The "Bible Investigations" Story

It was an ordinary day. Looking through the Bible. Not just any Bible, but a family Bible. Trouble is, I'm not sure who's family it belongs to. Found it behind the Book of Common Prayer, Hymnal and Good News Bible on the book shelf in our living room. It is a Holman's Pronouncing Edition of the King James Version Bible. Black leather cover with a zipper that actually works after all the years. After pulling it from behind the other books, I notice that it was swollen. Yep, swollen! Really fat. Opened it and started leafing through it and started to find all kind of treasures. In Exodus 30 is a flyer from my Aunt Lillian's funeral in 2002. Could that be a clue as to who's Bible this is. In Leviticus 16 is a small dried flower branch. Same as on the page of Deuteronomy 31. You know, I'm starting to remember back when I was confirmed at St. James Episcopal Church when I was 12 years old. Rev. Batchelder, our minister, made all the people getting confirmed memorize all the books of the Bible. Both the Old and New Testaments. I can
still whip off almost all of the books. Not sure if he wouldn't have confirmed me if I hadn't memorized them. I was in the choir, when to church twice every Sunday, went to Sunday school every Sunday, and helped with all the suppers that were held at the parish house. Looking back, I should have faked not knowing them to see what he would have done. Well anyway, a few more pages into Deuteronomy are a few petals from a rose and in Samuel 27 are three dried up purple flowers. Ah ha, I'm getting close! Kings 22 yields two dried carnations and then finally ...... in Chronicles is a remembrance leaflet from my Nannan's (Grandmother) funeral. Also, stuffed in the same page is a small yellowed piece of paper that says "The Lord is My Shepherd," St. John Chapter 11 verse 35. Another clue, maybe. But, I don't recognize the writing. Kinda of reminds me of my brother Steve's left-handed cursive writing. Stuffed in the next page is another piece of paper hand-written with "The Legend of the Dogwood Tree." Still don't recognize the cursive writing. On Nehemiah 9 is this: at 45 miles - highways are Happy Days, at 55 I am but a stranger here and heaven is my home, at 65 nearer my God to Thee, at 75 When the Roll is Called up Yonder, at 85 I'll be There Lord I'm coming Home -- Sing While You Drive. This time it is written in ink and the paper isn't as yellow. In Psalms 8 is leaflet and obit story for my Father-In Law Charles. Wow, that threw me for a loop. Now I'm lost. Almost had it figured out who the Bible belongs to. Then in Isaiah are more dried roses. Isaiah 41 yields a red carnation and a flyer for my Mother-In Law Grace. On the first page of St. Matthew is another yellowed piece of line paper with: "The Lord's Prayer - St. Matthew chapter 6 9-14. And the final clue in St. Matthew 27, another note that has is red colored pencil, Saint John Chapter 11 35 - Jesus wept. Probably since I can't find out the owner of this neat Bible. Then ....... as I'm closing the Bible, I discover a page stuck in the front against the leather cover. Declares: This Bible Presented To .... my dear wife by her Grandmother Fannie, June 15, 1955. Funny how treasures like this get pushed aside and discovered years later. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.