by Summer D Clemenson | Aug 4, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews
I bought Born Standing Up A Comic’s Life by Steve Martin with my wife, Karen G Clemenson, in mind. I enjoy Steve Martin but Karen really loves him. She has been so busy so I got to this book first and I have really enjoyed the conversational manner that Martin writes.
Steve Martin is actually a pretty serious guy who seems to enjoy a semi-solitary existence. Born in Texas, his father, wanting Martin to be an actor, moved the family to California. Martin was an average student as a boy, but he was very devoted to learning magic tricks, comedy on the radio and TV, and teaching himself to pay the banjo by slowing down records and learning the sounds.
His first job was at the newly opened Disneyland, just 2 miles from his home. At 10-years-old he sold Disneyland guidebooks on the weekends and had free access to the park. As he got too old to sell guidebooks, Martin learned rope tricks and tight rope walking and enjoyed helping and learning new tricks in the 2 magic shops located in Disneyland. He also saw his first live performances there, which helped him later on.
Steve Martin’s 2nd job was at Knott’s Berry Farm at The Bird Cage Theatre. He was able to collaborate and learn a lot from performances there. From a relationship he had made there he later was invited to be a writer for the Smother’s Brother’s Show. He also wrote for the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
Martin was always learning in any way he could. When he went to college he was no longer an average student but an A student. He studied philosophy until he felt as though he could argue there was no reason for philosophy and changed his studies to TV production.
Despite the fact that Martin suffered with hypochondria and anxiety attacks, he was able to overcome these and he spent a lot of time finding clubs where he could hone his standup comedy acts. He always worked to be original, making sure to not copy other artists and leave people wanting more. He came up with the anti-climatic punchline and he made sure never show to his doubt in any performance.
Martin’s first appearance on TV was on The Steve Allen Show, he also was on the Merv Griffin Show, Virginia Graham Show, Mike Douglas Show, he opened for Ann-Margret in 1971 and his first appearance on the Johnny Carson show was in October 1972. The first time that Steve Martin hosted Saturday Night Live was in October 1976.
“Comedy is a distortion of what is happening, and there will always be something happening.” Steve Martin
Surprisingly he father was not supportive of his career choices, even writing a bad review of him in the local newsletter where he lived. Martin’s mother didn’t like the content of his shows but she was very proud of his fame.
Steve Martin is not a man that just sits and lets life happen. He is an intelligent man, an educated man and he has worked hard for the fame he has earned. He is not just an actor and comedian. He is a musician. He has written several, books, screenplays and plays. I never realized how hard it is to be a comedian. The preparation and dedication to originality is amazing. I really enjoyed this book, I had a hard time putting it down.
Buy your own copy of Born Standing Up A Comic’s Life by Steve Martin on Amazon
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information.
If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Jul 31, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews
If you are looking for an adventure, Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a perfect literary escapade. Life of Pi starts out fascinating to me, a child raised in the United States and not in India and not the child of zookeepers.
“In many ways, running a zoo is a hotel-keeper’s worst nightmare. Consider: the guests never leave their rooms; they expect not only lodging but full board; they receive a constant flow of visitors, some of whom are noisy and unruly. One has to wait until they saunter to their balconies, so to speak, before one can clean their rooms, and then one has to wait until they tire of the view and return to their room before one can clean their balconies; and there is much cleaning to do, for the guests are as unhygienic as alcoholics. Each guest is very particular about his or her diet, constantly complains about the slowness of the service, and never ever tips. To speak frankly, many are sexual deviants, either terribly repressed and subject to explosions of frenzied lasciviousness or openly depraved, in either case regularly affronting management with gross outrages of free sex and incest.” Chapter 4
Ordinary in many other ways, our main character, is quiet and the opposite to his athletic older brother. Given a name that is easy to tease, he has to be brave and rename himself Pi, as in π or 3.14. Pi lives in a country where religion is taken very seriously but most people choose Hindu, Muslim or Christian, not all three. It is different, but Pi’s mother can’t find a reason to make him stop studying all 3 religions so it is allowed.
“Though she had lived in Toronto for over 30 years, her French-speaking mind still slips on occasion on the understanding of English sounds. And so when she first heard of Hare Krishnas, she didn’t hear right. She heard ‘Hairless Christians,’ and that’s what they were to her for many years. When I corrected her, I told her that in fact she was not wrong; that Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God are hat-wearing Muslims,” Chapter 16
Pi’s life is ordinary to him until his father gets the idea to sell the zoo and move his family to Canada. Regardless of how his family feels, deals are struck and the family finds themselves on the Japanese cargo ship, Tsimtsam along with several wild animals that they are delivering to new places.
While they slept, one night Pi is awakened by an odd sound and he gets out of bed to see what happened only to find the ship is sinking fast! Before he knows it, he finds himself in a lifeboat with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. By morning, this 16-year-old boy has lost his entire family and must learn to survive in the most extreme circumstances.
“Life on the lifeboat isn’t much of a life. It is like an end game in chess, a game with few pieces. The elements couldn’t be more simple, nor the stakes higher, Physically it is extraordinarily arduous, and morally it is killing. You must make adjustments if you want to survive. Much becomes expendable. You get your happiness where you can. You reach a point where you’re at the bottom of hell, yet you have your arms crossed and a smile on your face, and your feel you’re the luckiest person on earth. Why? Because at your feet you have a tiny dead fish.” Chapter 78
For over 6 months this young man figured out how to survive on the lifeboat. He made choices. He accepted loss. At times you forget he is only a boy and then other times you want to grab him and hold him tight. His devotion to his faith carried him through because that is what faith does. No matter what name you call it by.
“This beach, so soft firm and vast, was like the cheek of God, and somewhere two eyes were glittering with pleasure and a mouth was smiling at having me there.” chapter 94
I am glad I decided to read this book. It wasn’t the smoothest read but I know it was important for the part of life I am in for right now. Not all paths are smooth and sometimes seeing how others struggle through and listen to the wisdom inside ourselves, even when no one believes us, is exactly what we need.
I checked my book out at the Longview Public Library but your can buy your own copy of Life of Pi by Yann Martel on Amazon.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information.
If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Jul 21, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews
I knew nothing of Gandhi when I began reading Gandhi An Autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mohandas K. Gandhi. I had no idea he had died in 1948, well before my parents were born. I knew people quoted him, but really that was about it and as I began to read his words I was pulled in to his simplicity, his desire to to serve, to be better and his loyalty to non-violence in ways I had never considered.
“I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and non-violence are as old as the hills.” Gandhi
Gandhi was raised in a Vaishnavas family. This is a branch of modern Hinduism. They are vegetarians because they do not eat anything without making an offering to God first, and He has only asked for vegetable offerings.
Gandhi often spoke of “Ahimsa” a word that seemed to be a complex word that was one of pure love and non-violence. He was very devoted to his parents. Like many children in India, he was married very young. Gandhi was married at the age of 13 years old, in 1883. This seemed so strange to me but it is very normal in their culture and the wife still stays with her parents for much of the year, which I thought was very interesting. I don’t know if that is still a custom. But I do know that Gandhi struggled with being a good husband; I appreciate the humanity that he shared in the book. He was far from perfect but he was always working on himself to be better.
“The seeker after truth should be humbler than the dust. The world crushes the dust under its feet, but the seeker after the truth should be so humble himself the even the dust could crush him. Only then, and not till then, will he have a glimpse of truth.” Gandhi, November 26, 1925
Gandhi left his family in India while he studied law in England yet he had not learned about Indian law, Hindu and Mahomedan law when he was called to the bar in 1891 and he felt he was not prepared to practice law because having only read law was different than applying law. He was given the chance to watch the high court but his real help came when his brother found him work in the community.
Traveling in South Africa Gandhi experienced terrible “color prejudice.” On one instance he had his ears boxed and was beaten about his head for refusing to sit on the floor because the railroad agent wouldn’t let him sit in the seat he paid for and then the agent wanted the seat he made Gandhi take as consolation.
On another occasion, after being shoved by an officer into the street and being offered by a white friend to be helped to sue, Gandhi said: “You need not be sorry. What does the poor man know? All colored people are the same to him. He no doubt treats Negroes just as he has treated me. I have made it a rule not to go to court in respect of any personal grievances. I do not intend to proceed against him.”
The officer did apologize to Gandhi after being chastised by Gandhi’s high ranking friend, but Gandhi had already forgiven him. He also chose a new path to walk. The officer was guarding an officer’s home and there would be others. It was illegal for people of color to walk on the sidewalks or be out after 9 pm and Gandhi didn’t want to cause any issues with other officers.
“It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honored by the humiliation of their fellow beings.” Gandhi
As Gandhi’s popularity grew he was being requested to visit to other parts of South Africa he had never been to before. We didn’t have technology like we do today so rumors would spread that while he was with his family in India he was speaking poorly of people in South Africa, which was not true. Luckily for Gandhi, he had a weak voice and all of his speeches were written down for others to read for him so he could offer them as proof in South Africa that he was a comrade who only meant to make life better for the Indian immigrants in South Africa.
“Supposing the whites carry out their threats, how will you stand by your principle of non-violence? To which I replied: ‘I hope God will give me the courage and the sense to forgive them and to refrain from bringing them to law. I have no anger against them. I am only sorry for their ignorance and their narrowness. I know that their sincerely believe that what they are doing today is right and proper. I have no reason therefore to be angry with them.’”
Gandhi spent his whole life in servitude and learning how to do things better. He tried hard to spend as little money as possible in order to be able to give more to his community. He learned to do many things for himself that his fellow lawyers paid others to do, like his laundry and cutting his own hair. While he was learning, he would make mistakes and when his colleagues would laugh at him, he would take joy at their joy at his mistake. He walked everywhere, which he felt added to his health. As a simple life became more important to him, he got ride of things that were unnecessary.
“Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy.” Gandhi
Gandhi felt he should not receive gifts for his service to the community. When they gave him gifts of gold, silver and a diamond he entrusted some lawyers to a trust at a local bank to handle the fund and placed the valuables in there to be used when needed by the community. At the time his wife was upset but as they did benefit from it in the future, she came to see his wisdom.
Gandhi did not make distinction between people whether they were relatives, strangers, countrymen, foreigners, white, colored, Hindus, Indians of other faiths, whether Musalmans, Parsis, Christians, or Jews. He believed it was because he made vows to non-violence, celibacy, non-possession, vegetarianism and other cardinal virtues. He was always consciously striving to cultivate these virtues in himself. He was perfect at changing plans as needed. He was community minded to a fault and ever ready to give of his time and knowledge.
“I have found by experience that man makes his plans to be often upset by God, but at the same time where the ultimate goal is the search of truth, no matter how a man’s plans are frustrated, the issue is never injurious and often better than anticipated.” Gandhi
The Indian culture is very foreign to me. From what I have read in Gandhi An Autobiography, I understand that there are many types of religions: Hindu (of which there are many types) Musalmans, Sikhs, Parsis, Muslim, Christian and Jewish. At the timeline of this book India had a caste system that defined a person’s status in society. I would have to research to find out if this was still in play. I know that Gandhi, himself, did not care for it and tried to help bridge the gaps between people. From 1858 to 1947 India was under the rule of England. Much of the legal work that Gandhi did was to help make life better for Indian people in both India and South Africa. When India was freed from England Gandhi had established satyagraha or a non-violence by non-compliance stand with England which I am sure helped them a great deal.
I have stopped many times, while reading this book, to pause and just let it sink in; the love and selflessness Gandhi worked hard to live. He said he didn’t fully understand the principles of Christianity but I saw grace, mercy and forgiveness in his writing, generosity, humility, and service. This book really inspired me to read many more books. Good books always do. I intend to learn more about the Hindu religion and many of the philosophers that Gandhi mentioned. I will also re-read this book. I don’t totally understand law and politics but I relish the self-improvement and religion that Gandhi was committed to. He was truly a great man.
“To see the universal and all-pervading Spirit of Truth face to face one must be able to love the meanest of creatures as oneself.” Gandhi
Buy your own copy of Gandhi An Autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mohandas K. Gandhi on Amazon
Read More:
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information.
If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Jul 8, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews
The latest book I have devoured, The Lost Apothecary A Novel by Sarah Penner, was a wonderful juggling act between two worlds. Nella’s world in 1791 London and Caroline’s world in present day Ohio traveling to London. Both women have been hurt by their love interests and suffered loss. Both women meet wonderful women that become bosom friends that help them find the parts of themselves that they had lost while surviving.
This story captured my attention and made it nearly impossible to put the book down long enough to do much else. Penner’s writing style is easy to read and pulls you in. The chapters are the perfect length to let you read a chapter between chores or read just one more chapter…
I tend to find myself drawn to biographies and non-fiction. I find myself to be generally terrible at choosing fiction books so I was glad to have my sister, Jamie Holloway, hand me a bag of novels to read at my last visit. I told myself I would read 4 before I read any of the 21 books I just bought myself (all biographies). Jamie knows how to pick good ones! If you want to read her book review of The Lost Apothecary go to JamieChasesButterflies.com.
I highly recommend this book if you want an intriguing read with mystery, intellect and even a little murder and magic mixed in.
Buy your own copy of The Lost Apothecary A Novel by Sarah Penner on Amazon
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Jul 3, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews
I just finished this amazing book called The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. It sucked me in and I could hardly think of anything else for the 3 afternoons it took me to devour it. I also loved that it had short chapters so I could read a chapter between tasks.
The book has lots of characters but the main characters are Mukesh and Aleisha. They live in London and they meet at the local Harrow Road Library. They are there for very different reasons.
Mukesh is an elderly widow, learning to live without his beloved wife Naina. While his daughters are at his home to go through their mother’s things they find a library book with a thick layer of dust on the cover: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audry NIffenegger under the bed. Mukesh had always enjoyed watching documentaries while his wife always had her nose in a book. In fact most of his memories were of her curled up with a book. As he began reading The Time Traveler’s Wife he began feeling like he was with his wife. As if she was there with him and his loneliness was gone.
Aleisha is a 17-year-old girl, between high school and college. She has always done well in school; she intends to study law after the summer is over but she hasn’t been able to get the job she wants so her older bother, Aiden has suggested she apply at the library, his favorite place, and past place of employment. At first she doesn’t enjoy her job. She hasn’t read for enjoyment before and she is bitter about not getting the job she likes but she finds a reading list tucked inside a book and is intrigued and begins reading the list and finds it is a great way to travel to other places. Any other place than her stressful home and boring life.
Throughout the book, many people find the same reading list hidden in many places all over town:
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- Life of Pi by Yann Martel
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
- Little Women by Lousia May Alcott
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
It occurred to me who might have been the person that wrote the list at some point in the book and I was happy to find I was correct.
This book is about relationship, and finding yourself while losing yourself in a book. You can do this by learning the lessons in stories. I am so thankful that my sister, Jamie Holloway loaned this book to me, if you want to read her book review please see JamieChasesButterflies.com.
At the end of the book the author shared their reading list. If you are interested here is Sarah Nisha Adams’ reading list:
- The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Standard Deviation by Katherine Henry
- A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
- Stranger Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
- The Magic Toy Shop by Angela Carter
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Sunlight on a Broken Column by Attia Hosain
- There But For The by Ali Smith
I have read a few of the books on these lists but I intend to read them all and reread the ones I have read again. It is good to revisit a good book. I also took a few minutes and crafted my own reading list in case you are interested:
- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein’
- A Little Princess by Francess Hodgson Burnett
- Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
- The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrision
- Memoirs of a Geisha by Arther Golden
- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston
- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The Soul of an Indian by Charles Alexander Eastman
- Carmello by Sandra Cisneros
Each of these books came to me at very different times in my life and left their mark on me forever. I would love to hear your reading book list too. If you want to share leave it in the comments below.
Buy your own copy of The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams on Amazon
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Jul 1, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews, Education, Opinions
I loved the book, The Watchmakers by Harry Lenga and Scott Lenga, and devoured all 262 pages in one afternoon. I simply could not put it down. There was also a glossary, sources and endnotes that I used and or skimmed as needed. I have to admit this book sat for 3 days because I was afraid to pick it up. I had spent my entire high school years researching the Holocaust and I know the depth of evil that can be in humanity. Learning about the Holocaust and the level of depravity at literally every level: mental, emotional, physical that the Nazi regime used to control a nation and erase over 6 million people makes it easy to imagine any evil on the earth. I don’t say that to take away from any other people group. It is just a fact. Nothing that has happened to any other people group didn’t happen to the Jews during the Holocaust in calculated fashion, yet amongst the hate, filth and depravity there is the beautiful part of humanity: in the midst of the worst some of us are able to come together in love and hold each other up.
This book is written by Scott Lenga, yet he lovingly used interviews and memories of his father, Harry Lenga’s stories and tried to keep the story in his father’s voice. Three brothers: Maileckh, Moishe and Khil had humble beginnings as poor Jewish sons of a watchmaker that honored the religious traditions of his faith.
“For the rest of my life, I resented my father’s readiness to give charity to other people despite the immediate and cruel expense to our family. But it was the religious discipline and poverty that would later translate into valuable survival skills when I needed them during the war. My father’s true reward for his suffering and his commitment to charity was not the two zlotys (Polish currency worth .01) from a strange customer but rather that his four sons would survive the Shoah (Holocaust).” Harry Lenga, Chapter 2
Khil was outgoing and able to speak to many people. He enjoyed his studies and also enjoyed learning to repair watches with his father. There were other opportunities for Khil to learn other trades but he felt his father was an excellent and patient teacher. These things he learned from his father’s workbench would later save his life and the lives of his brothers in the darkest days.
As the Germans were taking over different parts of Poland the brothers traveled from their home in Koshnitz to Warsaw, Poland looking for work. The older brothers were learning to cut leather for shoes, while Khil continued to practice his trade and become better at it under the help of other watchmakers. Soon the Germans were in Warsaw and Khil was summoned to the Parliament building.
“Looking back on it now, It’s unbelievable what happened in that room in the Parliament building. If a Polish guy wanted to beat up a Jew, he would yell at you first. He would call you “dirty Jew” or “Christ killer” or something like that. He would beat you only after he made himself angry. But those German guys were not even angry. They didn’t call me dirty Jew or any other name. They were completely without emotion, without rakhmunes (compassion), without anything. Even when they saw the blood on me, it didn’t affect them. It was just their job, and they are enjoying it. The guy at the typewriter had been laughing. For him, it was entertainment, a comedy. They were doing those beating the whole day, one after another.” Harry Lenga, Chapter 4
Because the address on his identification card had been bombed he was safe for some time before he was found so he didn’t have to leave immediately. He was able to work a bit longer before going home. With the help of a friend he was able to sneak out of the Warsaw Ghetto and get home to his family without being killed.
He was happy to see his family although it wasn’t long before one of his father’s trusted friends let him know that he needed to send his sons away if he wanted them to live. Mikhoel Lenga sent his 3 sons away with as many watchmaking tools and parts as they could carry, which served them well. By morning the boys’ father was picked up and taken to Treblinka.
Treblinka was an extermination camp. More Jews were killed at Treblinka than any other extermination camp except Auschwitz. The Germans only set up extermination camps in Poland. In Poland 2.7 million people were murdered by asphyxiation with poisonous bass or by shooting. – Chapter 6
“We three brothers made a pact between us that whatever happened to one would happen to all of us. If one got taken to be killed, we all wanted to be killed. If we saw a chance to save each other, we had to try…and we did.” Harry Lenga, Chapter 7
There was a theme where the brothers, especially Khil, had to be brave enough to ask for help. Always willing to give what they had for their brother, but always willing to ask for what they needed.
“We worked hard to keep hope in our minds and not to become meshuga (crazy). And the more you talked yourself into it the more you believed in that hope. If a hungry person believes that he’ll find something to eat later, he can last longer. If he thinks, It’s pointless and I won’t survive, he dies faster. I saw it happen many times. Pessimism is a terrible sickness. You destroy yourself. You have to have optimism all the time.” Harry Lenga, Chapter 9
The three brothers: Maileckh, Moishe and Khil were together through 2 ghettos and several concentrations camps:
- Warsaw Ghetto – Poland
- Koshnitz Ghetto – Poland
- Gorczycki Camp – Poland
- Wolanow Slave Labor Camp – Poland
- Starachowice Slave Labor Camp – Poland
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Extermination Camp – Poland
- Mauthausen Concentration Camp – Austria
- Melk Concentration Camp – Austria
- Ebensee Concentration Camp – Austria
Once they were freed the three brothers were reunited with their oldest brother. They are able to change their names and establish their own lives. Mailech changed his named to Marcel and moved to Paris. Moishe changed his name to Morris and moved to The United States. Khil changed his name to Harry, after Harry Truman and he also moved to The U.S.
All the brothers eventually married and had families and were able to be together for the wedding of one of their children before one brother died. Each one was a successful business owner. Scott wrote that he knew not to complain to his father about any thing. Most things Scott might find unpleasant were nothing compared to what his father had endured and could endure. He said that the blue tattoo on his arm was something he ever got used to seeing like a mole or a scar. Scott had great empathy for his father, living in an adopted culture that could not possibly understand him.
The atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust still happen today. Now we call it slavery, sex trafficking, child abuse, domestic violence, religious purification and many other names. Hate comes in many names. What can we do? Hold onto hope and share it loudly. When you see abuse, help where you can. Love fiercely. Persecution will always be there, choose peace and optimism knowing that if you get through this you can live another day to do better.
There were times that Harry had the ability to get revenge. He chose to let revenge be for someone else for his own peace. He understood that his revenge might be justified but by joining in the hate he would tear himself apart. When you join in the hate that is what you do.
I want to thank my sister, Jamie Holloway, for sharing this book with me. If you would like to read her book review you can find it at JamieChasesButterflies.com.
Buy your own copy of The Watchmakers: A Story of Brotherhood, Survival, and Hope Amid the Holocaust by Harry Lenga and Scott Lenga on Amazon.
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Jun 22, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews, Opinions
We Are Not Like Them is a novel written by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza. Like the writers, the main characters are women, one black and one white. Riley and Jenny have been friends since they were little girls. Jenny’s single mom was a free spirit who often enjoyed leaving Jenny with Riley’s family while she went on adventures. She knew they were good people and Jenny felt like she was part of their family, even though her skin was white and her hair was smooth and blonde.
The story begins as they are adults well beyond those more simple times. Riley is a news broadcaster and Jen is the wife of a police officer that has just shot a 14-year-old black boy. Jen’s husband, Kevin, is not a bad man or a bad cop, but in a split second, his training to support this partner has led him to a transitional moment that is causing their whole world to shake.
There are many things about racism and prejudice that can’t be put into words but you can feel them if you listen. I felt it in this book and I have felt it while walking beside my wife for the last 8 years. We can hear some of those things in a poem from chapter 7, in the book, that was shared at the funeral of Justin, by Justin, the boy killed at the beginning of the book:
What do you see when you see me?
Have you made up your mind about who I can be?
You could get to know me if you tried
You could see what I’m like inside
I am made of blood, bones, and muscles too.
So how can you say I am less than you?
I have so many dreams, even at my age.
Let me be free, don’t put me in a cage.
Watch what I can do.
In the book, Riley gets the chance to cover some of the story and interview the grieving mother. As great as this is for her career it really stretches her relationship with Jen as they are forced to look at issues they have never talked about before. Will their love and history be enough to carry them through this time?
“When I think of Kevin pulling that trigger…” She stops and shakes her head. “But I also believe that he gets a chance to explain himself, Jenny too. But things have always happened in the world, especially to our folks, but we can’t shut down every time they do. No choice but to keep pushing forward. It’s the same for you and Jenny — you gotta talk to see where you go from here.” Sandra Wilson, Riley’s mother, chapter 9.
I got this book from my sister, Jamie Holloway, you can read her review at JamieChasesButterflies.com.
We Are Not Like Them has come to me at a time when I am trying to come to peace with things I haven’t put words to in my life, but need to, like racism which I never had to worry about when I was a single white woman. I am well aware of prejudice as a woman with mental and physical chronic illness who is poor, fat and queer but I couldn’t understand my wife’s poor luck until I came to terms with the fact that racism is real but not something she wastes time worrying about. I admire Karen G Clemenson for that. Her strength is so much like Riley’s mother. Karen never lets anything keep her down. She takes the loss and keeps moving forward. So that is what we do.
…with that said, I think you should read this book. Your viewpoint will be totally different than mine and I would love to hear what you think!
Buy your own copy of We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza on Amazon…
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Jun 18, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews, Education, Opinions
“I learned a strange thing — that in a jumble of unintelligible talk the word “nigger” leaps out with electric clarity. You always hear it and always it stings. And always it casts the person using it into a category of brute, ignorance.” John Howard Griffin, Black Like Me, November 8 excerpt
I recently re-read this powerful book entitled Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. I remember reading it in high school, back in the early 90’s but really all I remembered was that he was a white man, a journalist, and he had chemically darkened his skin with the help of a dermatologist in order to experience the life of a black man. Every other detail was brand new to me and I have to say reading this book has shaken me to my very core as a white woman, as a United States citizen and as a spouse to a mulatto woman, born in 1965, in North Carolina.
“Walking along Dryades, through the ghetto, I realized that every informed man with whom I had spoken, in the intimate freedom of colored bond, had acknowledged a double problem for the Negro. First, the discrimination against him. Second, and almost more grievous, his discrimination against himself; his contempt for the blackness that he associates with his suffering; his willingness to sabotage his fellow Negroes because they are part of the blackness he has found so painful.” John Howard Griffin, Black Like Me, November 10-12 excerpt
Just as the SS encouraged other Jewish prisoners to abuse and take ownership over other Jewish prisoners during the Holocaust, some white people encouraged black people to abuse each other and most of the rest of the white people stood by and let it happen. I have often read about black culture, slave culture. I know it was common for slaves to abuse their children bitterly because they felt it was better that they beat their children then the master do it. In many families this is still in place, this post slavery trauma response that hasn’t been altered by time because of lots of reasons, all individual to each family. And not just because of lack of education or change in some black families but the lack of education and change in some white families; the existence of white supremacy that is so accepted that we don’t realize it is there.
In his November 14 excerpt, Griffin travels to Mississippi, against the advice of his new friends who have been very helpful to his change over to his new life. Recently the FBI had delivered evidence that proved a black man had been kidnapped and lynched in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, yet the Pearl River County Grand Jury failed to return any indictments or even consider the provided information.
Although Griffin found it relatively pleasant in New Orleans, at the train/bus station, his experience was one of pure hatred. The woman who sold his ticket to him, almost would not. She gave him the “hate stare” and when she did finally change his $10 bill, she threw his change and ticket at him, instead of handing it to him or placing it on the counter. Although the depot was large and empty, except for a porter and one white man, that man also gave him the “hate stare” making it obvious he was not welcome. The porter, who was black, showed him to the crowded, COLORED CAFE located behind the depot.
While traveling into Mississippi the black people seemed to become more caring, as if they were a buffer for the hatred from the white folks, this was a common occurrence everywhere Griffin went. When the bus would stop, the driver would allow the white people off but not the black people for bathroom breaks. Griffen noted that farm animals are given more grace. As they came closer to Hattiesburg, a woman was happy to warn Griffen to never look at a white woman, “look at the ground or to the side.” He wasn’t even to look at a picture of a woman at the movie theater or in a magazine.
Another black man advised him of a safe place to stay and offered to check in with him in the morning. Griffen was impressed by his kindness but he was scared. He was intimidated by the white boys driving by and yelling at him and other people on the street. The squalor of the room, the fear he felt, it was so great that he felt he couldn’t even write a letter to his white wife and this led him to reach out to a journalist friend that lived in the area that he thought might take him in.
The journalist was glad to have him. His viewpoint in his writings left he and his family isolated and he enjoyed having Griffen help him with his writing, but Griffen could not rest there, and he couldn’t do what he set out to do there. Before his friend brought him back to New Orleans, they visited Dillard University (November 16). As kind as his friend was to him, he was different around “real” black people: “Did you ever see such a damn beautiful campus for a bunch of niggers? They’re getting uppityer and uppiter.” This viewpoint was shockingly different from the abolitionist and advocate he portrayed in his work and personal life, working for equal voting rights.
This way of making an exception for a black person you know but not the entire race is another way that prejudice can hide in plain sight and I think it still thrives today. I believe fear comes in all colors and if we aren’t willing to look at it and call it what it is, we will never become enlightened.We will remain afraid, small and unable to change.
“The whites frequently walk into colored restrooms, Scotch-tape these notices to the wall. This man offered his services free to any Negro woman over 20, offered to pay, on an ascending scale, from $2 for a nineteen-year-old girl, up to $7.50 for a fourteen-year-old and more for perversion dates. He gave a contact point for later in the evening and urged any Negro man who wanted to earn $5 for himself to find him a date within this price category…To the Negro who sees the element of the white man’s nature — and he sees it much more often than any other — the white man’s comments about the Negro’s alleged “immorality” rings maidenly hollow.” John Howard Griffin, Black Like Me, November 16 excerpt
Believe it or not, this is not the most deplorable example of degrading actions that white men portrayed against black men and women, yet it explains how a black women could feel she is only worthy as a sex object and how men are supposed to use and abuse that part of her, instead of honoring and respecting her. I know that so many people have grown beyond this. I do know that 1960 happened 62 years ago and I see a lot of growth that I am thankful for but I also see where we haven’t changed too. Areas were poverty and crime prevail women and men still violate and dishonor each other every day. It is like the self-hatred has been passed down through generations and gotten stronger.
As Griffen traveled through the South, he often hitchhiked. This was common during this time and he was most often picked up by white men who wanted to fill their sexual deviant minds with questions they thought were acceptable to ask this man because he was black or COLORED as was the term used at the time. One young college man was surprised that Griffen could tell him that black people were parents just like white people and they wanted their children to grow up healthy and remain virgins as long as possible just like white parents. It impressed him, but not enough to stop him from asking Griffen to show himself to him. Another man became violent and threatened to kill him when Griffen would not answer his vile questions.
Money was another way that black people were controlled. Gas taxes paid by all were used to maintain beaches black people were not allowed to use. Stores would offer credit to black families, yet it seemed like fees were always added so that they could never be paid off so the families were always so poor they could barely afford to improve their homes or clothe their children.
One man that picked up Griffen, brought him home with him, he was positive that there was nowhere safe for him to stay for the night. He let him know that he only had 2 bedrooms and 6 children but he could have the floor and it was clean. Griffen had bought a loaf of bread and a few candy bars before he was picked up. When they reached the man’s home Griffen met the man’s wife and children. She was happy to meet him and happy all her children were healthy, she mentioned that many families had children that were blind or maimed in some way, Her husband was a little embarrassed in his meager home and plain dinner of beans with no meat but Griffen praised his beautiful and obviously healthy children until the father beamed. He offered the bread and they enjoyed a feast. They sliced up the candy bars for dessert and were thankful. This experience really made Griffen appreciate how hard this man worked for his family.
Within a week Griffen could no longer handle being black all the time and stopped taking the medication that was keeping him dark. He applied a dye to his skin when he was prepared to enter society as a black man that would wash off when he had had enough. So much of society was shut off to him as a black man. He spent most of his time walking, worrying about what bench or park he could sit in, what bathroom he could use, what fountain he could drink from, if there was a colored cafe nearby where he could get a bite to eat. All of these things were few and far between. In more religious areas, whites were sometimes more gentle but there was always a line that Griffen had to be aware of in order to keep the peace. There were no jobs he could have. They were either taken or being weeded out by communities that were purposely making it impossible for black people to survive there before the equality laws were passed. White men said these things to him like they were telling him the prices of a bushel of apples.
When Griffen returned home, he was overjoyed to see his wife and 3 children but even his publisher offered him an out. He did not have to publish anything about his adventure. But Griffen was committed to sharing what he had learned. With that came what he was expecting. Hatred. Threats. Quiet gratitude. In the end his family and his parents had to move from their Texas home to New Mexico to be free from the violent calls and threats but Griffen remained faithful to his truth and he had gained respect from many people of all colors.
In no way have I shared the entire story. I think you should read this book. I think you will absorb it differently than I did. I am very glad I walked into Storyboard Delights on Karen’s arm last month and found it on the used book shelf. This book has helped me understand a few things about my wife, things that I always loved but made me really respect her even more for, about the way she responds to people. Her humility and servant attitude are skin deep and I know that some of it is learned behavior from being a mixed girl child of the south. Not just black, not just white, not just Native American…with those freckles and too much pride. I know she has lived through trauma and when she is too tired to hide it, I meet a girl that has been hurt. I have a friend that moved to Arkansas and she often tells me I should move there and how much I would love it. I don’t think I would, but more importantly, and I finally told her this: my wife is a mulatto female that worked really hard to leave the south, and although I would like to visit, I don’t ever see us moving there. I think she finally understood.
I live in a town that is 87% white. In Longview, Washington 10% of the population is mixed and all other races are less than 2%. I have been thinking about this for a few days. Actually I have been thinking about this off and on for quite some time because my wife has eluded to it a couple times. I have come to the conclusion that there are lots of reasons people of color would move here. I am glad they did. When I was growing up here, I bet Longview was more like 97% white and I enjoy seeing the diversity. I like seeing change. I made a comment that I don’t care what color a person is, but it is more than that. it isn’t that I don’t care about a person’s color, because what I care about is the person’s heart. I love to learn about their culture, beliefs and who they are. I do think dark skin is more beautiful than white skin but my wife says that is just a preference…I think she is correct.
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin showed me that there were many types of people: hateful people, enlightened people, and complacent people and they come in all colors. I don’t care what color you are, what I really care about is how open you are to becoming enlightened; letting go of fear and embracing love, peace and freedom. I am not perfect. I can say I probably have a mix of all three characteristics in me, but I hope I am more enlightened than I used to be. I do know that next time someone asks me if I am prejudiced, instead of being defensive or fighting with them, I am willing to saying, “Let me consider that. Thank you for bringing that to my attention.”
Buy your own copy of Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin on Amazon
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Jun 16, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews
“You fix your world by fixing yourself first.” Laurie Ruettmann, Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career, 2021
So I won this book as a giveaway on Goodreads and I picked it with my wife, Karen G Clemenson, in mind, over a year ago. It has sat waiting to be read and finally I decided that someone needed to read it and it was going to be me and you know what? I really liked it. I felt like, even if you weren’t interested in working for a corporation, owing a business or evening working outside the home, you could take away useful information to bring more balance to your life. Who doesn’t want more balance and peace in their life?
“Change begins by asking hard questions about your motivation, beliefs, desires, abilities, and limitations. Why do you make the choices you make? What are your values? How can you fix the fixable and let the rest go? What else or who else are you ignoring at the expense of work?
Nobody can answer these questions for you, you probably can’t answer them alone.” Laurie Ruettmann, Betting on You
Putting Yourself First Looks Like:
- Not going to early morning meetings so you can take your kids to school.
- Getting a personal trainer and gym membership.
- Seeing a nutritionalist to learn mindfulness about eating habits.
- Doing small changes to see what works to make you happy.
- Getting more sleep and taking time off when needed.
- Prioritizing self-care.
The statements we make about ourself help others make a reasonable judgement about us, but we are more than our occupation. Many people hide their trauma and abuse behind their work, but you can’t find true fulfillment until you can find healing in your personal life.
Work provides a means to provide but we must also focus on what makes us who we are; what makes us happy, like hobbies, relationships, community and self-care. One way to do this is to create a feeling of professional detachment — staying committed to your job and doing good work but redefining the role so it is not your sole identity.
“Work improves when everybody on a team aligns around a shared set of expectations but remains brave and courageous enough to challenge the status quo as necessary.” Laurie Ruettmann, Betting on You
How to Start a Successful Business/Personal Strategy:
- Realize everything that can go wrong and make an action plan to answer all of those scenarios.
- Visualize what you want.
- Talk to people that do what you wan to to do.
- Work on your self-care.
Harvard Business Review found that employees that learn at work experience less anxiety and stress. This makes a lot of sense to me. I am much happier when I am learning. That is why I love reading and sharing what I learn with you.
Most people cannot afford to just go job hunting and not worry about keeping the one they currently have. The bills must be paid. One thing to remember is that, even if you feel your current working experience has been abusive and taken your soul to the depths of hell, complaining is not going to make it better for you. Longview, Washington is not the only small town and in the business world, every city can seem small. Your current job has allowed you to pay the bills that are currently being paid and you have learned a few things. Even if all you can think about is that you want a new opportunity it won’t help you to sabotage yourself by bad-mouthing your co-workers and boss to anyone who will listen. Trust me your boss hearing every gripe you have about them will not help them tell your next potential boss good things about you when they check references…
How to Look for a New Job While Staying Employed:
- Use personal wifi or anywhere else but work wifi to search for job contacts.
- Make a list of dream companies you want to work for.
- Read company reviews on Yelp, Google Reviews, Trust Pilot and Angie’s List. Use LinkedIn’s search bar to find mentions. Look for ex-employee’s blogs.
- Make contact with anyone you might have met anywhere that works for these complains via phone or personal email.
- Be upbeat and positive and ask open-ended questions.
- If you feel confident in your contact ask them how to apply for a job with discretion. You might even ask for someone you can talk to confidentially.
- If you don’t know anyone that can help you get connected to your dream company you will have to apply online like most people.
- Always stay positive about your current job and boss because chances are word will get to them.
- If your current boss questions you let them know you are still committed to your job, you were just curious about the market.
“…’always be living.’ Go out on a limb, try to learn (at least a little) each day, and always grow from your mistakes. Manage your money, be an advocate for yourself and master the ins and outs of being rejected.” Laurie Ruettmann, Betting on You
Putting yourself first when you are miserable at work doesn’t mean quitting unless you can afford that and most people can’t, financially or professionally. Putting yourself first means listening to yourself and learning why things are going wrong and creating a strategy that answers your professional, personal, financial and emotional needs.
If You Feel Stressed at Work:
- Work fewer hours.
- Learn to say no. Set boundaries and schedule times for administrative, creative, and project work and downtime to rest your brain.
- Get up and go outside for lunch.
- Leave work early and exercise.
- Get more sleep.
- Make sure to get your finances in line and save.
- Go to therapy.
- Quit complaining.
When You Resign from a Job:
- Keep your letter short and sweet. Leave out the 13 reasons you hate your job. Tell them you are leaving and the preferred end date.
- Don’t plan your going away party — but if you do make sure to invite EVERYONE, including your boss.
- Be available for an exit interview — Stay positive.
- Avoid gossip — You found a job with broader possibilities. Leave it at that.
- Refer good candidates to your current company until you leave.
“No journey is easy, no path to success is straight forward, and no life exists without heartache and pain. But your job shouldn’t impede your quality of life, either. So, if you hate work and complain about how its broken, ask yourself, ‘What have I done today to put myself first and finally take control of my career?’” Laurie Ruettmann, Betting on You
You deserve to be happy and feel satisfaction in your life. Many of these helpful hints can translate to working at home too. Stay at home parents and homebound people need time to workout, be creative and pamper themselves too. I really feel like a got reminded of a few things I could do to add more balance in my life and make myself more important while feeling more successful by reading this book. Laurie is an accomplished writer and her writing is easy to read, the chapters are short so you can read quickly between tasks, if you don’t have a lot of time to read and the tempo is upbeat and positive. I highly recommend this book and I am happy I read it.
>>Buy your own copy of Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career by Laurie Ruettmann on Amazon
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Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | May 25, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews, Education, Opinions
I bought A Return to Love back when Marianne Williamson was running for president in 2020 but I didn’t get around to reading it until now. I actually think I wasn’t ready to read it until this time in my life and I am really glad I was able to absorb it in this time where I am better able, and trying to forgive more, putting effort into unlearning fear, and learning to love better. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it to a mature reader and a mature Christian or person who is comfortable in their beliefs.
The book I have is actually two books in one: A Return to Love and The Gift of Change, both by Marianne Williamson. There was so much to absorb in A Return to Love that I chose to do two different book reviews. I haven’t read the second book yet but I will do a separate book review for The Gift of Change when I have completed reading that book.
Marianne begins A Return to Love by explaining that she was raised in a Jewish home and has studied many religions. She also set aside her beliefs for some time and now is a Christian. Although her writing leaves room for any higher power, she refers openly to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit as her belief system and some people might be offended by this.
“The spiritual journey is the relinquishment — or unlearning of fear and the acceptance of love back into our hearts. Love is the essential existential fact. It is our ultimate reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life.” Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
Commonly throughout the book Marianne writes that people undervalue what we know to be true in our hearts and overvalue the things our physical senses can see. We do this because love is hard to see because love is an energy that is experienced through kindness, giving, mercy, compassion, peace, joy, acceptance, non-judgement, joining and intimacy. Fear is the opposite of love and gives a false testimony to the meaningless of love. Fear looks like anger, abuse, disease, pain, greed, addiction, selfishness, obsession, corruption, violence and war. Love is threatening to our ego because it is simple.
Concepts Discussed in this Book:
- Love is the only reality.
- Fear is the opposite of love.
- Fear is an alternative reality.…no wonder we all feel crazy…
- Forgiveness transforms fear to love.
- Ego wants to judge.
- Holy Spirit wants to accept people as they are and provides room for compassion.
“The places in our personality where we tend to deviate from love are not our faults, but our wounds.” Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
“Forgiveness is the choice to see people as they are now. When we are angry at people, we are angry because of something they said or did before this moment. But what people said or did is not who they are. Relationships are reborn as we let go of the perceptions of our brother’s pasts. ‘By bringing the past into the present, we create a future just like the past.’ By letting the past go, we make room for miracles.” Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
All negativity comes from fear. Anger, rudeness, manipulation, cruelty all comes from fear. Forgiveness transforms them all. Pain doesn’t come from the love we don’t give others but from the love we choose not to give. So the answer is to ask the Holy Spirit to change our perspective and help us forgive. When we close our heart in response to other people’s choices we hurt ourself but when we remain able to give love we see a miracle.
According to A Return to Love and my personal experience, the world has taught us to fear. This is unnatural to humans because we were created in God’s image and love is the only real emotion. This is what we have to return to — to live in love and let go of fear. When we are feeling angry or annoyed with people we can confess this to the Holy Spirit, who wants to help us, and we will see the help we need, whether it is more compassion or forgiveness, or whatever is needed in the moment.
Steps to Process Change:
- See my dysfunctional patterns
- Confess and ask God to take them
- Commit to change
“Personal growth can be painful because it can make us feel ashamed and humiliated to face our own darkness. But the goal of personal growth is the journey from dark emotional patterns that cause us pain to those that create peace.” Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
When someone hurts use we can blow up at them or we can forgive them. Here is a helpful prayer to repeat until you are not longer angry:
“I forgive you _________________, and I release you to the Holy Spirit.”
This is a simple and very powerful prayer because it acknowledges that you know that God loves you and this person and wants the best for both of you. It also proclaims your trust in the Holy Spirit. I have tried this prayer out on many people and even with forgiving myself with some pretty powerful responses.
“…there is nothing we have been through or seen, or done, that cannot be used to make our lives more valuable now. We can grow from any experience, and we can transcend any experience. This kind of talk is blasphemy to the ego, which respects pain, glorifies pain, worships pain, and creates pain. Pain is its centerpiece. It sees forgiveness as its enemy.” Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
Our only real pleasure will come when we do what God created us to do. We must ask Him to help us be an instrument of His peace and use the abilities He gave us to spread love.
“…as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
Trusting God is like trusting gravity. 2 points to remember:
- God’s plan works
- Mine doesn’t
“It is our humility, our desire to be of service, that makes us stars. Not our arrogance.” Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
We can only receive God’s plan. If we add anything to it we take away the little that was asked of us. We are only to align ourself with God’s plan. He will make it happen. This is a very anti-world mindset. But it can be done.
“Dear God, I surrender this situation to you. May it be used for your purposes. I ask only that my heart be open to give love and to receive love. May all the results unfold according to Your will. Amen.” Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
Another important concept that is talked about in A Return to Love are that we are interrelated but we have forgotten that because our ego supports a mentality where instead of “we” we talk about “my career”, “my money” or “my life.” But we are not separate. This falsely created separateness leads us to mistake where we put our devotion — our stuff instead of our love, relationships and our higher power.
We hear people say to us to feel our feelings, which is important, but they are usually referring to fear, pain, shame, all the negative emotions, but we also need to feel all the positive ones too: love, satisfaction, joy… The ego does not like positive thoughts and works against them but our natural inheritance is to enjoy the good in our lives, especially if it is small. There is nothing wrong with being too happy.
Love is not just sentimental mush on a greeting card. It is a practiced discipline of defying our ego’s voice. It is relying on the Holy Spirit and focusing on the our capacity to love by training our minds to the habits of loving.
Today’s goal is peace. I should have that tattooed somewhere.
Buy your own copy of A Return to Love and The Gift of Change by Marianne Williamson on Amazon
Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | May 11, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews
I have been sick for a long time. I have many chronic illnesses but the one I am praising God for letting me know about is migraines because since I have been treating them, I have got the gift of being able to read back. In the past month I have read 4 books and I am so excited that I finally got to read this book, which was a gift from my friend Sarah. Traveling Light discovers truths shown to us in the 23rd Psalm. I have read more than one book that talks about this Psalm, written by King David, but I really enjoyed this one. Max Lucado took it slow and broke each part of the Psalm down really well.
Along the way, I was reminded of important lessons, but first I want to take a moment and share the 23rd Psalm:
The Lord is my shepherd
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil.
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever. (New King James Version)
In this beautiful Psalm, King David tells us who God is, He is our protector and provider, He wants the best for us, He makes plans for us, He is our Healer, and He has chosen us because that is who He is. He knows we will go through terrifying things but He is always with us because He never leaves us. He is our comforter. He blesses us regardless of others. He protects us from injury to our soul. He gives us everything we need right now. He lets us know we are His.
“God is Yahweh — an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God.” Max Lucado, Traveling Light.
God is who I have always needed because He is the only constant that doesn’t change. Nobody else was able to give that to me, no matter how hard they tried because the earth is unstable, people are messy and life happens — but God who doesn’t have a body can be ever present and has always been present and will always be present was always there to protect and provide the help I needed. I knew that from the moment I met him when I was 5 years old, in my back yard. I was all alone and then I knew I wasn’t alone and I never was again. Was our relationship perfect? No, because I had and have a lot of unlearning to do, but it was and is constant.
“Unfortunately, sheep cannot find safe pasture, nor can they spray insecticide, deal with the frictions, or find food. They need help. They need a shepherd to ‘lead them’ and help them ‘lie down in green pastures.’ Without a shepherd they can’t rest. Without a shepherd, neither can we.” Max Lucado, Traveling Light.
Sheep are stupid and incapable of caring for or protecting themselves. I would never want to be a sheep on earth because I might get a bad or careless shepherd but God is an ever-loving God that never gets tired; with Him as my Shepherd I am proud to be His sheep. He will never lead me in the wrong direction, even when I thought I was hearing Him, but it was actually me, He still made a way to bless me and Himself, because He is a loving Shepherd and Father.
1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at the appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
I love this verse. It really spoke to me. I have probably read it before but I missed it. But I got it this time. We are so worried about how things look. We are so worried about what other’s think about us. You know what? It only matters what God our Shepherd thinks and He knows how to look at our hearts, where He can see everything: the why’s, how’s, when’s…
All of this worry leads to anxiety and anxiety splits our energy between today’s priorities and tomorrow’s problems. The result is half-minded living.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Matthew 6:34
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
It is a waste of time to look to the distant future because God promised a lamp unto our feet, not a crystal ball into the future. We do not need to know the future. We need to trust that God will lead us and provide the grace we need, as we need it. Our shepherd knows what bogs us down and makes us feel lost but He also restores our soul so we can find relief and freedom from stress and anxiety.
While I read this book, I realized I have trapped myself, waiting for something to change in my circumstances for a long time. Don’t get me wrong, God has still been there and protected me, healed me, taught me and loved me, but I let myself feel stuck. Maybe that was part of His plan too. Sometimes God has been known to to shut people down so He can do things in the background…But I am excited to say, “Thank You,” to Him because my circumstance have been exactly what I needed and still are until He decides it is time to tell me to take the next step.
I want to say Thank you to Sarah for this book and if you get the chance to read it, I hope you enjoy Traveling Light as much as I did.
If you want to get your own copy buy Traveling Light by Max Lucado on Amazon.
Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Apr 23, 2022 | Book & Product Reviews, Life, Opinions, Wellness
Love Does is the name of the latest book I read by author, Bob Goff. “That’s one of the things about love. It doesn’t recognize boundaries and never obeys the rules we try to give it,” wrote Goff. All 224 pages of this bright blue book with colorful balloons that don the cover, I think to help us remember to allow some adventure into our every day lives, Bob tells story after story that are meant to remind us that Love Does.
“I think every day God sends us an invitation to live and sometimes we forget to show up or get head-faked into thinking we haven’t really been invited. But you see, we have been invited — every day, all over again.” Bob Goff
Bob is a Christian but he isn’t like a lot of the Christians I have met. He is very laid back. He is very relational. In fact that is his entire motivation, even referring to some of his experiences at bible studies as feeling more like stalking Jesus than getting to know Him. Bob wasn’t trying to put down people who study their bibles he just felt like there had to be more to his relationship than just memorizing words. He wanted to find out how to relate the words to how he lives his life.
“What if we were just to do awesome, incredible stuff together while we’re here on earth and the fact that only He knew would be enough? If we did that, we wouldn’t get confused about who was really making things happen.” Bob Goff
This book reads like a familiar old friend; sometimes it even feels like a safe hug. Bob Goff has not lost his child-likeness and it is refreshing. I can feel it in my heart that he loves freely, like my wife, Karen, so he must be a kindred spirit. It took me a week to read, only because I was too sick to hold the book up for 3 days. As I read this book it felt like parts of me were being dusted off.
Bob reminded me that the religious people don’t get to pick who goes to heaven, God does. It is my job just to love. I don’t have to worry about anything else. I worry a lot. I needed the reminder.
I think about experiences I have had a churches, even experiences I have had at my own hand in where I tried to “overcome satan” for lack of a better term. I always felt slimed later. It wasn’t for me. I am an encourager. I am not a fighter. I love that Bob refuses to capitalize the first letter of his name. We really do give that guy too much attention…I think I learned a lot about who I am in Bob’s few lines about his approach to this fallen angel, who isn’t sorry and never will be:
“When I think about satan, my thoughts go to how Jesus interacted with him in the desert. Jesus spoke with him in just a few seconds and then sent him away…” Bob Goff
Reading good books is a great part of wellness because it helps us see new ways to live. My therapist suggested this book to me over a year ago and I have had it for about that amount of time. I am so glad I took the time to buy it and read it. I needed to hear positive stories from a person that is easy to respect and like. I highly recommend this book to anyone, even if you are not a believer because the book isn’t really about Jesus, although it does talk about Him, it is about the adventures that Bob takes from his childhood through his adulthood and how those adventures and being open to some whimsy can lead to more adventures and places you never thought you would go. Even if that is just into relationships that are more fulfilling than sitting alone.
Buy your own copy of Love Does by Bob Goff on Amazon.com
Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | May 29, 2021 | Book & Product Reviews, Life, Opinions
I read this book yesterday. It only has 64 pages so I drank two cups of green tea with honey, from my friend Heike, to help with my allergies and digested the words in this book.
The depth of the belief in God, or the Great Mystery, as their Higher Power, is enough to leave me speechless and a little envious. The things taken from the Native Americans and added to or adulterated by white man, are too great to fathom and I shed a few tears and asked God to forgive my ancestors. But the loss white people have, and still may cause the people who were here before anyone else for centuries, is not the greatest knowledge I gleaned from this book.
The reverence the Americans spoken of in this book, toward their Creator is mind blowing. The respect for life, ALL LIFE, before they were affected by alcohol and self centered concepts is astounding! Not just humans, animals and our earth, but everything because they believe that the spirit of God is in everything the Creator made and is alive and worthy of respect. Quiet praise is constant toward the Great Mystery.
Last night I regurgitated some of the beliefs and customs of these peaceful people over and over to Karen. We enjoyed talking about these things and even debated about government influences in the world in response to the information shared.
Today as I put together a meat loaf it occurred to me to thank God for the animals who died for our dinner tonight. Then I was thanking God and asking blessing for all the hands that had a job in growing the produce, processing the seasonings, herbs and condiments…and then the people who created the dishes I used, the tools and appliances I have and home I live in, the clothes I wear and the linens we have, the drivers, the clerks and so on.
We are such a blessed people. History cannot be undone or erased but it can be a tool to bring us to repentance and change in ourself. I have no power to change anyone but I can look honestly at myself and bring the less than perfect parts of me before God, or whatever you call your Higher Power, and make a plan to change: the way I think, speak, live and honor all that My God has let me have in order to bring Him glory.
I can only judge myself and blame myself for the behaviors I have let myself act out, but since restoration is His goal in His great love, Jesus has paid for any blame and I am grateful. I am not perfect, but I am going to keep looking inside myself for anything that does not bring Jesus glory and acknowledge His grace and His newness in me as I try to let go of bad habits that hurt His creation and make Him smaller than He actually is in my life.
If you take anything from this writing, please know that there is no condemnation for those in Christ. If you feel defensive, repent and ask your Higher Power to show you how to be better. This message is not meant to make anyone feel bad or guilty but ask you to look to Your Creator and ask how you can be better from this moment forward.
I do not believe in a fire and brimstone god or one who wants me to feel guilt and shame because that is not what Jesus taught. I believe in The Lord that is happy to have made me, live for me, die for me, return to life and show me how to live in peace and love with Him.
With all my heart: God loves you and is happy He made you, no matter who you are, what you have done or what has been done to you and He is the God of reconciliation. Be blessed!
If you want to purchase this book, I bought my copy of The Soul of the Indian by Charles Alexander (Ohiyesa) Eastman on Amazon.
Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 6, 2017 | Book & Product Reviews
Chapter 15: Outward Focused Lives
Apathy: lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern
A version of Christianity that is safe, isolated and dispassionate has created people who are complacent and comfortable and will not be able to bring justice through change.
A missional church is one that moves by God through His people in order to bring healing and restoration.
Jesus did not come tot only save me from hell, but to put me on a mission to be a blessing to others and minister healing and restoration.
Jesus sent us out to all people…
(more…)
by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 3, 2017 | Book & Product Reviews
“One of our great God-given purposes on earth is to right the scales of justice for all.” Palmer Chinches, PhD
JUSTICE IS A TRANSFORMING EXPERIENCE
Spiritual formation is a transformation of the soul
- a change of mind
- a change of emotions
- a change of volition
- a new way of being
Volition: The cognitive act or an instance of making a conscious choice or decision. Primary human psychological function also referred to purposive striving.
(more…)
by Summer D Clemenson | Jan 31, 2017 | Book & Product Reviews
Collective Faith: The Passion for Jesus Notes
Passion for justice is key to spiritual growth and a deepening relationship with Jesus.
We can do all the “right religious” things but if we do not seek justice and love with compassion, then we fall short of the glory of God.
Matthew 19:16-26
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by Summer D Clemenson | Nov 16, 2016 | Book & Product Reviews
CHAPTER 10: PARTICIPATION PROMOTES AUTHENTICITY
Polity: A form of process of civil government or constitution; an organized society
The Grove Church, Arizona
Lead Pastor: Palmer Chinchen
by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 29, 2016 | Book & Product Reviews
Part 2 Authentic Faith: A Longing for Authenticity
Authentic Faith [the 5th step in spiritual maturity] is marked by a deep, genuine connectedness to God.
- Celebrates the vastness of God
- Willingness to explore new ideas and traditions
- Limitless possibilities for life and worship in Him
- Recognize that some worship and attitudes are better left in the past because they could be wrong — this makes room for new
- Recognize some traditions could have become idols — corrupt and in need of correction
- Willingness to accept mystery
- Willingness to accept other people might be right too — inclusion
- More grace, less shame
(more…)
by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 24, 2016 | Book & Product Reviews
YOLO
In dire situations, when we wait for safety, protocol and assessment, nothing happens.
People suffer longer than necessary.
Sometimes people die.
To live with passionate faith is to live with more urgency.
Procrastinators irritate Jesus:
Matthew 16:8
But Jesus being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?”
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by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 12, 2016 | Book & Product Reviews
Chapter 5: WRITE A MILLION WORDS
Lives of remarkable people demand hard work. Great purpose is found by determined, impassioned, relentless effort.
- Do it every day.
- For years.
- With intention.
- Get an expert teacher.
It takes 10,000 hours to reach the top of our field. It takes talent and preparation.
RESOLVE
Whatever you do don’t bury your talent and expect praise.
(more…)
by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 11, 2016 | Book & Product Reviews
PASSION STAGE: THE QUEST FOR PURPOSE
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and hope.
Jeremiah 24:11
Our soul needs a purpose so that we know that the career, relationships or hometown—all with their limits are not the end. We can know that our death is truly just the beginning of an eternity with Christ.
We often think and believe that the “greater” life is elusive and not attainable so we let ourselves stay spiritually immature and make do with what we already have.
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by Summer D Clemenson | Oct 1, 2016 | Book & Product Reviews
The following are notes directly from the context of this book with a mingling of my opinions and thoughts while I processed what I read. It is my interpretation. You may get something totally different out of this book.
CARRY ME HALFWAY
Many of us live spiritually under developed but we were created for a life full of:
- purpose
- authenticity
- justice
Many times we prepare for a task God called us to, yet when we get to the halfway point, we let our fears or the input of others, who might mean well, to stop us. Either way, we should rely one God to empower us to fulfill what we set out to do.
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