Reading

Thanks to television and movies, many people simply do not read books anymore. I think what helped me to attain a love for reading was growing up in Germany without television. I visited the Post Library often and have retained my reading lifestyle to this day. Bookstores are my favorite place to hang out, and I enjoy talking about books with friends. I wouldn't have survived seminary without being a good reader. I can point to certain books that have changed the way I think and which have helped me to grow. And I always have a stack I'm working on. I read professional books but also novels, to be balanced. I attend a monthly clergy gathering where we discuss particular books. I understand that some people learn by hearing, which makes listening to MP3 lecture valuable, or books on CD. I have certain blogs I follow, like Between Two Worlds by Justin Taylor. But I am always with a book. I'm no genius, so I rely on my reading to learn. I remember a guy in college who said when he graduated he wasn't going to read another book...I don't think he got the point of college. A lifetime of learning requires that we continue exploring ideas. We read stories to expand our imagination. We read the Bible to learn God's will. Western writer Louis L'Amour said that he dropped out of schol because "it was interfering with my education." The reason he was such an enjoyable writer was simple--he was an avid reader. We should all develop a love for books and keep them close at all times. We'll not only learn some things; we'll be better people.