Bookish

"The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest men of past centuries."

Rene Descartes, 1596-1650

 

 

“I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.”  C. S. Lewis

I enjoy reading books more than once. I may reread a book four or five times over the years. It's like visiting with a friend you haven't seen in awhile. You pick up right where you left off. Well, in this case, right at the beginning again!

"A good book is not one that we read, but one that reads us."

W. H. Auden, 1907-1973

 

 Mr. Lewis also said: "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." When I'm finished with a good book, I just don't want it to end. It lingers in my mind. What did I learn from it? Where did it take me? Now, tea, on the other hand, will never do. Lemonade for me! It use to be Coke; then a milkshake, but those days are long gone.

"All my life I've loved books. But the Bible was the only book that ever loved me back." Edward Grinnan, Editor-in-Chief at Guideposts. What a statement! Every time you read the Bible you learn something new. It never disappoints.

 

Love poems are usually written in books. But here is one that is written to a book . . . the Book.

"Welcome dear book, soul's joy, and food!
The feast of Spirits, Heaven extracted lies in thee;
Thou art life's charter, the dove's spotless nest
Where souls are hatched unto Eternity.

In thee the hidden stone, the manna lies,
Thou art the great elixir, rare, and choice;
The key that opens to all mysteries,
The Word in characters, God in the voice

 

 O that I had deep cut in my own heart
Each line in Thee! Then would I plead in groans
Of my Lord's penning, and by sweetest art
Return upon himself the Law, and stones.
Read here, my faults are thine, This book, and I
Will tell thee so, Sweet Savior thou didst die!

Henry Vaughan, 1622-1695, Welsh physician and poet

I enjoy reading books I've never read before. But I especially enjoy going back and rereading a book I loved. Whether a good fiction story, biography or non-fiction work, your world is enhanced by good writing.

A few books I enjoy picking up again are: "The God I Love" by Joni Eareckson Tada; "50 People Every Christian Should Know" by Warren Wiserbe; "Reagan: A Life in Letters;" "Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World", "Look Unto Me" about devotions of Charles Spurgeon,"Amazing Grace" inspiring hymn devotions, and I enjoy fiction by Beverly Lewis, Linda Nichols, Dee Henderson Jan Koran and Karen Kingsbury.

 

I'll end with another quote from C. S. Lewis: “No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.”

The Bible wins again! You just continue to grow . . . the more you read it, the more you learn.

Are you bookish?

 

Love seeing deer in my backyard, both in PA and when we lived in Mt. Airy.

"Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of a good book."

Charles Caeleb Colton, 1780-1832

 

 

 

 

A Modern Day Hero

 "Faith reposes on the character of God, and if we believe that God is perfect, we must conclude that His ways are perfect also."

A. W. Tozer, 1897-1963

In Karla Dornacher's book "Down a Garden Path" the garden she drew had a sign at the entrance that says "God Lives Here." I always liked that. So when I saw this bird house I thought it was appropriate to have my sign there.

 

I enjoy reading about hero's of our faith. I have many books that share the lives of Christian saints of old and how they lived for Christ. They are hero's just as the hero's listed in chapter 11 of Hebrews. They are hero's of the faith.

There's another thing they all have in common. They are just simple, common people. Like you and me. Some have been given larger assignments that change the course of history, But they are still common, everyday folk, who try and live out their faith.

 

Here I am at Wilson's farm enjoying the pleasures of summer!
 

Last week I read about a modern day hero. A simple man, whose faith in Christ is strong, and who lives each day doing his best to love others. Many of you have heard about him on the news. That's where I first learned about him. His story was published this year and I've read it. The title: "The Cost of My Faith."

"A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead but is forced into a position of leadership by the inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and the press of the external situation."

A. W. Tozer, 1897-1963

Jack Phillips, a regular, common man, owned a bakery. His skill was creating wedding cakes and other delicious food. But back in 2012 his life was changed when he refused to bake a wedding cake for a homosexual couple. He was sued.

 

In the past Phillips has refused to bake cakes when the request went against what he believed, such as Satanic decorations and sexual decorations, as many other bakers do on a regular basis. But because this request involved his faith, which is now under conviction for all of us, he was prime game.

 

Always loved this fountain grass and enjoyed seeing it each morning in my garden.
 

Six years later, after numerous court appearances and charges, he was exonerated by the U. S. Supreme Court of America. He won, and in doing so, set the course for American people who live and believe the faith of their fathers. Although this case was all about him, all of us who live in this age and time will benefit from his long struggle for justice.

 

Phillips was fighting for freedom of speech and free exercise of our religious liberty. He asked for our God-given right as individuals to speak, or not speak, in accordance with the certainties of our heart, and our right to believe to the depths of our soul and to conscientiously act on those beliefs. This is the right of every American.

 

"God wants to develop the same character traits in us as exist in Christ. We are to react to the situations of life as Christ did."

Erwin W. Lutzer, 1941- 

It is an easy book to read, flowing well and easy to understand. Can this happen to me? Can this happen to you? Yes, it can. We are in a post Christian era in America and our freedom and liberties are being challenged and destroyed. 

 

Covered in beauty!
 

I read stories of the lives of past saints to inspire me, encourage me and motivate me. We are no longer in a time when we can just coast through life believing and living our faith. All across America Christians are being challenged, persecuted and ridiculed with threats, law suits, and personal injury.

This book helped me to accept what lies ahead for us all and be ready for whatever happens. Will I be ready? My faith is strong and my hope is deep within my being, but will I be ready?

I have learned from past experiences in my life that when I need the courage and strength to get through something, God miraculously provides it. Not a few days before. Not a few days after. When I need it. And He will do the same for you.

 

If I must choose between peace and righteousness, I chose righteousness."

Theodore Roosevelt, 1858-1919 

 

My greeting when I arrived home from work.

 

A quiet cake artist from Colorado stood for Christ and all America. He firmly states he's not the hero. God is. But we all know God uses common, everyday people, to accomplish His plan.

There are modern day hero's all around us. In days to come we're going to need to focus on who we believe in and who we can trust. As Christians our trust is in God and our hope is in Jesus. He is enough. Let's be a modern day hero for Him!