So, I've discovered a number of bible-in-a-year readers and someone who's decided to listen to the whole of the New Testament during the 40 days of lent. Hats off to you people and a hearty whoop whoop. Reading the bible cover to cover is something I've successfully put off for a respectable length of time. But something happened at the start of the year, something urged me to just give it a go. And so here I am, 83 days in, and with however many other people, I've got to Deuteronomy.
Or Dooteronomy, depending on where in the world you live.
Wow.
The first five books of the bible, full of history, amazing visions, revelations, rescue from slavery, and a 40 year game of desert storm. And then I hit Numbers. I am a bit of a stat geek, but even this pushes my limits. So, if you're in the same place, if you've got to the mud and mire of genealogical listings and censis publications, allow me to introduce you to the monkey bar challenge courtesy of the Community of readers and Matt, who marvellously unravels the wonders of the history of another nation and makes it, well, interesting, and relevant.
Let me know what you think so that I can share something more intellectual than my usual contribution at the next lunch time meeting ;-)
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
Lental paralysis
Day 1 of lent, and already I have a cloud of #failure hanging over me. I have decided to take up the challenge of eating healthily, which basically means for the next 40 days, I'm giving up everything I enjoy. With the exception of air. At 10.23 this morning, I picked up the GI recipe book and read these lines "while you are on the GI diet, it's important not to give up snacks. You should snack 3 times during the day".
See, for one embarking on a new healthy eating regime (I prefer this phrase to 'diet'...) this makes joyous reading. So I effortlessly skipped out the bit before and the bit after which gave more specific guidelines on snacking and before you could say "glycemic index" I had neatly disposed of 3 biscuits leaving little evidence of crumbage.
I think there's another bit in my book that tells me what sort of snacks are allowed. It's probably something dull like celery sticks and limp lettuce. And oxygen.
In the past, I've considered lent nothing more than a speedy downhill path to failure. Perhaps it's easy to get discouraged when you try to do difficult things. There's a risk involved. We could let others down. And personally, I'd rather not take that risk. It's interesting that the disciples also dealt with a similar issue, falling asleep in the garden of Gethsemane, unable to keep watch and pray while Jesus is a stone's throw away on his knees. Knowing, that in a short time he would be questioned by the authorities, unfairly tried, unjustly punished and brutally beaten. He told his disciples to just 'watch and pray'.
Watch and pray. Difficult to do when you're asleep. But consciously and actively, be alert. And be aware that it will be difficult, but don't. Give. Up.
I think Jesus knew that his trusted friends would let him down. And he still had oodles of forgiveness for them. Forgiveness, beyond measure. Take Peter. He claimed he'd never leave Jesus' side, yet publicly disowned him in his hour of need. How painfully aware he must have been of his own hypocrisy. And yet, it's through Peter that God establishes some of the early churches, building up the faith of believers through his letters and revelations. That. Is reconciliation. Forgiveness. Grace.
So, if you have given something up for lent, be encouraged: there is grace - the mc-whopper-full fat version.
And if you haven't given anything up, and you're more in the 'I want to take up something healthy' camp, check out these quality films on 24-7 prayer. Be watchful and prayerful. Be active in seeking God in this season.
And be blessed, whatever you decide to do or not do in the next 40 days.
See, for one embarking on a new healthy eating regime (I prefer this phrase to 'diet'...) this makes joyous reading. So I effortlessly skipped out the bit before and the bit after which gave more specific guidelines on snacking and before you could say "glycemic index" I had neatly disposed of 3 biscuits leaving little evidence of crumbage.
I think there's another bit in my book that tells me what sort of snacks are allowed. It's probably something dull like celery sticks and limp lettuce. And oxygen.
In the past, I've considered lent nothing more than a speedy downhill path to failure. Perhaps it's easy to get discouraged when you try to do difficult things. There's a risk involved. We could let others down. And personally, I'd rather not take that risk. It's interesting that the disciples also dealt with a similar issue, falling asleep in the garden of Gethsemane, unable to keep watch and pray while Jesus is a stone's throw away on his knees. Knowing, that in a short time he would be questioned by the authorities, unfairly tried, unjustly punished and brutally beaten. He told his disciples to just 'watch and pray'.
Watch and pray. Difficult to do when you're asleep. But consciously and actively, be alert. And be aware that it will be difficult, but don't. Give. Up.
I think Jesus knew that his trusted friends would let him down. And he still had oodles of forgiveness for them. Forgiveness, beyond measure. Take Peter. He claimed he'd never leave Jesus' side, yet publicly disowned him in his hour of need. How painfully aware he must have been of his own hypocrisy. And yet, it's through Peter that God establishes some of the early churches, building up the faith of believers through his letters and revelations. That. Is reconciliation. Forgiveness. Grace.
So, if you have given something up for lent, be encouraged: there is grace - the mc-whopper-full fat version.
And if you haven't given anything up, and you're more in the 'I want to take up something healthy' camp, check out these quality films on 24-7 prayer. Be watchful and prayerful. Be active in seeking God in this season.
And be blessed, whatever you decide to do or not do in the next 40 days.
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