Last week at the Festival of Faith & Writing, I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah Cunningham whose spiritual memoir Picking Dandelions:The search for Eden among life’s weeds was recently published by Zondervan. I had stumbled across Sarah’s blog a month ago and left a comment. We exchanged a couple e-mails, and I have her to thank for making we aware of the Festival. Zondervan was handing out copies of her book at the Festival, and since I already have a copy of my own, it’s my pleasure to share it with one of you today! Just leave a comment on this post by Monday 5 p.m. EST, and I will announce the winner that evening. This drawing is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.
I had to chuckle at the title Picking Dandelions because there were many, many spring days in my childhood when my parents sent my younger brother and I out into the yard and the open lot across the street to pick dandelions until our hands were thoroughly stained yellow. My great-grandfather made dandelion wine. Yes, dandelion wine. Now, this culinary delight was not for the purpose of inebriation. Oh no. This wine was a cure-all. No matter what your ailment, dandelion wine would cure it. I confess, I have never been brave enough to try dandelion wine, but my brother has. And he, like the rest of my family, swears by it. Ahem. Back to the book….
Sarah’s narratives of her early life growing up in Pennsylvania and Michigan as the daughter of a Baptist minister made me chuckle and brought up fond memories of my own childhood in the Midwest. She shares poignant stories of her internships in Chicago working with the homeless, and of the time she led a team from her church helping with relief efforts at Ground Zero days after 9/11. Through all of the stories there is an undercurrent of the necessity for spiritual change in our lives, how our salvation isn’t just about a prayer and a moment in time, but a lifetime of growing and walking with Christ.
In the last section of her book, I felt like God did a sneak attack on me. As Sarah reviewed a period on her own life where God revealed areas that she needed to be more like Christ, I felt sucker punched as I realized, I too had been avoiding some of those areas of change. In the days after finishing the book, I began to take my thoughts captive, so much more aware of my own areas of weakness that I needed to turn back over to God’s loving hands.
Picking Dandelions is a delightful read, spotted with humor and poignancy. I believe you will enjoy it as much as I have. Leave a comment below for your chance to win my extra copy!!
I’m always up for new books! And free books! Memoir is my favorite genre! I might also have to send my 3 year old out to pick all of the dandelions in our yard tomorrow…the thought had never crossed my mind!
just realized my blog address was coming up kind whacky! I think I fixed it! sorry for the foibles…not the most technologically advanced chicka here!
Lol! Let me know how the dandelion picking goes! 🙂 I’m falling in love with memoir too. Now I need to get Mennonite in a Little Black Dress!
hey yo! i dig free stuff! and i always like a good book recommendation! btw, i’ve heard good things about the Mennonite book! let me know how you like it!
I love to read! 🙂 Sounds like a good one!
Well, ditto to what several others have said… a book, a free book, of course I’d love to win!
Another great memoir is Girl Meets God by Lauren Winner, which reminds me that I’ve meant to read some of her other books, too.
Sigh…so many books, so little time…
I am googling Dandelion wine right now! Besides the free book, that was my fave part:)
Sounds like a good read. I am hoping to win it myself. I could use a good sucker punch. I have been dealing with issues in our church and not being fulfilled. We are finally moving on and looking for something good and real where God truely is evident. That was one of the places I needed to let go and let God!
I heard the author of the Mennonite book speak at the writing conference. She was amazing! Oh, and I’ve heard of Girl Meets God, I should read that one too.
Melissa – if you find a recipe for dandelion wine, let me know! I think the recipe passed with my great-grandfather!
Tracy, I hope you are able to find a church where God is real and the teaching moves you. I know that’s a tough journey. We’ve been there before.
Count me in!
I just received a dandelion bouquet today from my girls! It’s that time of year again!
Nope the recipe did not go with Grandpa. I’m forwarding it to you I received it in an e-mail after you left.
Me too, please!! I too have GREAT memories of dandelion picking… 🙂