Little Blue Book

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My most cherished possession is a little blue book, the Children’s Book.  

This was the first Bible Story Book for kids published in 1941.   Children must of been more intelligent and studios in 1941. This is a Bible story book for kids. Instead of the Bible Story Book I grew up with which was published in 1976, full of beautiful colorful illustrations with short easy to read and memorize  Bible Stories that made Bible accounts come to life in a way that would be the building blocks of my faith.

This first Bible story book. Entitled Children teaches  Bible stories from the point of view about a couple that are engaged to marry. The couple know as the pilgrims decide before their marriage. Together they will study the Bible. So kids in 1941 are learning Bible accounts through these young couples' eyes and learning Bible truths along with the couple as they learn.  

Written in 1941 I found it difficult to just jump right in and get involved in the story.  This was a different time,  the Bible Accounts have not been simplified for a child's comprehension. Not is it full of colorful illustrations. In fact it has only a handful of drawings. This was a time when allowing a child to have their own book with no cost was unheard of.

The author Joseph Rutherford saw the need for young ones to build a solid foundation for the truth. No doubt when they received and opened their new book. They were  deeply touched to see a handwritten letter address to the Children of the King.  In a time where children were to be seen not heard, here was a letter addressed to them personally. Many came from poor families and had very little to call their own. This book was theirs.

but the way it is written it takes me a few pages to get into it.  There are words I had to ask my Grandpa about. When he was sick I stayed with him for a few weeks.  I knew his time to die would be soon and I wanted to enjoy studying with him. We use to joke that he was like a Bible Encyclopedia. If you had a Bible question he could and would answer it. He had his own little room in the small trailer he along with my grandma lived in. North Texas. Us kids we're not supposed to go into his room. This is where he kept all his special spiritual possession. He loved to sit in the stillness of his room and play Brother Rutherford's records.  Growing up I had every opportunity to sit and listen to those old records, but as all could I had no interest in listening to a record. Not in the era of growing up in the age of Television.  I would give anything to hearnthoes records now. 

Grandpa had another  spiritual library that stretched across the living room on shelves my grandmother made.  The books were in order of publication date and color. 

On my last visit to grandpa's as an adult. I remember asking grandpa if I could read one of his older special books. As kids we were not allowed to touch the books on the top shelf.  These were the older publications that were very fragile.  I was thrilled when he reached to the top of the shelf and pulled out a little blue book.  He handed it to me and said this is my Bible Story book.  I was confused at first this book only had a few pictures, and they were strange drawings with no colors.. Where were the pictures of the Paradise, the animals going into Noah, an ark?  This didn’t look like My Book of Bible Stories.  This blue book looks more like a novel , meant for adults, not kids.  I was so touched to see on the inside was a personal letter, brother Rutherford wrote for all the kids.  My grandpa explained that at a convention Brother Rutherford gave a talk and invited all the young ones in the audience to come and sit up front.  My grandpa was ten years old, and I have a picture of him proudly holding his Children’s Book.

Looking back  I wish I had taken more time to talk to my grandpa and learn from him.  He was not the type of grandpa that would sit and hold you and tell you stories.

   He was very sweet and kind and highly studious.  He came from a family living in the Ozarks.  Unfortunately when her was three he contracted the disease Polio.  He lost one of his brothers to this terrible disease.  Grandpa lost the use of his left arm.  He would for the rest of his life hold his left arm to his side. This would be the mark he would always bear that he was a survivor. As a teenager I wouldn’t appreciate him and sadly would be irritated by him. I didn’t understand why he was always fussing at us kids.  He would spend hours watching the news.  He would turn the T.V. up so loud it would hurt my ears.  He would stand so close to the T.V. No one else could even see the screen, keeping in mind the T.V. set was only twenty-seven inches. Now I understand he couldn’t hear or see the T.V.  Watching the news for hours on end, no doubt looking for and praying for Bible Prophecy to be fulfilled.  He desperately wanted to see the end of this wicked world.  

   When I was a teenager he would try to teach us about his favorite Bible character, Manasseh.  He was fascinating with all the horrible things Manasseh would do.  

He would start each morning reading the Daily Text and he would always ask us what scripture the text came from. These moments would pass by and only now would I give anything to sit at his feet and listen to him talk about Manasseh.  

   Soon he will wake up and I will run into his open arms and get a full hug.  I will tell him how his example his study habits did in fact rub off on me.  That the picture of him reading the Bible underneath his favorite tree, and the one as a ten year old boy holding his precious Children’s book.  These pictures would remind me of my spiritual heritage and how just the promise and possibility that kept my grandpa going through all the struggles in his life.   He stayed Faithful and set a wonderful example for me.

I will tell him one day how when I was a 43-year-old, I would have doubts about my faith.  My husband would leave the truth for the second time in our marriage.  I would feel crushed and unable to stay positive and hopeful that the time would come when I could see my grandpa again.  Did I believe in fairy tales? did I put my faith in cute stories? A few weeks ago with tears in my eyes and hopelessness in my heart, I reached for that little blue book and read Brother Rutherford's letter that starts, 

“To the children of the King .”  I looked up at the picture, I had framed my grandpa at ten years old son is proudly holding his cherished book to the old frail grandpa I knew reading his cherished book.  If my grandpas faith can survive all those years, a young man to an old faithful spiritually strong man.  I could survive too.  Jehovah has provided many books and examples , brothers and sisters to help me survive.  I know soon I will get to tell grandpa how the gift of his little blue book .

ent from my iPad