I love to read; my best friend however, not so much. So you can imagine my surprise when I was talking with my friend on the phone and she started telling me about the books she was reading. What?! Did she say “books,” as in plural? Again, my friend didn’t read books and if she did occasionally pick up a book it most certainly was not read to the frenzy she was describing. As I listened to her excited chatter about the story line, I became very intrigued. It was a love story, but not your typical love story. After getting off the phone I ran down to the local book store and found two of the books that she gushed about with great enthusiasm. Seriously, what woman doesn’t adore a love story where she can both lose herself but also replace herself as the object of affection?
Having nothing else better to do once I got home from the bookstore, I decided to dig in right away. In my favorite chair, I got my favorite pillows around and got all comfy ready to lose myself in the pages of this “epic” romance that had taken the country by storm. It didn’t take long at all to become immersed in the pages of that book when I realized I had to buy the last two books in order to complete the series. So in between chapters, I ordered the other books in hopes they would be on my doorstep before I finished the first two. Best part, because I came so late to this party, there was already a movie out and score, it was playing in the local movie theater. I finished that first book in 2 days. I can’t even remember the last time I lost sleep over a book because I just couldn’t put it down.
After I read the first two books, and I saw the movie twice, I anxiously awaited the arrival of the last two books in the series. Every day I anticipated my new found “friends” would be home when I returned from work. When I finally got the other books, I couldn’t wait to pick up where I had left off. Nothing else mattered. I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what happened next. I finished all the books in ten days; and that’s only because I had to wait for the other two to arrive in the mail. My friend and I talked and e-mailed about the books and what happened in them. We spoke to others about the books and we shamelessly talked of which character we loved the best and who we would rather spend our lives with. Oh, but it didn’t stop there.
Over the next several months, we planned trips to coincide with the movie premiers, sat for hours in line with other crazed fans and we even took a trip to where the story-line took place. It was like we hit the mother lode when we walked through the play land where our fictional characters lived. We went to souvenir stores, restaurants, hotel rooms decorated in the theme from the books/movies and we happily posed for pictures with our life-sized cardboard fantasies. Here we were, middle-aged women acting like giddy teenagers over people who didn’t even exist. In our mind’s eye the characters of the book were so beautiful and perfect we couldn’t fathom how we ever lived in our mundane world. It’s safe to say we were just a wee bit consumed and we were not ashamed to spread our obsession. We smiled, laughed and gloated when we got others hooked right along with us. We threw theme parties and people knew us because of our obsession. It was super easy to let everyone know with social media updates what had taken over our lives. Therein lies the problem….our obsession turned into idolatry. I most certainly didn’t see that coming.
We are warned in the Bible: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8-NIV. Being of sober mind does not necessarily mean that you’ve had a little too much to drink. We can get totally become “drunk” on all types of books, video games, television shows, food, and the latest fitness craze. I mean the list can go on and on. I’m not saying these are bad things, I’m saying when they become what you are known for, when they consume you, and when you think you can’t live your life without them, maybe it’s time to hit your knees, ask forgiveness, and get yourself centered back in the only One who can fill the voids with real substance. So I’ll ask you this…when was the last time you got someone hooked on the Bible and let those teachings and our God consume your life?
Blessed to be Broken 