Tonight was book night around my house. Finished two books...The Country Parson by George Herbert and The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning. Before getting into a specific review of The Furious Longing, I do have to contrast the two books. Herbert's book was written in the 17th century and is a description of the aspects of the life of a country parson. The life described is one that feels very much devoid of joy, wonder, and awe, but instead marked by discipline, rigidity, and dourness. Herbert even goes as far as to say that the parson should not be a happy person but instead one seriously devoted to the tasks of the parish.