charles haddon

for some reason, i've been thinking about my grandfather today. he was such a godly man and i wish i had known him better. his first/middle names were charles haddon after charles haddon spurgeon. i wonder if being named after someone like that had any influence on his life, his choice of career (preacher) etc. i remember he used to smile and laugh a lot. i remember when i was younger i talked to him on the phone on one of those rare occasions from nigeria and he said to me 'we have such a wonderful jesus'. i wrote in the back of my bible as if i knew if my granda thought so, i should maybe take this wonderful jesus seriously.

i recently read this quote from spurgeon:
"quietude, which some men cannot abide because it reveals their inward poverty, is as a palace of cedar to the wise, for along its hallowed courts the king in his beauty deigns to walk."

what is it about solitude/silence that makes us search our souls? why are we sometimes so quick to run away from it? does a fear of loneliness make us grasp for music, people, activity instead of being content to be alone, quiet... anyway, just something i've been thinking about! hoping to linger more in that palace of cedar...