A Peep Behind the Scenes by Amy Walton-AUDIO DRAMA

This is an audio drama of a story written in the 1800's. Young Rosalie is traveling from town to town with her parents. They are singer/actors. Rosalie's mother is very ill and her father is too fond of alcohol to see or acknowledge her illness.

While they are stopped for a performance a man gives Rosalie a picture of The Good Shepherd. Rosalie's mother tells her about The Good Shepherd and how He seeks to find His lost sheep. While Rosalie's father continues to follow one scheme after another Rosalie and her mother learn more about The Good Shepherd.

Along their travels Rosalie tells other people about The Good Shepherd. She touches many lives. Unfortunately Rosalie's mother's health continues to worsen. She tells Rosalie what events led her to marry her father and become an actress. How she walked away from all the people she loved to pursue a life on the stage. She makes Rosalie promise that when she is gone Rosalie will look for her aunt in the hopes that the aunt will take care of Rosalie. Both Rosalie and her mother pray that The Good Shepherd will find them before it is too late.

I enjoyed the story and I enjoyed the audio. The problem I have though with listening to an audio book is that I have trouble remembering parts of the story. In a book I can look up names that I have forgotten or scenes that I have forgotten, but it isn't so easy in an audio book. The characters were portrayed very well, and the sound was very good. I thought it was a high quality audio with well played parts by the actors and actresses. I guess I should say that this is an audio drama, so it isn't just a book being read by someone, it is a book being acted out. 

The Basket of Flowers by Christoph Von Schmid-translated from the German

Mary and her father live in a little cottage on the property of The Count of Eichbourg where Mary's father is a gardner. Mary's father maintains a beautiful garden for the Count. He has taught Mary his skills. When Mary is quite young her mother passes away. Mary's father teaches her about her Father in heaven every day of her life. Every instance in life is a teachable moment from the Scriptures. He has raised Mary to be a very honest and upright woman who loves the Lord and loves and serves her father well.

One day while Mary is out gathering Lily of the Valley's to brighten up their home the Counts daughter and wife come by. Feeling a desire to brighten their day Mary gives them the flowers she has gathered. There begins a friendship between Mary and the young Countess Amelia. When Mary presents Amelia with a lovely basket of flowers for her birthday Amelia gives Mary a lovely dress in return. With the gift Mary's father is concerned that Mary will become discontent and seek treasures of the world if she is not careful of her heart. He feels that the dress will bring his daughter trouble. He is soon proved correct.

Shortly after Mary returns home with the dress a ring is found to be missing from the Countesses bedroom. Mary is the only one that was in the rooms so it is assumed that she is the thief. She is carried off to jail in disgrace. With the testimony of a maid condemning her Mary and her father are soon banished from the village. All the while Mary has told the truth, even when threatened with death, that she did not steal the ring.

Throughout her time in jail and after being banished Mary and her father never falter in their faith in the Lord. There is no bitterness in them. They know that they are in the Lord's hands. Mary's father continues to teach her lessons of life through readings of Scripture. These lessons help to form Mary as a young girl and into womanhood, through trials and tribulations and through triumphs she never waivers in her faith.

Originally written in the 1700's The Basket of Flowers has been translated from German. I really enjoyed this tale of disgrace and triumph. Mary's father lived out the scripture, speaking of God's commands, "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals  on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deut. 6: 6-9

What a blessing our children would have today if we were as faithful as Mary's father and taught our children God's truths from the time they are born!

Teddy's Button by Amy LeFeuvre

Teddy is a young boy full of mischief. He is very popular among the boys because of his great story-telling skills and ideas for getting into mischief. His favorite story of all is the one about his father. His father was a soldier, a hero who died in battle. Teddy carries his father's war button around with him and aspires to be a soldier just like his father.

When Teddy's mischief gets him into trouble at church he soon learns of another Captain he can follow~Jesus Christ. He soon "enlists" into the Lord's army. At first Teddy is wanting an enemy to fight. He soon finds that enemy in himself. He names his enemy "Bully" and he has many struggles throughout the rest of the story battling Bully in order to not disappoint his Captain.Teddy has such a sensitive heart for his Captain. He wants to serve his Captain well. He finds that sometimes though he loses his battle with Bully.

Originally written in 1890, Teddy's Button is still a relevant story for today. I loved how much Teddy wanted to please his Captain. One of my favorite parts of the whole story was when Teddy arranged for the local Vicar to host a tea party for the soldiers coming through town. He wanted the Vicar to tell the soldiers about his Captain. I also loved the description of Teddy's struggle within himself with good and evil. We all have our "Bullies" to battle. This was a great classic book to read and I can't wait to share it with my grandson someday soon.