The Bumper Book

~ Grace Gifts ~

Childhood books that are passed down to children and their children.

My favorite childhood book was The Bumper Book.

Before I could read, I would look at the pictures and make-believe I was the children in each and every page.

I knew what the words were and I pretended to read it until I was able.

Here's a page I would pretend to read...over and over....

            ~ Up In A Swing ~ by Robert Lois Stevenson

How do you like to go up in a swing,
  Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
  Ever a child can do!
 
Up in the air and over the wall,        
  Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
  Over the countryside—
 
Till I look down on the garden green,
  Down on the roof so brown—  
Up in the air I go flying again,
  Up in the air and down!

           Another favorite story/poem of mine was
                     ~  Winkin' Blinkin' and Nod ~

                            ~ Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod ~
Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod, one night sailed off in a wooden shoe;

Sailed off on a river of crystal light into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going and what do you wish?" the old moon asked the three.
"We've come to fish for the herring fish that live in this beautiful sea.
Nets of silver and gold have we," said Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song as they rocked in the wooden shoe.
And the wind that sped them all night long ruffled the waves of dew.
Now the little stars are the herring fish that live in that beautiful sea;
"Cast your nets wherever you wish never afraid are we!"
So cried the stars to the fishermen three - Winkin', and Blinkin', and Nod.

So all night long their nets they threw to the stars in the twinkling foam.
'Til down from the skies came the wooden shoe bringing the fisherman home.
'Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed as if it could not be.
Some folks say 'twas a dream they dreamed of sailing that misty sea.
But I shall name you the fisherman three - Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod.

Now Winkin' and Blinkin' are two little eyes and Nod is a little head.
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies is a wee one's trundle bed.
So close your eyes while mother sings of the wonderful sights that be.
And you shall see those beautiful things as you sail on the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three - Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod.

Now then, if only I could memorize scripture as well as I memorized stories when I was a wee one.

Praying that we all come to love our Bible as much as we loved our childhood books.  As for me? I do believe I've grown up enough to love my Bible more than any other Book in the world.