Bucket List

Today I crossed something off my bucket list that has been a year in the making.  

I exclusively breast-fed Little Lady until she was 6 months and then continued to nurse her several hours a day until she was a year old.  I had a lot of time on my hands.  I checked Facebook a bazillion times, wrote emails, played endless games of Solitaire, 4 Pics 1 Word, Words with Friends, and many other things.  It wasn't until a friend started a "read the Bible in 3 months" challenge that I realized there was something much more productive I could be doing with my time.  So on May 6th of 2013 I started reading the Bible as part of a read-through-the-year app on my phone.  

I started reading thematically, meaning I have not read it straight through Genesis to Revelation, but have jumped around based on different passages and books that cross-reference each other.  It has been quite a year!  I started this endeavor not quite knowing if I would stick with it as I have attempted reading the entire Bible through in a year before and quit before the end.  

Today, I am exited to be able to say I completed my mission!  

I have learned so much.  By taking the time to read a small section each day, I felt I have really been able to absorb so much of what I have read.  Several months into the year, I switched over to reading the actual Study Bible instead of the Bible app on my phone and that made all the difference.  I was able to read the notes alongside each passage and really learn so much more about the context and meaning of the verses.  Thankfully Little Lady still takes 2 naps and even after I stopped nursing her back in November, I set aside the hour of her morning nap for my time with Lord to read the Bible and start my day right.  

As I read the last passage this morning, I was overcome with emotion (sappy I know), as I realized that each day for 365 DAYS I have met the Lord to read His word and learn more about Him.  To see it come to an end is quite emotional!  

Now I know what you are thinking - it doesn't have to end!  Start again! And I have contemplated that.  But for now, I think I am going to focus on reading different commentaries and studies on specific books of the Bible.  I read King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus Christ by Timothy Keller that looks at the life of Christ as told in the gospel of Mark.  I read this book while simultaneously reading the gospel of Mark in the Bible and it profoundly enhanced what I learned.  I would love to read more books like this, while going back to the Bible and re-reading books.  Does anyone have any studies or commentaries you would recommend for my next year?

Read the Bible in a year - Check! - says the village idiot