I must look this up in various commentaries, but an interesting mode of expression Paul uses here - am just using NIV as Dad is asleep in bedroom where my new ESV is...
As Paul is (as so often) forced to defend the fact that he is a true apostle, his gospel accurate, he tells the Galatians of his trip to Jerusalem to lay his gospel before the church there to ensure they agreed with it...Not that he was in any doubt that it was accurate, but the constant swarms of Judaizers telling him those in Jerusalem disagreed had perturbed him, and he wanted to settle the issue once and for all.
So this is how he articulates this experience:
"...I did this privately to THOSE WHO SEEMED TO BE LEADERS" Huh? I'm sure he knew who the leaders were...
Later: "AS FOR THOSE WHO SEEMED TO BE IMPORTANT - WHATEVER THEY WERE MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO ME; GOD DOES NOT JUDGE BY EXTERNAL APPEARANCE-those men added nothing to my message..."Remember, he is referring to Peter, James and John!!!
""James, Peter and John, THOSE REPUTED TO BE PILLARS, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship...."
Odd, yes?
I think I understand his main motivation in stating things as he does - that an apostle's only job, validation, credibility etc. is to stand by the ONE truth, but still, the turn of phrase is so unexpected...What do you think?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Mom's Tears
I saw my mother cry just three times.
Grammie has died. She woke up early one morning and couldn't find Doda. Lester, Lester, where are you?...A question she had asked so many times with no good answer. A question that, with Uncle Harold's death, had conspired to destroy her mind...And she wanders out of her apartment and opens the basement door. Down, down she goes, though very unsteady on her feet...Lester, Lester, are you there? And he is there, shoveling coal into the furnace as he does each winter morning...The next thing we hear is that she has fallen down the stairs and bumped her head....Mom rushes to Cookshire to be be with her as she dies. (And for many years, I don't dare ask the question. Finally, I approach my oldest cousin: Awnie, do you think he pushed her?...You know, Barbie, I think we have all wondered that. When the police came, he sat and answered their questions as meekly as could be. That wasn't like him..)...But, in retrospect, I think it more likely he was shaking her - as he often did - and she toppled...Any moral difference?...In any case, Mom came home after the funeral to a house topsy-turvy and unkempt. She went to her bedroom, lay down, and cried and cried. Mom, Mom, what is wrong?..My mother has died, I went away to be with her, and bury her, and I come home to this!...I'm sorry, Mom. I just didn't think about it...And Dad shakes his head sadly: That's right, that's the problem. Don't you see that?...One of the very few times my father ever rebuked me, and so well earned!
I am fifteen and I earn a good income babysitting. I charge fifty cents an hour, multiplied by many hours per month. My customers are by and large teachers and their friends - people who see me as a stable, responsible girl - which I was, more-or-less at that time...I have been at the Downs' house, as I am each Sunday evening. They are an odd couple, indeed. Mr. Downs teaches with Dad. He is short, tubby and not physically prepossessing. Mrs. Downs is tall and very attractive. They have three little children, close in age, and are expecting another...( My friend, Sonja, more "advanced" in her thinking than the rest of us, due to her European background, finds this disgusting)...Their bookshelves contain books by Billy Graham - who is he? Have I heard of him?...And the reason I am here - they go to church twice each Sunday! How odd! Why would they do that? I have never heard of such a thing!..At the end of the evening, I get in the car and Mr. Downs drives me home, with the usual valiant attempt at conversing with a very awkward teenager...I go into the house and Mom is there waiting up for me, as she always does. I look at her and all my fifteen year old anger, arrogance, and unbridled sin rise up. I look at her and she knows what I am thinking. She breaks into tears and says, I just feel like you girls hate me....And - I thank God He has forgiven me -I do. Too often, I do.
I am married now and live close to Mom and Dad. I am just hanging around with Mom in the kitchen, enjoying being with her. All of a sudden, she begins to cry. Mom, Mom, what is wrong? I'm just thinking about my father, and I'LL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN!
Grammie has died. She woke up early one morning and couldn't find Doda. Lester, Lester, where are you?...A question she had asked so many times with no good answer. A question that, with Uncle Harold's death, had conspired to destroy her mind...And she wanders out of her apartment and opens the basement door. Down, down she goes, though very unsteady on her feet...Lester, Lester, are you there? And he is there, shoveling coal into the furnace as he does each winter morning...The next thing we hear is that she has fallen down the stairs and bumped her head....Mom rushes to Cookshire to be be with her as she dies. (And for many years, I don't dare ask the question. Finally, I approach my oldest cousin: Awnie, do you think he pushed her?...You know, Barbie, I think we have all wondered that. When the police came, he sat and answered their questions as meekly as could be. That wasn't like him..)...But, in retrospect, I think it more likely he was shaking her - as he often did - and she toppled...Any moral difference?...In any case, Mom came home after the funeral to a house topsy-turvy and unkempt. She went to her bedroom, lay down, and cried and cried. Mom, Mom, what is wrong?..My mother has died, I went away to be with her, and bury her, and I come home to this!...I'm sorry, Mom. I just didn't think about it...And Dad shakes his head sadly: That's right, that's the problem. Don't you see that?...One of the very few times my father ever rebuked me, and so well earned!
I am fifteen and I earn a good income babysitting. I charge fifty cents an hour, multiplied by many hours per month. My customers are by and large teachers and their friends - people who see me as a stable, responsible girl - which I was, more-or-less at that time...I have been at the Downs' house, as I am each Sunday evening. They are an odd couple, indeed. Mr. Downs teaches with Dad. He is short, tubby and not physically prepossessing. Mrs. Downs is tall and very attractive. They have three little children, close in age, and are expecting another...( My friend, Sonja, more "advanced" in her thinking than the rest of us, due to her European background, finds this disgusting)...Their bookshelves contain books by Billy Graham - who is he? Have I heard of him?...And the reason I am here - they go to church twice each Sunday! How odd! Why would they do that? I have never heard of such a thing!..At the end of the evening, I get in the car and Mr. Downs drives me home, with the usual valiant attempt at conversing with a very awkward teenager...I go into the house and Mom is there waiting up for me, as she always does. I look at her and all my fifteen year old anger, arrogance, and unbridled sin rise up. I look at her and she knows what I am thinking. She breaks into tears and says, I just feel like you girls hate me....And - I thank God He has forgiven me -I do. Too often, I do.
I am married now and live close to Mom and Dad. I am just hanging around with Mom in the kitchen, enjoying being with her. All of a sudden, she begins to cry. Mom, Mom, what is wrong? I'm just thinking about my father, and I'LL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Ow!
I set off in torrential rain yesterday to Tom and Jeannette's house...By the time I reached Cartersville it had cleared, fortunately, as I soon had to set off with the three older children for their music lessons in East Cobb. Each goes in turn with their teacher while the rest of us sit in the living room as quietly as possible. I was reading Emma "The Boxcar Children" when she decided to get up, pushing down on the marble-topped table to do so...It tipped over and fifty pounds of Italian marble came crashing down on my right foot...Because I have never been an athlete, and am not adventurous, I have not had many injuries of any sort. This was not serious, there were no bones broken, but, my, how it hurt! Timmy had also been hit with objects falling off the table so we sat together half-laughing and moaning together for some time! Fortunately, their piano teacher handled it most graciously...When we got home, Jeannette took one look at my face and asked me anxiously what was wrong. She said I looked very tired. As she had not mentioned that earlier in the day, I assume this was a reaction to pain, although my foot was no longer hurting much. What does pain and/or shock do? Was I really visibly pale? Could she notice this just because she is a doctor? How very odd! Reminds me of the time I was having extensive dental work done and, all of a sudden, my jaw muscles began to hurt. I couldn't express a thing as my mouth was propped open, but Dr. Felice noticed a flicker in my eyes that he knew immediately was pain...And helped me...Our faces truly do speak, don't they?
Tomorrow, Donna and Alicia are coming over to celebrate Donna's birthday with Grace and me. We will have homemade pizza and cake together. In the evening, Dad, Andrew and I are going to Calvert's - the black missionary/teacher who lives behind us - to meet some of his friends. Then Sunday, after church, I will go to coffee for a couple of hours with one of my Bible study girls....A busy weekend!
Tomorrow, Donna and Alicia are coming over to celebrate Donna's birthday with Grace and me. We will have homemade pizza and cake together. In the evening, Dad, Andrew and I are going to Calvert's - the black missionary/teacher who lives behind us - to meet some of his friends. Then Sunday, after church, I will go to coffee for a couple of hours with one of my Bible study girls....A busy weekend!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Doda
As you know, I have lost practically every single thing of sentimental value from my childhood - including the blue, vinyl-covered autograph book I received about my ninth or tenth birthday, and so carefully had all my best-loved people sign. Tragic! Anyway, my most vivid memory connected with this book concerns Doda. When I asked him to sign it, I could see this was something he took very seriously, that he wanted to give me something that would be meaningful through my entire life. I was so young, I recognized that, but certainly did not understand it. It rather embarrassed me. He thought for a few minutes, then went and got his fountain pen...and in a beautiful, flowing script he began to write... "Sew love and taste its fruitage pure" - and for years, this is all I have been able to remember. Some time ago, I googled this phrase but came up dry. Well! I tried again yesterday and found this poem! After almost fifty years, I have found what my grandfather bequeathed me.
How To Live
He liveth long who liveth well!
All other life is short and vain.
He liveth longest, who can tell
Of living most for heavenly gain.
He liveth long who liveth well!
All else is being thrown away.
He liveth longest who can tell
Of true things truly done each day.
Waste not thy being; back to Him
Who freely gave it, freely give;
Else is that being but a dream:
'Tis but to BE and not to LIVE.
Be what thou seemest! Live thy creed!
Hold up to earth the torch divine,
Be what thou prayest to be made,
Let the great Master's steps be thine.
Fill up each hour with what will last;
Buy up the moments as they go;
The life above, when this is past,
Is the ripe fruit of life below.
Sow truth, if thou the truth wouldst reap;
Sow peace, and reap its harvest bright;
Erect and sound thy conscience keep,
From hollow words and deeds refrain.
Sow love and taste its fruitage pure;
Sow peace and reap its harvest bright;
Sow sunbeams in the rock and moor,
And reap a harvest home of light.
And who wrote this? Horatius Bonar - a well-known theologian, minister, and poet of the Free Church of Scotland in the 1800's...Still published by The Banner of Truth. Aren't God's ways amazing? Thanks, Doda! Thanks, God!
How To Live
He liveth long who liveth well!
All other life is short and vain.
He liveth longest, who can tell
Of living most for heavenly gain.
He liveth long who liveth well!
All else is being thrown away.
He liveth longest who can tell
Of true things truly done each day.
Waste not thy being; back to Him
Who freely gave it, freely give;
Else is that being but a dream:
'Tis but to BE and not to LIVE.
Be what thou seemest! Live thy creed!
Hold up to earth the torch divine,
Be what thou prayest to be made,
Let the great Master's steps be thine.
Fill up each hour with what will last;
Buy up the moments as they go;
The life above, when this is past,
Is the ripe fruit of life below.
Sow truth, if thou the truth wouldst reap;
Sow peace, and reap its harvest bright;
Erect and sound thy conscience keep,
From hollow words and deeds refrain.
Sow love and taste its fruitage pure;
Sow peace and reap its harvest bright;
Sow sunbeams in the rock and moor,
And reap a harvest home of light.
And who wrote this? Horatius Bonar - a well-known theologian, minister, and poet of the Free Church of Scotland in the 1800's...Still published by The Banner of Truth. Aren't God's ways amazing? Thanks, Doda! Thanks, God!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Life is supposed to slow down, or so I thought. I went to Maryanne's house on Thursday evening after work, spent Friday with her and the kids, then home Saturday morning to cook for Grace's birthday party...I worked on lasagna while Alicia came over and did two cakes for me - so providential as I was way behind schedule....Final vacuuming of the church, then to bed. Sunday was a lovely day, up bright and early...Did something I don't normally do Sundays - read more of The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy - couldn't put it down, and have determined not to start another, similar book any time soon...Then on to Sunday School and the disappointment of being part of a small church- so many people sick, hardly anyone there. Wayne is a trooper, but do assume that is difficult for him...Church, home then Grace's friends started arriving around two. Sally also arrived mid-afternoon, as is here for a WIC conference. A good time was had by all.... Yesterday was lovely - high seventies, I believe, so Dad and I went out for a walk in a large, local cemetery - run down and garish in parts, but lovely countryside. Today, I am off to Cartersville, showing someone our little orphan house on the way home, them seeing Sally at Covenant tomorrow - going to listen to a talk on covenant in the Bible by a professor in St. Louis, the spend a couple of hours hanging around with my buddy!...CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU, TIM AND AILEEN, RICK AND SUSANNA!!!!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
On the Run
Am just leaving for Tom and Jeannette's, then on to Maryanne's so can babysit on Friday night...Tim and Aileen, Rick and Susanna - can not wait to babysit for your kids when you come this way...On Sunday, we will celebrate Grace's "real" birthday here, with some of her friends, then look forward to celebrating again all together next weekend...Again, "Happy Birthday" to our precious Nick!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Why Doesn't God Do Something?
At the Bible study last night we discussed sanctification. It became apparent that some of the young women are very discouraged about their sin. Why doesn't God answer prayer? How can you pray and pray about something and not see the change that you want? This is what I said:
First of all, when you pray a prayer for a necessary change in your character, you know God will answer that prayer. It is a good prayer, unquestionably in line with his will...Not like prayers for specific things....Lord, I want to get into Harvard, etc...that may, or may not be his will...
So, we see a need for a change in our character, we go to God and we say, Lord, I need THIS changed...and I raised my hand fairly high...The trouble is that we have so many layers of sin. Often, God has to go down, down, down, -and I kept lowering my hand - many "stories" to get to the root of that sin. He starts working at a subterranean level we don't even know exists, and he begins to work up, up, up - and I began to raise my hand - through the layers. Eventually, he reaches the layer we have been concerned about and we see the change we have asked for, but long after we expected to see it...In the meantime, we hold on by faith, waiting patiently for that real heart change - knowing that when God promises to answer good prayers, he surely will.
First of all, when you pray a prayer for a necessary change in your character, you know God will answer that prayer. It is a good prayer, unquestionably in line with his will...Not like prayers for specific things....Lord, I want to get into Harvard, etc...that may, or may not be his will...
So, we see a need for a change in our character, we go to God and we say, Lord, I need THIS changed...and I raised my hand fairly high...The trouble is that we have so many layers of sin. Often, God has to go down, down, down, -and I kept lowering my hand - many "stories" to get to the root of that sin. He starts working at a subterranean level we don't even know exists, and he begins to work up, up, up - and I began to raise my hand - through the layers. Eventually, he reaches the layer we have been concerned about and we see the change we have asked for, but long after we expected to see it...In the meantime, we hold on by faith, waiting patiently for that real heart change - knowing that when God promises to answer good prayers, he surely will.
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Orphan
There it sits on Highway 41, and to us it looks quite good. A little yellow house in a large yard, surrounded by a chain-link fence - that part not beautiful, but certainly functional for children and pets. Inside a large, bright kitchen with intact tile floor and many cupboards and ...Over-sized living room and spacious bedrooms and...Carpeting of dark green and...Walls of wood paneling...To us, though not our taste, it seems to be the style of our prospective tenants....Why, oh why, then, will no one adopt our poor little orphan house?
Hello, Mam?
Yes.
I;m calling about the house you have advertised in "the Georgia Trader".
Yes, What would you like to know?
How many bedrooms?
Two, and one bathroom.
How much is it?
$525, and you do the utilities.
How much are they?
About $230 a month for gas and electric. We do water.
How much is the deposit?
$250.
...My turn now...
Who would be living in it?
Me and my fiance....(if a female)....Me and my girlfriend...(if a male)...Always and inevitably the responses of the unmarried - most of the callers......And my sister and her baby....Or, and my brother and his girlfriend....Or, and my daughter and my grandbabies...
I count bodies in my mind....No, I'm afraid the house would not be big enough for that many people, or, alright, and on to the next step...
How many of these people would be working?
None of us, one of us, two of us, three of us....I am on disability, he is on unemployment...So many permutations and combinations....
Then what would be you monthly income stream?
$800...I'm sorry, but that would not be enough to carry the costs...$900...I'm sorry, but that would not be enough to carry the costs...$1000. $1100,$1200, $1300, $1400,...I'm sorry, but....Around $1500 I begin to try and put money together with information about them.
What is your present rent? Have you been able to make that work? Alright, well, we will be glad to show it to you. Come and see it and, if you are interested, fill out a rental application form.
Their turn again...Oh, and Mam - an after thought-do you take pets?
Which pets would that be?
Three pit bulls - just little,bitty friendly ones...Three English Bulldogs, just little ,bitty, friendly ones...
No.
But some get through...Hello, and I show the whole gamut of North Georgia humankind the home. And, unlike the people we show our trailers, most seem responsible. They probably would be decent tenants. They conscientiously fill out our lengthy application form - social security number, license number, two previous addresses with landlords' names, personal references, job references, income stream, banking information, debts...and they leave it all with us as they walk out the door knowing they are not going to rent from us. They never call back, ever...
I do not understand them. And our poor little orphan house sits and waits...
Hello, Mam?
Yes.
I;m calling about the house you have advertised in "the Georgia Trader".
Yes, What would you like to know?
How many bedrooms?
Two, and one bathroom.
How much is it?
$525, and you do the utilities.
How much are they?
About $230 a month for gas and electric. We do water.
How much is the deposit?
$250.
...My turn now...
Who would be living in it?
Me and my fiance....(if a female)....Me and my girlfriend...(if a male)...Always and inevitably the responses of the unmarried - most of the callers......And my sister and her baby....Or, and my brother and his girlfriend....Or, and my daughter and my grandbabies...
I count bodies in my mind....No, I'm afraid the house would not be big enough for that many people, or, alright, and on to the next step...
How many of these people would be working?
None of us, one of us, two of us, three of us....I am on disability, he is on unemployment...So many permutations and combinations....
Then what would be you monthly income stream?
$800...I'm sorry, but that would not be enough to carry the costs...$900...I'm sorry, but that would not be enough to carry the costs...$1000. $1100,$1200, $1300, $1400,...I'm sorry, but....Around $1500 I begin to try and put money together with information about them.
What is your present rent? Have you been able to make that work? Alright, well, we will be glad to show it to you. Come and see it and, if you are interested, fill out a rental application form.
Their turn again...Oh, and Mam - an after thought-do you take pets?
Which pets would that be?
Three pit bulls - just little,bitty friendly ones...Three English Bulldogs, just little ,bitty, friendly ones...
No.
But some get through...Hello, and I show the whole gamut of North Georgia humankind the home. And, unlike the people we show our trailers, most seem responsible. They probably would be decent tenants. They conscientiously fill out our lengthy application form - social security number, license number, two previous addresses with landlords' names, personal references, job references, income stream, banking information, debts...and they leave it all with us as they walk out the door knowing they are not going to rent from us. They never call back, ever...
I do not understand them. And our poor little orphan house sits and waits...
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