Today’s Prompt: Tell us the story of your most-prized possession. Today’s twist: We extolled the virtues of brevity back on day five, but now, let’s jump to the other side of the spectrum and turn to long-form writing.

This is the final assignment for the month long Writing 101 course. I’m glad I did it and I would encourage you to sign up for one too!  It’s a great opportunity to meet other people who are on the same journey you are.  I have made some new blogger friends and my world is a better place as a result.

This last assignment is freaking me out a little bit though.  I feel like I want it to be something extra ordinary, because it’s last, you know.  But then there is this pressure to be extra ordinary and instead of marvelous words pouring off my fingers, my usually humming brain is drop a pin silent.

Then there is the topic – as I’ve mulled over it, I came to the conclusion that very few things really matter to me. People do. Family does.  Friends do. Even furry ones.  But a most prized possession?  My first thought was my wedding ring. But, my teenagers begged me to save you from 750 words about my wedding ring – insisting most of you would be running out of the room gagging because of the sappiness.

So I thought and I thought all weekend.  Don’t get me wrong, I like my stuff.  I’m thankful for my stuff.  But…maybe I’m just not sentimental?  I thought of my Vita-mix.  But that’s not a prized possession.  It just makes really great smoothies.  I like my house and my car, and my laptop.  But I have a hard time saying they are prized.  The definition of prized is to value extremely highly.  If I had a different house or car of laptop, I’m sure I could be just as content.  The are important, but replaceable.

Then it dawned on me.  I know what my most prized possession is!  But, at that same moment, I thought, “I can’t write about that!”  They will all think…  I don’t know what I thought you would all think. So here it goes…

It is my lighthouse.  It lights my dark paths.  It gives me hope.  I am changed because of it.  Rarely a day goes by that I don’t spend time with it.  I study it. I cry over it.  I sing over it.  In the darkest moments I would sleep with it under my pillow.

The funniest part about this is that for the most part it is in electronic form.  It’s on my ipad, my phone, my laptop, my kindle.  I’ve found having it available in all those places means I’m rarely without it.  If you haven’t guessed already, I’m talking about my Bible.

I couldn’t imagine it was gone tomorrow.  Thankfully I have bits memorized in my head, and the verses from when I was a wee one seem to be there permanently.  I type a new verse on my ipad lock screen each day.  Right now it says, “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.”  Is. 54:13.  Isn’t that a precious promise for a home-school Mama?

When the kids were little we had “Swords of the Spirit”  which were 3 ring binders in the size of 3×5. Inside on a blank 3×5 card we would write various topics with verses.  For example one might say, “When I am Afraid” at the top.  Then below that this verse, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 1 Tim. 1:7

I’m grateful God didn’t leave us here on the earth with no plan.  The Bible is an instruction book, but it’s so much more than that.  It is a love letter from our Creator.  How awesome is that?  I’m reading 1 Peter now.  Such an encouraging book.  If someone wanted to know where to start, I would suggest John. My favorite book is the Psalms.  David is so honest.   He doesn’t hid his feelings or pretend like all is ok when it’s not.  But he doesn’t stay in that place either.  He points back to God and His love, power and grace.

A dear friend encouraged me probably ten years ago to start a notebook titled, “God is…”  Inside write down each verse I come across that talks about who God is.  That exercise has changed my life.  As I’ve searched the Scriptures for who God is I am in awe of how much he loves me.

Another time I went through the Psalms and wrote every verse that talked about God being my refuge and strength.  I’m still awed and humbled when I read back though those verses. It’s a great list for turning my fears upside down.

I love to read.  Always have.  I have read through the Bible more than any other book – probably at least six times.  And I would love to do it again.  There is so much there – Hebrews 4:12   ^“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Thank you for listening to the ramblings from my heart about my most prized possession.