Sunday, January 17, 2010

Goal 1, Week 3

You can read the first part of this post here. This is the list for Week Three of my goal for a Bible Reading Plan.

January - Week Three

17 - Hagar and Ishmael ... (Genesis 16:1-16:16)
18 - The Covenant of Circumcision ... (Genesis 17:1-17:27)
19 - The Three Visitors ... (Genesis 18:1-18:15)
20 - Abraham Pleads for Sodom ... (Genesis 18:16-18:33)
21 - Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed ... (Genesis 19:1-19:29)
22 - Lot and His Daughters ... (Genesis 19:30-19:38)
23 - Abraham and Abimelech ... (Genesis 20:1-20:18)

Goal 3: Make Sure the Dishes Are Done

Okay, so I'll admit it. I don't really like doing dishes. I mean, sometimes, yes, I really enjoy doing them, but most of the time, eh...not so much. And with Hubby and I both working outside the home now and meal times no longer being consistent and the clean-up after mealtimes being even less consistent, it is definitely time that I put this goal into action. I had been doing this last week as well, but now I'm going to start making myself accountable for it too. It seems to me that my goals this year are really about making changes to the way that I live my life, and are not just short-term goals. I think that is really important. I am excited about the way I have been blessed by making the changes that I have so far.

So, anyhow, my goal for this week (in addition to the goals from the last two weeks) is to work on getting the dishes done every evening after dinner/before getting the kids ready for bed.

Let's see how it goes!

Weekly Accountability Post 2

January - Week Two

10 - The Sons of Noah ... (Genesis 9:18-9:29)

Ham saw his father lying naked and drunken in his tent and told his brothers about it. His brothers decided to cover their father up by backing into the tent and laying a blanket over their father. When their father found out about it, he became angry at Ham and so punished Ham's son, Canaan. It reminds me of the quote, "Sins of the father..." since Canaan, who did nothing wrong, is the one being punished by Noah. If you remember a few chapters back, God also punished Adam's children for Adam's mistakes. It's an important thing to remember. Our children historically are punished for OUR mistakes. Lead by example. Live your life as you want your children to live their's.

Daily Prayer Time Done, though it wasn't done in the morning as I had planned on, as my alarm had been shut off and I woke up about fifteen minutes later than I had planned on.

11 - The Table of Nations ... (Genesis 10:1-10:32)

Another genealogy chapter. Not a real entertaining read. But I did not realize that it was during this time that Nineveh was built. I am confused though, as to whether it was built by Cush or his son Nimrod. The way that it was worded, it sounded to me like it was built by Nimrod. But I am not sure on that one.

Daily Prayer Time Done.

12 - The Tower of Babel ... (Genesis 11:1-32)

In verse 4 of the previous chapter, it said that each of the maritime peoples spread out into their own territories and that each had their own language. But in this chapter, it says that the whole world all had one language. This confuses me. I don't understand. Unless the previous chapter is meaning different dialects of the same language. That would make sense to me. These people plotted against God, and He came down and confused their language and spread them out over the earth.

The second part of this chapter is another genealogy list, but this one ending with Abram and Lot. Abram's brother, Haran, was Lot's father. Haran died in Ur. Terah was the father of Abram, and Terah lead Abram, his wife Sarai, and his nephew Lot toward Canaan. But they stopped and settled in a place called Haran. I wonder if that is symbolic because that was the name of Lot's father. At the end of the chapter, it says that Terah died in Haran.

Daily Prayer Time Done.

13 - The Call of Abram ... (Genesis 12:1-12:20)

God called Abram to separate from his father's family and to go to the land that God will show him. Abram obeyed and set out with his wife and nephew, the people that they had acquired in Haran (which I'm curious to know how they had "acquired" these people - were they slaves?) and headed to Canaan. God promised to give Abram's offspring the land of Canaan, which is interesting at this point, because Sarai is barren.

There was a famine in the land so Abram and Sarai went to Egypt to live (nothing is mentioned about Lot at this point - I don't know if he went to Egypt as well) but Abram was fearful for his life, that because Sarai was beautiful, that the Pharaoh would have Abram killed in order to take Sarai as his wife. So Abram asked Sarai to lie and say that they were brother and sister, so that Abram's life would be spared. She did, and Pharaoh took notice of her, moved her into the palace and took her as his wife. Pharaoh also treated Abram very well, giving him maidservants and menservants and sheep, cattle, donkey and camels. In short, Abram cleaned up.

But God sent plagues on Pharaoh and his household. Pharaoh knew that it was because of Sarai and because of the lie that Sarai and Abram had told. Pharaoh sent them away, allowing them to keep the gifts that had been given to them.

Daily Prayer Time Done.

14 - Abram and Lot Separate ... (Genesis 13:1-13:18)

In this chapter it says that Abram went from Egypt up to the Negev (where he had been before Egypt) and that Sarai and Lot went with him,, which to me sounds like Lot was in Egypt with them. Anyhow, Lot and Abram both had many possessions and people with them. Lot's herdsmen and Abram's herdsmen were quarreling and Abram suggests to Lot that they part paths, since the land was great and there was plenty for each of them to have. So, they parted ways. After doing so, God tells Abram that the land will belong to him and his offspring. And that the land and his offspring both will be vast. Lot settled near Sodom (where the people were wicked and sinning greatly) and Abram settled near Hebron.

Daily Prayer Time Done.

15 - Abram Rescues Lot ... (Genesis 14:1-14:24)

There was a war going on among the kings of the area. Four kings had gone out and conquered many other kings during a twelve year war, then retreated back to their homes. There were five kings who joined forces and went to war against these four kings. The four kings prevailed and many people under the five kings' rule fled or died. Those who didn't, were captured. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food. They also carried off Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

Abram took his men and they went out and defeated those who had taken Lot. They rescued Lot and his people, as well as their possessions. The king of Sodom asked Abram to allow him to take the people and that Abram could keep the goods. Abram told the king no, since he had made an agreement with God to not accept anything from the king.

Daily Prayer Time Done.

16 - God's Covenant With Abram ... (Genesis 15:1-15:21)

Abram asked God what would happen to the land that God had given to him, since he had no heir. God told him that he would have countless heirs and that their numbers would be great. Abram believed Him. God asked Abram to bring him a heifer, a goat and a ram - each three years old as well as two birds, a dove and a young pigeon.

Abram did as God had asked, and cut the larger animals in two, with the halves opposite each other. But the birds he did not cut into two. When birds came down to prey on the carcasses of the slaughtered animals, Abram protected the carcasses, as they were an offering to God.

God made a covenant with Abram, promising him many offspring and giving him the foreknowledge that his offspring would live as servants for 400 years before they would be given the land, but that they would have all of the land after that point in time.

Daily Prayer Time Done.