Taking The Challenge

Why I Don't Read Through the Bible in One Year

First, for those who feel strongly that reading through the Bible in one year is a must for them, I am not trying to dissuade or discourage you.

This is for the rest of us, who've tried multiple times and (usually by mid-Feb to March) get so behind that we get discouraged and throw in the towel.

One year I finally asked myself this question: Why am I doing this?  I realized my goal of wanting to read through the Bible completely was good and right and a goal I should pursue.  The part that was wrong was the time limit.  Why one year?  Why not two,  or even three?

And so, I began my quest to read through the Bible - no matter how long it took.  And I did it.  It took a little over two years.  I learned several things from that experience: I no longer dreaded each day's reading - instead I looked forward to it; I had time to actually relax, ponder, take notes instead of rushing through to meet that day's goal; I learned more, took in more, Scripture than I did when scrambling to finish the day's reading;  I no longer had guilt - there was no more pressure to meet some random time goal.

Read through the Bible!  I wholeheartedly and highly recommend it.  I'm going through the Bible again myself.  But, please, relax and enjoy the beautiful feast of the Word.  Take it in, absorb it, meditate on it.  That's when it really will be a meaningful exercise.

 

~* Just a Little Update *~

Things are super crazy with coming into the end of the semester, our youngest joining two more singing groups, birthdays, and now, the holidays.

I'd like to promise I'll be back to weekly postings at least, but, honestly, with all the writing and thinking I do for school, thinking and writing for a blog just isn't at the top of my "fun" list right now ;0

Most of my "free" time is spent with the guys or on the phone with my daughter.

So...everything is good...just hectic.  Thanks for stopping by!

~* Week in Review - Oct 26 - Nov 1 *~

WEEK IN REVIEW

(The purpose of this meme is to record a weekly memoir of your life to look back on for your own personal reflection/enjoyment and for your children/grandchildren to enjoy and learn from your experiences.  Don't you wish your parents/grandparents had left something like this for you??  I do!!  Feel free to answer all or any...whatever you want to share and record, and feel free to add any subject I may have overlooked.

Please be sure and sign Mr. Linky so we can all enjoy each other's Week in Review posts.)                    

Gulp!  So sorry about last weekend...I TOTALLY forgot WIR!~

Week's Weather  Finally fall weather!!  We are having glorious, beautiful, magnificent RAIN!!

                            YES...I am loving it :)  AND we're down in the 60's...woohoo!

Sunday Sermon  I Cor. 8:1-6 "Knowing Your Limitations"

Life lessons Keeping the Main thing the Main thing

Favorite Meal(s) Turkey breast, gravy, stuffing

Treasured Moment(s)  Time with my honey and guys, listening to the rain

Simple Pleasures  enjoying the storm, hot chocolate w/whipped cream

Talked with our daughter

Impacting News

    World

    National

    Local

    Personal

Things I Read  Reading the Scarlett Letter for Amer. L

Movies We Watched   Follow the Stars Home (really enjoyed this), The Case for Faith, Expelled (excellent!)

Interesting Internet  using the databases of the college and community librarys

Places We Went  the usual :)

Budget Savers/Busters  Got gas for $2.19 w/ a coupon....saw it today regular price for $2.39!

Blessings  our freedoms, my family, God's love

Challenges  finding time for making Christmas gifts

Accomplishments still maintaining A's in my classes

Family Happenings  my honey's 50th b'day and our second son's b'day this next week

Tried Something New

Photos

~* Week in Review - Oct. 12 - 18, 2008 *~

WEEK IN REVIEW

(The purpose of this meme is to record a weekly memoir of your life to look back on for your own personal reflection/enjoyment and for your children/grandchildren to enjoy and learn from your experiences.  Don't you wish your parents/grandparents had left something like this for you??  I do!!  Feel free to answer all or any...whatever you want to share and record, and feel free to add any subject I may have overlooked.

Please be sure and sign Mr. Linky so we can all enjoy each other's Week in Review posts.)                           

Week's Weather High 80's and low 90's...the leaves are changing...but we're still waiting for that cool fall weather!

Sunday Sermon I Cor. 7:25-40 "Two Be or Not Two Be"

Life lessons Practice may not make perfect but it sure goes a long way!

Favorite Meal(s)  Beef Strogonaff

Treasured Moment(s) Time with my honey and the guys

Simple Pleasures holding hands with my honey, praying together, chatting with friends

Talked with no long distance or unusual conversations this week

Impacting News

    World 

    National

    Local

    Personal

Things I Read School stuff

Movies We Watched   Teddy Roosevelt: An American Lion Disc 2

Interesting Internet

Places We Went  usual

Budget Savers/Busters 97/3 Ground beef 1.99 lbs (lean ground beef is costing almost as much as steak lately!)

Blessings Business that had gone overseas being brought back to my husband! Spending time with my honey and our guys

Challenges  prepping for the American Lit timed essay, I was so nervous I was physically sick before class

Accomplishments while I don't know my grade yet, I was happy to get everything on my outline into my essay and still have a bit of time to proofread...so for a first-time experience, I think it went well

Family Happenings 

Tried Something New 

Photos

~* Week in Review - Oct 5-11, 2008 *~

WEEK IN REVIEW

(The purpose of this meme is to record a weekly memoir of your life to look back on for your own personal reflection/enjoyment and for your children/grandchildren to enjoy and learn from your experiences.  Don't you wish your parents/grandparents had left something like this for you??  I do!!  Feel free to answer all or any...whatever you want to share and record, and feel free to add any subject I may have overlooked.

Please be sure and sign Mr. Linky so we can all enjoy each other's Week in Review posts.)                   EEEEkkk...sorry everyone!  This weekend (whole week!) has just gotten away from me!  I've got major essays due and a huge mid-term this weekend.  I also met with the counselor and did take a W on my transcript rather than risk a "gotcha!" grade that could really mess up my GPA from a teacher that seems very unstable.  Too long to get into here, but although it was a very hard decision, I felt it was the safest one in the long run.

   Temp wise...we've actually had some lovely sweater weather and some nights where we were glad for extra bedding :)  I personally love this weather...although we have some kids that do not ;p

   I don't have time to complete all this...I need to take a Psych 1 quiz and go grocery shopping.  Looking forward to catching up with everyone else :)

Have a great week, everyone!

Sheryl    

Week's Weather

Sunday Sermon

Life lessons

Favorite Meal(s)

Treasured Moment(s)

Simple Pleasures

Talked with

Impacting News

    World

    National

    Local

    Personal

Things I Read

Movies We Watched 

Interesting Internet

Places We Went

Budget Savers/Busters

Blessings

Challenges

Accomplishments

Family Happenings

Tried Something New

Photos

~* Week in Review - Sept. 28, 2008 - Oct. 4, 2008

WEEK IN REVIEW

(The purpose of this meme is to record a weekly memoir of your life to look back on for your own personal reflection/enjoyment and for your children/grandchildren to enjoy and learn from your experiences.  Don't you wish your parents/grandparents had left something like this for you??  I do!!  Feel free to answer all or any...whatever you want to share and record, and feel free to add any subject I may have overlooked.

Please be sure and sign Mr. Linky so we can all enjoy each other's Week in Review posts.)                           

Week's Weather We started out in the high 90's, but thankfully we are ending this week in the 70's with some much-needed, glorious rain!

Sunday Sermon I Cor. 7: 8-17

Life lessons In the abundance of (Godly) counsel is safety

Favorite Meal(s) My honey's chicken parmigianna...YUM

Treasured Moment(s) Spending time with my family - especially giving everyone the multiple intelligence quiz - fun stuff!  Enjoying our eldest son being back from Ariz - spending time with him and our dil.  Spending time with our friend John  (this young man has to be part genius!)and getting the chance to preview some of his latest video work.

Simple Pleasures iced drinks on hot days, hot drinks on cold, looking into a blue sky and enjoying a breeze, chatting with other students,

Talked with  John, our eldest son and dil

Impacting News

   World Al-Qaida: US Economy Crisis Equals Muslim Victory

  National Congress passes & Bush signs bailout, Americans not happy with bailout

  Local

    Personal

Things I Read The Blue Door (3rd part in Quilt Trilogy) by Ann Rinaldi; started Firestorm by Jeanette Windle (love this author!)

Movies We Watched  we didn't really watch any after our Pixar marathon last weekend 

Interesting Internet  Majors and Careers Central, Yahoo Education

Places We Went usual

Budget Savers/Busters nothing spectacular this week, but I forgot last week we hit a 50% off sale at Sears and got the guys some shirts for $6-8 and I got a pair of cropped jeans for $5

Blessings our pastor/church, our marriage and family, most of all - God's love

Challenges Dealing with a moody, erratic teacher - seeing a counselor for advice regarding some announcements and e-mails from this teacher.  She really seems unstable emotionally.  I was going to just take a W and drop the class, but my husband and kids think I should go to admin for the sake of other current and future students.  So, we'll see what happens.

Accomplishments hanging in there - this was a tough week overall

Family Happenings  nothing really new on the calendar for this week

Tried Something New not that I can think of

Photos  Uggghh...totally forgot to take pics this week!

~* Interview with Kirk Cameron about the Movie Fireproof*~

You can read the interview HERE

Here's a link to Fireproof's website: FIREPROOF

Don't miss it!

~* Week in Review - Aug. 21 - 27, 2008 *~

WEEK IN REVIEW

(The purpose of this meme is to record a weekly memoir of your life to look back on for your own personal reflection/enjoyment and for your children/grandchildren to enjoy and learn from your experiences.  Don't you wish your parents/grandparents had left something like this for you??  I do!!  Feel free to answer all or any...whatever you want to share and record, and feel free to add any subject I may have overlooked.

Please be sure and sign Mr. Linky so we can all enjoy each other's Week in Review posts.)                           

Week's Weather Well, we thought we were done with summer...evidently not, we've had high 90's and some triple digit days to boot ...sigh...hopefully fall will really be here soon!

Sunday Sermon I Cor. 7:1-7 Marriage Counseling

Life lessons  Don't be afraid to ask the question...you might get the answer you were hoping for.

Favorite Meal(s)  Spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread

Treasured Moment(s) our son's b'day, going to Fireproof with my honey and the guys (excellent movie...if you can be sure and go and support it!)

Simple Pleasures  iced orange juice, cool breezes, an encouraging word from a teacher

Talked with our eldest son who's been on an ICE assignment in Ariz for the past few months...he's coming home Monday...Yippee!!

Impacting News

    World China Tainted Milk Crisis Hits More Global Companies

    National FBI Investigating Companies at Heart of Meltdown, Senate Passes Big Spending Bill (not the bail out one either), Lawmakers Cite Progress on Bail Out Talks

    Local

    Personal My lit. teacher made my day by putting this at the top of one of my papers: "Sheryl, You are a Superstar Student!"  Definitely made my day :)  I will remember how motivating this was in the future if I decide to teach instead of becoming a librarian or editor.

Things I Read  The Sunflower by Richard Paul Evans (I loved this book!)

Movies We Watched  Fireproof Excellent movie!

Interesting Internet online classes, some blogging, and some e-mails...that's about it...however this next week I will be using it for some research work, so maybe I'll have something new to share then :)

Places We Went college, library, post office, movie

Budget Savers/Busters

Blessings health, use of the six senses, our marriage, our family, God's love!

Challenges  Keeping the juggled balls of life in the air, specific English exam

Accomplishments Continuing to get good grades in my classes, wrote my online psych teacher about a question on an exam and got credit for it because the given answer was wrong

Family Happenings  celebrating youngest son's b'day

Tried Something New nothing to share this week

Photos

From our Apple Hill trip last week:

And in case you were wondering...yes, there were apples at Apple Hill :)

My guys by the High Hill Pond

~* What your handbag says about you *~

Saw this over at Joyful Days and it looked like quick fun so I gave it a try:

What Your Handbag Says About You

You tend to be relaxed throughout the day. You are naturally at peace. You are a low maintenance person. You can adapt to a variety of situations. You are a high maintenance person. You feel lost outside of your normal environment. You are practical and down to earth. You tend to be a rather reserved and quiet person. You are an outgoing and expressive person. You always speak your mind, and you're very approachable. You are a very unique and special person. There's no one else who is anything like you.

What Does Your Handbag Say About You?

Ummmm...does anyone see any inconsistencies here?? ;p

My psych teacher would probably have a good time with this one!

~* Menu Plan Monday - Sept. 21 -26*~

Sunday

chili

corn bread

Monday

Chicken 'n' rice

salad

carrot coins

Tuesday

Beef Tostadas

Spanish rice

refried beans

Wednesday

Meatloaf

baked potatoes

green beans

Thursday

Spaghetti

Green salad

garlic bread

Friday

Chicken, Artichoke & Cheese Tortellini salad

Fruit

Garlic bread

or chef's choice :)