Review of Small Things, Big Things: Inspiring Stories of Everyday Grace
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[i][Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Small Things, Big Things: Inspiring Stories of Everyday Grace" by Michael A. Milton.][/i] [rwc=id484510-125]3 out of 4 stars.[/rwc]“Where did you find God today?” a question posed by Dorothy Bass, was the impetus for Michael A. Milton’s self-described “collection of little epistles written by a pastor to his people,” Small Things, Big Things: Inspiring Stories of Everyday Grace. Published in 2009, with hurricane Katrina still fresh in the minds of its survivors and with the US still reeling from economic collapse, Milton’s book was meant to uplift his fellow Christians, encouraging them to look for God’s presence and plan in their daily lives - even in their darkness. With 52 standalone chapters averaging 4 pages in length, Small Things is easily read in multiple sittings, but the careful arrangement of chapters results in a subtle current that carries you forward. Bursting with stories, recollections, letters, observations, and quotations (yes, from the Bible, but also from Richard Baxter, Martin Luther, Irene Dunne, and even Mel Brooks), Milton’s work defies categorization, but the unifying thread throughout is Jesus Christ.
Orphaned at the age of 6, the author was taken in by his “widowed, childless” Aunt Eva, who lived on a farm in then poverty-stricken Watson, Louisiana, “(population about 500, counting cows).” A faithful Christian even in the face of loss, Aunt Eva raised her adopted son in church. Milton admits to a lengthy period in his life when he lived for himself, but he had a “grace awakening” in 1985 and eventually become a pastor. This range of experience has taught him to recognize God’s nearness and work even in seemingly mundane things like aprons, mincemeat pies, and hardware stores.
Milton alternately explores theological questions (Will our pets be in heaven?), laments modern social woes in “The Case of the Fraudulent Doughnut” and “The Death of a TV Critic,” calls out today’s church in its failures in “Who Will Stand By the Door?” and “Of Passion Plays and the Word of God,” reflects on childhood or childrearing in “Ain’t Got No Kids? Baloney!” and “It Takes a Church,” and explores the meaning of heartache in “Singing Through the Shadows” and “Storms Blow in So Our Prayers May Go Up,” while somehow always highlighting salvation. The variety of subjects in this book would almost feel like a stream of consciousness if it weren’t for the scholarly tone throughout, which often makes it quotable.
If all I had to consider in the cons column was editing, I would love to award this book 3.5 stars, as I found it frequently heartwarming and personally challenging, but I believe its scholarly tone limits the potential readership, which is a shame. I would recommend this book to anyone because I think everyone should give its message a chance unless you genuinely dislike biographical works. As a result, I award Michael A. Milton’s book 3 out of 4 stars for encouraging us to appreciate the Small Things in life. ****** [i]Small Things, Big Things: Inspiring Stories of Everyday Grace [/i] View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=484510]on Bookshelves[/url]
Orphaned at the age of 6, the author was taken in by his “widowed, childless” Aunt Eva, who lived on a farm in then poverty-stricken Watson, Louisiana, “(population about 500, counting cows).” A faithful Christian even in the face of loss, Aunt Eva raised her adopted son in church. Milton admits to a lengthy period in his life when he lived for himself, but he had a “grace awakening” in 1985 and eventually become a pastor. This range of experience has taught him to recognize God’s nearness and work even in seemingly mundane things like aprons, mincemeat pies, and hardware stores.
Milton alternately explores theological questions (Will our pets be in heaven?), laments modern social woes in “The Case of the Fraudulent Doughnut” and “The Death of a TV Critic,” calls out today’s church in its failures in “Who Will Stand By the Door?” and “Of Passion Plays and the Word of God,” reflects on childhood or childrearing in “Ain’t Got No Kids? Baloney!” and “It Takes a Church,” and explores the meaning of heartache in “Singing Through the Shadows” and “Storms Blow in So Our Prayers May Go Up,” while somehow always highlighting salvation. The variety of subjects in this book would almost feel like a stream of consciousness if it weren’t for the scholarly tone throughout, which often makes it quotable.
[quote]“We come to understand that today’s frustration is tomorrow’s testimony.”[/quote]
While the author’s wordy style (One sentence took up no less than 9 lines!) and fondness for metaphor may strike some readers as eloquent, I’m afraid it may alienate many others. Also, Small Things certainly is intended for a churchgoing audience already acquainted with the Bible and at least some theology, as Milton uses what I call “Christianese,” referring to eschatology, expository preaching, the blood of Christ, God’s glory, thorns in the flesh, and many other words and phrases rarely used in the course of a normal day. He calls the reader “beloved” and even once opens a sentence with “But lo.” Personally, I think this would discourage the average non-Christian reader and even some Christian ones, as the text can come off as pretentious or holier than thou, despite the author’s genuine insistence that he sins as much as the next guy. In addition, Small Things is not free of errors. While they weren’t on every page, there were enough to cost Milton’s book a star, and they include frequent but minor misuse of commas, occasional use of the wrong word (“singer” for “sing,” “clinched” for “clenched”), misplaced or missing hyphens, one incorrect verb (“was” for “were”), and one typo in a biblical quote.[quote]“We must never lose the commonality of worship or our unity at the expense of personal preferences. Our unity comes from the one we worship.”[/quote]
If all I had to consider in the cons column was editing, I would love to award this book 3.5 stars, as I found it frequently heartwarming and personally challenging, but I believe its scholarly tone limits the potential readership, which is a shame. I would recommend this book to anyone because I think everyone should give its message a chance unless you genuinely dislike biographical works. As a result, I award Michael A. Milton’s book 3 out of 4 stars for encouraging us to appreciate the Small Things in life. ****** [i]Small Things, Big Things: Inspiring Stories of Everyday Grace [/i] View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=484510]on Bookshelves[/url]
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