We decided to attend the Ann Dahmen Memorial Harp Concert at the library before meeting at the Trempealeau Hotel afterward to socialize and discuss Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. Ellen, Kathy, Linda, and Liz attended the harp concert. Nanc tried to attend the concert but the library doors were locked when she arrived, so she had to listen from outside. Annie and Jo joined us at the hotel.
We unanimously decided to delay the June meeting to the 3rd week of June (June 15th) so that Linda, who is the June host, could attend the rain garden educational presentation at the library on June 8th. Many of us were also interested in attending the rain garden presentation. We also decided to change the meeting time to 6:00 for June's meeting. This is because we plan to socialize and then watch Girl with a Pearl Earring, which we hope will leave time to compare and contrast the book and the film afterward.
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| This month's water view was from the Trempealeau Hotel |
I will tell you what's left, three profound blessings. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul tells us exactly what they are: faith, hope, and love. These gifts, which are the foundation of eternity, God has given to us and he's given us complete control over them. Even in the darkest night it's still within our power to hold faith. We can still embrace hope. And although we may feel ourselves unloved we can still stand steadfast in our love for others and for God. All this is in our control. God gave us these gifts and he does not take them back. It is we who chooses to discard them. ~ William Kent Krueger
~ Ellen Bowes
My father cleared his throat, and said into the silence, "Is there anyone else who would care to offer the blessing?
No one spoke and the silence stretched on painfully.
Then at my side a small clear voice replied, "I'll say grace."
I stood dumbfounded because, Jesus, the person who'd spoken was my stuttering brother, Jake. He didn't wait for my father's permission. He rose from his chair and bowed his head.
I looked at all those people present, none of whom could bring themselves to close their eyes and miss the train wreck that was about to take place and I prayed as desperately as I ever had, Oh, dear God, take me away from this torture.
Jake said, "Heavenly F-F-F." And stopped.
O God, I prayed, just kill me now.
My mother reached up and put her hand gently on his shoulder and Jake cleared his throat and tried again.
"Heavenly Father, for the blessings of this food and these friends and our families, we thank you. In Jesus's name, amen."
That was it. That was all of it. A grace so ordinary there was no reason at all to remember it. Yet I have never across the forty years since it was spoken forgotten a single word.
"Thank you, Jake," my mother said and I saw that her whole face had changed.
And my father looked mystified and almost happy and said, "Thank you, son."
And all the people, as if released from some hypnotic trance, began to move again, though slowly, and got into line and filled their plates.
And me, I looked at my brother with near reverence and thought to myself, Thank you, God.
~ William Kent Krueger
~ Nancy French
Location: Linda's
Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017
Time: 6:00pm
Upcoming meetings:
July 13, 2017 Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates by Tom Robbins at TBA
August 10, 2017 The Awakening Land: The Trees, The Fields and The Town by Conrad Richter at TBA
Books we've read so far:
January 2014 - Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
February 2014 - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
March 2014 - Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
April 2014 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
May 2014 - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
June 2014 - Breaking Free by Marilyn Sewell
July 2014 - The Orphan Train by Kristina Baker Kline
August 2014 - The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
September 2014 - Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
October 2014 - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
November 2014 - The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
December 2014 - No book. Holiday gathering.
January 2015 - No book. Watched The Book Thief
February 2015 - The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
March 2015 - Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne
April 2015 - The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin
May 2015 - The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
June 2015 - The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
July 2015 - Still Alice by Lisa Genova
August 2015 - The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
September 2015 - Ruby by Cynthia Bond
October 2015 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
November 2015 - No book. Watched To Kill a Mockingbird
December 2015 - No book. Holiday gathering.
January 2016 - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
February 2016 - Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
March 2016 - Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
April 2016 - Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie
May 2016 - Jewelweed by David Rhodes
June 2016 - One Woman's River by Ellen Kolbo McDonah
July 2016 - Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
August 2016 - Deep Water Passage by Ann Linnea
September 2016 - This Road I Ride by Juliana Buhring
October 2016 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
November 2016 - No book. Watched The Boys of '36
December 2016 - No book. Holiday gathering.
January 2017 - About Grace by Anthony Doerr
February 2017 - Between the World and Me by Ta-nehisi Coates
March 2017 - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
April 2017 - No book - meeting canceled
May 2017 - Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
