More scripture reading

The internet was down most of Monday evening. By the time I got through checking my communities, it was almost midnight. I had a long day at work, so I only read 1 Samuel chapter 16.

I didn't read Tuesday evening  because I went to Logan to a business meeting for doTerra, an essential oils company.

Wednesday I got a blinding headache at the doctor's office. I wondered if we were going to get home. When the visual disturbance finally left, it felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to the base of my skull & then was so very nauseated. I went to bed at 10:30 p.m. & slept until 10:10 a.m. Of course, there was no reading, of any kind.

Tonight when I logged in to read my scriptures, I had an email from readthescriptures.com informing me I am 15 days behind schedule. In requesting another reading assignment, this was the quote:

"Our Heavenly Father never gives up on us... But we must have the desire to open the door, even if it shakes the very foundation of our past beliefs and way of life... Our Father in Heaven will never take away our agency. We must seek after or desire to know our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ."

--Elder Ronald T. Halverson, "I Stand at the Door, and Knock," Ensign, November 2004, 32

I plan to go to bed early again tonight because I had another visual disturbance this afternoon. I hate it when they piggy back on to each other. Tomorrow's another busy day.

"We should not allow our personal values to erode, even if others think we are peculiar. "

--President James E. Faust Ensign, May 1998, 19

I did read tonight from the Old Testament, 1 Samuel 17-18 for a total of 88 scriptures.

Finished Ruth

Started & finished Ruth tonight. It was grouped with Judges in the Old Testament Student Manual. I  thought it interesting, until I realized it took place during the reign of the Judges.

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” ( Romans 8:6 ). The truth of this declaration is evident in the contrasting stories of Samson and Ruth. The prophets have always been anxious that the Saints find that peace which comes from living a Christlike life. ( OTSM )

The Old Testament Student Manual also brought out another interesting fact. Ruth was a convert. And her famous speech, "Intreat me not to leave thee ..." ( Ruth 1:16-17 ) makes perfect sense when viewed in that light. I always thought Ruth's speech should have been between a man & a woman, but

President John Taylor used the example of Ruth to describe modern Saints who also were willing to give up homes and kinships to be where their God wanted them to be. ( OTSM )

It is one of my favorite books of scriptures. I read a novel about Ruth when I was in junior high. I can remember exactly where it was in the old Carnegie Library, but I can't remember the name or the author.

Finished Judges

Judges is a very interesting book. I made a couple of notes to use in this entry.

The theme of the book is captured with the last scripture in the book:

Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

I didn't remember the stories of Deborah & Samson being in this book. I have never noticed the references to lefthandedness either. There were 2 in Judges.

Judges 20:16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

My DH & DSY are both lefthanded, as is the assistant editor at work.

I have really slowed down in reading my scriptures. Even though I still read daily, I don't read the recommended 109 verses every night. I am 13 days behind the schedule I set for myself. I wanted to finish the Old Testament by Dec. 31. It is better to read consistently though. I may be able to catch up. Ruth is coming up & it is one of my favorite books of scripture.

5 Point Challenge

5 Point Challenges

• Read a book with a one word title

My first 5 point book. A book with a one word title, Blessings by Anna Quindlen. I didn't think of T4MRC when I picked up this book. I needed some mindless reading & besides, I needed a Q for an author's last name in the Author's Last Name mini challenge of my 144 Books in 2010

A book read outside

is a 15 point read for 80 points. I read this book out on the porch. I couldn't even wait to get in the door. I sat down to look at my loot, 13 books for $7 from Jenson's Books in Providence. There were 8 hardback & 5 paperback.

I didn't get past this one, still have 12 books to look at, LOL.

I also shelved it as a favorite author, Mary Higgins Clark, On the Street Where You Live.
(c)2001, 5 stars, Mystery, giving me 2 out of 24 books read, 22 to go.

It is also unputdownable. I was bad. I only read 1 chapter in Judges in the Old Testament tonight.

Splintering

My mother's family of 8 brothers & sisters were close when their parents were alive. A family reunion was held annually because their mother wanted her family to remain close. When Mother's brother Woodrow died, the annual reunions stopped. He was the first sibling to die, but the reunions ceased. The splintering had started before then though.

I read this in my nightly reading tonight at the beginning of chapter 22 of the OTSM

When Joshua and the leaders of Israel who served under him died, the national spirit of Israel also died. Tribal loyalty replaced national unity. Each tribe began to look to its own resources without giving help or asking aid from their fellow Israelites.

Old Testament Student Manual

It reminded me of how Mother's families has splintered. Luana's family has a big family reunion & the grandkids come from Texas, Virginia, Boise, Salt Lake. Dorin's family also has a big family reunion every other year.

Sandee Taylor Matthews commented on something that was posted on Facebook about a "Porter reunion," she deleted it before it could be read there, but I got it in my email.

Wasn't really a reunion.  My parents invited Donna and some of their kids came. They had 4 wheelers and just camped up my where my Dad was raised. I wouldn't call it a reunion. Kind of like when Maxine and family go up Willow Flat.  But it would be fun to do a reunion an afternoon somewhere. There are enough extended family now that hopefully nobody gets bent out of shape for no reason if everyone isn't invited. It gets pretty hard to get to everything. I think the park thing in July would be great!

This year Donna, Onda & Maxine's families met at the "Porter Reunion," but no one else was invited. I commented on Tanya's blog & she deleted my comment. Oh, well, "hopefully nobody gets bent out of shape for no reason." I do, but it is a sad commentary on me.

My mother's immediate family is me, my husband & my 2 sons. We live in the same town & almost in the same house. She doesn't get to see the others, but she sits there all alone in her house & memorizes the nieces & nephews & their children & their children & their birthdays.Why can't we be like the Levites? The other tribes of Israel shared what they had with them.

Finished Joshua

Finished Joshua & started Judges. It is like deja vu. My gosh, it's a vicious cycle. Moses delivers the Israelites from the Egyptians, they wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Lehi & his family flee to the wilderness. The Lord parts the Red Sea. Lehi's family cross the ocean.

The reign of the judges is similar in many ways to the history of the Nephites prior to the coming of Christ. It is a story of one continuous cycle of apostasy and repentance.

Old Testament Student Manual

I studied the Book of Mormon in 9th grade in high school & the Old Testament as a senior. I remember I did not like the Old Testament. I always thought it was my seminary teacher, but ... could it have been the actual volume of scripture??? I have never seen the similarities before.

Disappointed in response

to my Facebook challenge of 15 books in 15 minutes. I have not had anyone do it.

I finished Deuteronomy, but haven't summarized it yet. I will get to it though.