This is a picture of my grandmother's Bible. It was given to her on Christmas by my parents and my brother in 1960. That makes it 50 years old. The copyright says 1942, so technically it's even older. I'm not sure how I got ahold of it, but I'm glad I did because I don't have anything else to remember my grandmother by, other than a couple of photos. She underlined a few Scriptures over the years, so it's interesting to read those and see what was important to her.
I have a whole shelf filled with Bibles. Some are basic Bibles in different versions like the KJV, NIV, etc. Others are speciality ones like the one I have geared towards moms, or the life application one, or the one where you can read the entire Bible in one year. I never set out to collect Bibles, but looking at my shelf you would think that's what I do. Even so, when I go to look something up, it's always my grandma's tattered, old Bible I turn to. It's odd because I can find things in this one way easier than some of the more detailed, fancy ones.
I was showing it to my boys today and they noticed the address label my grandmother had stuck in it. She used her husband's name on her labels, so it reads: Mrs. Lonnie E. Allen. I explained to the boys that my grandfather's name was Lonnie and my grandmother's name was Roberta. Then I said all my grandmother's friends called her Bobbi. Nathan's eyes lit up. "Hey! That's the name of the girl in your new story!" Bobbi Allen is the name of my main character in my newest middle grade novel, ENCROACHED.
Yep ... you just never know who or what might inspire you.
that is so cool! I love little treasures like that!
ReplyDeleteThat is way cool. I have my great-grandmother's Bible with a hand-writen note in it from my grandmother that reads, "Willed to John Standford Denham on Grandmother's death-bed request." John was my father.
ReplyDeleteI love that inspiration can come from such precious places.
ReplyDelete:)
I have a Bible that belonged to my grandmother too -- and her secretary with little drawers and cubbyholes in it. We're so surrounded by history and story ideas.
ReplyDeleteHow cool to have her Bible--better to have a used one and see what she noted/underlined--what a gift! I have a lot of "used" Bibles, too. Funny how that happens.
ReplyDeleteI treasure the artifacts that my grandmother left. It's special to touch them and know she touched them as well.
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