Blog Tour – Authentic Parenting for a Postmodern Culture

Blog Tour – Authentic Parenting for a Postmodern Culture

Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture

by Mary E. DeMuth
Harvest House, July 1, 2007

This blog has specialized in fiction, and it will remain that way overall. However, when I heard that Mary was having a blog tour to support her new parenting book, Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, I had no hesitation in signing up. I’ve frequented places on the web where I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the real faith of Mary DeMuth. For someone to move their family to France in order to help pioneer a church, it takes a lot of faith and guts.

There are plenty of parenting books out there. You may wonder if another one is needed, but this book definitely has a fresh perspective that helps us apply God’s grace with our children. I’ve already had the book in mind while dealing with my boys in different circumstances this last week.

The title may throw a few people. It seems that the word “postmodern” has taken on some baggage, which is unfortunate. Let me state up front that Mary stresses that her book is not about making your child a postmodern. It is parenting in a postmodern culture, which like it or not, we are living this culture currently. Please don’t overlook a good book over a word.

Mary’s book is very readable, with lots of stories from personal struggle in working these principles out in her own family. She is not afraid to share negative examples where they haven’t done things perfectly.

No parenting book can be exhaustive, and Authentic doesn’t pretend to be THE book. You won’t find tips or strategies in dealing with disobedience, discipline, etc. The focus on the book is advice in walking out the parenting life as examples. There are other books to deal with discipline issues, but if that’s what you’re looking for, this may not be the book for you. If you are seeking some inspiration on how to be a better parent, then this should be a book you explore.

I could get into a long post here, but I think I’ll wrap up this as a “highlight” and give some specifics next post. In the meantime, meet Mary and read her crazy blog here. Or visit Mary’s helpful and fun website here. Finally, you could read an excerpt from the book, click here.
Blog Tour – Authentic Parenting for a Postmodern Culture

Blog Tour – Authentic Parenting for a Postmodern Culture

Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture

by Mary E. DeMuth
Harvest House, July 1, 2007

This blog has specialized in fiction, and it will remain that way overall. However, when I heard that Mary was having a blog tour to support her new parenting book, Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, I had no hesitation in signing up. I’ve frequented places on the web where I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the real faith of Mary DeMuth. For someone to move their family to France in order to help pioneer a church, it takes a lot of faith and guts.

There are plenty of parenting books out there. You may wonder if another one is needed, but this book definitely has a fresh perspective that helps us apply God’s grace with our children. I’ve already had the book in mind while dealing with my boys in different circumstances this last week.

The title may throw a few people. It seems that the word “postmodern” has taken on some baggage, which is unfortunate. Let me state up front that Mary stresses that her book is not about making your child a postmodern. It is parenting in a postmodern culture, which like it or not, we are living this culture currently. Please don’t overlook a good book over a word.

Mary’s book is very readable, with lots of stories from personal struggle in working these principles out in her own family. She is not afraid to share negative examples where they haven’t done things perfectly.

No parenting book can be exhaustive, and Authentic doesn’t pretend to be THE book. You won’t find tips or strategies in dealing with disobedience, discipline, etc. The focus on the book is advice in walking out the parenting life as examples. There are other books to deal with discipline issues, but if that’s what you’re looking for, this may not be the book for you. If you are seeking some inspiration on how to be a better parent, then this should be a book you explore.

I could get into a long post here, but I think I’ll wrap up this as a “highlight” and give some specifics next post. In the meantime, meet Mary and read her crazy blog here. Or visit Mary’s helpful and fun website here. Finally, you could read an excerpt from the book, click here.

Is Fiction False?

My wife homeschools our two older boys. Of course this means mailing lists! How these people find out about you, I don’t know, but in no time we were receiving catalogs and whatnot related to homeschooling and curriculum.

I just got one catalog from Memoria Press called The Classical Teacher. It pushes classical education like Latin and rhetoric. What was interesting was a little article inside by Martin Cothran called “Is Fiction False?”

He discusses the idea that we can’t take all of our information in by just rational/logical means. He argues that fiction not only can speak to the head, but to the heart. A story can put a truth in a context and see how it works out.

A good quote from the article:

I have a friend who regularly asks me to recommend books for him to read. And among the books I recommend are a good dose of fiction, mostly novels. His response is always the same: a grimace, followed by the declaration, “Is that fiction? I just don’t read much fiction.” My rebuttal has become equally predictable: “Yes, I understand,” I say. “In fact, I’m thinking of only breathing out of one lung from now on.” Or: “I’m wondering why I need two eyes: I’m thinking of just putting one out.” He gets the message: you only limit your understanding if you limit yourself to expository or argumentative writing.

Good thoughts. We can know information, but we don’t necessarily know something. “”…By merely assenting to a proposition about something, we have understood it.” When fiction places a concept into a situation and sees how it works outside in an experiential realm, we can be more fully impacted by the concept.

So go read some good fiction before the summer days slip away.

Currently reading: (3 non-fiction and 3 fiction)
Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture
Intercessory Prayer
It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian

The Legend of the Firefish
Return of the Guardian King
Shivering World

Is Fiction False?

My wife homeschools our two older boys. Of course this means mailing lists! How these people find out about you, I don’t know, but in no time we were receiving catalogs and whatnot related to homeschooling and curriculum.

I just got one catalog from Memoria Press called The Classical Teacher. It pushes classical education like Latin and rhetoric. What was interesting was a little article inside by Martin Cothran called “Is Fiction False?”

He discusses the idea that we can’t take all of our information in by just rational/logical means. He argues that fiction not only can speak to the head, but to the heart. A story can put a truth in a context and see how it works out.

A good quote from the article:

I have a friend who regularly asks me to recommend books for him to read. And among the books I recommend are a good dose of fiction, mostly novels. His response is always the same: a grimace, followed by the declaration, “Is that fiction? I just don’t read much fiction.” My rebuttal has become equally predictable: “Yes, I understand,” I say. “In fact, I’m thinking of only breathing out of one lung from now on.” Or: “I’m wondering why I need two eyes: I’m thinking of just putting one out.” He gets the message: you only limit your understanding if you limit yourself to expository or argumentative writing.

Good thoughts. We can know information, but we don’t necessarily know something. “”…By merely assenting to a proposition about something, we have understood it.” When fiction places a concept into a situation and sees how it works outside in an experiential realm, we can be more fully impacted by the concept.

So go read some good fiction before the summer days slip away.

Currently reading: (3 non-fiction and 3 fiction)
Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture
Intercessory Prayer
It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian

The Legend of the Firefish
Return of the Guardian King
Shivering World

Blog Tour – Authentic Parenting

Today I am supposed to be part of a blog tour for Mary DeMuth, aka relevantgirl. She is a visionary author who is living in France to live out a life for Jesus in that country. She is the author of several books, both fiction and non-fiction. Currently she has a new book called Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture.

I mainly focus on fiction at this blog. I have been invited to participate in other blog book tours for non-fiction books, but I haven’t chosen to accept. No slight to those other authors, but this time I felt a leading to be a part of Mary’s tour.

Unfortunately, I haven’t received my copy to read yet. So if you are following a link to this blog regarding Authentic, I will have to disappoint you for the time being. I will be participating at a later date, and look forward to reading this book and giving you an honest review. As a father of boys aged 7, 5, and 3, I can use all the authenticity I can lay my hands on!

So please check back in a couple of weeks. Check out some of the other fine posts here while you’re at it, and go to Mary’s relevant blog for a list of those on the tour this week.

Blog Tour – Authentic Parenting

Today I am supposed to be part of a blog tour for Mary DeMuth, aka relevantgirl. She is a visionary author who is living in France to live out a life for Jesus in that country. She is the author of several books, both fiction and non-fiction. Currently she has a new book called Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture.

I mainly focus on fiction at this blog. I have been invited to participate in other blog book tours for non-fiction books, but I haven’t chosen to accept. No slight to those other authors, but this time I felt a leading to be a part of Mary’s tour.

Unfortunately, I haven’t received my copy to read yet. So if you are following a link to this blog regarding Authentic, I will have to disappoint you for the time being. I will be participating at a later date, and look forward to reading this book and giving you an honest review. As a father of boys aged 7, 5, and 3, I can use all the authenticity I can lay my hands on!

So please check back in a couple of weeks. Check out some of the other fine posts here while you’re at it, and go to Mary’s relevant blog for a list of those on the tour this week.