I’m pretty psyched up about the Bible study of Esther that I’ve been attending. For the past week, I’ve been thinking about how Esther’s decision to go before the king changed not only her destiny but the destiny of her people. In verses 11-16 of the 4th chapter, a major transition takes place in a woman's life that changes her life and those of others. Although she was afraid, Esther considered the words of Mordecai and realized that indeed perhaps she had “come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”
I like to picture Esther as she walks out of the women’s area into the king’s presence. At some point, she must have turned a corner and realized, perhaps trembling, that there was no turning back. She’s dressed in her royal robe, her queenly attire, and when Ahasuerus sees her standing in the court, he addresses her as Queen Esther. Queen Esther, not just plain old Esther. She’s put thought into her appearance, and her attention to detail does not go unnoticed by the king. He seems pleased to see her, extends his scepter, and asks for her request.
Esther faced the fear. Have you? Will you? Just think about it. You could very well be one brave decision away from the most important turn in your entire life path. Sometimes we have to square our shoulders, hold our heads high and march forward to see the king…or his equivalent.As the class was watching Beth Moore on DVD, I thought of my daughter Carrie and how courageous she has been at certain points in her life.
After graduating from college, she lived at home for only a short time and then moved to Georgetown BY HERSELF. She was teaching at an elementary school there, and while it made perfect sense to live in the town where she worked, it was hard for me to accept. Fear of what could happen to this young 23 year old stalked me day and night. I shuddered to think of her going home there alone after work. She didn’t even have any friends there at first, but as the weeks passed, she made friends and adjusted to her job.
After tasting independence for a season, Carrie decided it was time to find that special someone. What did she do? She moved farther away, this time to Charleston. With this move, she had a roommate, and that alleviated some of my anxiety. Still, it was a bigger area, more traffic, more crime…you get the picture. I was a nervous Nellie. I was the one who needed to take lessons from Esther, not Carrie.
I’m not sure of the timeline, but I think she’d been there less than two weeks when she met Rich, her future husband. Recently graduated from the University of Utah, he was now an officer in the Navy who had just reported to the Charleston Naval Base. They both found the Singles Ward in North Charleston and met at church. That was ten years ago. They’re now the busy parents of four active preschoolers, one a precious newborn, and it all happened because Carrie faced the fear and made one of the most important decisions in her life, one that will affect her and her progeny forever.
In the DVD portion of the Bible study, Beth Moore reminded us that no one in our lives is a greater deterrent to our destiny more than we are to ourselves. Like Esther and Carrie, you may be one important decision away from your destiny. It could be a life and death situation like Esther's, a relocation decision like Carrie's, or something as seemingly small as making a phone call, enrolling in a course, or starting a blog.
YOU are in charge of your destiny. What are some choices that you've already made that required courage? How did you do it? What were/are some of the ramifications of that decision?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Reclusive Esther
What’s so good about being a queen if you can’t even wear your crown? Put yourself in Esther's place. You can wear the crown but only in certain areas, areas that don’t count. Basically, you’re a recluse who doesn’t even get to see the king very regularly. He’s your husband, yes, but you can’t see him unless he decides that he wants to see you which evidently isn’t all that often. After all, he has plenty of other pretty ladies to keep him company and hasn’t sent for you in 30 days. And you can’t even say anything to him about his infidelities. It’s not as if you have any power, any voice. You’re so sheltered that you don’t even know there’s a plan to kill all of your people within the year.
Fast forward to 2009 in another country, a culture far different from ancient Persia...America. I’m trying to imagine First Lady Michelle Obama being kept apart from her husband, but I can't. People seem to be as interested in her as they are in him…and not just in her fashion choices but also in her ideas, philosophies, and plans. She has a voice and is recognized as an savvy, intelligent, articulate, beautiful woman. Just check out March's issue of Vogue if you don't believe me.
Can the two women be more different in their lifestyles and "queendoms?" Yet both of them were/are thrust into positions requiring decision making and courage. Michelle might fear making a misstep, saying the wrong thing at the wrong place to the wrong people, but I don't think she fears for her life. Esther feared for her own life and those of her people.
I'm going to put some more thought into Esther's very real and legitimate fears and how she was able to act despite them. I know there are more lessons in her courageous behavior than I've mentioned. For starters, have you ever decided something that changed the course of your entire life and perhaps that of your family's?
Fast forward to 2009 in another country, a culture far different from ancient Persia...America. I’m trying to imagine First Lady Michelle Obama being kept apart from her husband, but I can't. People seem to be as interested in her as they are in him…and not just in her fashion choices but also in her ideas, philosophies, and plans. She has a voice and is recognized as an savvy, intelligent, articulate, beautiful woman. Just check out March's issue of Vogue if you don't believe me.
Can the two women be more different in their lifestyles and "queendoms?" Yet both of them were/are thrust into positions requiring decision making and courage. Michelle might fear making a misstep, saying the wrong thing at the wrong place to the wrong people, but I don't think she fears for her life. Esther feared for her own life and those of her people.
I'm going to put some more thought into Esther's very real and legitimate fears and how she was able to act despite them. I know there are more lessons in her courageous behavior than I've mentioned. For starters, have you ever decided something that changed the course of your entire life and perhaps that of your family's?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Be Brave
In last night's class on Esther, we were asked if we knew what the most frequent command in the Bible was. Not certain, I kept quiet…and so did everyone else. I thought it might be something akin to “Love one another,” but I was dead wrong. The most frequent command in the Old and New Testaments is “Don’t be afraid.” I was surprised, shocked actually. If it wasn’t about loving and serving others or bridling our tongues, then surely it was about some sin or another. But no, some version of “Fear not” is the most common instruction from Genesis through Revelations.
Beth Moore, the person who wrote the materials for the course on Esther, has also produced a series of videos that accompany the workbook. They are marvelous, and she is phenomenally inspiring. Last night she asked her audience to think of the thing(s) they were most afraid of in the world. Was it illness? Old age? Alzheimer’s? What about something happening to one of your children? Or what about your husband or sweetheart losing interest in you? What if, what if, what if????
She then walked us through this scenario. “What if my husband becomes less attracted to me? What if he finds another woman, someone prettier and smarter and younger? What if my children like her? I’ll just die, that’s what I’ll do. And I’ll weep and wail and have a hissy fit. I’ll go to bed and not get up for weeks. I’ll never get over it. Never. I’ll be sad and mad for the rest of my life. I’ll try to poison him. I’ll slit her tires. Then I’ll scream and cry some more. And then I’ll brush off my shoulders and go back to work.”
Ms. Moore then asked us to look at our workbooks and fill in the blanks of this phrase: “And if __________, then _________. “ I think just about all of us started to put “I perish” in both of the empty blanks since those were Esther’s words. However, we were told to write one of our worst fears and then “God ” in the second one.
If my husband leaves me, then God.
If something happens to one of my children, then God.
If I lose my job, then God.
If I receive a fatal diagnosis from my doctor, then God.
If I go into labor and my doctor is out of town, then God. (this one’s for Carrie)
God doesn’t promise that He won’t let “bad” things happen sometimes or that trouble will never visit you, but He does promise that HE WILL BE WITH YOU. He says, “Trust me, not trust me not to let it happen but TRUST ME.”
As I watched and listened to the video, I was spellbound. As DH can attest, I’m a worry wart, especially when it comes to my children. What if Carrie goes into labor while Rich is at work? What if Elizabeth gets in an accident on her way home tonight? What if Paul gets in an accident as he maneuvers the extremely busy highways in and around Atlanta? And don't even get me started with the grandchildren! What if?? IF __________, then God.
“Be brave. Be brave. Be brave” Beth (I don't think she'd object to the first name basis) said three times with feeling. Honestly, I don’t think there was a woman there who was unmoved.
My daughter Carrie is days (maybe hours) away from delivering her baby boy, and as the days pass, she’s becoming increasingly anxious. What if the doctor is not on call? What if he’s out of town? What if they can’t make it to Savannah on time? What if someone who’s lined up to help with the children can’t come over while she’s in the hospital?
I called her this morning and told her about last night’s lesson and reminded her that IF __________, THEN GOD. He’s with her now and will be then. She just needs to have courage and fear not…and so does her mother. Be brave Carrie. Be brave.
Beth Moore, the person who wrote the materials for the course on Esther, has also produced a series of videos that accompany the workbook. They are marvelous, and she is phenomenally inspiring. Last night she asked her audience to think of the thing(s) they were most afraid of in the world. Was it illness? Old age? Alzheimer’s? What about something happening to one of your children? Or what about your husband or sweetheart losing interest in you? What if, what if, what if????
She then walked us through this scenario. “What if my husband becomes less attracted to me? What if he finds another woman, someone prettier and smarter and younger? What if my children like her? I’ll just die, that’s what I’ll do. And I’ll weep and wail and have a hissy fit. I’ll go to bed and not get up for weeks. I’ll never get over it. Never. I’ll be sad and mad for the rest of my life. I’ll try to poison him. I’ll slit her tires. Then I’ll scream and cry some more. And then I’ll brush off my shoulders and go back to work.”
Ms. Moore then asked us to look at our workbooks and fill in the blanks of this phrase: “And if __________, then _________. “ I think just about all of us started to put “I perish” in both of the empty blanks since those were Esther’s words. However, we were told to write one of our worst fears and then “God ” in the second one.
If my husband leaves me, then God.
If something happens to one of my children, then God.
If I lose my job, then God.
If I receive a fatal diagnosis from my doctor, then God.
If I go into labor and my doctor is out of town, then God. (this one’s for Carrie)
God doesn’t promise that He won’t let “bad” things happen sometimes or that trouble will never visit you, but He does promise that HE WILL BE WITH YOU. He says, “Trust me, not trust me not to let it happen but TRUST ME.”
As I watched and listened to the video, I was spellbound. As DH can attest, I’m a worry wart, especially when it comes to my children. What if Carrie goes into labor while Rich is at work? What if Elizabeth gets in an accident on her way home tonight? What if Paul gets in an accident as he maneuvers the extremely busy highways in and around Atlanta? And don't even get me started with the grandchildren! What if?? IF __________, then God.
“Be brave. Be brave. Be brave” Beth (I don't think she'd object to the first name basis) said three times with feeling. Honestly, I don’t think there was a woman there who was unmoved.
My daughter Carrie is days (maybe hours) away from delivering her baby boy, and as the days pass, she’s becoming increasingly anxious. What if the doctor is not on call? What if he’s out of town? What if they can’t make it to Savannah on time? What if someone who’s lined up to help with the children can’t come over while she’s in the hospital?
I called her this morning and told her about last night’s lesson and reminded her that IF __________, THEN GOD. He’s with her now and will be then. She just needs to have courage and fear not…and so does her mother. Be brave Carrie. Be brave.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Vashti's Downfall
Good looks are an advantage in life…or so I’ve been told. Research study after research study confirms this. Ah, you want evidence? Google it, and I’m sure you’ll speedily find tons of studies validating the importance of appearance. Even without reading scientific studies, a casual perusal of popular magazines cites instances of people getting their noses straightened, eyes “fixed,” and teeth whitened. Sometimes it’s vanity, and sometimes it’s the ever increasing pressure to look GOOD. All of us aren’t born with Angelina Jolie’s stunning good looks. Then too, there’s the ageism thing that forces many middle aged adults to erase wrinkles and tighten loose skin in order to better compete in the job market with the younger set.
Let’s get back to Angelina. She’s a looker, no doubt about it. But then, isn’t there something else appealing about her? I know a lot of people don’t like her, but even they have to admit that the woman can act. She also seems to be a good mother and a philanthropist. If Brad decides to leave her for a younger model, she won’t crumble and fall. She might falter, but she’ll get up, brush herself off, and rely on some of her many abilities and gifts. While looks are important to her, she hasn’t put all of her eggs in one basket. Have you?
You might wonder where I’m going with this. I’m still stuck on Queen Vashti. We know she was beautiful, so beautiful that the king wanted her to come out wearing her crown so that he could show her off to the other men. They’d all been drinking and were “merry with wine.” Why would he ask his life partner, his companion, his bride to come out and parade around in front of a bunch of inebriated guys? Some Bible scholars have even suggested that he wanted her to wear only her crown.
Remember how the story ends? She refuses. He gets angry, “very wroth, and his anger burned in him.” (Esther 1:12) After conferring with his “wise men,” Ahasuerus decides to divorce Vashti. After all, what if her example is followed by the other wives in the kingdom?
I might be looking at this wrong, but it finally hit me that Vashti had put all of her eggs in one basket, the beauty basket. That’s all she had…or that’s all we know about anyway. She didn’t reason with the king or use any other talents to dissuade him from his behest. She just said no. While I understand that Ahasuerus divorcing Vashti had to happen in order for Queen Esther to inherit the throne, I still think there’s an interesting and somewhat disturbing lesson here.
What happens to a beautiful woman who’s developed no other attributes other than her appearance? What if her hair loses its gloss or her skin its elasticity? What if the king in your life wants to talk about politics, philosophy, or even pottery, and you can’t hold up your end of the conversation? What if someone more glamorous comes on the scene, and all you have to offer are your face and figure? Don’t you think it’s about time to diversify? Don’t you think it’s in your best interest to cultivate a few interests of your own? Don’t you KNOW that while appearance counts, you need a little more than that to be successful?
Let’s get back to Angelina. She’s a looker, no doubt about it. But then, isn’t there something else appealing about her? I know a lot of people don’t like her, but even they have to admit that the woman can act. She also seems to be a good mother and a philanthropist. If Brad decides to leave her for a younger model, she won’t crumble and fall. She might falter, but she’ll get up, brush herself off, and rely on some of her many abilities and gifts. While looks are important to her, she hasn’t put all of her eggs in one basket. Have you?
You might wonder where I’m going with this. I’m still stuck on Queen Vashti. We know she was beautiful, so beautiful that the king wanted her to come out wearing her crown so that he could show her off to the other men. They’d all been drinking and were “merry with wine.” Why would he ask his life partner, his companion, his bride to come out and parade around in front of a bunch of inebriated guys? Some Bible scholars have even suggested that he wanted her to wear only her crown.
Remember how the story ends? She refuses. He gets angry, “very wroth, and his anger burned in him.” (Esther 1:12) After conferring with his “wise men,” Ahasuerus decides to divorce Vashti. After all, what if her example is followed by the other wives in the kingdom?
I might be looking at this wrong, but it finally hit me that Vashti had put all of her eggs in one basket, the beauty basket. That’s all she had…or that’s all we know about anyway. She didn’t reason with the king or use any other talents to dissuade him from his behest. She just said no. While I understand that Ahasuerus divorcing Vashti had to happen in order for Queen Esther to inherit the throne, I still think there’s an interesting and somewhat disturbing lesson here.
What happens to a beautiful woman who’s developed no other attributes other than her appearance? What if her hair loses its gloss or her skin its elasticity? What if the king in your life wants to talk about politics, philosophy, or even pottery, and you can’t hold up your end of the conversation? What if someone more glamorous comes on the scene, and all you have to offer are your face and figure? Don’t you think it’s about time to diversify? Don’t you think it’s in your best interest to cultivate a few interests of your own? Don’t you KNOW that while appearance counts, you need a little more than that to be successful?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Vashti and Esther
My sister-in-law Karen and I were chatting about her many goings-on the other evening, and she mentioned a Bible study that she’s participating in. I asked her what she was studying, and when she said Esther, that really aroused my interest.
“I really don’t know that much about her,” I said. “All I know is that she was the one who married the king after he divorced his wife, the one who wouldn’t come out and show herself to a group of male revelers.”
“Can you blame her?” Karen asked. “Some people wonder if the king expected Vashti to come out wearing nothing but a crown. After all, he was ‘merry with wine.’”
As Karen and I talked some more, I realized that I actually knew more than I thought I did…but not as much as I want to know. So tonight I’m taking the plunge. I’m going to First Baptist to learn more about Queen Esther, the queen who was brave enough risk her life to save her people. Her words, if I recall (too lazy to get out my scriptures) correctly, were, “If I perish, I perish.” I’m also hoping to learn more about Vashti, the queen who said no to the king’s request. She must have been one brave lady, and I think there’s a lesson or two to be learned from her as well.
The scriptures are replete with these wonderful, meaty stories, and all of them (in my opinion) contain layers of lessons. Right now I'm thinking of Vashti's refusal. Was she anxious about repercussions? Was she arrogant? Did the other women applaud her refusal to go before the king, or were they afraid for her? Is there a message there for women today?
Time is short. I need to get ready "for class." I just love taking classes and learning new things and gaining insight, especially into spiritual matters.
“I really don’t know that much about her,” I said. “All I know is that she was the one who married the king after he divorced his wife, the one who wouldn’t come out and show herself to a group of male revelers.”
“Can you blame her?” Karen asked. “Some people wonder if the king expected Vashti to come out wearing nothing but a crown. After all, he was ‘merry with wine.’”
As Karen and I talked some more, I realized that I actually knew more than I thought I did…but not as much as I want to know. So tonight I’m taking the plunge. I’m going to First Baptist to learn more about Queen Esther, the queen who was brave enough risk her life to save her people. Her words, if I recall (too lazy to get out my scriptures) correctly, were, “If I perish, I perish.” I’m also hoping to learn more about Vashti, the queen who said no to the king’s request. She must have been one brave lady, and I think there’s a lesson or two to be learned from her as well.
The scriptures are replete with these wonderful, meaty stories, and all of them (in my opinion) contain layers of lessons. Right now I'm thinking of Vashti's refusal. Was she anxious about repercussions? Was she arrogant? Did the other women applaud her refusal to go before the king, or were they afraid for her? Is there a message there for women today?
Time is short. I need to get ready "for class." I just love taking classes and learning new things and gaining insight, especially into spiritual matters.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sunday Thoughts
We have a unique and wonderful practice in the LDS church in that members have the opportunity to share their testimonies with each other on the first Sunday of each month. The meeting itself is referred to as Fast and Testimony meeting because after abstaining from food and water for two meals, members then give the money they would have spent on those meals to the church welfare program.
It’s a great plan, a divinely inspired one. I’m not saying that everyone is perfect and that all fast, pray, donate, and bear their testimonies each month, but I am saying that the majority do…at least from my vantage point. Well, there are probably more who donate fast offerings that who actually fast and there are undoubtedly more who have testimonies than those who bear them. After all, it takes courage to walk to the front and speak before a couple of hundred people (or more, depending on the size of the ward).
That said, today I watched a little 10 year old brave his way towards the stage and felt inspired by him. If a child can do it, so can I. When I sat beside him to wait our turns, I whispered, “You’re my role model.” He smiled. I looked to my right and saw Sophia seated at the organ. We exchanged glances, and before I knew it, she was seated beside me, also waiting her turn. A moment later, Telene joined us on the stand. That’s another great thing about the church: We do a lot of encouraging and supporting. Later, Lisa bore a heartfelt testimony and mentioned that her father had once told her that if you stop learning and “climbing,” you’re just coasting. Who wants to do that?
Here’s an abbreviated version of the testimony that I bore today. I know that God is our Heavenly Father and that Jesus is His Son. I believe that the Bible is the word of God and that we can find answers to all of life’s questions and mysteries in the scriptures. I also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and that it’s another testament of Jesus Christ. I believe that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and that he was the first in a long line of holy latter-day prophets. I believe that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet upon the earth today and that his counsel will never lead us astray. He's asked us to serve others and to be more forgiving. Can anyone find fault with that????
Some people think prophets must wear robes, have long white beards, and carry staffs (or something akin to that). I wonder if these people would listen to President Monson more closely if he looked like that. I don’t think so; in fact, I think someone would try to lock him up. Some say that prophets can only be found within the pages of the Bible. Why would that be so? Don’t we need direction today just as much as people did thousands of years ago? And don’t you think that the things we need to hear might be a little different? While I believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, I think that the Israelites needed to hear about taking care of mildew and that we need to know about the perils of pornography. And I don’t think God would leave us wondering about these issues.
Back to today, one of the many things I love about the church is that we learn SO MUCH from each other. I especially enjoy F & T Meeting because I learn a little more about my church family and a lot more about how the gospel of Jesus Christ is helping them in their lives. Usually, I’m on the receiving end of the equation; today I gave a little in that I shared my feelings about my Creator, Christ’s atoning sacrifice, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. I mentioned that I’ve made a lot of decisions in my life, some good and some not. However, the BEST decision I ever made was to join this great church 25 years ago. It’s made all the difference in the paths I walk and in the lives of my children and grandchildren.
It’s a great plan, a divinely inspired one. I’m not saying that everyone is perfect and that all fast, pray, donate, and bear their testimonies each month, but I am saying that the majority do…at least from my vantage point. Well, there are probably more who donate fast offerings that who actually fast and there are undoubtedly more who have testimonies than those who bear them. After all, it takes courage to walk to the front and speak before a couple of hundred people (or more, depending on the size of the ward).
That said, today I watched a little 10 year old brave his way towards the stage and felt inspired by him. If a child can do it, so can I. When I sat beside him to wait our turns, I whispered, “You’re my role model.” He smiled. I looked to my right and saw Sophia seated at the organ. We exchanged glances, and before I knew it, she was seated beside me, also waiting her turn. A moment later, Telene joined us on the stand. That’s another great thing about the church: We do a lot of encouraging and supporting. Later, Lisa bore a heartfelt testimony and mentioned that her father had once told her that if you stop learning and “climbing,” you’re just coasting. Who wants to do that?
Here’s an abbreviated version of the testimony that I bore today. I know that God is our Heavenly Father and that Jesus is His Son. I believe that the Bible is the word of God and that we can find answers to all of life’s questions and mysteries in the scriptures. I also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and that it’s another testament of Jesus Christ. I believe that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and that he was the first in a long line of holy latter-day prophets. I believe that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet upon the earth today and that his counsel will never lead us astray. He's asked us to serve others and to be more forgiving. Can anyone find fault with that????
Some people think prophets must wear robes, have long white beards, and carry staffs (or something akin to that). I wonder if these people would listen to President Monson more closely if he looked like that. I don’t think so; in fact, I think someone would try to lock him up. Some say that prophets can only be found within the pages of the Bible. Why would that be so? Don’t we need direction today just as much as people did thousands of years ago? And don’t you think that the things we need to hear might be a little different? While I believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, I think that the Israelites needed to hear about taking care of mildew and that we need to know about the perils of pornography. And I don’t think God would leave us wondering about these issues.
Back to today, one of the many things I love about the church is that we learn SO MUCH from each other. I especially enjoy F & T Meeting because I learn a little more about my church family and a lot more about how the gospel of Jesus Christ is helping them in their lives. Usually, I’m on the receiving end of the equation; today I gave a little in that I shared my feelings about my Creator, Christ’s atoning sacrifice, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. I mentioned that I’ve made a lot of decisions in my life, some good and some not. However, the BEST decision I ever made was to join this great church 25 years ago. It’s made all the difference in the paths I walk and in the lives of my children and grandchildren.
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