Saturday Morning Message: Books That Have Helped Us

Good Morning,

The man in the photo is reading a book, "Healing Your Grieving Heart After a Military Death", written by TAPS President and Founder Bonnie Carroll and world renowned grief educator and author Dr. Alan Wolfelt. It is designed to offer encouragement and bring comfort to those who read it.

Sometimes it is hard to find a book that you would like to read, so this week survivors are sharing books that have helped them either with their grief journey or during this time when they are spending more time at home.

Hugs,
Carol Lane
Mother of Bryon

Responses from Survivors to last week's question

Do you have a book you would like to share that has helped you in your grief or helped you with coping in the pandemic?

From Kelsey, mother of Michael: I don't have a particular book that helps me. I have a series of books called "Ender’s Game" written by Orson Scott Card. My son and I read these books together. I start on January 1 every year and reread the series.

From Lonnie, spouse of Larry: "Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations For Working Through Grief" by Martha Whitmore Hickman. I have given this book to a few people after the loss of a loved one. I read the passages when I feel the need.

From Katherine, mother of John: Of the many books read during this pandemic; only two really stand out. "Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Krueger and "The Taster" by V.S. Alexander.

"Ordinary Grace" set in rural New Bremen, Minnesota is about a pastor's family and the town in handling several deaths during the summer of 1961. Frank Drum, a 13 year old preacher's kid is the narrator. The book deals with secrets that destroy us, grief, solace in ordinary (simplistic) grace, and the coming of age.

"The Taster" is set in Berlin, Germany during World War II. Magda Ritter is responsible (after being educated about mushrooms and the poisons of arsenic, mercury, and cyanide) for tasting the food served to Adolf Hitler. How she escapes is quite miraculous.

From Robert, father of John: My recommendations for great reading on tragic deaths and dealing with that are by Jerry Sittser, "A Grace Disguised" and the sequel "A Grace Revealed". The books are a narrative on Jerry’s grief journey after his wife, his mother and his daughter were all killed by a drunk driver in Washington state.

If you would like to send a note commenting on one or all of the responses in this week’s Saturday Morning Message, send it to online@taps.org and your thoughts will be passed along to each contributor. You never know how your words may touch the heart of another.

Question for Next Week’s Saturday Morning Message 

Everyone is good at something. Next week, let’s share a knack that our loved one had for something. It can be anything serious or funny. It will be interesting to read about the ability or skill that our loved ones demonstrated in their lives.

The Saturday Morning Message was created so survivors can share questions and read how others respond. Questions for future messages are always welcome. You can reply to this message or email online@taps.org. In order to have your reply included the following week, it is best to send your response by Tuesday morning. Thank you to everyone responding this week and to those who read this message.

Recipe for the Week

Ingredients

Directions

• Cook cabbage in boiling water only until leaves fall off the head. Reserve 14-16 large leaves for rolls and set aside remaining cabbage.
• In a bowl, combine rice, beef, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup soup. Put 2 to 3 tablespoons of meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Fold in sides, then roll up leaves to completely enclose meat.
• Line a Dutch oven with leftover cabbage leaves. Combine remaining soup and water; pour over cabbage. Stack cabbage rolls on top of sauce. Cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer on low for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until rolls are tender.
• Remove rolls and cabbage. If desired, sauce may be thickened by boiling over high heat. Spoon sauce over rolls and cabbage. Then serve immediately.

Next Week: We will feature a song from a survivor and why it is special to the them.

If you have a favorite recipe or song for this section, please send your ideas to me at online@taps.org and include a note about why there is meaning for you.

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