The Ring Goes South

When I started reading about how Bilbo began giving things to Frodo my six year old objected first to the gifting of Sting.

“Why is he giving it to Frodo? Why isn’t he keeping it for emergency’s sake?”

I explained that Bilbo would be safe at Rivendell and that Frodo would be going into danger and thus needed protection. She wasn’t totally convinced and objected again when Biblo handed over the coat of mithril.

“Frodo gets everything from his journey? I hope Bilbo keeps something from his journey.”

From the kitchen my wife offered “your kids are packrats.”

The Council of Elrond

So far we’re halfway through the Council of Elrond and taking a break before reading the rest. As soon as I got to the end of Isildur’s writing my six year old piped up. “He should not say precious! That’s what Gollum called it!” Yes indeed…

Edit: We came to the end of the Council of Elrond at last. It took me two hours to read the whole chapter aloud. 😮‍💨

Many Meetings

Tonight we read Many Meetings. The kids enjoyed hearing what Gandalf told Frodo about the Ford and other things. But just before I read the name Biblo both of the older two got very excited (ecstatic really) and were so excited that they got to hear about Biblo again! Like they wouldn’t sit still for a paragraph or two.

Flight to the Ford

Today I was listening to Beowulf (a reread of Seamus Heaney’s translation) and noted the moment when the sword that he used to kill Grendel’s mother started to melt (photo from Tolkien’s translation of Beowulf).

Then tonight I read Flight to the Ford and noted that the disappearance of the Morgul blade was not altogether dissimilar. I know the format of disappearance is different, but I thought the comparison interesting to note.

I wonder if Tolkien was inspired by Beowulf’s disappearing blade when writing of Middle-earth. The blade of Merry’s sword later similarly vanished after he used it to help Éowyn dispatch the Witch-king.

A Knife in the Dark

I’m having so much fun watching as my kids make guesses or figure things out as we read through Fellowship. Today we read A Knife in the Dark and when Frodo saw the distant lights on Amon Sûl my six year old started yelling. “Gandalf!! His fireworks!!! Gandalf!! His fireworks!!!”

Strider

Tonight we had a funny crossover between the Middle-earth and Redwall…

I read the sentence that ends “ran back here like a hare.” Then my six year old broke in.

“Hares? Do they know about Redwall?”

I replied, “no. Hares are real animals.”

She was utterly shocked, “ WHAT?!?!?”

At the Sign of the Prancing Pony

 

“Oh no!!!

” my six year old daughter shrieked as soon as Strider said Baggins. “He found out!!”

It was fun to see the scene play out in her mind. I can’t wait to see what she thinks when we get to the next chapter.

Fog on the Barrow-downs

Today as we left behind the home of Tom Bombadil my six year old drew a picture of Goldberry. It is so fun to see the kids into the story as I read.

A Conspiracy Unmasked and The Old Forest

The kids persuaded me to read two chapters of Fellowship tonight since they’re so short. When we got to Old Man Willow I asked “Do you think this will be a good nap?”

The six year old shrieked “No!!! He will sleep for ever and ever and ever and ever unless a spell is created…or something like that.”

Three is Company

Today we read Three is Company. My six year old (who hasn’t seen any movies and so far has only listened to the Hobbit and prior chapters of Fellowship of the Ring) interrupted me to say that she knew who the black rider was.

“Oh?” I asked her. “Who is it?”

“The one that used to have the big ring, that is looking for them. Or one of the nine.”

I told her that Sauron didn’t leave the borders of Mordor any longer, but was quite impressed she’d thought about the Nazgûl when all she has heard of them has been me reading the LotR poem to them a couple times.

The Shadow of the Past

As soon as I read “Because it’s my birthday, my love, and I wants it…” my six year old daughter said “It’s him!!!” (She hasn’t seen the movies but was remembering when we read Riddles in the Dark while going through the Hobbit).

It is so cool to watch my kids make connections as we read. And yes, everyone convinced me to read, so we’re on day two of reading through LotR. Whenever I pause for breath or a drink (it is thirsty work) one of them says “keep reading!”

Smaug's Treasure Room

Tonight while reading the Hobbit to my kids we came to the point where Bilbo crept down the passage in the Lonely Mountain to Smaug’s treasure room.

“…you can picture him coming to the end of the tunnel, an opening of much the same size and shape as the door above. Through it peeps the hobbit’s little head. Before him lies the great bottom-most cellar or dungeon-hall of the ancient dwarves right at the mountain’s root. It is almost dark so that its vastness can only be dimly guesses, but rising from the near side of the rocky floor there is a great glow. The glow of Smaug!”

“Daddy,” my daughter asked. “Is that the painting you have downstairs over the fireplace?”

Why yes, yes it is.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit...

 

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit…

I read a chapter of a book to my kids (8, 6, 4) every night. We just finished a book tonight and so tomorrow I’ll be starting the Hobbit. The older two have listened to the audiobook before, but it has been a while. I’m looking forward to the reread as they get to experience the adventure.

Book Review: The Storm-Tossed Family by Russell Moore

The Storm-Tossed Family
How the Cross Reshapes the Home
by Russell Moore

I didn't find this book myself.  I've become more familiar with Russell Moore recently, especially after I was given a copy of his book Onward and really enjoyed it (sidenote: Onward is an excellent perspective on faith, culture, politics, and the Gospel).  My wife bought this book for me but one of my children grabbed it from its hiding place and I ended up finding it in the hallway, spoiling the present it was supposed to be several months later, but the timing was good as it was a great time to read through this book.

You are part of a family and family is difficult because family – every family – is an echo of the gospel.
In The Storm-Tossed Family, bestselling author Russell Moore teaches readers whether you are married or single, whether you long for a child or are shepherding a full house, you are part of a family.

Family can be the source of some of the most transcendent human joy, and family can leave us crumpled up on the side of the road. Family can make us who we are, and family can break our hearts. Why would this social arrangement have that much power, for good or for ill, over us?
--from Russell Moore's website

The central message of the book seemed to be that while family was important and family is defined in Scripture we shouldn't let it trump the Gospel.
Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.  Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
--from Luke 14:25-27 NASB

A variety of subjects are covered in the book from spiritual warfare, the church, men and women, marriage, sexuality, divorce, children, parenting, aging and more.  I found it very helpful to examine many things that we take for granted in our society in the light of Scripture to see what is worth keeping and what needs to be rejected or changed in light of God's commands.

If family means something terrible to you because you've endured horrors, then this book can help you reclaim a biblical view.  If family means everything to you then this book can help you reclaim a biblical view.  If family is something you can take or leave then this book can help you reclaim a biblical view.  Honestly, since we all have families I would suggest this book to every Christian.

Rating: 5 out of 5
Summary: An examination of how the message of the Gospel impacts family relationships.
Technical: Hardcover with dust jacket, 306 pages, includes end notes on sources.

~Matt