All our best President Obama

My Grandmother Gladys had a Bible that she read every morning and every evening.
Perhaps when I was not visiting she turned to it more often as she aged. My mother sent it to her sister after grandmother died, I wish that I had it. Grandmother was pretty private. She was also in her last years suffering Alzheimer's disease living under our care in Morgantown, WV. She tore paper but she didn't tear her Bible. She still, at times, would turn inside it at night, I'd hear her through my wall, and she read it completely clearly to the empty room. That comforted me a great deal. It was her again. This was long after she could no longer say a coherent word to any of us-much less a sentence. Reading was one thing to the day she died she could do.

When I visited her in Saint Petersburg Fla at twelve or so, she told me that her prayers included prayers for our national and world leaders. At twelve I wasn't the brightest bulb, I didn't know you prayed for your teachers, for world leaders, for Presidents. I started "Now I lay me down to sleep"...listed every relative and friend I had to bless in a large extended family, ask not to be bullied at school and fell asleep each evening somewhere on the way to finishing what were prayers in which I thought it was sinning to ask for anything personally.
Grandmother Lucas quietly shared with me what she might say because I asked her. In her dear way she prayed that the leaders would protect our young soldiers, would be guided by doing the best for those without, she prayed that conflict over race or divisions in the nation would be healed, she prayed for the ill. She spoke to leaders. That they would act within the guidance of Christian beliefs. She quietly stated her prayers as she held her Bible. It was so quiet and she was up so early daily to keep her own council. She was very private and her daily vespers were her own solace. I think.

My Bible was a gift from my Aunt Ferne- given when I was baptized. I waded into a pool in the side wall at the First Baptist Church in Morgantown and Reverend Murray I'm sure got a hernia but we made it through. Ferne gave it to me after my drying off and rejoining everyone. My Bible is blue, faded, torn and our family one. When I got very ill I turned to it and read it many, many times. I had nightmares that were themed with a devil at the time. It is not a King James version, so I have that as well because that language is poetic.  Something about the inauguration's choice of the Lincoln and King Bibles touched on my grandmother for me, and on the other side of the family my Grandfather Richard's and their private, quiet relationship to their Bibles. Something they shared with me.

They would both pray for our national leadership. I know that. I'm glad to have those memories of my family activated by this event that falls on such historic days. I'll try to hold my Bible tomorrow and give my thoughts to those that came before me and to those that lead us and those I love.  Perhaps other memories of these people I love will be triggered. My mother did not have a Bible, and tomorrow perhaps I'll finally think to ask her about that. I believe both she, Dad and my kids and husband all consider mine to be ours. A thought that made me smile tonight.
As I thought about Bibles from so many perspectives.