"The Shaping of a Christian Family"

A title of a book caught my wandering eye, as I fingered my wood-case violin idly, not all too excited about taking on those spiccato drills my teacher had given me. I slid the violin into the box, and  tucked the loosened bow into its little place, careful not to tear any hairs from the bow, before reaching a hand toward the book resting in the shelf among dozens of other treasure books. "Hmm," I thought, "I haven't read that book in a long time!" I recalled Sarah telling me that that was a great book to recommend to a friend, and my eyes sparkled as I held the bound volume in my hand. A little guiltily (I was thinking, "Oh dear, I really must do those painful drills"), I perched myself on the edge of the chair and leafed through the first few pages.

Now, I did do my painful spiccato drills :), but I was blessed by browsing through the book again. The book is by Elisabeth Elliot, "The Shaping of a Christian Family: How my Parents Nurtured my Faith" where she describes her Christian upbringing and reflects on the training her parents gave her and her siblings, bringing her up in the fear of the Lord.

Well, here is just a quote that Elizabeth Eliot quoted in the book that I really loved. I thought I'd like to share it.

"Self-preoccupation, self-broodings, self-interest, self-love--these are the reasons we jar each other. Turn your eyes off yourself; look up and out! There are your brothers and sisters; they have needs that you can aid. Listen for their confidences; keep your heart wide open to their calls, and your hands alert for their service. Learn to give and not to take; to drown your own hungry wants in the happiness of lending yourself to fulfill the interests of those nearest or dearest; Look up and out, from this narrow, cabined self of yours... you will find to your own glad surprise the secret of the meekness and gentleness of Jesus, and the fruits of the Spirit will bud and blossom from out of your life."
Joy and Strength, p. 160