Why shouldn't I?

Today wasn't bad, but it was incredibly hectic for us. Get to work, run, run, run, receive orders, repairman came right before Metrolift, run, run. Got to the bank late because Metro was late, thank God! Rush rush... etc. Walmart. Eat. Pharmacy, put in refill request, shop, go back to pharmacy. Try to find things for Ron, almost time to go, slow checkout....!

Culminating in coming home from Walmart (I got really goofy from my pills and forgot how to add - I didn't get any of my food shopping done) and discovering a horrifying crime scene. It started at the cat door, an ominous trail of feathers. It got progressively worse - enough to make me gag, while, at the same time, thanking GOD that Ron had not stepped in "it" and tracked "It" all over the house. We barely had time to turn around when BAM! Metro is there, time to go to Starbucks (for me, the UPS store). I mailed Sue's thing. Yay!

I went to the bookstore, thinking to maybe buy myself a cheap paperback Bible (they're a collectible vice I don't mind retaining). Just when I've added one and marked up all my favorite passages, I always encounter a "Seeker" who is absolutely STARVING for the Word. I give them one of my Bibles, and get another one. I passed on my NJKV to a cab driver and he met me about a month later, raving about how much he loved the Bible. I can't exactly begrudge them, but I do like to have a collection with a couple different versions.

Let me see, in order of time I've had them, I've got:

• Good news Bible I got at age 8
• NIV/KJV Mom & Dad got me in 2002 - about 2 weeks before Ron got hurt. Boy, that rascal got some MILES! I also have a One year NIV
• Recovery Bible and NT Sue gave me in 2003.
• Various devotionals
• Scofield Bible that belonged to my maternal grandmother - thanks Sue!
• My beloved NKJV, about 5X6 inches, I carry it in my knitting bag. I guess you'd call it my "throwdown" Bible, I can pull it out anytime, anywhere. I bought it this year to replace my larger paperback, which I gave away.

So, I was at the bookstore. I saw a CEV. It looked interesting. But I didn't have enough time to buy it. AGH.

I came home and logged onto Christianbooks.com . I didn't see a $5 CEV like they had at Barnes and Noble. But I did see a cover for my "little guy" (the small NKJV I always take with me), some "How to read the Bible in a year" tracts that look interesting (give away 24, keep one, I'm happy, God's happy), a "going to be given away" NKJV paperback bible, some NLT New Testaments (give away 7, keep one), an NCV paperback Bible, an NASB paperback bible, and covers for the bigger bibles (NCV, NLT) in my favorite colors at only a couple bucks each. I thought, well, I'd sure like to get all this but it's going to be $40!

I try to avoid spending half of my "Debit Account" deposit on the first day of my pay period. It just seems wasteful and foolishly indulgent. Then I had some thoughts: What's more important than eternity (for the recipients of my low-key, leave it out, seekers help yourself) for the recipients of the New Testaments? Would I spend this much on a hobby (YES! Without a qualm). Well, isn't God at least as important as spinning or knitting - yes. Do I believe God would put it in my heart to buy these things if He weren't going to use them? Well, you get the idea.

So I bought them. Do I plan to do this every pay period? NO WAY! I'm going to have fun when my new Bibles arrive, playing dress-up with the new covers, leaving out the New Testaments (I have to be sneaky), and praying for everyone who comes into contact with them. God can use me if I LET him. This is a tiny little step of faith.

Besides, I still have $50 in the debit account for me, and I can deposit more Wednesday if I choose. God's been very good to me, He covers my needs. I'm rich in the things that matter.

Now, lest you think I'm some kind of high-powered, fireball Christian, I have to say this. I don't read my Bible on a regular basis. Sometimes, I don't read it once in a week! I have found, to my horror, dust on my bible on more than one occasion.

I took this to God today and said, I want to make reading Your word a priority but how do I do it?

I love the answer I got: TREAT IT LIKE YOUR LITHIUM. I would never ever skip a dose of Lithium unless I was retching into my barf bucket. I take it faithfully 3 times a day. I take my Risperdal later than my Lithium, so I make time out of my day, 4 times a day, every day.

Do a small Bible study at every "Pill time!"

God's a genius. He gets all the credit for this one!

I'll be praying for you.