The Cartographer

I have a stack of books next to my chair.
One book has already been read.
Three books are still to be read.
Summer is a wonderful time to catch up on reading.

We have eleven bookshelves in our home.
Each shelf is overflowing with books.
What used to be nice, neat rows now has books lying on their side on top of the others.
There is something so comforting about having books around.

I have books by the same author grouped together.
I have categories loosely put together on other shelves.
I have an entire bookcase of books that consist of classics.
I have an entire bookcase filled with books that I read to my children.

I need to hold a book in my hand.
I need to feel the book as I turn the pages.
I need to be able to highlight passages.
I need to see my bookmark and how far I have to go until I finish.

Reading was always encouraged in our home.
Trips to the library happened every other week.
A basket in the family room held library books that I read aloud to my younger children.
The older children kept their book selections in their room.

We never had a lost library book.
We had an occasional overdue fine.
Reading aloud was a wonderful way to cuddle up on the sofa and connect.
It was a wonderful way to build their imaginations and their vocabulary.

Our local library system always had a summer reading program.
I would sign the children up each summer.
Upon signup, the instructions were given.
Usually some sort of chart that incorporated the theme was given to each child.

The children were expected to log the books that they read throughout the summer.
The children were to log their books on the back of the chart.
It was a wonderful sight to see the back of the paper filling up with book titles.
The children were so proud of the amount of reading they did each summer.

Along the way, incentives were given to help them keep going towards the finish line.
The incentives were simply a sticker that was to be placed on a designated section.
The goal was to collect all the stickers.
A prize was given at the end.

There was no time limit to reach the finish line.
Children who were fast readers could fill in the designated sections quickly.
Others who read at a slower pace took a bit longer to reach the goals.
In the end, fast or slow, the goals were met.

The prize at the end might have been a coupon for ice cream at a local shop.
The prize might have been a colorful pencil and stickers.
The prize itself was not as important as simply getting the prize.
It was the acquisition that meant the most to them.

Some people thought the reading program was a form of bribery and did not participate.
I never saw it that way.
I saw it as an incentive program.
I saw it as working towards a goal and charting your progress along the way.

As my children got older, they did not want to participate in the summer reading program.
They did not need the incentive.
Reading was such a part of them.
It was the sheer pleasure of reading a book that sustained them.

That was the goal all along.
The idea was to make books so readily available, they were always within reach.
The goal was to make reading enjoyable; an activity they chose to do on their own.
They began to understand that reading is for learning but it is also for enjoyment.

I do not remember all the themes of the summer reading program.
However, one sticks out in my memory.
The one I remember was the treasure map theme.
Logging their books put them closer to the treasure at the center of the map.

I have thought of that treasure map many times.
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was such a map in our faith journey?
There is!
There is a Cartographer who mapped out the way for us.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-8)

We have a way mapped out for us.
There is effort required on our part.
This ladder of faith is only possible because God equips us.
God gives us grace along the way to help us press on.

There is a treasure to which we are going.
That treasure is Christ Jesus our Lord.
That treasure is being with Him in our Heavenly Home.
There is a Prize: eternal life with Christ Jesus.

God the Father gave us a map.
Jesus is the Way.
As we travel on this journey of faith grace upon grace is ours.
We will reach our goal with the help of His Spirit.

It should be our goal as parents to make God’s Word readily available to our children.
We read it to them.
We teach them God’s truth.
We pray that after a while they want to read God’s Word on their own.

They will want to know the Cartographer.
They will want to follow the Way.
They will want to have the Prize.
What a privilege to be with them along the way to encourage them.

2 responses to “The Cartographer”

1. I share your love of books ,Gina! It was the example of my parents, I think.
   Many Christian writers have helped me in my faith walk, as well as digging deeper into the Bible. You have been, and still are, a wonderful Christian mother–your children are blessed!

   Reply

   • Sue,
     You were blessed to have parents that instilled in you a love of books. Thank you for your kind words. Motherhood is such a blessing to me, no matter the ages of my children.
     Gina

     Reply