Second Chance, Second Try

It is important to me to state that this is not a New Year's Resolution.  This resolve was made a few weeks ago, actually, and it is something I've been praying over and thinking over for awhile.  I would rather it didn't coincide with New Year's at all, actually, as New Year's Resolutions have become synonymous with decision and new habits meant to be broken.  They're almost laughable.  The start of a new year is an excellent time to evaluate, rethink, rework, and begin anew, but let's face it folks: most of us fail miserably at it.  And since I have already failed here, I'd like to avoid doing it again.

I've decided to take up my Bible reading blog again.  The reasons are many: without a worked out reading plan, my quiet times are spotty at best, and often directionless.  I need something to keep me in the Word.  I need something that is easy for an accountability partner to check and help me remain accountable.  I need a way to think through what I've read so I don't simply check things off.  All the same reasons I started the blog in the first place.

It was no easy decision to return to it.  In some ways, it's far easier to ignore it and set to the side that I failed.  Going back means I have to admit that I failed and that I am going to have to try again.  Going back means I have to understand why I failed and what I can do to make sure I succeed this time.  It takes a greater amount of humility and guts to try again than to simply ignore it or even take it down from the web.

Why did I fail?  The possible reasons are several, and I am not entirely sure if it was a culmination of all of them, or if it really came down to one or two and I let the others be an excuse.  I don't think I'll really know which it is unless I try again.  Here are some possible culprits:

• Leviticus got the better of me after all.
• I went away on a trip without a firm plan to keep up on both reading and writing and got too far behind.
• I allowed myself to get overwhelmed by being behind instead of plugging ahead or making a good plan to catch up, and just stopped.
• No one took me seriously on the accountability aspect and no one said much to me about stopping, if anything.  (And if you did, then I apologize, but I may have mistook your comments to be pertaining to Wordisbawn.) 
• Few read the blog in any occasion and so had no idea that I was floundering and needed some encouragement.

There are a few others, but those are the main.  Granted, I have to admit that maybe the blog was dry, dull, or insipid and no one had any interest in reading it anyway, and if so, who could blame them?  Then, it is no surprise that there wouldn't be any accountability.  But I've taken some steps to combat them.


First, I lowered my expectations for Leviticus.  I had really wanted to understand some things (like why so many doves for this sin and a lamb for that one but not for this one) about the sacrificial system and was having difficult finding resources that could fully explain it, at least in the time I had to search.  Secondly, I wanted to have something interesting to say, but as I was dumbfounded by some of the things, I didn't know what to say at all.  It stopped me from writing in my attempt to meet those expectations.  Not this time.  Even if I have to grimly plug my way through Leviticus and have little more to say than, "I read it.  Who knew there were so many skin diseases?", then I'll do it.


Second, I have pointedly asked a good friend to be my go-to accountability partner on this.  I know she can't check in every day, but I have asked her to be a real partner to me and at least check regularly to see if I'm staying on point and to call me on it.  This is what I need most of all.


Thirdly, I only have a few trips planned for the next year and I'm already looking into how to keep up, even if it means typing out entries on my tiny little phone keyboard.

The rest I'm leaving up to a great deal of prayer and the Father's help.

If you, though, ever get the notion, please do go over there and check an entry or two out.  I do actually ask that you leave a comment, let me know you stopped in, and even if you have something to say on the matter.  It would be a great encouragement to me.

Chronological Bible Reading

*Please note, this post in its entirety also appears on my Wordisbawn blog site.