Bible Reading Schedule for January 2-8, 2012

(The complete 2012 reading schedule is available at the tab above or as a printable pdf file via email upon request sent to Karabeth6@gmail.com.)

January 2-8

Monday, January 2nd

• Genesis 1, 2
• John 1, 2

Tuesday, January 3rd

• Genesis 3-5
• John 3

Wednesday, January 4th

• Genesis 6, 7
• John 4, 5

Thursday, January 5th

• Genesis 8-10
• John 6

Friday, January 6th

• Job 1-3
• John 7

Saturday, January 7th

• Job 4, 5
• John 8, 9

Sunday, January 8th

• This day is set aside to read any scheduled scripture portions that were not completed earlier this week.

Looking Forward to 2012

Sample picture entitled "Winter"

Yeah, I know.  It's been awhile.

Once I finished my 52 day birthday celebration at the end of November I just kind of fell off the map again.  Or so it seemed.  Actually, soon after I completed that series I took a trip to a different part of the map with Pastor Dad and The Bear because we just couldn't let 2011 end without a family vacation.  That's one of the perks of homeschooling, you know.  Just pack up and leave when everything else on the schedule says "go for it!"  So we did. I'll post my pictures soon. (Probably Friday.)

One of the things I did while on vacation was think.  As Fen says these days while tapping his head in his best Pooh Bear imitation, "Think! Think! Think!" I did a lot of my thinking while confined to my seat while crossing the country on those jet planes that took us to our destination and back.  I prayed while thinking about what I want to do with my little piece of the blogosphere, too, and I feel like the Lord gave me a focus and a mission. I've been charting the course and making preparations ever since.

I am convinced that Bible reading is one of the most important things we must do and yet it can also be one of the most neglected things.  I became convicted that we need constant encouragement and not just the yearly mention of it as New Year's Day approaches.  With that in mind I outlined a few ideas of how to proceed.

For starters, I will be updating the Bible reading schedule page this week so that anyone can find the Bible reading plan at any time.  Feel free to print it out once it appears.  You'll know when it does because it will say "2012" and not "2011" on the tab.  I've been editing last year's schedule by . . . well obviously, changing the dates . . . but also by moving some of the portions to fit a better chronological timeline and to keep things within a 10 minute reading session.  It only takes 10 minutes a day for 6 days each week to read through the Bible in a year.  That means no one has an excuse for not reading.  No one is so busy that they can't read for 10 minutes each day.  Okay, I've been known to hide in the bathroom a few times just to have a few moments to myself but running water into the bathtub while reading my Bible tends to drown out noise while providing an inviting hot bath at the end of the reading session.  That's just my way of getting away from it all.  You'll need to find your own Happy Place occasionally.

As an added incentive I've also decided that each Saturday the scripture portions pertaining to the following week (like we did for Take Ten in 2010) will be posted as a weekly reminder.

On top of that, I would like to encourage memorization and perhaps a bit of discussion this year so for now, this is how I anticipate the weekly posts to appear:

Saturday:  The schedule for the following week

Memory Monday:  A list of verses to learn or review from the scheduled passages.  Just pick one.  Or if you memorized them all as a child, review them to keep them fresh.

Timeline Tuesday:  Just a little historical background or other tidbits concerning the passages we're reading.

Wisdom for Wednesday:  A s.h.o.r.t. devotion highlighting something from the scheduled reading segments.

Thursday's Tune-Up:  Okay, I intend to meddle a bit each Thursday.  Besides reading my Bible in 2012 I would also like to exercise regularly and do a bit of creative work in order to keep my body and soul healthy as well (the Bible reading is for spiritual health). You can be my accountability partner and I'll be yours if you'll let me.  I think part of the whole man-as-image-bearers-of-God thing is that we are triune beings, too.  We're body, soul, and spirit (or physical, emotional, and spiritual components if you prefer that terminology) and each has needs that must be met.  That's something we'll explore each Thursday.  Think of it as a weekly check up.

Free Friday:  It's just what it says.  I'm leaving it open for whatever suits my fancy.  (Warning!  Grandchildren pictures and more of  the "my crazy life" variety stories just might show up here each week.)  Friday is my potpourri bin for life's minutia.

Well, that's it!  Here's my Bible reading/healthy living/exercise/this-is-what's-going-on-around-here-on-the-Hill-in-2012 blogging plan.  

Talk to you soon!

Being Left-handed is Dangerous to My Health?

Do you want to know one of the reasons I home-school?  It's because I wanted my children to avoid labeling as much as possible.  God only knows how much labeling I endured (and that isn't meant as an oath, just a fact that there is only one Person who could keep track) as a child.  And it wasn't just adults that did it.  Peers were just as apt to assign invisible Post-It notes.  It's the way our society keeps track of its own:  into what mental file folders do you fit?

• She's a Christian? Check
• She's an only child? Check
• She's shy? Check
• She's left-handed? Check

All fodder for the friendship mill or conversations among teachers, and we all know how teachers talk among themselves.  Hey!  I was one!

Okay, except for the shyness thing, and sometimes the Christianity label, I really saw no reason to panic as a child  - and still don't - as an adult.  And then I read this piece in the Wall Street Journal and it is brought to my attention that I survived childhood as a left-hander (actually, I'm more likely the "mixed-brain" type ominously portrayed in the article) only to be stunned by brain dominance research in my mid-adult years.

Personally, I don't know why they bother with these type of studies.  It isn't like there's some sort of cure for left-handedness.  To me, it seems like someone is trying to assign a birth defect where none exists.  I find this insulting, and more importantly, alarming! Are they going to start doing prenatal testing for left-handedness like they do for other types of so-called disorders (which I am also against testing for, by the way)?

Oh, please!  I'm 52 years old and have lived a very nice life so far thankyouverymuch. No schizophrenia, no ADHD, or no other negative labels that they claim have been associated with my handedness.  I also have two left-handed grandchildren who seem to have avoided the ominous labeling so far (they're home-schooled).

Normally I would be making some snide tongue-in-cheek remarks about this anomaly of left-handedness but this is serious business.  If all of the recent debates over sex-selection abortions, which is another one of those "in utero" conditions over which the baby has no control, teaches us anything it is that someday in the not-too-distant future medical science will find a way to test fetal brainwaves for signs of brain dominance.  This will then be used to talk to expectant parents about conditions that their child might develop due to predominantly left-handed or mixed-brain tendencies. 

It all sounds like some horrible B-rated science fiction movie but recent genetic news suggests otherwise.  Google the words "designer babies" and I guarantee that the top results will not be for clothing store websites.

You might think I'm being facetious, but mark my words!  Someday being left-handed could be another one of those quality of life issues.

Easy Night in the Nursery

I'm the designated Wednesday night church nursery worker. It has to be that way because most of the adults are elsewhere in the building working in the various departments of our children's ministries. Sure, I could be one of those workers, too, if I really wanted to be.

I don't want to be.

I'm perfectly content in my small corner with the small fry. My helper changes from week to week but I'm the permanent worker.

The little ones were especially good last night. They decided to "read" books.

Miss Lili and friend choosing a book

Could you turn it this way?  I'm having trouble seeing the pictures!

Hey!  Where'd you go? I thought we were reading!

I don't want to read anymore.  It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind.  And mine has changed to thoughts of Cheerios.