Thursday April 20 2017 SAYING GOODBYE TO FRIENDS

Apr 20

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Thursday April 20 2017  SAYING GOODBYE TO FRIENDS

 

SAYING GOODBYE TO FRIENDS

Kathleen Martens

April 20, 2017

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

I can hardly pull myself away

From the fray

Of my books of yesterday.

 

Boxes and boxes of beloved friends,

Sorting never ends

Until my back no longer bends.

 

Memories flooding in such galore

Permeate from the floor,

And it seems there’s always more.

 

Just one more book I must peek

A whole box then I seek

And my back begins to freak.

 

Simple pleasure of such worth

A new story always birthed

Happy knowing there is no dearth.

 

Happy thoughts amidst the pain

I know it’s time to refrain

But my space I must regain.

 

Every book I cannot keep

But somehow, to me speaks

And together we silently weep.

 

I have spent the morning sorting which books to keep and which to give away.  I feel as if I am saying goodbye to long-time friends.  Realistically, my shelves are already full and I have only gone through less than a third of my books.  I still have about as many books left in my library as I have already shelved.  Not to mention that I have about 25 more boxes I’ve yet to go though in the main room.  My library closet is still full and behind my library door the books are stacked up to my mid-chest area (several rows of them).  Those should be easier for me to get rid of because they are mostly novels which I purchased at library book sales, garage sales, and second hand shops. 

The books I am keeping are my reference and spiritual study books, collections of Bibles, angel stories, short stories, poetry, Christmas stories, writer’s guides, and non-fiction books by Christian authors.  Oh yes, I mustn’t forget my collection of word books such as several different kinds of dictionaries, thesaurus’, and word finders.  I have a biographical dictionary, geographical dictionary, medical dictionary, rhyming dictionary, synonym dictionary, and several other kinds I can’t remember at present.  Some of them are over one hundred years old and have words in them that you can no longer find in modern dictionaries.  And of course, a lot of the definitions of the way words were used long ago no longer pertain to the meanings of today.  I love the old dictionaries and sometimes use them as a reference for the definition of a long lost word I want to use in my writings.

I have found out quite a lot about myself as I have sorted through these books.  I realize I have books that I have forgotten about and books that I wished I owned, I actually do own.  I think when one peruses another’s library much can be deciphered about the individual.  A personal library tells the inside scoop of what another feeds their heart.  I would definitely not be considered a scholar.  I think my library speaks of a softer, gentler world than of that which we live in today.  I also believe it shows I am a tender hearted woman who lives a bit in the past.  I love old books, old stories, and the way people wrote a hundred years ago.  I own no crime or horror novels.  I like to read non-fiction more than fiction.  If my books tell my story then it says I love spiritual growth books, history, biographies, cooking, poetry, Bibles, quotes, health books, and anything to do with angels and Christmas.  I own many true life books filled with short stories that show the miracles of God.  And my library also speaks in capital letters: this is a person who loves words, the study of words, and dictionaries. 

My books are well used, well marked, and some are falling apart from age or excessive use. Some I use over and over again year after year, other’s I refer to periodically and want them available at a moment’s notice.  I am starting out with all the books on shelves.  Give me one year and there will be spill-over around my study chair with books available within arm’s reach.  Messes to someone else; to me a little bit of heaven in arms reach.

For this to be a NO-BLOG day I guess I became a bit wordy. 

 

Thank You God for the bounty of all the books I own.

Thank You God that I am literate.

Thank You God that my eyes can still read with the help of glasses.

Thank You God for the book shelves I don’t own yet but need desperately.

Thank You God that words still make sense to me even if my words don’t necessarily make sense to others!

 

GOD BLESS YOU!

I am including Proverbs, chapter 4 from the New International Version. It is about a father speaking  to his son about wisdom. If you do not read the entire chapter PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF VERSE 23.  This is the verse I think of when I pick up something to read.

 

Proverbs 4 New International Version (NIV)

“Get Wisdom at Any Cost

4 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
    pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
    “Take hold of my words with all your heart;
    keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
    love her, and she will watch over you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
    Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.”

10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.

18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what makes them stumble.

20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
    keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.
23 

ABOVE ALL ELSE GUARD YOUR HEART,

FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FLOWS FROM IT

24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.”

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