I have to admit the main reason I accepted the book review call by BookCrash for “Glad Tidings (The First Twenty-five Years of Flanders Family Christmas Letters) by Jennifer Flanders is a friend of mine had told me I needed to do a compilation myself along the same line. So although Christmas had passed I ordered the book that came surprisingly fast. The first thing I noticed when I finally got a chance to read it, (with Christmas clutter still abounding, I have to admit to losing it a few times) was this was not a one-page letter or poem as most of mine have been. This is a diary of a life well lived and a very large family.
Actually I see another book in the future not in Christmas letter form and more detailed. As I had been myself a homeschool mom for my youngest daughter, I also had some preconceived ideas of what this would be and was very happy to find that although this lady is definitely a “superwoman” mom, they were not an uptight family. She really did it in a way that I wish that I had been able to, but did not have the ability to take all those trips or have some of the resources that she had.
From the beginning of the book where it was just the two of them (and Jennifer’s husband is a real “superhero” himself) to the end you will fall in love with this family. It also seemed that Jennifer and Doug had found the Fountain of Youth, as they looked as wonderful in the last pictures as in the first ones. The pictures were a great addition to the book as well as some songs, scripture and a recipe. It is obvious that they all loved each other and loved spending time together. Should I say, “may their tribe increaseJ”?
They have extreme imaginations to do all that they set out to do and their children certainly have taken up the torch. You will “laugh out loud” at many of the antics of the children and although it was hard to keep track of them because there were so many, I loved each name and each little heart. It took me a bit to really get into to book but then I was won over and bowled over by their lives. The only thing that might need to be altered a bit was the perhaps overuse of italics, but that could just be me.
I don’t want to give away the story but these children were very well educated in the school of life and I love that. When they went to Jamestown in full costumes that their mother made, how cool is that? I see a sequel or better yet, let me know when the lifetime movie comes out!
Each letter ended with the love of the Lord and an invitation to follow him. That is the reason for the season and for the book and I know that each person who reads it will be blessed.
Donna Collins Tinsley
Actually I see another book in the future not in Christmas letter form and more detailed. As I had been myself a homeschool mom for my youngest daughter, I also had some preconceived ideas of what this would be and was very happy to find that although this lady is definitely a “superwoman” mom, they were not an uptight family. She really did it in a way that I wish that I had been able to, but did not have the ability to take all those trips or have some of the resources that she had.
From the beginning of the book where it was just the two of them (and Jennifer’s husband is a real “superhero” himself) to the end you will fall in love with this family. It also seemed that Jennifer and Doug had found the Fountain of Youth, as they looked as wonderful in the last pictures as in the first ones. The pictures were a great addition to the book as well as some songs, scripture and a recipe. It is obvious that they all loved each other and loved spending time together. Should I say, “may their tribe increaseJ”?
They have extreme imaginations to do all that they set out to do and their children certainly have taken up the torch. You will “laugh out loud” at many of the antics of the children and although it was hard to keep track of them because there were so many, I loved each name and each little heart. It took me a bit to really get into to book but then I was won over and bowled over by their lives. The only thing that might need to be altered a bit was the perhaps overuse of italics, but that could just be me.
I don’t want to give away the story but these children were very well educated in the school of life and I love that. When they went to Jamestown in full costumes that their mother made, how cool is that? I see a sequel or better yet, let me know when the lifetime movie comes out!
Each letter ended with the love of the Lord and an invitation to follow him. That is the reason for the season and for the book and I know that each person who reads it will be blessed.
Donna Collins Tinsley
