A New Year of Challenges

Oh so, so long since I last wrote anything. I was sucked into the facebook vortex and have not been able to get away from it! But I am determined to journal more on my blog this year. I have such a hard time remembering things that I really would benefit from having my thoughts cataloged somewhere. So that's my first challenge to myself; blog more.
The second challenge is what this post is really about. I read about a few people reading their bibles in 90 days and decided to join in. I didn't register or anything but I have stuck with the reading plan (so far) and am enjoying it thoroughly. Many people have never read their bibles all the way through and I have to admit that there are a few portions I don't think I have quite read completely. But for the most part I believe I have read pretty much the whole thing. Just not on this quick of a time frame. I've never done the bible-in-a-year deal either. Several years ago after we started celebrating the biblical feasts, we also started reading the Torah portions each week on Shabbat. Since then, I have read and studied through the Torah (first five books) several times. What I love about that system is the amazing interlocking message and explanation it has for those of us that went to church for years but never really connected the dots between the "old" and the "new" testament. Before that, I hadn't read too much of the old testament beyond a few "stories" and the Psalms and Proverbs. Now with this 90 day challenge, it really will put the whole story together, fresh in my mind, in a short period of time. It doesn't allow time for any in-depth study but I am taking notes of things to possibly look up later. I've been faithfully reading everyday since the 3rd and have just finished up with Exodus. I am using the NET bible and this translation has so many fascinating notes that it is hard at times to stay focused! Something I am particularly excited about is if I stay the course, even if I add on several days for flexibility, I will be finishing up close to Passover. What a great thing to get myself prepared for a new spiritual and biblical year by absorbing the whole bible first. Very nice. Check it out!

                                                                                      

Freedom Week

For the next week I want to reflect on the freedoms in my life. There are so many that I just take for granted on most days without any thought. I want to remember what I have and to practice gratefulness in all areas of my life. It's just too darn easy to fall into the trap of expecting rights, that in light of history are actually hard earned privileges that can easily be taken away if I do not do my part in protecting and respecting them.Today I have been really thinking about my religious freedom. It is amazing to think about how it is possible in America to take part in any number of religious or spiritual groups without fear of harassment or being thrown in some horrible prison. And what makes my apathy about this even worse is that I've read countless books, watched numerous movies, and have even taught my kids lessons on the persecution that has happened through the ages. This is a subject that I am well acquainted with and yet on a daily basis I get so caught up in insignificant details that my mind is often blinded to the pure joy I should have in just being able to express my beliefs in whatever way I choose. What a beautiful thing. Something that should produce a daily happiness and yet I seem to rob myself of it all too often. So I am on a mission to regularly remind myself of the wonderful freedom I have. I am striving to remember the fragility of religious freedom and how very quickly it can be taken away. Here is what I'm going to use to ramp up our family's awareness of other cultures and religions. We have this beautiful book from 1944 to help us realize that other religious groups besides Christianity helped in the building of our country and I like to read aloud from this each July. And one of the best ways to help keep our gratitude is to delve into any number of  resources on one of the many world wars that have been fought over religion. In school this past year we studied the middle ages and my goodness are there plenty of examples of religious persecution. Corrie Ten Boom's life has always been a favorite of mine also. It seems that every year I find new stories and biographies to learn from other people's lives and trials. To keep this freedom of religious expression involves constant practice of discipline to focus, remember and be grateful. It is not a simple thing to be able to go to church or synagogue or to even be an atheist in most of the world. In so many countries none of those would be an option. I wonder what I would do? I wonder how many of us would be able to hold up under intense persecution?

First Amendment to the constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances