The Joys of Hardcover

I love books. I really do, I love to read them, I like the way they smell, I like the way most of them look, and I like how they fit themselves so well onto my shelves. I got to take my wife to Barnes & Noble yesterday, ostensibly to buy her a new journal. But of course, what should happen, but I discovered the discount books section - and I walked out with two hardcover books (novels) for like, $10. Which is fantastic, as far as I'm concerned.

I have this thing with hardcover books, especially. They're so much more special than paperback, somehow. I like the feel of hardcover because I (and anyone who borrows it) can't break the binding, and I like that the pages stay open better. Which makes me feel kind of guilty, really - I never like lending out paperbacks because I selfishly hope that they won't break the binding (my books are very special to me).

I'm kinda tough like that - I never like lending out anything, so when I do, it's an act of sheer willpower. And yet God calls us to be generous. I think that's the lesson that God's been teaching me lately - how to be generous. I've had so many situations popping up lately where I have to give more money than I'm comfortable (usually more than $0), and where I have to give just a bit more time than I'd like, or just a bit more of resource X that I'm starting to wonder just what's up with it all, anyway.

It turns out that the whole tithing thing seems to apply to more than just your finances too. I tithe - I think it's important, it's scriptural, and the church needs the money more than me (who'd just buy nifty computer gadgets with it - not to mention, as a future pastor, I figure it's important to practice what I'll really want to preach). I'm thinking that it's supposed to apply to every resource - your time, your money, your ... take your pick, especially of what's important to you. Anyway, that's my bit for today. I'm going to read a book.