400th Birthday

 Earlier this year, on April 20th to be exact, I finished listening to the New Testament and I blogged about that experience briefly here on my blog.  Although I did not mention it then, the high point for me in reading the New Testament was that I was reading the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) during the Easter season.  I really enjoyed hearing again about the life of Jesus Christ and doing that at Easter time.  

Then, in the elation of that accomplishment, I rashly decided I would listen to the Old Testament, and I posted that commitment on the blog at that time, hoping that my public declaration would hold me to that goal.  And it did.  Oh, it did!  I often wanted to give up this Old Testament goal all together.  

For starters, the  King James Version of the Bible has 66 books and 1189 chapters, with the New Testament having only 23 of those books and a mere 260 chapters.  For those of you unwilling to do the math, that means that the Old Testament of the KJV has 43 books and 969--did you catch that????--969 chapters.  

Now I had read the Old Testament cover to cover once before so I thought I knew what I was getting into.  No, I can say I did not really know what I was getting into.  It is all together different to hear 969 chapters of the Old Testament than to read 969 chapters of the Old Testament.  Anyone who knows me knows I am an avid and a fast reader.  Reading 969 chapters is a lot but not overwhelming.  Listening to that many chapters was overwhelming.

At the beginning, I enjoyed parts of the text and would look up reference material when I had questions.  However, about the time when I was reading of the division of the kingdoms into "Israel" and "Judah," it began to seem like I would likely never finish the Old Testament in my natural life time.  So I began to listen in large chunks of chapters--as many as I could hear at any one sitting--eager to put this task behind me.  That was both good and bad. Good because I finished sooner but bad because it was often too much, really.  Once you cram that many chapters into your head, it is all you can do to collect your thoughts and move on with your day once you have finished listening. 

Another reason not readily apparent at the mention of the Old Testament is that, among other things, it chronicles people who are doing all kinds of terrible things.  There where times when my kids would pass through the kitchen while I was listening to the Old Testament and they would say, "Mom!  What are you listening to?! That's creepy! Turn it off!"  Yep, sometimes it was "creepy."  There is a difference between reading a recitation of awful events and listening to a recitation of awful events.  There is a graphic quality to hearing it that is unsettling.

During the time of my New and Old Testament listening, I found out that this year is the 400th birthday of the King James' translation of the Bible.  What a serendipitous thing!   I wish I could say that I knew that before I undertook my Old and New Testament listening goals, but I did not, although I am pleased with that convergence.  

Here's to the first and last time I will ever listen to the Old Testament start to finish--and I have accomplished that goal in a very auspicious year to boot.

Spendin' some time with my nephew

Just when you thought you were going to see another swim picture, I toss in this soccer picture just to keep you guessing, right?!  Saturday morning, I had the treat of going to my nephew's soccer game--just the two of us going and coming.

The man sitting next to me at the game did not know I was W's relative and he kept talking to his wife about what a good player W is and W's good work as goalie.  At one point the man said, "Why didn't they put W------ in during the first half? He's doing great!"

After the game, I said, "W-----, do you want to call and tell your mom anything about the game?"  He seemed mystified as to what he needed to report, so he said, "Ahhh, that we lost?"

He also pointed out that when he was goalie, he was wearing four shirts!  And this is in 100+ degree weather!  Goodness!  The team shirts hadn't come so he slipped the temporary shirt over his other shirts and then when he was goalie, that was another shirt added!  Bless him!

W said this was his favorite picture of the pictures I took of him that day.

I have to say that a soccer game is SSSSSOOOOOOO short compared to a swim meet!  Meine gute!  It seemed we'd just arrived and it was time to pack up my chair and go home!  Thanks for a nice morning!

Busy “doings” lately

Last Wednesday, I registered J for school.  It starts this coming Monday.  The summer has seemed to fly by.  Except for the extra vacation days during the school year, I’d wish for school to start in September.  J, L and I have been doing a bit of school shopping, too.  I think we are just about set to go.


Last Thursday, J got braces on his teeth.  He has really looked forward to the day when he can have straight teeth.  However, with the initial pain of it, I think he must wonder why he wanted braces after all.

Also for last Thursday, at a friend’s request, I set up a lunch so a couple of us could visit with my cousin KGG before she went home to Virginia.  I wish I’d taken pictures but we had a great time. 


On Friday at the crack of dawn, my sister and I drove northward, and I convinced her to come to a sister missionary lunch I had tried to arrange.  We had hoped more “girls” would come but we had a great time catching up.  My sister was an honorary “Schwester” for the lunch!

Right after lunch, my sister and I went to a reunion for my first cousins on my father’s side of the family. 

The primary activity was each cousin taking a turn talking about what was going on in his/her life and the lives of any siblings who were not there.  I really enjoyed catching up.


Then in the evening, on the way back home, my sister and I stopped in to visit one of my mother’s friends and then another of our cousins who couldn’t come to the reunion.  We got home about 2 a.m.  What a full day!


Then Saturday, L had her last city swim meet.  It started at 3 (warm ups) and we did not get home until after 1:30 a.m.  Yawn.

Sunday, of course, I was released from my young women calling.  After church, my sister and I visited our father’s only living sibling and reported on the reunion.


This morning, T got braces on his teeth, too. 

Today, my sis and I helped my niece CF set up a new apartment.  I had a great time with Baby T, CF and CS. 


Lots of things have been packed into the past few days with more “doings” ahead, no doubt. 

 I go back to my school library job when school starts.  Of course, I had to get a back-to-school outfit, too, right?!