Something New

Earlier this week Honest to Ya Ya wrote about getting a new Bible from her husband for their anniversary. I've been thinking about Bibles ever since I read about hers. Now at my house we're what's sometimes called "Bible poor" but that really means we have way more Bibles than any one household ought to have considering the fact that in some countries people aren't allowed to have even one and in many, many places people simply can't afford to buy one. I don't think I could even count all the Bibles we have! I have my grandmother's Bible, the Bible my church gave me when I completed the third grade, the Bible I carried in my wedding, and probably most versions. I love the King James version for reading the Christmas story and The Word for just sitting down and reading, and the New Living Translation for studying and the Revised Standard version....you get the picture. My mother-in-law gave me my first study Bible long years ago and then years later I found the Life Application Study Bible which quickly became my favorite. I have a couple of other study Bibles that I've bought for particular studies I was doing but none of them have the same kind of notes that my Life Application Bible does. It is big and heavy and, unfortunately, coming apart at the seams (sort of like me sometimes!) Oh I know I could have it rebound but that means sending it off and trusting someone I don't know to put it back together and knowing it won't look the same or feel the same. And what if they read my notes! All the silly little things I've written and the tear stains that make the paper wrinkle and the dates beside particular verses don't mean a thing to other people but they chronicle my life. Then I discovered that this Bible now comes in a "personal size." I looked at it, felt of it (weighed it really), and took the plunge - I ordered it! I know I have lots of others, I know it's rediculous to want still another one, I know all that stuff.



There's just something about a new Bible! Oh, I love the old ones, the ones that I've marked in and written on and that have tear stains and echos of laughter. But a new one opens up the anticipation of new insights and new "ah ha moments." I love the feel of the new pages that no one has touched. I love the thought process of "do I use this highlighter or that highlighter, yellow or blue, and do I write with a pencil or a pen, and should I try to transfer all my notes from my old one to this one or just start fresh). I love putting tabs on all the chapters and writing my name and date on the flyleaf.

It seems to me that our lives are like new Bibles. We've moved several times in our married life. Every time we moved I was apprehensive, even afraid. How could I give up my home, my friends, all that was familiar? There were all those memories associated with my life where I was, laughter with friends, times of worship at my beloved church, experiences with my children. But what I got was a new home to decorate, new friends to discover, new memories to make, a new church to love. I got to make new notes and add new tabs to my life. Eventually when we moved it was without children and I thought that was the beginning of the end but, instead, it was the end of the beginning and the beginning of something new and wonderful - a new chapter. And just like a new Bible, each new chapter brings new delights. Embrace the changes that come to your life. Join a new class, drive a new road, make a new friend, buy a new Bible. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.