What To do When The Dog "Eats" Your "Homework"

Well it wasn't my homework and the dog didn't exactly eat it but let me start from the beginning.

We have a pretty old dog, he will be sixteen in July. His bladder control isn't what it used to be. This is not a problem during the day, he goes to the door (frequently) and I let him out. Night time is different....eight hours is much too long for his bladder, so we provide pads and keep him confined in the downstairs bathroom. Getting dog ready for the night is a job husband and I share

Last Thursday when I came down to start the coffee, the dog greeted me at the foot of the stairs...this was not a good sign...we forgot to shut the bathroom door. I did a quick glance, no sign of an accident, so I continued with my morning routine.... dodged that bullet or so I thought

Once husband was out the door I decided to take a minute to read my bible before I had to head out the door myself... that's when I saw it...my bible... sitting in a puddle right next to my chair (and yes it was me who left my bible on the floor)

I had a flurry of emotions (none good) as I quickly tried to clean the mess, but I also had an eight thirty appointment so would have to continue my emotional meltdown at a later time. I needed to talk to my husband, but when I called him it went to voicemail, so I called my eldest son (I seriously needed to TALK to someone) He was sympathetic and called his wife, who in turn called me back and PRAYED with me...I was able to get through the morning. PRAYER...why hadn't I thought of that? Thankful for my DIL who knew what I REALLY needed (and who took time out of her morning to call...school was just about to begin)

When I got back home I had time to assess the damages, wasn't looking good, several pages were wet and it had seeped into the bottom of many other pages but not all the way through the entire book. This is the bible I have carried for the last twelve years, it is heavily marked, scripture dated, and margins written in. I can look at certain scriptures that are marked and remember exactly what was happening in our lives and how God meet us. A lot of life has been lived in the past twelve years and that bible is a road map of where we have been. I had my emotional meltdown that afternoon over that ruined bible

I was finally able to reach my husband, he promised to try to clean it with some vinegar (He did just that, page by page) He wouldn't be able to fix it but he could make it better. The bible now sits on a counter a bit smelly and wrinkly waiting for me to decide what to do with it. Don't think I can use it, (it does have a unique smell to it) but have also been having a hard time putting up on the shelf.

You know the truth is I had been thinking about getting a new bible for quite some time, I just hadn't been able to bring my self to do it....ridiculous! Still trying to figure that one out!  A text my youngest son sent me was helpful...when texting about how I had twelve years of my life marked in that bible...his response was

        "could be worse though, at least you've got the rest of your life to mark better stuff"

I will miss my bible, but God will continue to speak to me through his word, and like manna it needs to be collected fresh every morning. All those markings and underlined scripture are a wonderful testimony to what God has done in the past and his faithfulness but maybe, just maybe it's time to start looking for a new bible, and look at things from a FRESH perspective