I love to get a good deal, it's no secret that I am thrifty, (except when it comes to Sonic) and I love to find a treasure. So today I was at the Goodwill (after my p.m. trip to Sonic) and was scanning the books, when I noticed this tattered one tucked on the shelf. I love anything that looks old and beat up, because most of the time it means it was loved, and that character is reflected in it's ragged appearance. As soon as I picked it up and felt the weight, I knew without further inspection that it was indeed a Bible. It is a 1967 Scoefield KJV reference Bible. I knew it was going home with me, and at 50 cents, how could I possibly leave it...I mean look at it...at some time, it was PRICELESS to someone. It is well worn...yes, that's duct tape on the spine...it has been carried to church hundred's of times, and studied...
What I'd hoped to find inside it, I did not. I wanted a dedication page, I wanted a name of someone that this Bible belonged to, and if not, perhaps a heartfelt notation in the front from the person that gave it to them. I found neither. The gold engraved name on the front cover has been scratched off....it smells like an old attic or a box or a musty basement. I have no idea who treasured it.
I flipped every single page, and it doesn't look like my Bible at all..mine is highlighted and underlined and written in, but this one is not. There are only 5 marks in the entire Book and here's what they are:
There is a red circle around Genesis 1:22 "While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
In Luke 16:24 "And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. ("flame" is underlined in red ink)
2 Corinthians 1:3 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort". ("God of all comfort" is underlined in red marker)
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord." (the number of the verse is circled in red ink).
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (the verse is circled in red ink).
That's it...nothing else. Why these 5 markings? I guess I'll never know who this Bible belonged to; there is nothing to personalize it... no petals pressed between the pages, no pictures, no post cards, no cute bookmark to be found, no smiley faces in the margins, no dedication page, no fingerprints.
So then I started pondering...what will my family think when they look at my Bible, after I'm gone? Will they look at it and think it's broken in and well used like this one, or will it be shiny and new? I want mine to look like this...it is a testament in itself to time well spent...For now though, I'll find a spot for this treasure. Maybe on a shelf, maybe on the table...but somewhere besides the Goodwill...because it meant something to someone else...it now means something to me.
8 comments:
Great blog post...so interesting. Maybe I should look around in Goodwill once in a while. Something neat...my grandma died a few years ago, well we cleaned out her house and I got to take her Bible. She got it in 1949 and it is falling apart! I cried when I saw what was inside...my dad's obituary, a letter from her nephew from when he was in Vietnam in 1966, the original deed to her home, a Mother's Day card from her kids years ago and so much more. I will treasure it forever.
That's what I wanted to find! Even though I'd have no clue who they were..
You have got me to thinking now. I have two old Bibles at home that have been in Mike's family but were never used by Mike. His mother gave them to me sometime ago to hold onto. I will be taking them with me this weekend to ponder and study. When I think of My Bible, wow it is worn and tattered. I hope my children can reflect and look back at it and remember the times that they have seen me study, carry, and cherish it.
How interesting! Ethan is always wanting to go into Goodwill because his K teacher used to always talk about finding stuff in there! Guess, we'll have to go soon and find some treasures. :) I have my Granny's Bible and I LOVE to read all the verses she underlined. :)
My bible is falling apart and sometimes I think about getting a new one - but I have so much written in there... one of my favorites is some scribbles that Morgan did - she was having bible study and wrote in the front - I dated it - your post has encouraged me to keep with the old.
I had mine rebound, then eventually got a new one, but I love both.
Awww, that is so sad that someones precious Bible ended up in Goodwill. Good for you , though. What a treasure!
If someone's BIBLE is falling apart...you can almost bet their life is not.
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