As I said in the post below, reading a lot again.
Just read The Time traveler's Wife, good book, love story with a twist, highly recommended.
Also just read, Pushing Ice, Sci-Fi, again good book, describes itself as a Space Opera
Just in the process of reading a biography of Spurgeon.
Good book, easy read, very full life this man had.
But....
The only problem I have with this type of book is that I can't relate to these people. They don't seem to lead normal lives.
"Aha", I hear you say, "the Christian life isn't normal"
Maybe not to the man in the street, but I am a Christian, it is who I am, not what I do, but I still lead a life where I go to work to put food on the table, have a wife and two children and have constant contact with the people who live in this world.
But these godly men I read about seem to be super human and the only sins they seem to have are the sins of omission.
You never read that Spurgeon shouted at the kids because they got on his nerves or shouted at the wife because he had a bad day at the Tabernacle.
You never read that they didn't read their bible for a week because they got complacent or that they couldn't get to the meeting because their wife said they had to decorate the back bedroom.
Their prayers are eloquent and always seem to be answered, their preaching is powerful and fill churches. There wives are equally godly people and you never hear much about the children apart from how many they had (unless they went on to be great themselves then they have their own book)
Maybe things are harder these days, we have to compete with TV, game boys, x-boxes, computers. Instant gratification. A sermon over 20 minutes is too long for people, and they have to be multimedia performances.
Surely there were distractions in the 1800s
Why don't you read that that Spurgeon got stuck in traffic and came into the pulpit hot and sweaty and dying for the loo.
(they did have traffic jams in the 1800s, London streets used to get clogged up with horses and carriages, there was no High Way Code then)
Don't get me wrong, he was one of the greatest preachers in our history
But will someone make these guys real.
I had read that there is a biography/autobiography out there that runs into six volumes - maybe this will be the one to read.
God Bless
Creatist
About Me
- Jem
- Husband, Father, Christian, Interests = Woodturning, Wood, more wood, books, more books, art, creating anything.
2 comments:
The six volume's weren't written by a Mr Stevens were they...? (joking) :-).
I suspect some of the old-timers seem a bit unreal is because their focus was the 'message' rather than telling it how it was. Life for many people was so darn miserable, those that could read needed a gospel + a bit of godley escapism - the books took them away from hardship.
Then there's good 'ol practicality.
It's hard to fall out with the missus if, f'rinstance, you were travellin' the country preaching for months on end - like Wesley f'rinstance, on horseback. he died of Pneumonia, btw, after a long trot. No service stations, see..
As for kids - that's easy. Wimmins Work. Decorating? Wimmins work. Cooking? Tea @ Central? You get the drift.....In those days men did the important stuff like working, spending time with other men, writing books and preaching. They didn't mess with the sisterhood...hmmm.. very JA :)
Seriously.
Bit
Ps, dunno where the 'Bit' came from.
(shrug) So when are you going to write your book then?
Hmm, lessee.. "From Wood to Life"?
Nah, too naff. How about, "Making Mushrooms - Turning Hearts". Ah, I got it - "Turning The Tables"... ;)
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