I love books. I’d say that I love to read but its more that I love books. I think its that I love information and new experiences. I absolutely love encountering new ideas and ways of approaching life. I am enthralled by what is pretentiously called “the human experience.” The fictional descriptions of how life rises and falls for the characters of Hemingway, Potok, Steinbeck, King, etc just mesmerize me. Set these along side the true retellings of life by Weisel, Durant, Frankl, Capote, etc. where I find myself learning about the choices that have been made and the propensity for those choices to be repeated. Add in the mass of literature that aims to help, encourage, and challenge by such writers as Chapman, Lewis, Yancey, etc that has done more for my personal growth than I can even describe. This isn’t even counting the numerous “children’s books” by Seuss, Sendak, Silverstein, Bloom, etc that make my heart just happy. I love books and what they have done for me.
Let me try to encourage you some here because someone is saying that they don’t like to read. Honestly and truly, I understand. The reason I understand is that I have two obstacles to reading; first is that I am a VERY slow reader, second is that I am or have ADD (a therapist once told me that I could be the poster child for adult ADD). These two issues work together to make it VERY difficult for me to actually sit down to read. My brain is running much, much faster than the speed at which I am able to read (scientifically this is true for everyone, its why you can be reading and suddenly realize that you’ve gone through paragraphs or even pages and not know what you’ve “read”). Now include the ADD, which for me, results in everything being a distraction and reading is VERY difficult. Why then do I love to read? Because it is where I can get everything that my manic brain wants to know. In the end, I want or need whatever is in the books and the only way to get it is to read. Therefore I have come up with strategies that help me read. Here are some that make it possible with my challenges:
1. I read alone.
I have to. No choice. No music, nothing. For me its home, alone, very few interruptions.
2. I typically read a chapter and no more
I am so hyper that I have to set a goal or I will quit when I get bored, and I ALWAYS get bored or at least distracted. (Video games and TV are the only things I can really do without distraction)
3. I very often read multiple books at the same time.
This allows me to read more with less boredom
Now, should you do these steps? Probably not, unless you deal with ADD. My main point is if you will choose that reading is important and then think about what your challenges are, you can come up with solutions also.
Here are some random examples of possible solutions:
1. Read a fiction series Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, etc
2. Read blogs in an area that you are interested Guarantee that there are thousands no matter what you like
3. Read something with a friend
4. Read for a time period 30 minutes
5. Listen to audiobooks on your way to work and back
www.audible.com
www.omahapubliclibrary.org FREE FREE FREE FREEEEEE!!!!!! You can borrow library books and download them!!! I just listened to a retelling of Robin Hood and then to Stephen Colbert’s book for FREE!
All that said, I want to encourage you to read. Read something. Read anything. Read. Read. Read.
Read something about leadership by John Maxwell and think about how you can influence others.
Read The Velveteen Rabbit and reconnect with what it is to feel and to be real.
Read The Hobbit and realize that the movie is different and figure out if you like the changes.
Read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and then read Mere Christianity and be amazed that they came from the same person.
My Favorite Books:
Anything by CS Lewis
The Chosen – Chaim Potok
All of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
What’s So Amazing About Grace – Phillip Yancey
The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell
Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak
Feedback:
What are your favorites?
What are your reading strategies?
-Pastor Greg
-Pastor Greg
