[musings from the manse]
One of the things surveys say people are giving over more time to during lockdown is reading a book.
For some of you this may not be anything new. You may always have a book, or two, or even three on the go. For others this may be something unusual.
Those of you who know me, know I read a lot, and that has not been stopped by lockdown. Books are something that give me great joy when I read. Novels, non-fiction. Christian, non-Christian. I have fairly broad taste.
However, like everyone I have my favourites, and this year I have made a concerted effort to go back and read some books and authors that I have not read for a while. Even to the extent that I am not buying any new books for a whole year (only receiving those I get as gifts).
When I look at the books I am re-reading, some are because they are comfortable, easy and escapist, and I think we all need a bit of that at the moment; others are because they challenged me before and I want to see if they challenge me again; still other books are new to me and are ones that I have not got round to reading – I find them containing wonderful surprises.
There are also books that I am choosing not to re-read at this time. Perhaps because I know them too well, or I do not think I would enjoy them at this time, or perhaps I think they were of the time and will have dated too much, and I might even consider, if I am feeling very brave, giving them to a charity shop when they re-open (might have to have a lie down after that sentence!).
Take some time to read, enjoy, savour … and maybe even read your bible!
Who are your favourite authors?
What are your favourite books?
What joy have they brought to your life?
What new horizons have they opened up to you?
What new glimpse of God have they revealed to you (especially if they were not written with a Christian viewpoint in mind)?
(just a note – this blog post was written before our Zoom discussion the other evening)
Yours in Christ
Andy
Minister, CBC