https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/book-smugglers-guide-fantasy-young-readers/
Apparently I need to read “The City in the Lake” “Dragonswod” and “The Princess Curse” because those I have not yet read!
For Job becoming Naked as the day he was born means loss. Loss of status, loss of goods, loss of food and security
Loss of family<–that one really gets me
Loss of respect, Loss of manhood (esp. in that culture), loss of legacy, loss of history.
and Job says “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
i.e. naked as the day he was born. An oft heard expression. Here Job acknowledges that those things that he claimed, his wealth, his house, even his family were not actually secure. For security is actually in God.
We have experienced this in the financial crises, when all the “security” in our money went down the drain. We experienced this at 9/11 when we realized that terrorism can strike anyone at any time. We realize this when a family member experiences disease or struggle, such as cancer (or perhaps even more difficult addiction or mental illness). Why? Because none of these things were really secure to begin with. What is actually secure is God, and Job is able to acknowledge this.
The other oft quote passage from this is “the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away” (KJV sounds so much more authoritative doesn’t it)
Here is where I think Job gets it wrong. Because its not God who is taking all these things away….
Its evil. Whether it be Satan or the challenger, evil is what is taking things from Job, NOT God.
What I find interesting about this interchange is that it is easier for people to believe in evil than good. I have met many people who have all kinds of beliefs, who are far more able to believe in Evil and evil forces than in God or good forces.
But (as my son pointed out this morning) the Devil can’t take God from Job<–from the lips of a child.
So, here is the question. Why is it easier to believe in evil than good? Why is it easier to believe that it is God who is angry or vengeful than to believe in a fully good and loving God who makes good things happen even admidst the bad.
After all, As it is so well stated in Dr. Who…the good things don’t negate the bad, but GOOD things can happen in the midst of bad! The Bad things don’t have to ruin the good ones.
So here is the question, why is it easier to believe in evil than good?
And what does that mean? Where does that put us. I can’t believe that there isn’t good and purpose for humanity. Honestly, my mind can’t even get around it. Good is stronger than evil, and I, ultimately, believe in Good. The Good of our Loving God.
Thoughts on dressing like a “pastor” as a female I can say people who don’t like me find it much easier to critique my clothing than to provide substantive feedback
Roughly three years ago, I woke up one morning and decided to be fashionable. This sudden conviction came after an entire lifetime of commitment to a steady diet of t-shirts, hoodies, and flare jeans. It didn’t derive from a desire to please potential lovers, or because of societal pressure to be beautiful (at least not consciously). What actually happened is that I somehow stumbled into a genuine love for my body and it made the idea of developing a style identity seem like fun rather than exhausting self-torture.
I observed people around me whose sense of style I admired, and then I started shopping and thrifting and putting together my own outfits. I bought dresses and blazers and chunky jewelry. When I came out as queer in seminary, I felt free to explore other fashion impulses. I embraced androgynous and traditionally masculine clothing, and of course, vests. I kept wearing…
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Children, the young ones, like to be helpful. I like to hand you the disk (throw it at you as hard as possible), or removing and forcing the disc into the player over and over. One time my youngest placed a “shoots and ladders” person piece (cardboard) into the PS3, and when turned on the disc that currently resided there had circle of scraping. Scratches, and love can make any DVD not useable.
Image 1. All rights reserved, and use common sense.
The DVD or a CD are sturdy, especially the ones that you do not record, and most scratches will not screw up the laser that will read the DVD. The older the DVD player and poorly built players will have a harder time, so it’s not always the DVD, but the player as well.
There is an error-correcting coding…
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Hey all,
Patricia C. Wrede’s “The Raven Ring” is on sale today for $1.99. http://amzn.to/1oGiT5y
A fantasy story with several nods to high fantasy, this about a girl in search of herself. Especially good are the portrayal of clash of cultures, the mythical landscape and the presence of several strong females include the heroine. A few more books happen in this same land which might also be fun to check out. A great way to start into Patricia C. Wrede’s tales, then look at her witty Enchanted Forest Series and her Young Adult Thirteenth Child series.
I am not receiving anything for this promotion, its just me recommending 😉
The beginning of Job is a total setup.
Once Upon a Time there’s Job: upright and blameless was he. Job was one who had plenty of sons and not too many daughters–sons whose hospitality was great (they really knew how to party people into the kingdom), and they hosted their sisters often.
Job’s hospitality was even greater, making sacrifices and worshipping on his children’s behalf, praying for them, asking for forgiveness if ever they wronged God (because Job admits he may not have been the perfect parent)
God and all the heavenly beings gathered together, and God asks Satan (otherwise known as the accuser/challenger) what he had been up to…
“The usual” Satan answers “Wondering around, looking at earth and earthlings?”
“Oh, did you notice my servant Job?” asks God.”Because he’s pretty much everything I could hope for, upright, honest and true (i.e. he fears God and turns away from evil)
“Why” asks Satan, “You know he only likes you because you take such good care of him, he is well blessed, he has every reason to be good. If you ruined him, all that would change”
“hmmm….” God says, “We shall see…tell you what do what you want to Job’s family, friends and possessions, as long as you leave Job alone, you can do what you want….”
Job is sure set up here. First he is set up to have everything, and then its what’s the phrase? “too good to be true” he is almost “too blessed” and as a result he becomes tested. Here God gives Satan, the tester, rights to do whatever he wants to Job (Excepting touching Job himself) to see just how faithful Job can be….
What a setup!
Don’t we pray for God NOT to lead us into temptation, what is with this? This doesn’t seem fair, how is it that evil can happen to Job and what does it all mean?
Here’s the setup, we are in for a good story, one where evil exists, but not without good, one where suffering is not greater than God, one where temptations and tests are less about who God is and more about who we are……
How will this work?
Plus, this happens in the mythical land of Uz, you know
In fact the “Satan” character could be named “challenger” instead of Satan, because its unclear if the character is evil or just throwing challenges up….
So why does this perfect guy get setup in this way?
Because we’ve all experienced this, the question of why do bad thing happen to good people, theodicy, Why does evil exist, we all have experienced this reality in our lives.
And we all talk about God, its a human thing to talk about God and the role of evil in our lives, It doesn’t matter who you are or what you believe in this is a topic of conversation. So here we are, in a Biblical fairy tale (yay fairy tales!)
Asking the good questions, starting with
Once Upon a Time….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMzQCaRR_wk
One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong, tell me which of these things are not like the other, by the time I finish my song
My youngest sister is undergoing transgender operation at the end of July. I’m praying for her, I wish I could do more in sharing about her situation<–I’m working on it.
Luckily I’ve found some great support thru twitter #yesallwomen and #cisgaze which I discovered through it (yay).
One person is saving for an operation.
I have had lots of great conversation with this person
Highlight 1
Ealperin….when my mom says “Why change what God has given you?” When, in fact, my God says, “Oh, no! I’m not finished making you, yet.””
Highlight 2
Ealperin, “Even in different faiths, Love is Love. :)”
me “I know what the God I believe in is like, and definitely Love is grace in motion”
Go theology Go!
katyandtheword 