Day 49

Forty-nine days of not touching another human.  But who's counting (frantically waves hand from the back of the room like that know-it-all kid in elementary school)?  Me.  I'm counting.

My friend J said something at virtual church the other day that has been continuing to float.  He mentioned the purpose of margins in a paper.  I don't remember exactly what he said; something to the effect of the blank space allowing us to focus on the material at hand.  What I do remember is the question I thought after he said that.  I thought, "Is that why it's hard for me to focus on reading my Bible?"

I can devour a 400 page novel in a day if it's an easy read.  (Note: Tolkein is not an easy read...it would take anyone a month to get through 100 pages of hobbit history.)  But I struggle to wade through a ten verse Psalm sometimes.  My mind tends to wander and I can't focus on the words.  Perhaps part of it is the language (New King James).  I know there are more contemporary translations, but my mother bought me this Bible on the condition that I read it, so I am determined to get through it at least once.  Part of it is most likely the smaller font.  I have pretty eyes, but they don't work that well.  And none of us read newspapers anymore, so there isn't much place to practice reading in short columns.  And now I see that there is literally almost no margin.

I found myself holding a very convenient pass for avoiding my Bible a little.  But I remembered something I tell my students (who refuse to read their textbooks).  The only way to improve at reading hard things is to read. Hard. Things.

So I set out this week to spend time with my Bible.  I set a ground rule of that I wouldn't pass judgement on myself if my mind wandered and I had to go reread something.  I figure God won't mind.  And I'm starting to enjoy it.  I started in Psalms (because it's an easy one) and I'm finding so many hymns and songs in there.  I'll read a verse and something that we sang in church will pop into my head.  I usually take a minute to sing a verse or the chorus.  It's been fun.  Does my mind still wander?  Yes.  But it's fine.

One good things that has come from this forced isolation and somewhat relaxed schedule is I have plenty of time in the morning to sit in good light (my poor feeble eyes) and wander through books.  And I'm pleased to say that I'm finding the Bible to be more of a stroll than a trudge.  Small blessings, right?