June 28, 2007
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Unload
God will not guide us
into an intolerable scramble
of panting feverishness.~ Thomas Kelly
Some people can’t say no.
They enroll in too many courses,
volunteer for too many tasks,
make too many appointments,
serve on too many committees,
have too many friends.
They are trying to be all things
to all people all at once
all by themselves.~ Dr. J. Grant Howard
as quoted in Overload
by Richard A. Swenson
Comments (7)
I’ve gotten to the point in my life (and I learned in a hard and painful way) that I do not take “too many courses,” or “volunteer for too many tasks,” or “make too many appointments,” or “serve on too many committees,” or “have too many friends.”
But what I must confess: I have too many books. And I love having them. And getting more…just so I’ll have it when I get to it. The problem I must realize is that I will probably never, ever “get to it.”
Confession over. I’ve Amazon-ed a lot this week (you know, preparing for school, yeah, right!) and thought confession might be good for the soul.
Love the quotes, Carol, and the pic!
Janie
Well, Janie, this quote doesn’t apply to books, does it? <giggle> I go through periodic bouts of navel-gazing about my books. Sometimes I plan not to buy another book until I’ve read all the unread ones on my shelves. Ahem… It only lasts until I read a tantalizing review and decide I must have that book!!
My husband and I are mutually cutting back on our comfort spending (books me, arrows him) in order to achieve some other goals this summer. Even though I have a gold mine of books, it sort of “pinches” knowing I’ve agreed not to buy any right now.
Why go to Costco anyway, if I can’t buy books <grin.?
Well, ladies, I’m into figuring out how to organize my books. Do you shelve according to ordinary category, dewey decimal system, or some personal method?
I’m always searching for one….
Dana in GA
You know what is really sad about this quote? One of my friends is exactly like this. Her husband has just become an elder, and I’m hoping this will stretch her as well. She is content and happiest being on every committee at church, knowing what is going on with EVERYONE at church, but not caring to get any deeper in friendships/relationships than the surface. So when a group of us are together, have finished eating and are just sitting back to enjoy conversation, she jumps up and starts clearing off the table, or washing dishes. It’s just her comfort level. A couple of us keep praying for her, because God is continually working on all of us in different areas, and can do what we can’t, thankfully.
Dana, I just put books into my own categories: theology, history, fiction, etc. I also have collections which I keep together: Penguin books, Henty boys books, my children’s books, Jan Karon’s books, series, you know.
I have one bookcase which is reserved for my favorites. One shelf on that bookcase is full of the books I intended, ahem, to read this year. The shelf should be diminishing, but it doesn’t seem to be….
I have a shelf which is where I put all borrowed books. I don’t mind long term loans (in either direction) but I hate never to get books back because the owner shelved them in his or her collection. So I really work to keep them discrete.
I did read that Laura Bush uses the Dewey Decimal system for her personal library.
Mel, the last phrase of that quote is telling: all by themselves. I think the kind of busy spirit you described precludes deep relationships.
Oh, I can so relate to Janie’s comment. And Carol’s reply to Janie’s comment. Carol, I very often say the same thing, “I won’t buy any more books until I’ve read the unread ones I already have.” But, then I come over, say, here, and read about some great book (or over to Janie’s site), and the next thing you know, here comes the mail truck or the UPS truck with some new books!