Ordinary Days

I just had a few minutes to read a couple of nights ago, and picked up a book on my 2007 reading list called Ordinary Days: Family Life in a Farmhouse, a collection of stories about family life by Dorcas Smucker, a fellow blogger. I could not put it down over the past two days--I have not enjoyed a book this much in a while. In the introduction, Dorcas writes:

My relatives were wonderful storytellers. Fertsayluh they called it in Pennsylvania German-the art of spinning tales and of seeing the quirky and unusual in the most ordinary events. . . This book is a collection of stories about our lives, telling the simple blessings and ordinary days. . . I hope they will echo in your own life, reminding you of family times, lessons learned, and God's loving touch on all of us.

Dorcas Smucker truly carries on the family tradition of wonderful storytelling. Her keen eye of observation to the moments and happenings of life is beautifully translated through her writing. This was such an enjoyable read! It challenged me to slow down and savor the flow of everyday life--we pass up so many opportunities for God to bless and reveal himself to us because we are so busy.

A few of my favorite stories:

• "Just Like Mom"-beautiful reflections on the connections between mothers and daughters over generations.


• "Christmas Memories"-that memories will just happen as we are focusing on the message of the love and redemption brought through Christ--maybe we don't need to try so hard.


• "An Irrelevant Generation"-how we must be careful not to make the older generation feel "irrelevant" and miss out on the priceless treasures they have to offer us and our children.

Don't miss out on these stories. I felt like I was sitting at the kitchen table or on the front porch listening to a friend share. There is such power in a story, making us often see things more clearly in our lives. I think this is why Jesus used stories to teach. Through the parables, He taught many profound truths, helping us understand and relate. May we slow down and pay attention to the blessings and lessons of "ordinary life"--which when following Christ, are nothing less than extraordinary.