(Get the tune of "videos killed the radio star" in your head...)
Reading blogs killed my book reading. And that makes me sad.
I love to read. There was a time when I read a book per week, sometimes more than one. (Sigh...missing simpler times.)
I still read, but my reading has shifted from books to the computer. Now, this isn't entirely bad...how did we do life before google? I am more well read, more quickly than ever before. Sometimes I fear I just can't fit one more piece of information into my already stuffed brain.
However, I note two trends from my blog reading escapades: 1) I read for shorter bursts. 2) I read more shallowly.
There is a time and a place for short and sweet. But I've noticed it comes at a price - I've lost the spiritual and intellectual muscles to ruminate on deep things (the one exception to this is in my devotional times...I'm just deep with them.)
I can't think of the last book I've read that rocked my world. This could be because authors are becoming less profound, but I suspect my problem is that I have not allowed myself to be immersed in the depth of the profound things out there.
Blogs can be intellectual junk food. Food, but lacking in the nutritional value of other types of food.
As a young Christian I remember laboring under the likes of Lewis, Spurgeon, and Law. There have been books that have literally caused me to fling them across the room because they seared my soul with conviction (Larry Crabb often does this to me.) I miss the days when I kept a dictionary beside my bed because the books I were reading forced me to look up a word I didn't know one every page.
I'm pretty sure that I haven't arrived to my spiritual maturity, so that's not the problem.
As I have reviewed my life, I know that there is some good content that I am receiving, but I still feel soft and flabby....I need to go back to a simpler, more natural training schedule.
(Cue that scene from Rocky IV where Rock goes to Russia to train for his big fight and he's pushing around longs and running in snow...here's help if you need it.)
Enter - Six books in Six Weeks.
Since I am currently participating in a six week media fast (with extra homework please) I've already turned off the t.v. and the blogs (hurts just a little) (uh...writing my own is okay - I just don't read other peoples) why not put some reading in there. So my goal is to read a book each week.
Here are my books:
The Blessed Life by Robert Morris (on the spiritual practice of tithing)
The Divine Mentor by Wayne Cordeiro (learning to feed yourself through your relationship with Jesus alone)
When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson (a practical Guide to a life of miracles)
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight (rethinking how to read the Bible)
A Renegade's Guide to God by David Foster (not sure all that this book is about...looks interesting.)
Doctrineby Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears (because everyone should eat their vegetables)
Bonus Book: I had decided that I wanted to learn more about Cambodia as a way to keep the Cambodia Missions team before me while they were on mission, so I'm also reading the following:
When Broken Glass Floatsby Chanrithy Him (wee bit depressing, but then sometimes history is like that.
So there you have it. I'm almost finished with The Blessed Life and well into When Broken Glass Floats. I can feel my mind muscles getting strong with every log toss!