Tag Archives: community

K.I.R.B. Appeal: An Interview with Me

09 Saturday May 2020

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My library book club leader and friend Delois recently interviewed me for a book recommendation feature on the library’s website to highlight selections available on OverDrive and Libby courtesy of the library.

Here is the interview:

Anatomy of a Book Club: Up Close with KIRB Appeal Book Club Members #2

Posted on  in Book, OverDrive/Libby.

Delois Walters: Library Assistant, Book Club Moderator

In the upcoming weeks, I’ll introduce members of KIRB Appeal, a multi-generational, diverse book club that meets at the Bob Kirby Branch Library.

Our featured reader this time is Kayla Stierwalt.

The Gown by Jennifer Robson (Available through OverDrive/Libby)

DW: Kayla, I don’t think I have met anyone else with your last name here in Bowling Green. Are you from Kentucky?

KS: I do have an unusual last name—I haven’t me anyone outside of my family who bears the name. I am actually a native of Missouri.

DW: What brought you to Bowling Green?

KS: I came here from Texas right after Hurricane Harvey. You could say I was escaping hurricanes and the heat, mainly the heat!

DW: I remember your first visit to the library—you were excited about getting your library card, but dejected that you had just missed the Friends of the Library book sale.

Kayla Stierwalt, Teacher’s Assistant

KS: Yes, books were on my radar and since I missed the book sale, you invited me to KIRB Appeal for a book discussion. I was so happy to make connections there.

DW: You recommended the book The Gown by Jennifer Robson. Why did this book grab you?

KS: I really enjoy reading historical fiction and I was attracted to this book because it is about the wedding gown of Queen Elizabeth, and because it has an element of intrigue as well as a dual time-line.

DW: What else did you like about this book?

KS: I liked the themes of friendship and resilience, and it was hopeful.

DW: Kayla, you’re fascinating; you contribute book reviews to a blog, you enjoy doing research, and in addition to being an avid reader, you write as well. If you were writing the ending to this chapter in all of our lives about living through a pandemic, what would that ending be?

DW: Just as The Gown is a hopeful story; I would write a hopeful ending. This has been a time of hope and growth for me. I am fortunate to be employed and have everything that I need. My wish is that when this is over, people will reflect on what we’ve gone through, slow down, and continue to show kindness, so we can grow and become better people, because we are all in this together!

DW: I know literacy is very important to you. You said something earlier about your job as a teacher’s assistant that made me smile. Do you know what I am referring to?

KS: I’ll bet you mean when I said the favorite part of my job is when I take my group to the library—it’s my Happy Place!

The Gown is available to download through the WCPL digital catalog as an eBook or an audiobook through OverDrive & Libby.

 

Guys, libraries provide so many services for communies. Right now funding sources question that. I still am learning exactly how much they offer, but I can tell you I felt especially delighted when I realized I could get free access to Mango Languages to learn Arabic. During my time in quarantine I also have registered on Hoopla, which makes a good resource for trying new music, audiobooks, TV shows, and more. Next, I’m exploring research options as I help a student with a project. Let’s keep our libraries alive so communities can thrive.

Book Review: Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts

22 Sunday Mar 2020

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Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts tells the story of a young woman who gives a baby girl birth alone in a Wal-Mart. Gaining the attention of the nation and then new friends in the small town of her temporary “home,” Novalee develops an unconventional family. The support she garners as she connects to the community help her raise her daughter, learn new skills for education and a career (appropriately rooted in the library), and grow personal strength. While the premise sounds odd, the characters welcome you right into their hearts. Their hospitality and support for each other makes you wish you could move into their town too. Novalee demonstrates we all have potential and that it may best come to realization with a support system.

Book Review: The Great Alone

28 Thursday Feb 2019

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After having Kristin Hannah on my radar a couple years, Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club finally got it to my currently reading stack, and boy did it take me for a trip through the wilderness both physically and emotionally. The story took place in 1970s Alaska, and she paints a vivid picture of surviving the harsh realities of a place with severe winters, periods of no sunlight and little connection to the mainland. While I enjoyed the detail, it made it crystal clear to me that I would not make it through my first season there. Not only did the Alaskan terrain prove difficult, but Leni’s home life did as well. Again, Hannah created a realistic aspect of her story in the Allbright family’s tension. She explored how the tumult affected all members of the family through different angles of pain. The wilderness of home added a whole new layer to the story as the characters formed relationships with their community and learned how to cope as well as survive. As Leni went from a happy child carrying her Winnie the Pooh lunchbox to school on her first day in Alaska to the adult who eventually started her own family, I felt gutted. She helplessly stood by her mother, staying silent about their situation, and the powerlessness of such trauma expanded well beyond them. Hannah made readers experience the darkness of such an Alaska frontier both outside and inside the home.

 

 

 

Winter Reading Getaways

23 Saturday Feb 2019

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February ends in less than a week, and spring comes soon. As I start to ease out of the winter blues, I have some books lined up for those days spent indoors. They range from atmospheric, character driven novels to classics.

 

Beartown by Fredrik Backman: This weekend I finally have this book beloved in book club circles on my docket. A couple chapters in I already feel immersed in the small forest town that revolves around its hockey team. Backman goes deep into the minds of his characters, and I sense a foreboding event. I anticipate reading how the characters respond to the situation and how they interact with each other. This community offers insight on relationship and organization dynamics.

Persuasion by Jane Austen: Though the novel doesn’t have a wintery setting, it transports you to Victorian England. The story explores social class and mores as well as its expectations for love. Anne has a failed love story in the background, so I look forward to seeing how encountering her lover again shapes her marriage prospects and how Austen’s trademark wit plays into it. I already find myself daydreaming about the cottages and the names as well as my Pride and Prejudice reread for my Great American Reader project.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling: The second installment in the Harry Potter series continues my Great American Reader project as well as my book club community read as we read the series this year. In England again, this time in the beloved Hogwarts castle, the school walls protect the students against the cold and darkness as Voldemort fights to gain power. Hogwarts offers respite from the winter as well as a fantasy adventure rooted in good vs evil. Harry and his friends continue to grow up and face moral dilemmas that make you root for them while wishing you attended Hogwarts too.

Countdown to Valentine’s Day: A Winsom Woman’s Wisdom – Galentines Is Where the Heart Is

06 Wednesday Feb 2019

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The hit book Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts captures the spirit of community, and thus Galentines, in the story about young Novalee moving into a Wal-Mart and having her baby there. Abandoned by her boyfriend and the father of her child, Novalee finds herself in an unfamiliar small Oklahoma town. Yet upon leaving the hospital with her new baby Americus, she finds a new home and mother figure who opened her home after one brief meeting. She develops a close knit group of girl friends who show up for each other in times of need and times of celebration.

This story unexpectedly had me turning pages, imagining the bonds shared in the Oklahoma town. Though seemingly simple, Novalee shows a lot of growth as well as inherent wisdom as she devours books at the library and learns from her experiences. She possesses an admirable strength as she pushes forward despite knowing she may not have the ideal life situation. Her friends remain at her side to support her efforts to care for Americus, hones her skills to develop a photography career and opens up to an opportunity for love with a top pick of the litter.

Our Galentines can do the same for us. Just yesterday my friend showed up during a time of disappointment for me. We’ve been meeting regularly to support some mutual goals and provide support, but yesterday showed extra care. Not long after, we both felt better and witnessed improvement in our projects. Another friend has showered me with cheesy Valentine notes to join me celebrating my favorite holiday. My conversations with her already brighten my days regularly, but these cards add extra sunshine. With quality friends by our sides, we can stand stronger and move forward together.

Book Review: Doon

20 Tuesday Nov 2018

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I now have had my second experience with the Brig o’ Doon, and I must say I have enjoyed this young adult retelling much more than the movie my college roommates and I watched years ago. This magical twist on time travel and fantasy makes for a fun adventure and of course includes plenty of romance. It even adds a thoughtful layer of faith and community.

As best friends Mackenna and Veronica find themselves crossing the mythical Brig o’ Doon and entering Doon’s kingdom during their trip to Scotland, they find themselves on an adventure much different than they imagined. They stick together to contribute to the community and ultimately to save it. Along the way, they learn how to deepen their faith in what will unfold for their fates as well as that of Doon and to trust each other. We see that sharing burdens of truth and uncertainty makes it easier to handle situations than facing them completely alone, as Veronica does in a prideful attempt to protect her friends. The strength of friendship and community ultimately wins the day.

Between the unique people and kingdom, the general sense of adventure and unique way to look at faith, I have enjoyed my trip to Doon. I look forward to continuing the series to read what happens next. I’m also curious to check out the source material. Though the movie I’ve seen has generally low reviews, the TV special with Robert Goulet has positive ones. Here’s to the next adventure having singing and dancing!

Book Review: Pelican Point, A Hope Harbor Novel

11 Sunday Nov 2018

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I received a copy of Pelican Point by Irene Hannon from Revell in exchange for a review.

Reading Pelican Point gave me the uplifting book boost I sought after reading and watching a few heavier stories. This sweet small town romance provides a fun story and encouragement for moving through life’s tougher situations. Though this book comes as the fourth in the Hope Harbor series, it makes sense as a stand alone novel. I fell right into step with the residents in town as I followed army doctor Ben there as he returned for his grandfather’s funeral. He and the other characters each face decisions on how to best move forward after loss, moves, and career changes. As they forge friendships and open themselves to possibilities, they find themselves improving their situations and relationships.

As many of us cue up the feel good Hallmark Christmas movies, I equate this with a similar style story. This does not involve Christmas, but it does end with a November wedding. So I say the timing for my reading could not have been better. Like the characters, I face decisions of how to move forward with my career, school and long term living situation. This story reminds me we all face difficult decisions but don’t have to do so alone. In this case, everyone gains confidence as they work together to save a lighthouse. The town coming together as a community to save a community landmark emphasizes the importance of a support network and connection to the world around you. With a little extra encouragement, we can pursue our potential. Sometimes what we need stands within our reach and we simply need to get out and open ourselves to the possibility.

 

This is my first Irene Hannon book, but it definitely won’t be the last. I’d like to go back and read the others in this series and look forward to the fifth releasing next year. As a Missouri native, I enjoyed the tid bit about her attending universities in Missouri and living there. I also found it interesting she chose a town in Oregon not far from where my brother lives and included a character transplanted from Texas, my last state residence. I look forward to returning to Hope Harbor to visit these characters again.

Thoughtful Thursday: Specific Action

01 Thursday Nov 2018

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This week we’ve explored specific communication and specific requests. Now we can consider our friends and specific actions we can take to help. Everyone can use a loving hand in some capacity, and it offers a chance to deepen a bond as you lift them up. Plus, doing a kind deed for someone lifts your spirits too.

When I first moved to Houston two years ago, my dad and I both stood in a transition place between homes. I ended up in the townhouse we shared first, which meant neither my dad nor his kitchen basics had joined me yet. My cousin listened to me and understood it felt important to me to feel like I found a new home, so she brought a couple bowls, plates, cups and more to the townhouse from her own kitchen. These simple dishes made me feel like I had more autonomy and normalcy; I could eat my oatmeal the way I liked. Getting back into my routine made me feel better, and I got there because someone listened and shared what she could. She welcomed me to the community.

Consider listening to a friend or family member and hearing a need you might meet. This can range from paying attention to the weather changing causing your runner friend to adjust her exercise wardrobe and picking up a long sleeve running shirt. Maybe someone you know mentions a desire to lose weight. You can offer to cook a healthy meal for her or try a new recipe together. With a greater focus on those around us, these small actions remind your loved ones that they need not do life alone and that someone cares. 

 

This concept comes easier to some people than others. Perhaps it relates to the love languages and some people speaking acts of service better. Acts of service ranks last on what I speak well. However, if I focus on it more, I can still find ways to perform acts of service. A woman in one of my groups has mentioned a desire to lose weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle. I’d like to invite her to come to my place for dinner before an upcoming meeting or to walk at a park, weather permitting.

What can you do for someone you know who may need some extra encouragement?

Recognize Potential Growth and Ask for Specific Help Achieving It

30 Tuesday Oct 2018

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In my post yesterday, I mentioned the importance of specifics that included requests for help. Today I’d like to share specific ways someone may ask for help. Whether combatting obstacles of mental illness or not, we all need community and personal growth tools. Recognizing those needs and voicing them creates opportunities to deepen relationships and fuel progress on goals. Consider asking a trusted friend specific questions like these.

 

Five Ways to Ask for Help

  1. Could I have more time? Especially with depression, motivation seems lackluster at best. It takes longer than usual to do routine tasks just to get to the rest of the to-do list. Letting someone know you work to complete the task lets them know you have not quit. It also gives them a chance to offer to collaborate.
  2. Would you look at this list with me? I’ve been exploring options for graduate school. After passing on an opportunity to attend for free years ago and recently passing after almost agreeing to go $20,000 further in debt simply because that was the convenient option rather than wait, I want to make an informed decision and one that doesn’t inadvertently create a greater stress (like a greater debt than I already have). My best friend periodically asks how my progress looks. I’ve created a document with information on the schools I consider and shared it with her. This keeps me on track and allows me to bounce ideas as well as collect more perspective. If you have a goal to pursue a new career or add to your exercise routine, ask someone to look at your options with you.
  3. Would you go to this place with me? Sometimes we hesitate to go somewhere to avoid the discomfort. Having a friend for moral support can help. If it makes it possible for you to make a necessary appointment or to try a new group to gain community, get someone to go with you.
  4. Could I tell you something? Voicing a concern makes it real, thus makes it possible to face it. Ask a trusted friend if you can share your hesitations. Then you can start exploring ways to overcome your doubt. It also gives the person a way to give you support and encouragement. Again, my friend who asks me about my school progress also reminds me of my capabilities and intellect when I share my hesitations and doubts. It helps me keep the truth push me forward rather than let the doubt hold me in place.
  5. Can I confess something? This continues the concept of voicing an emotion or struggle to deal with it rather than let it fester. When we feel angry, avoiding the emotion allows us to bury it and grow roots of bitterness. Voicing the emotion in prayer or to a trusted friend puts it in the light to expose it to truth and let it go. The same thing happens when we confess a wrong we’ve done.

Book Review: Anxious for Nothing

26 Friday Oct 2018

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Max Lucado’s recent book Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World offers a biblical starting point for understanding and handling anxiety. Though he doesn’t delve into the science or psychology angle much, he does provide scriptural evidence for how we can handle it, and most importantly recognizes that it exists.

At times I found the book too simple, but it does at least acknowledge that anxiety does not have a simple solution. Lucado describes, “This business of anxiety management is like pulling stumps out of the ground. Some of your worries have deep root systems. Extracting them is hard work. In fact, it may be the toughest challenge of all. But you don’t have to do it alone” (76). Most of the book seems to better apply to worry, a much more common affliction and one with a simpler solution. Yet this reminds readers that anxiety goes deeper and involves hard work to conquer old roots and then develop new ones. Lucado also reminds us that we need not face worry or anxiety alone.

With a loving community providing extra support, it makes it possible to conquer anxiety. As we navigate the roots on this journey, we can learn how to communicate specifics about our concerns as we pray, whether related to anxiety, worry or any other topic. When we can acknowledge our request or difficulty, we can start to put an accurate description on it. Then we can seek help from God as we voice it as well as communicate our needs to others. In turn, we can all support each other in the details of our everyday lives as we pursue the bigger picture of our purpose. Peace can replace this anxiety as we acknowledge concerns, voice specific requests and focus on the truth.

I recommend this book as a starting point for acknowledging worry and anxiety and starting to confront those thoughts. Anyone can benefit from double checking what occupies their mind. We can all use a little more peace, and we all have access to it and the ability to adjust and develop our roots.