Hello? Hello? Hello?

I know I haven't posted on here in a while. Is anyone out there still checking this blog? If so, let me know and I'll update but I feel it's useless to write if no one is reading.

Anyone still reading the Bible in One Year? I am, it took me a while to get back on track this fall but now that I am I am enjoying it again. Especially the New Testament sections. In fact, I started attending a new church/small group and some of the readings have prepared me well for this.

Okay, let me know who's out there - if anyone!

Off with their heads!

In the past months readings there's been a lot of beheadings, A LOT. I know there's a war going on but this seems violent to the extreme. I wonder what we are to take away from these New Testament readings? I wonder what we are to learn and apply to our lives today.

On the other side of the readings, I am enjoying hearing the stories of Jesus again, and being reminded of His words.

How's everyone doing?

~ Sarah

Anyone else?

I've not been the most religious reader. I've been known to miss 10 days and spend several hours on a Sunday morning catching up. But this week I've been trying to do better. I found a trick. I've been reading online, at work, when it's quiet and I have a free moment. Or when I need a moment!

So yesterday I had a horrible experience with my boss. He was disrespectful, dismissive, and downright rude to me in front of other teachers, my other bosses, parents and students. I felt it was totally uncalled for and so did most of the other witnesses. So much so that the rest of the day was a constant barrage of, "how can I help?", "what can I do?", "are you okay?" but of course nothing from my boss. Except a backhanded email that I was cc'd on that I feel as another slap in the face.

But I recall this story not to whine, or because I am looking for sympathy, I did plenty of that yesterday. But here's what I also did. I came right back to my office and I opened "my bible" (online of course) and I read. And I felt better. I felt like God was speaking to me and that no matter what happens to me here, I am to know I am loved and frankly, I am a better person for not retaliating as I had initially wanted to do.

I took my moment and I read, and prayed, and remembered what's really important in life. And I can't say a year ago I would have ever done that or even thought about doing that. I am so glad to have been able to have this experience of going through the bible. I find some of it really uninteresting but then comes along a story I really connect with or one I'd always heard about but never read for myself. Very cool.

I hope you all are getting something from this experience whether you're still in March's readings or you're a week ahead. Keep reading, I'm going to, I know God has a plan and I can't wait to read how it all started!

The Chosen

Ummmm.... I am not sure how to say this so I guess I will just say this. God is acting a bit like Hitler or maybe Hitler acted a little like God? Either way God is doing some serious ethnic cleansing in the latest readings. He is taking out everyone except the Israelites and in some gruesome ways. Sarah said it is because they were worshipping other Gods but the chosen ones kept doing that too and then bad things happened to them and then they would cry out "God help us!" and he would send a prophet to save them.

They didn't even have to ask for forgiveness. They whole thing seems shady to me. I don't get it. I guess I am glad I am I live in a post New Testament world and Jesus has saved me from God's wrath.

I promise I will never compare God and Hitler again.

Angela

Gideon

I have to say I relate quite a bit to this fellow Gideon:
"But sir," Gideon replied, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?" (Judges 6:13)

And as I read I was comforted by how the Lord built Gideon up. Sometimes I wish God would just come down here and have a conversation with me, you know? Sometimes I wish I could just speak to Him face-to-face. Do you ever wonder why we can't?

~ Sarah

Friendship

Proverbs 12:26
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
(Footnotes: Proverbs 12:26 - Or man is a guide to his neighbor).

This passage left me curious last night. "Is cautious in friendship" - what do you think that means? At first thought I guess it means you choose your friends caferfully, with, obviously, caution. But when I went online today I saw the footnotes for this passage and that got me wondering again. So are we supposed to set a good example? Is that what it means? What do y'all think?

Hope it's going well - I'm doing much better reading each passage on it's assigned day this week:-) It's a start!

~ Sarah

New Testement Query

All along I thought it would be the Old Testament that would give me the most to think about having studied the New testament the most. But today I have a question about the New Testament reading. When Jesus and the disciples were in the boat and Jesus was sleeping and the storm comes up....we all know the story. The boys get scared, they wake Jesus up and he calms the storm down, and he says - you of little faith. Today when I was reading that (I was a little behind) I started to think, would they have been ok if Jesus hadn't been woken up? Would the storm have gone away and everything been fine on its own? Now I realize that would not have been a story for the Bible but I was wondering. Were the disciples making a mountain out of a mole hill. Is that what Jesus was telling them, telling us? Is that a given and it just went over my head all the other times I heard it? Just curious.

Also - in regard Deuteronomy 15:16-17 If the servant does not want to leave after seven years the master is to take and awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become a servant for life. What on earth is an awl????

Thanks, Angela

Around in circles

We have kept up pretty well. A few days behind here and there, but still plugging along. Does anyone else feel that the Israelites have been going in circles since they left Egypt? They don't like being in slavery to the Egyptians but when they get the chance for freedom and the land of milk and honey they question the Lord at every turn.

We thought that the bible said that the Israelites wondered in the desert for 40 years. But in Numbers 33 v 38 it says that Aaron died in the fortieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. After that we are reading that they are still not at the promise land. Are we adding our years wrong? I guess that might be another question for Chuck.

Another verse that we really connected with is Luke 12 v16. Jesus often withdrew to a lonely places to pray. Jeff and I were thinking that maybe we should do this more often. I don't think we take enough time to quiet our hearts and be still with the Lord. We are going to try and work on that.

Leviticus and Numbers has been a tough read for us. I read all of the daily reading out loud after we eat dinner. Some of my pronunciations are very funny and I have been skipping the run downs on the tribes and the names of the elders. So many rituals for what we would call minor infractions. Boy am I glad the Lord chose to put me in this time and place.

On to Deuteronomy!!!

A little like an Indian Jones movie...

I was 12 days behind in my bible readings this morning. I know, I know, that defeats the whole purpose of having a page to read a day but I don't know what happened. I got tired one night, didn't read, and it just snowballed. But I was determined to get caught up today, on Palm Sunday.

And I did, I read for about an hour and a half. And it was interesting to me all the things I read about. A talking donkey. A stone that when tapped produced water. A plague, of among many things, snakes. And a snake made of bronze on a stick that could cure people. Breaking of teeth. Still more sprinkling of blood. Death. Destruction. Birth. Life. Cakes made of meal. People not able to talk at all until God determines they have faith. People allowed only to say what God wants them to say. Sexual immorality. Brothers marrying sisters-in-law.

It really does seem like something of a story, it's hard to imagine any of it as real. But then again, angels and an almighty savior strike some as unfathomable as well. As I was reading I started thinking, why doesn't God just let us read the New Testament. I mean, that's the way it is now right - Jesus died for us and our sins so God won't condemn us anymore. But then I got to thinking about history. And why we teach it in schools and how important it is to know not only where you come from, but how you got to where you are today.

Last night we had 3 women from work over for dinner. We had a great time and after about 6 hours of eating and chatting I realized we'd all shared stories from just about every part of our lives. There were stories from our childhood, stories of family members, stories from college, and stories from just last year, just last week. And that's a lot of what relationship are - telling someone your stories, sharing your life with someone. And I got to thinking this morning that that's what God is doing with the Old Testament, He's sharing His, and our, stories. He's making sure we know what happened before, I am guessing in large part so we can appreciate what we have now.

What do you think?

(P.S. - I knew from a trivia contest in college that Baalam's donkey talked (the only animal in the Bible to do so), and we have this running joke about quoting it - "Why do you hit me these 3 times?" But it was very cool to read the whole story of Baalam and his donkey. To learn it was a she, and she was trying to protect him. And that the angel would have spared her for doing so. Again, I'm glad God shared that story with me.)

How Rude!

I am having a hard time with Leviticus. At first it was a bit repetitive with all the rituals and offerings and measuring everything just so. I was thinking, man God didn't have much to do if he was telling Moses how long the curtains should be. But yesterdays and today's readings were upsetting to me. I know that I have been told all my life that to be a Christian means to be God fearing but to be honest, I have never really feared. Not in the way the people of the old testament had to. I know the ten commandments and while I try to follow all of God's rules, I think that because we have the safety net of Jesus we don't have to fear.

In this reading, God himself sanctioned a man to be stoned to death and explained the rules for slavery. He said it was OK as long as it wasn't his chosen people, wow talk about teachers pet! I am so glad that I have been sticking with this even if I get behind man times. It is really opening my eyes. I have read this all before but never in this context and I am really able to see now what it truly means and what God sending Jesus truly meant to the people of that time and to us.

My question is why. Why did God decide to stop being mean and wanting offerings in a perfect way, people following his every command, eye for an eye, why did he suddenly decide to give is blanketed forgiveness? I know I have to be patient and keep reading but for the first time I feel like reading the Bible has put me in the middle of a novel that I can't wait to finish.

Still here and still loving it!!!!

We definately agree with Ang. and not hearing God like they were able to in the Old Testiment. We have commented several times about whether we would have questioned God when he was right there with us and we were able to hear him on a regular basis. I guess that is another one of you never know what you will do until you are in that situation.

The explicite detail that God goes into when he tells the Isrialites how to make the tabernacle and everything in it is amazing. It definately made it easy for them to make it. I didn't care for the sprinkeling of the blood on Aaron and his priests from some of the offerings. I can only imagine how that would smell after awhile. To tell you the truth we have skimmed over some of the finer details. Reading aloud to everyone is a little hard with just facts.

Now reading Matthew has been great. Especially since this is the Lenten season. I know we will be through it by the time Easter gets here, but that's ok. Christy has been adding a great deal to the discussion we have during and after the nights reading. It is wonderful to see her faith blossom and grow.

Ok, so I have a question on last nights reading. All this time God has been talking to various people, Jacob, Issac, Moses etc. I don't remember just how I guess I never thought of it. But when Moses has been going up on the mountain and talking to God I just assumed that they were talking face to face. But in Exedus 33:20-23 he tells Moses that no man may see me and live. So he pushed him into a cleft in the mountain with his hand while he passes so Moses will only see his back. I wonder why no man can see his face. Is is beyond our comprehension? Would we not be able to handle what he really looks like? I guess we will all find out in our alloted time.

I pray everyone is getting as much out of this study as we are. It is bringing our family together in a very different and wonderful way.

Julia

Is anybody out there?

It's been pretty quiet on the blog lately - just wondering who's around and still reading...

In today's OT reading I found it interesting that in the first part we are commanded by God to among other things, "not murder." And yet, on the next page we are to "put to death" anyone who "strikes a man, schemes and kills another man deliberately, attacks his father or mother, kidnaps and sells or still has someone, curses his father or mother," etc... Any thoughts?

Hope everyone's doing well - we're already a month down, only eleven more to go!

~ Sarah

The Plagues

I have been holding off on posting about all this Moses stuff because I thought it might become clear to me but it hasn't. So here goes:

- Why does God harden Pharoh's heart every time he makes Moses and Aaron go talk to him? I know they didn't have a lot of free will back then but it seems as though God was playing a mean trick on the Egyptians, who didn't really get a say in it.

- How did God and Moses have these chats? Was God a voice? Was there a confessional box like the Catholics? Was there a pay phone? Random burning bushes around Egypt? Do you think Moses was hearing God in his head? I mean maybe Moses was just schizophrenic and the Isrealites wandered around for 430 years for no reason? Maybe they really did have a reason to complain?

- This communication thing is really interesting to me, in the old testament, everyone gets to speak directly to God and knows exactly what God wants them to do. But we don't ever know how. It doesn't say he appears to them, they didn't have phones, so how did they talk to him. And how did they know it was him. Did I miss something in Sunday school or does this bother anyone else?

Hmmm...

So I had a little catching up to do again today: Fri, Sat, and today's sections. But I enjoyed sitting down and reading them this morning, and I really do like hearing about all these stories. Here's a couple of observations:

1. So God sent Moses off to do this job but was going to kill him. Kill him. That doesn't make sense to me. I know the God of the OT was vengeful and easy to anger but still - if Moses was supposed to do this job, I don't get it, not at all.

2. Did anyone else think Psalm 22 sounded like Jesus speaking even though it was the song of David? Especially at the end, with the crucifixion references, the casting lots for clothing, etc. To look at it as literature, it's definitely foreshadowing but I wonder if God meant us to make the connection to Jesus, and then if so, why was it a song of David? Hmmm....

3. God gave Moses ways to prove his godliness. Do you think that ever happens today, that God gives people ways to prove their faith. He says He is the one who controls the deaf, the mute, etc. So is He causing much of what happens in our world to make people believe? Just something I was thinking about.

I hope everyone has a fabulous Sunday! I love you all.
~Sarah

Jacob or Israel????

During our reading last week Jacob's name was changed to Israel. As we have seen this happens a lot in the Bible. During our reading the last few days Jacob/Israel has been called by both names in the same sentence several times. I don't remember this happening before. When the name was changed the person is from then on referred by their new name or "formally known as" . This happens often with the disciples. Do any of you have any insight on this? Jeff and I thought we had it figured out but we proven wrong later in the passage.

Why are the shepherds detestable to the Egyptians? I am going to have to look that one up. If you can help me out that would be great. I sure wish I had Chuck to ask. I may give him a call tomorrow. Of course Jeff and I had a bit of a giggle about Jesus feeding the 5,000 men "besides the women and children". I am so glad that God decided to bring me into this day and age. I can't even imagine what women and children went through at that time.

Julia

What we think

So I have figured out how to post but not how to comment. Oh well. Jeff and I were discussing Sarah's questions about Jacob and Herodias.

We believe that when Joseph went to Egypt he adopted their language. When his brothers came to him for help to hide his identity he used the interpreter so they would not put 2 and 2 together and so they would talk freely around him.

As for Herodias, Herod was sleeping with her and she was his brothers wife. John the Baptist told Herod "It is not lawful for you to have her" and Herodias didn't like that so when Herod gave Heordias's daughter anything she asked for after she had danced for Herod her mother " Herodias" told her to ask for John the Baptist's "head on a platter" So Herod was able to get rid of John like he had wanted to because he was upholding a promise. I hope this makes sense.

We are still plugging along. Jacobs story is one of my favorites. I couldn't stop reading. Jeff and Christy told me they had enough and I had to wait until tomorrow to finish. Hope you all are having as good a time as we are.

Julia

Does anyone know?

As I was reading I came across several things that didn't make sense to me today - maybe some of you can help me to understand...

1. When Joseph's brothers were in Egypt they were talking to each other and it says "They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter." - At this point did they all speak different languages? Because he'd been talking to them before just fine. Also, I am still finding it hard to believe they didn't recognize their own brother!!!

2. Who exactly is the daughter of Herodias and why did she even want the head of John the Baptist? I feel like I should know this but I don't...And why did she take it to her mother? Not something I'd be proud to show off.

If anyone has any insight, please let me know:-)
~ Sarah

I'm intrigued

So I was a little behind when I picked up my Bible this morning - 2 days behind to be exact. Friday night came and went and I fell asleep early. Yesterday I was just being lazy. But I thought Sunday morning was the perfect time to catch up. And catch up I did. I have to say I am really into the Old Testament right now. I am liking the Joseph story, rereading it and wondering what will happen next.

At first I was like poor Joseph. He was sold by his brothers and then imprisoned but wait - he's now in a position of power next to the Pharaoh! And now he's being a jerk to his brothers, imprisoning them. I can't wait to see what happens. But I am pretty sure he's following that OT law that says "An eye for an eye" and I am glad I'm reading the New Testament too, to be reminded that that's not how things are any more. Jesus doesn't preach that. In fact, Jesus is the opposite. Jesus is love. And I like how the Psalms and the Proverbs are in between the two - telling us about God's vengeance but also his love and protection and caring.

I think part of the reason I really enjoyed my reading today is that I took the time, I was relaxed and it wasn't 10pm after a 17 hour day. I'm going to work on reading earlier in the day from now on.

~ Sarah

Already?????

Oh my.....confession time. I have already fallen off the wagon. A week of sick kids and a sick momma has rendered me useless in the evenings, and most of the day time, too. I have missed several readings this week. Nyquil will do that ot a girl. AND it messed up my dreams something fierce!

Just wanted to 'fess up.

I am going to jump back in tonight. Not try to catch up, but get back into it.

Thought you should know-

~jamee

Are we not finished?

In yesterday's reading Matthew 10:23, it says "you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes" What does this mean to you? Are we still making our way through Israel? Are we " the new disciples" still in the process of spreading the news while we wait for the Son of Man to return for us? Just wondering what this passage means to you. The other great part of yesterday's reading was that wisdom is refered to as feminine. That does not happen often in the Bible. Look at how many sons Jacob's wives bore him before there was a mention of a daughter.

Our reading is a day behind but we are doing pretty well. We are reading at the table when we finish dinner. I read out loud and then we have a discussion on the reading. I can see some doubling in the future with the schedule we keep, but that is fine with us. I love all the comments keep it up guys.

Thanks Sarah for helping me get to the right spot.

Julia

So much detail

So this was day 10 of reading the Bible and even though I was super sleepy tonight (check out my other blog for the lowdown), I cracked it open and read my passages. And I got to wondering. Why so much detail? I mean SO MUCH!

What are we supposed to glean from the amount of money that was paid for a burial site or who is related to who and how? I know it's all for a purpose but I feel a little like when I was studying for the GRE and it came to the math section - it's very hard for me to grasp parts of it. But still, it's interesting. I like the fact that I am reading stories and I get to pick up a little more of the plot each night. I also like the mixing of old testament and new so that I get some of the harsher stuff (i.e., pillar of salt, killing of who groups) and the good stuff (i.e., Jesus healing people).

How's it going for everyone else? I am the only one struggling to read at night when I am ready to bed and wishing I really could get up earlier but have not yet succeeded?

~ Sarah

Hmmm...

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:48

God knows that we are imperfect creatures, He did create us after all. And yet he gives us this command: Be perfect. That's a pretty tall order. I know I try and try but I am never perfect and I never expect to be. Yet that's what God wants from me. What do you all think about this?

~ Sarah

Righteous

I looked this word up in the dictionary this afternoon after I finished my reading (I decided I need to read earlier in the day - hopefully in the mornings because I had to go back and reread yesterday's today as I didn't have a clue about these rainbows! I think I fell asleep last night when Ang was reading aloud). Righteous was mentioned several times in different passages for today so I wanted to know more about the word.

It means acting in a just, upright manner; doing what is right; virtuous; fair. For some reason I think the term righteous has a negative connotation in our language. If someone is righteous they're considered too smart for their own good or up on their high horse but that's not what the word really means. God wants us to be righteous - to do what is right.

I am going to work on that this year, doing what is right. I remember when I was in high school we had a poster in our youth room that said something along the lines of what is right isn't always popular. I think this holds truth today. But I'm gonna try...

~ Sarah

I was going to post a comment on Angela's post, but decided it might be rather lengthy, so I'll just do my own.

I read days 1-3 in their entirety. Then yesterday I was talking with a friend about this project and realized I honestly could remember very little about what I had read the past three days. There is a lot of Bible in each day's assignment. I read in the back where it gave some variations to the schedule and after talking with my friend, praying some and talking to my husband I have decided to read the Old Testament selections each day(not Psalms and Proverbs). I am hoping to really dig into the Old Testament and glean new knowledge....yeah, who knew about the SEVEN of every clean animal? I need to get a commentary because I really don't understand the story about Noah getting drunk, then cursing his grandson when his son made fun of him.....any ideas out there?

As I got into bed last night to read Friday's chapters my #1 and #2 came and got into bed with us. Generally we don't allow it, but for some reason we couldn't resist their charms last night. And then I just started reading aloud. I read all the way to the rainbow part. It was pretty incredible, laying in bed with most of my family and reading the Word.

Thank you again, Sarah, for spearheading this!

~jamee

Rainbows and Me

When I first started this "project" of reading the Bible in one year, I was doubtful of my own ability to see it through. I have a tendency to have a short attention span when it comes to almost everything that takes longer than a week to complete. But I am in it for the duration!

The first few readings of Genesis have been difficult for me. I don't know if anyone else is having that problem but I tend to skim over parts of it because of all the names and crazy places and things that don't seem to have anything to do with me. I was thinking earlier, why do we read this really old stuff. It doesn't really pertain to me but then as always God opened my eyes and showed me that it does pertain to me. I was reading about Noah, (a story I have heard dozens of times throughout my life) but it has taken on mew meaning. First, there were more than 2 of each clean animal on the Ark??? Was this news to anyone else???

But the part that I hadn't got before was the rainbows. Tonight God explained to me why there are rainbows. Not the scientific reason - which I vaguely remember from college, but the real reason. The reason he created them for us. As a reminder of the new covenant he made not to destroy the Earth with the floods again. I don't know about you but I found this comforting and I will never see a rainbow the same way again.

~ Angela

Day 1

Tonight my mom read us the readings for January 1. They were familiar, and comforting. (Though she did skip over a bit of the listing of names - we decided no one would quiz us on them so we'd be okay!) I was thinking, as she read, that the beginning of Genesis sounded much like poetry in the repetition and the words. It was very beautiful.

As she read I also thought about what it might have been like before God had created anything and it's hard to imagine, if there was just a black hole, an abyss or just nothing at all. Okay, this is too deep:-)

I am excited about our project and I hope more people join us. I am excited to get back into God's words - it's been too long since I've done that with regularity. I need God and I need His guidance in my everyday life. I thought it was very appropriate that we started out with Psalm 1 which basically says that blessed is the person who follows God and he or she will prosper. God is good...All the time!

I love you all ~ Sarah