Changing My Bible Reading Plan

I began this year with a plan to read the Bible all the way through in one year.  The plan requires reading 3 chapters in the Old Testament, and 3 chapters in the New Testament daily, six days each week.  Actually, by following this plan, you will read through the New Testament four times and the Old Testament once by the end of the year.

I was about three days into this plan when I realized that it was not going to work for me.  I have read the whole Bible in 90 days three times, and after doing that I have developed two new preferences.
1.  I like to read the Bible in order--reading both Old and New Testament passages each day was just bothering me.
2.  I like to read large portions of Scripture when I am reading more than I am studying verse by verse.

So, the first change I made was to figure out how many chapters I would need to read each day if I wanted to read the entire Bible, in order (not moving from Old to New Testament each day), in one year.  Reading four chapters each day, six days a week would allow me to reach that goal.  I read using this plan until yesterday.

And then I made yet another change!  I decided that I really did not want to stretch out this entire Bible reading into one year.  I really, really like the B90 plan. So I opened up the 90 Day Bible Reading plan app on my iPad yesterday morning and began where I was.....Leviticus 4.  That is Day 8 of the B90 plan.  Today I read Day 9.  I am happy with my decision to read God's Word this way right now.

When I finish this 90 day reading I plan to pick up where I left off in copying Scripture--I am in the middle of 1 Thessalonians.  Back in the fall I began copying books of the New Testament, one chapter at a time.  Then I outlined each chapter and made notes.  So, the 2013 year plan is for me to complete B90, study some New Testaments books in depth, and then maybe do B90 again.

Training for a marathon and doing B90 seem incompatible with each other....since both take large blocks of time.  However, I am up for the challenge, in both areas, again!  My first priority of course is daily time in God's Word.  So I just get up early!  And on my long run days, if I can't get the entire day's reading completed before it's time to meet my friends to run, I just finish that day's reading later on in the day, even in bed at night if needed.

How is your Bible reading and studying going this year so far?  Do you have a plan?

Happy Birthday to Sam!

Today is sweet Sam's 7th birthday! My baby is 7 years old!  Olivia calls Sam the eternal baby!  I still hold him and hug and kiss on him all the time!  

He will always be my baby....

We began the day with a camouflaged-themed decorated table and a breakfast of Shipley's do-nuts!  Sam's request!  I drove a total of 40 minutes to get those do-nuts early this morning.

 Sam, waiting on his breakfast.

Olivia and I decorated the table with Sam's new paracord.

 Sweet, seven year old Sam

After breakfast, we moved to our den for present opening!  Fun!  Fun!  Sam received Legos from Mims and Pops, some new running clothes, a Lotso (bought secretly from Disney World), and a couple of handmade gifts from his sisters.

 A new running shirt

 Sam with his presents

 a duck-tape bear, made by Leah

 a crocheted horse, made by Julie

Sam played with his new Legos all morning, and then our family went to lunch at Kyotos.

 At the restaurant, waiting for the Hibachi show to begin.

The onion volcano!

After lunch, the oldest four children had piano lessons, and Jimmy and I took Sam to Cracker Barrel so he could buy himself a harmonica.  He spent some of his birthday money to buy it.  We also took Sam to the ATT store.....so boring for Sam, but Jimmy and I needed to stop by there!

Later this afternoon, Granmomma and Pop stopped by.  For Sam's birthday present, they took him to Harbor Freight to pick out his own birthday present.  Sam had been studying the Harbor Freight sale paper earlier today, and he really, really wanted a machete!

We told him, "No machetes!"

 Here is what Sam looked like after we told him he could not buy any weapons or anything dangerous!

Granmomma was still happy though!

He cheered up and came home from his shopping trip with an 80 lb. magnet and some other magnifying glass contraption.  Both seem safe enough....if he will keep that magnet away from all of our electronics!

We ended our day with fruit pizza for supper.  This pizza was delicious, and Olivia made it all by herself!  It was beautiful, and it tasted so good!

Back to healthy eating tomorrow!

 Sam with his fruit pizza

Blowing out his 7 candles!

Happy Birthday Sam!

You will always be the baby in this family!

Menu Monday

I know that it's not Monday, but I have already made my menu for the upcoming week.  So here it is!

Saturday:
Stuffed Bell Peppers
roasted asparagus

Recipe for Stuffed Peppers

2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp. jarred minced garlic

1 small onion, chopped

8 bell peppers (any color), halved and insides discarded

3/4 cup soy milk

2 cans white corn, drained

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Put potatoes, onion, and garlic in saucepan with water to cover. Boil until tender.

Boil peppers in another pot until tender. Arrange peppers, cut side up in a baking dish.

Drain the cooked potatoes. Add soy milk and mash well (I use a hand mixer). Stir in corn, salt and pepper.

Spoon potato mixture into peppers. Bake for about 20 minutes.

Sunday:

taco soup

Monday:

Sam's Birthday--His choice of restaurant for supper.  

Lunch--leftovers

Breakfast--He wants donuts!!

Tuesday:

quinoa and sweet potato chili (Julie cooks)

Wednesday

brown rice, roasted vegetables (squash, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.)

Thursday

pasta salad

Friday

burritos

After Monday, you can visit OrgJunkie. com for more menu ideas.

Friday Night Shopping

I began about 6:50 at Toys R Us.  I was in there only five minutes!  I was looking for a particular Lego set for Sam's birthday (Monday), and they did not have it.

Next was Sam's.  I had my monthly list in hand!  I know that it is not the first of February yet, but I have not done a big Sam's shopping trip since before Christmas.  It was time.  I bought all that I need (except dog food and kitty litter---both are too heavy for me to put in the shopping buggy or the car--Jimmy will have to pick that up for me later) to last us until March.

Last, I went to Walmart.  I had planned on buying the rest of my groceries at Kroger after buying paper goods and shampoo and such at Walmart,  but after spend so much time in there, I realized that what was left on my "food" list after shopping at Sam's were items that I could buy at Walmart.  I really, really prefer to buy my groceries at Kroger, but times like tonight, I make an exception.  Walmart had everything on my grocery list except for Crazy Jane's Seasoning Salt.

While at Walmart I ran into a running friend of ours and visited with him for a while.  He wanted to hear all about our Disney racing experience.  Next I began visiting with an super nice Walmart employee.  We discussed which paper towels were the best buy, and since we couldn't figure it out, I pulled out my phone and we did the math.  We calculated four different brands/quantities and discovered that the Decorator Towels brand was the cheapest per towel!  Now aren't you excited to know that?  And it's the same price whether you buy the 3-pack or the 6-pack.  I went with two 3-packs because they were a cuter print!

While visiting with the Walmart man, I ran into another friend, a nurse who used to work in Jimmy's clinic.  We spent a good bit of time catching up, and then we went to the toilet paper aisle to calculate the Great Value Extra Strong brand vs. the Ultra Charmin that I always buy.  The Great Value was cheaper per sheet, but I still bought the Charmin.

Aren't my Friday nights so fun and exciting?

Also while at Walmart tonight I purchased everything else I needed for Sam's birthday party, a couple of more gifts for him, and all of the children's Valentine's happies, plus supplies for us to make Valentine's cards for others.

I finally arrived home at 10:45!  The bags are all unloaded from the van, the cold stuff is put in the refrigerator or freezer, and the rest of it is resting on the kitchen counter and laundry room floor--waiting for me to put it all away in the morning.

I accomplished so much!
And that is a fun Friday night for me!

The Last Disney Post!

Here are some highlights of our recent trip to Disney World--in no particular order.  This is the 3rd trip that we have made to Disney with our friends Lynn and Kelly and their family.  This year Esther and Greg and their family joined us for 6 days of fun, and Heather came along for 4 of those days.  We made many fun memories!

 Esther, Heather, Jimmy, Me, and Lynn in front of where the Race Expo was held.  This is where we picked up our bib numbers, race shirts, and various souvenirs.

 Esther and I riding the bus to the Expo.

 My children on the day we arrived

 Lynn and I are making buttons for our kids to wear.  They said "Go Mama!" and "Go Daddy".  I took a picture of the button maker too.  I really want one of those!

 An overview of the Expo packet pickup area

 The Goofy participants modeling their Goofy race shirts in front of a poster of the Goofy medal they would earn.

 Jared and Sam

The Four Mamas

 Little girls in the stroller

 Jared and Clay--thrilled to have their picture made!

 Greg and Esther

 We sent this picture to our Koach Kenneth.

 Sam likes to liven up every picture.

 The Sanders Family

 The Mims Family

 Some girls going to ride Toy Story Mania

Meeting Mickey Mouse

 Olivia attended an animation class at Hollywood Studios.

 Leah, posing with her new Bolt on her birthday morning.

 The Half Marathoners

 The Mims Family at Epcot

 Our family (minus Jimmy the photographer) at Epcot

 Sarah and Leah

 Waiting to ride Soarin' at Epcot

 Sweet!

At the World of Coke--the kids LOVED this place!

 In France, at Epcot

 Lynn and Hannah

 On a ride at Animal Kingdom

 Meeting Donald Duck at Animal Kingdom

 Sarah and Jimmy

 Three cool boys--the boys were definitely outnumbered on this trip!

 Two Goofy runners meeting Goofy!

 Yay!  It's Pluto!

Yay!  We are all happy to be with Pluto!

 Sarah and Parker

 In front of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad--one of Sam's favorite rides at Magic Kingdom.

 Jared got to participate in a street show in France in Epcot.

 See the construction behind us?  That is a new roller coaster that is being built in the new Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom.

 Driving the race cars in Magic Kingdom

 I was scared with Leah driving me!

 Sam drove Olivia.

 In the candy store on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom.  It is a tradition for our family to visit this candy store and buy M&Ms and jelly beans by the pound.  Fun!

Yummy!

 Another Half Marathon picture with the pretty castle in the background.

 All ready for the first part of the Goofy Challenge.

 Girls!

 And another Half Marathon picture....

 Oh no!  Heather, hurry up and get back on the race course!

 We met the half marathoners outside of our hotel to take pictures of them as they ran by.

 Pretty girls!

Handsome men!

Waiting for fireworks on our final night at the Magic Kingdom.

 Some of the girls with the fans they had stamped at each country they visited in Epcot.

 More fans

 A close-up of a fan

 Rapunzel hair (I think!)

 The crew after Lynn, Jimmy, Heather and I headed back to the hotel to rest the night before the marathon.  

In Mexico

Fun times!!