Family Bibles

The first bible that I would grab belonged to my Grandmother. It was the bible that she used every day for the last 30 years of her life. It is tattered with the gold gilt page edgings almost completely worn away from use.

Grandma recorded the family history in this bible. Her marriage to my Grandfather. The eleven children they raised together and the dates of their birth. The marriages of each one of her children are also there in her handwriting.

She has places bookmarked with little items like a pretty bookmark, a clipping of Uncle Roy and Aunt Martha's anniversary announcement. There is a card from flowers sent from Uncle Jerry and Aunt Mary. And even a newspaper clipping that I remember giving her that is a poem about a Grandmother. Precious bookmarks of little memories she held dear.

Grandma was a huge influence in my life. I was actually her birthday present the year I was born. We had a bond much stronger than just grandmother and grand-daughter. She was a woman of strong faith and she passed that faith on to me.

When I pick up her bible, I can feel her spirit within me. Still guiding me, protecting me, and loving me. It would break my heart to not have it a part of my daily life.

Photo credit: Personal photograph of my Grandmother

I plan to pass Grandma's Bible on to my precious little Isabel, my grand-daughter. She reminds me so much of myself, a little sponge who already shows a spirituality deeper than most adults ever achieve. I somehow already know this will be her most prized possession too.

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It is important to share some history of my family before I explain about the other bible I must save.

My Mom was a single mother raising three children in a small town in central Indiana back in the 1950s. Mom was the only divorcee in our small little community and was looked down upon by just about every woman in town and most men too.

We didn't have much money. She drove a rickety old beat up car about 1 1/2 hours one way each day to a factory job to support us. We were the family that the churches would give clothes to and food to when they wanted to help the poor.

By the time I was 10 years old, she got me up at 4:30 every morning so that I could then get my two smaller brothers up and get them ready for school. I fed them breakfast, got them dressed, made sure they had their books and off to school we would go. I watched the boys after we got home from school and would begin to get dinner ready for Mom.

In the summer, it was up to me to take care of the boys during the day while Mom was at work.

Describing this now it seems like a lot to put on a 10 year old little girl and I guess it was. I didn't know any different, though. I didn't feel abused or mistreated. I just knew it was my job to help Mom raise the boys. Mom would be in serious trouble in today's world but back then it was our normal. Honestly, it made me who I am today so I don't regret any of it.

When I was about 12, a Bible Salesman came through town one day. I had the boys outside playing in our front yard when the man came up. I greeted him politely and he began his sales pitch.

He showed me this large white bible that was about the prettiest book I had ever seen. It was meant to be a Family Bible and the man said every Christian family should have one.

I explained to the man that we didn't have any extra money to buy a fine book like that. "I sure would like to buy my Mom a beautiful book like that for Christmas, though." I said to him. He proceeds to tell me that I can buy it on time.

So, I give the man a couple of dollars that I had saved up from babysitting other kids in the town at night. He gladly takes it and gives me an envelope to send the remainder in promising to send the bible when it is paid off.

I worried and fretted so much about coming up with the extra money! I saved every penny I earned that summer. School started and Mom gave us money each week for our lunch. I took my lunch money and my brothers lunch money to pay for the bible. Each week I would walk to the little grocery store a couple of blocks away and buy baloney and a loaf of bread for our lunches and then put the remainder in a shoebox saving up to pay off the bible.

I finally got enough money to send in and the bible came in the mail as promised. I threatened my brothers within an inch of their lives if they spoiled this secret for Mom's Christmas that year!

Image Credit: personal elementary school photograph

On Christmas morning in 1964 I slipped the package under the tree before Mom and the boys got up. I was more excited about Mom opening her gift than I was about anything that might be under that tree for me.

When Mom opened it, she didn't seem very excited about it. She wanted to know where we got it first. I told her from a bible salesman. "Well, this looks like it cost a lot of money! Where did you get that kind of money?" she asked. "I saved it up, Mom." I said.

My brother, Bill, sensing an opportunity to get me in trouble; tells Mom that I took their lunch money to buy it. "You made your brothers go hungry? To buy this!" she asked in a rather stern voice.

"Yes, Mom, I did take our lunch money. The boys didn't go hungry though. I walked to Mr. Manlove's store and bought lunch meat and bread to feed them and only kept what was left over to pay for the bible. All the babysitting money that I made went to pay for it, too. I wanted it to be from me and the boys and I wanted to give you something beautiful for Christmas. You deserve beautiful things, Mom!" I said this with a hurt in my voice that she had to have heard with my eyes looking at my lap. I thought I was in trouble, but then I looked up.

Tears were streaming down her face and in a choked voice she spoke. "I will treasure this forever and a day my sweet little girl. I'm so proud of you right now my heart wants to burst. You kept your word to pay for this and you did without to do it. It is the best present I've ever received."

Photo Credit: personal photo of my Mother's Bible

We lost Mom on April 11, 2008 to pancreatic cancer. When I was going through her things, I found the bible with a note that read: My sweet Beverly keep this in the family.

So I couldn't possibly leave it behind if there was a fire and I could only grab a few things.

Copyright Notice: June 21, 2009 by BevsPaper (Beverly Owens) Do not copy without my permission.