What Does Your Coffee Table Say?

If someone came into your house and looked around your house at the books lying around, what perception would they have of you? Last night, I was sitting on my sofa watching '24' (the best show ever!) and propped my feet up on my coffee table. Everytime I do that, there is always a stack of books and papers that I will push out of the way and last night, I pushed a bit too much and they fell on the floor. Grumbling, I got up to pick them up and stack them again and began to notice that the seven books were: two Bibles (The Message and a NASB version), The Purpose Driven Life, Encountering God (daily devotions by Henry Blackaby), The Five Love Languages for Single Adults (for a discipleship class I'm teaching), The Ragamuffin Gospel, and Twelve Ordinary Men (a study of the disciples).

As I noticed the titles, I thought to myself, "Wow, if someone looks at this stack, they would think I am quite the spiritual guy!". That thought amuses me.....not because I don't have a degree of spirituality about me, because I do ....but, I would also have to admit that I really enjoy reading some of the fluff and mindless novels more than the theological ones. Perhaps that is because I am currently in Seminary and having to read theological books and papers all the time and when I get a break, I want to read something that doesn't require a lot of soul-searching and/or thought. If you looked in my bookbag, you would find a Patricia Cornwell novel and a Dan Balducci bestseller. On the table by my bed is The DaVinci Code, My Descent Into Death and the latest Harry Potter (while anxiously awaiting the next edition in June). Basically, when it comes to books and to music, I have no taste. I will read just about anything and everything and will listen to classical, hard rock, some rap (thanks to Garret), Christian praise & worship, southern gospel and country music.

My overall life is about the same, quite eclectic and no particular rhyme or reason. I am a quite good musician with very little musical training. I have worked in Accounting for 26 years having never taken an accounting class ever and failed both High School and College Algebra because mathematics doesn't make sense to me. I can converse with passable Spanish, German and American Sign Language, but only because during periods of boredom I would buy a book and tape at the bookstore. I'm pretty stinky at golf, but I used to be really bad until Joe had extreme patience and helped me (because I was embarrassing him on the course). My humor is odd and quirky, often irreverent and sometimes not even understood. Somedays I will dress like a twenty-something, other days I can wear a tuxedo and pass for quite a dapper 50 year old man. However, my general mood and attitude is fairly constant and consistent unless you know the right buttons to push and I can snap like a rubber band (just ask Gabe about the button he found last weekend and caused me to open that can of whoop-gabe on him).

I guess my point is that I might tend to be a hard person to read and get to know....or as we say here in the South, a tish eccentric. But, the one thing I hope is always clear and seen is my walk with my God. He is my driving force, my reason for getting out of bed in the mornings and what keeps me from whirling out of control on some of the crazy days. He is my strength in the really weak times and my protection when the storms of life are crumbling my foundations. He is my laughter, my joy, my humor, and even at the core of my eccentricities. He is my God and I am His. I have seen Him do miraculous things in the lives of my friends and family. I have felt His Love surround and forgive me even when I deserved it the least. When I am angry with Him, He can handle it and gently (usually) leads me back to His side.

If you look around my house, you'll see a guy with a lot of different tastes and styles, but hopefully, you'll notice the coffee table first because that is where I do most of my work and writing. The coffee table is in the center of my living room which is the most important room in my house; the room of comfort, relaxation and where I am just being me. And my God is at the center of my life, where I am comfortable, relaxed and He knows the real me.

What does your coffee table say about you?

Be God's,
Jimmy