A Plain & Simple Christmas Review

A few months ago, my small group picked up Amish Peace to learn tips for simplicity and community. Last month, I saw A Plain & Simple Christmas by Amy Clipston in the bookstore catalog and decided it would be a quick, easy read.  It was, but surprisingly, a few portions in particular hit my buttons.

I know it is hard to convey conviction and belief without sounding trite. In writing down my faith story this last month for my adoption application I have struggled to find an authentic voice. As deeply as I feel about Jesus as my Savior, reading about Him working in this world on paper sometimes leaves something to be desired. Three-dimensions do not (properly) translate into two-dimensions (without losing the depth).

In this novella, Ms. Clipston tells a heart-wrenching and heart-warming tale of a family experiencing loss of faith, betrayal, community, stubbornness, forgiveness, and reconciliation. While all those elements ring true to life experience, some dialog requires the reader to apply her own emotions for it to feel real. Faith often times sounds trite in plain words. The emotions and actions associated with  faith are what make the words powerful.

The characters in this book speak about God and seek to follow Him in truth, sometimes challenging others along the way, pushing them to grow. I love stories for their simplicity, but the reconciliation in this book happens too quickly and does not acknowledge the hard work of forgiveness. It does show contrite spirits and the choice to move toward others that have wronged you, but my experience shows the Road of Forgiveness is not a short path; it is a long journey. At points I even move away from forgiveness as I struggle to let go and move on. Perhaps a book with that kind of realism would not be fun to read. We like stories that are clean-cut and fulfilling. Life is neither. Therefore, this novella functions more as escape or distraction - fine - just call it like it is.

The marriages portrayed are one-dimensional and simplistic. The emotions and disagreements represented as each partner struggles through his/her personal perspectives are realistic. One marriage shows unselfish love and concern, but the other two are more set in their ways. While I believe women are more geared toward relationship, and in turn reconciliation, the portrayal of all three women being completely in the right and their husbands having to come over to their wives' perspectives is contrived. Rarely is it not a compromise in the middle.

Finally, one comment assigned from a husband to a wife elicited a strong response from me. "She squeezed his hand. 'You always seem to read my mind.' He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. 'That's my job, dear.'" This interaction underscores a fantasy that women tend toward. I need no help in hoping my husband will read my mind. However, it sets him up for failure and me for disappointment. Of all the imperfections in this simple book, this one I cannot let pass. I fully acknowledge that a realistic book would not be as fun to read; however, reinforcing fantasy in a book that portrays deep subjects like God, faith, and forgiveness has no business inserting wishful thinking.

It has good points: pursuing God even when it's hard, making peace, challenging the status quo. This novella is an easy read with a fulfilling resolution but does not show any of life's hard work. Perhaps I placed a higher expectation on it because of its inclusion of God, a subject I take seriously. I certainly didn't expect to have such a strong reaction to it...but expectations make all the difference.