Paper Memories

Hello, all!!!

Welcome back! Thanks for continuing to read. I hope and pray that all of you are enjoying it. I'm thinking of posting a story series in a little while, but we'll have to see; Life is moving at the speed of lightening right now, and it doesn't seem to show signs of stopping anytime soon. But then, as far as writing goes, to quote Marion Dane Bauer, "You can't wait for the mythical day when you will have nothing to do." I'll be working on it.

I spent the majority of this afternoon going through my room and packing away my old dolls so that I could put my outflow of books on them.

It's always amazing how many memories can come up from old books; even that old book smell can have an effect on you. Looking through my old books, many of them favorites from years ago, and some more recent, it conjures up memories of years past, and of the journeys that they have taken me on; the time spent with the characters, learning from them and about them, whether loving or hating them, and about the world around me and the character of the human heart, if only subconsciously.

It is precious the recollections of many a sunny afternoon spent with a stack of books, like "Harry the Dirty Dog" or Golden Books, mingling halted reading with such mischief making as only the regular seven year old could conceive of. It is afternoons like these that teach a young heart to start to think, to consider the more serious issues in life (which is how I got saved, by the way).

That time spent with a book in hand is a time of preparation, preparation for the days later in their youth, when they will also have books in hand, but books quite different than "Angelina Ballerina" or "Eloise." It is teaching them to know the power of words, that one day they may learn to use them wisely. (Who knew that the girl who used to kick and scream at having to learn her phonics would one day aspire to be a writer?)

It is teaching a little heart to love the gift of words, to love the simple beauty that I spoke of in my first post, the beauty and magic that a single word can have, the knowledge, the wisdom, that a book can contain. And it is preparing them for the day that they will one day be lead to look into the greatest and most powerful book of all time: God's Word.

And isn't it a testimony to the blessing of the book, for all ages, that it is the very form into which the good Lord chose to put His holy Word?

I hope to one day share this blessing with my own family the way God has blessed me with a family that did.


I'll probably be spouting off on various things throughout this next week and a half, especially with the election around the corner. God bless you! You guys are always in my prayers.


Sincerely,
Buried in books,

Julia