MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

this morning, as i listened to Krysta Tippet interview *** Zornberg who is a Scottish, Israeli woman scholar and author, I'm inspired to post about the sad turn of events when Moses rashly killed a man in his human desire to help his fellow Hebrew brothers. i would like to write a book or at least an article sharing and exploring the thought that some of these events in the Bible are not exactly the fulfillment of God's will even when they are done by those who love and know the Lord and when those ones are trying to do God's will and think they are, in fact, doing God's will. another example: i remember the time early in my faith journey with the Lord when i realized that the things that Abraham did were not all things that God wanted for him. (Abraham and Sarah's decision to have a child by Hagar when they couldn't maintain faith that God would give them a child in their old age.) I'll continue this more later.

POOR FIG TREE

I'm discussing Jesus' effective cursing of the fig tree. #1) it remind me -since I've been listening to a series of sermons on JONAH this summer and fall- of the vine that GOD caused to grow up, first to shade Jonah from the hot sun and then to be object lesson to Jonah to coax a little empathy out of him; #2) I just want to express my view that Jesus wanted to show- without being so VERY harsh to the unbelieving Jewish leaders- the consequences of rejecting Jesus in the light of all the divine confirmation that God had confirmed Jesus with to the people present at that time. #3) ... i continued my thoughts at posts called FOR YOUR SAKES, and JESUS TALKS OF GOD'S TIMING

LIMITATIONS OF HEARSAY EVIDENCE

Hearsay evidence, my lawyer husband told me, is someone,telling what happened in a case, that is not in court or under oath. that type of testimony is not valid for making legal decisions. there are , apparently, exception- particular circumstances under hearsay CAN be admitted for evidence in a case. right now, however i want to discuss What Jesus and His followers , and other Jewish doctrine, said are ways to separqte flawed evidence from solid , valid evidence. ok. gotta go. I'll write more later. just one thought here: in JOHN 13, Jesus said "they will kmow your are my disciples if you love one another."

DAY END QUIET TIME

Day End Quiet Time

I have been thinking of a particular child in my care recently, and that she openly rebels against me. She is not the only one that acts out , but yesterday, her choices were particularly bothering to me.

Historically, "classroom management" has been difficult for me. I think here about three  changes that I will make:
     First, I will interact with the children myself when they need to be stopped, "called out", or redirected at times when I am  one of three teachers in the class, instead of walking the child to the lead teacher for the lead teacher to correct the child. (In the past, I've been doing the latter considering that it is more respectful to the lead teacher and reinforces the teacher's authority. However, now, I think I need to create in the children a sense of my own authority as their teacher.) Also, at home I need to experiment with different voices to express authority and seriousness without sounding too angry, stressed or severe.
     Second, I will really make great effort to express to each child my great love and affection for each one. The child care training authority, Maryln Appelbaum, and others often say you can not care for children properly until they know that you care for them with your heart, too. (The actual quote is much better than that.)
I think that in the past, I have tried to tone down my affection to the children when they have graduated to next level so each one can bond with the teachers of the next class. But now that I put that down in words, I see how not correct that is. That's not good at all! So I will change that.
     Third, I will have something at the end of the day that the children can look forward to that is pleasant. In the case of the dear one who irritated me so, yesterday, i think she gets angry and uncooperative because she is bored and resentful of being at school so long - and physically tired, too.

The thought that first came to my mind is that I used to have some videos of the tv series THE WALTONS. Those would be good. That would be an expression of what I think relaxing at the end of the day should be. That content, in particular, instead of the content that another has quickly chosen because it is bright and animated, I would definitely want to try for the end of the day. If it turns out that I gave that WALTON collection away, I would consider purchasing something else for that purpose/ time. (That would be my "stamp" , my particular choice of what to offer the children at that time.) I will also consider doing another pleasant teaching or activity at the end of the day -that is my own.  But I think that first, I want to use the "TV" to calm and relax the children in that time slot from 5 to 6pm. (I'm a little shocked that I am considering using TV in childcare, but I really think it might be appropriate for this. I will pray and ponder this.) Other relaxing, special end of the day activities that I/ we have used in the past that have been successful are: play dough, "cleaning" with wipes, puzzles (tho' the puzzles that are out there presently are too familiar and easy for the children , maybe). How about shaving cream? Another building set? There used to be one that they really enjoyed playing with. Also, I will talk to other teachers about this specifically. Currently, with added health precautions due to the pandemic, some things are not possible. But, some are, praise the Lord!

    

QUIET REBEL

Quiet rebel

This post is about what rebellion can be.

We usually think of rebellion as angry, strident, vigorous refusal to obey, accept limits; and disrespect of those in authority over us. However, I was  thinking recently about what rebellion can also be:
I remember being in my 20's and articulating to myself, in my mind, "I know better" than those who made up whatever rule it was that I thought I didn't need to follow. Actually, I really think my culture (middle class  America in the 1970's; and specifically the United Methodist Church?) influenced me to think that way. Thought leaders of that era were saying that the Bible was an ancient book that had rules that applied to people back in those days, but that some of those rules were not necessary now, so we didn't have to obey those rules. It is really sad that my church did not see the problem with the attitudes of the popular culture, and formulate a way to teach that God's word is special and life-giving. Everlasting. (I went off course there, at the end; but that IS past of what happened in the Methodist Church.

When I say that, I can see how I came up with the attitude that "I know better".

What I want to say is that people with the " I know better" attitude are not considered "rebellious" and would even be insulted if someone called them that. However, I'm just saying ...

PREPARATION

Preparation

Many people are dying from Covid-19 during this season, and during the pandemic. Death is part of life. This pandemic is different because it is unknown; and because it makes us feel responsible for others. We are all tense, and are all, at least through end of April, hearing about the horrors of the bad cases of covid-19 and of the overwhelmed and anxious workers having to deal with the Ill or with the stress of unknown about being infected and /or infecting others, especially loved ones, and long hours.  Also, we are  stressed because other nations are experiencing a nightmare; and we expect expect that we, too, will go  through that. Our minds are so filled with those thoughts that the thoughts that God wants us to think and the things He wants us to do are totally squeezed out of our minds and lives.

What would God want us to do if we are getting sick and suspect that it is covid-19 and that we might die soon, and that we will be made unconscious and no longer an active agent of earth even sooner that that, very shortly, in fact?

I think God would want us to express thanks towards Him that He made us and this Earth. I think God would want us to humbly receive His gift of eternal life by humbly acknowledging Him and His right to judge us and our lives as He wants, since He is the Creator and we are His creation, both individually and as this whole universe.

So please, my friends,  be ready. Please speak to our Creator and "walk humbly with your God". Receive Jesus (Yeshua is Jesus' true name, Hebrew name. Yeshua, which means Yahweh, the God introduced and followed by the Jewish people and told about in the Bible,-this same Yahweh saves. Yeshua saves ALL.)

And dear friend, if and when  you know our Lord and Savior, Our Creator, Jesus, please include some words about your faith in Him to those around you in that short window of opportunity that you may have. And speak to the air if you must, if no one's there that you can see. (Remember God is there!) Or if those around you are so intent on trying to save your life or keep from getting sick themselves that they aren't listening, just say something good to God, while you're here in Earth.

Dear ones, please think about this ahead of time so you will be ready when your time comes. Love to you.

RESPONSE TO . . . CAVEATS

Response to . . . Caveats

In that other post, I expressed that we need to warn those who come after us- either in reading a book after us or in whatever other way you might encounter- when we have come to the understanding in the midst of reading the book that we disagree with some of what has been established in that book by the author and publisher. We owe it to a subsequent reader to warn them (especially if they are young) of (what we believe to be) an untruth and/or unhelpful direction that the author (with the support of the publisher) has proposed.

This post is slightly different. The theme that connects these two posts is the principle of carefully observing and analyzing a new proposition rather than accepting it as OK or wonderful or having received a cultural stamp of approval because it's been published. (Also, I'm sorry folks, but I DO have to include here the truth that just because something has been accepted and promoted by the culture does not mean that that something is in agreement with what our Creator God wants for us.)

Anyway, this post is simply about the time a magazine came into the house with a large photo of someone's face on the cover who had painted their face or agreed to being painted, including goulish contact lenses for Halloween themed "fun" -this was on the front cover! As a mother, wife and homemaker, I took the initiative to paint over that pic to make it less horrific. I am sure I censored pics in like manner on other occasions. I think that is GOOD! not bad! Why should someone who happens to have the backing of a publisher or other with money- why should that one have more influence over my children and household than I do? That's all I have to say right now. Bless you, friends.