“Scripture time.”
Ever since I can remember, those two little words have been my personal
alarm clock; reverberating in my ears each day as my mom flipped on the light
switch to the cowboy-themed room I shared with my brother. I would then stumble
drowsily up our carpeted stairs to read a chapter of the Book of Mormon with
the other 7 members of our family. It
was that very ritual that sparked within me a love for reading.
As the youngest of six, I was repeatedly fascinated by the
way my siblings could look at the squiggles on the pages, and make scriptural
poetry roll off their tongues in such a musical manner. For years, I sat and listened with my
illustrated Book of Mormon storybook open on my lap.
By age 4, I was studying the “Fun with Dick and Jane”
children’s books alongside my patient mother. Squiggly lines were transformed into pitches
and volumes, and I was able to participate in daily scripture study well before
my fifth birthday.
In the morning, I would stand next to Nephi as he embarked
on a sea voyage. And while the rest of the family was at school, I would laugh
with Dick and Jane as we watched Spot run.
At age six, I was already flying over the walls of Hogwarts on my
broomstick as I read alongside my sister’s voice, and soon was able to endeavor
other such adventures completely on my own.
I quickly learned, that a book is not simply a number of
bound sheets used to convey information; it is an entire world just hiding
under the covers. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father allowed me into His
world each morning as I crawled in under that little blue cover, wearing my
dinosaur pajamas.
I loved how you start this post with comparing "scripture time" to an alarm clock ringing- that's a really cool image that stuck with me throughout the rest of the post. Your closing paragraph was also really striking. The idea of reading the scriptures as a way of Heavenly Father letting us into His world is new to me, but a view I want to adapt as well. Very well put, great imagery and fun to read. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the imagery you used as you described the process of your development in reading. Things like "scriptural poetry rolling off the tongue" and putting yourself in the stories as you got older added to the imagery that helped the reader connect with the writing. Very well done and a good read!
ReplyDeleteThe details that you provide: blue cover, dinosaur pajamas, watching spot run etc. make this post come alive. It takes us to the places you've been and helps us to remember our own scripture times. It's amazing to me how words on a page can come to life and provide more color and vibrancy that pictures on a screen.
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