sisterly love

We've had a bit of a challenge with sibling rivalry lately. Actually, I don't know if sibling rivalry is the right word for it, but I'm not sure how else to put it. In a nutshell, the 10 year old is merciless in picking on her younger sister. I think as Tess, who is 7, has grown more independent as an individual, her sister is feeling a little bit threatened, like maybe she isn't the queen bee in the family after all. And while I'm the first to admit that little sisters can be endlessly annoying, there are certain things that just can't be tolerated. Like physical violence. The problem up to this point has been that the only reports we've had of these episodes are the exaggerated versions of the victim ("She hit me; she punched me; she's trying to kill me.")

So yesterday, when I actually had occasion to witness Sydney snap the end of a pair of pants across the room to smack her sister, I finally got my chance to institute some consequences. Syd lost TV privileges for the day, and Tess, finally having been vindicated, was sweetly sympathetic to her poor sister's plight and even admitted -- a little -- to having some role in provoking the "attack." Ah, sisterhood.

Of course the physical actions are not all I'm hoping will change. I do want my girls to be friends, although I realize that may be a long time coming. We still have the teen years to endure, after all.

In any case, by last night they were getting along well and Tess even gave up her own interest in TV to join her exiled sister, who was scrapbooking in the playroom. Tess found a nice picture of the two of them from a couple of years ago and pasted it on a page and brought it to me to display her work. Across the top was a handwritten title, "Sisterly Love for 1 Second." Sydney did not appreciate the humor in this, but I had to laugh. In this hostile environment, you've got to get your chuckles where you can.

Classics Club: Jane Eyre

My review of Jane Eyre starts with a funny story. I always believed I had read this book before, either in childhood or high school. When the Classics Club at 5 Minutes for Books picked it to read during September, I figured it had been awhile so I'd enjoy reading it again. Once I got about a third of the way into the book, I realized nothing in the story was at all familiar to me. I had no idea how it would end. How thrilling to actually read such a famous book for the first time! I have since learned that there are about a dozen movie versions of the book floating around, and I somehow managed to get this far in life without encountering any of those either! So for me this was a completely new story and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Now for the review:

I see why people describe this book as an early piece of feminist literature. In an age where a woman's identity and future security, both financial and emotional, depended almost entirely on landing the right husband, Bronte created a female character who learned early in life and through very unfortunate circumstances to depend on no one but herself. And maybe God, as there is the thread of religion throughout the book and the suggestion that Jane found some of her solitary resolve in a dependence on religious morals, if not an actual relationship with God.

I thought the characters were well-developed. The writing was a bit obsequious and hard to get used to in some spots, but there was good dimension to the characters. Even the evil Aunt Reed showed some humanity and insight into her nasty actions near the end of the book. I thought the fact that Jane was able to let go of her long-harbored bitterness toward her aunt for her ill-treatment showed that Jane had that insight into her motivations as well. Thus, while certain of the "evil" characters never became likeable, they were not flat.

One of my favorite characters was Helen Burns, the dying girl who befriended Jane at boarding school. I thought she was a beautifully rendered character and an almost other-wordly model of peace in the face of affliction. I think it was Helen's example and faith that helped to create Jane's moral compass for her own later actions.

Of course the big romance of the story centers around Jane's love for Mr. Rochester and the seemingly hopeless twist of fate that drives them apart. Ms. Bronte's description of Jane's outward resolve as contrasted against her inner feelings in this situation are particularly moving. Not knowing if Jane would ever finally end up with her true love -- while at the same time wondering if that would really be the best thing for her anyway -- was what drove me to read compulsively toward the conclusion. I found the end result satisfying. While Rochester might not have turned out to be the best husband for Jane when they first met, the heart-rending circumstances that transpired after Jane left him changed, softened and humbled him to the point where he was a wonderful match for Jane when they met again.

I found this a truly enjoyable and moving story. Thanks to 5 Minutes for Books for finally giving me a reason to read it!

blogging through Bible study: Weeks 3 & 4

I failed to post week 3 so am combining it into this week. The last 2 weeks have covered Moses' murder of an Egyptian and subsequent his flight into the desert, where he settled and began a family, his encounter with God at the burning bush, and his reunion with his brother Aaron as he journeyed back to Egypt to carry out God's plan to deliver the Israelites.

The theme from last week's lesson, which focused mainly on Moses jumping ahead of God's plan and allowing his own idea of justice through violence to land him in a bad spot, was actually a very encouraging one. God is not defeated when fail. While we look back at Moses as a great leader and revere him almost to the point of losing sight of his humanity, he was a sinful creature - just as we are. He had a tendency to do the wrong thing - just as we do. And his rash act of murder -- even though motivated by compassion for his own people -- did not constitute the method or the timing God had in mind for the deliverance of Israel.

Nevertheless, God still carried out His perfect plan, and He still used Moses to do it. For me, this was a wonderful reminder of God's sovereignty in all things. When I make a big mess of something, His purpose is not thwarted. He doesn't have to hold a brainstorming session to figure out how to bail me out, or how to get the job done in spite of me. He knows the end from the beginning. He sees it all at once. I have only to trust Him. How humbling that my part is so small, yet from my perspective it still seems so daunting.

OK, on to this week, which centered around the well-known story of the burning bush and Moses' many reasons for why he shouldn't be the one to deliver Israel. Of course he finally obeys and heads back to Egypt to carry out God's orders. The theme here is obvious, but it is no less meaningful because of it. When God calls us to do something for Him, He equips us. Just as last week's lesson taught, God's plan will succeed in spite of us. He actually doesn't need us at all. That He chooses to use us to carry out any small task for Him is a privilege, a blessing, and chance for us as Christians to prove to ourselves, through our obedience, that we do belong to Him. In that light, the excuses we offer are pathetic and comical, just as the ones Moses offered were.

What a great study. I'm really enjoying it so far. It is fascinating to take Bible stories that are so familiar and really dissect them to see the ageless lessons God's word holds for His people.