we're a lot wiser now

Well, we're just about done Proverbs. Back at the beginning, some of you were wondering "what's the definition of wisdom"? Now that you've spent a month at it - what stands out to you? How would you recognize wisdom in someone else? How do you know when you're being just a tiny bit foolish?

Anway...let's do Esther next! It's only 10 chapters long, so it will take us from February 1 (on Thursday) through to February 10.

A little background that may help - this is a point in Israel's history long after the "early days" of Abraham, long after the "nomadic days" of Moses, long after the "glory years" of King David and King Solomon. They had a bunch of kings after that who weren't so good, the nation split, people started worshipping other gods, the prophets screamed about it, no one listened, and WHAM - they were invaded by another country, and put into exile.

So the setting for Esther's story is of Jewish people who have made a life for themselves, while living in a country that is not their own. They have managed to preserve their culture, but there's probably an undercurrent of racism, since everyone knows their country was basically wiped out.

It's a unique book of the Bible. First - no mention of God, all the way through (but there are hints!!) Second - how does one reflect God in a place you don't want to be, where you feel pretty powerless? (It's a story of influence in high places, which is neat, since we're praying in City Hall for one of the Councillors, on the day we start reading this - just a little commercial, there, haha!)

My suggestion...exercise your imagination in this one!!! Picture it, feel it, smell it, hear it, be the different characters...it's quite a story!

someone else's brilliance

I know. I've been a little MIA. I just couldn't think of anything to say! I was tossing around a few ideas in my head, but the mental snores were a sign that I was even boring MYSELF, and that can't be good.

So...I'm sharing with you an excerpt from a book I started this morning as I walked to work. It's from "Seizing Your Divine Moment" by Erwin McManus.

"I think we need to spend a day with Monet. He had a clear sense of what was hidden in a moment. Most of us think of a moment as something that's stationary, stagnant, and unchanging. We want to capture the moment and stand in the moment. If there's a moment you want to preserve or remember, you take a snapshot.

The genius of Monet is that he saw the moment for what it really was. It was as if he actually read the dictionary and realized that the essence of the words MOMENT and MOTION are the same. Monet was a master of light and movement. His paintings were blurred and obscure and yet beautiful and full of insight. If we could somehow see life through his eyes, we would begin to see life as it really is. Our ability to see the world as it really is has been corrupted by the camera. With a turn of a lens or a push of a button, we are able to take the blur out. We've come to see the world through still frames, when in reality life is in constant motion."

There it is. A quote that made me go ... "huh". Whaddaya think? (Maybe without the context of the book, it will just make you go ... "HUH??!!" Which is entirely different from a thoughtful and intrigued ... "huh".)

One more thing - can I tell you that I have enjoyed reading Proverbs with you?! It's kinda neat in the morning, knowing that someone else is reading the same thing I am - makes me feel part of a community. How about you? Has it been good? Helpful? Funny? Boring? Irrelevant?

Should we carry on with something else when Proverbs is done? Or take a breather? Either way I'm good. If we decide to keep going, I was thinking about a narrative part of the Bible...maybe Ruth...or Esther...or Matthew.

snowday!!!

Yesterday was that most awesome of times for everyone under 20...snowday! Close the schools and open up life!

From my perspective, yesterday didn't have as much potential as some snowdays (more like iceday, and what do you with that?) But snowdays with tons of actual SNOW - now that's living.

Best snowday ever was in college. Married, on internship, had to drive to the other side of town. Went outside very early, couldn't find the car. Woke up Jeff who mumbled something about brushing it off. So I tried again. Found the car, still felt doubtful. Went back inside, told Jeff I didn't think I'd be able to get out of the driveway. He said, "Oh sure you can Patti - just rev it a bit, you'll be fine." I said, "I'm not sure...."

He got out of bed, opened the front door, and nearly disappeared as he sank into the snow.

Didn't have to go to work that day, but hours later, with the driveway finally dug out, we went out driving (it's what we do in bad weather). We tried to pick up a friend, but when I climbed onto a snow bank, one leg sank ALL THE WAY IN, right up to the top, with the other sticking out horizontally. I looked like a ballerina in a jewellery box, and was entirely stranded!!!

Snowdays are also probably the reason I'm a coffee drinker. Adults don't always get snowdays along with the kids, so sometimes we went to work with Dad. When I asked him if I could have one coffee, he said, "Yes, one," which I interpreted to mean one styrofoam cup, filled over and over again. I will never forget his horrified "how much have you had??!!!" as he came into the church kitchen to find me perched on the counter, the empty pot beside me.

haha!!!

Got any good snowday stories?

Proverbs note: I haven't read today's yet - that's next on the agenda - but yesterday it struck me that there was a connection between how you use your words and being lazy. It's much easier (lazier?) to spout off verbally, lose your temper, etc. It's much more work to take responsibility for the words I use, and to choose gentleness, kindness, etc. Any thoughts on that?

my aching jaw

(This picture is NOT me.)

Went to the dentist today. Does anyone else shudder involuntarily at that thought?

Each time I go, I convince myself that I'm absolutely fine. And then the hygienist starts making small talk, and I wonder if she's just friendly...or...has she opened my file and noticed the red code "P" for "phobia" scrawled above my name?? (Perhaps someone who IS a hygienist or who KNOWS a hygienist could let us know if they have codes like that in people's files. Also - if they could tell me how to spell hygienist, because this does NOT look right.)

Anyway, I always think I'm faking it pretty well, and then I realize at some point that my hands which were folded across my front in a relaxed position have stiffened, so that fingers are randomly sticking straight out in all directions. And my toes are rigidly pointing directly up. And my heart is pounding and I'm holding my breath.

And then I tell myself to breath, and force muscles to relax, and the hygienist pretends not to notice that all the colour has drained out of my face, and she starts chatting again, and I say, "uh-huh".

Today was no different. The faking, the stiffening, the shallow breathing. The gentle "you really should floss more," followed by the surprised, "oh my, your teeth are quite close together, aren't they? flossing must be difficult! have you tried the satin floss? it's quite wonderful!" And I consider biting this person.

But there was an addition to today's appointment. I was sitting in the chair, pretending I was fine, wondering if any of you share my dental phobia. I was mentally acknowledging that someone had gone to a lot of work to make this dentist's office feel relaxed - the walls all curve, there are skylights in the ceiling, and there are no actual doors to close you in, just doorways that help you see into the calming blue hall. And...as I once again reminded myself to breathe...I noticed the easy rock music playing on the radio station, designed, I presume, to mentally transport me to another, happier place.

Except - and this is what was amusing - the song playing was, "Hotel California" - you know the lyrics, right? "You can check out anytime you like - but you can never leave." AAAHHHH!!!! Note to hygienists: if you ever hear that song playing as you work, please...change the station...it's not comforting!

But I didn't bite anyone, and I survived, and I'm thankful for teeth, after it's all said and done. How else could one eat a chocolate bar??

favourites and the next fifteen

Prov. 4:3 "When I was still very young, and my mother's favourite child..."

Well that's nice, isn't it? How would you like to be this guy's sibling?

...moving on...

HAPPY 15TH ANNIVERSARY TO US!

That's right, 15 years ago today, with one of us exhausted from a virus, and the other on double antibiotics to fight a tooth infection, we pledged our undying love to one another. It was a beautiful moment.

One wedding card gave this simple advice - "Keep talking." We thought it was brilliant. We've passed it on to other starry-eyed couples numerous times, and it's certainly part of the reason we're still smiling at each other (most of the time) 15 years later.

Here's your chance to impact the next 15 years...got any brilliant marriage advice for this stylish and happy couple??!! Let's hear it!!!

proverbs and honesty

OK, three of you gave feedback on the Bible-reading thing. One said, "YAY!! One said, "OY!!" One said, "well ... I guess it might be good ... okay". (My interpretations, of course!)

So - let's do Proverbs. A-chapter-a-day, taken with your multi-vitamin. Line up the chapter with the date, which means we're on chapter 2 today, because it's January 2.

THE RULES:
No self-condemnation! If you miss a day or a week, or you're more of a verse-a-day person ... please don't retreat into a corner, hoping no one will check to see if you've done your homework.

No pressure to conform! If you're not really a join-the-group, let's-do-this-thing-together kind of person - then please don't.

No tests, no checking up, just comments every now and then, from both me and you, and you can jump in with those comments anytime, even if no one's talking about it at the time.

By the way ... my sources tell me that there are a significant number of people, of all ages, silently reading along in this space, and never commenting. If that's you ... you make me smile! It's exactly what I would do, many times. You're welcome to do Proverbs too, even if you never say anything about it.

So, here are my two thoughts so far today:

My proverbs thought - "all wisdom comes from the Lord, and so do common sense and understanding." (Prov. 2:6) I'm glad that God's wisdom isn't (always) mystical and huge and earth-shattering. Sometimes it's just common sense. The little voice that says, "Hey...um...maybe it would be better to..." (feel free to finish that sentence)

And my honesty thought - I looked at the Prayer of Jabez today, and stumbled a bit on the first part. Sometimes I hesitate to pray for "enlarged territory". Mostly because there are days that I feel like I'm barely coping with the territory I've got.