On December 29, 2013 I drafted:
"There are 30 minutes left of Breaking Bad - Thank God - What a show.
What can I say. Good writing. Bad people.
Walter White aka Heisenburg is "Everyman" One normal average guy becomes an emotionless killer and thinks nothing of it.
No thought of the destruction he brings." Thank God not "everyman" forsakes humanity for personal greed.
There was 20 minutes left and I said to my husband, "There is no way they can wrap this up in 20 minutes!" Thank God for google... Oh look at that there is still another season of 8 shows."
So we weren't done. AHHHHHH
We had to wait to see the end. And what an end. I was satisfied though.
I am glad it is done. I don't like seeing the deterioration of a soul on TV or in reality.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
The Real Rahab
Thoughts from Bible Study.
So I really love the story of Rahab and of all the women in the Bible she is the one I am most interested in meeting someday. She was a prostitute. I can imagine that she was shrewd and street smart. She knew what was true and what was just a cheesy line. So what I wonder about her is what did her family think of her line of work? Was it a cultural norm? Or where they just a little embarrassed by her occupation? Had she been cut off? Was her line of work honored in her culture?
She ended up being a key player in God's grand design. She was the woman who saved Joshua from the kings men as she lowered them out a window and down a wall. How many times had she done that little trick? It was the right thing for her to do and she knew it. Obviously, she saw something in these men that was different than all the others. She probably saw that the God they worshiped was no joke. She may have thought, "He is the real deal I want to be apart of that plan."
She negotiated safety for her family:
“Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” Joshua 2: 12-13
Deal making may have been a particular skill in her line of work. Did her family appreciate this deal? Was this a challenge for her to ask? Were they surprised that she thought enough about them to try and save them? Did they deserve to be saved?
God obviously saw something in her. She evidently gave up her line of work and settled down with an Israelite because she became a famous great great great ... grandmother to the baby - Jesus.
I like a God who takes a prostitute and makes her a heroine and a great...grand mother of the Savior.
So I really love the story of Rahab and of all the women in the Bible she is the one I am most interested in meeting someday. She was a prostitute. I can imagine that she was shrewd and street smart. She knew what was true and what was just a cheesy line. So what I wonder about her is what did her family think of her line of work? Was it a cultural norm? Or where they just a little embarrassed by her occupation? Had she been cut off? Was her line of work honored in her culture?
She ended up being a key player in God's grand design. She was the woman who saved Joshua from the kings men as she lowered them out a window and down a wall. How many times had she done that little trick? It was the right thing for her to do and she knew it. Obviously, she saw something in these men that was different than all the others. She probably saw that the God they worshiped was no joke. She may have thought, "He is the real deal I want to be apart of that plan."
She negotiated safety for her family:
“Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” Joshua 2: 12-13
Deal making may have been a particular skill in her line of work. Did her family appreciate this deal? Was this a challenge for her to ask? Were they surprised that she thought enough about them to try and save them? Did they deserve to be saved?
God obviously saw something in her. She evidently gave up her line of work and settled down with an Israelite because she became a famous great great great ... grandmother to the baby - Jesus.
I like a God who takes a prostitute and makes her a heroine and a great...grand mother of the Savior.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Esther - Conformist?
Esther became queen of Persia. I think we all know that. There are all kinds of profiles and perceptions of who Esther was. Here is what I always assumed. I assumed Esther was a lot like me. A good "Christian/Israelite" girl. Appalled at the idea of spending the night with an uncircumcised pagan, forced against her will to become apart of the king's harem -if she didn't get chosen. I always just assumed she was not ok with anything that was happening to her.
Then, it occurred to me that maybe I was all wrong. Maybe she was excited to be picked. Maybe she wasn't a good Israelite girl. Maybe she was just like all the other Israelites of the day and neighborhood who were being assimilated into the Persian culture. Retaining some old Mosaic ways and picking up some pagan practices for good measure and to fit in.
Maybe she was just a silly girl all caught up in the idea of pretty dresses, servants and the possibility of being Queen whatever it took. Maybe she had a weak spiritual constitution like a lot of young people.
I don't know but I liked the idea of seeing her from this different perspective.
If Esther was more of an assimilated teen rather than and hard core Israelite like I always imagined, then God did more than rescue his people through Esther going to the King. He may have also rescued her from a life of mediocrity. Helping her to embrace her heritage and the beliefs of her people and forsaking the assimilation of the Persian culture.
It just goes to show you that you can read the same old stories over and over again and you may think there is nothing new to learn. Then, you happen upon some new perspective that makes you think a little differently. It just shakes things up a little. In the end, Esther did shake things up.
Then, it occurred to me that maybe I was all wrong. Maybe she was excited to be picked. Maybe she wasn't a good Israelite girl. Maybe she was just like all the other Israelites of the day and neighborhood who were being assimilated into the Persian culture. Retaining some old Mosaic ways and picking up some pagan practices for good measure and to fit in.
Maybe she was just a silly girl all caught up in the idea of pretty dresses, servants and the possibility of being Queen whatever it took. Maybe she had a weak spiritual constitution like a lot of young people.
I don't know but I liked the idea of seeing her from this different perspective.
If Esther was more of an assimilated teen rather than and hard core Israelite like I always imagined, then God did more than rescue his people through Esther going to the King. He may have also rescued her from a life of mediocrity. Helping her to embrace her heritage and the beliefs of her people and forsaking the assimilation of the Persian culture.
It just goes to show you that you can read the same old stories over and over again and you may think there is nothing new to learn. Then, you happen upon some new perspective that makes you think a little differently. It just shakes things up a little. In the end, Esther did shake things up.
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