What do we really know about Eve? She was formed of Adam’s rib, ate the forbidden fruit, and was the mother of Cain, Abel, Seth, and undoubtedly others. This month our book club discussed Mark Twain’s The Diary of Adam and Eve, and even though Twain’s account was amusing and speculative, it did give me a lot to think about. Thanks for choosing it, Kathy.
Since I often think of her as “Mother Eve,” I zeroed in on some quotes that demonstrate a kinship between us. One of them is, “At first I couldn’t make out what I as made for, but now I think it was to search out the secrets of this wonderful world and be happy and thank the Giver of it all of devising it.” That seems so appropriate for this time of year, and I’m going to follow my young friend Kristi’s example and come up with at least as many things I’m thankful for as there are days in the month. I think Eve would like that.
1. A warm, reliable car
2. A warm, cozy home
3. DH and his many contributions towards making our home a more beautiful place
4. John and Margie, my parents
5. Edward and Edna, my children’s grandparents
6. L.C. and Mary, maternal grandparents
7. Woodell and Beatrice, paternal grandparents
8. Cell phones
9. Carrie and her creativity
10. Rich and his devotion to his family
11. Elizabeth and her poise and grace
12. Paul and his conscientiousness
13. Amanda and her musical gifts
14. Spencer and his mission
15. Braden’s dimples
16. Brooke’s cloud of blond curls
17. Emma’s cuddly little body
18. DH’s children and grandchildren
19. The gospel of Jesus Christ
20. Friends
21. Laughter
22. My siblings and their spouses and families
23. Love, the most important force in the universe
24. Color
25. America and the opportunity to live here
26. All things Southern-yes, even grits
27. My mother’s cornbread recipe
28. The ability to read
29. Words, words, words
30. Memories…and the absolute marvel of the human brain to help us recall them.
Believe it or not, I had to take few things off of my list and combine others so that I could limit my entries to 30. What about you? What are some things that you could thank the Giver of all things for? I think Eve was right on target when, according to Twain, she said we were meant to be happy, and I feel that enumerating our bounteous blessings in this wonderful world will help us to experience more happy than sad moments.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
This Moment
I went to a stake Relief Society meeting on Saturday and came away with yet another lesson from the story described in the 8th chapter of John about the woman caught in adultery. Haven’t you ever wondered where her “partner in crime” was? Our speaker related that some people think that he was actually one of the Pharisees who were her accusers.
That’s not the lesson I learned Saturday, however. What I learned was that the present moment is what’s important. What you did yesterday or ten minutes ago is not as important as what you’re doing right this moment. Christ was well aware of her lifestyle and her circumstances, but he didn’t condemn, chastise, or humiliate her. He simply told her to go and sin no more.
I don’t take that to mean that yesterday doesn't count, but I do believe that sometimes we get so caught up in past mistakes, disappointments, regrets, hurts, and sin that it blinds us to the forgiveness that is proffered at this very moment. It also blinds us to the hope and joy that can be experienced tomorrow IF we can let go, IF we can go and sin no more.
What I’ve been doing since Saturday is trying to be doubly conscientious about making the right choices from moment to moment. This moment is what counts. The Spirit, as our speaker reminded us, lives in the present. Beautiful sentiment, huh?
That’s not the lesson I learned Saturday, however. What I learned was that the present moment is what’s important. What you did yesterday or ten minutes ago is not as important as what you’re doing right this moment. Christ was well aware of her lifestyle and her circumstances, but he didn’t condemn, chastise, or humiliate her. He simply told her to go and sin no more.
I don’t take that to mean that yesterday doesn't count, but I do believe that sometimes we get so caught up in past mistakes, disappointments, regrets, hurts, and sin that it blinds us to the forgiveness that is proffered at this very moment. It also blinds us to the hope and joy that can be experienced tomorrow IF we can let go, IF we can go and sin no more.
What I’ve been doing since Saturday is trying to be doubly conscientious about making the right choices from moment to moment. This moment is what counts. The Spirit, as our speaker reminded us, lives in the present. Beautiful sentiment, huh?
Friday, October 24, 2008
Only Daughter
This is it, I promise...the last post about the five women in Diamant's The Red Tent. I can't leave Jacob's womenfolk without discussing his daughter Dinah, the heroine in the novel.
When you read the account in Genesis, you'll see that Jacob and Leah's daughter was "defiled" by a young man named Shechem and that his father Hamor made a generous offer to Jacob in return for his daughter. Shechem apparently loved Dinah and wanted to marry her. Her brothers, however, were angered at her treatment and demanded that all the men of Shechem's city submit to being circumcised. They do so. Surely now Jacob will agree to Hamor's offer.
However, as the men in Hamor and Shechem's city were healing, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, killed most (maybe all) of the men in the city, including Shechem and his father. Then they took their sister Dinah and left...along with livestock and the women and children of the area. That's the last we hear of Dinah.
What happened to her? What were her true feelings about the situation and about Shechem? Was she heartbroken over the murder of the man who loved her? The fact that she was still in his house instead of waiting with her family for the proposal to be accepted or not is telling. She was with Shechem, not them. It could have been by choice. Then again, she could have been held against her wishes and consequently felt a degree of vindication when her brothers went on their plundering, murdering campaign. We don't know.
Though her account is fictional, Ms. Diamant helps the reader see that perhaps Dinah truly loved Shechem and that she stayed with him of her own will...and that she grieved deeply at his death. In the novel, she left the house of Jacob never to return and later gave birth to Shechem's son in Egypt. In Egypt, Dinah lived a lowly and lowkey life in another's household, and as time went by, she again found love. By a twist of fate, she was the midwife who helped deliver her cousin Joseph's child.
I don't know the real story. I just know that reading this novel made all of these women become more real to me. They were human like the rest of us mortals, and they felt resentment, envy, heartache, loss, love, and grief. They aren't just names in a book; they lived. And their lives contain lessons for all of us. I'm just not sure what Dinah's lesson for us is. Do you have any ideas?
When you read the account in Genesis, you'll see that Jacob and Leah's daughter was "defiled" by a young man named Shechem and that his father Hamor made a generous offer to Jacob in return for his daughter. Shechem apparently loved Dinah and wanted to marry her. Her brothers, however, were angered at her treatment and demanded that all the men of Shechem's city submit to being circumcised. They do so. Surely now Jacob will agree to Hamor's offer.
However, as the men in Hamor and Shechem's city were healing, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, killed most (maybe all) of the men in the city, including Shechem and his father. Then they took their sister Dinah and left...along with livestock and the women and children of the area. That's the last we hear of Dinah.
What happened to her? What were her true feelings about the situation and about Shechem? Was she heartbroken over the murder of the man who loved her? The fact that she was still in his house instead of waiting with her family for the proposal to be accepted or not is telling. She was with Shechem, not them. It could have been by choice. Then again, she could have been held against her wishes and consequently felt a degree of vindication when her brothers went on their plundering, murdering campaign. We don't know.
Though her account is fictional, Ms. Diamant helps the reader see that perhaps Dinah truly loved Shechem and that she stayed with him of her own will...and that she grieved deeply at his death. In the novel, she left the house of Jacob never to return and later gave birth to Shechem's son in Egypt. In Egypt, Dinah lived a lowly and lowkey life in another's household, and as time went by, she again found love. By a twist of fate, she was the midwife who helped deliver her cousin Joseph's child.
I don't know the real story. I just know that reading this novel made all of these women become more real to me. They were human like the rest of us mortals, and they felt resentment, envy, heartache, loss, love, and grief. They aren't just names in a book; they lived. And their lives contain lessons for all of us. I'm just not sure what Dinah's lesson for us is. Do you have any ideas?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
More Red Tent Pondering
Today I'm thinking of Leah and Rachel's handmaids and am trying to figure out if there are parallels between their lives and the lives of many women today.
Bilhah and Zilpah remind me of those who aren’t officially “wives,” those who have no legal claim on the men in their lives. While the scriptures note that Jacob took them “to wife,” it’s also apparent that they were clearly in lesser positions than Leah and Rachel. I don’t know anything about the history of these two women, but I feel that they had little or no choice in their relationships with Jacob or their wives. Who were they to say NO to their requests/demands? At the same time, each of these women gave birth to two of Jacob’s sons, four leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Don’t we all know women who for reasons that we might not understand choose to have relationships with men who are unavailable for some reason or another? Perhaps they are already married, like Jacob, or perhaps they are unwilling to commit. Sometimes the couple, imitating those on the silver screen, may even have children together. Some modern day Bilhahs and Zilpahs may feel that they have no choice but to cohabit for financial reasons. Others see it as the next step towards a future marriage and will often speak of their roommates as their fiancés.
In many cases, it’s the woman’s choice to be in a POSSLQ (Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters) arrangement; perhaps she’s been “burned” in a bad marriage or has academic or career goals that could be compromised by wedlock. Can anything good come of relationships such as this? For me, no. For Bilhah and Zilpah and some of their 21st century sisters, maybe. As mentioned, they had no say-so in the matter, and they gave birth to four of Jacob’s sons.
There are no easy answers to my ponderings. During that era and in that part of the world, women had a different status than the women in 2008 in the United States. While I certainly don’t condemn these two handmaids for their choices, it’s clear to see that they weren’t given the same status as Leah and Rachel. Is it the same for women who “move in” with their significant others today?
Bottom line (at last): Is there a parallel between Bilhah and Zilpah and the women of today who have relationships with men who are unwilling or unable to marry them?
Bilhah and Zilpah remind me of those who aren’t officially “wives,” those who have no legal claim on the men in their lives. While the scriptures note that Jacob took them “to wife,” it’s also apparent that they were clearly in lesser positions than Leah and Rachel. I don’t know anything about the history of these two women, but I feel that they had little or no choice in their relationships with Jacob or their wives. Who were they to say NO to their requests/demands? At the same time, each of these women gave birth to two of Jacob’s sons, four leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Don’t we all know women who for reasons that we might not understand choose to have relationships with men who are unavailable for some reason or another? Perhaps they are already married, like Jacob, or perhaps they are unwilling to commit. Sometimes the couple, imitating those on the silver screen, may even have children together. Some modern day Bilhahs and Zilpahs may feel that they have no choice but to cohabit for financial reasons. Others see it as the next step towards a future marriage and will often speak of their roommates as their fiancés.
In many cases, it’s the woman’s choice to be in a POSSLQ (Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters) arrangement; perhaps she’s been “burned” in a bad marriage or has academic or career goals that could be compromised by wedlock. Can anything good come of relationships such as this? For me, no. For Bilhah and Zilpah and some of their 21st century sisters, maybe. As mentioned, they had no say-so in the matter, and they gave birth to four of Jacob’s sons.
There are no easy answers to my ponderings. During that era and in that part of the world, women had a different status than the women in 2008 in the United States. While I certainly don’t condemn these two handmaids for their choices, it’s clear to see that they weren’t given the same status as Leah and Rachel. Is it the same for women who “move in” with their significant others today?
Bottom line (at last): Is there a parallel between Bilhah and Zilpah and the women of today who have relationships with men who are unwilling or unable to marry them?
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Leah and Rachel
The book club just finished The Red Tent, a fictional account of Jacob's wives, their handmaids, and Dinah, his daughter by Rachel. My primary feeling after reading it is, "HUH?" It's true that Jacob had 12 sons and that his wives were Leah and Rachel. It's also true that Bilhah and Zilpah, handmaids to his wives, bore him sons. We know also that he had a daughter named Dinah who was "defiled" by Shechem, a prince. It stands to reason that a household as large as Jacob's would have its share of drama and its issues dealing with relationships, but I somehow feel a bit uncomfortable with this version of events.
Reading the novel prompted me to go to the scriptures to read the actual account as recorded in the King James Version. We all know that certain things were lost, added, or modified through the various translations. Still, there's enough information in those short chapters of Genesis to prompt us (me) to more carefully consider the lives of these women and ponder the lessons we can learn from them.
When I think of the five principal players in this novel, I can't help but compare them to some of the women who live today. Almost everyone knows someone like Leah who is devoted to her husband and who, despite knowing that he loves another more than he does her, continues to try her dead level best to win his affection. Leah's strategy was to bear him children, and each time she bears Jacob a son, she thinks that surely this time he will love her. She even encourages him to take her handmaid Zilpah "to wife" and she bears him yet another son, two in fact.
The scriptures note that Rachel has some sort of “eye challenge” that is evidently obvious to all who see her and that detracts from her appearance. She’s not as beautiful as her sister Rachel whom Jacob loves best. Being reminded of Rachel’s less-than-perfect eyes makes me think of our society’s focus on beauty and perfection. Females everywhere compare themselves to their “sisters” and find themselves coming up short, especially when compared to a super model or attractive Hollywood starlet. Botox, cosmetic surgery, extreme diets, eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, and the millions of dollars spent on make-up and hair color all signal an emphasis on appearance over substance. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for making the most of what we have and for looking our best. I’m just suggesting that there must be a balance.
Rachel, though much loved by Jacob, complained to Jacob that she had no children and claimed that she would die if she didn’t have any. She encouraged him to “go in unto” Bilhah, her handmaid so that Rachel could “have children by her.” We know that eventually Rachel gave birth to Joseph and later still to Benjamin, the son who claimed her life in childbirth. Still, in the meantime, she was reminded daily of her lack as she observed the sons of Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah. The scriptures tell us that she was envious of Rachel. Almost everyone knows someone who has borne no children despite her desire to do so, and like Sarah and Hannah, Rachel reminds us of how painful that can be.
Another idea that struck me as I reread this account in Genesis is that although she was beautiful and well-loved by her husband, Rachel was still unhappy. Nobody has everything. Nobody. Those of us on the outside looking in might think a situation is just peachy when in fact, there’s sadness, deep sorrow, or even envy as in Rachel’s case. We can’t see into another person’s heart, but if we could, we would likely perceive that all bear some private grief. Rachel was beautiful but barren, at least for a time. Leah was less attractive and not as beloved as her younger, prettier sister, but she bore several children, including Jacob's only daughter (that I know about anyway).
Have you ever really thought about these sisters and the lives they lived? Can you see parallels in our lives? Do you think there’s a reason why their life stories are told in the way they are? Maybe tomorrow I’ll get some thoughts together about Zilpah, Bilhah, and Dinah. In the meantime, I’d like to hear some of your thoughts about any of these five women.
Reading the novel prompted me to go to the scriptures to read the actual account as recorded in the King James Version. We all know that certain things were lost, added, or modified through the various translations. Still, there's enough information in those short chapters of Genesis to prompt us (me) to more carefully consider the lives of these women and ponder the lessons we can learn from them.
When I think of the five principal players in this novel, I can't help but compare them to some of the women who live today. Almost everyone knows someone like Leah who is devoted to her husband and who, despite knowing that he loves another more than he does her, continues to try her dead level best to win his affection. Leah's strategy was to bear him children, and each time she bears Jacob a son, she thinks that surely this time he will love her. She even encourages him to take her handmaid Zilpah "to wife" and she bears him yet another son, two in fact.
The scriptures note that Rachel has some sort of “eye challenge” that is evidently obvious to all who see her and that detracts from her appearance. She’s not as beautiful as her sister Rachel whom Jacob loves best. Being reminded of Rachel’s less-than-perfect eyes makes me think of our society’s focus on beauty and perfection. Females everywhere compare themselves to their “sisters” and find themselves coming up short, especially when compared to a super model or attractive Hollywood starlet. Botox, cosmetic surgery, extreme diets, eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, and the millions of dollars spent on make-up and hair color all signal an emphasis on appearance over substance. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for making the most of what we have and for looking our best. I’m just suggesting that there must be a balance.
Rachel, though much loved by Jacob, complained to Jacob that she had no children and claimed that she would die if she didn’t have any. She encouraged him to “go in unto” Bilhah, her handmaid so that Rachel could “have children by her.” We know that eventually Rachel gave birth to Joseph and later still to Benjamin, the son who claimed her life in childbirth. Still, in the meantime, she was reminded daily of her lack as she observed the sons of Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah. The scriptures tell us that she was envious of Rachel. Almost everyone knows someone who has borne no children despite her desire to do so, and like Sarah and Hannah, Rachel reminds us of how painful that can be.
Another idea that struck me as I reread this account in Genesis is that although she was beautiful and well-loved by her husband, Rachel was still unhappy. Nobody has everything. Nobody. Those of us on the outside looking in might think a situation is just peachy when in fact, there’s sadness, deep sorrow, or even envy as in Rachel’s case. We can’t see into another person’s heart, but if we could, we would likely perceive that all bear some private grief. Rachel was beautiful but barren, at least for a time. Leah was less attractive and not as beloved as her younger, prettier sister, but she bore several children, including Jacob's only daughter (that I know about anyway).
Have you ever really thought about these sisters and the lives they lived? Can you see parallels in our lives? Do you think there’s a reason why their life stories are told in the way they are? Maybe tomorrow I’ll get some thoughts together about Zilpah, Bilhah, and Dinah. In the meantime, I’d like to hear some of your thoughts about any of these five women.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
My Mother's Legacy
The last thing I told my mother before her death nearly eight years ago was that I loved her and that as long as we (her children and grandchildren) lived, she would live because she lived in us. I was thinking of DNA at the moment (or was I even thinking at all?), but this morning chromosomes and genes seem inadequate to describe the essence of a person and the legacy she/he leaves.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to get together with my sister, two brothers, their wives, two nephews, and my sweet niece, Sarah Beth. It was Family Day at Gardner-Webb, so the older generation joined the younger crowd to tour the campus, share a tasty brunch, hang out together at my nephews’ house, and spend some time catching up with each other’s lives. My favorite spots on campus were the chapel where we heard a young woman practicing her organ playing and the library where SB bought her aunt a book (more on this later). Our afternoon was sweetened by the pound cake and two pies baked by my sisters-in-law, tasty desserts we sampled around the kitchen table as the “menfolk” watched the Clemson game. The beautiful goldenrod blooming in a ditch outside of John and Chris’ house added just the perfect touch. My mother would have loved and appreciated that.
Why am I blogging about this? Because our day together reinforced the importance and connections of families. It’s been my observation that women are the “kinkeepers,” and I hope the gals in this picture will continue doing their dead level best to keep us connected and in touch. My mother, like “Mother Sarah,” would expect for us to continue in her absence, an absence that’s always present. By the way, it seems appropriate that the six of us were standing in front of a beautiful rose garden at GW because my mother LOVED flowers and had a gift for growing and arranging them.
For starters, I’m going to send my niece Sarah Beth, the youngest of the grandchildren, a card today. Maybe I’ll even slip a picture in it. Or better yet, some $$. That’s what her grandmother would have done.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Modern Day Eves
My daughter Carrie is the consummate wife and mother. She often bakes her own bread, sews pajamas for her little ones, prepares exquisite meals, chauffeurs her children to and from school and a host of other activities, and has a demanding church calling. She’s a gifted photographer, excellent writer, and faithful blogger. And did I mention that her husband is the bishop of their ward? And that she’s a stay-at-home mom? She is. And she’s remarkably good at it too. She has her “finger on the pulse” of everyone’s moods, proclivities, concerns, and needs. Warm and gentle, she can also turn into a strict disciplinarian when needed…and into a tigress if anyone says anything disparaging about her husband or children. In my somewhat biased opinion, she’s the perfect Mormon mom…and wife too.
I, on the other hand, worked full-time throughout the entirety of my children’s youth. Sure, I took time off for their deliveries but returned to work shortly thereafter. I hated leaving them when they were babies, and it still makes my heart hurt. Still, I tried not to think about it too much, for I could see that it was necessary. Time went by, and my little brood got older. Working didn’t seem so odious anymore. In fact, I rather enjoyed it and the “say-do” it gave me in our family’s financial decisions. I once read in a sociology text that women who didn’t work outside of the home were in the same position as unpaid servants. Not too desirable, I thought. I liked not having to ask for money or for permission to buy an occasional bauble. Plus, I know my husband appreciated that I was a helpmeet to him.
At home, I was a loving wife and mother-just like Carrie. I even went through a season of baking bread; I was fascinated with yeast and its powerful properties. Too, I loved the way baking bread made the house smell and the happiness it brought my family to taste the home baked bread. Although I wasn’t a gourmet cook like my daughter, I managed to prepare meals every night, and it was important that we eat together. I also went through a smocking stage, and my little girls were the most adorable ones in church with their little smocked dresses. I even smocked a couple of little outfits for Paul. Cross stitching, crewel, and candle wicking also had their season. As the children got older, I was their chauffeur and their biggest fan at dance recitals, church activities, and sporting events. In church together every Sunday, we were a model family.
Ah, in church. That’s where I got the most flak about being a working mother. I knew in my heart of hearts (whatever in heaven’s name that means) that my children “might” be better off if I’d been in the home 24/7. I knew that our church leaders encouraged moms to stay with their children during their formative years. I KNEW all of that, but it didn’t change our circumstances, and hearing it week after week was guilt producing and hurtful.
Why am I writing this? I think Kristi struck a responsive chord with her post. Hers was funny and made me chuckle. She’s a working mother too…and a good one. There are thousands and thousands of Jaynes and Kristis out there who are just doing the best we can to raise our families and make our way through this life and into the next one with our loved ones. There’s no one right way to do this.
I, on the other hand, worked full-time throughout the entirety of my children’s youth. Sure, I took time off for their deliveries but returned to work shortly thereafter. I hated leaving them when they were babies, and it still makes my heart hurt. Still, I tried not to think about it too much, for I could see that it was necessary. Time went by, and my little brood got older. Working didn’t seem so odious anymore. In fact, I rather enjoyed it and the “say-do” it gave me in our family’s financial decisions. I once read in a sociology text that women who didn’t work outside of the home were in the same position as unpaid servants. Not too desirable, I thought. I liked not having to ask for money or for permission to buy an occasional bauble. Plus, I know my husband appreciated that I was a helpmeet to him.
At home, I was a loving wife and mother-just like Carrie. I even went through a season of baking bread; I was fascinated with yeast and its powerful properties. Too, I loved the way baking bread made the house smell and the happiness it brought my family to taste the home baked bread. Although I wasn’t a gourmet cook like my daughter, I managed to prepare meals every night, and it was important that we eat together. I also went through a smocking stage, and my little girls were the most adorable ones in church with their little smocked dresses. I even smocked a couple of little outfits for Paul. Cross stitching, crewel, and candle wicking also had their season. As the children got older, I was their chauffeur and their biggest fan at dance recitals, church activities, and sporting events. In church together every Sunday, we were a model family.
Ah, in church. That’s where I got the most flak about being a working mother. I knew in my heart of hearts (whatever in heaven’s name that means) that my children “might” be better off if I’d been in the home 24/7. I knew that our church leaders encouraged moms to stay with their children during their formative years. I KNEW all of that, but it didn’t change our circumstances, and hearing it week after week was guilt producing and hurtful.
Why am I writing this? I think Kristi struck a responsive chord with her post. Hers was funny and made me chuckle. She’s a working mother too…and a good one. There are thousands and thousands of Jaynes and Kristis out there who are just doing the best we can to raise our families and make our way through this life and into the next one with our loved ones. There’s no one right way to do this.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Mary and Martha
I love it when my house is clean and orderly. When the beds are made, the furniture is dusted, and the dust bunnies have been vacuumed, a certain sense of “okayness” dwells within…within me and within my home. Add the fragrant scent of vanilla or cinnamon, and I feel inclined to relax, ponder, meditate, read, and in general, just de-stress. Add the aroma of some scrumptious goodies wafting from the kitchen, and it’s almost like heaven around here On the other hand, if there is clutter and confusion, then that’s how my mind and spirit feel: cluttered and confused. I feel restless, ill-at-ease, and jumpy. Unable to concentrate or find that inner stillness, I find myself jumping up to straighten, putter, and organize. I have a lot of Martha in me.
At the same time, I manage to find time each day to dip into the scriptures or some other spiritual readings. This morning I read an uplifting article in the Ensign about visiting teaching that gave me pause for thought. Throughout the day, I send up a few of what my friend Carol calls “sparrow prayers” in addition to the morning, evening, and mealtime prayers. I do my best to count my blessings, think charitable thoughts towards even the most trying of people (hard one), and demonstrate kindness and fairness. Do I fall short? As another friend, Shirley, would say, “You betcha.” Still, I try. I have some Mary in me too.
When I think of those two verses in Luke in which Christ is gently chastising Martha for being so busily involved in domestic activities and reminding her of the “better part,” I like to think that He’s reminding women everywhere of their priorities. We are spiritual beings having a physical experience, and He wants us to keep that in mind and to always seek to follow Him. At the same time, we live in the world, and that requires a certain amount of meal preparation, organization, and cleanliness.
I guess the key is in finding balance. Sometimes I’ve found that the very acts involved in “homecaring” can be soulful activities. As I’m putting my house in order, my mind and heart become calmer, more at peace.
At the same time, I manage to find time each day to dip into the scriptures or some other spiritual readings. This morning I read an uplifting article in the Ensign about visiting teaching that gave me pause for thought. Throughout the day, I send up a few of what my friend Carol calls “sparrow prayers” in addition to the morning, evening, and mealtime prayers. I do my best to count my blessings, think charitable thoughts towards even the most trying of people (hard one), and demonstrate kindness and fairness. Do I fall short? As another friend, Shirley, would say, “You betcha.” Still, I try. I have some Mary in me too.
When I think of those two verses in Luke in which Christ is gently chastising Martha for being so busily involved in domestic activities and reminding her of the “better part,” I like to think that He’s reminding women everywhere of their priorities. We are spiritual beings having a physical experience, and He wants us to keep that in mind and to always seek to follow Him. At the same time, we live in the world, and that requires a certain amount of meal preparation, organization, and cleanliness.
I guess the key is in finding balance. Sometimes I’ve found that the very acts involved in “homecaring” can be soulful activities. As I’m putting my house in order, my mind and heart become calmer, more at peace.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Jochabed, Hannah, and Laresa
How must the mothers of Helaman's stripling young warriors have felt when their sons went off to battle? How about Jochabed when she put Moses in a basket in the Nile or Hannah when she took Samuel to Eli? Throughout the scriptures there are stories of mothers who basically turned their sons over to God to use for His purposes, and today I'm thinking of a modern day mother, Laresa, who said good bye to her son this morning. She joins mothers all over the world whose sons and daughters will be reporting to the MTCs in their areas this week to prepare for two-year missions.
Yesterday afternoon I attended a reception for Laresa's son Zachary, and as I watched his parents, especially his mother, I couldn't help but remember the way I felt five years ago when my son left on his mission. All of us were upbeat and happy at his farewell, and there was much laughter, conversation, and great food. Still, not even the sweet, rich, chocolately taste of the brownies could completely distract me from the angst I felt. I knew what was ahead of me (us), and I remember making a supreme effort to be peppy.
Here's my experience that I lifted right from Musings of a Missionary Mom. I hope it helps Laresa and Boyd a little. "Filled with emotions ranging from excitement and anxiety to deep sadness, I remember laughing at the crazy good bye handshakes that he shared with his buddies. Then there was the moment when I took him aside for one last “mom talk” before he left for Utah. Although I thought I was doing fine, a photograph taken by my daughter Elizabeth shows otherwise. What a crumpled up, tear- streaked face. Then came the moment when he walked through the turnstile and had to remove his shoes for security purposes. He smiled as if it say, “Yeah, well, what’s a body to do?”
I gulped. He was gone. Or no, there he was walking up the steps, grinning down at us through the palm trees. His father, more knowledgeable than I about the workings of the Myrtle Beach Airport, walked down a short nearby hallway for one last glance as Elder Crolley hustled toward the plane, turning to wave one last time.
Still reluctant to say good bye, we walked outside and waited for the plane to actually fly westward. There we stood on a small embankment, waving adios.
It was so hard to see him leave, despite the fact that I knew he was doing the Lord’s work and that my son would be in his Heavenly Father’s care. I also knew that EC would be back in SC in two years, and that he’d have left the Torreon Mission a better place. Still, with the hole in my heart and the ache in my chest, I missed him. I missed him and marveled at the love our Heavenly Father had for us, so much love that he sent his only begotten son to die for us."
Elder Campbell will be back in SC in two years, but the influence on the people of Arizona will go on and on. Just like the mothers we read about in the scriptures, Laresa has basically turned her son over to God in faith.
Yesterday afternoon I attended a reception for Laresa's son Zachary, and as I watched his parents, especially his mother, I couldn't help but remember the way I felt five years ago when my son left on his mission. All of us were upbeat and happy at his farewell, and there was much laughter, conversation, and great food. Still, not even the sweet, rich, chocolately taste of the brownies could completely distract me from the angst I felt. I knew what was ahead of me (us), and I remember making a supreme effort to be peppy.
Here's my experience that I lifted right from Musings of a Missionary Mom. I hope it helps Laresa and Boyd a little. "Filled with emotions ranging from excitement and anxiety to deep sadness, I remember laughing at the crazy good bye handshakes that he shared with his buddies. Then there was the moment when I took him aside for one last “mom talk” before he left for Utah. Although I thought I was doing fine, a photograph taken by my daughter Elizabeth shows otherwise. What a crumpled up, tear- streaked face. Then came the moment when he walked through the turnstile and had to remove his shoes for security purposes. He smiled as if it say, “Yeah, well, what’s a body to do?”
I gulped. He was gone. Or no, there he was walking up the steps, grinning down at us through the palm trees. His father, more knowledgeable than I about the workings of the Myrtle Beach Airport, walked down a short nearby hallway for one last glance as Elder Crolley hustled toward the plane, turning to wave one last time.
Still reluctant to say good bye, we walked outside and waited for the plane to actually fly westward. There we stood on a small embankment, waving adios.
It was so hard to see him leave, despite the fact that I knew he was doing the Lord’s work and that my son would be in his Heavenly Father’s care. I also knew that EC would be back in SC in two years, and that he’d have left the Torreon Mission a better place. Still, with the hole in my heart and the ache in my chest, I missed him. I missed him and marveled at the love our Heavenly Father had for us, so much love that he sent his only begotten son to die for us."
Elder Campbell will be back in SC in two years, but the influence on the people of Arizona will go on and on. Just like the mothers we read about in the scriptures, Laresa has basically turned her son over to God in faith.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Virtuous Woman
Anyone who knows me very well knows that one determining factor in my decision to join the LDS faith is the Relief Society, a worldwide women’s organization designed to provide relief for the needy and to bring people to Christ. In the late 1970’s I was on my way home after Sacrament meeting when a friend asked me to go to Relief Society with her. “What’s that?” I asked. Sarah simply said, “Come and see.” I did. Wow! I was “engaged” from the first moment. I’d never been to a meeting in which women from 18 to 100 (or even older) could and did attend. At that time we still had Cultural Refinement meetings, and that day the lesson was on Sri Lanka. HUH? I loved the idea that this was like school and church combined, the main difference being no tests.
Later that same summer, a young woman with a newborn baby came to my house and said that she was my visiting teacher. This seemed strange and wonderful at the same time. Here she was taking time from her busy schedule with her infant in tow to share a spiritual thought with me and see if there was anything I needed or that she could help me with. I knew from her spirit that she was sincere, and again I felt myself being drawn more towards this organization. Before Leann (I still remember her name) left, she shared this thought: A woman sets the emotional tone for the home. I was young, and that was news to me…good news, and news I’ve never forgotten. If Leann Bodine is out there in Blogland, I hope she reads this and knows that she everlastingly affected a sister and her family in Myrtle Beach nearly 30 years ago.
Years passed, and yet another influential sister moved into our ward. Truthfully, it wasn’t exactly “our” ward since I wasn’t a member, but I thought of it that way. By this time, I had a couple of children, and I could see how the church auxiliaries were blessing their young lives. Frances moved into our neighborhood, and she became my visiting teacher. Come rain or come shine, Frances would visit with a lesson, a laugh, a story, or a helping hand. I recall one hectic afternoon when I had come home from work with two little girls to occupy while I prepared dinner. Seeing that I couldn’t sit and talk, Frances came right into the kitchen and stirred my culinary concoctions on the stove while I tended to Carrie and Elizabeth’s immediate needs. Frances was (and still is) a powerful force for good in many people’s lives. So are Sarah, Dorothea, Cora Lee, Mary, Carol, Terri, Teri, Gail, and too many others to mention.
I hated to leave the beach area, but I did, and here in the midlands, I’ve found another group of sisters with strong testimonies and big hearts. This past Sunday, our Relief Society lesson was on visiting teaching, and to keep us mindful of our commitments, the Presidency gave us all a little souvenir and a reminder of how to live. The souvenir was a pretty to-do list, and we were encouraged to put “Be kind” at the top of our list each day. That might sound like a little thing to some people, but to me (and the people on my row), it’s a grand idea, especially since it goes with our motto, Charity Never Faileth.
One more story. Years ago I read an article in the Ensign that was based on journal entries from someone who lived years and years ago, probably in the 1800’s. When this person was a child, her family had to move away from friends, family, and familiar surroundings and relocate in a remote, cold, lonely, desolate place…or so it seemed to her. Tragedy befell the family in that one of her siblings died. The mother was distraught, and the sadness permeated the family and all of their activities. Nothing seemed right anymore, and they longed for their former associations.
One day, this little girl was looking out the window at the blanket of snow surrounding the modest home for as far as the eye could see. Conditions were brutal. As she stared at the horizon, she saw two figures trudging towards the house. On they came, slowly making their way, and suddenly the child realized who they were. Although she didn’t recognize their faces, she KNEW who they were: her mother’s visiting teachers. I don’t remember much else about this article, but I do remember how it ended. The writer said that even as a child, she had thought to herself, “What a church, what a church!”
It's an honor to be associated with so many women who exemplify the virtuous woman spoken of in Proverbs 31. While we're all far from perfect, it's wonderful to be associated with others who are also striving to be kind, love one another, and bring others unto Christ.
P.S. We have a lot of fun too, but that's a post for another day.
Later that same summer, a young woman with a newborn baby came to my house and said that she was my visiting teacher. This seemed strange and wonderful at the same time. Here she was taking time from her busy schedule with her infant in tow to share a spiritual thought with me and see if there was anything I needed or that she could help me with. I knew from her spirit that she was sincere, and again I felt myself being drawn more towards this organization. Before Leann (I still remember her name) left, she shared this thought: A woman sets the emotional tone for the home. I was young, and that was news to me…good news, and news I’ve never forgotten. If Leann Bodine is out there in Blogland, I hope she reads this and knows that she everlastingly affected a sister and her family in Myrtle Beach nearly 30 years ago.
Years passed, and yet another influential sister moved into our ward. Truthfully, it wasn’t exactly “our” ward since I wasn’t a member, but I thought of it that way. By this time, I had a couple of children, and I could see how the church auxiliaries were blessing their young lives. Frances moved into our neighborhood, and she became my visiting teacher. Come rain or come shine, Frances would visit with a lesson, a laugh, a story, or a helping hand. I recall one hectic afternoon when I had come home from work with two little girls to occupy while I prepared dinner. Seeing that I couldn’t sit and talk, Frances came right into the kitchen and stirred my culinary concoctions on the stove while I tended to Carrie and Elizabeth’s immediate needs. Frances was (and still is) a powerful force for good in many people’s lives. So are Sarah, Dorothea, Cora Lee, Mary, Carol, Terri, Teri, Gail, and too many others to mention.
I hated to leave the beach area, but I did, and here in the midlands, I’ve found another group of sisters with strong testimonies and big hearts. This past Sunday, our Relief Society lesson was on visiting teaching, and to keep us mindful of our commitments, the Presidency gave us all a little souvenir and a reminder of how to live. The souvenir was a pretty to-do list, and we were encouraged to put “Be kind” at the top of our list each day. That might sound like a little thing to some people, but to me (and the people on my row), it’s a grand idea, especially since it goes with our motto, Charity Never Faileth.
One more story. Years ago I read an article in the Ensign that was based on journal entries from someone who lived years and years ago, probably in the 1800’s. When this person was a child, her family had to move away from friends, family, and familiar surroundings and relocate in a remote, cold, lonely, desolate place…or so it seemed to her. Tragedy befell the family in that one of her siblings died. The mother was distraught, and the sadness permeated the family and all of their activities. Nothing seemed right anymore, and they longed for their former associations.
One day, this little girl was looking out the window at the blanket of snow surrounding the modest home for as far as the eye could see. Conditions were brutal. As she stared at the horizon, she saw two figures trudging towards the house. On they came, slowly making their way, and suddenly the child realized who they were. Although she didn’t recognize their faces, she KNEW who they were: her mother’s visiting teachers. I don’t remember much else about this article, but I do remember how it ended. The writer said that even as a child, she had thought to herself, “What a church, what a church!”
It's an honor to be associated with so many women who exemplify the virtuous woman spoken of in Proverbs 31. While we're all far from perfect, it's wonderful to be associated with others who are also striving to be kind, love one another, and bring others unto Christ.
P.S. We have a lot of fun too, but that's a post for another day.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Bathsheba's Charm
I've been thinking about Bathsheba lately. Remember her? She's the woman David spotted while she was bathing on a rooftop and decided that he had to have her for himself. He was the king, and I imagine it would be both hard and foolhardy to deny the king. As a result of their union, Bathsheba conceived a baby. This is where the plot thickens, for you see, she was married to Uriah, one of David's soldiers who was off fighting a war.
To wiggle his way out of the dilemma, David arranged for Uriah to come home, thinking that he would sleep with his wife and thus provide a legitimate reason for her pregnancy. Uriah, however, had too much integrity for that, so the king actually gave orders to send him to the front of the battle hoping Uriah would be killed. The plan worked, and David and Bathsheba were free to marry without shame. No one would be the wiser, right?
But wait, God knew of David's wicked scheme. So did the prophet Nathan. Nathan came to David with a story involving a rich man and a poor man. The rich man had many flocks and herds while the poor man had only one little lamb whom he loved and nourished. The rich man took the poor man's lamb and killed and dressed it for a traveler and spared his own large flock. In telling the story, Nathan made David see that what he had done was the exact same thing. He, the rich king, had taken Uriah's only lamb, Bathsheba. Although David clearly saw his sin and felt sorrow, God was displeased and took the life of his and Bathsheba's child.
I've read this story many times, even studied it in Sunday school classes, but it was only recently that I began to empathize with Bathsheba. Why was she on the rooftop bathing instead of the privacy of her own home? I don’t know the answer to that, but I do know that this wasn’t done in broad daylight. I’m thinking that it was when everyone else was sleeping and that perhaps David was having a bout of insomnia that led him outside to overlook the rooftops of the city.
I’m not sure where I’m going with this except to say that Bathsheba, in my opinion, was not as culpable as the king, and yet she too had to pay a huge price: the death of her husband and of her son. That was somewhat of a revelation to me because previously I had erroneously thought that she and David were “partners in crime.”
My other revelation is that I sense that many, many young women don’t realize the effect they have on men when they dress in provocative ways. They are often simply following the fashion trends of the day and are not deliberately seeking the attention of males. I’m not saying all skimpily dressed women are ignorant of their charms because that’d be false. In fact, many are expert in exhibiting their feminine wiles and attributes to attract male attention.
Still, aren’t there some who are like lambs? Are there some women who are unaware of the sexual interest they attract, those who are sending out signals that they aren’t aware of? Are there times when women are taken advantage of by men who misread their signals?
To wiggle his way out of the dilemma, David arranged for Uriah to come home, thinking that he would sleep with his wife and thus provide a legitimate reason for her pregnancy. Uriah, however, had too much integrity for that, so the king actually gave orders to send him to the front of the battle hoping Uriah would be killed. The plan worked, and David and Bathsheba were free to marry without shame. No one would be the wiser, right?
But wait, God knew of David's wicked scheme. So did the prophet Nathan. Nathan came to David with a story involving a rich man and a poor man. The rich man had many flocks and herds while the poor man had only one little lamb whom he loved and nourished. The rich man took the poor man's lamb and killed and dressed it for a traveler and spared his own large flock. In telling the story, Nathan made David see that what he had done was the exact same thing. He, the rich king, had taken Uriah's only lamb, Bathsheba. Although David clearly saw his sin and felt sorrow, God was displeased and took the life of his and Bathsheba's child.
I've read this story many times, even studied it in Sunday school classes, but it was only recently that I began to empathize with Bathsheba. Why was she on the rooftop bathing instead of the privacy of her own home? I don’t know the answer to that, but I do know that this wasn’t done in broad daylight. I’m thinking that it was when everyone else was sleeping and that perhaps David was having a bout of insomnia that led him outside to overlook the rooftops of the city.
I’m not sure where I’m going with this except to say that Bathsheba, in my opinion, was not as culpable as the king, and yet she too had to pay a huge price: the death of her husband and of her son. That was somewhat of a revelation to me because previously I had erroneously thought that she and David were “partners in crime.”
My other revelation is that I sense that many, many young women don’t realize the effect they have on men when they dress in provocative ways. They are often simply following the fashion trends of the day and are not deliberately seeking the attention of males. I’m not saying all skimpily dressed women are ignorant of their charms because that’d be false. In fact, many are expert in exhibiting their feminine wiles and attributes to attract male attention.
Still, aren’t there some who are like lambs? Are there some women who are unaware of the sexual interest they attract, those who are sending out signals that they aren’t aware of? Are there times when women are taken advantage of by men who misread their signals?
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Hannah's Faith
My daughter’s son Braden started to kindergarten last week, and she was lamenting the fact that he had grown from a tiny babe into a little boy so quickly. “I just want him to be happy,” she said. She doesn’t want him to be afraid or to have other kids tease him. Join the crowd of mothers everywhere, Carrie! We all want our children to be happy, healthy, brave, confident, and secure, and we worry about the moments when we can’t be there to protect them.
Will this concern end when he enters high school or college? No. My sister-in-law Becky, the mother of two handsome, strong, smart young men (my macho nephews) recently confessed that she misses them immensely even though they’re seniors in college. They attend college six hours away, and it’s torture for their mom not to be able to see their faces and hear their voices on a daily basis.
What about when he (Braden or any other child) marries and begins life with a spouse? Will the worry and concern end then? Nope, not then either. I speak from experience in that my son recently married and now lives four hours away. Since he’s married, I’m more hesitant about calling at any old time. Although he’s my son, he’s her husband, and I want them to strengthen their partnership, something more possible without a meddlesome mother-in-law. I wonder, just like Carrie and Becky, whether he’s sad, happy, scared, anxious, hungry, bewildered, or confused.
Does this feeling ever end? I think not. At times such as these, I think of one of my friends who’d often listen to my worries about my children and then demand, “Have you turned your children over to God yet??? They’re not yours anyway, you know. They’re His, and you just have to trust that everything will be fine.”
My friend’s reminder always brings Hannah to mind. Day after day, she went to the temple and prayed for a son. Eli, after inquiring about what he perceived to be her drunken state, learned of Hannah’s fervent desire for a child and of her promise to give him to the Lord “all the days of his life.” Eli then told her to go in peace and that God would grant her petition. We know the rest of the story. Hannah gave birth to Samuel, and after he was weaned, Hannah brought him to Eli to be raised in the tabernacle.
How did she give him up???? I don’t know the answer to that. I only know that I need to have a little more of Hannah’s faith and trust. After all, Braden, Chris, John, and Paul do not actually belong to us. They belong to God. We’re just the vehicles by which these remarkable people came to Earth.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Me a Jezebel??
After I blew-dry (?) my hair this morning, making the special effort to arrange my bangs with my fingers instead of a round brush per instructions from a hair stylist, I then applied a touch of eye shadow, a narrow line of charcoal eye liner, and some mascara. Then I smoothed on a light coat of ivory foundation and some blush. This, by the way, is a morning routine that I've engaged in with very little exception or variation for years. My mother wore make-up, and she was my primary role model; ergo, I wear make-up. I can picture her right now as she sat on a little stool in front of a lighted make-up mirror making herself presentable for the public. Let me change that to "more presentable" because she was a pretty lady without much need of embellishment. Still, she was a girlie girl and a great act to follow...or try to follow.
Back to the story. This morning as I was carefully applying my Mary Kay garnet frost lipstick, I had a flash of insight. "Oh my gosh, I'm a regular Jezebel with my coifed hair and painted face!" While she is far from being a woman greatly admired in the Bible, she is definitely one who can teach us a lesson or two. I don't think there's anything wrong or immoral with enhancing one's appearance. In fact, I think God delights in our taking care of what He gave us and in "prettifying" His creations as much as possible. To me, it shows respect for oneself and for all with whom we come in contact.
At the same time, there are a couple of lessons from Jezebel that are on my mind this morning. #1. Sometimes a person can cross the line and become so obsessed with physical appearance and beauty that she will resort to cosmetic surgery, expensive cosmetics, and extreme diet and exercise to look a certain way. These things are fine if not done to excess. Get your nose fixed, whiten your teeth, buy the age defying lotion, and pay attention to your diet. Just know when enough is enough. #2Jezebel's major downfall, in my opinion, is that she put Baal first. Yes, I know you don't worship Baal, but couldn't he be symbolic for any and everything that you put in front of God? It could be a car, a job, a relationship, a house in the Hamptons (just wanted to include that because I've read it so often!), sports, a hobby, tons of clothes and shoes, physical appearance, and a fat bank account.
So back to my insight while applying the garnet frost lipstick. Yes, I am a modern day Jezebel...or I could easily become that way. Since I don't want to be thrown from a window by my servants (ha ha...me with servants?) or devoured by dogs, I'm going to keep a closer watch on my thoughts and behaviors.
Back to the story. This morning as I was carefully applying my Mary Kay garnet frost lipstick, I had a flash of insight. "Oh my gosh, I'm a regular Jezebel with my coifed hair and painted face!" While she is far from being a woman greatly admired in the Bible, she is definitely one who can teach us a lesson or two. I don't think there's anything wrong or immoral with enhancing one's appearance. In fact, I think God delights in our taking care of what He gave us and in "prettifying" His creations as much as possible. To me, it shows respect for oneself and for all with whom we come in contact.
At the same time, there are a couple of lessons from Jezebel that are on my mind this morning. #1. Sometimes a person can cross the line and become so obsessed with physical appearance and beauty that she will resort to cosmetic surgery, expensive cosmetics, and extreme diet and exercise to look a certain way. These things are fine if not done to excess. Get your nose fixed, whiten your teeth, buy the age defying lotion, and pay attention to your diet. Just know when enough is enough. #2Jezebel's major downfall, in my opinion, is that she put Baal first. Yes, I know you don't worship Baal, but couldn't he be symbolic for any and everything that you put in front of God? It could be a car, a job, a relationship, a house in the Hamptons (just wanted to include that because I've read it so often!), sports, a hobby, tons of clothes and shoes, physical appearance, and a fat bank account.
So back to my insight while applying the garnet frost lipstick. Yes, I am a modern day Jezebel...or I could easily become that way. Since I don't want to be thrown from a window by my servants (ha ha...me with servants?) or devoured by dogs, I'm going to keep a closer watch on my thoughts and behaviors.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
The Original Rubber Necker
I have lots more to say about Sarah, but today I’m thinking more about Lot’s wife. The story of her looking back for one last look has always seemed a little crazy to me. Crazy and cruel. Crazy for her to look back after God had clearly told her not to and cruel for God to actually turn her into a pillar of salt. But then again, she was human, a mere mortal like the rest of us who don’t always do what God tells us to do. We try, but sometimes we slip and fall just like Lot’s wife. (It bugs me that she doesn’t have a name…at least not in the scriptures). Still, what she did seems like such a minor infraction. A backwards glance, and she’s forever a chunk of sodium
There’s got to be an explanation. Why was God so emphatic about not looking back, and why did he mete out such severe punishment? After all, the ramifications of that act affected her entire family. Lot had no wife; his daughters had no mother. I used to think it was such an oft-repeated story because looking back is unhealthy? How can one move forward if she’s forever looking longingly at yesterday? Some people live so much in the land of Yesterday that they can’t enjoy the gift of the present or plan with hope for tomorrow.
Yesterday, however, I got an additional insight into Lot’s wife. I was stuck in traffic on I-20 in SC for about 30 minutes. When we moved at all, it was literally inching along and then stopping, inching along and then stopping. When we finally began moving again, I could see half a dozen highway patrol cars beside the highway with a banged up vehicle. The reason we were barely moving soon became apparent. People were slowly riding by “rubber necking” to see what was happening…or what had happened. For some reason, I thought of Lot’s wife. Could she have been one of the first known rubber neckers? Did she just want to have a look at what happened to Sodom? Was curiosity her downfall instead of a reluctance to move on?
Whatever the reason, Lot’s wife’s disobedience affected her entire family, and centuries later, we’re still learning lessons from her backwards glance. Do what God tells you and don’t look back.
There’s got to be an explanation. Why was God so emphatic about not looking back, and why did he mete out such severe punishment? After all, the ramifications of that act affected her entire family. Lot had no wife; his daughters had no mother. I used to think it was such an oft-repeated story because looking back is unhealthy? How can one move forward if she’s forever looking longingly at yesterday? Some people live so much in the land of Yesterday that they can’t enjoy the gift of the present or plan with hope for tomorrow.
Yesterday, however, I got an additional insight into Lot’s wife. I was stuck in traffic on I-20 in SC for about 30 minutes. When we moved at all, it was literally inching along and then stopping, inching along and then stopping. When we finally began moving again, I could see half a dozen highway patrol cars beside the highway with a banged up vehicle. The reason we were barely moving soon became apparent. People were slowly riding by “rubber necking” to see what was happening…or what had happened. For some reason, I thought of Lot’s wife. Could she have been one of the first known rubber neckers? Did she just want to have a look at what happened to Sodom? Was curiosity her downfall instead of a reluctance to move on?
Whatever the reason, Lot’s wife’s disobedience affected her entire family, and centuries later, we’re still learning lessons from her backwards glance. Do what God tells you and don’t look back.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Modern Day Sarai
As I write this, my son and his wife are on their way to Atlanta. Yep. They're moving there, lock, stock, and barrel. Just like Abram and Sarai, they’re leaving their native land, the one of their fathers and grandfathers and heading out for uncharted territory (family-wise). They’ll still be in the South, but a good three hours separates them from the nearest relative, one of Amanda’s brothers.
They have my utmost respect and admiration for “following their hearts,” for doing what they feel they feel they should do in the place where they feel led to go. Did God tell them to go there like He told Abram? I don’t know; I hope so. What I do know is that regardless of the many differences between those Old Testament days and the days of the 21st century, leaving everyone except your spouse to begin a new chapter in your life can be daunting.
A few differences: Paul and Amanda have two cars, a moving van, and her parents’ vehicle to take things with them; Abram and Sarai had donkeys and camels. Paul and Amanda have lots of “stuff,” stuff like two televisions, a computer (maybe two), two beds, couches, kitchenware, a microwave, tons of books, clothes, and even a Wii (is that spelled correctly?). The couple of yore probably didn’t have nearly as many possessions. Paul and Amanda used Google to help them chart their way; Abram and Sarai just headed out, not knowing where they’d end up. If the young couple get hungry, they can stop anywhere along the road and choose from an array of different foods. Hmmm. I wonder what Abram and Sarai took along the road towards Canaan. When they get to Atlanta, they’ll call to let us know of their safe arrival. Later, they’ll keep in touch with cell phones and emails. How did the Old Testament couple contact family they’d left behind?
While there are lots of differences between the two couples, there are parallels too. Many of us have experienced changes in location. Even moving from a parents’ home into an apartment can be scary, fun but scary too. Moving to another neighborhood, changing jobs, transferring to a different school…all of these things can be a bit overwhelming.
Like Sarai and Amanda, there will be times when all of us will leave our land. How will we fare? Will we look forward to it with anticipation and faith, or will we go “kicking and screaming?” Or will we even go at all? Will we instead allow fear and the need for security keep us from leaving our comfort zones?
I don’t know for sure, I think Sarai was probably glad she went. Just look at all of the interesting adventures she had! I hope the modern day Sarai, Amanda, is glad she went too. She’s going to have hundreds of great experiences and adventures there in Atlanta. ..one of which is an upcoming Braves game.
Good luck, You Guys! Keep the faith. And call home.
They have my utmost respect and admiration for “following their hearts,” for doing what they feel they feel they should do in the place where they feel led to go. Did God tell them to go there like He told Abram? I don’t know; I hope so. What I do know is that regardless of the many differences between those Old Testament days and the days of the 21st century, leaving everyone except your spouse to begin a new chapter in your life can be daunting.
A few differences: Paul and Amanda have two cars, a moving van, and her parents’ vehicle to take things with them; Abram and Sarai had donkeys and camels. Paul and Amanda have lots of “stuff,” stuff like two televisions, a computer (maybe two), two beds, couches, kitchenware, a microwave, tons of books, clothes, and even a Wii (is that spelled correctly?). The couple of yore probably didn’t have nearly as many possessions. Paul and Amanda used Google to help them chart their way; Abram and Sarai just headed out, not knowing where they’d end up. If the young couple get hungry, they can stop anywhere along the road and choose from an array of different foods. Hmmm. I wonder what Abram and Sarai took along the road towards Canaan. When they get to Atlanta, they’ll call to let us know of their safe arrival. Later, they’ll keep in touch with cell phones and emails. How did the Old Testament couple contact family they’d left behind?
While there are lots of differences between the two couples, there are parallels too. Many of us have experienced changes in location. Even moving from a parents’ home into an apartment can be scary, fun but scary too. Moving to another neighborhood, changing jobs, transferring to a different school…all of these things can be a bit overwhelming.
Like Sarai and Amanda, there will be times when all of us will leave our land. How will we fare? Will we look forward to it with anticipation and faith, or will we go “kicking and screaming?” Or will we even go at all? Will we instead allow fear and the need for security keep us from leaving our comfort zones?
I don’t know for sure, I think Sarai was probably glad she went. Just look at all of the interesting adventures she had! I hope the modern day Sarai, Amanda, is glad she went too. She’s going to have hundreds of great experiences and adventures there in Atlanta. ..one of which is an upcoming Braves game.
Good luck, You Guys! Keep the faith. And call home.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sarai's Faithfulness
We’re always hearing about Father Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant. When people discuss Biblical genealogy, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are mentioned. That’s all well and good, and I have no problem with it at all. It was a patriarchal society “back in the day.” In fact, in most cultures of the world, that’s still the case, even in the good old U.S. of A. That’s fine with me.
At the same time, I can’t help but wonder about the life of “Mother Sarai.” 90 years old when her only child Isaac was born, she was quite a gal by anyone’s standards. We know a little about her from the scriptures, and I often find myself marveling at what a woman of strength she was. How would you react if your husband came home and said, “We’re moving.” That’s it. No discussion. Just, “We’re moving because God told me to leave this country and go to one that He’s going to show me.” I wonder if she was afraid. Did she see it as an adventure? Was she reluctant to leave family and friends, or was she looking forward to a change of scene? Regardless of her feelings, Sarai (later called Sarah) went with Abram (who later became Abraham).
Fast forward a little bit, and we see the two of them in Egypt without resources or connections. Knowing that Sarai’s beauty is an asset, Abraham tells her to tell the Egyptians that she is his sister. In actuality, she was his half-sister, but her primary role throughout the scriptures is that of Abraham’s wife, not his sister. Still, Abraham wants her to do this so that they can survive in the land. Does she squawk or complain or refuse her husband’s request? No, again Sarai does as he asks and is soon a part of Pharaoh’s harem of beautiful women.
In one chapter, Genesis 12, here are two examples of the actions of a faithful wife who, without hesitation, does as her husband asks, not knowing what her future will hold. As it turns out, they have a bit of a challenge reaching the land of Canaan and end up in Egypt. Their survival at stake, Sarai uses her beauty, feminine wiles, and a smidgen (?) of deception to become a part of the pharaoh’s household.
I can’t help but wonder what Sarai thought about as she moved about the palace. Did she “rue the day” she ever left Haran? Did she miss Abram and doubt whether she’d ever see him again? Did she know that Pharaoh had given her husband sheep, oxen, servants, and camels in exchange for her? If she knew, did she resent it, or did she somehow know that Abraham would free her?
What about you? Have you ever followed your husband to another part of the country away from family, friends, and familiar surroundings because of a job offer or educational opportunities? Have you ever lived in less-than-perfect surroundings while the two of you “got on your feet?” Were there children involved? Did that add to your uncertainty about the future? Did you doubt your husband’s “promptings,” or did you trust his judgment emphatically?
At the same time, I can’t help but wonder about the life of “Mother Sarai.” 90 years old when her only child Isaac was born, she was quite a gal by anyone’s standards. We know a little about her from the scriptures, and I often find myself marveling at what a woman of strength she was. How would you react if your husband came home and said, “We’re moving.” That’s it. No discussion. Just, “We’re moving because God told me to leave this country and go to one that He’s going to show me.” I wonder if she was afraid. Did she see it as an adventure? Was she reluctant to leave family and friends, or was she looking forward to a change of scene? Regardless of her feelings, Sarai (later called Sarah) went with Abram (who later became Abraham).
Fast forward a little bit, and we see the two of them in Egypt without resources or connections. Knowing that Sarai’s beauty is an asset, Abraham tells her to tell the Egyptians that she is his sister. In actuality, she was his half-sister, but her primary role throughout the scriptures is that of Abraham’s wife, not his sister. Still, Abraham wants her to do this so that they can survive in the land. Does she squawk or complain or refuse her husband’s request? No, again Sarai does as he asks and is soon a part of Pharaoh’s harem of beautiful women.
In one chapter, Genesis 12, here are two examples of the actions of a faithful wife who, without hesitation, does as her husband asks, not knowing what her future will hold. As it turns out, they have a bit of a challenge reaching the land of Canaan and end up in Egypt. Their survival at stake, Sarai uses her beauty, feminine wiles, and a smidgen (?) of deception to become a part of the pharaoh’s household.
I can’t help but wonder what Sarai thought about as she moved about the palace. Did she “rue the day” she ever left Haran? Did she miss Abram and doubt whether she’d ever see him again? Did she know that Pharaoh had given her husband sheep, oxen, servants, and camels in exchange for her? If she knew, did she resent it, or did she somehow know that Abraham would free her?
What about you? Have you ever followed your husband to another part of the country away from family, friends, and familiar surroundings because of a job offer or educational opportunities? Have you ever lived in less-than-perfect surroundings while the two of you “got on your feet?” Were there children involved? Did that add to your uncertainty about the future? Did you doubt your husband’s “promptings,” or did you trust his judgment emphatically?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Modern Day Eve
This is a post about a modern day Eve who was able to recognize a real serpent in her life, know it for what it was, and make appropriate choices. Marie, a young woman in the church I attend, shared a “snake story” with the congregation on Sunday, and I’ve been thinking about it off and on ever since. I’m constantly amazed at the strength and depth of the young people in our LDS ward. It could be that all teens are this way, but somehow I don’t think so. They’re pretty remarkable. But on with the story.
Last week several youth went to Youth Conference, a three-day event held at a college in NC; I think it was Western Carolina. Anyway, at the beginning of Sacrament meeting, the bishop asked three of the attendees to speak about their experiences, and although all of the speakers were fabulous (especially at such short notice), it’s Marie whom I’m thinking of today. She spoke of one event that exemplified three principles. I really don’t know that many adults with the perception and awareness that she displayed and who could speak with such clarity and confidence.
The event: As Marie and some of the other young people were riding in a boat, they looked up, and to their surprise and fear, they spied a snake. One of the young men flung (?) it into the water and away from them.
· Lesson 1: Someone was brave enough to face the serpent and keep the others safe. Marie commented that we could all be like that when facing evil (a.k.a. Satan) by being courageous and casting him aside.
· Lesson 2: No one saw the snake until the boat was right beneath it. Marie reminded us that Satan is stealthy and sly, ever vigilant for the right moment to strike. Hence, we must always be watchful and alert to his wiles.
· Lesson 3: Just when I was thinking of what great principles Marie extracted from that one incident, she hit us with the best one of all. None of the young people knew whether the snake was poisonous or not. However, they didn’t want to take any chances so they (or one of them) hurled it away from them. Isn’t that profound? Sometimes you can look evil right in the face and not recognize it, so the best thing to do is to err on the side of caution.
I guess the point of all this is to say that Satan is alive and well on planet Earth, but we might not recognize him right away. All around us are wolves in sheep’s clothing, people who appear to be “so good,” but they could lead us astray by telling us just what we want and need to hear. We, like the youth of our ward, need to be ever on the lookout for the tempter’s disguises and deceptions so that we too can hurl him aside and keep on going down the river, poison-free.
Last week several youth went to Youth Conference, a three-day event held at a college in NC; I think it was Western Carolina. Anyway, at the beginning of Sacrament meeting, the bishop asked three of the attendees to speak about their experiences, and although all of the speakers were fabulous (especially at such short notice), it’s Marie whom I’m thinking of today. She spoke of one event that exemplified three principles. I really don’t know that many adults with the perception and awareness that she displayed and who could speak with such clarity and confidence.
The event: As Marie and some of the other young people were riding in a boat, they looked up, and to their surprise and fear, they spied a snake. One of the young men flung (?) it into the water and away from them.
· Lesson 1: Someone was brave enough to face the serpent and keep the others safe. Marie commented that we could all be like that when facing evil (a.k.a. Satan) by being courageous and casting him aside.
· Lesson 2: No one saw the snake until the boat was right beneath it. Marie reminded us that Satan is stealthy and sly, ever vigilant for the right moment to strike. Hence, we must always be watchful and alert to his wiles.
· Lesson 3: Just when I was thinking of what great principles Marie extracted from that one incident, she hit us with the best one of all. None of the young people knew whether the snake was poisonous or not. However, they didn’t want to take any chances so they (or one of them) hurled it away from them. Isn’t that profound? Sometimes you can look evil right in the face and not recognize it, so the best thing to do is to err on the side of caution.
I guess the point of all this is to say that Satan is alive and well on planet Earth, but we might not recognize him right away. All around us are wolves in sheep’s clothing, people who appear to be “so good,” but they could lead us astray by telling us just what we want and need to hear. We, like the youth of our ward, need to be ever on the lookout for the tempter’s disguises and deceptions so that we too can hurl him aside and keep on going down the river, poison-free.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Eve's Choice
Genesis 3:12-13
“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord said unto the woman, What is this that thou has done? And the woman saith, The serpent beguiled me and I did eat.”
God emphatically gave instructions to Adam and Eve about eating the fruit of the tree, but they fell short. They went against his wishes and did as they pleased. And just like other humans, they were reluctant to ‘fess up’ and say, “Yes, I did it, and I was wrong.” Instead they both passed the buck; Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent.
Aren’t we all a little like this? Almost daily I hear someone say, “If it weren’t for my children, spouse, parents, or friends, I’d have an education…or a better job. I might even move out of this one-horse town.” We all have choices. We can all be proactive and act of our own initiative. True, there are consequences to all of our choices, consequences that will affect not only us but others as well. Choosing responsibly takes those consequences into account since the decisions we make today can cast a long shadow on the future, ours and those of the ones we love. Yet blaming another for our mistakes or hard lot in life shifts the responsibility of decision making onto others rather than putting ourselves in the driver’s seat. A person with an internal locus of control, however, realizes that good or bad, wrong or right, he’s “the master of his fate.”
“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord said unto the woman, What is this that thou has done? And the woman saith, The serpent beguiled me and I did eat.”
God emphatically gave instructions to Adam and Eve about eating the fruit of the tree, but they fell short. They went against his wishes and did as they pleased. And just like other humans, they were reluctant to ‘fess up’ and say, “Yes, I did it, and I was wrong.” Instead they both passed the buck; Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent.
Aren’t we all a little like this? Almost daily I hear someone say, “If it weren’t for my children, spouse, parents, or friends, I’d have an education…or a better job. I might even move out of this one-horse town.” We all have choices. We can all be proactive and act of our own initiative. True, there are consequences to all of our choices, consequences that will affect not only us but others as well. Choosing responsibly takes those consequences into account since the decisions we make today can cast a long shadow on the future, ours and those of the ones we love. Yet blaming another for our mistakes or hard lot in life shifts the responsibility of decision making onto others rather than putting ourselves in the driver’s seat. A person with an internal locus of control, however, realizes that good or bad, wrong or right, he’s “the master of his fate.”
Monday, July 21, 2008
Lessons from Eve
A work friend and I were recently talking about favorite stories from the Bible, and interestingly, all of his were about men, men like Moses, Noah, Daniel, and Paul. "What about the women," I asked? "After all, you know what they say about the power behind the throne. His reply??? Incredulously, it was something like, "I have to admit that I really don't know about any women in the Bible. Oh, there's Eve...and Mary, the mother of Christ. Are there more?"
Are there more??? There surely are, and we can learn lessons from all of them. We know about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but what about Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel? What were their lives really like? What lessons can we learn from them? The Bible tells us that no prophet has ever lived like Moses, but what about his wife Zipporah? Can we learn from her? I think we can...and from Hannah, Jezebel, Tamar, Rahab, and Naomi too. Oh, and poor Hagar. What a dreadful life she must have lived, knowing that Sarah despised her after Ishmael was born. What would she say to us if she could speak? Martha, Dorcas, Elisabeth, and other New Testament sisters stand ready to teach us as well.
It might seem a bit "far out," but I've decided to start a blog about the lessons we can learn from Eve and her sisters. Yes, I know that she didn't literally have sisters of flesh and blood as she and Adam went about their lives in the Garden of Eden and afterwards. Still, all these generations later, women everywhere can learn about choices from her.
Hmmm. I'm going to have to put some more thought into this. For tonight, suffice it to say, that we can learn from Eve and all of her sisters.
Are there more??? There surely are, and we can learn lessons from all of them. We know about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but what about Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel? What were their lives really like? What lessons can we learn from them? The Bible tells us that no prophet has ever lived like Moses, but what about his wife Zipporah? Can we learn from her? I think we can...and from Hannah, Jezebel, Tamar, Rahab, and Naomi too. Oh, and poor Hagar. What a dreadful life she must have lived, knowing that Sarah despised her after Ishmael was born. What would she say to us if she could speak? Martha, Dorcas, Elisabeth, and other New Testament sisters stand ready to teach us as well.
It might seem a bit "far out," but I've decided to start a blog about the lessons we can learn from Eve and her sisters. Yes, I know that she didn't literally have sisters of flesh and blood as she and Adam went about their lives in the Garden of Eden and afterwards. Still, all these generations later, women everywhere can learn about choices from her.
Hmmm. I'm going to have to put some more thought into this. For tonight, suffice it to say, that we can learn from Eve and all of her sisters.
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