REVIEWS
Hi Linda,
I've been wanting to get back to you about your book for some time now. I really enjoyed reading it! I passed it on to my brother, Dan and he told me today he is almost through it. He is also enjoying it. What makes it so interesting is that your parents are like our uncle and aunt and of course you all are our cousins, since our families spent many years as missionaries in India together. What made it a wonderful read was to understand all you did for your parents. It seemed that actions you took were heroic, in that you put a lot into making sure they were together and well taken care of. What a great job you did!! Drawing on all the many different resources to make it happen. Some of it was rather humorous and at other places it was even sad to see what the ageing process does to those we love. Thanks for being so honest and sharing both the good and bad. It made the book authentic.
To those that read it, it is an encouragement to realize that there are great rewards, if we are willing to give of our ourselves to invest in our parents, who have invested so much into us. I believe it is part of the blessing the fifth commandment gives as it says, "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12) The opposite is to do only what we want to do for ourselves and then realize that much of life has been like sand which has fallen through our fingers. You, on the other other hand, now have rich memories of your parents, along with the camaraderie you developed with your siblings. In the process you also helped people with jobs and a place to live for George (I'm not sure I got his name correct), who was also a lonely man until he met you, who provided a family to be with.
Many times parents are put into a home and seldom get the attention they need from their children. I know I'm not as involved with my mother as you were with your parents, but it is something which I'm trying to do with her so she feels loved and cared for. No doubt it is one thing which has helped her to live as long as she has. She'll turn 98 on July 21st and is still in independent living. We believe the Lord directed us to buy this house which is just a few minutes from her apartment. This year of Covid has been especially hard for her. When things got bad, we didn't go over to see her for almost three weeks. But then I decided that Covid or no Covid, I was going to go and spend time with her. She was so lonely! Trying to keep the rules was worse than death itself, so why not breathe in life and give her what she needs. God has made us humans to have social relationships with each other and without it we cease to exist and struggle to find meaning in life. I believe hell will be void of any relationships or contact with others and that is one thing that will make it so terrible. Your book shows how, with some effort, what would be hell can turn into a bit of heaven.
Thanks for writing the book, Linda. It was a fun read!
Your (missionary) cousin,
Mark
P.S. You are welcome to use all or part of this as a review. I don't know how to make a review other than to send it to you in an email.
I've been wanting to get back to you about your book for some time now. I really enjoyed reading it! I passed it on to my brother, Dan and he told me today he is almost through it. He is also enjoying it. What makes it so interesting is that your parents are like our uncle and aunt and of course you all are our cousins, since our families spent many years as missionaries in India together. What made it a wonderful read was to understand all you did for your parents. It seemed that actions you took were heroic, in that you put a lot into making sure they were together and well taken care of. What a great job you did!! Drawing on all the many different resources to make it happen. Some of it was rather humorous and at other places it was even sad to see what the ageing process does to those we love. Thanks for being so honest and sharing both the good and bad. It made the book authentic.
To those that read it, it is an encouragement to realize that there are great rewards, if we are willing to give of our ourselves to invest in our parents, who have invested so much into us. I believe it is part of the blessing the fifth commandment gives as it says, "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12) The opposite is to do only what we want to do for ourselves and then realize that much of life has been like sand which has fallen through our fingers. You, on the other other hand, now have rich memories of your parents, along with the camaraderie you developed with your siblings. In the process you also helped people with jobs and a place to live for George (I'm not sure I got his name correct), who was also a lonely man until he met you, who provided a family to be with.
Many times parents are put into a home and seldom get the attention they need from their children. I know I'm not as involved with my mother as you were with your parents, but it is something which I'm trying to do with her so she feels loved and cared for. No doubt it is one thing which has helped her to live as long as she has. She'll turn 98 on July 21st and is still in independent living. We believe the Lord directed us to buy this house which is just a few minutes from her apartment. This year of Covid has been especially hard for her. When things got bad, we didn't go over to see her for almost three weeks. But then I decided that Covid or no Covid, I was going to go and spend time with her. She was so lonely! Trying to keep the rules was worse than death itself, so why not breathe in life and give her what she needs. God has made us humans to have social relationships with each other and without it we cease to exist and struggle to find meaning in life. I believe hell will be void of any relationships or contact with others and that is one thing that will make it so terrible. Your book shows how, with some effort, what would be hell can turn into a bit of heaven.
Thanks for writing the book, Linda. It was a fun read!
Your (missionary) cousin,
Mark
P.S. You are welcome to use all or part of this as a review. I don't know how to make a review other than to send it to you in an email.