For example, the Fosters and Reverent Alden...) But the book and the show are not identical, so there are many new adventures to be found in these pages.

Laura is fourteen when this book begins, and she's living out on the prairie with her parents, her older sister Mary, and her two younger sisters, Carrie and Grace. The book opens as summer gives way to fall, and Laura's Pa tells her he can tell it's likely to be a hard winter, based on the behavior of the animals. The muskrats have built thick winter homes, and he fears it's a sign of difficulties to come.

His suspicions are confirmed when the first blizzard (not snowstorm, but blizzard) hits in October. Shortly thereafter, The Ingalls family decides to move into town for the winter. They own a building in town and can transform it into a home for the short term.

So they pack up their livestock, the hay they've harvested, and all they'll need to live in town and make the move. No sooner do they settle in than the prairie town is pummeled by storm after storm after storm. They train stops running, which means no one can receive supplies, including food and fuel. The days and nights are bitterly cold, provisions are scarce, and there seems to be no end to this winter.

Even thought I have read the books before and know the general state of prairie life, I was freshly amazed at the ingenuity of these resourceful people. They found ways to make fuel when they ran out of coal. They found alternative sources for light when the kerosene ran dry. They learned to eat what they could, and they scrapped and foraged to stay alive during the seven months of winter. I'm fairly certain I could not have been as resourceful if I'd been faced with the same debilitating circumstances!

I love the Little House books and will always recommend them, but even if you're an adult, if you've not read this incredible series, give it a try! And if you're feeling like you're living a version of The Long Winter right now, maybe you should start with this one!