30 days of Thanks, Day 18

Today I am thankful for books.  I love books, the real thing.  I have an electronic library device, but nothing can or ever will replace a real book to me.  I have enough books to start my own library, and when someone may suggest that once you read a book, you've read it, get rid of it, I shudder.  Ok, there may be a rare occasion when I think it is alright to get rid of a book....but it's usually when I didn't enjoy the book at all.  

Another reason to get rid of one of my treasured books would be when my dad decides to borrow one, and likes it so much that he ends up keeping it.  See, my dad and I share a common love of books, and we share a love of writing notes, underlining, and highlighting things that really speak to us in those books.  I often have others ask me if I have such and such a book, which I often do, but my books are written in from beginning to end, along with stars, highlights, and underlining.  I tend to make my books personal, so does my dad.  

Recently, I bought John Eldredge's new book BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW.  I received that book a day before my parents came to visit.  I hadn't even had a chance to look at the book, when dad sat down and started to read it.  We all know that if we give dad a book at Christmas, the odds are, we won't hear from him for the rest of the day.  Well, same thing happened with my new book as he settled into a big, overstuffed chair and dove into the new book.  I told dad to go ahead and take it home, as I didn't have time to read in the next week anyway.  He talked to me the next day and said he was having a difficult time not writing in and underlining my book.  I told him to go ahead, I would get myself another book.  Dad gave the talk in his church today out of that book, and did an amazing job by the way.  He joked that he knows how to get new books, to pick up mine, take it home, and then I have to get myself another one.  I must say, he has ended up with a few of my books by this process of his, but that's ok because I am sure I have a few of his, as well.  

Books are a treasure to me, have been for as long as I can remember.  You can escape to different worlds, like in a Narnia book.  You can learn new things, and glean from others knowledge.  My favorite book is the book that instructs me through all the things I face in life.  It is full of lessons, but more importantly, it is an amazing love letter written to me, and you, to anyone who picks it up.  The Bible.  It is filled with almost everything you want to read about.  If you don't believe me, pick it up and read it....mystery, action, war, deception, history, kings and queens, and the new testament, well, it's a love story.  A love story where you are the center of the story because Jesus came down to earth to die on a cross to save you, to save me, if we accept what He has done for us, if we allow Him to be in charge of our lives, if we love Him back.  

I am thankful for the ability to read.  I am thankful for books.  I am forever grateful for God's word, and His precious gift that was given for me.