Memoir
Wynne Leon’s marvelous and inspirational memoir begins with the most upbeat paragraph about a somber occasion that I think I have ever read. I was immediately captured! Here are the first few sentences:
There is nothing like a funeral for a pastor. It feels like a graduation ceremony for someone who has spent his whole life working towards the ultimate advanced degree. Over 1200 people came to celebrate Dad and more watched it live-stream on the Internet—a large group that embodied a singular feeling . . .
Thus begins Leon’s reflection on her father, her family, and the journeys that shaped them. I found Leon’s well executed mission to honor, understand, and memorialize her beloved father, while also processing her own secular and spiritual quests, to be honest, uplifting, thoughtful and fascinating. I loved reading also about her mother, Carolyn, and her short courtship and long marriage to her father, Dick. They were surely a match made in heaven!
There is a church outside my door.
There is much to recommend in this book: real life examples of what a life of service can be, what incarnational ministry is and how it served Dick during his time working as a missionary in India, and as a Presbyterian minister in the Philippines and the U.S., the love of family and friends, the divergent paths we take to find our own way to spiritual, psychological and emotional health, meditation practice, self-examination, and everything between birth and death. It is somehow light and deep at the same time, an accessible and entertaining look into humanity’s search for and need for meaning. I love this book!
LakeArrowheadLadyWriter 
I also enjoyed Wynne’s book, Lori. It was a great example of accepting someone’s beliefs even if they don’t perfectly match ours.
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Yes, Pete. I agree. Something I embraced especially when I became a public school teacher! ☺️
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Your description makes Wynne’s book sound so interesting. I’m looking forward to reading about the divergent paths taken between birth and death. It’s on my to-read list (a pile that’s growing immensely as bloggers write such lovely book reviews).
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I know what you mean, Rose, about adding to our reading lists! Me too! I think you will like this one. 💞
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I have gotten to know wynne over the last little while online and have come to really enjoy her and know her as a great human. she refers back to her father and what she learned from him in many of her stories and he sounds like a wonderful human as well. I’m not at all surprised to read such a positive review of this book and the impact that he had on so many people’s lives over the years of his service all over the word.
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Thank you, Beth. I agree! Wonderful role models for us all.
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Wonderful praise for Wynne’s beautiful book! Reading it was the beginning of our friendship and I couldn’t agree more with your observations. So good!
🥰❤️🥰
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Thanks, Vicki! It was a joy to read Wynne’s lovely book and a joy to read yours as well! Two talented authors! 💞💞💞
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Aww…thank you so much, dear Lori! I can’t wait hold a book of yours in my hands! I’m sending that warm and wonderful compliment back to YOU. Big hugs! 💕🥰💕
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You are such a gift! 🩷
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Hi. Thanks for the review. Sounds like a fine book.
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Hi! Thanks for reading and commenting! It really is!
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As with you, Lori, I really appreciated Wynne’s (and her dad’s) spiritual honesty. Wynne’s book helped me reflect again on the danger of a formulaic approach to faith… and the judgemental attitudes that this can lead to.
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Yes! Honesty, openness, and love are woven through all the pages, which refreshed my mind and heart.
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Thanks for your beautiful review, Lori. I’m captivated, so I look forward to reading Wynne’s book. 💞
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I think you will really enjoy it, Lauren!
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I’m so grateful for this review, Lori. Thank you so much! This sentence really touched me, “It is somehow light and deep at the same time, an accessible and entertaining look into humanity’s search for and need for meaning.”
As you know, writing is so hard. I’m so grateful to you for reading, for publishing this review, but most of all, for letting me know how it touched you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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I’m glad you liked the review, Wynne. I wanted to express its essence, but you are the only one who can truly do that! Such a lovely book. Such a wonderful man! Thank you for sharing your world with all of us.
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Thank you, my friend!
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Sounds interesting!
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And it is, Dawn! 😊
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What a beautiful review of Wynne’s book that is so touching, Lori! 💓
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Thank you, Cindy. Wynne’s book inspired me!
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I can tell and it’s on my list to read!!🩷
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Excellent review, Lori. Wynne’s book is amazing, and I truly enjoyed reading it. There’s a lot to learn from both Wynne and Dick’s journey.
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Thank you, Edward! Absolutely true that Wynne’s and Dick’s journeys as presented in the book give us readers so many positive lessons. Wonderful book!
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You’re so welcome.
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