I spent the week unpacking books.
It was difficult because I haven’t settled where they are all going to go yet. I am short one nice big closet for keeping scrapbooks and the books I am saving for grandchildren.
I noticed Thursday that I’ve collected quite a few Bibles.
Two were given to me last year on my birthday.
I grew up reading and loving the King James Bible my parents gave me.
Then when I started reading passages to the kids,
I felt like I needed a dictionary to explain almost every other word.
I wanted God easily accessible for them with out Mr. Webster or me in between.
So I bought my first non-King James Bible.
Now I love the easier to read versions and I am unfortunately
developing a growing resentment towards people who talk in “thee’s and thou’s.”
Jesus didn’t speak in a antiquitified language.
The Bible was written in the most modern, accessible language of its day.
We recently went to see the Blood and Ink exhibit.
It’s amazing to learn about the sacrifices made
for the Bible to be translated and distributed in everyday language.
The stories of the thousands of people killed in the name of the church
for possessing and reading the Bible are horrific.
In houses past I’d strategically put a Bible in each room.
This time I am toying with the idea of putting most of them in one spot
so I can just go to that spot and pick witch one I want.
I called to ask my Mom what she thought about the idea.
She wasn’t home.. so in a moment of weakness I asked my dad.
Ergo the explanation of the King James version above.
My dad would be happy to know that our church here reads
the New King James version of the Bible.
This is where I put them for now. My favorite version (The Message) is on top.
The King James my parents gave me is on bottom.
Oh, boy! Maybe I should get a shelf.
I have two New King James versions.
And another King James that belonged to my Mamalene.
Missing from the stack is a parallel Bible that I will probably keep in my room.
And the NIRV that I keep with our school books to read with the kids during school.
Honestly, most of the non-King James versions were gifts.
Don’t Bibles make good gifts?
I have the confess that The Message was a gift to myself.
I found it at the Unclaimed Baggage store.
The Bible I read most is on http://www.biblegateway.com/.
I love it because I can read my favorite versions side by side.
I love to find a verse or a chapter and chew on it from different points of view.
I’ve been known to use the different versions
to write my own version and call it “Jenny’s version.”
Sacrilege. Right?
Not only that but I’ll use my version for art work or the kids memory work.
I am probably scaring them for life.. don’t tell my dad.
It’s just that one version will express one part so well then
I don’t want them to miss the meaning of the other part in the other version.
I rarely read more than a chapter at a time.
I don’t think reading a Bible should be a race, but a time to pray and meditate.
The Holy Spirit loves to show me new things in His Word.
My favorite version on Bible Gateway is the New Living Translation.
Maybe I’ll find a hard copy at a garage sale sometime.
The thing only thing I don’t like about the online version
is that you can’t write notes in the margin.
I should look into finding one of those ministries that collect
old Bibles to give to people who don’t have one.
I could probably part with a few.
But to get to my title,
I could never part with the ones with notes in the margins.
I love to go back and read the King James version
that my parents gave me for that very reason.
My favorite, favorite Bible is a small new testament that I carried with me
through High School and the beginning of my married life.
There is so much good stuff in there.. so much revelation written in the margins.
I’d kinda stopped writing in the margins ..
since I started reading the one online and write my own versions.
I have a collection notebooks of notes and prayers that I started years ago.
None of which I’d want my kids to read now, but one day.
My Mamalene’s King James Bible has notes and red check marks and underlines by her favorite passages. It’s a treasure.
I feel a connection with her when I read it and
SOOO blessed to have a heritage of faith.
When I read her notes I remember how she loved God
and strove to become like Him.
My favorite memory of her and Granddad was that
every night before bed they would read a chapter of the Bible.
No discussion. Just a short prayer and time to go to bed.
I always wanted to carry on that tradition with my kids.
It didn’t translate quite that way but I hope the kids will fondly remember
“Jenny’s version” of the verses we memorized and our morning prayers
and the Bible studies and discussions we did through the years.
Here’s one of my favorite passages from my Mamalene’s Bible.
In the front cover of her Bible she has a newspaper clipping that quotes WM. A. Ward, “Difficulties are never designed to discourage, dominate or destroy us, but to deepen us.”
A few more notes from Mamalene’s Bible
To be used of God
1) Much time in secret prayer
2) Complete disregard of self
3) Life filled with doing good things
We must come to the place where we can live the sacrificial life
then we can go out and witness.
The only thing that will solve problems of individual, country
or the world is for man to have a right relationship with God!
Thou will keep him in perfect peace who trusteh in Him
because his mind is stayed on Me.
How to Study the Bible
1) Is there a lesson to learn?
2) Is there a blessing to enjoy?
3) Is there a command to obey?
4) Is there a sin to avoid?
5) Is there a new truth to carry with me?
Love,
J
love the bibles on the table. My fav is Living, too. I have one quote in my bible: "Expctations destroy relationships."