As Rusty Rosman’s ‘Two Envelopes’ ships from Amazon this week

Early readers already are telling Rusty about challenges they have faced

COVER STORY—This week, we want to thank all the readers who pre-ordered copies of Rusty Rosman’s Two Envelopes: What You Want Your Loved Ones to Know When You Die—the book we promoted in a ReadTheSpirit Cover Story earlier in February. As is the case with most book releases, Rusty already has been meeting with groups of pre-release readers who want to discuss her book. She has been learning a lot from families about what makes this book especially valuable.

“The stories I’ve heard!” she tells us this week. “I was surprised by some of the things that can cause big problems in families when a loved one dies.”

Here’s one of the most surprising questions: What do you want to wear when you’re laid out in coffin? Maybe that’s a somber thought, but lots of families remember funerals for years where the “viewing” was either handled perfectly—or someone chose an inappropriate outfit and left a bad memory that simply won’t go away.

Please read our Cover Story this week and share it with friends. Sharing this resource is truly a good deed in our troubled world. One thing we have learned from the eager interest in Rusty’s book—even before the February 20 national release of the book—is that these issues loom large in families nationwide.

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From Our Authors—

Howard Brown

‘Shining Brightly’ on a cruise through a sunny sea

THIS WEEK’S Front Edge Publishing column was written by Howard Brown, author of the memoir Shining Brightly, and an in-demand speaker on recovering our resilience in the face of life’s crises. As a two-time stage IV cancer survivor, Howard has an inspiring message—and he found that a recent ocean-going “Resilience” cruise was a perfect setting for connecting with readers.

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Rodney Curtis

The sheer beauty of going ‘Up-North’

PHOTOGRAPHER and AUTHOR Rodney Curtis invites us all to head “Up-North,” a region of Michigan that is well known in the Great Lakes state that Rodney calls home—but is likely to surprise readers from other parts of the world who haven’t yet explored the natural wonders of this region.

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Bill Tammeus on Leanne Friesen

And, finally …

FINALLY, THIS WEEK, we must return to end-of-life issues because so many of our writers are reflecting with the rest of the world on major losses we share—from the latest mass shooting in Kansas City to the death of Alexei Navalny and, well, too many tragedies to count from Ukraine to the Middle East. Our best recommendation is a column from journalist and author Bill Tammeus that begins with a heart-felt recommendation of Leanne Friesen’s new book, Grieving Room. Bill headlined his column: Without room to grieve, we’ll never recover from a death.

And, please come back to ReadTheSpirit next week, when our Cover Story will be an interview with Leanne Friesen about this unique and powerful new memoir she has just published.

 

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Holidays, Festivals & Observances

Clearing up confusion about Black History Month

THANKS TO JOE GRIMM AND THE MSU BIAS BUSTERS, we have this Holidays & Festivals column clearing up confusion about the widely regarded “father” of annual observance.

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And also this month—

MILLIONS OF AMERICANS are observing Lent, which started last week with Ash Wednesday for Western Christians. Most Eastern Orthodox churches will begin their Lenten fast on March 18 this year.

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MID FEBRUARY also is the start of the festival of Vasant Panchami—when yellow will be especially popular in Indian communities around the world. Stephanie Fenton reports on the roots and cultural significance of this colorful season.

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AND MARCH IS Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month—and we have a column from Howard Brown that readers can share to help spread that awareness.

 

WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS?—It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with film reviews and discussion guides. This resource is used nationwide by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Here are some of Ed’s most recent free reviews and columns:

• ORIGIN—Ed urges us to see this unusual film from Ava DuVernay about the origins of racism.
• GENIUS: MLK/X—Ed writes, “The 4th Season of the Genius series provides an inspiring account of the lives of last century’s two great civil rights leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.”
• THE BOOK OF CLARENCE—Ed writes, “Some have likened this film to Monty Python’s Life of Brian, but though satirical, it is not a spoof of the old Hollywood Biblical spectacles. Filmmaker Jeymes Samuel is interested in more serious concerns, such as racism and its effects.”
• MEAN GIRLS—Ed gives a strong thumbs up to this musical version of Tina Fey’s hit. He calls it “a fun-filled diversion.”
• A CALL TO SPY—Ed reaches back this week to a 2020 film, which is available to stream, calling it a “thrilling true story.”
• THE PERSIAN VERSION—Ed also recommends this film by Iranian-American Maryam Keshavarz

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