For my recent birthday, Torrie give me a new set of scriptures.

The scriptures are a dark green color that has recently been discontinued. Luckily Rachel was able to snag one of the few remaining copies at the Distribution Center for us. Thanks, Rachel! I really like the color. I love the new book smell.

However, I have a lot of mixed emotions with starting a new set of scriptures, since I have used the previous ones since I turned 16. There's a lot of memories, notes, and sacred experiences in there. They were worn, wrinkled, folded, and colorful. The new scriptures feel cold, bare, black and white.

However, I am changing as well. The biggest change - on her way in early October - is pushing a change in my scripture study.

Seminary Study:
I had one of those two-colored pencils. You know, red on one side, blue on the other? Although the lack of a "safe" end of the pencil did result in more errant red/blue marks, it was rather handy on making scripture mastery scriptures stand out.
I was studying to understand the scriptures and gain a testimony of the power of scriptures.

Missionary:
As I entered the MTC, my scriptures began to get more colorful. The combination of having to delve into the scriptures like I never had before and the state of mind that comes up with being in the same room for hours at a time resulted in a rainbow of verses that approximately lined up with the six missionary discussions that were being used at the time.

As a result, my old scriptures are covered with a plethora of potentially confusing color combinations:
Red - Scriptures I liked and decided to mark while I was in high school.
Blue - Scripture mastery scriptures.
Light blue - Basic doctrines of the gospel: Nature of God, Prayer, Holy Ghost, Prophets
Green - The Gospel of Jesus Christ: The atonement, faith, repentance, baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, enduring to the end.
Purple - The Restoration of the Gospel - Priesthood Authority
Brown - The Plan of Salvation - Pre-earth life, purpose of this life,
Orange - Sacrifice, Tithing, Word of Wisdom
Yellow - Second Coming, Everything else

During the mission I noticed a change in my scripture study. I was no longer studying for myself, I was studying for the people that I was teaching. My set of Italian scriptures became a personal teaching treasure trove, with multiple colored tabs in strategically locations across the side in order to teach with precision and help give the Spirit a better chance to have an effect on the people I was teaching.

So I think that with the upcoming addition of a baby girl to our family, my next scripture study coloring system is going to focus on my main role as a husband and father, with secondary foci being my responsibilities as a home teacher, member missionary, and whatever callings I may have at church.

Any ideas? I'm wondering about maybe coloring by situation - how to recieve answers to prayers, how to repent, encouraging passages, etc. I may have a special color for rhetorical questions that the scriptures ask. Maybe something for my own personal responsibilities? I'd appreciate any feedback that anyone has out there. One thing is for sure - there's no one right answer to how one should mark scriptures, otherwise they would come that way.