Here we are at the end of the ‘everything year’: the school year is nearly over, which coincides with the ministry year and most regularly scheduled activities. In a return to what has been an often-repeated topic here, I pose a series of questions:
- How do you meet your need for regeneration? (Social interaction, sleep, time alone, a new goal, or perhaps creative activity or outdoor recreation?)
- How much social interaction do you need?
- How do you manage to get your social needs met in the summer when everything is on break?
Although this has nothing to do with social, it does have to do with summer: I am very excited to begin Professor Horner’s Bible-Reading Program, which I learned about from a MOPS friend who had Professor Horner for English, I believe, at The Master’s College. From the facebook group page:
* PROFESSOR GRANT HORNER’S ‘TEN LISTS BIBLE READING SYSTEM’*
Each day you will read one chapter from each list, in order. THAT’S RIGHT — *TEN CHAPTERS PER DAY*!!! Use ten bookmarks or sticky notes with the individual lists on them to keep track of your locations. (LOOK BELOW at the Wall for several posts on Feb 1 2009 and you will find links to handy bookmarks made by users.) On day one, you read Matthew 1, Genesis 1, Romans 1, and so forth. On day 2, read Matthew 2, Genesis 2, etc. On day 29, you will have just finished Matthew, so go to Mark 1 on the Gospel list; you’ll also be almost to the end of 2nd Corinthians and Proverbs, you’ll be reading Psalm 29 and Genesis 29, and so forth. When you reach the last chapter of the last book in a list – start over again. Rotate all the way through all the Scriptures constantly. Since the lists vary in length, the readings begin interweaving in constantly changing ways. You will NEVER read the same set of ten chapters together again! Every year you’ll read through all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters 4-5 times each, the OT wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the OT History and prophetic books about 1 ½ times. Since the interweaving is constantly changing, you will experience the Bible commenting *on itself* in constantly changing ways — the Reformer’s principle of ‘scriptura interpretans scripturam’ — ‘scripture interpreting scripture’ IN ACTION!
After you’ve read any particular book once or twice, your speed in that book usually *doubles or triples* because you’re familiar with it and can move quickly and confidently — because you are no longer merely decoding the text but thinking it through in the context of all of the scripture! Acts 20:27. Even an ‘average’ reader, if focusing on moving through the text, rather than trying to figure everything out, can usually do this in about an hour a day – 5-6 minutes per chapter. If it is taking you longer, then you are ‘reading wrong’ – stay relaxed, focus, and just keep it moving. Moderate but consistent speed is the key. This is “gross anatomy” — looking at the whole body; you’re *not* closely studying organs or systems or tissues or cells — it is *not* microbiology. BUT
— microbiology and the study or organs makes more sense when you know what the *whole* structure of the human body is like, and how all the parts, large and small, relate in perfect interdependence. After just a few days the reading gets *much* easier; in a month it will be a habit, and in six months you’ll wonder how you ever survived before on such a slim diet of the WORD. And then — you’ll tell others to start the system!
Whether or not you believe the Bible is God’s Word, you are not fully educated unless you have read it for yourself. I invite you to join me in reading the Bible through this summer.
Now, back to summer social survival. I’ll let you in on a well-kept secret: they don’t check ages for taking senior classes. All this time, I’ve been waiting to turn 50 or whatever, so I could take affordable, day-time classes. This year, I believe I’ll try taking an art class.
And hopefully I’ll be back to blogging a little more consistently as well. 🙂
1. Regular yoga practice and occasional vodka martinis
2. If I don’t see anyone for several weeks, by the end of week three I long for companionship. I like to attend or throw a big dinner party monthly and have lunch with a friend about once a week.
3. “Everything is on break”? My experience is different: friends don’t leave town at the same time, nor are restaurants, galleries, or shops closed here for all of August, like they are in Paris. In summer, concerts abound, parks are at their best, and it’s light till nearly 10 pm. People like to act like they are as busy with work but really, they relax more, making the most of a short summer in a northern climate.
That sounds interesting… I just read through cover to cover about 5 chapters a day. We have started doing it as a family now and I am amazed at how much my kids enjoy it.
Ok, umm… I garden in the summer (or I do now, LOL) so that is an activity that requires daily attention that normally wouldn’t. I beg my non homeschooling friends to come and spend time with me here as I usually visit around during the year when it is hard for them to travel. I end up nearly all the weeks full (everyone comes for 5-7 days at a time).
Nifty. Hadn’t seen that one before. I might try it. Thanks!
1. Aside from maintaining a consistent spiritual life, I allow myself some time after lunch to check email and keep up with friends online. I also try to carve out little bits of time for creative pursuits. A friend and I have recently arranged a kid swap where we keep each others’ children so we can go on lunch dates with our husbands or shop or whatever. That makes for nice refreshing times. I’ve been going to bed earlier and baby is finally sleeping through the night with no interruptions (fingers crossed).
2. I don’t need a lot of social interaction, but I do enjoy my friendships. I have come to realize that keeping too much to myself is unhealthy, both emotionally and spiritually. I need others and they need me.
3. I find summer easier in this regard. During the school year I am busy trying to stay on top of our home school and everyone else with children has school activities too. Summer schedules are more flexible for hospitality and getting together in general.
*******
Cool reading plan…I may have to try this one…
1. It’s mostly about having enough down time, enough interaction with ideas, and enough quality time with the right people. If I’m particularly down, sleep is the key.
2. More than I think. Introvert-Me has to guard against being so protective of my alone-time that it becomes counterproductive – remind myself that I live alone, and thus have access to as much private time as I could possibly want, so it’s ok to do things with people sometimes. I do actually need more friends at the moment.
3. Different perspective here: I hate summer – I don’t like the sensation of warmth in the ambient air, I prefer winter clothing, and most outdoor things that can’t be done in the winter are more pleasant in the spring and autumn. This is alienating, since “everyone” *loves* summer.
Without school-aged kids/other connection to the academic calendar, summer isn’t that different from any other time. Then again, not *everything* shuts down for summer here – some church ministries do, but not most (and my small group elected to keep meeting illicitly through the summer), and most volunteer organizations, etc., seem to keep going more or less the same. I’ve certainly lived places where this is less the norm, though.
I’m taking classes this summer too. My hint: the nonresident fees for taking a comm.ed. class in the town where I work turned out to be less than the resident fees in the town where I live (for the classes I wanted to take – I noticed that some others were the other way around).
Re: Horner – I recently committed to spending the summer on a modified version of same, with the added challenge of stepping way outside my usual zone w/regard to translation. Should be an interesting experience.
Our spring was so jam packed that I am actively “un planning” for the summer. I even decided not to take the golf lessens I had planned for June, because I just need some down time. We often get visitors in the summer, which we love, and casual family get togethers seem easier in the summer because you can be outside (twice the space!). We have a few trips planned and a few kid activities (plus work and the kids normal daytime routine), but are purposely leaving lots of time just “open” to relax and be spontaneous.
I do need and enjoy lots of social interaction but since I work full time I get some of that at work. What I really want is a few days ALONE in my own home (never ever happens). I’ll keep trying.