TILL HE COMES Blog

When I came down to Texas for Seminary three years ago, I brought 150 shelf-feet of books with me. In other words, my books took up 150 feet of bookshelf space.

I just added it all up again, and in three years, I have added over 60 feet of books! 20 feet a year! I am now up to over 210 feet of bookshelf space. Yes, I have an addiction.

Of course, having lots of books means nothing except that I’ve bought a lot of books. It’s reading them that is the key! But I also have a reading addiction (which my wife shares also, and which we successfully passed on to our three girls), so I’m okay. Is that rationalizing?

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I love my new job. It pays me beans, but I basically get paid to read while I work. Last week, I read three books. So far (it’s Tuesday), I’ve read two more.

I’m realizing that while I’ve been in seminary, my mind went into reverse. There is something about my rebellious flesh that cannot enjoy a book if I am required to read it. Though, if truth be told, most of the assigned reading at seminary is mind-numbingly boring. Not all, but most.

Anyway, since I got this new job, I’ve been reading about two books a week, and I can feel my mind starting to reawaken with creativity and life. I love it. I don’t want to sleep or eat. I just want to read, think, and write. My mind is on fire with ideas. It’s my resurrection from the land of the dead.

I’m not sure what job I will get next (this job ends in mid May), but whatever it is, I need to keep reading (even if it’s not at work). I also don’t think I’ll go on for a Ph.D.  I’d get Permanent Head Damage, and I’m not sure I’d pull out of that kind of tailspin.

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I received a book in the mail yesterday, and when I opened it up, thought, “I don’t remember ordering this. I know it was on my Amazon Wish List but I didn’t think I had bought it.”

Then I checked the invoice, and it had a note from Carl, saying he had bought it for me and hoped I enjoyed it. So thanks Carl! Once I finish it, I will post a blog review about it.

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I’m a bookoholic. I am always reading at least ten books at once, and I have made a little rule with myself that I can’t buy another book until I’ve read half a book. Yes, my rule allows me to buy two books for every one I read. I don’t see a problem with that, but I’m still in denial.

Anyway, I’ve been waiting for a certain book like a man waits for his wedding night. Well, maybe not quite like that. And look what I got in my e-mail box today:

CBD Shipment Confirmation

ITEM 068188	DESC I Became/Christn	QTY 1	PRICE EA 9.99	SHIP DATE 02/19/08	SHIP VIA USPS

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So for the next week or two, the mailman is my best friend. Since I’m currently jobless, I’m going to sit out on the front step with a stack of books and a beer and wait. (Well, not a beer since I’m at Dallas Seminary, and we’re not allowed to drink.) And once my mailman buddy brings me golden bubble-wrapped package, all those other books will go bye-bye for a while. Besides, who needs a job anyway?

Why am I so pumped up about this book? It’s the first book by my favorite blogger, Vince Antonucci, and is called I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt.

I (clearly) haven’t read it yet, but I can tell you that if the book is anything like the blog, go buy the book right now. I bought mine from Christian Book Distributors.

Once I get it and read it, I will post a short review here. I’m sure the book will live up to all my “wedding night” expectations. (Don’t let me down, Vince!).  Oh, and for anyone who wants, here is an excerpt from the book.

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Ok, so I have a problem. It’s more than a problem; it’s an addiction. There I said it. The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem, right? Of course, I’m not sure I want to recover from this problem. That’s probably another problem.

I have a book addiction.

But it gets worse. My wife has the same addiction. So do my three daughters. We are doomed. When we moved from Montana to Texas three years ago, our moving van was half filled with books…over 100 boxes. While in seminary, I have easily added another 10-15 boxes. In my study, I have ten bookshelves crammed with books, and on top of every shelf is a pile of books almost to the ceiling. Out in the garage, there are 20-30 boxes of books that I was not able to unpack  because there wasn’t room in my study.

And I am not just a “book collector.” There is not a single book I own that I don’t want to read. The ones I don’t want to read, I give away, throw out, or sell on Amazon. I want to read every single book I own.

Here’s why I am posting this. I counted today, and in my pile of books that I absolutely MUST read as soon as possible, there were 191 books. With a lot of pain and heart-wrenching agony, I was able to narrow it down to just 40. As I looked over these 40 books, I realized that they fell into three categories: Bible backgrounds, church planting/leadership, and missional living.

That tells me a lot about what I want to do with my life and where I am headed. I want to understand the Bible so that I can take what it says and lead a church to reach out into this world with the love of Jesus Christ. Even as I think about this, it gets me excited.

So what’s on your reading list, and what does it tell you about who you are?

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