Cheri Register's book "Living With Chronic Illness" was both validating and helpful to me.
Eight years of living with chronic migraines has effected my faith, self-image, independence, relationships, work aspirations and what I consider my purpose in life.
At first I tried to minimize the migraines disabling effect but over time and with more acceptance I have, for the most part, found ways to accommodate and live with them.
Register describes many of the challenges of living with chronic illness. Sickness in our culture is seen as an enemy to be fought and defeated. These war images cast chronically ill people as victims, and it's sometimes seen as a character defect if we experience suffering, grief or fear. Instead of 'battling' the illness we can accept it as something we live with that is our normal state of being. The realization that we can be happy and sick is a major lesson.
Our culture expects a person's disability to be a test of character or an opportunity for heroism. People effected with illness should not have to prove their value to others. We are not better or worse, no more heroic or cowardly, strong or weak than healthy people. We are people first not a disease.
Other hurdles for the chronically ill include: loss of autonomy, (self-reliance and being financially self-supporting carries the imprint of virtue). For the chronically ill not pulling your weight is compounded by the fear of becoming indigent and feeling different. Unemployment not only involves economic loss but the loss of identity, productivity, self worth and a sense of meaning. Register says it is important to separate our economic and identity issues from the quest of human worth. When we accept our illness we can stop looking for a cause to blame or a miracle cure.
Chronic Illness challenges our relationships. Adversity can bring couples closer but with chronic illness the adversity comes and goes on a regular basis. The crisis may even become the core of the relationship. Illness highlights and compounds the gender differences. Females are trained to show emotion and males to hide them. It is easier for women to "be there" for intimacy and shared vulnerability. Women often want simple consolation from their husbands, what they get instead is a rational solution. Seeing their mate sick leaves many men feeling powerless. When a relationship requires sustained expression of thoughts and feelings it may become burdensome for the mate.
Register illuminates patience as a way of life for the chronically ill. Acceptance means taking realistic control over how we live and being ready for chaos. The "one day at a time approach" helps. When pain grows intense it demands complete attention. It also helps to focus on the recovery instead of the traumas.
Most doctors are more comfortable caring for acute illness. When medications do not work the patient rather than the medication is often blamed. Few doctors are honest about the limits of medical knowledge and trust patients enough to be partners in care.
Register acknowledges that anger, fear and grief are healthy responses to physical suffering. The value of catharsis allows us to face the emotions head-on rather than avoid or dismiss them. It is reassuring to hear that having suicidal fantasies are a normal consequence of chronic illness and not evidence of losing hold. Since most people do not act on their suicidal thoughts, considering death as a way out of the pain often diffuses the suffering. Also, when we confront the suicidal fantasy head-on it looses its power. Register even came to regard her own suicidal fantasies as a treasured choice. Knowing that suicidal thoughts are a feature of the illness is empowering.
Instead of asking "why me?" the chronically ill are better served by the question "what now?" And for people of faith we might ask, "what do you want from me God?" which implies not penance but fulfillment of a mission. Instead of seeing chronic illness as a punishment for sin, an endurance test, a divine plan geared to your natural capacity or a random event Register recommends we see chronic illness and suffering as central to the human condition. It is our own share of life's condition - a way of life not an aberration. Register says, to live with passion allows us to live with the dynamics of contradiction in joy and sorrow, caring and indifference, in courage and fear, in friendship and alienation. Passion is a fully human and divine spark that burns with life.
To answer the question "what should I do?" Register says, "Just live your life, pain and all with attention and purpose." Lived fully, the experience of illness can free us from the curse of perfection. For people of faith learning to feel God's pain makes us more attuned to God's pleasure. Life is a beautiful tapestry being woven with our lives, it's pattern visible only to God.
Register redefines the disabled hero as one who demonstrates a capacity to come through multiple ordeals with their will intact. Instead of winners and losers, survivors have moments of courage, moments of cowardice, moments of determination and moments of despair, moments of glory and moments of humiliation. That many of us survive these ups and downs is a miracle that happens many times a day.
Register describes the ingredients of survival for the chronically ill: a sense of humor, tenacity, a will to live, discipline, inner strength, trusting ourselves, inner peace, acceptance, a support system, faith, skepticism, and a belief in a Higher Power and Purpose. Instead of saying, "There but for the grace of God go I" we might say, "Here, with the grace of God, I am." Our bodies are, after all, our medium for experiencing creation.

"Living With Chronic Illness" has probably been one of the most important books in my collection as I deal with chronic illness myself. I met the author in 1990 and heard her speak about the unique nature of rare and chronic diseases, and found myself nodding and smiling throughout her talk. If you are dealing with a chronic illness, you will re-read this book (or sections of it) for years as you experience different problems. Mine's marked up with yellow highlighter and underlined passages, a sign of how deeply and personally Cheri's writing touches my heart. I saw that she's revised and updated this book, so I would unhesitatingly recommend that one sight unseen too.

Register, who has a chronic illness herself, has interviewed other patients in Minnesota to get their views on subjects ranging from marriage to work. I found myself underlining so many sentences. The book has been a comfort to me since I first bought it in 1991. It has seen me through asthma and depression. One drawback, which Register acknowledges--all her interviewees are from Minnesota so there is no geographical diversity. Also, from their names and descriptions, they all seem to be African- or European-American--no Asians for example, and I didn't find any gay people. A more diverse sample would have made this a stronger book. Overall, I highly recommend it, and I hope she's still around to publish more! I really appreciated her sharing so much about her life.

I was surprised to find out that Ms. Christie herself had a mystery surrounding her disappearance in 1926, so I was interested to find this book. But I would have called it, "The Agatha and the Ecstasy."

The queen of mystery biggest mystery was her own. It was incredible to me to find out that Agetha had a mystery of her own that she could not solve. Doctor Owens approach to solving Agetha's mystery was fascinating and a real page turner. It was the most uniqe books I've ever read. Using Agetha history and passages from her books to coherently solve a previously unsolved mystery was a stroke of brillance. Dr. Owens takes us on an intelletual ride that keeps you interested from the first to the last page. The solution was so satisfing that I felt 100% confident that the ultiment mystery was finally solved. YOU WILL HAVE TO READ IT FOR YOURSELF TO BE LET IN ON THE SECRET! The solution and writting is something that Augetha would be proud to have authored herself 5 STARS!

The Lost Days is not an easy read, but if you are interested in solving the mysteries of the human mind and the mystery of Agatha Christie's disappearance in 1926, The Lost Days is a very satisfying experience. Author Owens, a therapist, has done a very interesting thing, she has taken Agatha on as a client and the therapy session solves a seventy-year-old mystery as no one else ever has including the great Queen of Mysteries, Agatha herself.

Besides being one of those - Why haven't I heard of this story before? - adventure stories, this book offers a great opportunity to further enhance the Yellowstone experience.

I read this book while staying in a ranch outside Yellowstone National Park. As luck would have it, our first day of "touring" the park via automobile closely paralleled Truman's path, and I managed to read this story aloud to the kids later that night, in front of a big cast iron stove, while Clark's Fork gurgled 30 feet from the door. I'm not sure if it was the story or the setting, but they were captivated! They were able to tie Truman's adventures in with many of the places we had been earlier that day, and it gave them an entirely different perspective of the park. In addition to bringing the book to life (again - what a story!), it contributed immensely to their appreciation of Truman's ordeal, the magnitude of the park and the wilderness that lies 100 yards off the main roads... Highly recommended.

Knowing the history of the exploration of this magnificent park makes me even more anxious to visit this beautiful country. After reading this book, when I visit YSNP, I will focus on a time long ago, when all the modern conveniences were not there. It is a great book to have read to get some of the background knowledge of this area, before you go out and explore yourself!

Today, being lost in Yellowstone National Park is as simple as turning on the wrong road after you lost your complimentary map or you can not locate the restroom in the Old Faithful complex. For Truman Everts, being lost in Yellowstone was a struggle between life and death. Everts's account details his 1870 adventure in Yellowstone after finding himself separated from his travelling companions. The separation began Everts's thirty-seven day struggle for survival in a pre-developed Yellowstone in which Everts had to find what little food and shelter he could just to survive. Readers will find this account to be a real-life struggle for survival reminiscent of Jack London's fictional work. The editor, Lee Whittlesey, does a superb job of editing Everts's story by providing the reader with additional information and the historical background of the book. The work is also illustrated with many early day photographs of Yellowstone which provides an stunning visual account of early-day Yellowstone National Park. This book will be appreciated by anyone looking for an exciting true-life adventure story as well as historians of the American West. People who have been "lost" recently in Yellowstone will also appreciate the book, even if their modern-day adventure pales in comparison to Evert's

I found the history to be very well presented. I was a little lost with the economic theory that was presented by Max Weber (?), but found the conclusions to be refreshingly honest, though sad.

I greatly enjoyed the book, and its treatment of the subject. Done with tact and fairness, while yet being open and honest. Interesting perspective provided by the son of the last church patriarch.

The Authors of Lost Legacy accomplish two feats: First, it tells the fascinating story of the men--lineal descendants of Hyrum Smith--who have held this office, and the interactions between those Smiths and the other leaders of the LDS Church. Second, it uses that story to illustrate the Weberian concept of institutional evolution within a religious organizational context. One comes away with an empathy for both sides of this awkward relationship--familial Patriarchs "born" to the position, and devoted Church leaders who moved up the ladder of the Church's "office" hierarchy. The office was created in 1833 and eliminated in 1979. However, the last Patriarch to the Church, Eldred G. Smith, continues fully to give Patriarchal blessings. In other words, when he was placed on "emeritus," the office was retured, de facto, and the Patriarch continues to this day to function. It resolved the sticky problem of succession. This book won the Mormon History Association's "Best Book" award in 1996. The book treats its subject and its subjects with candor yet with fairness and restraint.

This book is inspirational! It is wonderful for someone short on time and/or going through a difficult time, since it does not have to be read all at once. It is presented as short stories and inspirational thoughts for the day from such notable people as Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, etc. It was a pleasure to read - light and enjoyable, but also thought provoking.

A book to warm your heart and lift your spirits. An excellent book to share with someone who needs that special lift when life seems to have them down. Rather than a gift of flowers share a gift of encouraging words...guaranteed to bring sunshine into any rainy day. Excellent book to share with a hurting friend, a grieving neighbor, a terminally ill acquaintance, or just because you care.

Sometimes I laughed and sometimes I cried but the stories and poems were all so touching. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.

MAKING PEACE is an excellent presentation of a complex and difficult subject. Dr. Hawks manages to dig deep into the personal and societal issues surrounding body image and self esteem through various examples, explanations, scriptures and illustrations.

MAKING PEACE is set within an anything but 'typical' university health class. The format is easy to read and logically laid out to help the reader progress thoroughly through each topic. Whether the reader is looking for spiritual support or personal growth, this book is a real treasure!

University professors beware!!!! Dr. Hawk's humorous and tender examples of classroom instruction sets a new standard in higher education.

Anyone who reads this book can't help but glean something positive from it whether they are trying to help themself, someone else, or just gain a better understanding of self-esteem and/or body image. Hawks is right on target in terms of what self-esteem is, where it comes from, external and internal influences, and how it is developed. His writing style is simple yet thought provoking and uses humor appropriately. He incorporates analogies, paradigms, metaphors, and real life experiences masterfully. His message is couched within gospel principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From believer to non-believer, however, there is something for everyone in this book. It's a wonderful addition to my library.

I am not one to normally read self help-type books, but this book is a significant contribution to the literature of self esteem and body image. If you have struggled with problems over weight or other physical problems, this book is for you. Hawks writes with a warm, engaging style. He takes a detailed look at body image with an enjoyable combination of wit and insight. Hawks, a health science professor, is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is a nationally recognized expert in the field of spiritual health. He has spent years studying, and publishing, on the effect of spiritually on health and this book offers some profound insights on the topic. I found the book easy to read, and many chapters left me thinking deeply about things that have affected me my entire life (like my weight). I highly recommend this book.

This is a great story with a very positive representation of a young blind girl. She is shown to be a self sufficient, capable, and independant youg lady, not helpless like the blind are sometimes viewed. A very good story for all, young and old, blind and sighted. I highly recommmend it!

This is a wonderful children's book. It is well written and illustrated. The ending is superb! It truely makes us appreciate each and every day. This is one of three books out by this author....I look forward to more!

I have a young daughter who loves horses and I work with mentally challenged children this book is great for showing how a child with any challenge can accomplish anything

Ms. Ehlert collects different types of handmade folk art from all over the world. In this collection, she has arranged items as varied as ice fishing decoys from the United States and beaded dolls from Africa to create a collage to illustrate this fun, colorful story.

It's market day, so let's feed the animals, pack up the veggies and the things to sell, and head on out to the market!! Along the way, we'll pass colorful birds and even snakes sunning themselves in the grass. We'll stay all day until the sun goes down and then head back home with all the wonderful things we've bought. Told in rhyme, "Market Day" is a colorful story with a lot of energy to it. A blue bull doll from Africa carries a giant carrot to market alongside a row of papier-mache turnips from the United States. A hand-carved cart with people from Mexico joins the procession, along with other art from Central America.

While she is perhaps best known for her illustration of the famous children's book, "Chicka-Chicka Boom Boom", Ms. Ehlert has written and illustrated many other books as well. All have her distinctive cut-paper or photograph style to them, but I would rank "Market Day" as one of my favorites by her. In a world where very FEW things are made by hand, "Market Day" is a welcome reminder of the fine art of everyday. Highly recommended!

My four-year-old daughter is fasinated by the simple rhyming text and bright folk art pictures of this book. I think younger children would likewise enjoy it. We also like to read all the countries of origin for the various folk art pieces at the back of the book.

The pictures flow, As do the words. It's full of fish, And frogs, and birds. A trip to market, From a farm. And all and all There's lots of charm.

Henke's recent work "Marking Time: Christian Rituals for All our Days" is an invaluable resource for the common and not so common life experiences that shape who we are. Whether we are excited about getting our first driver's license or mourning the loss of a child through miscarriage, this book helps people to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. The ritual "When Violence Has Been Experienced" was particularly helpful following the infamous terroist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. The ritual didn't cheapen the event with easy answers, nor did it allow dispair to carry the upperhand. It said what needed to be said, all the while comforting participants with the assurance that we are not alone. I personally know the author, but even if I didn't know her, I would be exceedingly grateful to anyone who would point me in the direction of this book

"From presumptions that violence is more acceptable in the lives of others than it is in our own, Deliver us, O Lord!" These words, from MARKING TIME, were spoken tonight in our worship service, in response to the violent events of September 11. Pastor Linda Henke has the incredible ability to bring clarity to what we are experiencing. She enables us to focus on addressing a situation - violence, birth, adoption, personal achievement, marriage, divorce, retirement, family reunion, etc. Life is full of "occasions." Look through the table of contents - you will find that MARKING TIME speaks to you!

I had the pleasure of meeting Linda Witte Henke (an alum of Trinity Lutheran Seminary) when she was a speaker for a family ministry class at TLS. Her sincerity for the need of this type of book was heart-felt. I anticipated MARKING TIME's publication and am very pleased with its contents. So many times in daily life a special circumstance needs uplifting and this book provides the words (that are sometimes so hard to come by) for those special times and occasions that the church doesn't recognize as sacraments. Within the first week of my book's arrival, it was referenced for an ordination, end of class worship service and a congregation's 100th anniversary. Thanks Linda for your great and much needed contribution to ministry.

This book is wonderful! It gives a full account of the concept behind this wonderful album, which stood the test of time! To get the full effect, order the "What's Going On" Deluxe Edition!

I've read all of the books written about Marvin and picked this up to add to the collection, expecting it to be little more than expanded liner notes for the album. Wow. Very wrong. The book ends up encompassing Marvin's entire life through the scope of his most acclaimed work. It's beautifully written, unfolding more like a novel than you'd ever expect. It's a genuinely moving look at a true artist taking the boldest step of his...and arguably any other musician's...life. I can't recommend this highly enough, both as an admirer of Marvin's and as someone who just likes to read a great book.

should be more like it.what can you say about the Album "what's Going On"?Mind Blowing to this day.solid all the way around.the kind of Album that is timeless&moves you especially now in light of recent events.Marvin Gaye is one of those Artists in His League&this Book showcases that.also Madd Props to all the Great minds that Contributed to this Classic Album&it reflected then as it does now.War,Sex,Race,Religion,Class,&The World&it's Surroundings.Read the Book&Listen to the album they both will grab your full attention.