Skip to main content

FIRST EDITIONS

 First Editions written by Joan Rowden Hart  in 2017.

In the living books on the shelves of the eternal library of life, we are all first editions.  No one has ever been exactly like us since the world began, and there will never be anyone exactly like us even until the end of time.

Our book was nothing but blank pages when the Great Author of life conceived us in His mind, numbering both the  days of life we would have (see Psalm 139)  and numbering the hairs on our head (see Matthew 10).

He knows our story from beginning to end, and the narrative is unlike that of anyone else, and to confirm that fact He stamped our unique fingerprint on the tips of our fingers.  Those are our copyrights.

Then he sent us out into the world, where we began to fill the book of our life with our own story, making decisions which will impact our destiny for eternity.

Every page is a clean slate.  Every dawning is a new day and as darkness descends amid the night time sounds of the nocturnal creatures in our part of the world, we should make time  to go back over that day’s page to check for lessons learned and to draft letters of apology to those we might have hurt. And to those who have hurt us, we must immediately extend forgiveness. Every page should include a gratitude list of blessings received.

There are no do-overs.  Missed opportunities may or may not be allowed to roll over until the next day, as our Omniscient  Editor deems best.  The seconds, minutes and hours of that day are gone forever, never to come around again, and they are deducted from the alloted days given to us at the beginning whether we used them wisely or not.

Only our Maker knows the value of an eternal soul, so no price tag will appear  anywhere.

When our time is up, and the last page and paragraph, sentence and word has been written, God will close the book and put it on the shelf in His archives.  And in the years to come, our loved ones will ask to read it.  As they scan the pages, will they be embarrassed and full of shame?  Or will they be encouraged and ask for copies to share with their younger family members who are trying to follow in our footsteps?

As time goes by the words on the pages of our archived book will fade away and become memories engraved on the hearts of those who loved us.  But God, the Author of life,will never forget.  And if we have served Him during our lifetime on earth, He will remember us as one of His best creations, and shelve us in a special place in His great library surrounding His throne.


©Joan Rowden Hart 2022


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Mary Did You Know" by Mark Lowry

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF AUTUMN

  SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF AUTUMN By Joan Rowden Hart, Oct. 17, 2016 The hickory tree stands tall in the yard A harbinger of the season to come Dispensing nuts as the wind picks up A change in the weather so abrupt These are the sights and sounds of autumn The first tryma just rolled down the length of the roof But they’ve been littering the roads for days They crack under the wheels Causing car brakes to squeal The sights and the sounds of autumn. A chill in the breeze says it won’t be long now Old winter will be here too soon But there are still pleasant days For the sun’s warming rays And the sights and the sounds of autumn Leaves drifting on the wings of the wind as they play A kaleidoscope of nature’s own making Rusty mauve, glittery gold Red and orange bright and bold These are the sights and sounds of autumn. Smoke rising in the air from bonfires here and there Hotdogs impaled on sticks, embers glowing Crisp and crunch as you bite In the evenings waning light More sights and sou...

NATIONAL WOMEN'S CONFERENCE 1977 - Joan as delegate

AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN THE MAKING   MISSOURI Document 139: "Delegates to the National Women's Conference" (Houston: National Women's Conference, 1977). 15 pp. DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S CONFERENCE The voices and faces of American women delegates to the National Women's Conference reflect the diversity of this country's female population. Self-descriptions of the delegates, ages 16 to 80, indicate a myriad of women's roles and occupations, There ane single and married women, mothers, daughters, and grandmothers. There are homemakers, working women, students and retired women. Delegations include a number of nuns, secretaries, teachers, nurses, lawyers, ministers, fadory workers, handicapped women, technicians, and women from urban, rural, farm and ranch areas of this country. DELEGATES Angie Bennett, Springfield Joan Brier, Columbia Shirley Clough, Glendale Mary Gale Doyle, St. Louis Mae Duggan, St. Louis Karen Dukewits, Indepe...