Surrounded by God

One of my most favorite bookstores is in Tacoma, by the Tacoma Dome, and it just says "Books" on the side of the old building.  You walk in to a labyrinth of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, with little routing cards pinned to pieces of wood between shelves, and arrows, genres, and directions instructing you when to turn where to find the room with the right colored door.... it looks like it could be the baby brother-of-bookstores to Portland's Powell's! 

My most favorite room is the one with the green door, I think it's the green door... maybe it's the red door?  I don't know.... It's where all the cook books and religious books are.  Such an appropriate pairing, don't you think?  Jesus asks us to come together and break bread in His name - DONE!  *grin*

I don't know if the pictures I took will do the book store justice... I tried to use the panoramic function on my iPhone....

As I was spending time with God all around me, Faith all around me, I was drawn to one bible in particular - an old French bible from 1890.  Oh, how I wish I could read French!  I would have purchased it, in a heartbeat!  There's just something about deep, old Faith that moves me every time - feeling that connection of belief, the Holy Spirit, the timelessness awe that IS God - there are no words!  Holding the book took my breath away.  (I might just have to pick it up tonight after work)  I've written before, about over 100 years of bibles on a shelf at the Family Farm.... You must experience it for yourself. 

There was another bible as well, it belonged to a man named Wayne Bailey 1947-1989, and someone documented "found with Wayne's things"... This bible also stirred something in my soul.... I have a soft spot & say a little prayer every time I meet a man who is not afraid to live his Faith.  Even if Wayne never went to church, he kept a bible with his things, in a place that it was found after he passed.  I'm not sure who he was, but his name will live on, and his bible will help bring God's word to someone else, long after he passed.

On a completely non-faith-related note, I think the prime discovery of that day was a Latin translation, illustrated version of Winnie the Pooh! *giggle*grin*  Always a child at heart, don't ya know!

#lent2014

It's that time of year again, folks!  What have you decided to change in your life?  Last year I did Grateful Photos and those were really a lot of fun, helping me to quite literally count my blessings.  Quite a few of my friends are giving up Facebook for the Lenton season, and I really thought about that, prayed about it, but one word kept coming up over all the others: GRACE. 

No, I'm not giving up Grace.  I am asking for Grace, every single morning before I even get out of bed, every day.  We really should be doing this anyway, but I'll be the first to admit that I get preoccupied with the day ahead of me and just trust that God will give me what Graces I need when I need them.... but to put intent, thought, and effort into it, it has a deeper meaning.

On this first day of Lent, I asked for the Grace to forgive people who have hurt me.  Again, something that should be a given, but I let it be out-of-sight-out-of-mind and just keep moving with the bandaid rather than helping the wounded parts of me to heal.  That proverbial bandaid defeats the purpose of forgiveness.  I used to think that forgiving meant forgetting, but that's not the case, most definitely not in this situation.  And the person who has hurt me so deeply is in a circle of friends whom I'm not willing to give up, so I must find the Grace to forgive.  I will be tentative and cautious when speaking (if speaking) with her again, but I need to heal my hurt, I need to ask God to heal my hurt. 

Mother Mary, you bestow Graces upon us, as you are filled with God's Grace.  Please help me, grant me God's Grace to forgive those who have hurt me so grievously.  Jesus, fill my heart with Your Love and help me to share that Love with others, as You have asked me to.  Amen.