Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Honey For My Heart




There are some books you just know you have to not just read but own. A few weeks ago, Sarah mentioned just such a book in her blog post on "Recent Reads." It is "Honey For A Woman's Heart" by Gladys Hunt.

My daughter discovered books when she was just a little girl. At bedtime, I would sit in bed with her and read aloud all the books I had loved. Those were precious times and continued even after she could read the words all by herself. However, she loved reading on her own too. I still have a mental picture of her curled up on a chair on the front porch, her cat sitting in her lap as she devoured book after book.

She read so many books so quickly, I was hard pressed to keep her supplied. My biggest concern was finding books that would nourish her intellectually and spiritually. A friend recommended "Honey For a Child's Heart" - also by Gladys Hunt.

It was a wonderful resource for good books for all the different age groups. We brought it with us when we went to the library or book store. As the months and years passed the pages were worn and filled with check marks as she read through all the wonderful books. I discovered some that I had somehow missed in my own growing up years. Imagine never having read "Anne of Green Gables"! I was thankful over and over again for Mrs. Hunts' invaluable guide.

My order was in today, and I have "Honey For A Woman's Heart" in my hands right now. I have only had time to browse through it quickly, but it makes my little heart go "pitty-pat" just looking at all the books waiting for me to discover. It is much more than just a list of books though. Mrs. Hunt has written about writing and reading, and it is inspiring. She writes:

"A literary work is part of God's created order. It is written because people have been gifted to write, to sub-create; and when we say, 'What a fine book this is!' we are praising the Creator for making these gifts part of the human experience. We are delighting in the gift of our fellow human beings. We appreciate the beautiful language and the emotion of a poem or narrative passage, and in doing so we proclaim 'This is good!'

I cannot wait to read this book, to make it worn with usage and filled with check marks. I love to read!

Blessings,
Linda