I love to read. Reading books is part of my life. It's part of what makes me....me. I know people who has never sat down and read a book all the way through. Not one book! There's no way to describe to those people what they are missing. Each book I read is a different experience in itself.
Every day I read from a devotional book called "Streams in the Desert" by Mrs. Charles Cowman. The first edition came out in 1925. It was published by Barbour Publishing Inc. (Barbour is my maiden name). I've been using this devotional book since 2003. Each year, I write a little something on each page about my situation at that time. It's so neat to read what I have written over the past 5 years each day. It brings back a lot of memories, good and sad. Each day's devotional seems to be just what I needed for that day. This book has become a close and dear friend to me. Reading each days writing is such a simple thing to do. It takes no more than 10 minutes out of my day. Usually something will happen each day to remind me of what I read that morning.
I recently read a fantastic book called "The Shack" by William Paul Young. A friend of mine was reading the book at the same time, and I enjoyed our conversations about what we were reading. This was the type of book that I couldn't hardly put down. If you have the opportunity, read this book. It's awesome. I felt like I actually was in this shack with the characters. I can't praise it enough. I later ask a guy in Tennessee, Brad, who is an artist, to sketch me a drawing of a shack in the woods. He had not seen the cover of the book "The Shack" and had no idea what I wanted. When he finished the sketch and sent it to me, it was amazing the resemblance of his sketch and the shack on the book cover. It was almost the exact shape of the one on the book. I framed the sketch and have it standing beside my book.
The best book in the world to read is your Bible. It's never outdated. In these days and times, we need to "read up" in the Bible. We need to know what the Bible says about what's going on in our world. I don't know how anyone right now lives day to day without reading the Word. I really don't. These are serious times. The Bible gives me strength and hope. I'm not a "King James Only" person, and I'm not putting down anyone who is. I try not to sit in judgement on anyone. My Father knows I'm very imperfect, but He loves me anyway. I just purchased myself a new Bible and I am enjoying it so much. It is "NIV Archaeological Study Bible". Along with the verses it has the archaeological, historical and cultural background study notes. It makes reading the Bible a new experience.
I read a book during the Christmas holidays. It was "The Purpose of Christmas" by Rick Warren. It was a short book and I was able to read it in one sitting. It was a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After I finished reading it, I felt the leading to give it as a present to someone, but I wasn't sure who to give it to. I almost gave it to an elderly lady that I know, but something told me to wait. Later that day, I was invited to a private Christmas party and I decided to give the book to one of the ladies at the party. She was so happy with it. She said she had saw it advertised on television and had tried for two weeks to get the book, but never was able to. Her husband was very sick and she couldn't get away to find the book. She had tears in her eyes while thanking me. This meant so much to her. I knew right then that she was the one that I was suppose to give the book to.
I could go on and on about how books have been a part of my life. It's such a simple thing to sit down and read a book. I have one friend that is not happy with her life. She reads books that takes her into another world for a time. It's her resting place. That's not why I read. I just love to read and learn. I like books that makes me think. That makes me want to be a better person. That makes me see things about myself that I haven't seen before or refuse to see.
If you are bored or don't have anything else to do......read a book!
Katbird
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