...readers...
I was immersed in Polishing the Pulpit last week. I was honored to be there for the first one back in 1995 and it has become one of my "main events." What a blessing to be a part of it. From my arrival late Sunday evening to leaving late Tuesday night every moment was occupied with goodness. It was my joy to be a part of leading seven o f the sessions. Most overflowed with great crowds. The program has grown rapidly and this year there were over 2,300 people present.
This year had it's bittersweet moments. Polishing was the last place I saw dad healthy. Both David Shannon and Allen Highers shared the same with me. Dad spoke right before lunch on Tuesday of last year on "What I'd Tell the Next Generation of Preachers." Right after hearing him I called Jeff and told him that dad sounded tired. Dad never sounded tired. In hindsight I imagine that which killed him was already working it's deed. On Monday night I took a group to The Diner. I didn't tell them but it was the last place I ate with dad. I've tried to remember who else was around that table: Daniel Courington, John and Angela McMath, of course miss Mona and seems like two other folks were there.
But back to the post. One of my sessions was "Read Faster, Smarter, More." Part of that makes PtP so valuable is the extreme practical nature of the sessions. I didn't expect anyone really to show up for this session - especially considering that at the same time I was speaking there were four other guys speaking who I would have rather hear than me! But the room was packed with people sitting on the floor, crowding the back wall and doorway and many who came and left for a lack of room.
Several years ago I ran across a quote that helped shape me: "You will be five years from now what you read today." I sat a goal of reading 65 books a year. I don't hit that goal every year but it does help me to have a goal.
About 10 months ago I got a Kindle Reader: And while my session was on reading in general the Kindle has dramatically increased my reading speed and enjoyment. The cost is pretty amazing at $114. I'm amazed that only about 12% of folks have one. I want to list some of the advantages I've found.
Kindle Keys -
- Single devise: I absolutely love that when I have my Kindle in my hand it does not distract me with email, web-browsing, phone calls, etc. When I have it it has my attention and it has helped my focus. This is much bigger than you may even realize.
- Multiple feeds: I have the Kindle reading app on my Kindle, iPhone, iPad and Macbook Air. It automatically syncs the furtherest I've gotten in a book so that regardless of which I read on I have my page marked.
- Percentage reading: This one is a tad strange but could be my favorite think about the Kindle. I thought I was strange but when I shared this advantage with my audience I learned many, even most are afflicted with the same problem. When I read I find myself turning to the back of the book and seeing how many pages I have left and doing a constant mental calculation of how much further I have to read percentage wise! And I do this, often, about every 10 pages or so. Well, with the Kindle, problem solved. Down in the bottom left hand corner is a percentage read counter. I LOVE IT!!! Yes, I suppose I am strange.
- Portability: Obviously this may be its biggest selling point. It is small and lightweight. Instead of stuffing 3 or four or 10 books into my bag I carry it and I have access to tens of thousands of books. And while not every book out there is on the kindle, more and more are.
- Cost: I've already mentioned that the devise itself is not expensive. If you read a lot you will learn that the books typically cost a good percent less. Maybe 20-30% less. That is substantial.
- Notes: I am learning that you can take, share and or print notes from the Kindle. This is not as easy as I wished it was but you can make notes and that is a good thing.
- Other people’s notes: The Kindle will share with you the most popular highlights in the book as recorded by any readers. This "wakes you up" to what others are being affected by.
- The screen: I can't sign off this post without mentioning the screen. The words are just lovely on the Kindle Reader. The e-ink is so very sharp and easy on the eyes. I didn't mention that you can change the size of the font too. Very neat.
Hope this helps. What advantages have I left off? What books have you read on your Kindle that you can't do without?