I've heard it said that you can tell a lot about a person by looking at the book titles in their bookshelf. There's probably some truth to that observation.
Today I picked up the book collection of a parishioner who is moving away from Silverdale. She's moving into an apartment in Woodinville where she can be closer to her son and she's downsizing her household. She's donated her collection of Bible study books to St. Antony's. As I look through the titles, I see her spiritual life before me.
There are many serious Bible study books, including sixteen Barclay's Study Guides on the entire New Testament, many with passages highlighted and comments in the margins. The volumes of Church Teaching Series, both the original series from the eighties and the new series from 2000, are all there. Her study Bible is included, complete with handsewn cover and notes in the margins. There are Bible atlases, Bible dictionaries, parallel Bibles, several concordances, books on church history, the saints, theology, and prayer.
When I look at these books, I think about the many hours she spent reading and studying the Bible. These books represent her life of prayer, study, and devotion, and I'm impressed by her diligence and perseverance. Through these books she came closer to God and became a holy woman.
I'm sorry to see her leave our church family, but I hope she'll be happy in her new home and find new friends and a new parish family that will embrace her and support her. May God bless her always.
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