books, books, and more books

Well, I've finally done it. I have exceeded my limit at the campus library. That means I have over 50 books checked out! Plus Ray has probably another 30 or so. All our bookcases are full of books we own, plus there are stacks of books everywhere in our house...

Now, to explain at least a few of them: We purchased one set of our 24 required textbooks for this semester, then checked an additional copy of each book from the library. This way we each have a copy to read now and we will have one copy for future use, but we don't accumulate two copies of everything.

Then there are the commentaries: We currently have a couple checked out that cover the gospels of Matthew and Mark, along with other lectionary readings. That wey we have resources available to prepare sermons. We also have commentaries on the gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, for our course on Luke-Acts. Plus a couple of books on the book of Ruth, since that is our current topic of discussion in our Old Testament class...

We have research papers to write in five classes - so I have started to accumulate books on five different topics. That is a pretty good stack on one corner of my desk. Plus a book that we are using for our small group study at church, plus a couple of new books in the library that just looked interesting...

I've always loved to read. Many treasured gifts in my childhood were books, and many happy memories are of rainy or snowy days curled up reading a good book. I have not been able to give up reading for fun. So a few books at a time I check out mysteries or science fiction, fantasy or whatever strikes my fancy - to read in my "spare time." One of the books we both read recently and I can thoroughly recommend is by Robert Fulghum. Remember All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten? If you liked it, check out Maybe/Maybe Not - Second Thoughts from a Secret Life. It is full of stories so true, and yet so funny.

Anyway, if you need to find me, look for me curled up with a book! Or maybe behind one of the stacks of books scattered throughout our house...