I have decided to attempt to read through the entire Bible in the month of March. Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. The reasons for this are as follows:
1) Its good to read the Bible and it is something I wish I did more.
2) Last month I preached a sermon on media use in our culture, I challenged the congregation to examine how we use our time and if necessary make changes in our lives. The average American spends 5 hours a day watching TV, reading through the Bible in a month will take about 2-3 hours a day(or about 1 Laker game). In a very practical way reading the Bible this month is one way I can 'practice what I preached.'
3) A few weeks ago I was having lunch with a friend and he asked, "Why is it that Christians always need reading plans to read the Bible why can't they just pick it up and read it through like any other book?" Rather then answer without ever having read through the Bible cover to cover, in order, I decided i should try it.
4) We all need accountability, I know myself well enough to know that if i didn't make an event of it I would probably get stuck somewhere in Leviticus or, if I'm lucky, Jeremiah, by making it public I am putting my pride on the line, either keep reading or answer to the millions of disgruntled blog readers if I quit mid-march.
So I will keep a you updated: there are 31 days in March and my Bible has 1027 pages in it. that's about 33 pages a day, which takes me between 2-3 hours. On day one I read Genesis 1-36.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Monday, September 7, 2009
A Post From the 2nd City
After many request (all by the same person and coincidentally our only reader, yes you Diane) we are finally updating our blog.
The last 2 weeks (and for the next 2) we have been living in Chicago (the medical district) while Jen does a rotation in Emergency Medicine. These weeks have brought there own share of excitement adjustment and as always stress. After the first couple of days Jen has felt more comfortable working in the ER here and has had the privilege of working with some great doctors. The stress of these weeks has largely stemmed largely from the process of completing Jen's application to residency. I personally have read her CV and Personal Statement well over 10 times. Which sadly is still probably not as many times as she has. Along with this process has been the stress of working with the right ER docs here to get a letter of recommendation as well as narrowing in on the programs that we(she but we ...it feels like i am applying i have been on ERAS so much) would like to apply to.
This "narrowing" has left us with 30 programs that will be graced with the presence of Jennifer Lee Lowry Erbes' Residency Application. Most the programs are in the Midwest(IC, Chicago, KC, Omaha, Indy, Twin Cities, and St Louis (shout-out to Luke at WashU) we have also applied to programs in Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, and Virginia.
I have been studying for the GRE to attempt to raise my score, to open up possibilities wherever we end up next year. I have also been taking Statistics through the University of Iowa. My comps for my MA our on Oct 31.
Other then that we have done a couple "Chicago" things namely; went to the Field Museum, Navy Pier, we have been running along the lake several times, we tried to go to a Andy's Jazz Club but Jen forgot her ID so we went to Gino's East Pizza which was fun, but slightly less Jazzy. We tried to drive downtown once that was stupid, we now take the L(blue line western stop). We also got to go out to eat in Oak Park at a really good wine and cheese place with my cousin Kristin and her husband Mark.
Over the next 2 weeks we hope to see more of the city maybe hit a Cubs game, and I may run a half-marathon.
I have taken a few pics but i do not have my cord to put them on the computer.
City life seems to come with a large number of both "pros" and "cons" weighing them is the challenge. Everything is close but takes awhile to get to... there tends to be a lot of people around. That said one of the goals of this month is to gauge whether we would like doing this for 3 or 4 years, I think we have both gone back and forth both coming to the conclusion that it could work if it is where we are led.
Sometimes it is hard having so many uncertainties(where are we going to live? what are we going to do?) with so much of it seeming out of our control. However becoming more apparent is the reality that we wouldn't know what we would do if we did control it.
Perhaps our curse is our blessing.
-Ben (&Jen <><)
The last 2 weeks (and for the next 2) we have been living in Chicago (the medical district) while Jen does a rotation in Emergency Medicine. These weeks have brought there own share of excitement adjustment and as always stress. After the first couple of days Jen has felt more comfortable working in the ER here and has had the privilege of working with some great doctors. The stress of these weeks has largely stemmed largely from the process of completing Jen's application to residency. I personally have read her CV and Personal Statement well over 10 times. Which sadly is still probably not as many times as she has. Along with this process has been the stress of working with the right ER docs here to get a letter of recommendation as well as narrowing in on the programs that we(she but we ...it feels like i am applying i have been on ERAS so much) would like to apply to.
This "narrowing" has left us with 30 programs that will be graced with the presence of Jennifer Lee Lowry Erbes' Residency Application. Most the programs are in the Midwest(IC, Chicago, KC, Omaha, Indy, Twin Cities, and St Louis (shout-out to Luke at WashU) we have also applied to programs in Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, and Virginia.
I have been studying for the GRE to attempt to raise my score, to open up possibilities wherever we end up next year. I have also been taking Statistics through the University of Iowa. My comps for my MA our on Oct 31.
Other then that we have done a couple "Chicago" things namely; went to the Field Museum, Navy Pier, we have been running along the lake several times, we tried to go to a Andy's Jazz Club but Jen forgot her ID so we went to Gino's East Pizza which was fun, but slightly less Jazzy. We tried to drive downtown once that was stupid, we now take the L(blue line western stop). We also got to go out to eat in Oak Park at a really good wine and cheese place with my cousin Kristin and her husband Mark.
Over the next 2 weeks we hope to see more of the city maybe hit a Cubs game, and I may run a half-marathon.
I have taken a few pics but i do not have my cord to put them on the computer.
City life seems to come with a large number of both "pros" and "cons" weighing them is the challenge. Everything is close but takes awhile to get to... there tends to be a lot of people around. That said one of the goals of this month is to gauge whether we would like doing this for 3 or 4 years, I think we have both gone back and forth both coming to the conclusion that it could work if it is where we are led.
Sometimes it is hard having so many uncertainties(where are we going to live? what are we going to do?) with so much of it seeming out of our control. However becoming more apparent is the reality that we wouldn't know what we would do if we did control it.
Perhaps our curse is our blessing.
-Ben (&Jen <><)
Monday, July 6, 2009
Song for Jen
Here are the words for the song I wrote(with Lane Jahn) for Jen, that Lane and I performed at the wedding.
Today I stand before you
As you're sharing this with me
Our life becomes our memories
Here in God's presence
I can see
How the cross holds more love
Than the words we speak
So I want to show I love you
But I know
I'll have to wait til' life gives me a chance to prove...
That greater than the words I write
Must be the life I give you in peace and pain
After every trial that we face,
I'll thank God for you
Today I stand- With faith that he did choose you for me
Today I stand- The first step in thousands you'll take with me
Today I stand- With thanks for all that's in you...and what you see in me
Today We stand- with breath to form our union… and live…
How I want to show I love you
And I know
We'll both learn love through Christ alone.
Today I stand before you
As you're sharing this with me
Our life becomes our memories
Here in God's presence
I can see
How the cross holds more love
Than the words we speak
So I want to show I love you
But I know
I'll have to wait til' life gives me a chance to prove...
That greater than the words I write
Must be the life I give you in peace and pain
After every trial that we face,
I'll thank God for you
Today I stand- With faith that he did choose you for me
Today I stand- The first step in thousands you'll take with me
Today I stand- With thanks for all that's in you...and what you see in me
Today We stand- with breath to form our union… and live…
How I want to show I love you
And I know
We'll both learn love through Christ alone.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Almost there.
It's been awhile since our last post, it has been a really busy month, probably one of the most challenging of our lives. I finished spring semester earlier today, Jen will be done with her surgery rotation on Friday. We are headed back to Ames this weekend for Luke's graduation, wedding preparation, and mother's day.
-pressing on
-pressing on
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