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a kick

Last night I was reading the Bible to my children before they go to bed...

I would like to be able to say on this blog that this is a regular occurrence in this house, but it hasn't been. We, like so many families read the Bible in spurts. We will do it really regularly for awhile, but then it will taper off. I confessed to my sons the other day that this was my fault. As the dad, I view it as ultimately my responsibility whether or not this happens. My sons graciously volunteered to help me in this, which they have... hence the Bible reading last night. Back to the story...

So, I was reading the Bible to my children before they went to bed last night. I had taken a few days to read some proverbs to them and talk about what those things mean, but the last couple of days I shifted into the Old Testament to read some of the stories. Well, I got a little boost (or maybe a kick in the butt) to continue on in this daily endeavor when I stopped reading.

You see, I had just been reading a little bit at a time each night. So, when I came to a stopping place (or so I thought) and said, "We'll have to see what happens tomorrow..." I was met with a stereo "No!" Then a calmer, "Just a little bit more... Pleeeease."

What a motivation to keep reading! That freshness of perspective and experience renewed that sense of awe within me. "What a great story this is!"

[In fact, while I was typing this, my youngest came up and asked what I thought was going to happen next.]
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Comments

  1. Anonymous8/29/2008 11:28 AM

    Hi Matt,

    That is so cool. I feel pangs of guilt when reading this because it so long since we've had our family devotions, and that squarely lies in my camp (as family spiritual head).

    My curiosity is peaked--what story was so captivating, and what Bible version were you reading?

    (The bible version question is purely out of curiosity, not because I have a theological issue with any bible version, other than personal preference.)

    Thanks, Craig

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  2. Matt Harmless8/30/2008 7:00 AM

    The story was the story of Moses. I was right in the middle of the plagues. I think that my kids have heard the Sunday School version, but maybe because they were hearing the whole thing being read?

    We were reading out of the NIV. But I have to say, I was reading it the way I would read The Hobbit or one of the Chronicles of Narnia. I was doing voices and pausing for dramatic affect, etc.

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  3. Lori Smith9/11/2008 1:57 PM

    I totally relate to your post. I have recently experienced the same thing when reading to my kids. We have been reading through the One Year Bible. It's the Living Translation I believe. Not my first choice for serious Bible study or memorization, but in reading to the family it has been fantastic! I really have been enjoying it in a whole new way. I too tend to use the voices and dramatic pauses which is what I do even when reading to myself, (and why I'm such a slow reader). We are just finishing up Esther and this One Year Bible takes your through a section of the OT, a passage in Psalms, a passage in the NT, and one or two versus in Proverbs–every day. And it surprisingly doesn't take that long at all to read. We have really been enjoying it! Thanks for your post!

    Matt Smith

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