Jun. 28, 2007 - So Many Books, Too Many Books!!
Posted in Everyday Grace
Of making many books there is no end, and much
study is a weariness of the flesh.
Ecclesiastes 12:12a
I love to read. I posted earlier about how I wasn't a reader when I was growing up. After college I learned to really love reading. Of course, looking back on the past 10 years of my life, I am not completely sure I picked the best books in the world. I tend to be the kind of person that is very drawn to what would be considered "self-help" books. I didn't purchase and read just any "self-help" books. These were "Christian" self-help books.
I was reading another blog this morning where the author was blogging on her a specific experience she had with one of her children. In the comments below someone asked is she had a specific book she recommended. In this particular experience I was a little baffled over the question. This wasn't something that is a one size fits all deal. In fact, this particular experience we all have with our children and none of them will do it just the same. No mom will do it the same with each child.
I am all about books. We learn from books no doubt. They expand our imagination and if done right, lead us back to God. But are we trying to read books at the detriment of using our common sense? Are we caving to our insecurities and looking for perfection instead of looking to the God of all grace for answers to our situations (2 Corinthians 9:8)?
Ladies, you can find a book out for just about everything. And I believe that sometimes those books can be helpful. But let's make sure we are using our common sense AND that we are seeking the Lord for His wisdom. When was the last time you prayed about something as silly as potty training to know what to do? When was the last time you prayed for an idea in the kitchen when you couldn't find a recipe you liked? When was the last time you attempted to make a craft without a pattern or a picture to do by? Alot of times we will waste time looking for solutions to simple problems instead of looking to God to give of answers to even the simpliest problems. Or we allow our perfectionism to paralyze us. Ever heard of "paralysis by analysis?" Some of my greatest ideas have come when I was praying about a situation that I didn't know how to handle (even my ideas for crafts and sewing. LOL!!! I can sew a whole dress in my mind in a matter of minutes. Of course, it takes me longer but the imbellishments take no time for me to plan and implement.)
There are so many wonderful and awesome websites out there where godly Titus 2 older women are teaching us how to love our husband's and children, how to keep a home, how to be pure, self-controlled, and submissive to our husbands. And we would be wise to learn from them. But we are not them. We have the very specific husband, children, homes, churches, parents, etc. that God has given to us. So how to submit to our husbands, how we discipline our children, teach our children, and training them in chores will all be different. We've been given different gifts to use in the home and church. We are not these goldy women. It's our responsibility to learn from them and to grow into godly older women to teach the younger women coming up in the next generation.
I titled this post "So Many Books, Too Many Books!!" because to want to bring to the attention of all women out there that we don't always need books (or websites for that matter) to give us ideas. We can really get bogged down with so many books to read to solve our problems. God has given each of us ideas and gifts to use in our home. Seek Him for those ideas. Don't know what to do with your children for chores? Seek out some ideas from life skills list but then go to the Lord with HOW to implement those. Don't know what to do with your homeschool? Oh, dear ladies, seek His face. He will lead and guide you as you need.
Go enjoy a good book for part of yuor day. But instead of reading a "how-to" book or a "self-help" book, go enjoy some good classic literature. With your problems, go to God and wait on Him to answer. And while you wait, do something other than just read.
(PS: I need to add two things here: First of all, I really do love reading. I am the most guilty of just wanting to sit and read. And i will use those silly books to solve silly problems as an excuse to read. But we are called to serve. We can't serve sitting in a big comfy chair reading. Secondly, I am not denying the fact that books teach us and are definately necessary for learning. So don't think I am saying NOT to read these great books. We can glean much wisdom from the people who have gone before us and paved the way. But we also need to be willing to do some paving ourselves. We don't have to reinvent the wheel. But we must find what's going to work in our particular situation.)
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