by Catherine Faherty
Future Horizons, 2008
341 pages

About the Book

Finally, family members and professionals have true guidance for these difficult, but necessary, conversations. Author Catherine Faherty offers detailed, concrete explanations of illness, dying, life after death, losing a pet, and numerous other issues. Her descriptions are written with such care; even caregivers will be comforted by her words.

The Communication Forms following each short topic will engage learners and include them in the conversation, allowing them to share personal experiences, thoughts, and concerns. Wonderful chapters such as “What People May Learn When Facing Death” and “Role Models and Mentors” put death into perspective in terms of life, and encourage us all to live fully.

Catherine covers important topics such as:

• Illness and Injury
• Recuperating and Healing
• When Someone is Dying
• What Happens to the Person Who Dies
• Putting Pets to Sleep
• Rituals and Traditions
• What People Say and Do
• Plus many more!

My Thoughts

This is an impressive book, both in its scope and its presentation of sensitive topics in a clear and direct manner. Even if you are not ready to delve into all of the topics in the book, just the first couple of chapters are great for teaching an individual how to tell if they might be sick or injured and why it is important to communicate with a trusted person about what is going on in your body. There is also a fantastic chapter about communication that can apply to many situations outside of the scenarios involving death or illness.

Several chapters of the book focus on what happens when someone is dying as well as providing detailed explanations of the actual events that may occur after someone has died, such as various types of services and how the body is dealt with. Faherty also spends a number of pages discussing ways that people may grieve after a loss and explaining many of the sayings that people have about death and grief.

From there, she moves into a chapter about emotions and then into a long chapter about things people may learn about life when facing death. Again, she helpfully highlights many common sayings and explains what people generally mean by them, which I found to be extremely fascinating. There really is so much in this book that is about how we live as much as about how we die, and I think it would be a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to discuss these topics with someone with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The book is written mostly in question and answer format, with communication forms after each topic. These forms are usually checklists with room to write in specific comments or questions about the topic at hand. While they may seem simplistic to some, I don’t believe you should underestimate the power of structured, written communication for a person anywhere on the spectrum, especially about a topic that can carry so much emotion.

Discount Opportunity: If you order Understanding Death and Illness directly from Future Horizons, you can use the code INTERRUPTED to receive 15% off and free shipping in the continental US.

Note: I received a review copy of this book for free, but all opinions are my own. I am an affiliate of Future Horizons and receive a small amount of compensation for any sales made using the promotional code provided. You can use the code INTERRUPTED when ordering books or other materials – or even conference registrations – to receive 15% off plus free shipping in the continental US.

Related Posts:

• Gift Ideas for the Autism Parent from Future Horizons
• Special Diets for Special Kids by Lisa Lewis
• Exploring Feelings by Dr. Tony Attwood

Hannah Benson fled her abusive home as a teenager and has worked hard to move past the pain and dysfunction that defined her early life. Now the owner of a small insurance company, she is surprised one day by a phone call informing her that her mother and sister are both dead, leaving a niece, Anna, to her care.

Read the rest of my review at 5 Minutes for Books.

Related Posts:

• Four Letter Words by Bill Giovannetti
• Gun Games by Faye Kellerman
• The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren

As I was preparing this post, I realized that I completely forgot to mention one of the coolest features of the book in my original review – the QR codes! They are scattered throughout the book and point you to additional online resources for the topic at hand. You can read more about how they work below and learn more about Bill’s purpose for the book and his own faith journey.

If I read this book, what will I get out of it?
I wrote Four Letter Words with three simple goals in mind:

1. Clarity: Know what you believe.
2. Confidence: Know why you believe.
3. Courage: Know what to say when you don’t know what to say.

What four letter words do you write about?
True: who says your truth has to be my truth too? Know: how do you know God is real? Pain, Evil, and Ouch: why doesn’t God stop the bad stuff? Damn: how can a loving God send people to hell? Word: What makes the Bible so special? Wait: isn’t it unreasonable to expect today’s people to live by biblical standards of sexuality? Hope: what good has Christianity done in the world?

The book has ten chapters, discussion questions (in the book and downloadable from the website), and is 208 pages.

What’s with the QR codes?
Part of my geek credentials, I suppose. As far as I know, Four Letter Words is the first QR-enabled book for the general market. QR codes are those postage-stamp sized boxes with indecipherable patterns inside – Quick Response codes.

I wanted to make the book an interactive experience: just scan the codes with any smartphone and you’ll go straight to relevant videos, audio .mp3′s, and websites. Each chapter has a lot more resources on the website (www.fourletterwords.org) which you can reach either through the QR code or just by visiting the site. The geek-tech stuff in no way overwhelms the written word; it just supplements it. I hope readers like it. What did you think?

Do you have any other books around?
My earlier book helps readers get a grip on their inner mess. If you read it, you’ll meet your Inner Thug, Inner Brat, Inner Legalist, and the rest of the motley crew lurking in your soul. It’s called How to Keep Your Inner Mess From Trashing Your Outer World (Monarch/Kregel, 2009). I have a couple more books in the pipeline, including a fiction book on the global political scene.

What’s your spiritual background? How did you get started with Jesus?
I was reared in a tiny Chicago gospel church. I was loved. I was cared for. I was taught the Bible. That church was my second family. They introduced me to Jesus. I received him when I was young and devoted my life to him. But it wasn’t until young adulthood that I began to appreciate how much Jesus was devoted to me.

That discovery rocked my world. I shifted from rules to relationship and from guilt to grace. I dedicated my life to encourage instead of tear down. I strive to free others from guilt, shame, and legalism, and to help people discover life and love through God’s amazing grace.

Did you ever struggle with your faith? How did you work through that?
Even though I’ve been a pastor for a long time, I struggle with my faith a lot. My earliest struggles – back in high school days – centered on scientific stuff, like evolution. In the book I tell the story of how I made peace with faith in a Creator God and how I fit together science, logic, and the gospel in my own heart. Now that I’m a bit older, my struggles come more out of pain and suffering. Why does God let people hurt? I cover those topics too.

Struggles are normal – we just can’t let them overwhelm our faith or uproot our joy. It’s super-important for us to know every question raised against Christianity has an answer. I try to provide some of those answers along with simple talking points for everyday conversations.

Final Question: If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want?
Definitely the Minister of Space Exploration. I dig science fiction and it’s my secret dream to pilot an alien spacecraft through a wormhole into another dimension. I want to boldly go where no one has gone before. Plus it would be cool to see first hand how Jesus gets glorified on the far side of Jupiter and to hit a baseball on Pluto and see how far it goes. As Minister of Technology, I’d restore Pluto’s status to that of planet instead of asteroid; I feel sorry for the little guy.

Bill Giovannetti serves on the faculty of A.W. Tozer Seminary and is the Senior Pastor of Neighborhood Church of Redding. Four Letter Words is his second book. He has written numerous articles and is a popular speaker. Bill hates legalism, loves grace, and teaches that God is infinitely more committed to us than we will ever be to him. You can connect with Bill at his website, on Facebook, Twitter, or at his blog.

Related Posts:

• No Related Post

Although directed at those in the IT and technical areas, the information can certainly be applied to varying degrees in other settings (in fact, I think I may pass it on to my boss the next time she is in town!). As one of the reviewers put it, “Diversity once understood and valued can only enhance productivity and knowledge.”

Plowright opens the book with a description of what Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is and also references the informal Autism Quotient (AQ) test developed by Simon Baron-Cohen to look for AS tendencies. As he points out, many individuals who gravitate to technical areas of work may have high AQ scores, or AS tendencies, even if not diagnosed with Asperger’s.

The labels aren’t as important as recognizing that people who have these tendencies often bring similar strengths and challenges to the working environment and will perform best when those are taken into account. Some of the strengths may be:

• Problem-solving ability
• Perfectionism (yes, this can be a good thing, especially in a technical environment!)
• Persistence
• Intelligence
• Independent thinking and interdisciplinary insights
• Honesty
• Loyalty
• Focus and Attention to Detail

Of course, any of these could also be perceived as a weakness, such as when direct honesty comes across as arrogance. The author provides a number of examples of how AS traits could be aggravated by conditions within an office environment, such as extreme focus making it difficult to deal with too many demands or the sudden addition of new tasks, or with perfectionism causing deadlines to be missed.

He continues with a discussion on how to optimize an employee’s ability to work by reducing the stress caused by his or her innate tendencies. “The keys to reducing work related stress,” he says, “are order, clarity, interest, and autonomy.” I couldn’t agree more!

Many individuals who do quite well as part of a technical team face much greater challenges when given a management role. While acknowledging that this may not be a good move for everyone, Plowright offers some suggestions for how to handle a new supervisory role, including using a mentor to give some guidance during the transition period (and beyond, if needed).

I would highly recommend Asperger Awareness to anyone who is in management, especially those in areas that attract a higher number of individual with Asperger’s or AS traits. It could also be helpful to the individuals with AS themselves to assist in identifying their own strengths and challenges and give them some direction on what types of accommodations could improve their working experience and output.

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy of this book at no charge and with no expectations regarding the content of the review.

Related Posts:

• Asperger’s From the Inside Out by Michael John Carley
• 2011 Reads: Books 41-45
• What Happened to Hannah by Mary Kay McComas

We live in a culture where confidently stating what you believe is often labeled as narrow-minded intolerance rather than as an expression of personal faith. Giovannetti maintains that “we must respect and tolerate those with whom we disagree. But we still get to disagree and say so.”

Read the rest of my review, and enter to win a free copy of the book, at 5 Minutes for Books.

Related Posts:

• What Happened to Hannah by Mary Kay McComas
• Gun Games by Faye Kellerman
• The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren

Can you believe the first month of 2012 is already ending? I am even more amazed when I look back at all the things that have happened.

Almost two weeks ago, I arrived home after work to receive the news from my son’s babysitter that he had found another part-time job and his last day would be that Friday – not a fun conversation, for sure! I initially thought I would go back to Care.com (which I love) and look for another person to pick him up from school and watch him for those two hours, but then it occurred to me to check with the after-school program that is run in our school building by the YMCA.

Thankfully, the Y program had an opening, although they needed me to fill out a ton of paperwork and give them a week to process everything. So I called on another mom whose daughter is in Michael’s class, and she was willing to watch him after school for the entire week in between. Such a blessing! We actually attend the same church, and she has since offered to be his fill-in buddy if they ever need her for children’s church.

He did a great job at their house, with only minimal whining here and there, and then he started the Kids’ Klub yesterday. Not only are they accepting of children with disabilities; they have even asked for a copy of his IEP so they can reinforce his behavior goals and also access any grant money that may be available to purchase things which would support him there, such as fidgets or headphones or whatever.

In the midst of all of this, I got a notice from the Dept of Public Welfare that his MA benefits would be ending because they hadn’t gotten all of the paperwork needed for his annual renewal. Well, I had done the renewal only at the end of November and faxed everything they requested with the eform # clearly visible on each page.

Nonetheless, I had to call the state support line and have them open a ticket to ask the county office to look for the fax. I got a call three days later asking me to refax the documents they needed. I am hoping all is taken care of because God only knows how he would get through school without his TSS. Don’t you love bureaucracies?

At least I have cut back on most of my commitments outside of work since I went back to full-time hours, so all of this is not sending me completely over the edge. My biggest time commitment right now is reviewing for 5 Minutes for Books, which I am really enjoying. Not only am I getting to read a great selection of books, but my writing skills are getting a bit more of a workout, which is always a good thing!

How about you? Was the first month of the year calm or crazy?

Related Posts:

• No Related Post

Although I have read a few of the books in this series, it has been a while and I am a bit fuzzy on the details of their lives. That didn’t stop me from being pulled into this story, however.

Read the rest of my review at 5 Minutes for Books.

Related Posts:

• New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb
• Chalk Line by Paula LaRocque
• What Happened to Hannah by Mary Kay McComas

The book was compiled by Guideposts and features writings from seven Christian women and authors. Each entry includes a thought for the day based on a Bible verse, along with a short prayer related to the topic. The devotional for January 28th, based on Revelation 12:10, touched on something that I’m sure many of us have dealt with – guilt. Here’s an excerpt:

I know we’re all human, we’re all imperfect. And yet I find myself striving to do absolutely everything right. When I fail, or when I fail someone I care about, it eats away at me. I don’t think about how I can learn from my mistakes; instead, I revisit what I did wrong, over and over again….But if I remember Jesus’ victory and love, the guilt and accusations melt away.

So true, at least for me. How easy it is to get trapped in a loop of shame or regret over something we’ve done, and what a great reminder to accept the forgiveness that we are offered so freely from the Lord.

Mornings with Jesus is available at Amazon.com (the cover is a bit different but the book is the same). I also have one extra copy to give away to a lucky (or should I say, blessed) reader! To enter, simply leave a comment on this post by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on Friday, February 3rd. The winner will be drawn randomly and contacted by email for a mailing address. Giveaway is closed – the winner is Janet Jackson.

Thank you to Litfuse and Guideposts for the review copy of this book plus another to give away! Visit the blog tour page to read what others are saying.

Related Posts:

• What Happened to Hannah by Mary Kay McComas
• Asperger Awareness by Stephen Plowright
• Four Letter Words by Bill Giovannetti

by Lisa Lewis, Ph.D.
Future Horizons, 2011
375 pages

About the Book

Praised as a modern-day classic by celebrities and readers all over the world, the first edition of Special Diets for Special Kids has been helping children and adults with autism, ADHD, celiac disease, and other disorders since 1998. Special Diets for Special Kids Two followed up in 2001 by providing more recipes and updated research.

Now, this revised and expanded edition offers both books in one, complete with the latest research, revised recipes, and color photos throughout!

The first part of the book describes dietary intervention in detail, from both a scientific and a personal approach (the author’s son has autism and has been on a GFCF diet for many years). In a nutshell, certain enzymes are required to break down gluten and casein. If those enzymes don’t function well, or are not present at sufficient levels, serious neurological problems can result. Studies have shown that children with autism have a marked deficiency of these enzymes, which may explain why GFCF diets have yielded positive results for many children.

Among many other helpful topics, Dr. Lewis explains:

• The Biology behind Dietary Interventions
• “Leaky Gut”
• Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances
• Antibiotics and Probiotics
• Vitamins and Minerals
• Testing and Nutritional Support
• Other Diets and Interventions
• How to Go GFCF

The second part of the book is an easy-to-follow cookbook. This section contains nearly 200 recipes, including many you would have never thought possible on a GFCF diet, such as:

• Banana-Nut Pancakes
• Blueberry Muffins
• Tortillas/Wraps
• Chicken Nuggets
• Shepherd’s Pie
• Mock Mac and Cheese
• Chili
• Turkey Dressing
• Cakes and Cookies
• And many, many more!

Best of all, this book comes with a FREE CD of printable recipes, so you can easily print out recipes as you use them and keep the book away from counter spills and drips!

My Thoughts

As anyone who has been involved with the GFCF diet knows, there is often much more involved than just eliminating gluten and casein. Other food sensitivities and digestive issues often exist and require specific types of adjustments with diet and supplements to see improvement in a child’s health. In the first fifty-plus pages of this book, Lewis gives an overview of many of the related issues and provides a solid foundation for both the why and how of a special diet.

The rest of the book is a colorful explosion of recipes, ranging from the three main meals a day to holiday treats and desserts with lots of other stuff in between. Everyone should find something to tempt their child’s taste buds and/or texture requirements!

Discount Opportunity: If you order Special Diets for Special Kids directly from Future Horizons, you can use the code INTERRUPTED to receive 15% off and free shipping in the continental US.

Note: I received a review copy of this book for free, but all opinions are my own. I am an affiliate of Future Horizons and receive a small amount of compensation for any sales made using the promotional code provided. You can use the code INTERRUPTED when ordering books or other materials – or even conference registrations – to receive 15% off plus free shipping in the continental US.

Related Posts:

• Dr. Oz on Autism, Brain Inflammation and Dietary Intervention
• Nourishing Hope Book Giveaway Winner
• Nourishing Hope for Autism: A Review and Giveaway

It’s been a good month for reading. I am starting to get into ebooks a bit more, although it’s still disconcerting at times not to have the feel a real book gives you.

I have posted a few more reviews at 5 Minutes for Books since last month’s post. My favorite was a short novel by teaching pastor Stephen Arterburn called The Encounter – very powerful story. I also really enjoyed Susan May Warren’s new novel The Shadow of Your Smile and got in some useful nonfiction reading with 7 Money Rules for Life by Mary Hunt.

My most recent read was Gun Games by Faye Kellerman. Loved it, although I know it won’t be to everyone’s taste! While I’m still writing up that review, here are my thoughts of some of the other books I’ve read over the last month:

The Litigators by John Grisham – Not as gripping or fast-paced as some other Grisham books, but had some enjoyable moments. I’m not sure what it was specifically, but I just didn’t find that the characters or their problems pulled me in as much as I usually find with his stories. Still highly recommended compared to much of what is out there, just not my favorite of his. 3 out of 5 stars.

Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata (2005 Newbery Medal Winner) – The writing seemed flat to me, and the outcome of the book seemed a foregone conclusion. Perhaps it might have been a better short story – the only part I really liked what the description of the word “kira-kira” in the beginning of the book. 1 out of 5 stars.

The Baker’s Wife by Erin Healy – Tough book to review, as my opinion on it kept changing. There’s something about Healy’s writing that kept me coming back even when I wasn’t sure I would pick the book up again. I found the characters of Audrey and Diane to be mesmerizing, while the rest seemed woefully underdeveloped by comparison. I thought there would be much more of a sense of urgency throughout the book as well, but I only really sensed it toward the end. 3 out of 5 stars.

Beauty and the Werewolf (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 6) by Mercedes Lackey – I think this was my favorite of this whole series so far. I read it in less than a day and enjoyed it thoroughly! Although it is essentially the tale of Beauty and the Beast, it opens with hints of Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood and alludes to a number of other traditional tales as well. Isabella was the most intelligent and likable heroine in the 500 Kingdoms. I would definitely recommend this book. Reading the first book in the series might be a good idea, although not mandatory, as it would give you some background on how things work with Godmothers, the Tradition and such. 5 out of 5 stars.

Long Drive Home by Will Allison – This short but powerful novel is gripping in its intensity. The main character is a work-at-home dad who learns firsthand how seemingly insignificant choices can change your life, and that of your family, forever. 4 out of 5 stars.

Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey – Personally, I started reading the book without realizing that it was part of a series, and I don’t feel like I missed a thing. I was instantly drawn into the action and found the characters to be well-drawn and intriguing. I always enjoy reading Tricia’s books (and not just because we share a first name!), but I think the co-writing effort with Mike Yorkey added another dimension to the story, and it was great. I am definitely planning to go back and read the first book now. 4 out of 5 stars.

To read more posts or join in yourself, visit What’s On Your Nightstand? at 5 Minutes for Books.

How about you – what was your favorite read this month?

Related Posts:

• What’s On Your Nightstand – December 2011
• What’s On Your Nightstand – November 2011
• What’s On Your Nightstand – October 2011