Deeanne Gist - www.deeannegist.com - Inspirational Romance Author

Monday, December 11, 2006

Bibles Are Like Cowboy Boots

Bibles are like cowboy boots and baseball gloves. You can't just go out and replace the one you have because it has been broken in to fit you just right. But after a while, there comes a time when the one you have is just plumb worn out.

My Bible wasn't worn out so much as the formatting was no longer working for me. I loved the large print, but I'm one of those folks who writes in her Bible. Not just a little. A lot. And that Beth Moore study I took of Daniel was so good, I wanted to make a bazillion notes in the margins of my Bible.

Problem was: There are no margins in my Bible. Mostly, I suppose, because of the large print. Same thing happened when I did a study of Revelation. So I ... gulp ... went out and bought me a new Bible. Now, I could have put it on my Christmas list. But, again, I compare this to cowboy boots. You have to pick out your own, you know?

And check this out: Zondervan has a "Wide Margin" Bible!

I'm soooo excited. Now, the real work begins. First, putting in the tabs. With that really pretty leather-bound cover and gold edging the paper, you'd think I'd pick out pretty gold-colored tabs. Nope. I want the rainbow-colored tabs or none at all.

The reason is the colors divide my Bible up and makes it more "managable"--for me, anyway. The pink tabs are the Pentateuch. The orange: History. Yellow: Poetry & Wisdom. Green: The Prophets. Blue: The Gospels. Purple: The Letters.

I love this because everytime I look something up I think to myself, "Oh, this guy's in the green section, so he must be a prophet." Or, "Moses wrote this one." And so on.

Next, I go through each page of my old Bible and anything that I've highlighted in that Bible, I highlight in the new one. That's what I'm in the process of doing now and it's been such a pleasure to read each of these verses that are so special to me. I've gotten as far as Ephesians.

As soon as I've finished that, then I have to transpose all my notes. And when I'm all done, I'll have a new Bible with all the comforts of home.

What about you? Do you have a favorite Bible? Do you write in it? (My grandpa never, ever wrote in his Bible. He just didn't feel right about it. My grandma, however, had notes scribbled all over hers and I love to read her notes.) Do you have a favorite translation? (Our former pastor calls the NIV the Needs Improvement Version, yet it's my absolute favorite and my new Bible is NIV.) What about red-letter? (I've always wanted a red-letter and this wide-margin Bible had it! I was so pumped!) Hardback? Paperback? Leather? Study Bible?

Tell us about yours.

posted by Deeanne at 10:36 AM

6 Comments:

Barb said...: You are so in to color--way cool! I'm one of those who doesn't write in her Bible. I've tried to work up the courage, but just can't bring myself to desecrate the sacred. Which I know is not right. I don't set other books or objects on top of it either. I'm ok with the NIV, NKJV, and the Message, just for understanding and ease of communication with youngsters....
Sharlene MacLaren said...: I write all over in my Bible! In the margins, spaces below the verse, you name it. Plus, I am the queen of underlining!

You mentioned Beth Moore and the book of Daniel. Is this the study of the Patriarchs? That's the study I'm doing in March w/a big group of ladies. I just completed a ten-week study of hers called Living Beyond Yourself. It's a study of the fruit of the spirit. Absolutely incredible. Every week there was something in her video message that just touched an emotional chord in my heart. So powerful and impacting. In February about 60 of us are taking a bus trip to Detroit to see her in person. Can't wait.

I love the NIV, but you know what? I still love the KJV, and since I'm writing a historical series right now I've had to go back to that version for inserting scripture. It was my daddy's Bible, so it has special meaning for me every time I open it.

Well, off to a Christmas dinner.

Blessings, everyone!
Shar
Katybug said...: My Bible has wide margins too, and I LOVE IT! It really makes writing notes much easier, and I don't have to write quite so small. I think you will enjoy it, Dee. I read about a husband that not only gave his wife a new Bible for Christmas, but also meticulously transferred all the notes from her old Bible into her new one!!! Talk about a labor of love...!

Shar, Beth Moore's Patriarch study doesn't include Daniel, but rather focuses on Abraham, Issac and Jacob. I did this study last summer with some friends, and it was FABULOUS! It was my first Beth Moore study but not my last. :-) She is really wonderful.
Deeanne said...: Katybug is right, Shar. You'll *love* the study of the Patriarchs. I did Living Beyond Yourself last year. Was great. The Daniel study is her "new release."

Have a great time in Detroit. I get so spoiled because we can drive downtown any Tuesday night of the school year and listen to her. (That's when she films her videos.) I love going down there when I can. She is such a delight.

I think you have to do whatever you're comfortable with, Barb. My grandpa studied his Bible like nobody's business, but he just didn't feel like he should scribble things in God's Word. So, he didn't.

I guess I figure the Lord knows how forgetful I am, so He understands that if I don't make notes in the margins, I might never remember what it was that spoke so strongly to me!

In any event, I think He delights in our worship no matter what form it takes. I certainly have a healthy respect for those who don't write in their Bibles and also for those who do!
Barb said...: Well hey, at least I'm in good company with Miz Dee's grandpa!
"Bibles Are Like Cowboy Boots" sounds like a title for a devotional book!
Meg said...: I'm still using the NAS that I bought eons ago. The cover started falling apart, so I had to buy a fabric cover. I'm an underliner and a note-taker. My notes are short, though, because there's not room for anything long.

Sometimes I still like to go back to the KJV or Revised Standard because that's what I grew up on. Or I'll switch to the NIV for a while, so things will hit me differently.

I love Beth Moore, too!