Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Thirty Days of Thankful - Day 15

Day 15 - I'm thankful for books.

I love to read. It's one of my favorite pastimes. I always have a book with me and I always have a book waiting and ready to be read when I finish the one I'm currently enjoying. I like all kinds of books and enjoy changing pace frequently. So if I'm reading a juvenile fiction this week, next week you'll probably find me devouring some chick lit and the week after that I'll dive into some historical fiction. I love to read and then review books on Goodreads.com. I've been swapping books on Paperbackswap.com for a couple of years and started using bookmooch.com a few months ago, as well. I buy books five at a time (so my 5th book is free!) from Savers just about every time I go there, but love shopping the book section at Goodwill too because I can almost always find a few 99¢ gems. I have over a hundred of these collected books just waiting on my bookshelf to enjoy. It's like my own personal library and there's something for any mood I find myself in when I'm ready to start a new read.

I don't keep very many of the books I read after I've read them. Most of the books I read get sent on for others to enjoy. I do have a few series that I've kept because I enjoyed them enough to know that I (or my kids) will read them again. Harry Potter, Twilight, and Hunger Games all fit into this category. I also have a favorite series of young adult historical romance novels that I read as a teen and have collected again as an adult to enjoy all over again and have for Molly to read when she's old enough (the Sunfire series). And of course I've got some church books, parenting books, general self-help and fitness type books. But as far as general fiction and stand alone novels go, I only have a very select few that have stayed on my shelf after I read them. They were keepers for various reasons; I found them particularly moving, engaging, interesting, surprising or well-written. Some of my favorites include From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg, Moloka'i by Allan Brennert, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn, My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

I have another favorite book that I read from all the time. I read it along with my Bible. It testifies of Jesus Christ. It teaches amazing life lessons and gospel principles. It's the Book of Mormon and I agree with Ezra Taft Benson who said "It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path."  I love that promise and I feel blessed to have experienced it personally. If you want a copy of the Book of Mormon I'd love to send you one. Just let me know! (Without sounding like an infomercial, I'll send it absolutely free and with no strings attached LOL!)


I'm so thankful for books!



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