The book, Hannah’s Gift…Lessons from a Life Fully Lived, requires at least one small box of tissues that have been softened with lotion. This book…made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me sob like nobody’s business…and it made me want to change the way that i look at life with all of it’s ups and downs.
Hannah introduced the power of the human touch to the medical professional’s approach in helping pediatric care patients. She introduced the idea of not limiting the activities of a sick child, when another approach can be considered, without compromising the health of the child. In other words, don’t say no just for the sake of saying no…time is limited…say yes once in a while, and feel the liberation of that!
I can think of all kinds of people that i want to personally recommend this book to. I stayed up last night, until 2:30 this morning, to read it cover to cover; and, I am not sorry for the sacrifice of time.
Hannah is three. She is a life force to be reckoned with. Hannah is diagnosed with a cancerous tumor. She and her family are on a collison course with the depths of their faith. Hannah lives with joy in her red shoes that “fit perfect”. She insists on being given some control in her daily life.
Hannah is an inspiration. Even after her death, she leaves a legacy of living life to the fullest. Hannah teaches many not to fear the opinion of others; not to hold oneself back, by fear. She teaches that life is better living in truth, when you have the facts. She also inspires a closer relationship with the spirit of God.
Hannah’s family was each gifted in the present, and in the future, through knowing her and learning from her short life. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. If you know someone who is grieving…share the book. If you know someone struggling with cancer…share the book. If you know someone locked in fear…holding themselves back from their joys…share the book.
Hannah’s Gift…touched me in ways that are amazing. Just yesterday, previous to reading the book; I had been blogging on the subject of grieving; at the request of a friend who is grieving the loss of her mother. Part of my blog post referred to my vision of grief as being like an onion…full of layer upon layer of discovery and loss. Hannah’s Gift also, later in the evening of my reading, likened grief to the layers of an onion. God spoke to me at the reading of that. He speaks to us in real ways when we are listening. Just like he spoke to Hannah’s mother through a complete stranger who was encouraged by a Hannah who had passed to create a handmade rug for her mother. Just like he spoke to Hannah’s mother through two other women who made a quilt before Hannah’s death in his usual perfect timing.
My blog post was that everyone grieves differently…and that is ok. The key is not to get stuck in anyone area of grief that is destructive. Hard to avoid…but, necessary for the soul to go on.
Hannah’s Gift was written by Hannah’s mother, Maria Housden. She overcame the despair and depression that her loss caused to go on to write this inspiring book. Truly, God intended her to share her wisdom and her journey. He has changed Maria’s life since that time…it has been a life of meaning. Painful at times, inspiring at times, and he has taught Maria about living in the moment, loving in the moment, letting go with dignity, and teaching through it all.
Hannah’s Gift was copyrighted in 2002 and was published by Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
Play Dirty is a work of fiction written by Sandra Brown. The premise of this book is that a man by the name of Griff Burkett is released from prison after five years. He is a former football player who was charged and convicted for throwing a game because he had owed gamboling money.
He has a hard time finding employment and is pretty much considered a pariah in the community. No one wants to hire him. He has no friends. He has no family. He is approached by a very rich man and his wife and asked to perform a very personal and confidential service for a large sum of money.
Against all odds…he goes against his better judgement and does what they ask of him…for the money. It all goes badly. In the end…he is pursued by a man who is bent on destroying him and his remaining reputation.
Griff is basically a good guy at heart who is misunderstood in both large and small ways. He doesn’t trust others enough to communicate what he is really feeling, most of the time. This sets him up to find himself in the middle of a murder investigation.
The story line is a bit far fetched, what with a police officer with a vengence who literally gets away with murder…but, Sandra Brown is a writer with great skill…so the reader overlooks alot.
The only problem i have with this particular book is the raunchy language at times. It is a shame that someone with Ms. Brown’s writing skill finds it necessary to use this type of language to set a scene. I do love her books…but this is getting to be more of a problem for me when i read them.
`Play Dirty was copyrighted in 2007 and is published by Simon & Shuster.
Rainy’s Recommendations
