Good morning, readers!
I am joining my blogging buddy Carrie from Crafty, Curly Mom for today’s review of Giddy Up, Eunice and giveaway. Last year…just love saying that…but more like a few weeks ago, we both finished reading Giddy Up by Sophie Hudson. When I learned that Carrie was reading Giddy Up, I asked if we could both review the book together when we finished. And she was so sweet to agree. So here we are.
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Christmas in July
I was gifted the book in July by another blogger buddy of mine, Katie, who blogs at The Mishaps and Mayhem of Solitary Life.
Katie sent it along with some other goodies for The Blended Blog’s Christmas in July gift exchange. I wrote about that here. Began reading the book right away along with several others I was already into knee-deep. At first, I wasn’t sure Giddy Up, Eunice was for me. But stuck with it and as I turned that last page, felt such a feeling of comfort and being understood. Katie knows me so well. She had picked the perfect book for me without having ever met me IRL.
Back in the Saddle
So, what’s this Giddy Up, Eunice all about? Horseback-riding? Life in the wild, wild west? Nope. It’s about relationships between women. This is probably a good time to mention the subtitle. Giddy Up, Eunice: Because Women Need Each Other. Makes a little more sense now, huh?
In their review, Publishers Weekly described Giddy Up like this – “Hudson’s welcoming book is a strong appeal for readers to ponder the questions at the heart of cross-generational friendships: ‘What are we passing on? What have we inherited?'”
Author Sophie Hudson is another blogger, (BooMama.net) whose tongue and cheek Mississippi voice is sweet, clear and warms the heart like a shot of Southern Comfort on a cold evening.
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Except this book is shelved in the Christian Living section of Amazon.com…get yours here, on sale. And since I am not sure Sophie is a drinking woman, she might not like that analogy.
Skittish
As you probably remember, I have a very weak religious upbringing. Weak=almost non-existent. But as an adult, have always been spiritual. And since meeting PC, have learned my way around the Bible. Some. Still have to say “Matthew, Mark, Luke and John” in my head at church when looking up scripture. So this book felt a little intimidating for me at first.
Hudson has used three unlikely pairs of Biblical women to investigate and explain why women need each other. The pairs are unlikely only because the women in each couple are not the same ages and wouldn’t necessarily have been friends if not for circumstances in their lives that brought them together. Sophie examines the friendships, the ‘mentorships’ of women in different stations of life. Whose friendships cross generational boundaries. Mary and Elizabeth. Ruth and Naomi. Lois and Eunice. Had to take notes that I reviewed in order to keep these women straight in my head.
Shy and Awkward
I have always been shy and socially awkward and shy. Along with that I am socially awkward and shy. So I have had some uneasy relationships with other girls/ladies/women. In spite of being a cheerleader (what?), in a sorority, working in a predominately female profession and hosting of my own TV show. Thinking about (developing) friendships with women wasn’t/isn’t always something near and dear to my heart.
But gosh, this was a good read. Hudson is charming and witty and fun. And so is her writing style. Over and over, where she talked about the older half of each pair of women, the woman in her “golden years” (broken in?) Hudson emphasized their value. Their expertise. Their wisdom. About Elizabeth, in Chapter 5 “So This is the Part Where We Need You to Stay in It”, the author writes:
Elizabeth’s life is a beautiful reminder that God continues to do new things in and through us no matter what our age happens to be. [p.81]
That resonates with this retired, often-floundering, golden girl right here.
She adds:
…if, for some reason, you have convinced yourself that you’re not needed any more, that your best days are behind you, that you’re not “relevant” (and that definition seems to change by the day) enough to serve your brothers and sisters in Christ – or, heaven forbid, your family – let me just say this:
Stop it. Right now. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. [p. 82]
After retiring reluctantly, three years ago. I felt totally irrelevant. And still have those days now and then. But Sophie Hudson buoys me with her words when she writes:
But here’s what we have to tell ourselves and each other: when we are tempted to give up and hang it up because we’re, for whatever reason, fed ALL THE WAY up or maybe just scared to death, we can’t forget there are women behind us and ahead of us who need us to stay in it.
There are women in your church who need to stay in it. There are women in your family who need you to stay in it. There are women at your workplace who need you to stay in it.
So you stay in it, you hear me? YOU STAY IN IT.
You are uniquely built to impact others in ways you cannot even imagine. You are the only “you” there is; no one else on earth has your wisdom, your experiences, and your perspective. So when you’re tempted to back down, to back up, or to back off, just remember this:
Elizabeth may have been “of advancing years” – but she was about to birth a whole new thing.
You stay in it. [p. 83]
My notes on Elizabeth reminded me she was pregnant with her first child well past the average age for conception. Her baby would grow up to be John the Baptist. And her cousin Mary gives birth to Jesus (I didn’t have to write a note for that). Despite the 40-50 years+ separating these women, they found themselves in very similar circumstances. They sought comfort, support and refuge in each other. And that, in a nutshell, my friends, is the gist of Giddy Up, Eunice by Sophie Hudson.
Out to Pasture
I am adjusting to retirement, my empty-nest, my quick ascent to age 60 much more gracefully now after reading this book. Not ready to be put out to pasture yet. But I sure wouldn’t want to turn up pregnant.
I view my relationship with Carrie, Katie and many of the other “younger, hipper, more fashionable” bloggers I’ve met since beginning this blogging journey as being similar to the relationships of Hudson’s six “characters”. These whipper-snappers keep me young(er), prompt me to try things I might not otherwise try, like Kylie Jenner’s matte lip kits. Color that stays on, and on, and on.
I hope, in some way, somehow return the favor.
Carrie and I both enjoyed this book so much that we want to share it with two lucky winners in our Rafflecopter giveaway. So, before you go, please take a minute to enter our contest.
Finally, if you haven’t come from Carrie’s blog first, please take a sec to run by there now. Then come back tomorrow when I share some sage life advice I gleaned from some of my golden (mares) and not-so-golden friends (fillies).
hApPY hUmP dAy, girls!
Hugs and kisses,
dsimair
Whipper-snappers…ha! Love it! This book is on my to-read list for sure this year.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hope you entered the giveaway! The book is fantastic. And really opened my eyes. Going to try to remember all of the nuggets
of sound advice I gleaned from my friends and Sophie Hudson as I travel through 2017. Thank you for coming by!
curlycraftymom
Can’t wait to read your post tomorrow. What a lovely review you have of this book and I love seeing your different angle/take on the book. I think no matter what age we are, God will continue to surprise us and our relationships with other women of ALL ages are important!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hey sweets! Thank you so much. So glad to have done this review with you. Hope you will check out the post from today. My friends share such sage advice.
Whitney a la mode
I just can’t imagine you as awkward or having trouble developing relationships because, throughout my interactions with you, you are always so warm, loving and encouraging! I can’t wait to know you in real life because it’s a friendship I know I will cherish!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, girl, I could write a book! I am the queen of clumsy…physically and socially.
Whitney, you brought tears to my eyes. Truly. You say the nicest things. I think the world of you and Katie and feel a special connection to you both. Hope to meet you in real life someday soon. XO
Anne Green
Love Sophie Hudson!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Me, too. I think I need to sample another of her books. XO
Gina
Glad to have found you through Carrie’s blog and I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this book (although I haven’t read it myself) and especially about your stage of life. I’m currently in “the thick of it” myself with kids in elementary school, busy activities, and what not, but I see the years passing so quickly I know it’s going to be me in your shoes in NO time. I see it in my mom and older sisters already and I have a lot of thoughts about coping in that stage of life. I got a good laugh out of your comment, “But I sure wouldn’t want to end up pregnant! HA!!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you SO MUCH for stopping by from Carrie’s fabulous blog and for taking time to comment. Would love to have you share
my blog with your mama! I remember being in the thick of things, and like you said, those days fly by and you are waking up
to an all-too-quiet empty nest. The empty nest business was easier for me to adjust to than the retirement. But life isn’t
over and I am finally getting the hang of this stage of life. Please come back again. Hope you entered the giveaway! XO
Laura Bambrick
This sounds like a fascinating book! I think I need to put it on my must read list!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hope you entered the giveaway. Giddy UP is such an insightful read. Perfect for beginning a new year. Thank you for coming by and commenting. Happy new year, beautiful!
Andrea@WellnessNotes
Sounds like a really interesting book! I enjoyed reading your review and look forward to your next post!
Andrea@WellnessNotes
I have several friends who are 20 years older and some who are 15 – 20 years younger, and I cherish them all. I am so thankful for older, wiser friends who have guided me gently over the years. And I feel lucky to be able to give a different perspective to younger friends (who are in the middle of raising very small children, etc.).
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I am older than just about everyone I know. YIKES! I seem to be hanging with a younger crowd, including my PC. When visiting my mom in October, I so enjoyed dining with mom and her friends at the retirement apartment. I had wanted to ask each of them for a piece of advice to share on my blog but my mom was afraid for me to do that. I guess women above about 85 don’t necessarily ‘get’ blogs. Ha!
Thank you for coming by. You always add such thoughtful comments.
Katie
Oh Leslie!! This is the best!! Love that you and Carrie both reviewed this and I’m so happy you stuck with it and enjoyed the book!! Thanks for the kind words about me too!! I am so glad to have you as a friend! Age is never a thought! Love you sweet friend!!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Yay!!! Yay!!! Thank you for coming by and thank you for being the reason why I could review this book! I loved it. You are so insightful, Katie. You know me so well. Thank you for being my bud, for “hearing” me and for helping me through a tough time. Love you, baby girl.