Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. That's the Pentateuch of Moses.

I'd like to thank Bryan Sirchio for helping me learn the books of the Bible. When I need to find a hard to find book, I start singing one of his songs.

So, I decided at the end of 2009 to read through the Bible in a year. I've read through the Bible when I was younger. I don't remember how long it took me. I knew if I was going to make it through the Bible again I needed a deadline. So I came up with this read it through in one year idea. I realize this isn't a revolutionary idea. I could even buy a Bible to help me read the Bible in one year. Instead, I counted up the number of chapters in the Bible to see if this was even a reasonable idea. I don't remember how many chapters there are exactly, but I did find out that I needed to read about 3.5 chapters per day to stay on target.

So it is March 2nd and I have completed the Pentateuch and Joshua. Today I read 4 chapters in Judges which puts the chapter count up to 215. If you divide that by the 61 days so far in 2010, you will see that I have read 3.52 chapters per day.

For those of you who know me well, you will be sure to guess that I haven't read 3.52 chapters each day. More likely I have read chunks here and there when I couldn't put it down and struggled to read the 3 chapters a day when I found myself in a less fun part of the Bible.

So far this year, I've learned lots and rediscovered many things. I'm enjoying my journey back through a favorite book of books. I'll keep you updated on my progress throughout the year!

Give Me a Clean Heart

I find myself smack dab in the middle of the Lenten season again. For the past few years in Lent, I've gotten rid of 40 things during the 40 days. It is an interesting and difficult process. I love to do it while struggling to let go of the things I think I need or might need in the future. It helps me to remember I have too much stuff and that can hold me back instead of helping me.

One of my hopes with this discipline is that with the extra space in my life and my house I'll find more time for God. I don't know that this is true unless I make the effort to put more time in my relationship with God. So less stuff does not immediately equal more time. I'll update you on the things I've removed from my house in case you are in need of inspiration this Lenten season.

1-Purple Sweatshirt
2-DVD Player (it was broken and I've been wanting to recycle it. Staples recycles them!)
3-TV (We had too many. This TV now resides in Florida with friends!)
4-20 pairs of sock (My sock drawer closes now!)
5-3 books
6-8 magazines
7-6 Chicken Soup for the Soul Books
8-3 more sweatshirts
9-7 bottles of body wash
10-Giant Coke Cooler (this has been living at my parent's house for a few years. I've finally given them the okay to sell it at the church yard sale.)
11-Coke dishes (so this one is a bit of a struggle. These were also found at my parent's house. I want to give them away and am also wanting to keep them. I'm going to let go of them but not easily!)
12-Flowered Garment Bag (again, found at parent's house!)
13-Cleaned out two bags that have been in my office for a year. Lots of recycling and some filing too!
14-2 bags of food for the food pantry!
15-3 sweaters
16-1 bottle of shampoo
17-3 plastic containers
18-bag of hotel soaps and shampoo
19-2 pairs of shoes
20-40 thank you cards
21-8 skeins of yarn
22-1 pair of sunglasses
23-15 VHS movies
24-15 cassette tapes
25-10 CDs
26-bag and box of stuff from office
27-overflowing bag of clothes
28-3 pairs of boxers
29-101 cookie cutters
30-3 cell phones
31-mailed a package to Montana
32-mailed a package to Indiana
33-gave away a gift that didn't suit me
34-10 packs of post-its
35-4 belts
36-a pan of brownies was shared with pharm students!
37-25 more magazines went to the thrift store!
38-40 My husband and I filled two huge bags and more with clothes etc to give to a family who lost everything in a house fire.

I'll be giving away some more stuff when my parents arrive with their van in a few weeks. Here ends my Lenten giving away!

Hey Jesus

So I'm sure many of you know that I love the Indigo Girls. Although I've only been to -1 of their concerts, I do someday hope to make it to one!
Anyway. I've been thinking about this song for a bit. It is called Hey Jesus.

Hey, jesus, it's me.
i don't usually talk to you but my baby's gonna leave me,
and there's something you must do.
i am not your faithful servant,
i hang around sometimes with a bunch of your black sheep,
but if you make my baby stay,
i'll make it up to you and that's a promise i will keep,

hey, jesus, it's me.
i'm the one who talked to you yesterday and i asked you please, please for a favor
but my baby's gone away, went away anyway
and i don't really think it's fair,
you've got the power to make us all believe in you
and then we call you in our despair,
and you don't come through.

hey, jesus, it's me, i'm sorry.
i don't remember all i said,
i had a few, no, too many
and they went straight to my head,
made me feel like i could argue with god
but you know, it's easy for you, you got friends all over the world,
you had the whole world waiting for your birth
but now i ain't got nobody,
i don't know what my life's worth.
i'm not gonna call on you any more.
i'm sure you've got a million things to do,
all i was trying to do was to get through to you,
get through to you because when i die and i get up to your doors
i don't even know if you're gonna let me in the place,
how come i gotta die to get a change to talk to you face to face?

I love this song and it leaves me with so many questions. Why do some people think that Jesus only listens to his "faithful servants"? Jesus loves all of us and listens to anyone who takes the time to talk with him. I do believe that developing and nurturing a relationship with Jesus can help with situations described in the song. Rarely have I seen Jesus jump in and fix something but that doesn't mean that I don't ask too.

Why do we assume that Jesus is too busy to talk with us? We maximize and then minimize our needs/wants/questions/concerns. We beg and plead for immediate help and then step back as if we do not deserve it. Why?

I love the song because it makes me think and makes me wonder...

Don't Stop Believing

So this song keeps coming up lately. Last weekend I was waiting for food at the end of the Tour de Cure bike ride (way to go my fabulous husband on your ride) and this song started playing. A man comes to the table with his plate of food and starts rocking out. He was singing while eating pasta. No microphone needed this man will sing to his noodles.
Later that evening, I log onto facebook where one of the youth from my church has the lyrics of this song as her status.
I heard it on the radio today too. Craziness.

So what's been going on with me lately you may wonder? I'll assume you are wondering. Well, it feels like summer. Rich and I are taking a break from the routine of life to enjoy the beauty of the mountains of western NC. So far, I'm enjoying the time away. It's good to spend time with him and just hang out. Tonight we watched Wall-E. Who knew this was such a romantic movie? I enjoyed it. Hopefully people will stop being so trashy. Also, I just finished reading the book the Reluctant Fundamentalist. I have to sat the ending was confusing. I'm looking forward to seeing what the book group ladies have to say about it on Tuesday.

My garden has veggies growing in it. I haven't eaten anything yet but hopefully by the end of the month I'll be able to enjoy the fruits of my labor. The weeds are so bad this year. My crazy creeping grass keeps creeping where I don't want it to and not where I do. We have areas of the yard that need grass and it insists on growing in flower beds and the garden. Go away grass.

So now I'm going to start reading a new book and continue to enjoy my mini-vacation!

Me and My Gang

Just wanted to say what a great time I had with my seminary buddies in St. Louis. It was so amazing to see so many great people in one place at one time.
Now I'm back in NC. Getting back into the swing of things and gearing up for the end of the school year. Rich finishes his P1 year this week! Woohoo! The youth and children I work with have a few more weeks left. Summer is in the air.
My garden is looking good. Due to the hot weather, I am watering at least once a day. The plants are looking good. The seeds haven't come out of the soil yet. I'm waiting for them to come on out.
That's the update from here.

Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

So I'm feeling very worn out by life, work, etc. I'm in need of a break. I'm looking forward to my time away that is coming soon. I don't enjoy things when I get into this mood. It makes it hard for me to do my work. It makes it hard for me to feel motivated. It is just hard.
Don't think that I don't enjoy my work and my life because they are both fabulous. Every so often I reach the I need a break point. And I've reached it.
What I wonder at times like this is what happens to people who have no choice? What if you've reached this point in your life but there is no break available? What if you have to keep working to eat? I don't know the answer to these random questions that jump into my head, so I'm plopping them out here on this space in the hopes that this will help.

Southland in the Springtime

So the weather here has been springy and unpredictable, but it is such a joy to till the garden...okay I admit that Rich tilled but I offered moral support. I love the smell of soil and the back backyard of our place. I'm excited about my new red wheelbarrow. My goal is to get home tonight in time to use it for the trimmings I'll take off the shrubs in the front yard.

And in the spirit of spring, here's lyrics to a great song by the Indigo Girls

Southland in the Springtime
Maybe we'll make Texas by the morning
Light the bayou with our tail lights in the night
800 miles to el paso from the state line
And we never have the money for the flight
I'm in the back seat sleepy from the travel
Played our hearts out all night long in New Orleans
I'm dirty from the diesel fumes, drinking coffee black
When the first breath of Texas comes in clean
And there's something 'bout the Southland in the springtime
Where the waters flow with confidence and reason
Though I miss her when I'm gone it won't ever be too long
Till I'm home again to spend my favorite season
When God made me born a yankee he was teasin'
There's no place like home and none more pleasin'
Than the Southland in the springtime
In Georgia nights are softer than a whisper
Beneath a quilt somebody's mother made by hand
With the farmland like a tapestry passed down through generations
And the peach trees stitched across the land
And there's something 'bout the Southland in the springtime
Where the waters flow with confidence and reason
Though I miss her when I'm gone it won't ever be too long
Till I'm home again to spend my favorite season
When God made me born a yankee he was teasin'
There's no place like home and none more pleasin'
Than the Southland in the springtime