Book Review: The Promise of Deer Run by Elain Marie Cooper

Nathaniel, one of the troops at West Point, New York in 1783, wakens from a difficult night's sleep like many others interrupted by serving in America's war with England. The cheers of victory as news of the triumphant end to a battle for independence from England's reign, left Nathaniel standing, reluctant to join the celebrations. His thoughts were of a war of personal tragedy that occurred alongside the three years he served.

Once he was freed from his service, the looming pain of his stalled life at home surfaced. A lovely woman, the return to family and community, guilt, loss, marriage, and the harsh conditions of life on the farmland, all become ingredients for this deeply moving novel.

Throughout Cooper's book, the delicate details and historical accuracy bring you into the homes, trials, and lives of the characters and when reconciliation and restoration join the ending of the story, it's as if your own tears will need to be wiped away at the endurance of love and faith.

I committed to this review weeks ago, but personal tragedy of my own caused my reading to occur tonight. I am better readied for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season after reading this exquisite book. What warmth Cooper's story brought to my own broken heart as I cuddled with the last few pages.

Buy a copy for yourself to break away from the stress of this time, and buy several for friends and family to offer them the same comfort I received from this wonderful read.

Cindy Valenti Scinto



The Promise of Deer Run
Elaine Marie Cooper
Finalist: 2011 Nest Generation Indie Book Awards
Honorable Mention: 2011 Los ANgeles Book Festival
Best Romantic Moment: ClashoftheTitles.com, February 2011

Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest called The Barn Door and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight. She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse.


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Organ Donation Brings Life Once Again

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On Your Knees!

Monday
9-12-2011

Our worship team had a quarterly meeting this week. Someone brought up the idea of allowing people to feel free to sit during the worship time. We always invite people to stand for the worship but for some people, standing may be physically difficult or they may be exhausted from a tough night before. Other people may prefer to worship while sitting or still others may feel condemned or judged if they sit--like they've been disrespectful to the Lord.

I went to church with my dad every Sunday, along with my eleven siblings. Our traditional denomination required kneeling, sitting, and standing at different places during the mass. There were benches to kneel on, but as my dad aged, it became painful for him to bend his arthritic knees. Still, he was dedicated to his faith and to the institution that ministered to him.

One Sunday, I watched my dad slowly kneel down, his hands holding the pew in front of him tightly. When he tried to stand per the commanded ritual, his faced grimaced with pain and his knuckles whitened at his tightened grip on the pew. The suffocating temperature in the sanctuary added to his effort, causing beads of sweat to stream down his face.

"Dad, why do you kneel if it is so hard to and hurts you so bad?" My question was from a child's heart breaking over her dad's painful dedication.

"Because that's what we have to do in church," he grunted through labored breaths.

I looked around at the unaffected congregation. The mass continued, people carried on their sacrificial acts, children fidgeted, and the priests performed their tasks methodically. I was angry that such a place, such a God would want my dad to be in pain every Sunday.

My dad passed away when my first son was born. But before he died, he came out to visit and we talked much about the traditional faith we grew up in and the freedom I learned to accept from Jesus. I attended a different church now and his inquisitiveness was tempered with fear I'd lost my reverence of God--the same God we both loved and worshipped.

"Dad, it matters if we both believe in Jesus and have accepted that he is truly the one we've let into our hearts and lives as our God and savior. The name on the church and the methods of it's mass or service don't change this one truth."

He was at peace with my answer. And although he met Jesus and personally accepted his salvation during our visit, he still attended the same church until he passed away, and knelt down tortuously at every Sunday mass.

Sit, stand, kneel ... as I explore these thoughts on accepting people around us the way God made them and loving each other with the heart and eyes of Jesus, I simply want to extend grace and mercy.

On your knees? What really would Jesus expect?

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:15-18 NIV1984)

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