Book Review: Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel

I just finished reading "Galileo's Daughter," by Dava Sobel. It was our RS Book Group's pick this month. It was a little hard to get into, but I'm SO glad that I read it.

"Inspired by a long fascination with Galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of Galileo's daughter, Maria Celeste, a cloistered nun, Dava Sobel has written a biography unlike any other of the man Albert Einstein called 'the father of modern physics--indeed of modern science altogether.'"

This father and daughter had a remarkably close and loving relationship. She admired and served him through her handiworks (caring for his clothes and for his health through her medicines she made as an apothecary) and the many letters she wrote him. He supported her financially, but none of his letters to her remain so we really just have one side of their story.

Galileo was a brilliant scientist and mathematician. He invented the telescope and discovered the moons of Jupiter through it. He was one of the first to believe that the Earth moves around the Sun, but the Catholic Church believed the opposite. Due to the power of the Catholic Church and its Inquistion into his writings, Galileo was forced to recant and bow his proclaimed opinion to the demands of the church. What a terrible position to be in ~ to know something to be true through his own observations and study, but to be forced to state the opposite publicly in order to remain in good standing with the religion that he also loved.

I was impressed that both Galileo and Maria Celeste had a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. In spite of the teaching, pomp and circumstance, (not to mention, some evil practices) of the Catholic Church at the time, it is apparent from their writings that they loved and worshipped a personal Savior, whom they had come to know through their own prayerful devotions to Him. I have often thought about the pre-restoration Christians who have written hymns or other writings that demonstrate their belief in a personal and loving God, in spite of being taught false doctrine about Him in their organized churches. I love the hymn "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee," attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, ca. 1091-1153, which touches my heart with his wonderful words of Savior who is obviously very personal to him. Those feelings did not come from the church of day, but from his own prayerful worship of and experiences with Jesus Christ. (Another great pre-restoration hymn that I love: Be Still, My Soul)

Dava Sobel speaking of Galileo:
"He remained a good Catholic who believed in the power of prayer and endeavored always to conform his duty as a scientist with the destiny of his soul. 'Whatever the course of our lives,' Galileo wrote, 'we should receive them as the highest gift from the hand of God, in which equally reposed the power to do nothing whatever for us. Indeed, we should accept misfortune not only in thanks, but in infinite gratitude to Providence, which by such means detaches us from an excessive love for Earthly things and elevates our minds to the celestial and divine."
Galileo understood one of the great truths of the Plan of Salvation ~ that the tests we have in this earthlife are gifts from God that bring us to Him and allow us to grow and learn and become the eternal spirit that we are meant to become.

This quote from the end of his life gave me a smile as I am beginning to feel the effects of such aging in my own life:

"I find how much old age lessens the vividness and speed of my thinking, as I struggle to understand quite a lot of things I discovered and proved when I was younger."

The Last Lecture

Tonight our book group reviewed "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. He was a professor who videotaped/wrote his last lecture for his children when he found out he was dying of cancer. It's a touching and thought-provoking book.

Our assignment was to not only read the book, but to come prepared to share our "last lecture." The maxims and principles we would want to share with our family.

As I thought about this over the past week. My mind was brought back to the Rife Family Rules. We forged these rules for our family over fifteen years ago and they have remained on our fridge all that time. During family home evening we used to make the kids recite them from memory.

Well, I decided that our family rules could be my last lecture.

RIFE FAMILY RULES

1. Be kind and respectful to family members in voice and deed.

Since we're all God's children, it's always good to be kind and respectful to everyone.

2. Let parents know where you are when you're not at home. Saying hello, goodbye, and goodnight are appreciated as well.

I think teenagers believed that this rule, which involved curfews, was about a control trip for the parents, but I tried to teach them that is really about safety and about courtesy. It's always good to let the people you love know where you are and it's always good to greet each other courteously. I like how my children are teaching their children this concept by expecting them to greet me when they come and go.

3.Take care of your own things the the family things that you use.

Of course, when the kids were at home this one was about attempting to maintain order where eight people lived together, but on a deeper level, it's about stewardship and being grateful for the things we have by taking care of them.

4. Do your best in everything you do.

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. We always taught our kids that it was their job to be good students, just like it was Mom's job to take care of the home and Dad's job to make a living for us.

5. Be an active and obedient member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Again, NOT a control issue. Just the best way we know to be happy in this life and the next.

So there you have it ~ my last lecture.

It's all good!

Book Review

I recently read this book. Eckhart Tolle is a spiritual teacher. He teaches that we need be Conscious in each moment and be in touch with the Eternal in each of us. The best part was the 10-week webclasses with the author and Oprah. Each Monday night they covered a chapter of the book. The next day I would download the (free) podcast and listen to it on my ipod while skiing, walking, driving, etc. I liked the book, but I thoroughly enjoyed the podcasts. People listened and called in from all over the world. It's deep and thought-provoking and enriched my life and I recommend both the book and the podcasts.

I Read, I'm a Reader, I'm Reading

Since August 10th I've read SIX books! I've always loved to read, but don't always make the time to when I'm in the regular routine of my life. But I've had several trips this fall and somehow this becomes my opportunity to get more reading in. I started with the "Twilight" series which Jenny read a couple of years ago and wanted me to read it. Since most of my Young Women have read them I thought it would be a good idea - well, I was hooked. I read all three in just two weeks, and that included time waiting for Jenny to finish Eclipse.

Next, I had a lovely trip to Hawaii with my one husband and I chose to read James Michener's epic novel, Hawaii. It was interesting to be in Hawaii while being immersed in its history and culture in the book at the same time. It was quite long and I kept finding myself thinking that James needed an editor!

On my way to New York I started reading The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, and finished while rocking Andrew. It was a light reading and later I will finish the series, but I only brought the one book with me.

When I got to New York, Alan recommended a book to me, Blink, and I read it in a few days. It was nice to read non-fiction after all the fiction I'd been reading. It's very thought provoking and well-written.

I've now started a book I ordered online, recommended by Mary's sister-in-law, Chelle: Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. I'm reading it along with my scripture time as it is about spiritual disciplines. So far it is very good.

And finally, Laura, has recommended Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger. I just started it and hope to finish it while I am here.

Trips are good for my brain!