Secret Wisdom from the Reading Room

I love books. I love the feel of books. I love the smell of books. I love the noise made when I turn the page. I love seeing all of those words together in one place and knowing that they hold a story. I have to admit, though, that I don't always read all of the books that I buy. Sometimes I just do a dance around a book - knowing that it has knowledge that I need but don't want. We have a little passive-aggressive relationship going on sometimes. Even so, I still love owning the book. I love owning books the way some women love having jewelry. 

Through some practical experience, I have learned that I don't really like sharing books. I'm not sure if I just attract the type of friends that do not return books or if it is an epidemic. Some very precious books have not come back to live in my personal library. I have chosen to keep the people relationships over the book relationships, but there were a few times when the scale almost tipped the other way.

After many years of living in the same house with my father, I have learned not to lay my books down anywhere other than my bedroom (and once or twice that has not even helped). I have learned in just the past few years that laying my books down within in reach of my husband is not a good idea either. Why is that? What happens to these books? 

Not A Pew Warmer Anymore

Dan King made me an offer that I almost refused. Well, he didn't make the offer only to me, but you know that I can rarely see beyond the end of my nose to think about what is going on with other people. The offer was for bloggers to receive a free copy of Dan's new e-book, The Unlikely Missionary: From Pew-Warmer to Poverty Fighter, if we would review it or otherwise promote it somehow on our blogs. This was problematic for me because I stink at book reviews. Long books, short books, any kind of book - I cannot pick out a central idea and I cannot review it from any kind of objective veiwpoint. I don't summarize. I expand and expound - on what it has to do with me, me, me. Which is not what he asked for and not what you need to read. So I almost just clicked on past his offer without acknowledging that I had seen it.

The thing is, I really wanted to promote Dan (and his book). I have a heart for missions (even though my mission field has been reduced to handing people bottles of water and bags of peanut M&Ms). I enjoy cheering on missionaries of all types and even giving financial support when I can. That is why letting you know about Dan and his book is important to me.

So what did I do? I wrote up some bland interview questions and asked Dan to answer them. He graciously replied to them and even sent me that copy of the book. Which is what brings us to this blog post today.

Books and Stuff

I  wanted so desperately to participate in Charity's "There and Back Again" linky party, but I just did not have the energy to do all of the required steps (read, digest message, write, go back, then link up - or something to that effect). It would make me right happy, though, if you would go over to Charity's place at Wide Open Spaces and check out the people who did have the energy. Oh, and if they have snacks, can you bring me something?

One reason I am so tired is that the depression is chasing me hard these days. There's a little anxiety mixed in and some serious life stressors to boot. (what does that MEAN? to boot?) I was thinking that it was getting the best of me until I met with Jen for lunch. You remember Jen, right? She has a blog and she hosts the Soli Deo Gloria linky party that starts on Monday nights? No? The winner of my FIRST EVER book giveaway? There. I knew you would remember. Jen and I met face-to-face for the very first time at lunch yesterday. In the midst of all kinds of things we were saying (including how the wrong haircut can make a guy look so UN-cute), it occurred to me that one thing is different about the depression this time. It is only one thing, but anyTHING that is different is a small victory, yes?