A Cozy Corner and A Good Book

The young boy’s name is Mark. He is young at 11 years old but becomes older after a few days. He becomes my new friend. It is like I have known him for a long time. As I journeyed through the hours and days with him I am amazed at his young abilities. I could hardly keep up with Mark as he struggled through his predicament and challenges of his days.

Mark’s younger brother’s name is Ricky. Their family name is Sway. Jerome Clifford, a miserable and frightened lawyer, committed suicide in front of them. Mark was the closest to him when it happened.

As I followed Mark closely for those days, I met Reggie and Clint. Then a whole host of amazing men came along to bring me up to date.

It wasn’t until 562 pages later did John Grisham tell me the final secret. “The Client” is a super book. Mark Sway is now my friend and I am pulling for this young guy who is forever 11 years old.

That is the power of a good and well written book. I have read almost all of John Grisham’s books. I found two more that just came my way in the last two months that I intend to read. I can’t wait!

A good book is a ticket for an amazing holiday away from the ordinary. It is a license to enter the most amazing world of people that I have never met – then grow with them as they let you walk with them. The characters are real – very real in a good book. They become my friends.

There isn’t enough room to tell you about people like Catherine Cookson that weaves a spell binding story after story of people of the 1800s. She has lived “now” but takes you with ease to “back then” to the 1800s. I love her books.

Two good friends(real people) of mine, Don and Doug, introduced me to Grisham and Cookson. They had some of their books and said, “Murray, I know you will like this one!” Thanks guys – you were right on!

In the Bible I rediscovered men like Joseph and Moses and Abraham and Paul and many others. What an amazing place to rediscover life through these men. Their lives and the accounts give are simply overwhelming with information and ability.

Christmas week is coming…
This is a special time to sit in my favorite big chair and read. The room is comfortable and the chair is soft. The light is right and the book is ready. I am going on a holiday for a few days. I will be there close at hand to do what has to be done – but I will also enter another world.

I took a peek at the next book. In it I have met Ray Atlee, who is a Professor in a college. He has a misfit brother and his father has just summoned them to his home…when Ray gets there his father, Judge Atlee, is dead. The book is “The Summons” and I can’t wait to see where Grisham goes with the next part. He has trapped me again.

A Struggle….
I asked my friend if he had ever read a certain book. His comment was kind of shocking, “Naw..I don’t read. Oh I read the Toronto Sun once in a while if someone leaves a copy at the coffee shop…but I don’t have time to read.”

Don’t have time to read…? Tell me you don’t have time to breath and I can accept that…but reading… no way!

Then as I came to know my friend more intimately I found out that he cannot read. He struggles with every word that is on the paper in front of him. The Toronto Sun Newspaper is full of pictures and very little text. By holding it and looking like you are reading – people are impressed. They think you can read.

I am sorry that I put him on the spot by asking that dumb question. The fact is many cannot read – or read very slowly or very little because it is just too hard.

Hats off today…
My hat is off today for guys like Joe S. that spends all his days helping people learn how to read. He is a literacy coach. Joe you are a hidden hero. I admire you and love you as my friend.

My hat is off today to Rick. Rick is just over 50 years old and he is struggling to read a little each day. The words are halting and painfully slow as they come from his lips. But the big grin on his face as he reads one sentence at a time is shear joy.

My hat is off to my Mom, who bought us our first books. Times were tough just after World War 2 – but I can remember books. Mom made away for her kids to learn how to read and then encouraged us to read.

My hat is off to my Grandpa and Grandma Kirkpatrick, who kept a whole shelf full of old Popular Mechanics Magazines mixed with other books on their farm. The covers were gone of the old magazines but the content was amazing. Through those old magazines we took long journeys to far away places, invented things, dreamed and never even left the farm in southern Saskatchewan.

A gift certificate to Chapters Book Store or Amazon.com is a ticket to forever.

I gotta run… I have some more reading to do today before the sun comes up. Cozy corner and a good book here I come….

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~


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