"My" Bible



My daughter woke up earlier than usual today and as such, proceeded to watch me go through my morning routine. She watched me start the coffee, let the dog out, wash my face and brush my teeth. She followed me back to the kitchen where I prepared MY cup of coffee with plenty of fancies to make it taste less like coffee. ;o) Then, she proceeded to ask, "Momma, what do you DO this early in the morning?"  Chuckle. :)

I said, "Well, I have my coffee and read my Bible." Now, I'm not sure why, but that phrase of "read MY Bible" stuck in my head today. See, I read God's Word on my laptop because there is a fabulous website (www.biblegateway.com) that I LOVE because it has all these reading plans, different translations and devotions and I LOVE it! However, when I said the phrase "read MY Bible", I had a fleeting momentary sadness because I always remember my momma having HER Bible at the ottoman beside her bed. It was always open to the place she was reading that day and it was worn and tattered from all the good use. I used to have a Bible like that years ago and granted, I still do have several Bibles, but I realized, I don't really have a "MY" Bible anymore....

I have a Bible that I take to church because it's in a special case with my sermon notes book. I have a Bible that I do my studies with because it's in the translation that goes with the workbook. Yet again, I have several other Bibles that have devotions written in them, special translations I thought were cool and Bibles that were gifts from friends and family, but are any of them really "MY" Bible? No. :'o(

Wow, how very sad what this age of technology has taken from me, I thought to myself. I have no Bible with pen marks and highlighted Scriptures. I have no well-worn areas from reading them over and over. Instead, I have a laptop that pops up the exact page of my last reading. Chuckle. I suppose I could create a shortcut on my desktop for the page of my favorite translation on (www.biblegateway.com), yah? ;o) In my momentary sadness, I had another profound thought. Would you like to hear it? Of course you do, it was rhetorical, darlin'. ;o)

Lord, I'm so very glad You'll always be "MY" Savior, no matter the age of technology or renaissance we face here on earth. I never concern myself with whether or not You are here with me or whether or not You are "MINE". I know it, plain and simple...

"For Jesus doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself." - Hebrews 13:8

A Very Unusual Thing

So, howdy, bloggy land. It's been a loooooooooooooong time since I wrote a blog, and I'd love to tell you all the reasons why it's been such a looooooooooooooooong time, but well, that would take a really looooooooooooong time and then you'd get bored and maybe click somewhere else and well, then I'd be sad.... :'(

So, I'm just gonna get to the point, k? ;o)

I did a very unusual thing the other day. A friend of mine and I were sitting at my table visiting at 1 in the morning - no, that's not the unusual thing, although that IS unusual for me! ANYWAY, we were sitting and visiting and I decided to pull out my journal I use during my devotional times and we went back and starting looking at OLD entries. It was hysterical if I do say so myself. So, anyway, I was brought to tears of mirth by mine own hand and I just thought I would share some with y'all. Now, this one isn't the funniest of all, but I just don't think I could put that entry out into the vast expanse of the Internet. I'd be embarrassed! YES. I DO have my limits! :D So, here it is, hope you like it! :D

Isaiah 64-66 / 2 Kings 20-22

Today's reading is about Hezekiah, Manasseh and Amon. I’m a bit baffled by Hezekiah. He did much to right Israel to a place of proper fellowship and relationship with Jehovah-God, but well, he seemed a bit more than selfish and maybe a bit prideful too??? I mean, he showed men from countries he was not allied with all that he had in the palace and temple. I mean, wasn’t that a little bit stupid? Also, when Isaiah came back and told him everything that was going to happen because of his poor decision, he was only concerned with himself and his lifetime. He basically didn’t care he’d doomed his children and / or grandchildren, but as long as it wasn’t going to happen in his lifetime, it was okay with him. Seriously, dude? SELFISH!

I’m Hezekiah… L I’m selfish. I don’t often think further than the end of my nose. I make hasty decisions that are prideful with no thought to the consequences of those decisions. Sigh. Lord, why do you put up with me? Sometimes, my only motivation is whether or not something is going to cause me turmoil. Now, I know that turmoil can be a sign of problems and / or issues, but it shouldn’t be my determining factor for what I do and how I act. God’s Word should have that distinction. However, I often find myself using the factor of whether or not my decision is going to cause me grief. Sigh. Seriously, Nell?

Lord, please forgive my selfish heart. I want to be pleasing in Your sight. I don’t want to only be concerned with my own comfort. Please cleanse me and grow me out of being selfish. I kinda cringe even saying that because I know it will be painful, but I need You to give me some gumption to suck it up through the pain and act like a grown-up. I love You, Lord.