Surrounded

I never went to the Library much when I was in college. I was a stubborn young adult with a penchant for believing I knew too much and could skate by on charm and the ability to write well. I fooled myself into believing that I could get by without going somewhere that was surrounded by books. After all, I had books in my dorm room and classes where everyone carried their books along with them.
When I started into ministry, I was an Associate Pastor in Hickory, N.C. One of my first assignments was to begin a new Sunday School class for Young Married Couples. We ended up being assigned a classroom - it was the library in the older section of the church. The class was a success and I found myself spending more and more time during the week in the library. It was quiet and I could study there. I picked up a Readers Digest book and read the story of the Johnstown Flood. It was riveting. My attitudes toward being surrounded by books began to change. It felt comforting. Empowering.
The Senior Pastor at Hickory was Forrest Plants. Forrest was a book hound. He loved books. When he died years later his family found boxes and boxes of unopened books in his basement library. Books he bought but never got to read. His office was filled from one end to the other and from top to bottom with books. Every Christmas I received a present from Forrest. It was always a book. I became infected. I am now a book hound.
When we packed for Sabbatical we filled the car from the front seat to the trunk with things to take. Four months is a long time. Most of the room was taken up by suitcases and hanging clothes. The rest was taken up by booksand writing materials. I have made a little corner of the dining room and Dad and Tina's house my own. There are four cases of books and materials. Even that is not enough. Today I am writing this to you sitting just down the street from the house. I am at a library. I found my membership card to the Temple Terrace Library still in my briefcase. It has books, research materials, and access to the internet. What else do you need?
When was the last time you read a book? Visited a library? Joanie read Frank Perretti's newest novel, "Monster" in two days (It was one of Joel's graduation gifts so we couldn't take it with us). I have read Chuck Swindoll's Elijah. Together Joanie and I have been reading "Worship Evangelism". I took out 12 books from the Anderson University Library to take with me as part of my research for . . . what else . . . the book I am writing. So, put up the DVD for a night and turn off the video games. There's nothing that interesting on TV anyway. So, find a good book, snuggle up in your favorite chair and walk into a world you could never get into except through either a wardrobe closet in an upstairs bedroom or through the magic world of books. Read.