I gave in...

I am soooooooooooooooooooooo, so, so, so excited!!! I finally got my new ESV Bible!!! I have been holding out for years until they come out with the ESV Leather Study Bible. Until then, I was determined to use my current Bible - an NIV.

It has been hard to think of getting a new Bible when so many Scriptures were underlined. I can look back over the past 10 years (my parents gave it to me when I was 18!!!) and see some of the ways God used those very Scriptures in my life - and multiple times! It has traveled to many New Attitudes, Celebrations and Xtreme conferences with me. It has been read through several times - cover to cover (most recently, this past year with the Metro Mom's Blog). It has attended countless Undivided and Deluge and Sunday morning meetings with me. And it has gotten more and more use over the past few years as my hunger for the words it contains has grown. It is so worn that I can hand you many portions of it - yep! The pages are literally falling out in chunks. I love to see the expression on people's faces when I ask them if they'd "like a Psalm" and hand them 20 or 30 that are still attached. :o)

And that is why I decided to cave. It was becoming challenging, even in my quiet times, to use it without the pages starting to tear. But why the deliberation? Why not just get a new Bible? Part of it is sentimental...and part of it is out of a desire to not commercialize something so precious. There are millions of people who read Scripture in "chunks" like my Bible has become - because they would be beaten if it was found in their home...or because they have no money...or because they aren't readily available at the closest bookstore...or because it's not yet fully translated. So maybe it was out of respect for those who cannot that I did not. I want my Bible to be a treasure and something that tells my personal story through all the notes and underlinings and worn pages...not just the latest cute cover or great version. All that is to say...I'm very excited about this - even though it's bittersweet! :o)

Now, my good friend Janine Warner excitedly kept me up to date with when the Leather Study Bible would come out. Recently, I found out that it was due out in October (perfect timing, huh??? :o). So, my plan is to get that one and use it at home for my quiet times - and hopefully it will last for decades...long enough to tell my children of the Gospel from its pages and pass on to them.

(wow, totally didn't mean for this to be such a long post!!!)

**update: i do not intend for this to come across as self-righteous or condemning...i just wanted to share my excitement. :o/ **