Monthly Archives: February 2009

Perfect Gifts

By Nancy Farrier

I’ve been thinking a lot about gifts lately. What did I do with the presents I received for Christmas? What did others do with the gifts I gave them? I asked my Bible study group about this and there were a variety of answers the ladies came up with.

The presents that weren’t right might have been exchanged, given to someone else, stored in a closet, or simply thrown away. A few were kept out of sight and only brought out when the giver came for a visit.

Perfect gifts, the ones the receiver got excited about were treated very differently. These were admired, used often, shared with others, shown off, and kept close at hand. They didn’t become boring, or get put aside—at least not for long, because the receiver was so excited about them.

Some took patience to learn to use and enjoy. For instance, one person mentioned getting a Wii Fit and trying it out. They had to work to do the various games, and many of the work outs took a lot of practice. Also, there was work involved, not just fun or the health benefits that came from using the program.

For me, the ability to write is a gift given by God. Writing isn’t easy and has taken years to learn, with still much more to grasp. I can choose to get discouraged and ignore my talent just like those presents that have been stuffed in the closet, or I can become excited over again. I can determine to not be discouraged when penning a book becomes hard work, or when criticism hurts. It’s my choice to continue on or quit.

What I do with the gifts I receive isn’t so much about the gift being just what I wanted, but about choosing to appreciate it and use it the best I can.

Gone with the Wind (and other classics)

I first (and last) read Gone with the Wind when I was a teenager, which was, ahem, quite a few years ago. Recently, I started re-reading it – and I’m just as captivated and enthralled as I was first time around. In fact, more so.

The historial context resonates with me a lot more now, as do Margaret Mitchell’s subtle and not-so-subtle social commentaries. And as for Scarlett O’Hara…was there ever a more eye-poppingly outrageous heroine?! I’m agog to see what she’s going to do next…

What a wonderful book. Mitchell wrote it around 70 years after the events occurred, so I imagine she must have known people who still remembered those days. Although it was a “historical” novel even when it was written, I admire the way she keeps so firmly within her context, without letting social views from her present day affect the story. For example, abhorrent though Scarlett’s attititude to slaves etc is to our modern view, it’s very true to a Southern belle of her time whose very existence relied on slaves every moment of her day. A modern writer creating a novel set in the same time period must surely be tempted to make her pampered heroine a sympathizer with the abolition of slavery…which would be so out of keeping with Scarlett’s background lifestyle as to be impossible.

But enough about that…to get back to the essence of GWTW, which is a powerful romance…ah, that Rhett Butler! He makes my 21st-century heart go pitter-pat just as he did when I met him in the 20th century 🙂

I’m so glad I pulled this book from my crowded shelves and re-read it. Now I’m thinking it might Jane Eyre’s turn next. Does anyone else have any classics – old or new – that they love to revisit?
Abby