Reading Plans

A recent question that I have faced lately is:

"How do you have time to read so much?!"

Rather than keep answering over and over I'm going to write down my answer here and now and that way I can shorten my answer down to: "Read my blog post about it!" So here is the official answer!

I have always enjoyed reading and don't remember a time when I did not. I give that credit to God who gave me a Mother and Grandmother who loved reading and did everything they could to instill this in me. To this day my Grandma S gives each of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren a book, magazine, or audio book for Christmas. Both of these women spent hours of their lives reading to me and my brothers.

From my childhood on I can remember reading books with a hunger. I devoured Nancy Drew, Hilda Stahl, and many others. But most, if not all, of my reading was fiction. And that is a topic for another post.

When I became engaged I wanted to know more about being a Biblical wife and so I began to buy books from CBD that were about that topic. That was the beginning of my real passion for reading! I read and read until I had my first child. After a few months break I got back into it with even more passion and read through books like a caterpillar eats through leaves! This continued for about 2 years until we made a life changing move as my husband went from logger and part-time youth pastor to a full-time ministry position in a new state. On top of the move and major life change, we also were expecting our third child! This dampened my reading for a while. What I began to finally understand was that reading wouldn't just happen if I didn't plan to make it happen. So even though my "normal" is constantly changing, I have found ways to get back into reading like a caterpillar eats.

I have learned how to set up a household routine that allows my average days to have 30 minutes of reading time for myself. I also take books with me every where I go...even the places that I don't think I'll get time to read; and I even keep one by the computer so while I'm browsing or waiting for downloads and uploads I can read. And lately I have also made use of audio books for the books that I want to read, but just won't take the time to sit and read. Not only does this get two things done at once, but it also makes me want to stay in the kitchen and finish those dishes so I can hear the rest of the chapter!

As you now know, reading is a high priority to me. It is what energizes me and challenges me. But just before you begin to think I'm some sort of book nut, (if you don't already!), let me mention that I'm not the only one who says reading is a high priority and should be on every one's to-do list on a regular basis of some sort. You need to click over to THIS article at Girl Talk and read what some more well known folks have to say on this matter. In fact...why don't you read that right now?!