Read Through the Bible in Two Weeks

So, I took this challenge
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=43287647259&ref=mf
mostly because my sister made me guilty.
I didn't want to, but she commented about how I could read other books much faster. That is true, and I have not been as punctual with my daily Bible reading. (I think my record is two or so days for Brisingr...I'll have to check that)
(*edit* I checked: I was loaned the book Thursday afternoon and had read it all the way through by Saturday 12:30 am)

I was quite shure that it was possible, I only had to dedicate the time. I did not begin right away to keep a schedule, so, the fist few days are already blurry.

The challenge was supposed to start the 21st. I forgot it was the 21st until I checked facebook that night. I intended to begin, but did not as certain things (cleaning up, having a friend over, watching "To Catch a Thief" until 1 am) distracted me.

(note: "day" is general, from the time I wake up till the time I go to be except for the 22nd, which would have begun at 1am)

22nd to the 25th
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua

26th
Matthew
Mark
Malachi
Luke

Ezekiel (I forget when...one of these two days)

27th (I decided to take a break, and do some "easy" books)
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zachariah
Daniel
Judges

28th
Lamentations
Ruth
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
1 Samuel

29th
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Psalm 1-104

30th
Psalm 105-150
Job
Isaiah 1-40

31st
Isaiah 41-50
John 1-6 (while out shopping)

1st
Isaiah 51-66
Jeremiah 1-40

2nd
Jeremiah 41-52
John 7-21
Acts

3rd:
Romans
1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
(these took me an hour....I timed myself)
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation (which took all of 25 minutes at "please-let-me-finish-before-midnight" speed)

My "reading chair" is in the living room, and I was very distracted by kids, the TV (the heretics insisted on watching football), and me watching the TV when the channel surfers landed on random reality shows or Sleepless in Seattle (which was also playing). I looked at my watch half-way through Hebrews and realized that it was almost 11pm. I began doing math in my head, and I realized that if I could finish before midnight,Ii would have finished in 13 days. I took off my glasses, which completely blurred everything but the page in front of me, and attempted to turn off the noise around me, which I can do when I concentrate.

I refused to look at my watch until I had finished Jude, and I found that it was 11:25. With much trepidation, I began reading as fast as I dared (while still stopping to underline and star, as I had been doing throughout this entire two weeks) and got through all 22 chapters ten minutes before midnight.

I gave a yell, and everyone who was still glued to the game-where-people-bang-heads-kick-objects-throw-objects-yell-cheer-boo-etc-ad-infinitum told me to be quiet.


Reading all the way through my Bible, (although I have done it before) was a really neat thing, because I had never done it within a time frame before. I was really overwhelmed by how succinct and perfect it was. Over and over the theme of redemption is cried in the Prophets, in Revelation, even though the final payment takes place, there is still glory and joy from those who have received the promises and are praising God for His justness and righteousness.

It was like playing with a perfectly round and ever-smooth marble. Nothing can break it, nothing can scratch it, and it is perfect.

I was singing the entire rest of the night, and songs still come unbidden. As I was going through, every verse that was turned into a song I underlined and wrote "song" in the margin. Then, I would continue reading with that song playing in the background of my mind. It is great.