When I was unpacking boxes as the kids and I move into our new home, I found my Daddy’s Bible from my Mama on Valentine’s Day 1976. Daddy had asked me in 1983 what I wanted for my birthday and I told him I wanted his “blue” Bible. And, as he promised, that is what I received. On my next visit home from college after my birthday he walked up to me, handed me the Bible and said, “here it is…not sure why you want it but it is yours to keep.” And, then he smiled really big…..
I wanted his Bible because I had been told you can learn much about a person by what they underline in their personal Bible. I think this is true. I heard this again at my sister’s father-in-law’s funeral…the minister read scripture which had been underlined in Mr. Reneau’s Bible and it was a precious memorial to a Godly man’s life. I was changed by hearing what was said about him that day. Just as I was changed by the things my Daddy had underlined in his Bible.
A favorite and strong memory I carry with me of my Daddy is of him sitting at our family’s kitchen table preparing for a sermon, a lesson, service of communion or just reading for the comfort which from reading his Bible. I have seen Daddy in the wee hours of the morning reading…I have seen him rushing to prepare a lesson as substitute for a sick teacher, I have seen him burning his candle late into the evening preparing for a wedding. As a child, you cannot help but be changed by the example of your Daddy studying the Word. What I write here could be said of my mother as well. Both are strong prayer warriors and significant WORD readers. Both are intimate with God and if you are around them much at all, you can feel His presence in their words, actions and speech. They are authentic and real. They love God and their family and their friends, and, in that order.
Daddy’s Bible is what you would call “worn out”…The blue cover has been masking taped to the binding, the blue has long faded from my Daddy’s big hands opening and closing it. There are many pages which no longer are attached, having given up their service to repeated reference over the years.
The hand written notes in my Daddy’s handwriting have to make God smile….evidence of a man seeking God’s own heart is clear. Ink is blue, green, red and purple. Some times there are dates next to scripture. And, what is amazing to me is that almost every book in his Bible has some sort of note in it. Of course, some books, The Gospels, Deuteronomy, Corinthians….have received much ink.
Daddy’s Bible has the life of Christ highlighted, marriage, forgiveness, love. He read frequently in Ephesians…there is yellow highlighting, red ink, blue ink and many many notes. Childrearing, our spiritual walk, the importance of faith are all topics covered by Daddy.
You can read of my Daddy’s spiritual maturity in his personal notes. Things which were big issues in 1976 seemed more clear to him by 1983. His was a journey for clarity and it is evident in his writing that he succeeded in obtaining a better understanding of our God.
Very sweet to me is the handwriting of my brother, Jim, In the back notes of our Daddy’s blue Bible…evidence of a son’s following in the footsteps of a Godly father. Jim, perhaps more than any of my other siblings seems to have a passion for reading scripture and trying to follow the heart of God’ s will for our lives.
Sweeter still is the handwriting of one of my younger siblings, “I love you too much”….I guess they were writing that to our Daddy…for beside it on the next page is that little handwriting , “Chester Lee Millstead”. Obviously, this was a child who knew for certain to whom the Blue Bible belonged.
Precious is my Daddy’s Bible, precious are his notes, but even more precious is the amount of time he spent striving to know his heavenly Father more intimately.
I am the daughter of a Godly father. And mother.
There is no greater gift you can give your children.
They were and are not perfect people or parents. But, they both live a life in service and seeking of God…and, for us as their children and grand-children, that has made all the difference.
Blessings,
Lesa
