Books

“And one day, the girl with the books became the woman writing them.” 
                                                Kristen Costello
 
            I came across this quote on Pinterest yesterday and fell in love with it. I pinned it to my board I named “ME.” Because it is. ME.
            My nose stayed in books throughout my grade school, middle school, and high school years. Summer vacations: I packed books. Family trips in the car: I packed books. Study hall on my schedule: I packed books.
            I’m sure my parents must have worried over me. I was the quiet child, they said. "She reads a lot," they apologized. My teachers sent home notes that I daydreamed a lot. My friend's parents would say with a sort of sad smile, "I forgot she was even in the house." 
            Classmates would come over to get help before writing papers for school because they all knew I had really read the book--the whole book! I'd start talking about the stories and hours later, their eyes glazed and fingers sore from taking notes, they'd leave with enough information to do the assignment. I often told them it would be easier if they'd just take notes in class and read the books themselves, but no...they had me for that. I loved retelling the stories. And they knew it. 
          Of course, it wasn't all nerds-ville. I had plenty of friends.  I did my share of partying and dating and all the other things teenagers do. I was even a cheerleader. But I never got too cool for books. NEVER.
            When I went on my honeymoon: I packed books: When I went to the hospital in labor with both my children: I packed books. When I went to my children's Little League games, dancing lessons, guitar lessons, tennis lessons, shopping trips with them and they didn’t want me to “help” them choose clothes: I packed books.
               I spent hours in a parked car waiting on one child or another, shivering in the cold, or sweating in the heat and humidity of South Carolina weather. But I always had a book to read.
            When I taught school and took my own lunch with me: I also packed books. Now, when I travel to visit friends or family: I pack books. When I drive on long trips: I pack books (in the form of DVD’s).
            I can remember only a few situations in my life when I didn’t have at least one book with me, usually more, Even now when I take my Kindle, I also pack a real book—just in case the Kindle dies, and there’s no power source, or worse, some maniac takes out the power grid!
            I love my Kindle. It can store lots and lots of books. But because I really do fear that downed-grid situation, I still buy real books, too. I have stacks of them to be read. And yes, I still buy more. I fear being in this world without my books.  
              But, I digress…back to the quote.
           I saw it, pinned it, copied and pasted it. And I have thought about it for hours today. How blessed I am. All those books and now to be writing them and even publishing them.
             My dream. My passion.
          How fortunate I am to be able to sit at my desk for hours at a time and work really, really hard, but not for a moment consider it work.
            How absolutely blessed. And thankful. And humbled, I am.
 
Jeremiah 29:11 “for I know the plans I have for you," 
declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
 
Thank you, Lord.