I Churn My Own Butter

The things I write about come from many sources. If it was a recent sermon it was probably from Scooter Noland, my own pastor or from Bill Wolfson in Hemet CA. I am trying to read more and watch less TV.  So I get a lot of info from books also, but I don't know how people do it that write books and can keep such a good reference for their sources. Scooter made this statement recently, I get my milk from many sources but I churn my own butter.  It resonated with me because I know a lot of things I write I heard from somewhere or I am replying to something I read or heard.  If it was even more than a year ago when I heard it, good luck trying to remember where I heard it. So I think it sad when people sue for something they say is theirs, it could possibly be, but is anything really original in this day and age. I try to make it my own, churn my own butter. I remember jokingly telling my first wife that when Mom made homemade bread on the farm, that I ground the flour. I was joking of course, but some five to ten years later my first wife and mom were talking about baking bread and my first wife said ya, Leon told me about grinding the flour for you.  I had forgotten I had even said that. But I do churn my own butter in a manner of speaking. Not real butter, but the things I write. I go through spells, I one time I read every book I could find by George MacDonald, then there were some self-help type books by Larry Crabb years ago. Recently I have read some of Dennis Prager books and started listening to his fireside chats.  All of these have influenced me. If I read stuff I don't agree with, I probably won't read very far. Dr. Phil's life code, I don't think I finished it. I don't agree with Dennis Prager 100% of the time but he comes from Biblical values much of the time. Not being a Christian but  Jew, I am sure Dennis and I disagree about some things sooner or later. But I still glean a lot from his videos and his books. I bought a book recently and the author told me it has some bad language in it. It is probably not something I haven't heard before.  But I am sure without even trying I glean some things from so many sources, and I don't even remember where. I have failed to mention the Bible, a source I trust to lead me on a good path. It is ever before me. I read something in it every day. I use Bible hub and Blue letter Bible almost every day because it is easier to search for reference scripture and definitions than that good old Concordance which I still have.  As I was rearranging the office the other day I found books I intended to read but never finished. I was trying to make a list of books I want to get but I always lose the list. I said all this to say, I get my milk from many sources but I do churn my own butter. I do try to make it mine. I don't just try to memorize scripture but see if I can apply it to the way I live.  I have lots of room for improvement. God bless, LVZ.