Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn

Silent in the Sanctuary is the sequel to Silent in the Grave, reviewed here
http://sharisbooknotes.blogspot.com/2010/08/silent-in-grave-by-deanna-raybourn.html
Once again we meet Lady Julia Grey who has been recuperating in Italy. Her Father Lord March has summoned her and her siblings home for Christmas and she returns to England to celebrate Christmas with her family. When she arrives she finds the rest of her family along with some additional guests invited by her father. One of them is none other than Brisbane, the detective that she had met and assisted in a murder investigation that led her to needing to recuperate in Italy. She hasn't heard from him since she's been away and is suprised and pleased to see him again, until she is introduced to his fiance. This is a murder mystery so there is eventually a body to find, there are ghosts afoot and family intrigue.

The March family is unconventional. Even though the story is set in Victorian England Julia Grey is a very modern thinking and acting heroine. The detailed descriptions and well-written characters make this an interesting and entertaining story to read.

Repurposing

To repurpose something means to adapt for use in a different format or product.

I rented a condo in Harrison Hot springs this past weekend and while we were picking up the key we noticed that the desk they were using was an old piano frame. I asked them about it and it turns out that the piano belonged to his mother, now deceased. Neither of them were musical but they wanted to keep the piano and I guess being practical people decided to hollow out the middle and the strings and create a desk out of the rest of it.

At the time it seemed charming to me but the more I think about it the more it upsets me. A piano is supposed to be used. Even old pianos properly tuned can produce beautiful music (stay with me, this will ultimately be a post about books). Even when not being used, a piano has the promise of beautiful music but once the musical part of the piano is removed there’s nothing left but an empty shell.

Books are meant to be read. Often people will use books as a decorating tool or horror of horrors a hiding place for valuables after they’ve created a hollow in the book. An unread book holds the promise of entertainment, information or both. A book that’s been read holds the promise that it can be re-read at any time and provide even more hours of enjoyment. So, if your books are gathering dust or propping doors open please consider reading them or giving them away to others to enjoy. Some things aren't meant to be repurposed.

Split Second by Catherine Coulter

Catherine Coulter’s FBI thriller series has long been a favourite of mine. In this book, FBI agents and married couple, Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock are once again on the hunt for a killer. This time it’s a serial killer with ties to another famous serial killer, long dead. There are two new agents who have been added to the story, Lucy and Cooper. Along with the story line of the killer is another story that involves Lucy and her family and a ring that Lucy has fallen heir to.

This is a great story with lots of action scenes. There is also a lot of dialogue and often a narrative assist in knowing what the killer is thinking at certain times which means that you get to hear the story from all angles.

I basically read this story straight through to the neglect of many other things this weekend. If you’re going on vacation and need a book to read I’d highly recommend this one.

Spiritual Rhythm by Mark Buchanan

Mark Buchanan is a Canadian pastor on Vancouver Island. This is his 6th book. I’ve read several of his books and have also heard him speak a couple of times. He’s my favourite kind of communicator, direct, real and honest.

In this book he is comparing spiritual growth to Seasons, not to the seasons of life i.e. youth, adult, senior etc. but the actual seasons of Winter, Spring Summer and Fall. He begins with a statement that generally characterizes spiritual growth, busyness = maturity, the more you do for Jesus the more spiritual you are. Recognizing the fallacy in that he adds another component, busyness+commitment=fruit. But that doesn’t seem right either. Finally (and I’m obviously paraphrasing a chapter here) he realizes that the better model of spiritual growth is Seasons. “Fruit grows in seasons and all seasons are necessary for growing it” (pg18). Each season we go through has a purpose for making us more like Christ.

Then he goes on to describe the seasons. Winter is the absence of light, of God of friends, winter is death. A stark description but true I think of many people who have at times felt far from God either because of depression or circumstances or any number of reasons. Spring is hope, renewal, new beginnings. Summer is vitality, a foretaste of heaven, a time for joy and warmth and fruitfulness. Fall is harvest; a time to reap what we’ve sown in the other seasons. Each season has its purpose and he also describes various activities that can help bring clarity to your life as you experience each season. This is a book that he has lived. There are lots of personal examples and stories.

Part 2 of the book discusses the rhythm of the seasons, and how we can join in with the rhythm of each season. Often spiritual growth is discussed in terms of balance but he says we need more than balance. He says that while staying in the boat requires balance, getting anywhere in the boat requires rhythm. “We crave balance but we need rhythm”. (pg 198) Finding the rhythm of the season that you’re in will help to propel you through that season and on to the next. Of course he ends up with some spiritual disciplines like worship, reading the Bible, prayer and community. These are watchwords of any spiritual growth discussion. But in this book these disciplines are the well of water that sustain us through each season

This is a long review but I really wanted to give you a taste of what the book is like. I found this book to be very helpful in understanding the season that I’m in and in finding value in that season. I know that you will find it valuable as well.