What Am I Reading? November 24, 2008

I don’t know about you, but if you’re anything like me, you read a TON of books. Mysteries, historical fiction, romance, adventure, classics, fantasy, modern…a bit of this and a bit of that. Personally, I find myself reading a ton of children’s books.

But it’s come to my attention, just how much time I spend in pleasure reading. Just about 98% of my reading is pleasure reading. I’ll read my Bible one to two times a day, read an excerpt from my devotional, and a bit from the book I’m studying with my friend. The rest of my reading time is all crammed into fiction books. And it’s not good.

I’m not saying reading fiction is bad…some fiction is great! I’ve learned alot from different fictional books. But sometimes, it can become very obsessive, if I let it take over my priority reading instead of my Bible. Already I see how it’s done that very thing…I admit, most of the time, I’d rather read my pleasure book instead of my Bible.

Why has it turned out this way? Why do I put pleasures before God? I led myself into that path. That tiny, itty bit of a decision made all the difference. The day, I chose to read my book instead of my Bible was the first step towards ignoring my Bible reading. Some of the excuses I give are: “Oh, I can read my Bible tonight.” “I’ll read my Bible as soon as I’m done this chapter….and the next, and the next, and the next…”, “I’m not in the right mood to read my Bible…I wouldn’t learn anything right now if I did read it.” On go the excuses. Any of them familiar?

And so, I let myself slip slowly into the lazy path. Where will it lead? Well, I know that, because of my lack of studying the Bible myself, I have not been able to defend my beliefs the way I want to. I mumble, and stumble over my words, trying to understand it all myself. It is not only confusing and slightly discouraging to the people I’m sharing with, but I find myself ashamed and humbled through it all. “Ouch. Earth to Sam…guess who hasn’t studied up on that belief!”

Now, I’m not saying we should all drop fiction books, and read only our Bible…but I think we should seriously consider which comes first in our reading: Pleasure or God? We need to consider which is more important to us. Is it pleasure reading? Ah, feel the wave of shame? I blush when I think how my answer was in the affirmative for pleasure.

I realize I need to change, and yes, it’s not easy. Quite the contrary! It’s “mega hard”, to quote my little brother. It’s a constant stopping, and saying, “Wait, you haven’t read your Bible yet. Let’s read just a bit in that first. Then you can come read your pleasure book.”

I’ve been needing to train myself to get back into reading my Bible daily. I’ve started out with reading a few short chapters each morning, on top of reading in my devotional. When that gets easy, I add more and more onto my reading. Soon, I hope to add daily memorizing as well! I place sticky notes inside my books with a reminder to read my Bible before I read a word in them. It’s been extremely helpful, though painful in ways. But I know it’s spiritually building me up more…not only is it discliplining me to be faithful, but it’s helping me to spend more time with God…becoming stronger in my beliefs.

 

And, I have also realized, just how non-fiction books can be just as important to read as well! Especially books that help and encourage me in my walk with Christ. Not only have they been helpful, but I’ve actually enjoyed them! Strange, huh? The books that I would have once considered dull, are now enjoyable after I’ve discliplined myself!

 

And on a last note, I’d like to recommend some good books…non-fiction AND fiction that have not only encouraged me, but were also very enjoyable to me in the process! Happy reading, fellow bookworms!

 

“Do Hard Things” by Alex and Brett Harris

“Stepping Heavenward” by Elisabeth Prentiss

“Beautiful Girlhood”

“His Chosen Bride” by Jennifer Lamp

“”I Kissed Dating Goodbye” by Joshua Harris

“Quest for the High Places” by Natalie Nyquist

“Sophie Scholl and the White Rose” by Annette Dumbach and Jud Newborn

“Not My Will” by Francena Arnold

“The Last Sin Eater” by Francine Rivers

“Persuasion” by Jane Austen (yes, even a romance, Jane Austen book has helped me greatly…).

I Felt Love… November 22, 2008

Today I felt love…God’s love.

I woke up, feeling still very tired. But as I rolled onto my back, I looked up at my ceiling and had a flashback of when I was a little girl, waking up in the mornings and the first thing I’d see were sun beams dancing on the ceiling. I woke up this morning, and the first thing I saw was the sun beam dancing on the ceiling again. I felt God’s love through that sun beam.

I felt God’s love when I felt the tight grip of my baby sister’s hand in mine, as she so trustingly allowed me to lead her towards the top the stairs, where she had been afraid to go moments before.

I felt God’s love when I sat down at the piano, and played the beautiful notes.

I felt God’s love walking to work in the cold air. The bright blue sky shining, the bare trees all bobbing their heads at me, and the dried brown leaves crunching underneath my feet.

I felt God’s love through the smile of the precious little two year old boy who came into the library.

I felt God’s love through the dinner I ate with my family…in spite of the arguments over who gets the rice first.

I felt God’s love through the laughter I shared with a sibling.

I felt God’s love in the note I was reading from a friend.

I felt God’s love in the soothingness of a mug of hot cocoa, and sweet music on my ipod.

I felt God’s love in this day.

I feel God’s love this day

Forever faithful and true

I know, that whatever I say

Whatever I do

He’ll still love me through and through.

I felt God’s love today

Peaceful as a sigh

As I went my way

As the hours went by

I don’t know how to say

How God’s love is so great.

I felt God’s love today

I feel it here and now

I don’t know how to tell, to say

But I’ll try anyhow

To tell you how I feel in this way…

I feel God’s love today

Like the sky is blue

As long as is the day

And not matter what I do

No matter what I say

God loves me too

In that special way…

Election Day! November 4, 2008

When most of you gals read this, you’ll probably know who is going to be our president for the next four years.  And I think most of us agree that this is a scary time–at least, it is for me.  I think elections are scary, especially this one, where…well, we have to very different candidates with some pretty…radical ideas.

I’m not very informed about politics, and I don’t know what else to say except this: God is in control, and whoever wins is who He wanted to win.  Right?  And no matter who wins, God is still ruler of this country.

Okay.  I just had to say that…not that it’s anything new for you to hear, but we all need reminders every once in a while.