what to do with old Bibles

Interestingly, LT said her cell member asked her what happens if she burns the bible.
LT was speechless.
My reply? 'It will further deplete the ozone layer...' Haha. Not funny. But true what, the bible has some kind of special ink...

well for those of you who do not know what to do with old bibles...
here are 2 articles.

http://www.blogpastor.net/2008/06/17/disposing-of-old-bibles/

How do we dispose of old deteriorated Bibles? I must admit I have thrown some down the HDB thrash bin although most of them I have given away or made available for others to take and use. How many Bibles have I owned and fawned and used and discarded like used tissues at a hawker center table? I dare not guess. How should we dispose of old used Bibles properly? I have thought of different things but the best idea I have come up with so far was to give it away for others to use. But what will the others do with it when they buy their own new Bibles? So my interest was piqued when Anthony Loke of Old Testament Passion blogged about this and linked to a rabbi Mark Gellman’s recommendation. I have extracted the rabbi’s idea about proper disposal of old used Bibles for your convenience. Tell me what you think.

Q: I have quite a few old Catholic prayer books handed down from my wife’s mother years ago. I would like to know how to dispose of them. — F., via e-mail

A: Catholic prayer books (missals) and old deteriorated Bibles still bear the word of God and the name of God in them. They are old and worn, but they are still vessels of the holy, and so they cannot be disposed of in the garbage with yesterday’s green bean casserole. This respect for worn-out sacred books is universally shared by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In older and more traditional Catholic practice, I am told, the books would be covered and buried respectfully though not necessarily in a cemetery. They should be covered and then buried. “Dust to dust” refers to the disposal of all holy vessels.


==

http://oldtestamentpassion.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-do-you-do-with-old-bibles.html

have you ever had old worn-out bibles? those thoroughly used for years and dog-eared and marked but pages now coming out and the binding breaking? what do you do with these old bibles?


do you just throw them away? pack them with your old newspapers and sell to the 'old newspaper man'? or do you just pack them with your usual rubbish and cart them off to the rubbish dump?


what do the jews in the past do with their old manuscripts and scriptures? what do they do today? i have read of the discovery of the genizah texts, old scrolls discovered in a storeroom ('genizah') in an old synagogue in cairo, egypt.


dr. claude mariotinni has an interesting article (in fact, two articles) on this. read on:


http://www.claudemariottini.com/blog/2008/05/how-to-dispose-of-old-bibles.html


http://www.claudemariottini.com/blog/2008/06/on-bibles-and-manuscripts.html#links

How do I INFLUENCE others?

Interesting article for weekend reflection!

By Dan Reiland

The following are four insights to challenge and encourage you as you lead those God has entrusted to you.


1. You can impress people from afar, but you impact them from up close.

Leaders get involved in the lives of the people they lead with an intentional focus on those who are in the process of becoming a leader. You can’t model from the pulpit. Modeling is life on life. Modeling says, "Come do this with me." Modeling lets people see your mistakes and how you handle pressure. Because this is true, we can discern that we don’t truly model for large numbers. Your church may be large, but you model for just a few. Know who they are and be intentional about it. Be real and be yourself while also being the best model of Christianity that you can.


2. You reproduce who you are.

The principle of mirror leadership is very sobering. Mirror leadership means that after about 36 months of leadership, the people around you reflect very closely who you are.

Look closely and learn from who you attract, and the people who stay with you under your modeling, equipping and developing. When good people leave you, find out why. Your skills and personality may determine who you attract, but your character, integrity, and lifestyle will determine who you keep over the long haul.


3. Our lifestyle influences others.
In many arenas of life, it is your skill that earns you the right to influence others, but for us as Christian leaders it is first our character - our lifestyle that earns us the right. What we do when no one is looking is as important as our level of competency. Competency is critical, but it’s not the whole picture.


4. Modeling integrity is what makes the difference between a shallow short-term project and meaningful ministry that lasts.

We are about changed lives, changed by the power of God. Although this can happen in a moment, for most it’s a process, and a slow one at that. People aren’t projects and they don’t fit into formulas or timetables. Meaning is found over the course of a journey.

My kids call it "party manners." Anyone can behave for a short period of time. What counts is your ability to live well over the long haul.

The following are practical principles that help bring this idea of modeling into your daily leadership life.

Bring order to your private world.
When we talk of modeling, it seems like an external display because we talk in terms of what others observe about your life. The truth is that modeling is an inside job. How you live the life that others see is determined completely by the life you live that no one sees. How you handle your thought life, your motives, and your temptations has everything to do with how well you model life for others.

Determine a distinctive set of values and demonstrate them in daily life.
There is no such thing as a default value. Either you choose your own values and live by them or someone else will choose them for you. There are plenty of people who are happy to do so - billions of dollars are invested each year in advertising with the intent of communicating a certain set of values in a very appealing way. Know what you believe, why you believe it, and live it out in an intentional way.

Live by the same set of rules and standards.
As leaders, one of the most dangerous things we can do is to live above the law. By that I mean that you have one set of rules and standards for others but don’t follow them yourself. I remember one pastor in a church I consulted with who expected his staff and lay leaders to stick within the budget, but he had no intention of remaining within any budget. We had a great and eye-opening conversation about being a good model.

Roll up your sleeves, get involved and show the way.
You can neither lead nor model from an ivory tower. You may not do all the tasks that those you lead must perform, but they must see you "in the game." A couple of Sundays ago, I observed Miles Welch, one of our pastors, joining in on the umbrella action. It was raining hard as church got out, and to make matters worse, our parking lot is torn up (and muddy) because we are under construction. Miles could have easily let his team do their job while he remained dry, but instead he chose to model a servant spirit by grabbing an umbrella and helping walk people to their cars.

So, how about you? Will you take a moment right now and reflect on the kind of model you are? For what do you have to be thankful? And what might you need to improve upon?

By: Dan Reiland

This Is Your Time - Michael W Smith

Michael W Smith and Wes King
"Inspiried by and in memory of Cassie Bernall. I look forward to meeting you on the other side (heaven)."

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/cassie.htm



It was a test we could all hope to pass
But none of us would want to take.
Faced with the choice to deny God to live,
For her, there was one choice to make.

This was her time. this was her dance.
She lived every moment; left nothing to chance.
She swam in the sea; drank of the deep;
Embraced the mystery of all she could be.

This was her time...

Though you are mourning and grieving with us,
Death died a long time ago;
Swallowed in life so that life carries on.
Still it's so hard to let go.

This was her time. this was her dance.
She lived every moment; left nothing to chance.
She swam in the sea; drank of the deep;
Embraced the mystery of all she could be.

What if tomorrow, and what if today,
Faced with the question,
Oh what would you say?

This is your time. this is your dance.
Live every moment. leave nothing to chance.
Swim in the sea. drink of the deep.
Follow the mercy and hear yourself praying.

Won't you save me?
Won't you save me?

This is your time. this is your dance.
Live every moment. leave nothing to chance.
Swim in the sea. drink of the deep.
Embrace the mystery of all you can be.

This is your time. this is your dance.
Live every moment. leave nothing to chance.
Swim in the sea. drink of the deep.
Embrace the mystery of all you can be.

This is your time...
(won't you save me?)
(this is your time)
(won't you save me?)