adventure

I have been wanting to read through the Bible this year for some time now... I think it started back sometime last year when I'd begun and failed to stay the course. Yes, I've started this venture a few times before... and fizzled out (thus goes the story of my life I think). BUT I shall not give up, I SHALL begin again! I love reading and studying the Word, and I look forward to approaching my time in the Word with renewed focus, with a plan.

We have actually read through a couple of different good childrens' Bibles in a "school year" before, with the kids, but I don't think that counts.*smiles* I have read through the Bible, though not in a year, faithfully on a schedule (remember, that's one of those beasts I've yet to conquer), and do regularly study the Word alot. But during December, I kept having the thought to try reading through the Bible in a year - AGAIN. And to bring our kids along... What a great habit to start as a family!


So, when I got this invitation from Kelly earlier this week (and had yet to *start*, or even decide on a *plan*), to join her in reading through the Bible in a year (complete with her very nicely laid out little plan, and with its being in blogosphere, some very visible accountability), I knew that this was something that I needed to join in on, something that the Lord wanted me to do, and I've been wanting to do for some time! And so, I've gladly accepted her gracious invitation. I am thankful to her for her blessed initiative she's taken in putting together such a beautifully balanced plan.

I was especially delighted to see that she's included portions from Psalms and Proverbs to be included daily, throughout the year, as I've found that I need those daily anyways... And I've also been wanting to join Kristen and Rachel in reading through the Psalms together... so now, I get to do both, read through the Bible in a year, and read through Psalms regularly as well...

I would like you to know that YOU are invited to join us in reading through the Bible in a year as well. Kelly has made it very easy, and you may sign up (over at her blog, in her bloglet on the sidebar) to receive her weekly emails with the reading schedule conveniently laid out for you to print off. If you do decide to join us, I'd love to know about it, and then please go and leave Kelly a note to let her know!

And she's even got a January Bible Reading contest going on now, with a GREAT prize she's giving away as incentive for you to leave her comments as to how your reading is going, and insights you may have...

TIMECHART HISTORY OF THE WORLD

This is a valuable resource for any homeschooling family and will enhance your study of both Biblical and World History.

I have been so enjoying my Bible reading, which I'm sharing with Chris and my kids... We're reading the Psalms/Proverbs portions in the mornings together, and some I may read just in my own private time (which happens spontaneously throughout the day, or early, if I actually GET UP before the kids!).

Either Chris or I are reading the O.T. portions in the evenings. Chris's work situation has been really stressful lately, and so like last night, he's often just plain mentally/spiritually exhausted, and therefore wanted me to read aloud to him and the kids.

The Bible we're reading from ~ together ~ is the Narrated Bible, which is the NIV arranged in chronological order, and broken up into daily readings, to be finished in a year... It's interspersed with commentary by F. Lagard Smith, which we've really enjoyed. I'm thinking that we may continue with this one with the kids once we finish Genesis, which means that our family-time Bible reading portions will be different from my schedule, via Kelly, which is fine.

We recently purchased the Visual Bible: Book of Matthew with Bonus Video Falling Fire, which are the complete NIV Scriptures (word for word) in a movie form. So, we'll be *watching and listening to* the book of Matthew this week!

As Kelly mentioned yesterday, we've also found that what should be a 20-30 minute reading usually turns into an hour, or two! It happened here last night as our would be 30 min. reading turned into 2 hrs. of reading, questions, sharing and discussions, etc. (and we love getting out our Timechart of Biblical History too! We're all fascinated by it!)

Before I started our reading in Genesis, as I was still getting ready for bed, my 6yodd had already snuggled up in my bed with her brother, favorite stuffed donkey, "Pookie" and her own Bible, from which she was diligently reading Matt.1 (unbeknownst to me yet). Then she excitedly exclaims "Mom, this is telling about all the Dads and who their children are! Can you show me where it starts to tell about Jesus?" So, I pointed her to the next chapter, and she began to read chapter 2 to me.

During our reading from Genesis, 9yo Nathan had alot of insights and thoughts of his own to share with us. He thinks that it must have taken Adam a very long time to think of all those names for every animal. "It couldn't have just been 'that's your name and this is your name' each minute... he would've had to think what name would fit each animal for awhile"... This led to a discussion of our names for things - in English (and how it's a relatively young/new language, derived from many others, thus Nathan's referring to it as "a mutt language" LOL! - versus what we think to be the language Adam spoke, given to him by God, ancient Hebrew.

And Nathan is fascinated with the idea of God's taking "a side" (interesting concept/midrashic ideas for another post!, which has merely been translated as "rib") of Adam to make Eve. This led to an extensive discussion of marriage, and a man and woman's individual/unique roles as marriage partners... the mystery of our coming together again to "become one flesh"... two halves/sides of the whole... completion together. He really was fascinated by this concept and said it's hard to understand too. I agreed. By this time, Tabitha was nodding off, and I offered to quit reading, but Nathan said, "No, please keep reading until I fall asleep"... so I did.

We talked about the animal skins that the Lord fashioned for Adam and Eve "to cover their shame" and discussed the likelihood that these skins were from the innocent animals that were killed for the very first "sin offering", which God must have shown Adam and Eve was required for their sins of disobedience. This led to our talking about "prophecy" and the Messiah, who came as the final sacrifice, the ultimate Lamb of God.

Nathan was also very thrilled to think that the serpent, who was cursed "to crawl on his belly" may have indeed had legs and been a beautiful dragon... originally... During our discussion of the various curses, we spoke more of the prophecy concept, and this first prophecy of the coming Messiah;

And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring ^[a] and hers;
he will crush ^[b] your head,
and you will strike his heel."

Somewhere towards the end our rather lengthy devotional (one just never truly knows how the Spirit may lead this!) Nathan shared something very significant... With his lower lip quivering, he shared that he'd been hearing these "sneaky little voices" that kept telling him that he wasn't/isn't really a Christian. WHOA! How my heart went out to him then! I've heard those nagging voices before too... And how Chris and I were/are reminded of the most paramount importance of this blessed time, to spend time in the WORD with our children. Their little hearts just open up so... I was careful to ask him first if he thinks he is a Christian, and why? We then encouraged him, and talked about the enemy, who lies to bring fear and doubt, and what it means to be a Believer, that Yeshua literally means "Salvation", and thus if we are His, living for and unto Him, then we are indeed SAVED, which is what we mean by "Christianity", to be followers of Christ... I think that every new believer struggles with some of these doubts about their salvation (which afterall they did not/canNOT earn). And we discussed what Paul meant when he wrote,

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

We encouraged Nathan to just remember that he has, and does BELIEVE, that the Lord will woo him and teach him more as he matures, but to rest in and remember the TRUTH, and tell THAT to those voices if they came calling again.

Then, we prayed ~ together...

Yes, I think that we're off to a good start! Thank-you LORD, and thank-you Kelly!

*smiles* Aaaaahh, memories, sweet memories! Now to get our "Bible Notebooks" underway again! I shall post more on that when I'm able!

Anyways, it's become a family affair here, we're ALL reading through the Bible - itself, ie; not a Bible storybook - in a year together.

¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,^[e] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ¹⁶Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.