finished another book

yep, I'm a bookaholic as I know you know from posts like THIS. I LOVE to read! I constantly read & learn. I'm not happy if I'm not reading or learning in some way. So, I LOVE taking advantage of my commute time to read books... on the iPod. I keep my iPod with me everywhere I go and constantly listen to audio books and podcasts I have downloaded.

In fact I have so much on there that I filled up my 30 gig iPod (which they tell you you'll never do when you buy it btw). I've got like 1,000 podcasts on there + all my music which is a lot.

SO, I had to do something to keep the learning coming. A few years ago I bought my wife a fancy new iPod. She hardly ever uses it! She has like less than 1 gig on there. She may as well have one of those stupid little iPod minis or whatever. So, I decided to put her iPod to good use. I loaded all my books and stuff on there that wouldn't fit on my iPod anymore. 

This was working out pretty good until one day when she was going running. It went down like this:

Crystal = "Where's my iPod?"

Me = "uh... I think it might be in my car"

Crystal = "Why would it be in your car?"

Me = "uh... i uh... i just... sbfjs... hey do you want me to vacuum the living room or something?"

Crystal = ?

*I gave her the iPod back and she stuck the headphones in her ears and started to take off. I was going back in the house when she turned around and yelled in a fairly angry tone...

"what the heck is John Maxwell doing on my iPod!?!?!?!" 

- i was busted

That was a long story to say that I finished that John Maxwell book tonight - Developing the Leader within You. The guy leading me told me it is the best one of all the million that he's written. [If you're familiar with John you know that he's written a gazillion books & says every single book is "the best book I've ever written."]

It was a great book and I have about 15 pages of takeaways from it.

Yeah, I keep a little notebook in my car with a pen in it. While I drive and listen to the book or podcast I'm currently on I write down all the good stuff/takeaways from the book... just like I do with books I sit & read. I eventually transfer the all to the file on my computer. Maybe I'll share the best stuff from the book on this blog eventually.

*This practice is so awesome! I feel like I'm in college every time I'm in my car. I love taking advantage of this.

I finished the book on my way home from community group tonight. I still had a little drive left so I looked through all the books and podcasts & landed on a Louie talk. INSTANTLY i was reminded of something.

I need a steady diet of Louie. - there's no way around it. I just do.

I used to listen to him almost every day! I used to read every blog the hour he wrote it. I have like every talk he's ever done + I would listen to the new ones online the week they went up. Always listening to the Passion podcast. But lately I've been listening to a ton of other stuff. Great stuff. But not a lot of Louie.

It's probably been like 2-3 months since I've listened to him. TOO LONG. I was reminded of that tonight in the first 5 minutes of the talk I listened to. It was Louie's passion and intensity that dramatically changed the trajectory of my life when I was in college! That movement that I jumped on board with put me where I'm at today spiritually. Louie has been HUGE in my life. I've gotta start listening to him a lot more again.

He's just the most raw, spiritually intense guy I've ever heard. I can't get enough. He inspires me to new levels & always brings me back to the Center... what matters most... the fame of Jesus. I need a fresh reminder of that every day. Thanks Louie.