A White Christian’s Response to Looting and Rioting

Hey Everyone.

So this post is about to get real.  There is a good chance that it will offend many of you.  I’m at peace with that.  Change never happens without people being offended and I feel very strongly that change is needed in our country, in our world, and most importantly in our hearts and minds.

There has long been a history in our nation of government/police violence and discrimination towards Black, Hispanic, and Native American peoples.  This has most recently come to light with the killing of George Floyd during which a police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and fifty three seconds while his hands were cuffed behind his back.  For almost three minutes of that time, Mr. Floyd was unresponsive.  Three other officers watched this happen and failed to intervene.  An autopsy revealed that Mr. Floyd died of a heart attack caused by asphyxiation.

This horrific murder has sparked outrage throughout the world.  There have been thousands of Black Lives Matter protests globally to push for systemic change that would bring about true equality.  In The United States, almost every major city and even most small towns have held gatherings to protest police brutality specifically towards black citizens.  Several of these protests have turned violent with protesters clashing with law enforcement causing injuries to person and property alike.

While most white Christians were fairly quick to respond to the death of Mr. Floyd and decry the racism behind it, they have been even quicker and much more vocal to denounce the “looting and rioting” that have occurred.  They talk about how they fully support peaceful protests but don’t condone violence of any form.

So how should Christians, and specifically white Christians, respond to this more violent form of protesting?

First, I think it needs to be said that white Christians have absolutely no context for how Black America feels right now.  For centuries, they have seen their people mistreated, abused, and murdered.  They’ve felt the weight of a system designed to keep them down pressing harder and harder on them.  And every time another black man or woman is murdered, they’re told to protest peacefully, that our thoughts and prayers are with them, that change is coming.  But change never came.  They have constantly cried out for their burden to be lifted just to be continually ignored.  The sadness that has led to frustration that has led to outright rage is something that white America simply cannot understand.  So, as white Christians, we need to be careful about speaking into a situation and an emotion that we simply cannot comprehend.  We don’t know the agony of not being heard.  That cannot be emphasized enough.

Second, some Christians have posted things like, “Jesus was a man of peace, not violence.”  And that’s true, except for when it’s not.  To simple describe Jesus as a man of peace is far too simplistic.  It’s more accurate to say that Jesus was a man of compassion.  Compassion is defined as, “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”  In other words, when He saw something wrong, He needed to change it.  Many times that manifested itself peacefully in the form of physical healing or verbally speaking out.  However, there are times when Jesus was violent.  Actions that people might even call “rioting and looting.”

John 2:13-17 (ESV) describes such a time.

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Matthew 21:12-13 (ESV) describes Him doing it a second time.

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

So there definitely is a biblical precedent for using violence or “rioting and looting” as a means to an end.  The question is however, does this apply to now?

First, examine Jesus’ reason for violence.  People were desecrating the Temple, the dwelling place of God.  This desecration of of the Temple made Jesus so angry that He acted in violence to stop it.  More to the point, they were desecrating the Temple for their own monetary gain.  When Jesus died, the veil in the Temple was torn in two, symbolizing that God’s dwelling was no longer limited to that one physical place.  1 Cor 3:16, 1 Cor 6:19, 2 Cor 6:16, Rom 8:9, Rom 8:11, Gal 4:6, 2 Tim 1:14, among others, say that we are now the dwelling place of God.  Our bodies are now the new Temple.

What we see in our nation now is a desecration of this new Temple.  Our black brothers and sisters are being systemically repressed in almost every way; economically, emotionally, and physically. This desecration of the Temple should invoke in us a similar response to that of Jesus.  We should be filled with the same type of holy rage that filled Jesus.  If we see that peaceful protesting is still resulting in the the outright violation of the Imago Dei to which we so fervently hold, we should act more decisively until the desecration stops.

So, what am I saying?  Am I saying to intentionally go out with the intention of looting and rioting?  Not necessarily.  I am simply saying that the desecration of the Temple (the repression, abuse, and murder of our black brothers and sisters) should outrage us immensely more than the loss of property caused by looting and rioting.  Jesus, as I said before, was a man of compassion.  By definition, the end result of compassion is a desire to alleviate the suffering/fix the problem.  I know that it is uncomfortable to think of Him in this way, but it’s true.  There is a verse in the Bible that is oft overlooked because, to be honest, most people don’t know what exactly to do with it.

In Luke 22, Jesus was talking to His disciples during what is known as “The Last Supper.”  He was giving them instructions for what to do after He was gone.  He said, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack.  And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.  For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’  For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”  And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

Is Jesus telling us in this to go out an buy guns?  No, He’s simply calling us to action.  He’s saying that there are some things that will require drastic action.  That is what a Christian response should be in the face of such utter disregard for human life.

 

 

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to read this post.  I know that it covers an extremely uncomfortable and controversial topic.  If you are offended by it, I humbly ask that you ask yourself two questions.  First, why specifically are you offended?  Second, which offended you more, the death of George Floyd and the disregard for black lives or the destruction of property caused by the rioting?  Thank you and God bless.

Does God only Love Us, or Does He Actually Like Us Too?

Lately, I’ve been reading through a book called Grace Walk by Steve McVey.  So far, it’s been a great journey and helping me through a lot of self-worth and self-esteem issues that I struggle with in my life.  In the opening chapter, McVey says this about how he used to feel about God’s feelings towards him, “I knew that He always loved me, but felt that He probably didn’t like me…”(McVey, 2005).

Gosh did that ring true with me.  I felt the weight of that statement very deeply in my soul and took a long while to process it.  So, the question remains, does God just love us, or does He actually like us too.?

I think that this question arises initially from a distorted view of what God’s love is.

This perspective of God’s love paints Him as a disapproving disgruntled parent who obligingly is forced to love His children because it’s in His nature. It’s as if He has no choice but to love us and if it were up to Him, He wouldn’t. He just loves us because He has to. This view shows a God who seems to be constantly disappointed in His children and puts up with them out of pure duty.

The truth is radically different as McVey points out late in the book. God loves us AND likes us.  Psalm 16:3 says, “As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.” Psalm 149:4 says, “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people.”  God doesn’t love us obligingly.  He not only loves us, He takes pleasure in us and delights in us.

Just go back to the beginning of the world. When God looked out over His creation, “He saw ALL that He had made, and behold, it was very good.”  That “all” includes every single person ever born. Later, the Psalmist says in Psalm 104:31, “Let the Lord be glad in His works.” God didn’t make a mistake when He created us. He still looks at His creation and says, “It is very good.”  That includes each and every human on the earth. We are all His creation and not only does He love us (by choice mind you, not by obligation), He actually likes us as well. In His eyes, we are his delight, His pleasure, and we are very good.  That thought, to me, is so encouraging, uplifting, and fulfilling.

 

I hope you’re encouraged by that thought as well.  This is the first part of a series that I’m doing on love stories from the Bible.  If you want to follow the blog and get a notification whenever I post something new, simply click on the pop-up in the lower right hand corner.

 

McVey, Steve. Grace Walk. Harvest House Publishers, 2005.

The Cattle and the Food Shortage

Again, I know that it’s several days after Christmas, but I wanted to share a few more thoughts about the Christmas story and how it relates to us.  Today, I wanted to focus on the cattle in the Christmas story.

“Then they wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.”

 

The cattle are a very overlooked character in the Christmas story. Luke 2 says that after Jesus was born, that they laid him in a manger to sleep since there was no room for them to sleep anywhere. Although you’re probably all aware, a manger is where an animal’s owner would place its food. Most people probably assume that this manger was already full of hay for the animals to eat so it made a decently soft bed for Jesus to sleep on.  

I want to focus on the cattle this week because, although this might be going a little far, they had to give up their food in order to give Jesus a place to sleep. If Jesus is sleeping on their hay and in their “food bowl,” then they can’t eat it. They sacrificed their own physical needs in order to provide a physical need for someone else.

Just like the homelessness I talked about last time, hunger is a huge problem in the United States. According to Feeding America, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating hunger and poverty in America, over 37 million Americans are currently considered “food insecure.” * Of those 37 million, over 11 million were children (feedingamerica.org).  

You may think that these statistics only apply to big cities with big city problems.  However, the food insecurity rate in Medina County, according to The Akron Canton Regional Foodbank, sits at 9.7%. That means that here in Medina County, one out of every 10 persons has limited or uncertain access to enough nutritional food to support a healthy lifestyle. That percentage, when translated to a hard number, is 17,060 individuals who are food insecure here in our own community. 6,560 of those individuals are children who do not have the means to support themselves at all (akroncantonfoodbank.org).

It’s hard to imagine being food insecure if you’ve never been food insecure before. If 9.7% of Medina County is food insecure, it means that 90.3% is not. So the vast majority of us don’t know what it feels like to be unsure of where our next meal is coming from or if it is coming at all.  

So this Christmas, as we focus on the cattle in the story of the birth of Christ, try to put yourselves into the shoes of someone who struggles with hunger. So much around the holidays is focused on food. And don’t hear this wrong. Food is good. God gave us food to enjoy as well as provide nourishment. However, I would ask that as you try to empathize with being hungry, that you would consider a non-profit or food bank that helps alleviate it. There is so much good that you can do.

 

* Being food insecure is defined as a household that has limited or uncertain access to enough food to support a healthy life.

“Facts About Hunger and Poverty in America.” Feeding America, Feeding America, https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/facts.

“Hunger in Medina County.” Akron Canton Foodbank, Akron Canton Foodbank, 3 May 2018, https://www.akroncantonfoodbank.org/hunger-medina-county.

 

 

Article originally posted on Northside Christian Church’s website.  For the full article and to find out more about how Northside helps to alleviate its community’s hunger problem, head to http://www.northsideweb.org/assistance or just click here

Journey To Bethlehem – Homelessness

So, I know that today is actually December 26th, but I wanted to post a couple thoughts I had on the Christmas story and how it relates to life for us today.  So, here’s my first thought based on Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem and the struggles they encountered there.

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Luke 2:1-7 English Standard Version

 

Imagine being Joseph in this scenario. You’ve just left your home in Nazareth with your very pregnant wife and journeyed at a minimum 4 days and 70ish miles to get to Bethlehem. As the man of the family during that time, your role is as the protector and provider for your family.  However, upon arrival in Bethlehem, you find that you are unable to provide for your wife and unborn child and may have a very hard time protecting them as well if you are forced to stay on the street. Imagine the panic and anxiety there, the feeling of utter helplessness in having no place to stay.

 

Or imagine being Mary. You’ve spent the past nine months praying over your child. You’ve been worrying about and making preparations for his birth. You want everything to be perfect. You feel an overwhelming feeling of need to protect and care for your child. All that to find that you have no place to stay upon arriving in Bethlehem, the likely place that you will give birth to your child.  The clean home that you prepared for your child to spend the first days of his life is sitting useless and unused 70 miles away. You have no idea where or how your child is going to be born or cared for. Again, imagine the feeling of utter helplessness in having no place to stay.  

 

Homelessness is one of the saddest and most despairing states of life to be in. There is no certainty, no stability, and no feeling of safety and security that can be found within a place of refuge called home. It is disheartening and, to be completely honest, even dehumanizing. And, although the United States ranks second worldwide in wealth per capita, according to data obtained in January 2018, there are over 550,000 homeless persons in our country. Of those, almost 200,000 were unsheltered, meaning that they literally lived with no roof over their head at night…in January. Specifically in Ohio, in the year 2018, there were over 10,000 persons who experienced chronic homelessness and over 29,000 public school students who were homeless at some point.  (Data from United States Interagency Council on Homelessness). These are just a few of the startling statistics that show one very alarming thing. Homelessness is a big problem even here in the United States.  

 

It’s an easy thing to sit back and pass judgement on someone who is homeless. Some people make comments saying things like if someone is homeless in the United States it’s his or her own fault, that there are plenty of fast food jobs or other jobs available, that there’s no such thing as real poverty in the United States if you compare it to other countries. However, as Christians, our job is not to analyze how or why someone is in the position of need that he or she is in. Our job is not to compare one person’s poverty in one country to another person’s poverty in another.  Our job is to see a person in need and care for that person in need. When the Bible commands us to give to those in need or care for those in need, there is never any addendum or addition to the command. We are simply to care for those in need.

 

This holiday season, as we reflect on the Christmas story and the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, we focus on Joseph and Mary’s homelessness. The fact is that someone took them in and gave them at least some place to stay. We are called to do the same. We encourage you to prayerfully consider researching ways to give from your own blessings to care for the homeless in our communities.

 

Article was originally posted in full on Northside Christian Church’s Webstie http://www.northsideweb.org/blog.  Head  here to read it in its entirety.  Merry Christmas.

 

Finding God in the Fall – Part Two: Rest and Rhythm

Rhythm is such an important part of our lives.  Almost everyone’s lives eventually fall into some kind of rhythm.  We generally wake up at a certain time, eat lunch and dinner at a certain time, and have some sort of routine we do before bed.  Even week to week our lives generally have rhythm.  We work five days (most of us) and then have Saturday and Sunday off and back to work Monday.  For children, this is even more ingrained with their daily school schedules.

On the outside, this constant predictable rhythm can seem mundane and banal.   However, I believe that it is also comforting and reassuring to have that rhythm.  I think that living our lives in a rhythm is very important.  It’s one of the reasons that working night shift or working a changing work schedule is so difficult.  Our minds and bodies never get set into the kind of relaxing rhythm we need.

That’s kind of the problem with summer.  Don’t get me wrong.  Summer is my favorite time of year.  I love the heat, the sunshine, the long days, everything.  However, summer also has a way of throwing us off our rhythm. For many people, summer is a time of constant movement.

Life picks up speed in the summer and the rhythm of life that we found over the last 8 months is completely thrown off.  There are always things to do and places to go. There are family reunions, weddings, vacations (that always seem to be more tiring that relaxing), and graduation parties. There is grass to mow, hedges to trim, and flowerbeds to keep.  The kids are playing three sports at the same time while also doing the summer reading program at the library and taking swim lessons.  Friends come to visit.  We stay up late for fireworks.  Our rhythm is completely thrown off in the constant busyness.

Fall is a time to slow down.  The work and busyness of summer is over.  Life goes back to a steady rhythm. Although this can seem monotonous, it can also be peaceful.  Our lives need rhythm and consistency.  Within that rhythm and consistency, we can plan for more meaningful time spent with God.   We know exactly when we need to wake up and can plan on doing that a little bit earlier to center our day on God before we start.  We know when we need to go to sleep so we can pause to reflect on the day a little bit before that and refocus on God.  This rhythm, rest, and consistency enables us to better center our lives and perspective on our relationship with our God.  Connection with God in the fall continues with focusing on rhythm and rest.

With that refocus on God, I find that a lot of the depression, anxiety, and all around malaise of life kind of disappears.  Refocusing on something and someone bigger than myself reminds me that my problems are not as big as they seem and that there is always someone caring about me.  I can find this through finding God in the fall.

 

This is part two of a three part series.  If you would like to get an email letting you know when I post the third part and new series, just click on the link in the lower right corner of your screen to subscribe.  Thanks for reading.

Finding God in the Fall – Part One

If I’m being completely open and honest, I’ve always struggled in the fall.  Depression hits pretty hard for me starting about middle of October and then comes and goes until April-ish.  It’s a tricky thing for me.  For those of you who know me, I’m a person of faith.  I rely pretty heavily on my relationship with God to get me through difficult times.  However, the funny thing is that as my depression gets bigger and closer, God seems to get smaller and farther away.  So it’s a downward spiral generally.  The weather turns, I get depressed, then I lose my connection with God, and it makes me more depressed.

So, this year, I decided to try to shift my perspective on the fall.  Usually, I see fall as a time of death and decay as plants are going dormant for winter.  I see fall as a time when the vivid colors of spring and summer morph and fade into dull browns and grays.  The fun filled activities of summer lull into a slow drawn-out trudging monotony.  However, over the next three posts, I’m going to show how to shift perspective to redeem all these things and to use them to keep my connection with God.

Let’s start with the first, death and decay.  It’s true.  During the fall, many plants die.  The beautiful flowers that are planted in the spring whither and die, the vibrant green grass goes dormant into a grayish brown, and the trees stand lifelessly still.

However, I think the way to change perspective on this issue is to look at fall not as a season of death and decay, but also as a season of harvest.  Yes it is true that plants are dying, but that death is part of the harvest.  It is the completion of what was begun in the spring with the planting.

We can connect with God through this by remembering that He is a god of completion.  God finishes what He starts. This is true in plants but it is also true in us.  Every one of us was put on Earth for a reason.  We are not accidents.  We have purpose for being here and God will bring about that purpose in our lives.  He is going to finish what He started in our lives.  Focusing on that and dwelling on the harvest is the first way that I am shifting my perspective this year.  God is not a god of death and decay.  He is a god of harvest and completion.  I choose to trust in that.

As always, thank you for reading.  If you want to receive and email notification whenever I post something new, click on the “follow” tab in the lower right hand corner of your screen.  Tune in next week for the continuation of how to shift focus in the fall.

 

(This is an abridged version of a piece that I wrote for my church, Northside Christian Church’s, website.  If you want to read the original piece, head to www.northsideweb.org/blog)

 

You Have A Voice. Use It

Hey Everyone,

So, first of all.  I realize it has been a very long time since I last wrote a piece on my own blog.  There are several reasons for this.  First, I’ve been struggling through some issues in my life dealing with anxiety and depression and just the all around manic pace at which my life happens.  Seconds, I’ve begun doing some freelance writing for other blogs.  It’s been super challenging but fun and interesting at the same time.  Last, I’ve actually been doing something that has been exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.  I’ve been working on self-publishing my own book.

I can proudly say that as of about a week ago.  My book is live on Amazon.com to purchase.  Shameless plug, you can get it for 9.99.  Head to Amazon.com and either search for my name, Erik Steidl, or for the book, The First Ostrich to Fly.  If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might have read a poem I wrote a while ago called What is No One Ever Told the Ostrich.  If you want to go back to read the poem again, the link is here . The book that I wrote is based on that poem.

So, you might wonder how publishing a book can be terrifying.  I mean, all in all it’s kind of simple.  You write it, edit it, add illustrations (if it is a picture book), and upload it to Amazon.  Then people can buy it.  However, it truly is terrifying for someone like me.  Publishing a book is putting yourself out there.  A lot of emotion and feeling goes into a book and by publishing it, you’re exposing those emotions and feelings to the world.  For an introverted person, that is a very daunting thing to do.

However, I want this post to be an encouragement to you out there if you are like me and you like to keep things close to the vest and safe.  If you have something, an idea, a book, a poem, etc. in your head that you feel would benefit people, then put it out there.  You have a voice and you’ve been given that voice for a reason.  Someone out there needs to hear what you have to say.

I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts and books by an author named Rob Bell recently.  He is a Christian author and one of the things that he says a lot is that “God is constantly looking for people to join Him in the ongoing creation of the world.”  That is something that I have taken to heart.  Bell talks about how the world is still being created, that we have an opportunity to help shape this ever evolving world into how we want it to look and feel.  We all have voices and we all have passions.  If you see something in the world that you think needs changing, voice that.  If you just want to add positivity into the world, do it!

Like I said, I realize that this can be frightening.  For me, it was terrifying.  I constantly second guessed myself as I went through the process of self-publishing.  Thoughts kept jumping into my head telling me that my book was stupid, that I was dumb for thinking that it was actually something people would want to read.  However, after about a week of having my book out there, the response has been so positive.  The number of people who have reached out to me telling me how much they loved the book has been truly overwhelming.  I think that the same will be true for you as well.  People need to hear what you have to say.  Your words, thoughts, and voice have worth and value.  You have a voice.  Use it.

 

Kid Lit Book Review – Tina Says Opportunity by GL Wolfgang

Teachers and parents especially, the latest book that I had the pleasure of reviewing is tailor made for you.  Tina Says Opportunity, by GL Wolfgang, illustrated by Lillian Kirk, is a book that is chock full of second tier vocabulary, higher order thinking questions, and character building stories.

Overview

Tina Says Opportunity is the title of the entire book, but a book that is really a collection of five shorter stories.  Each of the stories focuses on a specific word.  Those words are opportunity, implement, Persevere, Sagacious, and Gratification.  Each of these focus words has a short, 10ish page story that teaches what that word means.  The stories are based on real life children in real life situations.  The children are guided by a female mentor type character named Tina who explains each word she uses throughout the situation the children are in.

Outstanding Points

As a teacher and parent, I love this book.  Each of the focus words is a second or third tier vocabulary word. (I mean, who has ever heard the word sagacious before?…I would have thought it was a species of tree or something).  That word, throughout the story, is clearly defined with a real life usage of that word played out with the characters.  I appreciate that the stories themselves are usually only about ten pages long.  It sets up very nicely for a discussion or free writing time afterwards.

Speaking of discussion (no pun intended…well that’s not true…kind of pun intended) each story comes with a page that has higher order thinking questions included.  the questions are divided into three categories; Applying, Analyzing, and Abstracting.  Applying is the lowest order thinking, Analyzing the next, and Abstracting the highest.  I absolutely love this part of the book.  Maybe it’s the former teacher in me, but I think that this part of it is just great.  I included the question page from the first book, based on the word, “opportunity.” I really liked the illustrations in the book.  They were not extremely life like but I did not feel that detracted from the book at all.  I don’t think they were intended to be perfectly life like and realistic.  When children read books, they don’t really care if the pictures look exactly like the real thing.  If they did, authors like Eric Carle would not be successful.  The point is that the pictures engage the children and fit the manuscript.  I believe that these illustrations, by Lillian Kirk, do both of those things very well. They are done in a sort of pastel medium that I found to be perfect for the book.  I included two pages from the books as examples.

Another thing I really liked about the books was that they were all done completely in dialogue.  There is no narration of the story, simply illustrations and dialogue.  It is a very unique approach to story telling that I really enjoyed.

Teaching and Discussion Points

Obviously, this book is set up for teaching and discussion.  It literally has teaching/discussion questions included in the book.  I would add a couple ideas if I was teaching and using this book in my classroom.  First, as I said earlier, each book is focused on a specific second or third tier vocabulary word.  If I was teaching, I would make a sort of word web of each word with synonyms and antonyms.  Then, I would use that to discuss subtle differences in both the denotation, and connotation of each word.  For example, sagacious, wise, smart, discerning, and intelligent are all relatively synonymous.  However, each are somewhat different as well.  How is being intelligent different from being wise?  Are there different ways to be intelligent or smart?  Questions like those take the vocabulary introduced in these books to an entirely new level.  After all, vocabulary is one of the five components of literacy.

 

As I said before, I absolutely love this book.  It is especially good for teachers and parents of young children.

 

Mr. Wolfgang was also kind enough to participate in an author interview to accompany the book.  Please keep reading to hear what he has to say about his own book and some other things.

ES – Hi! First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to do this.  I really enjoy the author interview portion of my blog. Each other I’ve worked with has just been so unique and extraordinary in his or her own way.  Each one has a different motivation for writing in general and for specifically writing the book(s) that he or she has written.

ES – So let’s start with that.  As a former teacher, I absolutely love the Tina Says Opportunity series because first it is incorporating second and third tier vocabulary for younger readers and then also incorporating deeper level thinking questions into the books themselves.  What is your motivation/inspiration for writing? Are you coming at it from a teaching perspective?

GLW – Unfortunately for me I did not  have a discerning guidance as a child, and as I learn and understand I am driven to share. This is why I started with “Opportunity”. I want to instill the recognition of all the possibilities we have, and understand how to accomplish and experience the gratification of success. I did this as a  children’s book series because I want to instill this at a young age to create a fulfilling life and not have missed opportunities.

I always share, I feel I missed my calling to become a teacher. I knew this upon graduating high school, yet I did not pursue this awareness (missed opportunity). This feeling has never left me.

My illustrator is a teacher and her influence have enhanced this project with a teaching  perspective.

ES – I went to your website, endlessendeavorllc.com and love it.  Can you simply tell me what it’s all about? Why the name endless endeavor?

GLW – Our endeavor is to share and create opportunity, this will never end; thus the company name Endless Endeavor.

ES – When I was a teacher, I actually had several students named Imani?  Are Imani, Leon, and Tina based on real people from your own life?

GLW – Yes, in an accumulated sense. Each character has multiple influences.

ES – The writing style of the book is very interesting and unique as it is completely done in dialogue between the characters.  Why did you choose to do the book like that?

GLW – I believe our greatest asset is our ability to communicate, words are the essence of communication. Leaving the rest up to the imagination allows our audience to be creative.

ES – Can you tell me a little bit more about your writing process?  What does it look like for you? How long does the manuscript take you from first draft to final copy ready for illustration and publication?

GLW – I start with ideas, many of them coming from my journaling. Words are very important to me. As I write, I use the thesaurus to search to find the right word to convey the thought or feeling that I am trying to share, sometimes it is a slow process, sometimes it will flows quickly.

With this particular series, the concept came to me about five years ago, with having to maintain my present occupation progress was challenging. We have five more series planned. I expect we should be able to complete this in less time.

ES – Who is your illustrator and how did you two connect

GLW – Lillian Kirk is my illustrator and orgatrator, her husband is a friend of a friend of my sons. She is a wonderful addition to this endeavor. She is now my partner in the Company.

This is one of my locutions:

“I will not say I cannot do this without you, I will say with you I can”

Lilly has been the fruition of these stories.

ES – How can people get ahold of your books and/or follow you on twitter, facebook, instagram, etc.?

GLW – We do have accounts on these all mediums as well as our website. http://www.endlessendeavorllc.com

 

 

As always, thank you so much for reading.  If you enjoyed this and would like to receive an email notification whenever I post something new, simply click on the link in the lower right hand corner of the screen to follow the blog.

 

 

Kid Lit Book Review – Paw Elementary: Roxy’s Adventure to the School Dentist by Katie Melko

Ever been scared to do something for the first time…especially if that thing is going to the dentist?  Heck, some adults (myself included) still get nervous going to the dentist.  That fear, and overcoming that fear, is the theme of the book, Paw Elementary: Roxy’s Adventure to the School Dentist by Katie Melko.

Overview

This book is a fun and fanciful read about a dog, Roxy, who is afraid to go to the dentist.  Her brother, Mason, does not help matters by teasing her about how awful it will be.  After worrying about it all week and trying to find excuses to skip out on the dentist, the day finally comes and Roxy finds out that there was never really anything to be afraid of in the first place.

Outstanding Points

The first thing that I noticed was that all the characters in the book had traditional “pet” names.  There was names like Roxy, Mason, Jasmine, and Harley. (No offense intended for any humans who happen to also have those names).  I thought that those names helped bridge the gap of making personification truly believable.

The illustrations were also very well done.  The book is visually pleasing with the illustrations being full and engaging without looking cluttered.  The characters are believable and expressive.

The plot is just long enough to fill the book without feeling likes it’s banal and overbearing.  I think that children will relate to each situation that Roxy is in and in turn engage with the book and story.

Discussion and Teaching Points

This book is perfect for all sorts of discussion and teaching points.

First, the message that is so obvious to adults is something that makes for good conversation points with children.  Parents/guardians who may be sending their children to school for the first time can talk about how Roxy was scared but there was really no reason to be afraid at all.  Parents/guardians who are encouraging their children to try something new can talk about how new things can be really positive if you can overcome the initial fear of things.

From a teaching standpoint, there are so many fun cross curricular  connections you can make.

In social studies, you could incorporate this book into something like Ruby Bridges.  Talk about how if we’re scared, like Roxy, of doing small things like going to the dentist, imagine how much more courage it took for her to do what she did.  Have students talk about some times in life when they’ve been scared to try something new and how those things turned out when they finally tried them.

TEETH! Lots of things have teeth!  My mind is literally exploding with all the science lessons you could teach on different animal teeth.  Talk about how each animal’s teeth coincide with their diet.  Incorporate the key words herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore.  After studying several examples, you could show just the animals’ teeth and have them first guess the animals’ diets, and then try to guess which animal each set of teeth belongs to.

Overall, I found this book to be really delightful.  I enjoyed it from start to finish.  It’S a great book for children from probably 3 until 7.

The author, Katie Melko, was kind enough to take the time to do an interview with me about her book.  Please keep reading.

Hi Katie!  First, thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview as part of the book review process.  I think that it adds so much to the book to be able to hear some of the things that the author has to say about his/her own book.  

ES – So first, let’s just talk about your book.  Tell us the story behind the story. Where, when, and how did you get the idea/inspiration for a story about a dog who is scared to go to the dentist for the first time?  I assume it probably has something to do with your profession as a dental hygienist?

KM –  Yes, so I’ve worked in public health as an RDH for 10 years, treating children in schools, churchs, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters. The inspiration for the story came from those children that I treated and seeing how scared they were. I wrote this book almost three years ago now and put it away and didn’t take it back out until September of 2017, when my dog Roxy passed away. It was then that I decided to honor her life forever by keeping her alive in pages of children’s books for all to share.

ES – How long was the writing/editing process for you?  From the day you finished the first draft to the day the book launched officially, how long?

KM – Well, from the time I took it back out after it sat for over a year. I took a little over a year from that moment to getting the first print in my hand. I had to really push myself to believe in the journey and step out of my comfort zone to do this project.

ES – What does the writing process look like for you?  Do you bring in other people in the editing process or just step away from the book for a couple days then come back and reread it with fresh eyes to see what needs tweaked?

KM – So I write the story, let it sit for a week or so, reread it and tweak. Then repeat probably two more times before sending it to an editor.

ES – One thing that I loved was that all the characters in the book had names that would be considered good “pet names.”  Roxy, Harley, Jasmine, Luna, etc. Where did those come from/

KM – All of the pet names in the book, are actual pets in my life. Roxy, Noel and Mason are my dogs. Luna is my brothers. Jasmine was my family dog growing up. Harley was my aunts dog. Astoria is my cousins cat. They all have a meaning in my real life.

ES – So, your bio says that you also founded a publishing company, 12 Paws Publishing.  Can you tell me more about that?

KM –  I started 12 Paws Publishing, LLC in December of 2018. I wanted to build a business for my self published work. The name came from my three dogs (12 paws) and the logo looks like a yellow labrador (just like my rescue pups).

ES – Can you tell me a little about the process of finding your illustrator.  Who is she? How did you find her?

KM – Roksana Oslizio is my illustrator and see lives in England! I found her on a facebook group for children’s authors and illustrators and fell in LOVE with her work!

ES – Has it been difficult working with someone who lives on a different continent?  How have you been able to work through those obstacles?

KM – It has honestly been very easy, she is super quick with responding, we communicate via facebook messenger and dropbox! She is an absolutely pleasure to work with and love her work!

ES –  From the outside, it seems as if you have about a hundred different things you do in life right now? Does that ever get exhausting/

KM – I’m very busy, yes! But I love it, and by doing so many different things, I have finally found my passion which is public health dental and creative writing!

ES – Do you ever picture yourself stepping away from the dental hygiene profession and being a full-time author?

KM – This is my big dream, I would love to do this in the future! The main reason I work so hard, I also started writing romance novels! My first one will be out soon hopefully!

ES – Your website says that there is a second book in the works.  Can you tell me a little bit more about that?

KM – Yes! Paw Elementary: Roxy’s Adventure to the Hair Salon

The book walks you through Roxy’s fear of getting her hair trimmed for the first time. She talks to her friends and family about getting her hair trimmed at Honey Bear’s birthday party and why she is just so scared!

ES – Where can people find you, your books, etc.?  Do you have a Twitter, IG, or FB page?

KM – People can purchase my book on my website www.12pawspub.com/shop and follow me on IG, Twitter, FaceBook, and Pinterest @12pawspubllc

The kindle or e-book version is also available on https://www.amazon.com/Paw-Elementary-Adventure-School-Dentist-ebook/dp/B07NFC7C43/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1_sspa?crid=2Z2LNA3TYXAXL&keywords=paw+elementary+roxy+adventure&qid=1557931790&s=gateway&sprefix=paw+elementary+rox%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-1-fkmrnull-spons&psc=1

Kid Lit Book Review – A Prince, a Giant Peacock and the Gold Ring by E.K. Bowhall

In the words of the author, A Prince, a Giant Peacock and the Gold Ring “is a story that tells how important family is, and how different we all are. To be royal not by blood, but in our hearts, is a beauty that can go beyond what we can see in each other and ourselves. How one so true can break any spell and overcome any obstacle in one’s life.”

Overview

One of my goals when I review books is to simply connect readers with books.  That means matching the right books with the right readers.  The last book I reviewed, I May Fly was a book geared for very young readers.  A Prince, a Giant Peacock and the Gold Ring is almost exactly the opposite.  It is geared for an middle to older elementary age, say 2nd-4th grade.  Whereas I May Fly was a very short book both in title and in word count, A Prince, a Giant Peacock and the Gold Ring is a much longer book both in title and in word count.  I didn’t take the time to count them, but I estimate it to be roughly 2,000-2,500 words.  It is told as a classic fairy tale with the plot occurring over several years and involving quests, enchantments, sorceresses, true love, and magical creatures.  There are many motifs of the classic fairy tale incorporated into both the plot and the illustrations, done by Valeria Leonova.

Outstanding Points

With a book as long as this one, it can be difficult to keep the overall tone of the wording and dialogue consistent.  However, I would say that Bowhall definitely keeps a consistent voice throughout the entire book.  I also truly enjoyed that overall the book is stylistically consistent.  Leonova did an excellent job with the fairy tale motif.  The pages are all ornately decorated with hand drawn roses as borders and the pages themselves are made to look as if they are aged and yellowed/browned paper.  The illustrations are vibrant and full with a “Legend of Zelda” feel.  Even the font of the writing is consistent with the fairy tale motif.

The plot itself is compelling if it is a little slow developing.  There are several plot twists toward the end of the story that, although are probably a predictable for adults reading it, are fun and exciting for children. I found as I read it to my children that they stayed relatively engaged in the story.  The younger two probably more so for the illustrations but the older one with the story itself.

Discussion and Teaching Points

One great discussion point that I saw is with the topic/theme of love.  I think that this topic is very important for children, especially in the later elementary years as they are about to get those hormones and start pursuing relationships.  I really liked that in this fairy tale, it wasn’t love at first sight, or the damsel in distress running off with her rescuer that she just met. (As a matter of fact, Alexandra rescues the prince the first time they meet).  Prince Thomas and Alexandra develop their friendship and relationship over a long time before they realize that they are in love.  I also really like that her family is involved in their friendship from the very beginning.  I think that discussing how important it is to build true friendships and not just jump into romantic relationships is important for older children about to proceed into adolescence.  Call me crazy if you want.

Another important discussion is about the values that both of them see in each other and what the King valued in the Queen.  In neither relationship is physical beauty seen as the most important factor.  Throughout the story, character qualities such as kindness, honesty, and goodness are portrayed as much more important than appearance.

As far as teaching goes, obviously this book fits into any unit on fairy tales.  A great lesson idea would be comparing this modern fairy tale with one writing a long time ago.  What themes are consistent?  What are different?  Use Venn diagrams, etc.

Elizabeth was kind enough with her time to do an author interview with me.  This is one of my favorite parts of the whole book review process as I get to hear from different authors.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

ES – So, let’s start with your book.  Say you’re in a conversation with someone and you mention that you’re a published children’s book author and she replies, “Oh wow! What is your book about?”  How would you answer her?

EB – I try to tell them as much as I can without giving the story away. It’s about a young prince whose father, the king, sets out on a quest. While his father is away, the prince meets a giant peacock who talks and wears this gold ring. As years goes by, he becomes good friends with the giant peacock but his father, the king, does not return. I tell them this is a fairy tale with a little mystery.

ES – Is” A Prince, A Giant Peacock, and Gold Ring your first children’s book?

EB – Yes, but I have another in the works.

ES – I find that every author has a different story behind the inspiration for his or her story.  What is the inspiration behind yours? When and how did you think of it?

EB – My inspiration came from when I was telling stories while trying to put a few kids to sleep for nap time at the daycare where I work. I asked the two kids to help me start the story. Once upon a time there was a prince, and he lived in a…. jokingly, I said, “cave” and the two laughed and said, “a castle.” I remember their faces. It was funny. Then as I added on I said, “One day the prince meet a fish?” as another joke and the one child laughed and said, “no a bird.” So I asked her what type of a bird and she said, “a Big Peacock.”  And well, the rest just came to me. When they fell asleep, I knew I had something. So I took notes, made a few changes, and when I got home, I wrote the story down. The two kids became characters in my story. 

ES – Your illustrator, Valeria Leonova, is Ukrainian.  How did you find her? What has it been like working with someone halfway across the world?  Where there any specific challenges associated with that? If so, how did you overcome them?

EB – I found Valeria on Facebook. It’s been great working with Valeria, a lot like having a pen pal. We have become great friends. With the help of Facebook and video chat we were able to work through any challenges.

ES – Your book reads as a classic fairy tale with magic, sorceresses, enchanted rings, etc.  Many times, there is a lot of symbolism with fairy tales. Is there any symbolism in your book?  What is it?

EB – Roses. The young girl Alexandra loves roses as did the queen. Alexandra is a big key to the story.

ES – What is life like as an author?  Have you done any book readings, book fairs, etc.?

EB – It’s exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. You get this feeling of “Wow I did it”, and at the same time “Is it good enough? Will people like it?”  

I had my book launch at Old Chatham Child Care, where I have worked for 7 years now. I have a few more book signings coming up later this summer.

ES – Do you have anything else in the works?  What’s coming next from the mind of Elizabeth Bowhall?

EB – Yes, I am working on another children’s story, a short chapter book, and a novel that I have been working on for a few years now. At first I had a case of writer’s block but writing my first children’s book has helped me unblock.

 

 

Again, thanks so much to Elizabeth for taking the time to do this.  She actually sent me a book in person and autographed it for my kids.  It was so kind of her.  If this book seems to be your cup of tea you can purchase it off of Amazon HERE

As always, thanks for reading.  I hope you enjoyed it.  If you would like to follow the blog and get email updates whenever I post a new book review, poem, or recipe, please click on the link in the lower right corner of the page.  Thanks again and happy reading.