Homeward Bound

I have finally finished reading Homeward Bound by Edward Hartman. There are reasons it took so long, and neither have to do with the content. It was GREAT! Since Aunt Thelma moved in my reading time has been reduced dramatically.
The main reason it took so long to read is the sermon that made up a third of the book written by William Perkins entitled "A Salve for a Sicke Soul". Perkins examines every aspect of man being ready to die. He gives an amazing argument for the sinner to awaken to his need for a savior now, because the sting of death is so uncertain. Perkins lived in the late 1500's and wrote like most Puritan authors - above my thinking. As I read and reread each portion I had to continuously whisper in my heart, "O Lord, please prepare me and those I love for that imminent day."
The first part of the book was about the death of Hartman's first wife and how their family dealt with that. His practise of family worship confirmed everything we believe about the need to gather your family around God's Word often. He and his children were prepared to hand his wife and their mother over to the hands of God because they had such a high view of God and His ways. I was brought to tears reading about how God brought Hartman's second wife to love his family as her own and give herself over to God's will for her life.