Who will go for us?

While in Chicago last week, I finished The Seven Storey Mountain. It's an interesting book--it is never breathtaking in its prose style, the ideas are not rigorously explored, and much of the history that is recounted is hinted at rather than explored. Nevertheless, the overall effect is strong: you see a man convinced of his call from God and acting on that call. He doesn't always move quickly, or with determination, but he ends up at a relatively young age in the place where God calls him. In itself, that is admirable.

What was interesting to me is how he presents his calling to the monastery strengthening and refining his call to authorship. God placed him in the Trappist community not to escape from the world, but to intervene as a writer. Towards the end, he presents this as the cross of his calling. In the epilogue, he writes about his "enemy, Thomas Merton, the author." He finds himself literally of two minds: Father Louis who wants to remain in his monastery as a contemplative; and Thomas Merton the author who wants to have ideas, write about them, and publish them. What struck me most about this short passage of the book is how God does not let us escape. No calling removes us from our requirement to intervene in our world--not even a calling to a cloister. Indeed, as he goes on to explain, the dichotomy between the via contempletiva and the via activa is false. Successful activity arises out of contemplation and contemplation leads to activity. It is the way of Christ, who withdrew to isolated places only to walk among the crowds and heal them.

I finished my "month of Isaiah" this morning, and tomorrow I'll begin my "almost a month of Jeremiah." I reach the major prophets with some trepidation. I often find it hard to focus on these books (ditto Revelation), and apart from the more famous passages that jolt me to attention, I often find that I read without comprehension. Overall, I think I was more focussed this last month, and have a better sense of the book than I have had in the past. I hope the same will be true of Jeremiah.

As I've mentioned before, I haven't been blogging much (perhaps some of my frustration with blog-dom is reflected in my previous post), and I'm still struggling for some focus on what to post here. I don't want this to be a diary--I'm not much of a diarist, to be truthful--but I'm also not up to producing sustained works, whether of theology (like Dave Heddle produces so well) or of the personal essay genre (see RLP). Blogs I really admire--like Kurt's are inimitable.

So you may or may not see me often here. I will just keep trying to discern what I should be doing in my life--and in this blog. And I'll keep you posted.

Blogging Tips

Usually, people looking for blogging tips are looking for ways to increase their readership. Hoping to become the next Glen Reynolds, they dutifully search for ways to make their blog more popular.

Well, if you are looking for those kinds of tips, you've come to the wrong place. You see, I've been blogging for nearly 2 years and almost no one knows who I am. On a good day, I might get 10 hits. So if you want to be a popular blogger, the best thing you can do is check out my site and do exactly the opposite. But since none of you honestly have that kind of patience, I offer you a few rules of things you should not do, thus ensuring that your blog will be as little like mine as possible.

• Do not write about topics that interest few people. In particular, don't write about theology, Christian spirituality (other forms may be ok), poetry or literary fiction. According to my blog stats, the search engine results that get people here most often are the words "Saramago" and "Blindness." Presumably, most of these people are looking for some way to understand that book; perhaps they are students looking for paper topics. Whatever the reason, they don't become regular readers.


• Don't post just occasionally. Even once a day isn't enough. If you aren't posting a dozen or more times a day, then how are people looking to kill a large part of their day going to be helped by your blog?


• As a corollary, don't write long, or even medium length posts. If the post is longer than a screen, forget it. Blog readers don't want to read a lot of text. The best blog entries usually consist of a quotation from somewhere else, followed by a one or two word commentary (preferably "Indeed" if you agree or "Yeah, right" if you don't).


• Your blog roll should not consist of blogs you find interesting, but popular blogs. Then you can pester those individuals to "cross list" your blog, and thus you'll get extra readers by riding on the coattails of others.

You are probably all smart enough to realize that doing the opposite of everything I've ever done would include doing the opposite of the rules I've just posted. It would not surprise me at all if my own Pierre Menard were to reproduce my blog word for word, and in the process become more popular than Eschaton. To such an author, I can only say "I couldn't have done it better myself."

I haven't published here much recently; indeed I haven't felt much called to do so. But in the Bible Study class I am teaching, one of the questions guiding us this week is "Am I open to ways in which the Holy Spirit may be guiding me through individuals or groups?" In the comments to my last post, two people have asked about the reading schedule I use in my daily devotions. In the hopes that my study techniques may be of use to others in drawing closer to the Lord, I offer this reading plan:

	1/year	4/year	2/year	5/year
Day	Old Testament	Psalms	Epistles	Gospels
1	Gen 1-3	1,2,3	Acts 1	Matt 1:1-2:18
2	Gen 4-7	4,7	Acts 2:1-13	Matt 2:19-4:22
3	Gen 8-10	5,6	Acts 2:14-2:41	Matt 4:23-5:42
4	Gen 11-12	10	Acts 2:42-3:26	Matt 5:43-7:11
5	Gen 13-14	11,12	Acts 4:1-4:31	Matt 7:12-8:34
6	Gen 15-16	13,14	Acts 4:32-5:16	Matt 9:1-10:15
7	Gen 17:1-19:22	18	Acts 5:17-5:42	Matt 10:16-11:19
8	Gen 19:23-21:34	16,17	Acts 6:1-7:8	Matt 11:20-12:42
9	Gen 22-23	22	Acts 7:9-7:34	Matt 12:43-13:35
10	Gen 24:1-25:18	20	Acts 7:35-7:60	Matt 13:36-14:33
11	Gen 25:19-26:35	21, 110	Acts 8:1-8:25	Matt 14:34-16:12
12	Gen 27-29	116,117	Acts 8:26-9:19a	Matt 16:13-18:6
13	Gen 30	148,149,150	Acts 9:19b-9:43	Matt 18:7-19:15
14	Gen 31-32	114,115	Acts 10:1-10:33	Matt 19:16-20:17
15	Gen 33-35	25	Acts 10:34-11:18	Matt 20:18-21:46
16	Gen 36-37	9,15	Acts 11:19-12:19	Matt 22
17	Gen 38-40	119:1-24	Acts 12:20-13:12	Matt 23:1-24:14
18	Gen 41	26,28	Acts 13:13-13:43	Matt 24:15-25:30
19	Gen 42-43	36,39	Acts 13:44-14:18	Matt 25:31-26:46
20	Gen 44:1-46:27	38	Acts 14:19-15:21	Matt 26:47-27:26
21	Gen 46:28-48:22	37	Acts 15:22-16:5	Matt 27:27-28:20
22	Gen 49-50	31	Acts 16:6-16:24	Mark 1
23	Ex 1-4	35	Acts 16:25-17:15	Mark 2:1-3:21
24	Ex 5-7	30,32	Acts 17:16-17:34	Mark 3:22-4:41
25	Ex 8-9	42,43	Acts 18	Mark 5:1-6:13
26	Ex 10:1-12:28	119:25-48	Acts 19:1-19:20	Mark 6:14-6:56
27	Ex 12:29-13:22	63,138	Acts 19:21-20:6	Mark 7:1-8:13
28	Ex 14-15	98	Acts 20:7-20:38	Mark 8:14-9:29
29	Ex 16-18	103	Acts 21:1-21:26	Mark 9:30-10:34
30	Ex 19-20	41,52	Acts 21:27-22:21	Mark 10:35-11:33
31	Ex 21-22	44	Acts 22:22-23:22	Mark 12
32	Ex 23:1-25:22	45	Acts 23:23-24:21	Mark 13:1-14:11
33	Ex 25:23-27:21	47,48	Acts 24:22-25:12	Mark 14:12-14:65
34	Ex 28-29	119:49-72	Acts 25:13-26:11	Mark 14:66-15:47
35	Ex 30-31	49,53	Acts 26:12-26:32	Mark 16; Luke 1:1-1:38
36	Ex 32-33	50	Acts 27:1-27:38	Luke 1:39-2:21
37	Ex 34-35	59,60	Acts 27:39-28:16	Luke 2:22-3:22
38	Ex 36-37	40,54	Acts 28:17-28:31	Luke 3:23-4:37
39	Ex 38-39	51	Rom 1:1-1:17	Luke 4:38-5:39
40	Ex 40, Lev 1-2	55	Rom 1:18-2:11	Luke 6
41	Lev 3-5	139	Rom 2:12-3:20	Luke 7
42	Lev 6-7	24,29	Rom 3:21-4:25	Luke 8:1-8:39
43	Lev 8-9	8,84	Rom 5	Luke 8:40-9:27
44	Lev 10-11	56,57,58	Rom 6	Luke 9:28-10:16
45	Lev 12-13	64,65	Rom 7	Luke 10:17-11:23
46	Lev 14	61,62	Rom 8:1-8:17	Luke 11:24-12:21
47	Lev 15-16	68	Rom 8:18-8:39	Luke 12:22-13:9
48	Lev 17:1-19:18	72	Rom 9:1-9:29	Luke 13:10-14:24
49	Lev 19:19-21:24	119:73-96	Rom 9:30-10:21	Luke 14:25-16:13
50	Lev 22:1-23:32	70,71	Rom 11:1-11:24	Luke 16:14-17:37
51	Lev 23:33-25:34	74	Rom 11:25-12:8	Luke 18:1-19:10
52	Lev 25:35-26-46	75,76	Rom 12:9-13:14	Luke 19:11-20:18
53	Lev 27	23,27	Rom 14	Luke 20:19-21:24
54	Num 1-2	93,96	Rom 15:1-15:13	Luke 21:25-22:38
55	Num 3	34	Rom 15:14-15:33	Luke 22:39-23:25
56	Num 4-5	80	Rom 16	Luke 23:26-24:35
57	Num 6:1-7:47	77,79	1Cor 1:1-1:17	Luke 24:36-53; John 1:1-1:42
58	Num 7:48-8:26	78	1Cor 1:18-2:5	John 1:43-3:15
59	Num 9-10	119:97-120	1Cor 2:6-3:23	John 3:16-4:45
60	Num 11-13	81,82	1Cor 4	John 4:46-5:47
61	Num 14:1-15:21	83,126,127	1Cor 5:1-6:11	John 6:1-6:59
62	Num 15:22-16:50	85,86	1Cor 6:12-7:16	John 6:60-7:52
63	Num 17-19	88	1Cor 7:17-7:40	John 7:53-8:47
64	Num 20-21	91,92	1Cor 8	John 8:48-9:41
65	Num 22:1-23:12	87,90, 99	1Cor 9	John 10:1-11:27
66	Num 23:13-25:18	124,125,136	1Cor 10:1-10:22	John 11:28-12:19
67	Num 26-27	66,67	1Cor 10:23-11:16	John 12:20-13:20
68	Num 28-29	19,46	1Cor 11:17-12:11	John 13:21-14:31
69	Num 30-31	69,97	1Cor 12:12-13:13	John 15-16
70	Num 32-33	89,100	1Cor 14:1-14:25	John 17:1-18:24
71	Num 34-35	94,95	1Cor 14:26-15:11	John 18:25-19:30
72	Num 36, Deut 1	101,109	1Cor 15:12-15:49	John 19:31-20:31
73	Deut 2-3	119:121-144	1Cor 15:50-16 24	John 21
74	Deut 4	105	2Cor 1	Matt 1:1-2:18
75	Deut 5-6	102,120,121	2Cor 2	Matt 2:19-4:22
76	Deut 7:1-9:12	107,122,123	2Cor 3:1-4:6	Matt 4:23-5:42
77	Deut 9:13-11:32	108	2Cor 4:7-5:10	Matt 5:43-7:11
78	Deut 12-13	33,73	2Cor 5:11-6:13	Matt 7:12-8:34
79	Deut 14-16	118	2Cor 6:14-7:16	Matt 9:1-10:15
80	Deut 17-18	145	2Cor 8	Matt 10:16-11:19
81	Deut 19-21	106	2:Cor 9-10	Matt 11:20-12:42
82	Deut 22-23	119:145-176	2Cor 11	Matt 12:43-13:35
83	Deut 24-26	128, 129,130	2Cor 12	Matt 13:36-14:33
84	Deut 27:1-28:14	131,132,133	2Cor 13	Matt 14:34-16:12
85	Deut 28:15-28:68	134,135	Gal 1	Matt 16:13-18:6
86	Deut 29:1-31:13	140,142	Gal 2	Matt 18:7-19:15
87	Deut 31:14-32:52	141,143	Gal 3	Matt 19:16-20:17
88	Deut 33-34	137,144	Gal 4	Matt 20:18-21:46
89	Jos 1-3	104	Gal 5	Matt 22
90	Jos 4-5	146,147	Gal 6	Matt 23:1-24:14
91	Jos 6-7	111,112,113	Eph 1	Matt 24:15-25:30
92	Jos 8-9	1,2,3	Eph 2	Matt 25:31-26:46
93	Jos 10-11	4,7	Eph 3:1-4:16	Matt 26:47-27:26
94	Jos 12-14	5,6	Eph 4:17-5:21	Matt 27:27-28:20
95	Jos 15-16	10	Eph 5:22-6:24	Mark 1
96	Jos 17:1-19:9	11,12	Phil 1	Mark 2:1-3:21
97	Jos 19:10-21:45	13,14	Phil 2	Mark 3:22-4:41
98	Jos 22-23	18	Phil 3	Mark 5:1-6:13
99	Jos 24, Jud 1	16,17	Phil 4	Mark 6:14-6:56
100	Jud 2-3	22	Col 1	Mark 7:1-8:13
101	Jud 4-5	20	Col 2	Mark 8:14-9:29
102	Jud 6	21, 110	Col 3	Mark 9:30-10:34
103	Jud 7-8	116,117	Col 4	Mark 10:35-11:33
104	Jud 9	148,149,150	1Thess 1:1-2:16	Mark 12
105	Jud 10-12	114,115	1Thess 2:17-3:13	Mark 13:1-14:11
106	Jud 13-15	25	1Thess 4	Mark 14:12-14:65
107	Jud 16-17	9,15	1Thess 5	Mark 14:66-15:47
108	Jud 18-19	119:1-24	2Thess 1:1-2:12	Mark 16; Luke 1:1-1:38
109	Jud 20-21	26,28	2Thess 2:13-3:18	Luke 1:39-2:21
110	Ruth 1-2	36,39	1Tim 1	Luke 2:22-3:22
111	Ruth 3-4	38	1Tim 2:1-3:7	Luke 3:23-4:37
112	1Sam 1-3	37	1Tim 3:8-4:16	Luke 4:38-5:39
113	1Sam 4-6	31	1Tim 5	Luke 6
114	1Sam 7-9	35	1Tim 6	Luke 7
115	1Sam 10-11	30,32	2Tim 1	Luke 8:1-8:39
116	1Sam 12:1-14:23	42,43	2Tim 2	Luke 8:40-9:27
117	1Sam 14:24-15:35	119:25-48	2Tim 3	Luke 9:28-10:16
118	1Sam 16-17	63,138	2Tim 4	Luke 10:17-11:23
119	1Sam 18-19	98	Titus 1-2	Luke 11:24-12:21
120	1Sam 20-21	103	Titus 3	Luke 12:22-13:9
121	1Sam 22-23	41,52	Philemon	Luke 13:10-14:24
122	1Sam 24-25	44	Heb 1	Luke 14:25-16:13
123	1Sam 26-27	45	Heb 2	Luke 16:14-17:37
124	1Sam 28-29	47,48	Heb 3	Luke 18:1-19:10
125	1Sam 30-31	119:49-72	Heb 4	Luke 19:11-20:18
126	2Sam 1-2	49,53	Heb 5:1-6:12	Luke 20:19-21:24
127	2Sam 3-4	50	Heb 6:13-7:28	Luke 21:25-22:38
128	2Sam 5:1-7:17	59,60	Heb 8	Luke 22:39-23:25
129	2Sam 7:18-10:19	40,54	Heb 9	Luke 23:26-24:35
130	2Sam 11-12	51	Heb 10:1-10:18	Luke 24:36-53; John 1:1-1:42
131	2Sam 13-14	55	Heb 10:19-10:39	John 1:43-3:15
132	2Sam 15-16	139	Heb 11	John 3:16-4:45
133	2Sam 17:1-18:18	24,29	Heb 12	John 4:46-5:47
134	2Sam 18:19-19:43	8,84	Heb 13	John 6:1-6:59
135	2Sam 20-21	56,57,58	James 1	John 6:60-7:52
136	2Sam 22:1-23:7	64,65	James 2	John 7:53-8:47
137	2Sam 23:8-24:25	61,62	James 3:1-4:12	John 8:48-9:41
138	1Kings 1	68	James 4:13-5:20	John 10:1-11:27
139	1Kings 2	72	1Pet 1	John 11:28-12:19
140	1Kings 3-4	119:73-96	1Pet 2:1-2:12	John 12:20-13:20
141	1Kings 5-6	70,71	1Pet 2:13-3:7	John 13:21-14:31
142	1Kings 7	74	1Pet 3:8-4:11	John 15-16
143	1Kings 8	75,76	1Pet 4:12-5:14	John 17:1-18:24
144	1Kings 9-10	23,27	2Pet 1	John 18:25-19:30
145	1Kings 11-12	93,96	2Pet 2	John 19:31-20:31
146	1Kings 13-14	34	2Pet 3	John 21
147	1Kings 15-16	80	1John 1:1-2:14	Matt 1:1-2:18
148	1Kings 17-18	77,79	1John 2:15-3:10	Matt 2:19-4:22
149	1Kings 19:1-20:30	78	1John 3:11-4:21	Matt 4:23-5:42
150	1Kings 20:31-21:29	119:97-120	1John 5	Matt 5:43-7:11
151	1Kings 22	81,82	2John & 3John	Matt 7:12-8:34
152	2Kings 1-2	83,126,127	Jude	Matt 9:1-10:15
153	2Kings 3:1-4:37	85,86	Rev 1	Matt 10:16-11:19
154	2Kings 4:38-6:23	88	Rev 2:1-2:11	Matt 11:20-12:42
155	2Kings 6:24-8:29	91,92	Rev 2:12-2:29	Matt 12:43-13:35
156	2Kings 9:1-10:17	87,90, 99	Rev 3:1-3:13	Matt 13:36-14:33
157	2Kings 10:18-12:18	124,125,136	Rev 3:14-4:11	Matt 14:34-16:12
158	2Kings 12:19-14:29	66,67	Rev 5	Matt 16:13-18:6
159	2Kings 15-16	19,46	Rev 6	Matt 18:7-19:15
160	2Kings 17:1-18:12	69,97	Rev 7	Matt 19:16-20:17
161	2Kings 18:13-19:37	89,100	Rev 8	Matt 20:18-21:46
162	2Kings 20-21	94,95	Rev 9	Matt 22
163	2Kings 22:1-23:30	101,109	Rev 10	Matt 23:1-24:14
164	2Kings 23:31-25:30	119:121-144	Rev 11:1-11:14	Matt 24:15-25:30
165	1Chron 1-2	105	Rev 11:15-12:6	Matt 25:31-26:46
166	1Chron 3-5	102,120,121	Rev 12:7-12:17	Matt 26:47-27:26
167	1Chron 6:1-7:19	107,122,123	Rev 13:1-13:10	Matt 27:27-28:20
168	1Chron 7:20-9:44	108	Rev 13:11-14:5	Mark 1
169	1Chron 10-11	33,73	Rev 14:6-14:20	Mark 2:1-3:21
170	1Chron 12-14	118	Rev 15	Mark 3:22-4:41
171	1Chron 15-16	145	Rev 16:1-16:16	Mark 5:1-6:13
172	1Chron 17-19	106	Rev 16:17-17:6a	Mark 6:14-6:56
173	1Chron 20-21	119:145-176	Rev 17:6b-17:18	Mark 7:1-8:13
174	1Chron 22-23	128, 129,130	Rev 18:1-18:13	Mark 8:14-9:29
175	1Chron 24-25	131,132,133	Rev 18:14-18:24	Mark 9:30-10:34
176	1Chron 26-27	134,135	Rev:19:1-19:10	Mark 10:35-11:33
177	1Chron 28-29	140,142	Rev 19:11-19:21	Mark 12
178	2Chron 1-3	141,143	Rev 20:1-20:10	Mark 13:1-14:11
179	2Chron 4-6	137,144	Rev 20:11-21:8	Mark 14:12-14:65
180	2Chron 7:1-9:12	104	Rev 21:9-21:27	Mark 14:66-15:47
181	2Chron 9:13-11:23	146,147	Rev 22:1-5	Mark 16; Luke 1:1-1:38
182	2Chron 12-13	111,112,113	Rev 22:6-22:21	Luke 1:39-2:21
183	2Chron 14-15	1-3	Acts 1	Luke 2:22-3:22
184	2Chron 16-17	4-5	Acts 2:1-13	Luke 3:23-4:37
185	2Chron 18:1-20:23	6-7	Acts 2:14-2:41	Luke 4:38-5:39
186	2Chron 20:24-23:11	8:1-9:12	Acts 2:42-3:26	Luke 6
187	2Chron 23:12-25:13	9:13-10:18	Acts 4:1-4:31	Luke 7
188	2Chron 25:14-27:9	11-13	Acts 4:32-5:16	Luke 8:1-8:39
189	2Chron 28-29	14-16	Acts 5:17-5:42	Luke 8:40-9:27
190	2Chron 30-31	17:1-18:12	Acts 6:1-7:8	Luke 9:28-10:16
191	2Chron 32:1-33:20	18:13-18:42	Acts 7:9-7:34	Luke 10:17-11:23
192	2Chron 33:21-35:19	18:43-19:14	Acts 7:35-7:60	Luke 11:24-12:21
193	2Chron 35:20-36:23	20:1-22:5	Acts 8:1-8:25	Luke 12:22-13:9
194	Ezra 1-3	22:6-22:31	Acts 8:26-9:19a	Luke 13:10-14:24
195	Ezra 4-5	23:1-25:7	Acts 9:19b-9:43	Luke 14:25-16:13
196	Ezra 6-7	25:8-27:6	Acts 10:1-10:33	Luke 16:14-17:37
197	Ezra 8-9	27:7-28:9	Acts 10:34-11:18	Luke 18:1-19:10
198	Ezra 10, Neh 1-2	29-30	Acts 11:19-12:19	Luke 19:11-20:18
199	Neh 3-4	31	Acts 12:20-13:12	Luke 20:19-21:24
200	Neh 5:1-7:65	32-33	Acts 13:13-13:43	Luke 21:25-22:38
201	Neh 7:66-9-38	34	Acts 13:44-14:18	Luke 22:39-23:25
202	Neh 10:1-12:26	35:1-35:21	Acts 14:19-15:21	Luke 23:26-24:35
203	Neh 12:27-13:31	35:22-36:12	Acts 15:22-16:5	Luke 24:36-53; John 1:1-1:42
204	Est 1-2	37:1-37:29	Acts 16:6-16:24	John 1:43-3:15
205	Est 3-5	37:30-38:22	Acts 16:25-17:15	John 3:16-4:45
206	Est 6-8	39:1-40:5	Acts 17:16-17:34	John 4:46-5:47
207	Est 9-10	40:6-41:13	Acts 18	John 6:1-6:59
208	Job 1-2	42-43	Acts 19:1-19:20	John 6:60-7:52
209	Job 3-5	44	Acts 19:21-20:6	John 7:53-8:47
210	Job 6-8	45:1-46:7	Acts 20:7-20:38	John 8:48-9:41
211	Job 9-11	46:8-48:14	Acts 21:1-21:26	John 10:1-11:27
212	Job 12-13	49:1-50:11	Acts 21:27-22:21	John 11:28-12:19
213	Job 14-15	50:12-51:12	Acts 22:22-23:22	John 12:20-13:20
214	Job 16-17	51:13-53:6	Acts 23:23-24:21	John 13:21-14:31
215	Job 18-19	54-55	Acts 24:22-25:12	John 15-16
216	Job 20-21	56-57	Acts 25:13-26:11	John 17:1-18:24
217	Job 22-23	58-59	Acts 26:12-26:32	John 18:25-19:30
218	Job 24-25	60:1-62:7	Acts 27:1-27:38	John 19:31-20:31
219	Job 26-27	62:8-64:10	Acts 27:39-28:16	John 21
220	Job 28-30	65:1-66:12	Acts 28:17-28:31	Matt 1:1-2:18
221	Job 31-32	66:13-68:10	Rom 1:1-1:17	Matt 2:19-4:22
222	Job 33-34	68:11-68:35	Rom 1:18-2:11	Matt 4:23-5:42
223	Job 35-37	69:1-69:28	Rom 2:12-3:20	Matt 5:43-7:11
224	Job 38-39	69:29-71:11	Rom 3:21-4:25	Matt 7:12-8:34
225	Job 40-42	71:12-72:11	Rom 5:1-5:17	Matt 9:1-10:15
226	Prov 1:1-3:12	72:12-73:28	Rom 5:18-6:14	Matt 10:16-11:19
227	Prov 3:13-6:19	74	Rom 6:15-7:6	Matt 11:20-12:42
228	Prov 6:20-8:36	75-76	Rom 7:7-7:25	Matt 12:43-13:35
229	Prov 9-11	77:1-78:8	Rom 8:1-8:17	Matt 13:36-14:33
230	Prov 12-14	78:9-78:31	Rom 8:18-8:39	Matt 14:34-16:12
231	Prov 15-17	78:32-78:72	Rom 9:1-9:29	Matt 16:13-18:6
232	Prov 18-20	79:1-80:13	Rom 9:30-10:21	Matt 18:7-19:15
233	Prov 21-23	80:14-82:8	Rom 11:1-11:24	Matt 19:16-20:17
234	Prov 24-26	83-84	Rom 11:25-12:8	Matt 20:18-21:46
235	Prov 27-29	85-86	Rom 12:9-13:14	Matt 22
236	Prov 30-31	87-88	Rom 14	Matt 23:1-24:14
237	Eccl 1-2	89:1-89:29	Rom 15:1-15:13	Matt 24:15-25:30
238	Eccl 3-4	89:30-90:6	Rom 15:14-15:33	Matt 25:31-26:46
239	Eccl 5-7	90:7-91:16	Rom 16	Matt 26:47-27:26
240	Eccl 8-9	92:1-94:15	1Cor 1:1-1:17	Matt 27:27-28:20
241	Eccl 10-12	94:16-96:9	1Cor 1:18-2:5	Mark 1
242	Song 1-3	96:10-98:9	1Cor 2:6-3:23	Mark 2:1-3:21
243	Song 4-6	99-101	1Cor 4	Mark 3:22-4:41
244	Song 7-8	102:1-103:5	1Cor 5:1-6:11	Mark 5:1-6:13
245	Isa 1:1-2:5	103:6-104:13	1Cor 6:12-7:16	Mark 6:14-6:56
246	Isa 2:6-4:6	104:14-105:6	1Cor 7:17-7:40	Mark 7:1-8:13
247	Isa 5-6	105:7-105;45	1Cor 8	Mark 8:14-9:29
248	Isa 7-9	106:1-106:33	1Cor 9	Mark 9:30-10:34
249	Isa 10	106:34-107:16	1Cor 10:1-10:22	Mark 10:35-11:33
250	Isa 11-13	107:17-107:43	1Cor 10:23-11:16	Mark 12
251	Isa 14-15	108:1-109:15	1Cor 11:17-12:11	Mark 13:1-14:11
252	Isa 16-17	109:16-110:7	1Cor 12:12-13:13	Mark 14:12-14:65
253	Isa 18-19	111-113	1Cor 14:1-14:25	Mark 14:66-15:47
254	Isa 20-21	114:1-116:11	1Cor 14:26-15:11	Mark 16; Luke 1:1-1:38
255	Isa 22-23	116:12-118:29	1Cor 15:12-15:49	Luke 1:39-2:21
256	Isa 24-26	119:1-32	1Cor 15:50-16 24	Luke 2:22-3:22
257	Isa 27-28	119:33-72	2Cor 1	Luke 3:23-4:37
258	Isa 29:1-30:17	119:73-104	2Cor 2	Luke 4:38-5:39
259	Isa 30:18-32:20	119:105-136	2Cor 3:1-4:6	Luke 6
260	Isa 33-34	119:137-168	2Cor 4:7-5:10	Luke 7
261	Isa 35:1-37:20	119:169-123:4	2Cor 5:11-6:13	Luke 8:1-8:39
262	Isa 37:21-39:8	124-127	2Cor 6:14-7:16	Luke 8:40-9:27
263	Isa 40:1-41:20	128-131	2Cor 8	Luke 9:28-10:16
264	Isa 41:21-43:28	132:1-135:7	2:Cor 9-10	Luke 10:17-11:23
265	Isa 44-45	135:8-136:26	2Cor 11	Luke 11:24-12:21
266	Isa 46-48	137:1-139:12	2Cor 12	Luke 12:22-13:9
267	Isa 49-50	139:13-140:13	2Cor 13	Luke 13:10-14:24
268	Isa 51-52	141:1:143:8	Gal 1	Luke 14:25-16:13
269	Isa 53-54	143:9-144:15	Gal 2	Luke 16:14-17:37
270	Isa 55-56	145	Gal 3	Luke 18:1-19:10
271	Isa 57-58	146	Gal 4	Luke 19:11-20:18
272	Isa 59-60	147	Gal 5	Luke 20:19-21:24
273	Isa 61:1-63:6	148-150	Gal 6	Luke 21:25-22:38
274	Isa 63:7-65:16	1-3	Eph 1	Luke 22:39-23:25
275	Isa 65:17-66:24	4-5	Eph 2	Luke 23:26-24:35
276	Jer 1-2	6-7	Eph 3:1-4:16	Luke 24:36-53; John 1:1-1:42
277	Jer 3:1-4:18	8:1-9:12	Eph 4:17-5:21	John 1:43-3:15
278	Jer 4:19-5:31	9:13-10:18	Eph 5:22-6:24	John 3:16-4:45
279	Jer 6:1-7:29	11-13	Phil 1	John 4:46-5:47
280	Jer 7:30-9:11	14-16	Phil 2	John 6:1-6:59
281	Jer 9:12-11:23	17:1-18:12	Phil 3	John 6:60-7:52
282	Jer 12-13	18:13-18:42	Phil 4	John 7:53-8:47
283	Jer 14-15	18:43-19:14	Col 1	John 8:48-9:41
284	Jer 16-17	20:1-22:5	Col 2	John 10:1-11:27
285	Jer 18-20	22:6-22:31	Col 3	John 11:28-12:19
286	Jer 21-22	23:1-25:7	Col 4	John 12:20-13:20
287	Jer 23	25:8-27:6	1Thess 1:1-2:16	John 13:21-14:31
288	Jer 24:1-26:15	27:7-28:9	1Thess 2:17-3:13	John 15-16
289	Jer 26:16-28:17	29-30	1Thess 4	John 17:1-18:24
290	Jer 29-30	31	1Thess 5	John 18:25-19:30
291	Jer 31	32-33	2Thess 1:1-2:12	John 19:31-20:31
292	Jer 32:1-33:13	34	2Thess 2:13-3:18	John 21
293	Jer 33:14-35:19	35:1-35:21	1Tim 1	Matt 1:1-2:18
294	Jer 36-37	35:22-36:12	1Tim 2:1-3:7	Matt 2:19-4:22
295	Jer 38-39	37:1-37:29	1Tim 3:8-4:16	Matt 4:23-5:42
296	Jer 40-41	37:30-38:22	1Tim 5	Matt 5:43-7:11
297	Jer 42-43	39:1-40:5	1Tim 6	Matt 7:12-8:34
298	Jer 44-45	40:6-41:13	2Tim 1	Matt 9:1-10:15
299	Jer 46-47	42-43	2Tim 2	Matt 10:16-11:19
300	Jer 48	44	2Tim 3	Matt 11:20-12:42
301	Jer 49	45:1-46:7	2Tim 4	Matt 12:43-13:35
302	Jer 50	46:8-48:14	Titus 1-2	Matt 13:36-14:33
303	Jer 51:1-58	49:1-50:11	Titus 3	Matt 14:34-16:12
304	Jer 51:59-52:34	50:12-51:12	Philemon	Matt 16:13-18:6
305	Lam 1	51:13-53:6	Heb 1	Matt 18:7-19:15
306	Lam 2	54-55	Heb 2	Matt 19:16-20:17
307	Lam 3	56-57	Heb 3	Matt 20:18-21:46
308	Lam 4-5	58-59	Heb 4	Matt 22
309	Eze 1-3	60:1-62:7	Heb 5:1-6:12	Matt 23:1-24:14
310	Eze 4-5	62:8-64:10	Heb 6:13-7:28	Matt 24:15-25:30
311	Eze 6-7	65:1-66:12	Heb 8	Matt 25:31-26:46
312	Eze 8-9	66:13-68:10	Heb 9	Matt 26:47-27:26
313	Eze 10-11	68:11-68:35	Heb 10:1-10:18	Matt 27:27-28:20
314	Eze 12-13	69:1-69:28	Heb 10:19-10:39	Mark 1
315	Eze 14-15	69:29-71:11	Heb 11	Mark 2:1-3:21
316	Eze 16	71:12-72:11	Heb 12	Mark 3:22-4:41
317	Eze 17-18	72:12-73:28	Heb 13	Mark 5:1-6:13
318	Eze 19:1-20:32	74	James 1	Mark 6:14-6:56
319	Eze 20:33-22:31	75-76	James 2	Mark 7:1-8:13
320	Eze 23:1-24:14	77:1-78:8	James 3:1-4:12	Mark 8:14-9:29
321	Eze 24:15-26:21	78:9-78:31	James 4:13-5:20	Mark 9:30-10:34
322	Eze 27:1-28:19	78:32-78:72	1Pet 1	Mark 10:35-11:33
323	Eze 28:20-30:19	79:1-80:13	1Pet 2:1-2:12	Mark 12
324	Eze 30:20-32:32	80:14-82:8	1Pet 2:13-3:7	Mark 13:1-14:11
325	Eze 33-34	83-84	1Pet 3:8-4:11	Mark 14:12-14:65
326	Eze 35-36	85-86	1Pet 4:12-5:14	Mark 14:66-15:47
327	Eze 37-38	87-88	2Pet 1	Mark 16; Luke 1:1-1:38
328	Eze 39:1-40:27	89:1-89:29	2Pet 2	Luke 1:39-2:21
329	Eze 40:28-42:20	89:30-90:6	2Pet 3	Luke 2:22-3:22
330	Eze 43-44	90:7-91:16	1John 1:1-2:14	Luke 3:23-4:37
331	Eze 45-46	92:1-94:15	1John 2:15-3:10	Luke 4:38-5:39
332	Eze 47-48	94:16-96:9	1John 3:11-4:21	Luke 6
333	Dan 1:1-2:30	96:10-98:9	1John 5	Luke 7
334	Dan 2:31-3:30	99-101	2John & 3John	Luke 8:1-8:39
335	Dan 4:1-5:12	102:1-103:5	Jude	Luke 8:40-9:27
336	Dan 5:13-6:28	103:6-104:13	Rev 1	Luke 9:28-10:16
337	Dan 7-8	104:14-105:6	Rev 2:1-2:11	Luke 10:17-11:23
338	Dan 9-10	105:7-105;45	Rev 2:12-2:29	Luke 11:24-12:21
339	Dan 11-12	106:1-106:33	Rev 3:1-3:13	Luke 12:22-13:9
340	Hos 1-3	106:34-107:16	Rev 3:14-4:11	Luke 13:10-14:24
341	Hos 4-6	107:17-107:43	Rev 5	Luke 14:25-16:13
342	Hos 7-9	108:1-109:15	Rev 6	Luke 16:14-17:37
343	Hos 10-12	109:16-110:7	Rev 7	Luke 18:1-19:10
344	Hos 13-14; Joel 1	111-113	Rev 8	Luke 19:11-20:18
345	Joel 2-3	114:1-116:11	Rev 9	Luke 20:19-21:24
346	Amos 1-3	116:12-118:29	Rev 10	Luke 21:25-22:38
347	Amos 4-5	119:1-32	Rev 11:1-11:14	Luke 22:39-23:25
348	Amos 6-8	119:33-72	Rev 11:15-12:6	Luke 23:26-24:35
349	Amos 9; Obad	119:73-104	Rev 12:7-12:17	Luke 24:36-53; John 1:1-1:42
350	Jonah 1-4	119:105-136	Rev 13:1-13:10	John 1:43-3:15
351	Mic 1-3	119:137-168	Rev 13:11-14:5	John 3:16-4:45
352	Mic 4:1-6:8	119:169-123:4	Rev 14:6-14:20	John 4:46-5:47
353	Mic 6:9-7:20; Nah 1	124-127	Rev 15	John 6:1-6:59
354	Nah 2-3; Hab 1	128-131	Rev 16:1-16:16	John 6:60-7:52
355	Hab 2-3	132:1-135:7	Rev 16:17-17:6a	John 7:53-8:47
356	Zeph 1-2	135:8-136:26	Rev 17:6b-17:18	John 8:48-9:41
357	Zep 3; Hag 1	137:1-139:12	Rev 18:1-18:13	John 10:1-11:27
358	Hag 2, Zech 1	139:13-140:13	Rev 18:14-18:24	John 11:28-12:19
359	Zech2-4	141:1:143:8	Rev:19:1-19:10	John 12:20-13:20
360	Zech 5-7	143:9-144:15	Rev 19:11-19:21	John 13:21-14:31
361	Zech 8-9	145	Rev 20:1-20:10	John 15-16
362	Zech 10-11	146	Rev 20:11-21:8	John 17:1-18:24
363	Zech 12-14	147	Rev 21:9-21:27	John 18:25-19:30
364	Mal 1-2	148-150	Rev 22:1-5	John 19:31-20:31
365	Mal 3-4		Rev 22:6-22:21	John 21

Yesterday, I began my "month of Isaiah." What is that? Well, last summer I undertook an intensive year-long Bible reading plan. Using a cycle of readings, by the end of the period I will have read the Old Testament 1 time, the Psalms 4 times, the Epistles twice and the Gospels 5 times each. I am now at Isaiah, and the schedule I'm on has 31 days for reading the book (Jeremiah, which comes next, has nearly as much time dedicated). I am excited, because previous readings of Isaiah have either been in bits and pieces, or have been rushed through. Now I can spend some time listening to the great prophet (or prophets). By mid April, I hope to have a better understanding of Isaiah and the importance of that book to our Saviour.

I finished James Stephens' The Crock of Gold, and found the first half much more compelling than the second half. Once Stephens felt the plot had to take over, some of the playfulness and magic went away. It just reminds me how difficult it is to write a great fantasy, and it makes John Crowley's achievement in Little, Big that much more impressive.

This weekend, I'll be going down to Blackstone, VA, to the Virginia United Methodist Assembly Center and taking the introductory course in Lay Speaking (link is to a PDF document). Lay Speaking Ministries seek to serve God through "Caring, Witnessing, Leading, Serving Others, Preaching and Interpreting our Heritage." After taking this course, I will need approval from my local lay leadership committee and Pastor, and then I will be a local church Lay Speaker. This would allow me to fill the pulpit, if necessary (highly unlikely at my church, with 3 ministers on staff!), but will also help me to lead, teach and serve in the congregation. If I choose, I can then take an advanced course and apply to the district Lay Speaking Committee. If approved, I'd become a certified Lay Speaker and would thus be able to lead worship and serve in other ways throughout the district. It's a further step I'm taking to discern my Calling and the ways I can serve the Lord. I'll report back next week on the course.