January 28th 2010 HEY! HO!! It's time to Partay!

I haven't done my reading for today but I am getting ready to start my other 2010 commitment, exercise.

I used to be thin. I don't think there is a single person I know today, other than Les, who could attest to that fact. I have gained 126lbs since I got married. Some through gluttony some due to over 20 years of steroid use. Every once in a while I remember I DELIVERED a baby weighing 100 lbs less than I weight today! As they say on tv, "Stop the Insanity!!!"

I have new challenges to exercise, like a knee that barely works but that is no excuse. I can still get up and move and I need to get up and move! The kids were joking about my lack of ability to climb stairs. If I can't walk up stairs at 46 what will I be doing when I am 56, 66, 76 or 86? This must change.

I want to be in the physically fit club that all my friends are in. I don't mean the same health club but the feel good look good club.

So I have started with TURBO JAM!!! with Chalene Johnson. She is an unbelievable motivator (almost as good as my friend Tish). This video is so fun that even if I feel terrible when I start I have a big smile on my face when I finish. AND yesterday I felt so good all day I threw in an extra workout in the afternoon. Although it is put out by Beachbody (TM), I don't expect to have one this summer but maybe there will be hope for next year.

For right now I am glad there is no mirror in the room when I do it. I'm sure that I don't look anything like the girls in the video but I am up, moving and jammin' with them. I am still rewiring my brain to get my bad leg up and moving. My legs get confused trying to kick, bend and flex because it has been so long but they are happy to be trying it. In fact, I could probably make a million on the comedy circuit if I made a video of my workouts.

I gotta run because Chalene is waiting for me.

January 27th 2010

Never again! I will never get that behind again! I had to read for 2 hours today to finally catch up. I’m not sure why I fell behind. Was it the weekend away at camp, getting Virginia ready for midterms, coming face to face with my oldest being a licensed driver or just too many meals to plan and execute.
I had so much to read that I have supplemented my underlining with a highlighter because there are too many passages to remember. I also ended up getting out my Concordia study Bible because I found a few things I needed to clarify.

Old Testament

Firstly, I liked how Joseph took no credit for interpreting dreams. When Pharaoh asks if he can tell him what his dreams mean, Joseph says no but god will give the answer.

Why didn’t Joseph’s brothers or father ever seem concerned about Simeon being left in Egypt in prison? They took grain back to Jacob but didn’t return to Egypt until they ran out and needed more. In the meantime in prison he sat.

Why were shepherds detestable to Egyptians? Did they hate sheep too or just shepherds? (Genesis 46)

Along the way to Egypt with Aaron, God tried to kill Moses (Exodus 4). This was very confusing. My study bible says it was actually his son that he tried to kill because he had not been circumcised. I didn’t remember this passage.

New Testament

In this passage Herod had heard about Jesus and decided he must be John the Baptist. I think it is weird he didn’t seemed surprised that someone could return from the dead.
Matthew 13:14b “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Psalms – Who doesn’t like psalms? But there is a whole lot in there about enemies. I’m glad I don’t have as many as David.

Psalm 17:7-9 I really liked this passage, especially the apple of your eye part. It is such a great picture of God’s care for us.

7 Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings ,
9 from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

Psalms 18:28 You, Lord keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
(I must remember this. I should write it on a wall in my house somewhere.)

Proverbs 4:4-9
Pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father's house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said,
"Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.

January 19th 2010

I must be honest. I have fallen 4 days behind. I plan to make it up tonight and tomorrow. At this point I am reading about Jacob’s return and his meeting with Esau in the OT and I am still in Matthew in the NT.

OT
The OT is a great testament () to how God can use us, sinners. If ever there were fallible, sinning men the OT is full of them. In just the last few days I have read about Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Sara, and Jacob. Not only did Abraham and Sara pretend to be brother and sister, Isaac and Rebekah also told that story. Why? Throughout these passages everyone makes “little” adjustments to what God told them to do. Their motivation seems to come from a sense of safety. They listen to God’s voice in a dream but they still need to help him out a little, or a lot. I guess I know where I learned it from!

NT
Matthew is familiar territory. There are so many well known passages that I have trouble picking any to comment on. I will settle on Matt 10:31. Are not two sparrows are sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

If this is true and I believe it way do I usually feel my value is based upon my weight?

Psalms and Proverbs
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Along time I guess, although the length of time really depends up my faith not God’s provision.

January 11, 2010 Fake Post

I'm just checking in to say I am on target and have not given up! I am happy that another friend is on board with the project. Yay Julia! IF you are reading this please feel free to add some comments so I know you are there.

In 2009, my mom read the Bible through using the same program I am using this year. For 2010, she is doing the chronological method. Maybe I will try that next year.

I am hoping to make a deeply insightful post tomorrow about all I have read in the last week. :) See you then.

January 4th The Flood, Rounding up some disciples

Let's make one thing clear. Please do not think badly of my grammar or spelling. Spelling mistakes are more often from my typing than lack of knowledge. I know spell check exists, I just forget to check before posting.

I am still on target. Today I learned all about the flood. I noticed that in my translation, Genesis 8:11 ends in an exclamation mark. I don't remember many exclamation marks in the Bible. I also noticed that God made the covenant to never again destroy all life on earth with a flood with Noah, his family and all the creatures on the ark. I wonder why he included the animals?

Later in Genesis 10 there is a long passage with genealogies, and the names are funny. IF you know any of the Bible you know that there were no Tiffanys, Brittanys, or Madisons. But still the names are surprising. If you know me well, one thing you know is that I think families should show consistency in naming. Joe and Sue should not name their kids Pierre and Lanae. If the parents have traditional names then so should the kids. my husband and I both have old fashioned names (Leslie and Barbara) (not to mention girly ones) and our children follow suit with old fashioned names(Lillian and virginia).So I find it interesting that brothers names drift from Gomer to Magog to Meshech. Maybe my problem lies with Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. Lillian pointed out that the names would have sounded more normal if they were well know bible characters that were part of well known stories. Although lots of christians name their kids biblical names like Micah and Ruth there are not that many Togarmahs.

Another interesting naming item. Nimrod was Noah's great grandson. He was know as a mighty warrior (Gen 10:8) but we us Nimrod as a name for foolish or nerdy people. How come?

On the NT reading for today, Matthew 4:22 mentions that James and John were in a boat with their father Zebedee. When Jesus called to them they left their father and followed him. We don't hear how Zebedee felt about this event. I like to think this is because if we are following God, doing His will, we don't need to be concerned with what others think about this, just go and do it.

Three days of success! Maybe I am not a slacker after all!

I may be jumping the gun here. It is the third day but I have as yet read today's readings. So far I have read Genesis 1-4:25, Matthew 1-3:6, Psalm 1 &2 and Proverbs 1:1-9. None of this is new scripture to me.


I've decided that every day I must underline something from the day's readings. I am trying to be a little investigative and thoughtful here. So far I have these comments.

Day 1 Matthew 1:24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him. I don't know that the angel of the Lord has ever commanded me but God has certainly commanded me to do things. Sometimes rather than command He has given me some excellent ideas. I rarely wake up in the morning and do them. I should work on that.

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. I can see this happening with this year's project. I am excited!

Proverbs 1:5 let the wise listen and add to their learning and let the discerning get guidance. good ideas.

Day 2 Genesis 3:22 He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take from teh tree of life and eat, and live forever. Just today, at church we discussed how our inheritance is eternal life. Then why didn'g God want us to eat of the tree in the garden? Ah, sin. If Adam had eaten from the tree he would have had eternal life separated from God better to wait for our redemption in Christ.

Genesis 4:7 If you do not do what is right, sin, is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.
This is a awesome picture to keep in mind as I leave the house each day.

January 1, 2010 (that's twenty ten NOT Two thousand ten)

It is 2:39pm. I have not read anything yet. My new Bible is upstairs next to my bed and my room is a mess so I don't want to go up there. I have already cleaned out my utensil drawers, baking cabinets and refrigerator rather than go upstairs. I KNEW I should have followed my first instinct and started reading two weeks ago when my new Bible came in the mail from CBD. That way I would be ready for the days I didn't follow through.

It's only 2:42pm now, so there is still time.