TENDING ROSES DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1.	Lynne Hinton, bestselling author of Friendship Cake, has praised Tending Roses as a “rich story of family and faith that reminds us of the bittersweet seasons of life and our call to care for each other.”  What do you think she means by “bittersweet seasons of life?”
2.	How do various characters in Tending Roses care for each other?  Do you agree that we are all called to do so?  Are we obligated to care for people outside our families as we are for immediate family members?  In your own life, how are you heeding or not heeding that call?
3.	The wildflower journal continues to make mysterious appearances throughout the novel.  Do you think Grandma deliberately leaves the book for Kate to read?  Why does she chose to convey her advice in this way rather than verbally?
4.	After reading Tending Roses and calling upon your own experience, do you think a mother or father can have a demanding career and still be a good parent?  Is it naïve to think you can “have it all”—both a satisfying career and an active role in raising children?
5.	The author suggests that focusing on obtaining a lot of “stuff” makes it more difficult to nurture a healthy family.  To what extent do you agree or disagree?  If you wanted to simplify your life, where would you start?
6.	Some of the tension between Kate and Karen arises from their very different situations—Kate’s as a stay-at-home mom and Karen’s as a childless career woman.  Have you experienced a similar tension in your own family or community?  What’s at the root of this kind of problem, and how might you begin to diffuse it?
7.	Home plays an important role in Tending Roses. Describe your home. What do you think makes the heart of your home tick?
8.	A theme of TR is learning how to appreciate life. What things do you do every day to appreciate your own life?
9.	Do you have a favorite time of day when you stop and smell the roses? A favorite place?
10.	If people can't make drastic life changes like the family in the book, what can they do on a more basic level to stop taking their lives for granted?
11.	Some important threads in the book were woven by Grandma Rose's journal. Do you keep a journal? If so, what has journaling helped you learn about yourself? Do you think you will pass it to other generations?
12.	Are there any special life lessons you would like to pass along to your own grandchildren one day?   How would you do this?