Where Is It?

How many times in your life have you gone looking for something only to discover it’s not where you expected it to be? I can’t count the times I’ve seen an item clear as day in my minds eye as to exactly where I’ll find it, to not find it there at all. Then thinking about it for a moment, get another picture, and not find it there either. I’ve probably spent many hours looking for stuff I knew exactly where they were, only to never find them. Of course if they are found, they’re always in the last place you look, I hope.
Can you find the names of 25 books of the Bible in this paragraph? This is a most remarkable puzzle. Someone found it in the seat pocket on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping himself occupied for hours. One man from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his johnboat. Roy Clark studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Victs mentioned it in her column once. One woman judges the job to be so involving; she brews a cup of tea to help calm her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot, that’s a fact. Some people will soon find themselves in a jam; especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. The truth is, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to see some of them. At the worst, something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have. Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation may help. Books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without there numbers. And punctuation or spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete. Remember, there are 25 books of The Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph.
[Acts 1: 7-11] In Montana, overlooking the Missouri River and the Great Northern Railroad is a monument erected to pay tribute to ole “Shep”, a collie dog that had belonged to an old shepherd. Wherever the man went, Shep was always at his side. Then in 1936 Shep’s master died. Shep accompanied him one last time as men took his body to the train station; it was to be shipped back east for burial. Shep tried to board the train, but was put off. Shep followed the train as far as he could. After losing sight of it he returned to the station, dug a spot under the depot platform and waited for his masters return. For six long years he would expectantly greet the arrival of each train, looking for his master. In January 1942, a train struck and killed the faithful dog. Railroaders who had befriended and fed the dog, buried him on a nearby bluff, and the monument was erected in his memory. Everyone has a master and everyone spends much time waiting on and serving their master. Unlike “Shep”, I have the hope, knowledge and faith that my master will return. The two (angels) who appeared to the disciples assured them that Jesus would return and staring up into the sky was just a waste of time. We’re to be about our Fathers business, saving the lost, and yes preparing for the last day, but not dwelling on it. If you would spend the time you’re about to spend on the puzzle, each day studying Gods Word, you’ll find your master is alive, and working in your life though He is out of sight. (Titus 2: 11-14) I once was lost, but now I’m found, in Christ.