Christine Organ grew up in a small town in Wisconsin. She is a double-Badger, having earned both her B.A. and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She currently lives in suburban Chicago with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and a lizard. A pragmatic believer and hopeful optimist, Christine writes about faith, love, and the human condition. She writes at www.christineorgan.com and has appeared on Headline News (a division of CNN). Her work has also appeared on The New York Times, Washington Post, Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Patheos, Mamalode, and RELEVANT.
When the opportunity presented itself to read and review Christine Organ’s “Open Boxes: the gifts of living a full and connected life”, I’ll admit I wasn’t yet familiar with Christine’s work. After proper research, I knew I had to be a part of this book in whatever fashion possible; now that I’ve read it, Christine has gained a new fan.
“Open Boxes” is a compilation of stories that have made life impressions for Christine. They’re stories she has so generously chosen to share with us, her readers.
Christine relates instances from her life journey that taught me about grace and healing. I learned about forgiveness: why I need to forgive and why I need to be forgiven.
I was particularly moved by Christine’s story of the “prickliness of vulnerability” which is a “touch of pain accompanied by the feeling of freedom that comes from having done something truly authentic, personal, and unabashed.” There is so much wrapped up in this statement. It’s scary yet liberating and beautiful. When you read this book, soak in this particular chapter.
Christine teaches us to be present. Even in the mundane tasks we sometimes loathe (dishes, cleaning…), we can be present and appreciative: feel the fabric of the laundry we are folding, smell the soap that’s cleansing the dishes. It’s an entirely fresh way of thinking and delighting.
When I read “Open Boxes” I felt that Christine was often speaking from my own heart as well as from hers.
You can purchase “Open Boxes” on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and I really hope you do!
