It is sort of a sad day ahead for me. 

I am not writing that for sympathy. Nothing drastic has happened (that I know of).  Let me explain. 

I love to read. I get teased often for the number of books in my office, shelves filled with books laying sideways on top of other books because I lack bookshelf space. I do have a small office compared to many pastors, but it was small when I moved into it 16 years ago. Over the years I have bought books and have over-filled my shelves. I have given a ton of books away to other ministries and even Goodwill. I have even given some of my books away to two young ladies who were trying to get 1000 books, which officially makes them a library. 🙂 All that to say again: I love to read. 

If I have a chance to encourage that in others, especially young people, I will jump at the chance. Enter the third grade classes from two of our schools. At one of the schools, 3rd grade is taught by Ashley, a young lady from the church I pastor. I had read to her class when they were in Kindergarten and when I went to visit her, the kids yelled out, “Hi Mr. Bill!” It had been three years since I had read to them and they remembered. So a plan began to form in my head and I approached Ashley about it. That plan included reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (TLWW). I worked it out with her and Kris, the principal (who also attends the church), for me to read one week; Ashley reads one week; and Kris reads the next. I would then come back on Week #4 and read the 4th chapter…and so on. It was a hit! Sadly, today is the final chapter of the book. I was also able to purchase a few small mementos of lions (a key chain for their backpacks, a small resin lion, and a beanie baby lion which a local merchant found in storage…over 70+). Since Aslan is the main character I wanted them to remember him. 

To fortify that, I also approached a teacher from one of the other schools and proposed the same idea. I had read The Energy Bus for Kids to her class just before Christmas and they loved it! So Kristine approached the 2 other 3rd grade teachers and they agreed. So I read Chapter 1 and during the same week they read chapters 2 & 3. The next week I read chapter 4 and they read chapters 5 & 6. Last week I finished reading chapter 17 and they were also given the same mementos.  

So today is a sad…but glad day. I complete my reading of TLWW.  Sad for me because I will miss the kids. But glad if they caught a wisp of the love of reading.