When I was in high school English class, we studied “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns. Written in the author’s native Gaelic, the poem is a sort of lyrical apology composed on the occasion when a farmer unwittingly plowed up the nest of a common field mouse. Grieved to have demolished the little rodent’s home and ruined its preparations for the oncoming winter, the author tried to console the poor critter by informing it that things don’t always work out well for humans, either. I’ve always loved this line from the poem: “E’en the best-laid plans o’ mice and men gang aft agley.” Its translation: Even the most careful plans of mice and men often go awry.
This has been a year of “best laid plans” gone awry for me. I set out last January to complete this website by the end of the year—intending to keep up with the daily reading schedule and post commentary for each book of the Bible. For the first half of the year, I did okay. Sometimes I managed to stay a day or two ahead of schedule; sometimes I fell a bit behind. But, for the most part, I was able to keep up fine.
Then (as the saying goes) “life happens,” and all our best intentions fall by the wayside. First, I was given the opportunity to ghost write the memoirs of a Rwandan Genocide survivor. That made it more challenging to keep up with my own project. Next, my husband and I were forced to move—always a huge, time-consuming undertaking. Finally, the loss of our son demanded still more changes, and I fell behind even more.
At this writing, I am only about halfway through the books of the Bible and still working on revising the one-year reading schedule to adjust it to the slower pace of two years. Ah, well, “Ç’est la vie!”
Lord willing, I will continue to plug away at this endeavor in 2013. Hopefully, by this time next year, all the promised commentary will be posted. And then, I’m sure, God will move me on to yet another venture to encourage and equip the saints.
I hope you have taken up the challenge to read your Bible through this year. If not, please do so in 2013. There’s nothing more satisfying than to study the Scriptures—especially in the order the events unfolded—and to gain greater insight into who God is and what He has in store for those who love and trust Him!
If you have benefited from this website, please tell others about it. I would love to hear in heaven that hundreds of persons—or more—were equipped for the kingdom of God because of this humble little project. May the reading of God’s word be daily food for your souls, like “honey from the rock” to satisfy your deepest hunger!
