I Don't Take This for Granted {Updated}

* Updated* 

As it turns out, I didn't do a very good job of guessing who had written what notes, particularly in relation to Bibles #10 and #11.  Thankfully, my mother sat down with me this evening after supper and set me straight about the real author, so I have now gone back through this post and rewritten some parts to make the necessary corrections.  The part that really touched me is that my granddad had written most of the notes, whereas I had assumed that it was my grandma.  By the time I was old enough to be thinking deeply about spiritual matters, my granddad had already progressed fairly far in his Alzheimer's Disease; so, even though I have numerous pleasant memories of him, I don't remember many significant spiritual conversations with him.  To have this glimpse into his thoughts regarding God, the Bible, and his family makes these pictures even more special to me.

* Original post*

This is the kind of post which will likely make my mother cry.

This is the kind of post which will likely be rather boring to most other readers.

This is the kind of post which I will likely look back upon in years to come and be extremely thankful for!

Before Jeff's mother came for her month-long stay last fall, Jeff and I worked extensively in our library, which also functions as our guest room, to get rid of a lot of stuff and organize the remaining items to make it a pleasant, welcoming, functional room for her.  We accomplished a lot, but there is still much more to do in that room.  However, we were able to meet our goal of getting rid of enough stuff to eliminate some bookshelves that stuck out into the middle of the room.  With them gone, the room seemed adequately spacious and neat, though not fancy in the least.

Most of the time, Jeff and I are terrible at getting rid of books.  I scan the shelves and find plenty of books we could get rid of, but it just so happens that they all belong to him and he wants to keep them.  He looks around and sees numerous books we no longer need, but they are mine and I can't imagine life without them.  We make quite a pair.  :)

We're getting better at it though; and even when it's a sacrifice, we're learning to take the plunge and say, "OK, we can give that away.  Let someone else be blessed by it."

Like with these Bibles...

Oh my goodness gracious me!  We have shelves full of Bibles; and since both Jeff and I are passionate about the Word of God, we view these books as precious treasures.  Nevertheless, it was time to thin the ranks and pass along a few that could be used and loved by someone else.

Here are some of the Bibles we got rid of (and let it be known that the act of taking pictures of them and writing about them eased some of the pain of separation!) ...  :)

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Bible #1 - the Bible my parents gave me when I was 10 years old

While memorizing the Sermon on the Mount for school one year, I (over)zealously used my highlighter, which has faded to a dull yellow.

Having these tabs along the edge surely made it easier to find each book.  The only disadvantage was that it disqualified me from using my own Bible for Mrs. Fawley's Sword Drills.  (Not familiar with Sword Drills?  It's simply a competition to see who can find a verse first when the teacher calls out a reference.  Mrs. Fawley would say, "Romans 8:28!" for example, and the class would scramble to see who could find it first.  Lots and lots of fun, and a great learning tool as well!)

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Bible #2 - the Bible I got when I was 13 years old; among other places, I carried this with me to Mexico during a missions trip when I was 14

After growing up with the good ol' KJV, reading the text of the Good News Bible was quite a switch--a change I enjoyed!

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Bible #3 - the NIV Study Bible my parents gave me on my 17th birthday

I was still using this one a few years later, as evidenced by the note I wrote beside Psalm 45:10-11:  "received 22 July 96 during Jeff's first visit."  :)

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Bible #4 - the Bible I remember Mother using when we were children

Much harder than getting rid of my own Bibles was saying farewell to the ones belonging to my parents and other relatives.  So I took the easy way out:  I photographed them to blog about, then sent them home with my parents so that they could figure out what to do with them!  :)

I didn't know, until I saw the above inscription, that Mother was nine years old when she was baptized.

The illustrations in this Bible were woven into the fabric of my mind as a child; and perhaps they, in part, inflamed my imagination enough to make me determined to someday visit Israel.

This Bible had occasional notes in the margins, written in my mother's neat writing.

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Bible #5 - another Bible I remember my mother using; unfortunately the cover sustained some damage over time

She had passed this one along to me, and I enjoyed using it because of the memories of her using it.  I wonder who gave me these flower petals pressed into it?  ;-)

I can see clearly, in my mind, her sitting with her Bible and a small ruler, carefully underlining verses that particularly stood out to her.  It must be the firstborn in her that compelled her to be so neat.  :)

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Bible #6 - this one belonged to my paternal grandmother, given to her in 1923

I'm so glad for this inscription inside it that tells the history of it.

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Bible #7 - this Bible, the edges now crumbling, once belonged to my paternal grandfather

Granddad apparently used this in college and after.  To think of him as a young man, carrying this Bible around, turning its pages, studying its words - wow, what a treasure!

I had never heard of a Precious Promise Bible.  Until I saw this one, that is.  :)

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Bible #8 - this Bible with an olivewood cover was intriguing; who in my family would have something like that?

My maternal grandfather apparently, who received it from his uncle.

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Bible #9 - this Bible came in a box

I soon discovered why:  it was falling apart!  That's a badge of honor for a Bible, however.  No shame there!

I found an interesting piece about the Church of the Brethren ( my grandparents on both sides were members of this denomination).

But I still didn't know to whom the Bible belonged until I saw this inscription:

I never knew my great-grandfather, but I'm thrilled that he gave this Bible to his daughter, my maternal grandmother.  

This article, "The Bible as Literature," had been tucked into this Bible, and was interesting to read.

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Bible #10 - this Bible had a plain cover

I discovered gems within!  Notes my granddad had written...

...about a wide range of topics...

...even "The warfare of Spirit filled believers..."

 ...and "Speaking in tongues."  I didn't know Granddad thought much about those topics!  :)

A list of his grandchildren (and this was especially touching:  Premature baby boy Coy and Premature baby girl Coy were also listed)...

A record of births of his immediate family, including two sons-in-law...

A record of marriages, including my uncle who got married in Peru...

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Bible #11 - another Bible with cover falling apart

Granddad's name, in very faint letters, on the front.

The treasure inside this one was all the notes--most written by Granddad, but this one was by Grandma: "The Lord's service a Daily one"...

 I was very interested to see that Granddad wrote a polite note expressing dissatisfaction with the prescribed lessons for Sunday school.  In his words, "There is a very great lack of scripture in these quarterlies.  If we take the Scripture out of our Sunday School lessons it is like taking the wheat out and leaving the chaff."  History repeats itself, they say; and I can hear my husband's voice saying the exact same thing about a year and a half ago!

Here's a study he did on "What the Holy Spirit Does for Us"...

 ...one on "Sin"...

 ..."Conversion"...

...and a scrap of paper that simply said, "A PLACE OF PRAYER" and "ABRAHAM BUILT AN ALTER (sic) UNTO GOD."

 Then I found a piece of paper that had "Deuteronomy 6:4-7" at the top, followed by what looked like an announcement (or plea, rather) for more involvement in the Sunday school program, beneficial for both the training of children and adults.  Words and sentences were crossed out and rewritten, arrows pointed here and there, phrases were inserted at various places.  Did my granddad work and rework this to get the wording just right?  Did he stand up and give this announcement?  No matter.  What really caught my attention and stirred my heart was the last line:  "Come and join us in this service for our master and let us prepare for that home above."

A few days ago, we marked 12 years since my grandmother's passing from this life to the next.  How poignant to be reading her words and those of my granddad and touching their Bibles and getting insight into their spiritual heartbeat, even as I remembered her death.  Without a doubt, she--and my other family members whose Bibles I held in my hands--did indeed "prepare for that home above."  May I faithfully do likewise.

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And so, back to the title of this post:  I Don't Take This for Granted.  What don't I take for granted?

First of all, the abundance of Bibles we possess, marking our comparative economic prosperity and the ready availability of Bibles here in this country, as well as the amazing freedom we have to own and read and live out the words of the Bible.  When I think of what people throughout history have done--and what people in other countries do even now--just to have one Bible, I feel like the most spoiled little girl imaginable.  But if it helps, I know I'm blessed, I appreciate it, and I don't take it for granted.

Second, the legacy of faith that has been passed down to me on both my mother and my father's side is unique in today's world and exceedingly valuable.  I had nothing to do with it, of course; but how grateful I am that my parents and my grandparents (and going back further than that, although I don't know the specifics) were people of deep faith, who not only owned Bibles, but read them, studied them, pored over their contents, and lived lives guided by them.

I didn't realize this until I started preparing this post, but I had Bibles from all four grandparents, as well as my mother.  (My dad, to be sure, has always read and lived by the Bible, too; I guess he just hasn't given me any of them!)  It's not just the Bibles that are precious to me, of course; it's also the times I remember hearing my grandparents read aloud those words and pray from their hearts to the God who wrote those words.  How blessed am I!

I discovered one other gem as I looked through these Bibles:  a small booklet from the little country church my maternal grandparents always attended.

 Inside was a list of members, and there in the "W" section, I saw the names of my grandparents, their two children living at home (my mother was already married by this time), as well as brothers, a sister, and other members of the Winters family.  This is a picture of legacy.

This is a picture of treasure.

And I am determined to never take this for granted.

Where Does a Giraffe Sleep?

On the floor, of course.

During quiet time.

I couldn't help but think of a few of my favorite verses...  :)

He grants sleep to those he loves.

~ Psalm 127:2b

In peace I will lie down and sleep, 

for you alone, Lord,

make me dwell in safety.

~ Psalm 4:8

I don't think any giraffe sleeping in Africa tonight could possibly be more loved than this one!

Fair Flashback

I started working on a much {MUCH!} longer post tonight; but as time went by, I began to realize that there was no way I could finish it tonight--that is, not if I expected to get any sleep tonight, too!  Maybe I'll get a chance to finish that other post tomorrow, who knows?  But in the meantime, while I was looking through my picture folders tonight, I found some photos that made me smile.

A trio of brothers...

 ...wearing shorts and t-shirts in the warm summer air...

...enjoying a ride...

...at the Rockingham County Fair!

Tonight, while winter's chill seems to penetrate even the solid walls of this sturdy house, I can dream of sunshine, heat...and fun at the fair!  Do we really have to wait seven whole months until we can go again??  :)

A Boy and His...

...brother...

...and a couple of wooden sword-like sticks...

= a spirited, friendly fight and a chance to show off one's valor.

*****

A boy and his blocks...

= hours and hours of fun, imaginative play.

*****

A boy and his snowman...

...even when they haven't seen each other since last year...

= cuddly hugs and almost more adorable cuteness than I can stand.  :)

*****

A boy and his grandpa, having a little man-to-man talk in rocking chairs...

= treasure!

A Funny Thing Happened Around the Christmas Table

We always get to celebrate two Christmases.  The first occurs on Christmas Day; and besides our little celebration and gift-opening in the morning with just our boys and my parents, we also have the fun of having people over for dinner.  Basically, any friends we have that don't have somewhere else to go that day get invited to our house!  :)  We've done this for years--as young marrieds in California, as expats in Israel, and now here in Virginia--and it's always interesting to see who turns up and what combinations of people end up together around our Christmas table.

The second celebration usually happens a few days later when my brother and his family from Pennsylvania come down, and any other family members that we can rope into coming are here as well.  Unfortunately, it's been years since we had all my family (my parents, siblings, spouses, and kids) together in one spot; in fact, I can't even remember the last time it happened.  But we celebrate with whoever can be here, and we remember those who cannot.

Besides being a chance for the adults to converse with each other, our times together are also a hoot for the younger generation.  Cousins are just so much fun!  It's also precious to see how quickly our boys reconnect with aunts and uncles.  I may be a bit biased, but I think my sons are exceptionally warm and affectionate.  ;-)

These pictures that I took during our celebration a week ago are poor technically, but the family togetherness they capture is precious to me.  

Tobin made himself comfortable...

...between his aunt and uncle...

...and looked at all the pictures in the photo book they made for my parents...

...before my parents had a chance to look at it!

You woulda thought he owned that thing!  :)

Anyway, what I was thinking about, when I started this post, is that as we were sitting around the stretched-out table eating, Josiah took a bite of something, felt something hard in his mouth, and discovered that one of his teeth had fallen out!!!  It had been loose for a little while, but not a very long time; and as far as we knew, it wasn't exceptionally loose.  But somehow he happened to bite down on something just right, and it knocked the tooth clean out!  That was the easiest tooth removal we've had so far.  ;-)

We *always* have to take a cousin picture.

A few things have changed since these cousin pictures from years ago.  :)

Right before the cousins started their trip back to PA, my David shouted, "We have to take a picture of me and Uncle David!"  He was right; we have to.  Always.  :)

Some things never change.  And you know, we really wouldn't want them to.

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing BUTT the Truth

Conversation of the day:

Me (to one of my sons, who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent guilty):  Did you sit on your brother's head?

My son, emphatically:  No!  

My son, a little more quietly:  But I did touch him.

Me, suspiciously:  With what part of your body did you touch him?

My son, even more quietly:  My butt.

Aha!  That, my dear boy, would constitute "sitting."  And so, for your creative reinterpretation of the truth (a.k.a. LIE), you are hereby sentenced to two days without computer privileges.  

It looks like we need to learn a lesson from the court of law so we can all pledge to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  So help me, God!"

That last part is especially important:  so help us, God!

Court adjourned.

Will Stand for Applause

With only a few weeks to go until Shav hits the 18 month mark (the age at which my boys "normally" take their first steps), he's progressing right along, perfectly on schedule.  Who cares that all the child development books say he's late?!  :)  He's an expert at cruising, but his big, new accomplishment recently is standing up by himself, without pulling up on something.  See?

It's amazing what a person Shav will do for a little public acclamation!

And speaking of Shav, I was really hoping that this would be the year in which his sleep habits would show marked improvement.  I was looking forward to many nights of peaceful, all-night-long sleep.

So far, we're 0 for 3.

Sigh.

I love him anyway.  ;-)

With a Bang and a Song

It's a good way to start a year:  staying up until midnight and enjoying the excitement that fact--midnight!--brings to the two oldest boys (the two youngest are sound asleep in their beds), playing a game of Skip-Bo with them during the last minutes of 2010, waking up Daddy who's sleeping on the couch, so that we can go outside on the patio and...

...celebrate with firecrackers and sparklers...

...and bang pots and pans!  

Even our rooster got into the act and started crowing.

Silly rooster.  ;-)

And then, after some hours of sleep, a day of being at home as a family, working together on various projects (Jeff did garden stuff, the big boys helped to carry wood, Tobin climbed the tall mulch pile behind our woodshed, I helped my mother organize her new kitchen).  Then quiet time in the afternoon, for most of the members of the family.  I spent my quiet time with my hands in the dishpan, which was lovely since not only did I bring order and cleanliness to my kitchen, I also got the chance to mull over my one resolution for this year.  After that, I sat on the living room floor with Shav; and, as he climbed around me and on me, I finished organizing my file box.  To completely finish a project is such a wonderful feeling!

Supper this evening was provided by Jeff:  ground bear and deer meat, given to us by one of Jeff's customers.  Jeff formed it into hamburger patties and grilled them, and I didn't have to do much for dinner!  But that leads to a question:  if they're made out of bear and deer meat, are they still called hamburgers?  ;-)

The crowning touch (and, oh, what a crown!) on this superb day was the annual Harmonia Sacra singing at Weavers Mennonite Church.  I've written before about these wonderful sings, but I know there's no way to adequately portray in words the joy I gain from participating in one of these.  I can't help but beam as I sing, I smile as I get up to take a turn in leading, I float home in a cloud of happiness, I gush about it to Jeff (who kindly stays home with the boys so I can go...although tonight, one of my sons chose to go with me...at the end of the video below, you'll see his face and know which one it was)...I'm energized by the whole experience, and it always takes me a while to unwind after it.  :)  New Year's Day wouldn't be the same without the delightful tradition of attending that sing.

Amidst the singing tonight, I paused briefly to snatch a little video of it.  It goes without saying that the video doesn't do it justice.  I really think you'd have to be there to experience the beauty and the majesty and the glory of the voices lifted in praise, using the same words and tunes that have been used since 1832.  But here's a snippet of "Hosanna."  I wish I was still there, singing it again and again...

Hello, 2011; you are most welcome.  I'm so glad you're here!