GDP Arrrgh!

I'm sure all of us have had so many letters and emails in the last month relating to GDPR that it has become an ugly word!  For us the feeling has been magnified tenfold.  The time getting up to speed with the new data regulations, and following through on its implications for our small enterprise has been significant.  At the same time we appreciated the need for the new legislation and have embraced the opportunity to streamline our list of contacts to leave on it only those who really want to hear regularly from us.
We have now completed mail outs to all our customers (both snail-mail and email) to obtain explicit consent for receiving newsletters.  However the technical side of this has not run as smoothly as planned (hence scenes like the above in our office last week!).  So, if you did receive a GDPR email from us and clicked on the link to subscribe, be assured that your details have been registered even if you were confused about the form you were presented with afterwards.  We do apologise for this glitch.  But, if you received an email and it got lost amongst the plethora of other GDPR emails, please head to our website homepage and enter your email address to subscribe for our newsletters. 
We are legally prevented now from sending out reminders, but via this blog and social media our message to one and all is, if you want to hear of great book offers and reviews SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER!  You won't regret it!

View from the Youth

We were amazed and fascinated recently to discover what a bunch of youngsters can do with an iPad and the iMovie app.  We hadn't before considered ourselves entirely technologically inept, but we were forced to admit some deficiencies when it comes to movies!  So we decided to challenge a group of youngsters to take on a summer project of making a promotional video for the shop.  This is the fab result...

Without naming them all, our huge thanks go to all the youngsters involved, from age 4 to 13 - you know who you are!  Please don't all head off to Hollywood.

Missing Post

We sent a very desirable secondhand set of Samuel Eyles Pierce 'Letters on Spiritual Subjects' out to the US about 6 weeks ago.  They should have taken no more than 2 weeks to arrive, but by the end of last week were nowhere to be seen.  We were gutted to think they might be lost in the post but our customer had more faith - he emailed over the weekend to say ...

With a great deal of thankfulness to the Lord for His great mercy, the books arrived today. I had a hard time believing that the Lord would allow such a treasure to be lost, so for some reason I was granted a strong conviction in the last few days  that they would arrive. Today, Saturday, I was delighted to open the mailbox and find them. What a spiritual treasure they appear to be.

What wonderful news! the Lord's timing is always right and we pray that He will bless the reading of these books.
Lorna

30th Celebrations

On Saturday we celebrated the bookshop's 30th Anniversary and enjoyed a lovely day chatting to customers old and new, and eating cake (it's obligatory to eat cake at any events in our shop)!

Jeremy spent some time that afternoon packing up parcels full of John Kershaw to go over to the USA this week.  It is interesting to think that Jeremy's father would have been doing the same job 30 years ago too (on the same packing table).  John Kershaw was one of the stock items then, and is still popular amongst the same customers now.  Although the shop has in many ways changed massively, this just highlights how the essential, doctrinal ministry of the shop remains the same & we are as committed as ever to literature that promotes the gospel of free grace.
Look out for our July Bulletin because the 30% off books that were available on our celebration day will be highlighted as special offers for our loyal longer-distance customers. If you don't receive our monthly eBulletins then please let me know.
Lorna

It's our 30th Anniversary...

 

It would be lovely to see friends old and new as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Christian Bookshop in Ossett.

Lorna

News update

Big apologies for the distinct lack of blogging lately - we haven't been slacking honest!
One of our projects has been to get our mobile site up and running so all you folk with smartphones will find it easier to browse our site. It has been designed on similar lines to our desktop site so should feel familiar. Please let us know if you have any problems... www.christianbookshopossett.co.uk

eBooks is another project.  As you know we have been selling them from our site for a while, but we are gradually adding publishers and recently added Crossway Books to the list.  Please be patient as we increase the titles available - it is laborious work and takes time and concentration (which isn't often to be found in a bookshop with little helpers around!). http://www.christianbookshopossett.co.uk/catalogue.php?&sp=ebooks

Just a note for any ladies who are interested - the online bookclub is coming close to the end of the current book so now would be a good time to join up as we start a new book.  Drop me an email if you fancy the idea.

Thats all for now!
Lorna

Every Good Endeavour

There aren't many sizeable books around which concentrate totally upon the subject of Work - even though it takes up much of our waking hours! But Keller has brought 25 years of developed thought and teaching and distilled it here. His claim to be heard is based on the development of his ministry at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. Being located at the centre of the business district in New York led him into many discussions with city workers about a distinctively Christian understanding of work and what it is for. He finds it rooted in Genesis and God's original plan for man - to be in his image and to work. To cultivate the earth as a vocation. Work therefore has dignity and purpose, and cultivation embraces cultural efforts and the building of human society. It is the fall of man into sin that makes work to be a very different experience: pointless, fruitless, selfish and even idolatrous. At this point the gospel which changes a believer's heart, changes his viewpoint on work. Keller proposes a 'toolkit' of principles so that everyone can reflect on their own particular work, apply it, and seek to faithfully serve the Lord. eg. biblical understanding gives realism, but not cynicism, and it is balanced by hope. There is much practical wisdom in this section. However in general I found the first part of the book to be better than the last. For instance I like how Keller cites Luther as seeing that God designs his providence to be (in part) mediated through man's labour. Thus we rightly thank God for our daily bread - but there is a lengthy production process before it comes to our table.
Is this a must-read book? Well, no, in short. It is helpful but I feel Keller is stronger on his philosophy than his bible exposition. It contains an over-elevated view of 'common grace'. It extends redemption to all things, not just the realm of man's salvation. Now I realise this is a popular concept nowadays, but would urge caution. One other gripe is that Keller always seems to bend over backwards in order to be PC and 'with it'. This rather distorts his good endeavours!
'Every Good Endeavour. Connecting your work to God's plan for the world.' By Tim Keller, published by Hodder & Stoughton, h/b with dust jacket. RRP £12.99. From us £8.99.
Jeremy

A nice boost to our New Year!

I know we linked to this on our facebook page, & we don't particularly like blowing our own trumpets but this was a morale boosting review that we couldn't really allow to disappear into the mists of time too easily (and we realise that many of our customers don't see our facebook page).  So thank you to Gervase Charmley, our 'Mystery Shopper'!

In Many Bookshops with Pastor Charmley

She's made it!

At one time or another as each of the children grew up and became more mobile they made the mountainous journey up the big steps from the office into the shop.  Yesterday Katie independently negotiated this tricky route and triumphantly made her way to what has always been a favourite spot with young children - watching the cars from the doorway!  Suddenly a whole new world has opened up to her - specifically a shopful of books ready and waiting to be pulled off the shelves.  It is a hard lesson to learn, but they all had to go through it - you can look at them but you can't grab them & slobber all over them!  
Lorna

August - A Wash Out?

Lorna has just posted about our Annual bulletin.  Yes, the boys were a great help, but it went off a bit late this year.  What happened to August?  Did we get anything done apart from a family holiday?  Well, strangely, it was a great success.  Looking at the month from more than the narrow commercial perspective, it was one of our best times.  We held two holiday activity mornings for pre-teen children plus parents, which were runaway successes.  They were begging for more!  It was so satisfying to get across a literary theme through crafts and quizzes as well as book readings.  More than 60 children were there which was fabulous.  It was particularly nice to see many from non-Christian families.  We were kindly allowed the use of the Chapel next door to give us the needed space, and had a great support team as well.  Thanks everyone!  We have a gallery of photos on our Facebook page.  Remember you can view this even if you do not have a Facebook account.
The problem now is that we have probably made a rod for our own back for future holiday times, and left ourselves playing catch-up as we start the long run in to Christmas!  But at least we do so feeling more fulfilled than ever.
Jeremy

With a little help from my friends...

Well ok, just one little friend...

One more job ticked off the list - perhaps now we can get back to blogging more regularly!

If you haven't received a copy of our annual news bulletin by post or email have a look at it on our website... http://www.christianbookshopossett.co.uk/Bulletin.pdf (tons of news about secondhand books, ebooks, social networking, 2012 Calendars, Charity Christmas Cards & more).

Lorna

Social Networking Media

To Know and To Be Known
Have a read of this article written by the popular American blogger Tim Challies.  I think it a very good analysis of the nature of purely online relationships.  It is easy (and tempting) to go out and seek to impress the many, but it is the opinion and advice of the few who truly know us which really matters.  Otherwise we begin to believe our own virtual image, and idolise ourselves.  'If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself' (Galatians 6:3).  That's a motto I have had written on a yellow sticky next to my desk for many years now.  What perfect biblical wisdom!  The humble walk safest and surest.  Lorna and I are very conscious of these matters as we run blogs relating to the Bookshop, and have now launched out into the deeps of a facebook page:-
www.facebook.com/pages/Ossett-United-Kingdom/Christian-Bookshop-Ossett/208558682504427
Perhaps we make things look and sound too rosy here.  The gritty reality is that it is hard work, for which we are untrained, often mundane, routine and yet unstructured every day, creatively wearing, and busy so much that there is no time to read!  Talk about frustrating!  If it were not that we are persuaded of God's care, we would say that it is a very precarious business to be in.  That's not to say we would rather be elsewhere - there are many compensations - but perhaps it helps close the gap between appearance and fact.
Jeremy

Time Travel

Lorna is just back from the Elizabethan age. It has inspired her dress sense. Just look what you poor unfortunates miss by not seeing her at the counter! I only hope her management attitude hasn't been influenced as well or else I might be the victim of a Tudor temper... I don't want to prejudice my case any further, but it rather reminds me of the cover picture of Lady Jane Grey on 'Coronation of Glory.' A lot of English people immediately think Faith Cook in connection with her, but Elisabeth Elliot (no less) raved about this book by Deborah Meroff. 'Miss Meroff…has fictionalized the story of Lady Jane Grey in a thoroughly absorbing manner…she has succeeded in making me believe this is what really happened. I kept wanting to read on – the book is full of action and interest.'

Soberly published by Inheritance Publications, £8.50. Try doing some time travel for yourself!

Jeremy

Child Labour?

It might be February but the end of year stocktake is only just finishing - a real joint effort was made today and finally all the bookmarks, cards, posters and little odds & ends were all counted up.  Having said that, when you have a four year old involved you can't really guarantee that it has been done accurately!

Lorna

104 books per year?

I just saw an interview with Mariella Frostrup (broadcaster & journalist) and am amazed that she reads 104 books per year. Okay, so it's her job, but still pretty impressive.  Perhaps I should aim for the same... at 2 books a week, it will only take me 38 years to get through our current stock list of nearly 4000 books. Of course, that's assuming that we don't add any new books to the list in that time.  If however we add around 300 new titles a year as we have this year, even assuming an average of 50 titles a year going out of print, it looks like I will never meet my target of reading all the books in the shop.  

So, I apologise now if when you contact us I am unable to fully advise on every title in the shop.  Sometimes I just have to admit... I haven't actually read them all. 
Lorna

One Good Reason For Not Blogging...

...This is the best reason I can think of. A very special delivery, outside of normal Shop hours. Katie Jayne Roe arrived on Sunday 24th at 11.43pm, thankfully not on the premises, but in our temporary location at Dewsbury District Hospital. She was a 9lb parcel. Lorna has now taken on extra duties, but is still being retained in a consulting role - so be reassured ladies! She is able to give her usual helpful advice even though with senses reeling from the idea of a girl in the house. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us and thought about us at this time of great change. It is one way of increasing footfall in a time of recession! Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Jeremy

We Just Had to Laugh...

...A lady customer comes into the shop, looks at some Bibles, and then notices Lorna's bump. "You're not going to be with us much longer are you!" she exclaims. We laugh - what else is there to do? I said to Lorna afterwards "I didn't think you looked that old and sick!"

But everyone seems to feel free to comment on the size of a pregnant woman, as Lorna has found out on many occasions. Total strangers do it!

Jeremy

What a Hero!

Isn't it great when customers think you are heroes?  I can't take any credit for this one... Jeremy managed to source an out of print Bible for a customer and they were so pleased he got some chocolates for his efforts!  I always knew he was a hero!

Lorna

A Hive of Activity

What a beautiful day - sun shining, temperatures soaring, we had a real hive of activity going on down at the shop today. Okay, so the shoppers decided to stay in their own gardens (just 2 customers all day!), but we made the most of the carpark space and enjoyed the weather. The co-manager was even seen attempting to skateboard (I wouldn't like to say which co-manager exactly!)
Here's the sort of fun going on...

Water bombs

Roller skating
Press ups (why??!)
Skateboarding
Car washing/water fights
urrr... not sure what was going on here!
Who said life at work is dull?
Lorna

The Ossett Arctic!

It's a struggle, but we are managing to make it to the shop in these arctic conditions! The boys think it's great riding the sledge to the shop and having a whole carpark of snow to play with...