I am usually not in fiction so much. I like Christian living and more practical reading like commentaries. But just for fun, in the month of November, I picked up C.S Lewis' Screwtape Letters from the local library, borrowed Jenkins/LaHaye's Kids' Series, Left Behind Book 1: The Vanishings from a sister in Christ, and Lemony Snicket's Who could that be at this hour?
If you do not believe in any sort of spiritual warfare, or do not want to believe in any of that, well, read the Screwtape Letters anyway. "Uncle" Screwtape is a fictional demon who is writing letter back and forth with a fictional "nephew", Wormwood. I love psychology and love studying the mind. In this book, C.S. Lewis' writing is so brilliant even psychologically. You know he wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, right? Which, by the way, I will be working on soon. But I want to read all of Jenkins/LaHaye's Kid's Series on Left Behind first.
So, back to the Screwtape Letters. As a believer, AND an unbeliever 9 years ago, I remember the wrestling that happens in the mind. Our battlefield is psychological, emotional, and physiological. Mind, soul, body, three in one. As we struggle in our mind, our emotions responds, and our struggles turn outward into our bodies. Do you know what I am talking about? When a situation occupies my mind, it first makes me worry, or scared, or angry, then it will either 1. weigh so heavy on me that I cry, 2. scare me till I shut off my emotions 3. give me a neck crick while I sleep. LOL Yes, it happens to all of us. Screwtape, throughout the book, taught and admonished Wormwood how to twist situations for, against, and around its (because demons are neither male nor female)... its assignment, a man, who became a Christian in around chapter 3. Screwtape got mad several times and sounded psychotic. It was a manically manipulative toward its "nephew" and its preys. I enjoyed it but I am not too much into the whole fictional world thing. I know spiritual warfare is real. As I grew up in Hong Kong, I can tell you story after story, dream after dream. But I can tell you one thing, "we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us"! When we become followers of our LORD Jesus Christ, we can no longer be occupied by the Devil or his dominions. But rather, he will try to us our insecurities, our flaws, and our past to try to knock us down. In many of the chapters, Screwtape instructed Wormwood to remind his subject what he was like, to feel comfortable with who he was not who he will become. Of course, our Father is perfectly powerful and loving and has made us His first love, His church, His victories warriors. Nothing the Devil does will bog us down unless we ourselves refuse to become the Victors.
Left Behind was good. It started off with 4 different stories of 4 different kids who were all prodigals. They were left behind and now their lives collided for Christ. I can't wait to get to book 2 because the stories were good. I like the adult series movies too. I had originally wanted to read it to see if my 7 year old should read it. All these characters were teenage years, although the level of literature, (reading and writing) is more for a 3rd grader. I didn't notice any great words, the whole book was just emotional and adventurous. It is a good read to teenagers who didn't really like reading or looking up words in a dictionary. But it is not really an appropriate book for my 7 year old who has a middle school reading level either! If my children want to read Left Behind one of these days, I would rather them read the adult series when they are teenagers.
Next, Oh, my, my. I have fallen in LOVE with Lemony Snicket. He is a genius! I love his books!!! We have been reading all his picture books and my kids especially love his book, The Latke who couldn't stop screaming. This first of of this new series he just published Who could it be at this hour?, was an amazing book for anyone. Just pick up a copy and read it. I am not kidding. I don't want to even give you any hints or clues or anything. My then 6 year old loved it, I loved it, you will love it, your kids will love it. Please go and reserve this book at the library as soon as you can!
Till next time....
Joanna
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