The Reverends Ignacio and Stella Cooper Mosqueda Book Scholarship
“The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man; nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall, nations perish, civilizations grow old and die out, and after an era new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet live on, still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men’s hearts of the heart of men centuries dead.”
~Clarence Day ~
My parents, while wildly different from one another, in so many areas, there were also core values, like the love of God and of learning, which they shared. They dedicated their lives to ministry and were both, in their own ways, steadfast witnesses of Christ. They also both loved to help other people; and that help most often was manifested in two ways – feed anyone who is hungry and enlighten anyone who is interested in learning. My parents could spontaneously deliver both sermons about God, and lectures about everything from grammar to baseball, without a seconds notice. I am so grateful to have known them.
I lost my Father on April Fool’s Day in 1986 and my Mother on New Year’s Eve Day of 2012; I have tried within these pages to pay homage to their memory and their lives.
In the many moves that dominated their lives, clothes, beds, and dishes could always be left behind; but never the books! They both read their entire lives and were passionate about the Bible, but neither of their reading lists was limited. From books about prophecy to fiction to chess to politics to history to art and beyond, they loved reading; and were both life-long seekers of understanding and wisdom.
One of the last things my Father and I did together was to go to his favorite book store in Puerto Rico. I remember watching him and thinking, he is like a kid in a candy store. He cherished his books, and was excited when he found books in Spanish, especially classics from literature and history and of course anything on Cuba – he also had a soft spot for Louis L’Amour – his cowboy novels.
It was my Mother who first introduced me to library book sales, a source of remarkable gems; one of our favorite outings was to go to our local Friends of the Library book sales. We always came home with bags of books. We would haul them to the dining-room table, and gingerly separate them into piles, first her books and my books, and then books we had bought for someone else. We would sit and go through our stacks a couple of times, before carrying her books to her bedroom, where she would rearrange her book cases, to make a home for the new additions, while my pile would be divided into topics – except for the insane stack of must reads right now, which would end up by my bedside, until the next weeks purchases pushed them to the shelves.
They so loved their books! In seeking to honor my parents who inspired me with their own pursuits of knowledge and love of the written word, and in keeping with Manasseh Press’ Mission Statement, That Is All For Now. Com, has decided to offer a scholarship for the purchase of text books. The winner of this scholarship will be a deserving college student, of any age, who is currently enrolled, in an accredited college, university, or trade school, and is working at least twenty hours a week. It is our desire to help students achieve their dreams.
In order to be considered, the candidate must fill out a scholarship application, and write an essay which addresses the ideals stated in our Mission Statement. The winning essay will be published on ThatIsAllForNow.com.
To fund this scholarship and others in the future, by September we will be launching another website, which will offer you an opportunity to purchase unique items that we feel reflect our desire to explore, learn, grow, and surround ourselves with beauty. There will be original pieces, which I consider art, as well as many of our finds and pieces made from said finds! We will be sharing favored photographs, poetry, books, glassware, Judaica, Christmas and holiday items, linens, travel mementos, garden elements, and whatever things we run across, in our adventures, which I think may need a good home.
Those of you who have read this column, well know my love for things which have been discarded – I take true delight in reading a used book – in finding someone else’s notes in the margins, examining their book mark, and even pondering the dedication. Much of what will be offered will have had another life, before it finds its way, into your hands; it is now called vintage! Finds from antique malls, yard sales, and second hand stores are coming your way; and I think you will fall in love with those sparkling little juice glasses, just like I have. Our shop site will provide you a true opportunity to recycle and reuse as we help worthy candidates pursue their academic goals! That is all for now.
Application for The Reverends Ignacio and Stella Cooper Mosqueda Book Scholarship Fund
