Review of 2010: Books and Reading

No review of 2010 could be complete without mentioning what I've been reading.

First of all, my Bible. 

The very best and best-loved of books.  It was written by over 40 different people, over 1500 years, in different countries, time-zones and languages, and in different genres such as law, poetry, history, prophecy and narrative, and yet study reveals the Bible to be entirely consistent in every part.  God has mercifully given us a book that provides "the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 3:15)  By reading this Book, we may learn what to believe, what to be, and what to do; how to live with comfort, and how to die in peace. 

I bought this bookmark - one of my favourites - from the Priory Church at Bolton Abbey near Skipton, during our summer holiday, when I met Lucy from Attic 24

And then on to books.  My all-time favourite books are those written by Miss Read.  Miss Read, real name Dora Saint was born in 1913, and had books published most years from 1955 up to the late 1990's.  Over the years I've been collecting her books, and now I have all her novels and a few other of her books too on my bookshelf.

This is only some of them!  I have a lot more in my bedroom, and have some of them on cd or tape too.

A wider shot of our bookshelves...



Other fictional works that stood out for me in 2010 are 'Hearts and Minds' by Amanda Craig (the children's fiction reviewer of The Times) and 'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett.  I recommend them both to you.

I also love to read magazines from time to time, such as Country Living, and then another area of reading that provides me with much joy, refreshment and great interest is here...

Yes, look into the mirror my friend, I mean all your wonderful, inspiring, entertaining blogs!  Thank you for cheering my days!

Christ-centred Motherhood.

I've just been listening this morning to a sermon by John Piper on Christ-centred motherhood here.  It is very different to any other approach towards motherhood.  He says:
"Remembering the character of your godly mother is a great incentive to holding fast to the scriptures she taught you. Let’s read it so you can see this. 2 Timothy Chapter 3, Verse 14: “But as for you [Timothy], continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed”—that is, don’t give up your faith, don’t give up the scriptures, don’t give up your salvation. Then comes these crucial words referring back to Eunice and Lois: “knowing from whom you learned it.”

"In other words, Timothy, one of the ways—not the only way—one of the ways to strengthen your faith and persevere through hard times and not give up on the scriptures is to remember who introduced you to word of God and the way of salvation. Remember your mother, and your grandmother."

"So let’s make very clear: the apostle of Jesus Christ in this text bestows on motherhood and grandmotherhood a great honor. You have a calling that can become the long-remembered ground of faith, not just for your children—mark this—but for the untold numbers who will be affected by your children. And that’s in addition to all the other thousands of ripple effects of faith in your life."

John Piper ends his sermon with this lovely definition of home management:

"Home-management-  the creation of a beautiful and simple place and living organism which becomes a refuge of Christ’s peace and launching pad for God’s righteousness."

What a noble goal, to create a refuge of Christ's peace and a launching pad for god's righteousness in our busy, harried world.

Have a lovely day my friend.