B90Days Check In - Day 109

I'm still here! I'm still reading!

I'm like the Little Engine that Could. Chug-chug-chug...

Today I began the book of Acts. I can hardly put this thing down now. It's really riveting stuff.

Here are some of my recent thoughts:

• I love the difference in tone & writing style between Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. Reading some of the same events through the various perspectives kept me captivated.
• My favorite, I think, was John. I absolutely love the way this book begins. I kept flipping back and reading the first chapter again & again. Maybe it's because it's such a simple truth. Maybe it's because I never really though about Christ being there at the beginning. Whatever the reason... I just went back & read it again, in the middle of writing this sentence. I also liked the way it ended. That remark about there not being enough room in the world for all the books... it made me chuckle.
• I cried every time I read about the crucifixion & the things Christ endured. For me. For us. When I read the account in Luke, I think I actually blubbered. 
• I have struggled with a few of the verses. I have grown to almost resent certain verses because these were verses that the Ministry latched onto and... well... pardon me for saying so, but... latched onto & bastardized. Twisted. In order to control and lay on the guilt. Reading them in context has been incredibly educational and enlightening to me. Maybe I dislike those verses a little less now.
• I really don't like Judas. Even though he had to do what he did, in order to fulfill the prophesies. I still don't like him.
• I love it when the Bible quotes itself. I just think it's cool when anybody in the NT quotes a Psalm or one of Isaiah's prophesies.  Every time, I think to myself, "Hey! I just read that two months ago!" 
• I am getting so much more out of the new testament now that I have read the entire old testament. (All in the same year!) It's helpful to know the back story. I think I understand more fully how significant Christ was, given what I now know about the history of Israel. But I really don't understand how anyone living during that time could not believe Him.
• John the Baptist got the shaft. Totally. I had no idea the guy got beheaded! That just stinks. I guess I thought he ended up retiring to a villa in the hills of Judah. Nope! The guy did exactly what he was supposed to do, and then got his head chopped off because of some stupid woman who didn't like having her own sin pointed out. That stinks like yesterday's dirty diapers!

I am really happy that I didn't give up when everything came crashing down on me. I have really found a rhythm. I'm setting daily goals (which include fewer than 12 pages a day), but I'm usually surpassing them. I really can't put it down. I actually considered calling in sick to work this morning just so that I could lay around and read my Bible all day! (I didn't, of course. That would not be responsible. But still. I really wanted to.)

And, here's a really awesome thing: Because I can't stop reading the Bible, I can't stop talking about it. And because I can't stop talking about it, my husband was moved to find the Bible on audio... I think he's going to listen to the whole thing while he drives to/from work each day! This whole experience has moved us both to really examine how we have organized our family. We're asking difficult questions... and maybe not liking the answers we find.

How about you? Have you read the whole Bible? Are you reading it now? Where are you & what is your favorite part so far?