Binge Reading

Binge: (according to dictionary.com) a period or bout, usually brief, of excessive indulgence, as in eating, drinking alcoholic beverages, etc.; spree.

The results of an eating spree would include the following:

an overload of food in my body,

a feeling of discomfort and sluggishness, especially if that food was full of carbs and sugar,

my system would take a long time to digest said food,

I would gain weight,

and last but not least,

I would be out of food.

If I over indulged in alcoholic beverages, some of the results might include the following:

a lot of liquid in my system,

impaired brain function do to the alcoholic content in said beverages,

a need to expel that liquid in my system,

and, if I went way too far,

death.

There was a time in my life when I would have said, the above speculation and facts had nothing to do with my excessive reading habits. Now that I have some experience behind me, I know that the above speculation and facts have a lot to do with it. Notice, faithful readers, I did not say I was wiser than before, just experienced. Wiser would imply that I do not make mistakes in this area. Alas, I do make these kinds of mistakes. Ergo, last week’s reading binge.

It started out innocently enough. Early on a Monday, I remembered a book I had started but hadn’t finished. Wanting to finish it, I downloaded it and started listening. I finished it, and found another that sounded good. And, another, and another, and… By the time Friday evening rolled around, I had listened to 5 audio books, which seriously depleted my credits on audible.com. A friend asked if I had got my fill. I told her yes, but then yesterday, I downloaded 2 more and finished them this afternoon.

Results of binge reading may include the following:

too many characters yapping inside my head,

too much information vying for space inside my head,

unfinished house and school work,

Manuscripts of mine still waiting around to be worked on,

Sleepless nights,

a feeling of disconnect with the outside world,

hearing my thoughts in the voice of the narrator of those audio books,

no blog post last Tuesday

less time spent in prayer,

less time reading God’s Word,

and, last but not least,

A sense of emptiness, because the books I read, while funny and full of action and good characters, cannot satisfy my soul.

To use the words of king Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

My conclusion, therefore, is this: just as binge eating has consequences, so does binge reading, and it’s going to take a while for my brain to expel the garbage of my over indulgence. As for what you can take away from this post, remember that little song from Sunday School? “Oh, be careful little ears what you hear. Oh, be careful little ears what you hear. For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little ears what you hear.”

What goes in the ear most times comes out the mouth, so let’s sing another verse. “Oh, be careful little mouth what you say. Oh, be careful little mouth what you say. For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little mouth what you say.”

Thanks for being with me today. Come back next Tuesday, when, Lord willing, I’ll talk about just how I usually expel garbage from my brain. No need for paper towels, either; this mess is usually harmless.

Be blessed, and pray for me. :)