One of my favorite phone calls of the day is when my local library calls me to tell me a book I've requested has come in. To me, when I hear that, I almost hear the words "Your ship has come in!" Why? Because every time I open a book, and read someone's story, someone's account of something, or their struggle to overcome an area of their life ( a self-help book), I feel blessed that I get to learn, or profit, from their experiences.

When someone writes a candid account of an ordeal they went through, and how they felt, what they prayed, and then I find out at the end of the book what treasure of truth they gleaned from that experience, I feel like the wealthiest woman in the world. Someone shared something with me that cost them something- and I get to learn from it if I will be open to the message, open to the lesson.

That's why I love the books of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs. Especially, the book of Ecclesiastes. I get to hear lessons learned from a king's perspective- golden lessons, sparkling nuggets of wisdom encrusted with enduring application.

Now I'm going to pack for a couple days at the beach, and aprt from clean underwear and a bathing suit, you know what I'm going to make sure is at the top of my suitcase: books, books, books.

My ship has come in.