Curiosity

I have always asked, "Why?" or "Why not?" It can be annoying. My Mandarin teacher in Taiwan used to say, "Tchrin Un, (my Chinese name) there is no 'Why' there is only do!"  But I really like to know why.
Charlie and Caroline love to climb trees to see what they can see. Curiosity I think must be a godly trait. It drives us to explore and discover and press in to find answers.
What a surprise to find that my assumption is Biblical. While reading Exodus 3 this morning I found this passage (3:3-4) when Moses sees the burning bush. Somehow I always thought God sort of drew him to the bush, but it says, "And Moses said, 'I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.' When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush."
Moses was curious and God called to him after he took the time to explore the mystery.
When Steve was in Israel last fall he asked Ray VanderLaan about questioning the Rabbi. Ray's answer was that questions were and are fine, but first you follow. It's while you are following the Rabbi that you ask your questions, but you don't wait to get your answers before you follow. The answers come while you are walking in obedience.
So, in my interpretation; Curiosity which provokes obedience ,followed by questions as we walk and talk with God, promotes greater faith, which increases our courage to pursue the next curiosity, which ....

Moses had lots of questions, but he started his adventure with God because he was curious, he wanted to know what was going on with that bush, and then God spoke.

Those amazing logs

This is my son-in-law Richie last year, standing next to a tree stump in the Redwood forest in California. I thought of it when I was reading Matthew 7:3 "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"
I love the drive up the coast from San Francisco heading north. Stopping for a stretch and standing next to one of these huge trees creates a sense of awe and wonder. They are huge, beautiful and amazing, and the reason I thought of them is this; they block out most of the sun.
It is dark in the Redwood forest. It's hard to see until you adjust to the little bit of light that finds it's way through the canopy of green above you.
It's like that when we try to see the faults in the life of another person. The lush canopy of our own faults, severely hampers our ability to see in order to do surgery on the target of our judgement. So, I think I will keep this picture in the back of my mind next time I rush to judgement. What, in my life, creates the shadows that make it hard to see? Maybe I need to take a few steps out into the light to look up and see what I need to work on myself first. I certainly need more light if I am going to, lovingly, remove the speck in the eye of another.

Happy 2010!

Christmas was a blast with a baby in the house. It started with Papa teaching Lucy one of the best parts of morning, the wonderful aroma of coffee.
Now the new year is already begun and I have begun again with Genesis, as promised. I noticed something a little disquieting. We have been looking forward to retiring some day, but as I read Genesis 2, two things caught my attention.
First was the comforting part. Adam and Eve didn't just wander into the garden, and it wasn't necessarily where they were when God hand crafted them. God intentionally put them in the garden and with a purpose. He planned that they would work. Work didn't come after sin was introduced; it got harder, but it was apparently always God's plan that man (and woman) work. So where did we come up with the concept of retirement? I wonder. Maybe I will keep my eyes focused to see the answer to that question as I go on this time through.
Just a heads up. Our church is switching to a new version of the Bible this year, so when I quote scripture it will be from the English Standard Version. I am learning to be compliant. We shall see how long that lasts.

The sun is almost setting on 2009 - We made it.

It's the end of 2009 and I am on my last 3 chapters of Revelations. I did it! There were times I wanted to quit, but because I have this blog and a few people actually read it I have hung in there. I am ready to start all over tomorrow because I have learned and grown and been challenged by God as I saw new and different things as I read familiar stories.
His word is fresh and new every day, so as 2010 starts tomorrow, I look forward to new things from God. I pray for new and wonderful adventures for you too.
Happy New Year!
I almost forgot, This is Michelle's tattoo in honor of Dad Sharpe. She got it on the 19th of December 2009, the first anniversary of Dad's death. We still miss you Wes, you have left an amazing legacy in your grandchildren. Thank you.

Siblings

Ezekiel was tough and long, but I am moving on and catching up. Today, the obvious was an epiphany. I was reading I John and he is speaking about being children of God. I John 3:2 brought the "Aha" moment. No wonder, that as Christians, we have so many denominations and such a hard time getting along. We are siblings, spiritually.

I know there are some families that always get along, where sibling disputes are not a big deal. I married into one, but I wasn't raised in one. While we didn't fight much, we didn't engage much either. We were almost indifferent to each other, but we loved each other. Then Dad died and the garbage was dumped. Like all garbage, it stank for a time. We all handled our grief differently. Some of us more positively than others. My only sister, the baby of the family, became my rock.
This isn't my best shot, but my sister, Marianne, looks great. For years we had no relationship at all and now I don't know how I made it all that time without her love and support. We are family and I am so glad.
On the other hand there is a brother I am not so close to anymore. Family history has crowded in and brought separation. I still love him, but we seem to get along better from a distance.
There is an old saying, "You can't choose your family." It's true both physically and spiritually, but while we can't choose who they are, we can choose to love them.
Whether it is hard or not, love is a choice. I know my sister feels it was worth it to make the choice to love me, and pursue a relationship with me. It was a conscious decision on her part after a conversation with our hair dresser. (Thank you Linda Renay).
There are people in my life, through church and other Christian arenas, that are not as easy to love as others, but I am going to make the effort for them that my sister made for me. They are family too. We all share one Heavenly Father, and that alone makes them worth it.

Reading Jeremiah is tough

It took me much longer than planned, but I did get through Jeremiah. I just thought I would state for the record; I am still at it.
II Peter is much easier to read and I get it, but the thing that is sticking in my mind is a comment from Gary Thomas this past weekend.
He was speaking at a couples conference at the Broadmoor, and he said something that I can't get out of my head. It came to him one day that he married God's daughter and he didn't want to get on God's bad side so he was going be sure he treated her accordingly. 

I love that. It applies to all of us, so how do we speak to each other? It turns out, once again, that I see my Daddy's wisdom in the most basic things of life. He always used to say that we should treat everyone with respect and that, "everyone we come in contact with should be comfortable in our presence, whether she be the Queen of England or the drunk on Skid Row." God took the time to create him or her and for that reason alone, he is worthy of honor and respect. You were right Dad.
"...but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." II Peter 3:18

General stuff

I have had a tough time keeping up with blogging and reading while learning to be a family of six, but when Steve took off for Israel I took a vacation.
I am back because Steve is back. His trip was life changing and I am loving his stories.
I finished Isaiah last week and it was a different read this time. In the past as I have read it I have seen an angry vengeful God. This time I saw a broken hearted Father. Take a week and read it slowly with that perspective, and have a great week.