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WORK TITLE: It’s Okay about It
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.laurencasper.com/
CITY: Shenandoah Valley
STATE: VA
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LC control no.: no2009180875
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2009180875
HEADING: Casper, Lauren
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670 __ |a It’s okay about it, 2017 : |b ECIP t.p. (Lauren Casper) data view (b. Jan. 4, 1984)
PERSONAL
Born January 4, 1984; in ME; married; husband’s name John; children: Mareto, Arsema.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
Contributor to websites, including the Huffington Post, Yahoo!, and Autism Speaks. Maintains a blog.
SIDELIGHTS
Lauren Casper is a writer based in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She maintains a blog and has contributed to websites, including the Huffington Post, Yahoo!, and Autism Speaks.
In 2017, Casper released her first book, a memoir called It’s Okay about It: Lessons from a Remarkable Five-Year-Old about Living Life Wide Open. In it, she recalls her struggles with infertility and the two miscarriages that devastated her and her husband. The couple eventually decided to adopt and chose two children from Ethiopia. Mareto, their son, was the first child they adopted. In an interview with Jonathan Stern, contributor to the Fatherly website, Casper recalled first having an inkling that Mareto might be autistic. She stated: “When Mareto was about eighteen months old we took a vacation to Topsail Island with my whole family. As we were walking back up the dunes John turned around to see if I was coming and I saw this incredible silhouette of my husband and son with the sun setting behind them. So I yelled: ‘freeze!’ and took a photo.” Casper continued: “But when I look at this picture what I really remember is that this is when we started seeing signs of autism in our son. It was during this vacation and this season of life that we realized something was going on, even if we didn’t have a name for it yet.” Casper tells of how she and her husband dealt with Mareto’s autism and how they have helped him to thrive. She shares some of the phrases Mareto uses that have charmed her, including the one used for the book’s title.
“Readers will glean lots of small life lessons that will inspire and encourage,” predicted a reviewer on the Publishers Weekly website. Sandra Collins, critic in Library Journal, described It’s Okay about It as “a personal account of Christian parenting for those who are harried yet hopeful.” Zachary Houle, contributor to the Medium website, suggested: “It’s an easy, breezy read, and it will teach you that kids may say more than the darnedest things. What they have to say may be instructive and come as a blessing, which is all the more reason to listen to them.” Of the book, Houle added: “It may not be for everyone — it is, after all, a little light on theology — but for those who want to know more about the inner workings of a beautiful mind touched by autism, this is a good read worth checking out. It’s a breathtaking, astonishing and heart-breaking beautiful book.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Library Journal, April 1, 2017, Sandra Collins and James Wetherbee, “Spirituality & Religion,” review of It’s Okay About It: Lessons from a Remarkable Five-Year-Old About Living Life Wide Open, p. 71.
Publishers Weekly, March 13, 2017, review of It’s Okay About It, p. 79.
ONLINE
Fatherly, https://www.fatherly.com/ (April 7, 2016), Jonathan Stern, author interview.
It’s Okay about It Website, https://www.itsokayaboutit.com/ (November 12, 2017), author profile.
Lauren Casper Website, http://www.laurencasper.com/ (November 12, 2017).
Medium, https://medium.com (May 4, 2017), Zachary Houle, review of It’s Okay About It.*
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fbprofile copyHi, I’m Lauren. I’ve been blogging here since 2009 – back when this was a journal of sorts. Then it became more of a community, and here we are today! I grew up in a military home which makes the question, “Where are you from?” tricky. I was born in Maine, lived in Bermuda, Monterrey, San Diego, the D.C. area, Va Beach, and the Shenandoah Valley. Every military kid is different and in one family you might have 3 different kids give 3 different answers to where they consider “home” to be. I currently live in the lovely Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, but “home” is still Southern California.
I’m a writer. I’ve authored one book, am currently working on my second, and have a rough outline for my third. I write about faith and loss and motherhood and adoption and hope and community and more.
I spend most of my time taking care of my two beautiful children. It’s a special gift that I’m able to work from home. After years of infertility and two miscarriages we chose the path of adoption. Our children were both born in Ethiopia and then came home with us in 2011 (Mareto) and 2012 (Arsema). They bring me more joy and hope than I ever imagined possible. We love their heritage and consider it a special responsibility to honor that heritage in our home and lives.
easter2017
My husband is a Chaplain at a military college after spending four years in seminary and as a Youth Pastor. Being a pastor’s wife is a weird feeling, mainly because growing up I thought the wives of all my pastors were perfect and basically Mrs. Claus… and I am so not.
I cry a lot. My tears aren’t always sad: I also cry when I’m extra excited or happy, when I’m totally overwhelmed, when I’m tired, when I’m moved by a story of resilience, when I’m angry, or when I’m talking about something that just matters to me so much.
I’m a 9 (Peacemaker) on the Enneagram and an INFJ which surprises my family (parents and siblings) who don’t think I’m introverted at all.
Sometimes I’m asked to speak, which always makes me nervous but I say yes anyway.
My work has appeared on the Huffington Post, the TODAY Show, Autism Speaks, The Mighty, Yahoo!, and more. You can also find me on facebook , twitter, and instagram.
I don’t know what brought you here, but I’m glad you came. I hope you find encouragement, hope, and maybe even a little peace.
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ABOUT
Popular blogger Lauren Casper shares poignantly simple yet profound wisdom about removing the barriers we construct around our hearts and doing life full-on, all from the least expected source: her five-year-old son, Mareto.
For Lauren Casper, living with her five-year-old autistic son, Mareto, is a lot like playing the telephone game. He blurts out little phrases that have their origin in something he saw or heard, but by the time they make their way through his mind and back out of his mouth they’ve transformed—often into beautiful truths about living a simple, authentic, love- and joy-filled life.
Mareto has a number of mantras, scripted phrases he says over and over. They seem silly at first, but as Casper has thought about them over time, she’s realized he is actually sharing important life lessons. From “it’s okay about it,” a simple reminder that even when things are painful or difficult, things will be okay because of the God who promises never to leave or forsake his children, to “you’re making me feelings,” which teaches the importance of leaning into one’s emotions and, in doing so, sharing a piece of oneself with loved ones—Mareto’s simple yet profound wisdom is a reminder to embrace the broken beauty of life, to believe in a God bigger than human comprehension, to love others even when it doesn’t make sense, and to find joy in unexpected places.
For all those looking to recapture the faith, simplicity, wonder, hope, courage, and joy of life, It’s Okay About It provides a guide to look inward and live outward, to discover the most wide open and beautiful life possible.
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Lauren Casper is the founder of the popular blog laurencasper.com, where she shares her thoughts on life, parenting, and faith. She is a top contributor to the TODAY Parenting Team and has had numerous articles syndicated by The Huffington Post, the TODAY show, Yahoo! News, and several other publications. She also has the joy of serving on the Created for Care team, a nonprofit ministry dedicated to serving foster and adoptive families. Lauren and her husband, John, have two beautiful children adopted from Ethiopia. They make their home in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
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PRAISE FOR IT'S OKAY ABOUT IT
"Lauren does something beautiful in her book, It’s Okay About It. She shows the reader ways in which we should pause and look at the world from the eyes of a five year old. From the beginning you feel encouraged and inspired to look at life differently, and in a world where life can seem crazy and chaotic a switch in viewpoints can be quite soothing to our souls."
--Jamie Ivey, host of The Happy Hour podcast
"Balancing personal history with mama-bear sensitivity, Lauren Casper grabbed me by the hand and led me along a path of discovering God's goodness through the lens of her child. There, in Mareto's vibrant world of innocence and wonder, love is inexhaustible, community is essential, and generosity is a reflex. Life shimmers with hope on the other side of It's Okay About It. I am grateful for their story.
--Shannan Martin, author of Falling Free: Rescued From the Life I Always Wanted
"Lauren is a dear friend and mama that has journeyed through loss and love. Her tenacity and tenderness bleed from these pages, and Mareto’s delightful life lessons will captivate your heart and keep you coming back for more!"
--Rebekah Lyons, author of Freefall to Fly and You are Free
"Brimming with joy, self-awareness and truth, Lauren Casper's It's Okay About It is a must-read. This is a beautiful book, one that's written for all of us whose lives crave faith, simplicity and wonder."
--Jessica N. Turner, best-selling author of The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You
"This book is one giant mic drop. You’re in the middle of a winsome story and then, Boom!, Lauren brings it. Or maybe it’s her son, Mareto. Mostly, now that I think of it, it’s Jesus. Which means this book is exactly what we all need. The simple reminders hold deep truths that will help you recapture the joy of your one beautiful life. Don’t miss this."
--Jennifer Dukes Lee, author of The Happiness Dare and Love Idol
"Lauren Casper's vulnerable storytelling style makes for a delightful read! Her son and their journey is unique to them, but relatable to any reader who wonders where and how to look for God in unexpected places. I both cried and laughed out loud in public places while reading it, and found myself telling total strangers what had moved me."
--Beth Guckenberger, author, speaker and Co-Executive Director, Back2Back Ministries
"We are all in the trenches--the trenches of loss, of acceptance, of turning over a new leaf, of caregiving, of keeping the faith. In It's Okay About It, Lauren Casper meets us in our trenches, bringing words of hope inspired by the honest language of her five-year-old son. Using his simple phrases, Lauren uncomplicates the complicated. Through the complexity of her story, we see the gentle bravery of motherhood and the transformative power of love."
--Mary Evelyn Smith, Librarian and Blogger at WhatDoYouDoDear.com
"You're going to LOVE this book. Through Lauren's word and Mareto's wisdom, you're going to be drawn in to a delightful and encouraging glimpse of childlike faith. When you read, you'll be slowed down and captured by grace and goodness--and you're going to close the book each time you read feeling a little more peace and sanctuary right where you're at. Read it, pass it on to a friend, and read it again. You'll be nearer to the Lord and more at ease for it."
--Jess Connolly, co-author of Wild and Free, author of Dance Stand Run
"I read this book from cover to cover in only a few days, but that is because Lauren writes like the friend you entrust with your extra house key. I will be gleaning from this book for many years to come—remembering the rich, life-giving innocence Mareto offers me within these pages. Mareto taught me how to love better, breathe deeper, and be "okay about it" more often. Each time I remember to position myself as a student of my own children, I will thank Mareto (and his mom, Lauren) for the gift of this great book."
--Kasey Van Norman, bestselling author of Named by God and Raw Faith
"Once I picked up this book, I couldn’t stop reading! Lauren’s writing is a gift of grace and tenderness. The stories of this beautiful family captivated me, and the profound and heartwarming lessons found in Lauren’s book wrapped closely around my heart. Lauren tells her story in a powerful way that lets Jesus shine through the broken places, allowing us to see the light of His goodness. It’s Okay About It will leave you hopeful, grateful, and encouraged."
--Courtney Westlake, author of A Different Beautiful
"It's Okay About It challenged me to slow down and hear how Jesus might be speaking to me through my children, to rest in the reminder that he is always there, and to follow him bravely no matter the depth of the water. Lauren's connections to Scriptural revelations through Mareto’s words has spurred me to listen more deeply to God’s voice in everyday moments with my loves too. If you find yourself called to deeper waters, this is a must-read to encourage you. "
--Andrea Young, Founder of Created for Care
"We would all do well to stop and see our world a little differently. It's Okay About It helps me wipe the grime off my worldly lenses and see life with an innocent hope. Lauren's tender heart and tough mama–spirit make her son Mareto's story sing. It's timely and needed for our sometimes cynical and hurting world."
--Hayley Morgan, coauthor of Wild and Free
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QUOTED: "When Mareto was about 18 months old we took a vacation to Topsail Island with my whole family. As we were walking back up the dunes John turned around to see if I was coming and I saw this incredible silhouette of my husband and son with the sun setting behind them. So I yelled: 'freeze!' and took a photo."
"But when I look at this picture what I really remember is that this is when we started seeing signs of autism in our son. It was during this vacation and this season of life that we realized something was going on, even if we didn’t have a name for it yet."
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PARENTING / SPECIAL NEEDS
The One Person This Autistic Boy Can Easily Make Eye Contact With Is His Sister With Special Needs
By Jonathan Stern Published April 7, 2016.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lauren Casper adopted her 2 children, Mareto and Arsema, from Ethiopia almost 4 years ago. And like most decisions when it comes to raising kids, it was the best thing she and her husband John ever did. In her blog, Casper talks about the challenges and the joy that comes from having a son with autism and a daughter with her own special needs. Below is a quick snapshot (pun fully intended) of what their family life has been like over the past few years.
Lauren Casper
Must Reads
1
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“We lost our first baby on September 16, 2006. That loss shaped so much of how I view life and family and love. My husband John took this photo on one of those anniversaries. I like how everything is a little out of focus because that’s how I felt for a long time after losing our baby.”
Lauren Casper
“We flew to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the first time in January 2011 to meet our son, Mareto. The next month we flew back to bring him home. I woke up one morning in the hotel to see John holding Mareto by the window and was just struck by how beautiful that moment — and our lives — was, so I snuck a photo.”
Lauren Casper
“When Mareto was about 18 months old we took a vacation to Topsail Island with my whole family. As we were walking back up the dunes John turned around to see if I was coming and I saw this incredible silhouette of my husband and son with the sun setting behind them. So I yelled, “freeze!” and took a photo. But when I look at this picture what I really remember is that this is when we started seeing signs of autism in our son. It was during this vacation and this season of life that we realized something was going on, even if we didn’t have a name for it yet.”
Lauren Casper
“Mareto loves trains and always has. If he’s having a hard day or getting panicked or having a meltdown, he can usually calm himself by watching train videos or playing with his toy tracks. One Thanksgiving we traveled to Illinois to see my grandparents and the trip was tough on Mareto. John found this train station and took him every single afternoon to watch the trains arrive.”
Lauren Casper
“We flew to Ethiopia in July 2012 to meet Arsema and spent every day of the week at the compound she lived in. It was the beginning of the rainy season and we had to stay inside most days, but whenever it wasn’t rainy we took her for walks around the yard. I love the way John cherishes our children and I think you can really see that here.”
Lauren Casper
“We brought Arsema home in October of 2012 and were expecting our lives to be a bit shook up for a while. Mareto has just recently been diagnosed with autism and we didn’t know how he’d adjust. Adding a new baby into any family can rock the boat for awhile, but we were amazed by how smooth everything was. Mareto was immediately attached to his sister and life fell into a rhythm pretty quickly. We spent a lot of mornings snuggled in bed all together just reading and chatting and giggling. John took this photo just two days after Arsema came home”
Lauren Casper
“Mareto and Arsema have had a special bond since the first night she came home. Some people on the autism spectrum can have trouble making eye contact, and we definitely notice that in Mareto. But it doesn’t come out with his sister. He can interact and talk with Arsema easier than anyone else on earth, and he has no issue with looking her right in the eye. I think she’s his safe place — he feels most comfortable and at ease with her.”
Lauren Casper
“Mareto and Arsema do better when they are together. Arsema keeps Mareto calm and relaxed and Mareto makes Arsema laugh. I snuck this picture from the doorway of Mareto’s room just a week or so after Arsema had a big surgery. She’d been miserable and we struggled with pain management for awhile, but if she was with Mareto she was mostly happy. Neither could talk yet but they knew how to communicate with one another anyway.”
Lauren Casper
“Arsema was born with amniotic band syndrome, a condition that caused the loss of some fingers and toes in utero and also some webbed digits. When we brought her home the doctors were skeptical that she would be able to stand or walk without surgery and physical therapy. But she stood up and started taking steps the week of her first birthday — 3 weeks before she ever had surgery. I took this photograph on her first birthday — we cheered ridiculously loud for her every time she stood.”
Lauren Casper
“Arsema is just about the happiest child I think I’ve ever met. The night after we first met her in Ethiopia, John and I sat in the hotel room talking about her name. We decided to keep both our children’s Ethiopian names, but we chose a middle name for them. I turned to John and said, “What do you think her middle name should be?” He smiled and said, ‘Joy.’ It is a perfect fit.”
Lauren Casper
“We are happiest when it’s just our little quartet doing something ordinary — hanging out on the slides at the playground, walking by the river, going for ice cream. I don’t take those moments for granted because I’m acutely aware of how close we came to never getting them at all.”
Lauren Casper
“When Mareto was 3 years old he grabbed my camera off the kitchen counter. For some reason I didn’t stop him. I watched silently as he moved around the house snapping photos and set the camera carefully on the floor when he was finished. I ran over to see what the photos looked like and was blown away by the gift we’d discovered. I told him he could use my camera any time he wanted. One morning he took this picture of Arsema with the sun coming in through the blinds. It’s breathtaking.”
Sign up for the Fatherly daily email. Jonathan Stern writes for Fatherly.
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QUOTED: "Readers will glean lots of small life lessons that will inspire and encourage."
10/22/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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Print Marked Items
It's Okay About It: Lessons from a Remarkable
Five-Year-Old About Living Life Wide Open
Publishers Weekly.
264.11 (Mar. 13, 2017): p79.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
It's Okay About It: Lessons from a Remarkable Five-Year-Old About Living Life Wide Open
Lauren Casper. Thomas Nelson, $16.99 trade paper (240p) ISBN 978-0-7180-8542-1
Casper, popular blogger and contributor to the Today Parenting Team, shares her family's story of adopting two babies
with special needs. Casper wanted to give birth to children, but after trying unsuccessfully for years to become
pregnant, she and her husband turned their sights on adoption. Casper likens her first parenting experience with Mareto,
who was adopted from Ethiopia and later diagnosed with autism, as trying to force a large rectangular block to balance
on her tiny square block, a precarious situation that never felt solid. Casper explains how she had to reorient her
expectations to meet her son's uniqueness. Much of the text includes the winsomeness (and witty sayings) of Mareto
and Casper's daughter, Arsema. The 21 chapters are chock-full of wondrous everyday happenings that glimmer with
the divine as Casper interprets and retells the ways her children see the world. Readers will glean lots of small life
lessons that will inspire and encourage. (May)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"It's Okay About It: Lessons from a Remarkable Five-Year-Old About Living Life Wide Open." Publishers Weekly, 13
Mar. 2017, p. 79. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA485971702&it=r&asid=cdd695e0bd2015e4888f1da5c7b18466.
Accessed 22 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A485971702
QUOTED: "a personal account of Christian parenting for those who are harried yet hopeful."
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Spirituality & religion
Sandra Collins and James Wetherbee
Library Journal.
142.6 (Apr. 1, 2017): p71.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution
permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
INTROSPECTION AND INTIMACY are recurring themes in this month's selections. We see an unexpectedly intimate
side of the relationship between journalist/activist Dorothy Day and God in The Reckless Way of Love. That
association between the divine presence and action is taken up by Marcus J. Borg in Days of Aive and Wonder.
Conversations, confessionals, and the complexities of daily life are investigated by authors such as Lauren Casper,
Anna LeBaron, Jason J. Stellman, and Tony and Bart Campolo. Looking at the sociology of religion, Jenna Weissman
Joselit uses the Ten Commandments as a touchstone to reflect on American culture in Set in Stone, Tanya Erzen
examines the role prison ministries play in God in Captivity, and Robin M. Jensen explores the enduring legacy of the
cross.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY
* Batchelor, Stephen. Secular Buddhism: Imagining the Dharma in an Uncertain World. Yale Univ. Feb. 2017.296p.
notes, bibliog. ISBN 9780300223231. pap. $27.50. REL
Batchelor (Buddhism Without Beliefs) has long advocated that Buddhism would flourish best in Western societies as a
secular practice without such religious doctrines as karma or the cycle of rebirth. This anthology spans the 1990s to the
present, showing the development of the author's ideas and how the principles he proposes are lived. Although none of
the articles in this volume go into the critical depth needed to evaluate his overall project of reimagining Buddhism, it's
clear from the literary methods he used to approach Buddhist texts (particularly the Pali canon) that the author is not
intending to refashion Buddhism simply to meet his secular tastes. Even some of his most controversial contentions,
such as a radical reevaluation of the Four Noble Truths, depend on an attempt to recover the texts rather than recasting
a religion as a pragmatic philosophy. VERDICT Aimed at a broad audience, this work should appeal to anyone
interested in exploring Buddhism within a rigorous framework that is both conversant with and challenging to a
Western intellectual heritage.--JW
Erzen, Tanya. God in Captivity; The Rise of Faith-Based Prison Ministries in the Age of Mass Incarceration. Beacon.
Mar. 2017. 248p. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780807089989. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780807089996. REL
Reminding us that the United States has an extensive system of correctional institutions, Erzen (religion, gender
studies, Univ. of Puget Sound, WA; Zero Tolerance) suggests the shift in theological perspective that came with the
Second Great Awakening, along with the theological justification of slavery in the South, had a profound impact on
prison reform in the 19th century. She argues that these effects are still felt today within the conservative Protestant
ethos regarding sin and redemption, crime and criminals, prisons and correctional institutions. In a series of case
studies drawn from visits to various correctional facilities, Erzen provides the perspectives of those serving in prison
ministries, prison officials, and (most particularly) prisoners themselves. Free of sentimentality, the author presents a
picture of these three interests interacting and reinforcing one another, often to the detriment of the inmates and society
at large. VERDICT Anyone interested in criminology, women's and family studies, sociology of religion, or criminal
justice reform will find this to be a powerful and thought-provoking study.--JW
Jensen, Robin M. The Cross : History, Art, and Controversy. Harvard Univ. Apr. 2017. 280p. bibliog. index. ISBN
9780674088801. $35. REL
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Jensen (theology, Univ. of Notre Dame) follows the cross from its ignoble Christian beginnings through its
manifestations as a focus of art, poetry, and theater, into its reevaluation during the Protestant Reformation and up to
modern perspectives from non-Christian groups. The cross has served as "artifact, religious symbol, miraculous agent,
devotional object and mass-produced collectible," resulting in a fascinating metaphor for the changing dynamics of
faith and culture. For instance, in the seventh century, as emphasis on Christ's physical agony on the cross grew,
iconoclasm clashed with religious iconography of the crucifix, with the unadorned cross emerging as an acceptable
image: "an abstract symbol, the simple cross is deemed acceptable for both liturgical as well as decorative purposes."
Rich in artistic imagery and well researched in both Western as well as Eastern Christian traditions, Jensen might be
faulted for offering only a single chapter covering the New World as well as Islam and the modern era, each of which
could have been an entire chapter. VERDICT This erudite history illuminates the social, cultural, as well as theological
developments of the cross over time.--SC
Joselit, Jenna Weissman. Set in Stone: America's Embrace of the TenCommandments. Oxford Univ. May2017. 232p.
iIIus. notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780190253196. pap. $29.95. REL
The Ten Commandments are, according to Joselit (Judaic studies, George Washington Univ.; The Wonders of
America), something of an American curiosity. They hold a pride of place enjoyed by few other texts, yet few can
actually enumerate them. Using media in which the commandments have been set forth--stone, stained glass, and
celluloid--Joselit presents narratives of how they have been woven into American culture and identity from the mid-
19th century into the 20th century. Delving into the Jewish immigrant experience, the author examines the tension
between maintaining one's heritage while embracing an American identity. She then explores how the Commandments
worked as metaphor and guide to forge a sense of a common civic virtue. Final essays deal with Cecil B. DeMille's film
The Ten Commandments, both the 1923 and 1956 versions. These are an exercise in contrast between how the laws
functioned after World War I and later, when Americans faced the horror of the Holocaust and perceived threat of
communism. VERDICT While not providing an explanation for the commandments' prominence in the American
imagination, Joselit has unearthed themes in the collective psyche, showing them to be more ubiquitous than one might
have thought.--JW
Mack, Burton L. The Rise and Fall of the Christian Myth: Restoring Our Democratic Ideals. Yale Univ. Feb. 2017.
320p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780300222890. pap. $28; ebk. ISBN 9780300227895. REl
That the United States is a Christian nation and its status as such should be upheld is almost an article of faith for some
in the Christian Right. Mack (theology, Claremont Sch. of Theology; Myth and the Christian Nation) counters that
while the story of Christianity is embedded in the nation's social psyche, the United States has never been Christian,
and that the Christian myth is inadequate for a democratic society. He argues that the religion as it developed from the
time of Constantine served the needs of an empire and a feudal system. While the myth was largely quiescent in earlier
U.S. history, it started to reemerge with the onset of the Cold War. However, this framework has been unable to inform
or address the ideologies found in science or capitalism. The author uses a number of concrete examples to underscore
his theoretical argument. VERDICT This study requires attentive reading. Those with an interest in anthropology or the
sociology of religion along with readers inclined to social or national policy will enjoy.--JW
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Alsup, Wendy. Is the BibleGood for Women? Seeking Clarityand Confidence Through a Jesus-Centered Understanding
of Scripture. Multnomah. Mar. 2017. 224p. notes. pap. ISBN 9781601429001. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781601429018.
REL
Blogger and writer Alsup (Practical Theology for Women) offers what she calls "a Jesus-centered" approach to the
Bible in order to redeem the trenchant misogyny often associated with its stories. Her reading of both testaments is
thoroughly intertextual: "no outside commentary offers as much insight on Scripture as the Bible offers about itself."
Her methodology employs a generalized spiritual allegory through the lens of the Christian message. For example,
marriage as given in Genesis 2 is not merely for procreative purposes, but rather presents an imperfect human image
that finds its ultimate perfection in Christ, where we read that "Jesus is the only true Groom." A woman's value, seen in
the light of Pauline patriarchy ("she shall be saved in childbearing" 1 Timothy 2:15), is not in reducing her to a womb,
but instead as the hope of salvation which comes through women, thereby redeeming the fallen Eve. VERDICT
Thoroughly orthodox in her approach, Alsup's latest work will appeal to Christocentric communities seeking to
accommodate a less gender-bifurcated faith.--SC
Borg, Marcus J. Days of Awe and Wonder: How To Bea Christian in the 21stCentury. HarperOne. Mar. 2017. 288p.
notes. ISBN 9780062457332. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062457356. REl
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Borg (religion & culture, Oregon State Univ.; Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time) may be best known for his
association with the Jesus Seminar. However, this collection of sermons, book chapters, articles, interviews, and blog
posts is only tangentially connected with that endeavor. Instead, it addresses questions that informed Borg's scholarship
and practical convictions. Borg's focus is on wonder, that deep-seated conviction and experience that there is more to
life than we can know or hope to know, and though beyond our grasp, this knowledge is available to us. Borg, who died
in 2015, was a mystic, and his experiences with the numinous animate his writings. His kind of mysticism embraces
reason, as evidenced by discussions over the divinity of Jesus, religious pluralism, the new atheists, and issues of social
justice. Although Borg starts to repeat himself, the volume manages to portray a Christianity that is reasonable, full,
expansive, and life affirming. VERDICT For those interested in Borg's scholarship, this work provides a hand-held
guide for understanding him and his critics. It is also valuable for those wishing to engage their own spiritual
aspirations.--JW
Campolo, Tony & Bart Campolo. Why I Left, Why I Stayed: Conversations on Christianity Between an Evangelical
Father and His Humanist Son. HarperOne. Feb. 2017. 176p. ISBN 97B0062415370. $24.99; ebk. ISBN
9780062415424. REL
It is all too easy for believers and secularists to caricature each other. Such an easy out was not available for the
Christian apologist Tony Campolo (emeritus, sociology, Eastern Univ.; The Kingdom of Cod is a Party) and his son
Bart (Humanist Chaplain, Univ. of Southern California; Kingdom Works), who have been grappling with issues of faith
and reason for decades. While each aims at persuasion, they also take on the daunting task of affirming the other's
intellectual integrity, honesty, and human decency. With father and son alternating chapters, one gets the feeling o f a
conversation developing new points of view. Each account is personal, charged, and sometimes pointed, but leaves
readers wishing that the dialog would continue. It is clear that each intends to listen to and learn from the other and t o
hope (and work for) the best. VERDICT With the son articulating to his father his place in the world, and the father
seeing the world he bequeathed to his son being realigned, both Campolos invite readers into something deeper than a
simple clash of worldviews.--JW
Casper, Lauren. It's Okay About It: Lessons From a Remarkable Five-Year-Old About Living Life Wide Open.
HarperCollins. May2017. 240p. notes. ISBN 9780718085421. pap. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9780718085537. REL
Blogger Casper (LaurenCasper.com) has taken some of her homespun insights on family and parenting and presents
them here, organized around the simple wisdom of her special-needs son, Mareto. After suffering from infertility,
Casper and her husband eventually adopted two Ethiopian children: one with recognizable issues, and one with
unknown issues that over time led to a diagnosis of autism. The overarching theme--life doesn't always go the way you
thought it would--resolves into a generalized sense of "Let go and let God." The author's unaffected voice is reflective
of a realized, everyday spirituality. Many of her ideas find common cause with new parents walking the path of
discovery as their children mature into their unique selves, if only parents take the time to stop and notice. That
idealized parental expectations often have to conform to each child results is a subtle and simple joy. VERDICT A
personal account of Christian parenting for those who are harried yet hopeful.--SC
Day, Dorothy. The Reckless Way of Love: Notes on Following Jesus. Plough. Mar. 2017. 149p. ed. by Carolyn Kurtz.
notes. bibliog. ISBN 9780874867923. pap. $8 ; ebk. ISBN9780874867930. REl
Day (1897-1980) is remembered as a radical and the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, but one sees very little
of that here. These snippets from nearly a dozen larger collections explore what animated Day. While the sources are
noted, it is better to take in this title before consulting others. What emerges is the portrait of a woman of deep but
conventional Catholic piety. Professional theologians might dismiss Day's reflections as unsophisticated until being
brought back to her extraordinary personality. Day had no patience with those who called her a saint. Saints are not like
the rest of us, but the Day in these pages is. Her reflections leave one wondering whether what made her so fascinating
was that she took the simple teaching of her faith at face value and to heart. VERDICT While it cannot stand on its
own, this work can serve as a pocket companion to Day or as a source of quiet meditation.--JW
Stellman, Jason J. Misfit Faith: Confessions of a Drunk Ex-Pastor. Convergent. Mar. 2017. 176p. ISBN
9780804140621. pap. $24; ebk. ISBN 9780804140614. REL
While the subtitle teases that this is a confessional of sorts, in truth, social media personality Stellman's (cohost of
Drunk Ex-Pastors podcast) book is hardly memoiras-confessional, since readers learn little about the author. For that
information, it seems one should become familiar with his podcast. What Stellman does confess is his conversion from
rigid, Bible-thumping evangelical to an incarnationally informed lay Catholic who better tolerates the ambiguities and
paradoxes of faith. His misfit faith--loosely characterized in cheeky vernacular as "sucking at something awesome
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rather than being awesome at something that sucks"--is his artless defining apologia against unyielding Protestant
dogmatism in light of his fresh Catholic perspective. The author transfers his considerable missionary fervor to
defending a liturgically and sacramentally informed faith, which encodes his self-definition as a "crash and burn
misfit." However, he turns Evangelical Protestantism into a straw man in a manner that communicates much more
about his faith journey than Protestantism in general. VERDICT This honest account will find resonance among
consumers of popular faith narratives.--SC
MEMOIRS & BIOGRAPHIES
LeBaron, Anna with Leslie Wilson. The Polygamist's Daughter : AMemoir. Tyndale House. Mar. 2017. 320p. ISBN
9781496417558. pap. $15.99 ; ebk. ISBN 9781496417589. MEMOIR
Similar to recent memoirs (Elissa Walls's Stolen Innocence or Carolyn Jessop's Escape) about life within and ultimately
leaving a cult, LeBaron's account tells of being one of 50 children of rogue polygamist Ervil LeBaron. Her story is one
of maternal disaffection, geographic dislocation, and an appalling paucity of education and meaningful relationships
until she breaks away at age 13 to live with one of her nonpolygamist sisters. While her personal courage is laudatory,
this work lacks historical context, raising such questions as how her father and mother came to embrace this radical
Mormon belief system, and whether her father was an originator of the cult's blood atonement justification for the
murder of wayward members. Also missing is enough personal introspection to transform the retelling from life
vignettes into a sustained narrative, rendering this a superficial sharing of events and feelings from her childhood
perspective. VERDICT Only for exhaustive readers and collectors of faith memoirs.--SC
By Sandra Collins & James Wetherbee
Sandra Collins (PHD, MLS, Univ. of Pittsburgh) is Library Director and Professor at Byzantine Catholic Seminary, PA.
James Wetherbee (MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity Sch.; MSLS, Univ. ojKentucky) is Network and Library Systems
Administrator at Wingate University, NC, and Library Liaison for the departments of religion and philosophy
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Collins, Sandra, and James Wetherbee. "Spirituality & religion." Library Journal, 1 Apr. 2017, p. 71+. General
OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA488260007&it=r&asid=3ce03b7910ada03331139a5385b16ef2.
Accessed 22 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A488260007
QUOTED: "It’s an easy, breezy read, and it will teach you that kids may say more than the darnedest things. What they have to say may be instructive and come as a blessing, which is all the more reason to listen to them."
"It may not be for everyone — it is, after all, a little light on theology — but for those who want to know more about the inner workings of a beautiful mind touched by autism, this is a good read worth checking out. It’s a breathtaking, astonishing and heart-breaking beautiful book."
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May 4
A Review of Lauren Casper’s “It’s Okay About It”
More Than Just Okay
“It’s Okay About It” Book Cover
I’m kind of gobsmacked about this book, and I don’t know where to even begin. I suppose I could start by saying that I’m not in the target demographic. This book is for mamas. But it’s a touching and sweet ode to the author’s adopted five-year-old son. Even though I couldn’t really relate, I could relate. I guess some concepts behind parenting are universal. So this is a book of collected sayings from the author’s son, who happens to have autism. My heart really goes out to Ms. Casper — not only is she infertile, but had the double-whammy of having a special needs child when she finally could adopt.
However, it turns out that her son, Mareto, has a habit of turning phrases inside and out. So instead of “You’re hurting my feelings” you get “You’re making me feelings”. Or “My batteries is all gone.” Or, pulling from his love of Thomas the Tank Engine, “Watch out for Diesel 10!” From these sayings, the author is able to weave a story that’s partially memoir, and uses them to buttress some life learnings.
If there’s one thing I can say having read this book, Mareto may not be Lauren Casper’s biological son, but she loves him like she would her own child. (Which is not to say that Mareto isn’t her own child … but, anyhow). Love gushes in ooey-gooey gumdrops throughout this read, so you can be rest assured that no matter how bad your day has been, this book will put you in a right and proper good mood.
And, yes, Casper is an evangelical Christian, which would normally send my red flags flying, but I can tell that she doesn’t use religion to hurt other people — quite the opposite. Her spiritual life comes across in the book as “this is who I am and what I believe in, but I’m not out to convince anybody.” Which is a very good thing, because, let’s face it, Casper’s message of mother love is a pretty universal one without theology getting in the way.
It’s really hard to write about this book, because the second that you start to say anything, you could be verging into spoiler territory. Suffice to say, the themes are separated by chapter, and Casper’s life story isn’t told in anything resembling a straightforward narrative. These chapters almost read like separate blog entries. Still, the book is remarkably easy to read and it holds your attention. (I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes, when I read, I start thinking about my grocery list or some such thing … but not with this book.)
So, it’s suffice to say that I adored It’s Okay About It. I thought it was cute, but not in a fluffy kind of way. There are some tales of tears and heartbreak in this book, but the end feeling is one of redemption. If I haven’t said this before, the overarching theme is one of love. And that’s what Jesus would have probably liked to have seen. I’m filled with joy that Casper can transcend not only boundaries of race, but mental disorders (is it fair to call autism that?) and if you know anything about me personally, you’ll know why I can fully, completely get behind that kind of message.
What’s more, I get the sense that Casper wouldn’t change a thing about her son for the world, and, with this book, does a great deal for bringing awareness of autism and that it isn’t some terrible thing that needs to be cured. True, she lucked out by getting a son who doesn’t have severe temper issues, and his autism seems to be limited mostly to matters of speech. But what’s great about writing about him is that you can see how humanity can be magnified through this special little person. If colours are sometimes too bright and there’s too much activity going on in the background, even the most temperate of adults can find their frustration level pretty quickly.
In any event, I implore you to read this book. I shove it into your hands. It’s a great little read, one that I read during a case of severe lethargy, and reading it always gave me a little boost. Part of me wishes that I were a part of the Casper family, because — even though the author freely admits she’s not a perfect person — there is such tremendous love in her family and home life.
This is a book abound with joy, with love, with grace, with cheese and crackers (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you get there). This is as pretty close to perfect with a book that one gets in the Christian book circles. It’s an easy, breezy read, and it will teach you that kids may say more than the darnedest things. What they have to say may be instructive and come as a blessing, which is all the more reason to listen to them.
As you can surmise, I can’t get enough of It’s Okay About It. It may not be for everyone — it is, after all, a little light on theology — but for those who want to know more about the inner workings of a beautiful mind touched by autism, this is a good read worth checking out. It’s a breathtaking, astonishing and heart-breaking beautiful book. I couldn’t get my fill of this. If you’re anything like me, you’ll enjoy the life advice from someone so young. Get this one into the hands of your mothers, and I’m sure they weep with joy over the glad tidings this book brings. “Christmas is ruined?” Hardly. This one’s a keeper.
Lauren Casper’s It’s Okay About It: Lessons from a Remarkable Five-Year-Old About Living Life Wide Open was published by Thomas Nelson on May 2, 2017.
Of course, if you like what you see, please recommend this piece (click on the green heart icon below) and share it with your followers.
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Book critic, Fiction author, Poet, Writer, Editor. Follow me on Twitter @zachary_houle.
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