What am I currently reading?

For all you bloghoppers, here's my answer to this week's question:
I’m currently reading 3 books: The biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas along with “The Call to Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, which is an excellent way to read his biography because you’re getting not just what people said about Bonhoeffer but what he said himself. If you like history, especially German history, you’ll enjoy these books.


I’m also reading “The Miracle at Speedy Motors” by Alexander McCall Smith. This is more of the same from him (I have the rest of the books in the series) which is to say it’s an enjoyable light read that takes you to another continent and culture with some mystery thrown in. I’ve always loved Africa and want to go back and stay longer this time. Until then, I’ll just have to read about Mma Ramotswe in Botswana.



I hope you'll take time to scroll down and read my book reviews as well.  Have a great weekend to all!

Review of Left at the Altar by Kimberley Kennedy

I was given a copy of “Left at the Altar” by Kimberley Kennedy from BookSneeze. This was a simply delightful book! I can already hear some of you: “Now hold on, Sharon. Delightful? Is this book about what I think it is?” You bet your sweet patootie it is! And Kimberly doesn't pull any punches either. She completely exposes herself. This gorgeous, highly successful TV anchor woman doesn't leave out a detail of every hope, dream and joy that gets smashed during her wedding rehearsal when Lew, her fiance, tells her that he, “just can't go through with it.”


To add insult to injury, he sends his sister to break the news to everyone else and to ask them to be sensitive because the whole thing was “very hard on poor Lew.” His family then proceeds to secure the band that was to play for the reception to perform for a dinner they would  give later that day for would be wedding guests. Good old Lew takes his brother to the South of France where the honeymoon was to be (why waste money?) and afterwards moves into the house they had bought together.

Do you hate Lew, yet?

The rest of the book is Kennedy's step by step journey from hating and blaming God (she never could bring herself to blame Lew), going through all the stages of grief (that she describes very well and accurately-which I unfortunately know from experience) to her journey back to God and discovering some painful things about herself through self- or rather Godly- examination. This examination allows her to understand that the real blame lay within her own proud, driven-to-succeed nature that had to be in control of every aspect of her life and a refusal to yield to God's will for her life.

Kimberley's honest evaluation of her own character and review of her relationship with Lew (lots and lots of red flags that she ignored because she was going to get what SHE wanted) gives the rest of us invaluable insight and wisdom that will hopefully help others avoid the painful path she walked down.

This book also provides much comfort for all of us who have gone through loss and rejection- not just those who have been stilted at the alter, but women who have experienced abandonment through divorce, death, or unexpected break ups. Kennedy has an irrepressible optimism and sense of humor that keeps this book from being a dreary pity party and allows the reader to enjoy her story with laughter as well as tears. I read it in two days because her intimate style of writing was so engaging. I was at the end of one chapter before I knew it and had to “read just one more.”

Kennedy includes in her book many personal stories of other ladies who have gone through the anguish of being deserted, either by a boyfriend that was surely “the one” to women who have had their husbands walk out. She also has a surprising chapter from the “cad's” perspective. A few brave men explain their actions and their honesty provides the female readers (as if a man would read this book) with a rare opportunity to get inside the male head and better interpret the interplay in their next relationship. I probably found that chapter to be the most useful.

Kimberly also gives her own steps to recovery as well as advice to the rest of us. To all my fellow BSFers out there, one of her steps was to get involved in a good, solid Bible study (guess which one she belongs to?).

I'll close with a story Kennedy shares that became the theme to her recovery from grief, feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness:

While Kimberley was at the mall, a complete stranger approached her. This woman knew her story (it had made the headlines, of course, since she's a TV personality). The lady just told her one thing: “Man's rejection, God's protection.” With that, the woman walked away. Kimberly writes that she has repeated that phrase to herself over and over again. She has come to understand that ultimately God allowed her to go through this dark valley because He knew it would lead her to His door. Or maybe I should say it led her to the door in her heart that He had been knocking at all her life.

Do I think you should read this book? Let me put it this way: I'm asking you to please read this book!

Book Review of The Next Christians: How a New Generation is Restoring the Faith by Gabe Lyons

I was given a complimentary copy of The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review. When I read all the praise for the author on the back dust cover I felt encouraged that I had made a good choice when selecting this book. Shortly into the book I was no longer encouraged. In fact, I had a hard time controlling my anger. Frankly, I prayed before writing this review so I could elucidate in a creditable way why I dislike this book so much.




First, a synopsis: Lyons is asked to go to Hollywood to give a movie producer demographic information in order to better market her product for Christians. (Not because she's a Christian but because she is impressed by the cash cow Mel Gibson's The Passion had become). Instead what she got was a dissertation of the different categories of people who consider themselves Christians and why they're all wrong. He then proceeds to tell her -and spends the rest of the book telling us -who the “right Christians” are.



First of all, if you're heavily involved in your church, church activities, have your kids on the church basketball team and ESPECIALLY if you homeschool, you are a “Separatist Christian”. Gabe informs us that these Christians want nothing to do with nonbelievers and hide inside their self made world that only involves fellow Christians. The are always offended and angry at nonbelievers and show it by voting against gay marriage and abortion. They give Christianity a bad image and are responsible for people not becoming saved.

Their motivation for retreating and separating from the broader culture can be attributed to a longing for purity, integrety, and holiness in life.  But by default, their choice to live outside the typical rhythms of culture makes them seem awkward, disconnected, and judgmental toward others....
.....They come across as 'holier than thou' and make mental lists of sins that, to them, are clearly wrong and unjustifiable for a 'true Christian.' Smoking, drinking, cussing, boys with earrings and tattoos, or even cutting your grass on Sunday might make it onto the list.  They sincerely believe that anyone who participates in these activites couldn't possible have a relationship with God.  Strangely, gossip, gluttony, and materialism never make their list.
   ....Another group of Christians is intent solely on getting people 'saved'. ...These Christians are motivated to 'win souls for Christ,' no matter who they offend.  (Chapter 3 pg. 32, 33)


Secondly, if you grew up high church, say Lutheran, Episcopal or Catholic, you're a “Blender Christian.” You're embarrassed by the image the world has attached to Christian believers and you want to make sure no one knows you're a Christian or, if they do know, you want them to know that you're “normal” just like everyone else. They accomplish this by living lifestyles that resemble nonbelievers more than believers. They also give Christians a bad image and are responsible for people not getting saved.



And don't think being a hip and groovy Christian is any better. Those who attend churches with coffee bars, worship to Christian rock music and listen to Contemporary Christian musicians are “imitator Christians”. They are not affecting the culture because they are following it rather than leading it.



Then there's the “Next Christians.” These are the good Christians who have got it right. Instead of being followers of American culture, they are the leaders of the culture. They accomplish this by organizing soup kitchens, working their way up into the upper echelons of Hollywood movie making, organizing fine arts displays and concerts, and otherwise serving their community. They have “engaged the culture”. There's no description of their personal beliefs, how they're saving anyone and in fact at one point Lyons admits that, since these people aren't actually sharing the gospel we don't really know who's getting saved, if at all. BUT. We know that they are showing beauty and love to their community and that is sure to lead people to God.



  Entire churches finally feel free to serve their communities and the world using all their talents. Churches are beginning to feel the power of seeing all their congregants come alive, from doctors co-opting to create clinics for the poor in urban centers to stay-at-home moms starting after school tutoring programs for at-risk children. (Previously) They'd bought in to the modern idea that the only good Christian activity was to convert others or give their money and time to those who could. Today they are discovering that their talent and creativity matter. (chapter 7 pg 104)



Now so far that sounds really good, right? Of course Christians should be serving their community, but why? For what purpose? So people can become acquainted with Christ and receive salvation? Not exactly. The “next Christians” have finally figured out:



 The longings they have felt to do good in the world -even if it wasn't explicitly connected to getting people saved (emphasis mine)- have been validated.(ibid)




But, hey, so what? Getting saved is only part of the gospel-another thing the old fogey Christians have gotten wrong. Getting people's souls secured in the after life is all well and good but we need to focus on the here and now. We need to RESTORE THE EARTH. According to Lyons, this is the ultimate objective of the “next Christians.”

In fact, Lyons asserts that telling the gospel is only half the story.

  I don't mean to diminish the importance of telling others about God's redemption accomplished on the cross, and we shouldn't deny that salvation through faith in Jesus has eternal implications. But shouldn't we be faithful to recount and live out the whole story?(chapter 4 pg. 57)



And what is the whole story?  Lyons declares it's “to restore the earth.”



  The idea of restoration is critical in the Next Christian discussion. They see themselves on a mission, partnering with God to breathe justice and mercy and peace and compassion and generosity into the world. They believe that ...they are turning back the hands of time to give the world a glimpse of what the world looked like before sin entered the picture. ..

..Is evangelism really the only use for the millions of church goers in our culture?..

  Now, put restoration back into the story. Instantly, you've created millions of jobs for all the 'unemployed' and bored Christians in the church - jobs they can get excited about. …. Instead of simply waiting for God to unveil the new heaven and the new earth, the rest of us can give the world a taste of what God's kingdom is all about......


...The bottom line is this: The next wave of Christian engagement seems inherently linked to this idea of restoration.” (pg. 60)

        That's a beautiful thought, I just don't see any of that in scripture. It is true we are to serve people here as Gabe points out. One day each of us is going to an give account to Christ for how we treated the poor, sick and neglected but I don't see anywhere in the Bible that says we're supposed to be cultural leaders and create some kind of Utopia here on earth.

The whole book gives me the same feeling that so many other books written by immature, arrogant so-called Christian writers have (Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller comes to mind) . They condemn the Christian world for being narrow, negative and judgmental while they describe these same Christians in narrow, negative and judgmental terms.


I don't know where Gabe Lyons goes to church. Judging from all the name dropping, he moves in a very different social circle than my own. I'd like to know where he met all the "wrong Christians" he describes.  He doesn't cite references (or maybe just one). I've gone to church all my life and I've met plenty of sinners redeemed by grace but never anybody as flat and one dimensional as he describes. Oh, and by the way, someone needs to tell him that he didn't invent the idea of serving the community. Every church I've ever attended (I've been to a lot because I've moved around a lot) spent a great deal of time and effort plugging themselves into their environment and doing their best to address the communities' needs. I know that we, the body of Christ could do more and be less swallowed up in the busyness of our lives but that's no excuse for making sweeping generalizations about the people to whom you're supposed to be a brother in Christ.

Before closing I would like to address Lyons' presumption that all these “wrong Christians” are responsible for the negative view nonbelievers have toward them and Christianity in general.

I contend that “the bad image” that the world has toward Christians is for a very scriptural reason:

If the world hates you, keep in mind that they hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.(John 15:18,19)


All the world will hate you because of me. (Matthew 10:22)

And one more:

At that time the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the nations of the earth will mourn. (Matthew 24:30)





   If the world is going to mourn at Christ's return why should we assume they're going to welcome any “restoration” Christians would have to offer?

And what about the majority of the Christian church that's living in exile and persecution? What's his solution to them?

In case you haven't figured it out, I recommend this book to no one.

.

Book Review of Red Scarf Girl by Ji Li Jiang



Red Scarf Girl is a disturbing account of one girl and her family's experiences during the Cultural Revolution of China during the sixties. It's amazing how we look at our world. I remember watching documentaries of the hippies, anti-war demonstrations, psychedelic drugs and “free love” that seemed to personify American and European culture during the 1960's. It's strange to think that at the same time on the other side of the world, another group of people were experiencing a very different reality and culture.


This book is the real-life account of Ji Li Jiang. Ji Li was a smart, motivated, academic achiever who totally embraced the cultural revolution. . She proudly wore her red scarf and carried around her little red book of Mao Ze-Dong's sayings to show her support of the revolution. Like others her age, she believed that China was in a new age.  Anything old or traditional had to be erased or destroyed. This meant that many families had to be deposed of.  “Black family” was the name given to any family that belonged to the old order of things:  landowners, anyone with money or had servants. In order to rid the “New China” of these backward old ways, these wealthy, educated families were turned out of their homes and sent to “re education” camps or labor farms. The people or mobs that turned them out then looted their houses. These mobs were primarily comprised of young people who worshiped Mao Ze-Dong. They believed that they were serving China by ridding her of these “bad” remnants of the past.

Many of the people who were persecuted for their “evil oldways influences” were elderly but no mercy was shown them. People who were once respected members of society were humiliated and forced to do demeaning tasks, such as collecting garbage or sweeping streets. What is especially shocking is the lack of any sympathy the young people felt towards these older people, even their own parents. One boy smirked as his father was forced to ride through the city streets on top of a wagon wearing a dunce hat and his arms tied up above his head.

Even Ji Li was shocked at this but the boy insisted he was glad it happened because his father was part of the “four-olds” (old ideas, old culture, old customs and old habits).  As things worsened and more and more of Ji Li's friends and relatives fell victim to persecution, Ji Li grew increasingly concerned with the hardened attitudes of people all in the name of Mao Ze-Dong and a new and better China.

She speaks of a wealthy neighbor who was thrown out of her house, all her possessions taken from her and forced to sweep the streets in front of her old mansion.

  She kept her eyes on her work and moved the big broom back and forth laboriously....Somehow she tripped over the broom and fell.


It looked like a serious fall. She moved her hand and struggled to get up, but she couldn't seem to stand. I was about to go to help her when I saw her youngest son, my cousin Shan-shan, walking toward us. Shan-shan would help her, and I didn't want to embarrass her by making her realize that I had seen her sweeping the alley......


After a few steps I turned around to see if they were all right. I could hardly believe my eyes. Shan-shan had walked right past his mother! She was lying there, injured, and he had not stopped to help her.... He must not have wanted to expose himself to criticism by helping someone from a black category....


I took a step toward Aunt Xi-wen and stopped.  Maybe I shouldn't help her either. People would probably say something if they saw me, especially since I was from a black family too..


At school she was respected and held a leadership position but the cultural revolution had its strongest disciples in the school. Teachers were accused by students and turned out and replaced with new teachers who taught the “new ways” which meant showing no respect to teachers or adults or teaching much of anything for that matter.  Also, good grades and academic achievement no longer merited acceptance into a good school. Students who didn't achieve or make good grades had an equal chance of getting into schools that had previously been reserved for those who made high test scores.  Acceptance into schools was based on names pulled out of lotteries. This was to promote equality and to make sure no one was looked upon as a leader, therefore “better” than others who did not achieve as well.

Eventually Ji Li's family was exposed and their house looted. Her father was taken away to a reeducation school and forced to confess all his crimes. Ji Li finds out that any hope for promotion and academic opportunity in school is dependent on her telling the officials all the “crimes” committed by her parents.

She refuses to do this and is consequently ostracized.

The book ends in despair with no resolution. The epilogue informs us that years later Ji Li and her family somehow immigrated to the United States where she subsequently wrote her memoirs.

It is a bleak story but an excellent example of group think and what happens to societies that place their faith in man-made ideals rather than God-made ones.

The forward of the book explains that Mao Ze-dong started the Cultural Revolution to preserve his power which he felt was threatened by other government members. The human suffering and misery one man caused for his own gain is about the most appalling aspect of the madness that overtook the Chinese young people. Ji Li explains in her own words:

  Many friends have asked me why, after all I went through, I did not hate Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution in those years. The answer is simple: We were all brainwashed.


To us Chairman Mao was God. He controlled everything we read, everything we heard, and everything we learned in school.


….I asked An Yi's mother if she had hated Mao when she was forced to climb the factory chimney. 'I didn't hate him, ….I believed that the Cultural Revolution was necessary to prevent revisionism and capitalism from taking over China. I know that I was wronged, but mistakes happen under any system. If the country was better for the movement that persecuted me, I was still in favor of it. It was only after Mao's death that I knew I was deceived.'


This is the most frightening lesson of the Cultural Revolution: Without a sound legal system, a small group or even a single person can take control of an entire country.

This is the concern I have with ideologues in my own country. They scorn God and His laws while worshiping their utopian ideologies. I hope they never come to overpower the rest of us. Keep praying.
If you buy this book, please do so through the link above so I can receive a small percentage.  Thanks!


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Review of Defiant Joy The Remarkable Life and Impact of G.K. Chesterton

When I chose to review Defiant Joy The Remarkable Life and Impact of G.K. Chesterton by Kevin Belmonte for BookSneeze (for an honest review) I did so because I thought I would be getting a biography of GK Chesterton. In this I was mistaken. It is not a biography but rather a study of his works and the subsequent influence and impact on the literary world, reading audience, and contemporary authors.


After a brief discourse on Chesterton's childhood, education and conversion to Christianity, Belmonte goes on to describe some of the major works that Chesterton produced. There are twenty-five chapters and each chapter discusses at length different books Chesterton wrote. Belmonte quotes extensively contemporary critics and biographers as well as Chesterton himself. These quotes and excerpts from Chesterton's literary repertoire wet one's appetite and leave one desiring to go buy the complete work. In fact, after reading this book, if I had enough money I'd like to go out and buy everything Chesterton wrote. One book I'd like to get is the biography that Maisie Ward wrote a few years after Chesterton's death. Belmonte gets a lot of his information for Defiant Joy from her. Hopefully her biography includes a little more of GKC's personal life and goes into more detail concerning his conversion to Christianity, something Defiant Joy definitely lacks.

There is, however, much information about Chesterton's dissertations on other famous writers and figures such as St. Francis, Thomas Aquinas, Austen, Kipling, Stevenson, and especially Dickens. It's was interesting to find out that it was Chesterton that actually saved one of today's most famous Victorian writers from obscurity through his essays and books on Charles Dickens.

Another valuable contribution is the inclusion of essays by both Chesterton and others who explain some of Chesterton's more difficult to understand works, such as The Man Who Was Thursday. I found those passages to be particularly enlightening.

Belmonte includes humorous debates between Chesterton and contemporary atheists. I would say a battle of the wits except Chesterton seems capable of making the most scathing arguments against Christianity seem ridiculous.

In conclusion, I found Defiant Joy to be well-researched with an extensive bibliography. If you like Chesterton or are curious to know more about this under-appreciated literary titan who is considered instrumental in leading the likes of C.S. Lewis to Christianity yet was able to maintain a life long friendship with the atheist, George Bernard Shaw, this is a good book to start with.

Review of the Koran and Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ

At 435 pages long, I recommend everyone read the Koran.  All of us have heard so many controversial things about Muslims and the Islamic faith that I think that it behooves all of us to inform ourselves instead of relying on what others say about the Muslim religion.

The translation I read is the most popluar by N.J. Dawood. Dawood is a Iraqi native, born in Baghdad.  He originally wrote this translation in the fifties but it has since been revised and updated.  I have heard Muslims say that a translation doesn't do the Koran justice therefore an English reader would be misled to its actual meaning.  My response is:  Does God expect the entire world to learn Arabic?  Is it fair of Him to judge us if He knows we can't?  Do most Muslims speak Arabic? (FYI:the answer to that question is no.)  Can Arabic speaking Muslims translate their thoughts into English in order to communicate?  Then why can't God? 

Overall the tone of the Koran is menacing. It is very repetitive, in a nutshell, warning everyone that they had better worship God and obey His prophet (Muhammad) or they will burn in fire, drink scalding water and eat foul food for all of eternity. Those that believe in God and perform good works will return to the Garden of Eden where rivers will flow by their feet, they will have plenty of good things to eat with many blushing virgins. (Jonah 10:10) It repeats this over and over and over again.

This is interspersed with mention of different Biblical figures, mainly Moses and Pharaoh, Abraham and Lot and Noah. The stories about these people are fragments, sometimes distorted from the Biblical stories and also repeated several times throughout the book. Others, such as Job, Jonah and David are mentioned once or twice.

Jesus is mentioned once or twice but only as the son of Mary. He performed miracles by being strengthened by the Holy Spirit. He wasn't crucified. At one point a conversation takes place between God and Jesus (Cattle 5:114)

Then God will say, “Jesus, son of Mary, did you ever say to mankind: 'Worship me and my mother as gods besides God?'


'Glory to You,' he will answer, 'how could I ever say that to which I have no right? If I had ever said so, You would have surely known it. You know what is in my mind, but I know not what is in yours. You alone know what is hidden. I told them only what You bade me. I said: 'Serve God, my Lord and your Lord. ; I watched over them while living in their midst, and ever since You took me to Yourself, You have been watching over them...”

It does allow men and women to divorce, several times, if necessary. It allows men to have more than one wife, though it doesn't mention that women can have multiple husbands, except serially through divorce and remarriage. At one point it allows marrying orphan girls as a way of providing for them.

Much of the Koran is a “cut and paste” from the Bible and I don't know how anyone could even understand the stories of the Bible figures mentioned in the Koran without first reading the Bible.

An interesting story that is repeated more than once is about why Satan fell. It was not because he tried to overthrow God but because he would not bow to Adam.

“And when We said to the angels: 'Prostrate yourselves before Adam,' they all prostrated themselves except Satan who in his pride refused and became an unbeliever.” (The Cow 2:27)

That is another interesting point. In the Koran, God proclaims to be one but is always referring to Himself in the plural as in the above quote.

Over and over again, in every chapter, the day of reckoning and the “sound of the trumpet” is mentioned and the fate of unbelievers and believers. Jews and Christians are mentioned specifically as people who received God's word but changed it and consequently are going to burn in hell.

“They declare: 'None but Jews and Christians.'  Say: 'Let us have your proof, if what you say be true...' (The Cow 2:111)


"The Jews say the Christians are misguided and the Christians say it is the Jews who are misguided. Yet they both read the Scriptures. And the ignorant say the same of both. God will judge their disputes on the Day of Resurrection.” (The Cow 2:112)


In the book Repentance 9:121 It says,

“Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them. Know that God is with the righteous.”


“Fight against such of those to whom the Scriptures were given as believe neither in God nor the Last Day... who do not embrace the true Faith until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued...


The Jews say Ezra is the son of God, while the Christians say the Messiah is the son of God. Such are their assertions by which they imitate the infidels of old. God confound them! How perverse they are!...” (Repentance 9:27-31)


“Whether unarmed or well-equipped, march on and fight for the cause of God..”(Repentance 9:41)


One thing that is utterly lacking is any mention of man's sinful nature and a plan of salvation. There is no reparation of sin only:

“Those that have faith and do good works, they shall be given their reward in full. God does not love the evil-doers.”(The 'Imrans 3:56)

Praise God!! He does love the evil doers or none of us would be saved.

For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16, The Holy Bible)

And where is that life? In the presence of God. The Muslim has no hope of ever being reconciled with God. They can only hope that their belief and good works will allow them to return to the garden of Eden but there is never ever any mention in the Koran of being reconciled with God. Of ever meeting Him face to face.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1Corinthians 13:12 The Holy Bible)







On a more positive note:

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people and Assyria the work of My hands and Israel My inheritance. (Isaiah 19:23,24 The Holy Bible).

That scripture gives me great hope. I am reading books that show that it is already happening. A wonderful book is “Secret Believers” by Brother Andrew. It describes God's spirit moving in Muslim countries and bringing many to Christ. It also describes the great and horrible price they are willing to pay, even unto death, like their Savior. Many of them became Christians simply by reading the Bible and realizing that there is no comparison. The Koran threatens unbelievers, the Bible beckons unbelievers.


One Muslim who belonged to a militant brotherhood set out to prove Islam through the Bible. After reading the Bible he realized that no one could have performed the miracles that Jesus did without being God. It also struck him that there is no mention in the Koran of any miracles that Muhammad performed.

I believe that the Holy Spirit is spreading throughout the Muslim world. We as Christians must pray unceasingly for Muslims so that their religion of hatred can be replaced by God's redeeming love and salvation.

Snowing in East Texas whoo hoo!!

Well, well, well!  Snowing in east Texas.  I know it's no big deal to all you snowbirds up north but this is a rare occasion down 'chere! Here's a few photos from around my house.

 Front yard

 Back yard

 Odie braving the snow

 Breeya

 Both dogs have decided it's just too darn cold!

 Both dogs are saying: "Mommy, come inside! It's cold out there!"