Old Friends

Sometimes relationships are like old books. You love them and you keep going back to them, even if there are parts of them that haunt you, because they have delighted and challenged you time and again. Moments in time occur when we need to shelve those old books because they need a rest so their well-loved pages don't become tattered beyond repair. In that special nook on the shelf they reside, perhaps collecting dust or becoming faded by sun, perhaps snuggled next to another favorite or propping up one intended to be read but never gotten to, or perhaps beside a treasured trinket or prized picture. They never lose their importance, but maybe their relevance for a particular moment in life. When the time is right to pull them from their spot once again, they are so familiar, cherished, and quite a breath of fresh air seasoned with some inspiration. Almost like the old book knows your heart.

I am pondering this as I enjoy reading through The Hobbit which I have only read once before probably about 14 years ago in middle school block class. I love that it's old, but timeless. The story awakens my imagination and invites daydreaming of new journeys and adventures. Just right. We'll see if I make it through this one, though I always complete those few favorites when I dust off their covers and crack the pages again. 

Top Favorites:

Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers

Through Painted Deserts, Donald Miller

Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller

The Atonement Child, Francine Rivers

The Gift of Therapy, Irvin D. Yalom

My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Isaiah 61 (so it's a chapter in the Bible but it recurs as does...)

Psalm 20

I refuse to get rid of any of these (though I don't own The Atonement Child), but I always get rid of other books when I have read them through because I know if I really like them I can get them at the library later and I can purchase them if I can't get enough. Please, choose one and read it. They might change your life. Everyone I talk to who has read them says that particularly Redeeming Love, The Atonement Child left them never thinking the same again about God's love and the right to life. So many cherish Oswald Chambers' work. The Bible, do I really have to express how much God's word will change your life? Believe me. Donald Miller's writings are edgy and off color, but different and challenge your thought processes--not for everyone, though many find themselves passionate about his books.