The Books on my Nightstand

Have you ever noticed how books stacked nearly on a dresser or nightstand make a space feel cozy? Those books whisper, "Curl up and let me whisk you to another world." They are tantalizing! You sit down and at least open the cover asking yourself what hidden treasures could be trapped between two pieces of stiff cardboard.

 

I love books! There are at least 500 in our house. I love their shapes, textures, and contents. Hoarder? Guilty. But here's the shocker: I've only read a handful of them cover to cover. What?! If I love them so much, why not read to the end? Because all that reading takes time. Precious time! So I'm guilty of skimming. My books are resources.

 

So what's on my nightstand? What do I curl up with to relax and escape from the cares of this world?

The bubbles are for Sophia. Promise.

What? You thought that just because I enjoy the sight of stacked books with bindings facing the same direction that my own stack would look this way? Welcome to reality! My books get stacked nicely when I dust. Every other day of the week, they look like this!  

 

I've got my Bible in the big black zipper case stacked on top of a Martha Stewart Living that I REALLY want to read....it's from December. Then there's Red Dog. He's been floating around my house for a couple of years. A student of mine lent it to me and she won't take it back until I read it. So, it's there. I'm making an effort. In front, I've got my new book Babushka's Beauty Secrets, a gift for my birthday. It's fantastically fun. I doubt I've ever read it from cover to cover, but skimming seems to be best. This book is full of beauty concoctions made right in your very own kitchen. I tried the eye make-up remover last night: AMAZING! 1 Tablespoon EVOO + 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil. I will never buy eye makeup remover again. Then there are my go-to books Not by Chance and Trusting God. Both have been read in the past, and both are INCREDIBLE resources on the love and sovereignty of God. Regularly, I have to remind myself that the things happening in my life are ALWAYS for my good and God's ultimate glory, particularly when I can't understand why things seem to be going backwards or sideways instead of forwards. Finally there is 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess that is patiently waiting in chapter 3. Some friends are doing a book study, and I HAVE to recommend this book. This is my first read-through. The author's style is quick and humorous, but the basic premise of the book is that we hoard and this hoarding enables us to trust more in our stuff than in God. When the stuff is removed, we find our true need and are able to love Him and serve others better.

 

What's on your nightstand?