Friday, July 12, 2013

Weeding

As a public school library supevisor, I had the reputation of being a fast weeder.  Those old books which have turned yellow over time, the books that were outdated, and those that had not been checked out in five years  had to go to make space for new books.  So I was elected to weed the collection in several schools, while the school librarian stood by wringing her hands. Some people find it very difficult to get rid of books--feeling they are almost sacred, I guess.

Why, then, do I find it so difficult to get rid or my own books?  I do have a space problem--books are stacked on top of other books because there is no room on the shelves for them.

Therefore, I am trying very systematically to rid myself of old books which I know I will never read--I try giving them to other people, donating to the public library's book sale, trading books on paperback swap, etc.  (Trading is not actually getting rid of them--just makes me feel better.)  Yet my collection just keeps growing.

I just have to pray that I will have the courage and will to clear those shelves before someone else has to do it for me when I am gone.  And to rid myself of my attachment to worldly things.

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Where has my muse gone?

Well, it seems I have deserted Musings for Facebook.  Yet, I rarely post on Facebook--I just respond to others who write.

Maybe I have run out of things to say; I do know that my time is taken now by study for my presentions in Ladies' Class--on Ezra and Nehemiah.  Just spent this p. m. learning about Cyrus the Great of Persia.  Thomas Jefferson read a book about him-- the Cyropedia by Xeophon and included many of the beneficent policies of Cyrus in his Dec. of Independence and Bill of Rights writings.  There are 6 copies of this old book in the Library of Congress, including T. J.'s.

The study of history and archeology amazes and inspires me--to know that things so old can be found and still instruct us today!  Evelyn Willis is bringing some of the things that she and John have brought back from digs in the Holy Land to class Tuesday--can't wait.

In his book Eat This Book, Peterson has a chapter on things dug up from a trash dump which  have helped us translate the Bible and know something of its culture.  One of the things dug up was a grocery receipt.  Wonder what diggers in ages to come will dig up from our culture?  Plastic bottles, computer keyboards, the DVS gamers our kids love, a Star Wars mask of Darth Vadar, a dead Kindle, a GPS sitting on a Honda dash, etc., etc.

Interesting to ponder....