What am I reading today?
I love to read. Once I learned to read as a child, you could more often than not find me with my nose buried in a book. As I grew older and entered into the working world, I found that I had less time for reading, but have been rediscovering over the past few years the simple pleasure of cracking open a book (or opening a book on my Kindle) and entering a new world.
Now that I am older, I find that I am becoming more discerning in what I am reading and consuming. There are so many genres of books to choose from and it is easy to find books that entertain or provide an escape, but do not necessarily enlighten and help me grow as a person and in my faith. As with any media, we will become what we consume. If we fill our minds with books filled with good images, beautiful language, and truthful ideas, we will grow in those areas. Likewise, if we choose books that contain images, languages, and ideas that are not good, beautiful, and truthful, we will find ourselves moving further away from those ideals.
I ask myself a few questions when selecting books, including: Will I learn something from this book? What is the author trying to convey in this book? Does the book contain messages that celebrate what is good in our world or validate what is evil? I am trying to be thoughtful and ask myself similar questions when I am looking at other types of media too. Of course, there are times when we all need to be simply entertained and relaxed when reading or watching movies, but I try to make the effort to be more thoughtful in what I am consuming. In addition to my prayers and helping my neighbor, these efforts are another way that I can constantly turn my mind, heart, and soul back to God, continuing to grow and learn each day.
How did I choose what is good, beautiful, and true in my life today?
Thank you, Lord, for creating me and providing me with so many good things in the world. Guide me in selecting what is most helpful for my continued growth in faith and love each day. Authentically Yours
Smitten With Goodness 