The Man Who Forgot the Plan (Part 1)

 King Saul has always puzzled me. I don't understand why he got in so much trouble. Why was God so angry with him that, not only did he take the throne from him, but His spirit as well? How can I write about something I don't understand? I don't know, but, maybe, together we can learn a little something about this famous man. Here goes...

Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin.

Birth order meant a lot back then.  Benjamin was the youngest son of Israel. So, when God heard Israel begging for a king, (so they could be like everyone else around them), he sent Samuel to the tribe of Benjamin to anoint a king. 

On the one hand, Saul was from the least of the tribes, but, within the tribe of Benjamin, Saul was the best! His dad, Kish, was a leader, a great man, quite famous in that part of the world at the time. Saul was tall, dark and handsome! The best of the best, that little Benjamin had to offer. 

Still, Saul was humble. He knew that he wasn't all that. He knew it is one thing to be the top of your class in a little small-town school, but quite another to be king of an entire nation.

He was out wandering around looking for his father's lost asses when Samuel found him. It was very unexpected. He started out seeking God and enjoying the presence of the Lord. Before long he found himself anointed as the King of Israel!

Most of Israel didn't know he was anointed king yet. 

This is how he got his title: 

The Ammonites surrounded Jabesh-Gilead, a town in Israel. The townspeople sent a message to King Nahash asking if they could make a peace treaty with him. What did he want? They were willing to become his slaves, pay him, whatever he asked.

"A peace treaty?! Sure! Absolutely!" the Ammonite King answered. "Let me cut out the right eye of everyone in your town and then we can have peace!" The blood-thirsty king was hungry for a fight.

The people of Gilead weren't too fond of that idea, so they asked for a week to think about the matter and see if anyone could fight for them. If they couldn't get an army together by then to fight, then they would let him. What other choice did they have?

Saul was out working in the field when he heard the news. He was so angry! This was not a fair fight at all! What kind of a king attacks peaceful, unarmed people? He sent a call out throughout the region asking for soldiers. He sent another message to the residents of Jabesh that by the time the sun got hot the next day, they would have help. The townspeople were so glad. They weren't alone. Help was on the way.

The residents of Jabesh sent a message to Nahash, king of the Ammonites: "We will come out tomorrow, and you can do what you want with us." That night, the people of Jabesh-Gilead slept. King Nahash and his army also slept. There would be bloodshed tomorrow. It would be a good day for these fierce warriors.

Early in the morning, Saul arrived with an army. He divided the soldiers into three groups. They attacked the middle of the enemy camp, fighting as soon as the Ammonites woke up. They fought all morning. By the time the sun got hot the enemy was so scattered that there weren't two of them next to each other. King Nahash had received the bloodshed he asked for.  Gilead was safe and Israel realized that they had a king! 

The people's response was interesting. I almost didn't include it here, but, as I am learning more about the significance of the story, I am thinking it might be more important than I thought. It tells a bit about human nature.

"Who was it that said Saul shouldn't be king?" the people demanded "Let's kill them!" 

Saul still had a good head on his shoulders though. And, he said, "No. No one is going to die today. God gave us victory and delivered us out of the hand of our enemies. God is our Savior. He saved us." 

Then Samuel invited the whole mob to Gilead. They offered sacrifices to God, appointed Saul as king, and had a great party!

It was a wonderful day!

We will leave Saul for now. Let's remember this moment. When God, Samuel and Saul were all on the same team. And, when Israel had victory over their enemies. I'm hoping to write more of the story in a few days. Maybe by this time next month I will understand a little bit more about Saul. 

Thank you for coming with me on this journey.

The Little I Can Do

   

Today I learned it is the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht.

"Crystal night?" It must have been a beautiful, crisp, star-filled night...

No!

Broken glass is what was shimmering that night, and it wasn't above, but underfoot.

If you also don't know about Kristallnacht, it might be a good time to look it up. You see, October 7th, 2023 was eerily similar to November 9, 1938. Was the silent majority feeling sick and shocked that human beings were capable of such evil? Were people oddly confused about which side was in the right? Were there people, in their homes, who quietly pulled their children in close and explained to them that the war is between good and evil, darkness and light? Was it easy to see that this level of terror is NEVER appropriate? If so, they were probably like me and realized there was nothing they could do. Nothing, except lay in our warm, quiet beds and stare at the cold, dark ceiling and cry.

Why is our world so cruel?

I know why. I understand the war between good and evil didn't begin on October 7, 2023, or September 11, 2001, or even November 9, 1938.

The war began in a beautiful garden on a warm day full of light. Birds were singing. Fruit was hanging from beautiful trees. Crystal, clean water flowed all around. Everything was good, very good. But, the thing about good and the thing about light is, it is kind of boring. It is normal. So much so, that we easily forget it is even there. 

 Eve had never known pain. She didn't know what death was. Day after day of peace and harmony was boring. So, when an evil snake appeared and whispered in her ear that there was more to life than this, she listened. He suggested to her that God's Word might not be trustworthy. -not a BIG sin, nothing terrible or shocking. -just a little bit of doubt. -just a little bit of discontent, of discord. 

Where was Adam? Oh, he was right there with her! Did he help? Did he tell her the snake was wrong? Did he grab a rock and crush the snake's head? Did he rescue his wife from the enemy? No. Adam said NOTHING! He listened quietly. He watched passively as Eve reached out and plucked fruit off of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They already knew GOOD!!! Why, oh why, did they desire to also know EVIL? And then, when she sat down to enjoy her snack, Adam sat down too and they ate the fruit together. I wonder if it tasted good. Maybe it didn't, maybe it was bitter, but they wanted it so bad they ate it, even if it was hard to swallow. They wanted so much to try something different.

Adam and Eve got what they wanted. They began to experience what we refer to as ..."life".

To be alive is to feel pain. How often do we fear some beautiful creature may be dead and then we hear them cry out in pain? What a wonderful sound to our ears! "It lives!" we shout!

We are all slowly dying. Suffering and hard things are all around us. But, this is what we call: LIFE!

We have learned, living in this fallen world, that we need darkness in order to see the light. We need to feel cold, in order to appreciate heat. We need to be in pain, to experience relief.

It is in the night that we long for the day. 

Are we done yet? Have we had enough of all of this knowledge? Or, do we still want to experience more?

Are we ready yet for the garden, or if given the chance, will we still look with longing at the tree that promises us so much more?

One thing the Holocaust, 9/11 and even 10/8, taught us is that it only takes a few evil men to corrupt good manners. It doesn't take a big crowd. The majority of the people will be confused and keep quiet and stay out of the way. The majority are easily controlled with fear tactics and propaganda.

But, we said, "never again". Remember when we said that? We grew up reading stories of ancient civilizations who slaughtered other humans for piddly reasons. We read about "Great Men", who did horrific things to their fellow humans. Remember what we said when we read those stories? Remember when we were so sure we would be on the side of GOOD? That we would never be tricked by that old trickster?

On October 10, 2023, my mind was accusing me, louder and louder, until it engulfed all of my thoughts: NEVER AGAIN!!!

But, I can't really keep it from happening again. I am not Esther, Grandma Moses, or Corrie ten Boom. Besides, even those brave women couldn't keep it from happening.

Then I heard a sad announcement. Jews across the world are hiding things that might give away the fact that they are Jews. They are taking the mezuzahs off of their doorposts. They are rolling up their Israeli flags and putting away their star of David jewelry. I felt like crying. This time it came out of my mouth: "Never Again!!! I promised you that you wouldn't ever have to run, or hide because of who you are!" I wasn't sure who I was talking to. Maybe it was to the Jews, or anyone, in my neighborhood who might feel that they need to hide.

Suddenly I didn't feel afraid, or sick anymore.

I opened my door to see if the mezuzahs that my mother-in-law had brought back from Israel were still there. The tiny boxes were still there, but they were empty. I ordered 2 mezuzah scrolls online. They were less than $5. They came in a few days. As I rolled them up and added them to my doorposts I spoke out loud. "I am not doing this because I believe these somehow protect me. Judaism is not my religion. I am not a Jew. I have never been to Israel. My understanding of scripture does not teach me to literally tape Bible verses, written in Hebrew to my doorposts. I am putting these on my doorposts, because, somewhere, someone is taking them off."

             

I also bought candles. On, Friday, October 13th, I sat down (a little after sundown... I always seem to be a bit late- besides, I'm not Jewish.) and I lit two candles. I covered my head and eyes and listened to a recording of a Jewish Mama reciting the Sabbath blessing. 

"This isn't for me that I am doing this. I have always felt a bit creeped out when people 'light a candle' for someone who died. What does that even mean?!" I explained to no on in particular. "I am doing this because, somewhere, there are two candlesticks that will not be lit tonight. Maybe they are half-broken in a pile of ashes. Maybe they are still sitting on a shelf, or table, surrounded by rotting flesh and blood stains. Maybe the Jewish Mama who would normally light them is in a tunnel in Hamas, not even sure what day it is. It is for them I light these Shabbat candles, and I will continue to do so every Friday night until ... "

...until what? 

I don't know.

Maybe until the hostages are released.

Maybe until peace comes to the middle east and to people all over the world.

Maybe until Jesus comes back.

Maybe... forever.

I can't turn back time and choose life and peace instead of death and evil. But, I can, in my little home, way up in these hills, make the world one candle brighter. It isn't much, I know. But, if a few evil people can change the world for bad, maybe a few good people can change the world for good.

I really don't want to believe that there are evil people. I really believe, deep within my soul, that everyone wants life and peace. Maybe their version of life and peace looks different from ours, but doesn't everyone want that? 

On October 7, 2023, I realized I was wrong.

They Deserve It

Jojo and I are reading in Genesis now. 

We recently read the story of Abraham buying a piece of land as a family burial plot. The formalities between Abraham and the children of Heth were quite amusing to our western mindset. 

When I read the well-known story that I want to focus on today I wonder if some of the intriguing aspects of this story are also formalities that I, living in a western culture, just can't quite grasp.

Yet, here I am, making a meager attempt to share this story with you.

Moses had risked his life to go back to Egypt. He had grown so much since he had stopped to see a burning bush. The sheep were being cared for by someone else and now he was herding a huge crowd of people through the wilderness.

Now, here he was, back on the mountain!

Alone in God's presence.

Hearing directly from heaven.

God handed Moses the stone tablets. The laws were written with the hand of God himself. How precious these words were. 

Moses had been communicating with God as you or I, might visit with a very good friend who we haven't seen in a long time. 

"You better get going now." God said. "Those people of yours, that you brought out of Egypt have defiled themselves. They made idols and they are worshipping them and claiming those are images of the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt."

God said he had noticed that these people were quite stubborn and didn't listen very well. He had an idea. "Moses, you stand aside for a bit and I will destroy them all and start over with you!"

This threat sounds horrific, but, I think it is a little bit like the children of Heth telling Abraham that he was such a great guy he could just have the land as a gift. Abraham knew the correct response was, "It is agreed. I will pay you 400 shekels of silver."

Moses, the one who could talk to God like we talk to another human, didn't skip a beat. "Lord! Please don't! You brought these people out of Egypt with great power and might! Remember the promises you made to Abraham, Isaac and Israel! Please, don't destroy your people!"

That was the right response.

Now Moses was ready to see what was at the bottom of the mountain.

Joshua met him on his way down the mountain. "Something is going on down there. I thought it was war at first, but it doesn't really sound like someone winning or losing. It almost sound like... music?!"

We're having a "Feast to the Lord", Aaron said. "The people gave me their gold, I threw it in the fire, and out came this calf!"

The calf, the dancing, the music, people running around naked. These people who were supposed to be Holy people of God, civilized, were having a rave party. 

Now it was Moses's turn to get angry. He ground the golden calf to powder and made the people drink it! 

God sent a plague to punish the people. But, Moses pleaded with God for the lives of the people. The people repented and God sent an angel to guide them and deliver them from their enemies.

"Yes, building and worshipping idols was a great sin." Moses agreed "But, if you are going to blot their names out of the book of life, blot mine out also."

Oh to have the kind of love that Moses had for his fellowman. The kind of love we should all have. But, sadly, far too often we are quick to condemn. "That's sad they are going through that, but, honestly, they kind of did bring it on themselves," we say as we sadly hear the bad news.

What if, instead, we acted like Moses and pleaded for their lives? What if we cried out for God to save them and heal them. What if our response to bad news wasn't to try to figure out who to blame, but, instead, to fall on our faces before the Throne of Mercy and ask Our All Powerful God to show Himself Strong on behalf of His people.

Somehow, I think amazing things would happen in our world, spiritually and physically, if we all had the meekness of Moses.

King Jehoshaphat a Friend to All

 I guess you have probably heard of Wicked Ahab, King of Israel and his Evil wife Queen Jezebel. Elijah was in Israel feeling like he was the only one who still loved God with all of his heart and having contests to prove God is REAL. More real than anyone or anything. Meanwhile the kings of Judah were following God's ways, for the most part. Including a king named Jehoshaphat.

King Jehoshaphat had a fairly peaceful reign. He set up people to teach God's laws and kept law and order in his kingdom. His Dad had fought with the king of Israel, but  Jehoshaphat was a peace-loving guy and figured he'd have a chat with King Ahab. I mean, what could go wrong? They were distant relatives, both descendants of Abraham. In fact, even closer than that! 

So, when King Ahab, (of Israel) invited King Jehoshaphat, (of Judah) to come over for a barbeque, he happily accepted the invitation. And, boy was it a feast! Jehoshaphat and his men feasted on mutton and beef roasted to perfection! At the end of the meal King Ahab invited King Jehoshaphat to join him on his next activity- a battle. Evidently fighting was one of the favorite pastimes of kings in those days. 

"Do you want to come with me to Ramoth-gilead?" the king of Israel asked.

"My men are as your men!" the king of Judah answered like an idiot. 

Of course, Jehoshaphat king of Judah had no way of knowing that King Ahab couldn't be trusted. 

"We can coexist. I have no idea why Dad didn't like this guy. He makes really good steaks!" 

But, the king of Judah hadn't forgotten his God. He politely asked if they could enquire of God before they went to battle, as that was his custom.

"Of course!" the king of Israel agreed as he called in his 400 favorite prophets with pomp and circumstance.

As the crowd of advisors stood at attention, their master asked them a question:

"Shall we go fight against Ramoth-gilead, or not?"

The 400 prophets answered in one accord, like they were robots: "Go up! God will deliver it into your hands!"

Now, Jehoshaphat wasn't as dumb as Ahab thought because he kind of didn't feel right about this. So, he turned to his buddy, the king of Israel, and said, "Umm, that's great, but, is there a prophet of the LORD besides these 400, that we could ask? -just to be sure?"

King Ahab got a bit quiet and everyone in the court kind of held their breath. I mean, the Queen of Israel had gone on a killing spree once killing prophets of the LORD, so it was kind of a touchy subject. 

"Well... there IS one guy." King Ahab admitted "But, I HATE him! He never prophesies good prophecies. He always tells me bad things are going to happen to me."

King Ahab looked sullen and pouty.

"Aw!" The optimistic King of Judah encouraged "Say it isn't so, oh King."

"What are you waiting for?" King Ahab barked at a nearby officer. "Go get Micaiah the son of Imla!"

 [Did you think I was going to say he called for the prophet Elijah? Well, somehow Elijah could never be found when Ahab wanted to find him. He only showed up when Ahab didn't want to find him.]

The two kings sat side-by-side in an open area by the gate of Samaria waiting for Micaiah. They were dressed regally, in their best robes. The 400 prophets entertained them while they waited. 

Zedekiah presented the kings with horns made of iron. "With these horns you will push your enemy until they are consumed!" 

All the prophets agreed. "Oh yes! Amen! Go up and prosper! The LORD will deliver them into your hand!"

Meanwhile the messenger is escorting Micaiah to the plaza:

 "Okay. Here's what is going on," he explained nervously. "King Ahab is surrounded by prophets who are all agreeing that he should go fight, but the king of Judah will only join him if he hears from God, like THE GOD! So, just go in, tell him all is good and you can go home. Let's not make the king mad today. Okay?"

Micaiah said, "As the LORD liveth, even what my God says, that is what I will speak."

The messenger didn't say anything more and soon the prophet of God was standing before the two kings. 

The crowd got quiet.

 The 400 prophets stepped back.

King Ahab, king of Israel, looked at the prophet with forced diplomacy. "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or should we forbear?"

Miciah matched him by answering what the king wanted to hear. Like a dutiful subject, he robotically answered, "Go up and prosper, your enemy will be delivered into your hand." 

The messenger took a deep breath and smiled. 

The 400 prophets nodded in unison. "Amen! Amen!" they muttered.

I don't know why he did it. Maybe he wanted to prove to his buddy, King Jehoshaphat, how mean the prophet of God was to him, I don't know, but King Ahab looked Micaiah straight in the eye and said, "How many times have I told you to only tell me the truth in the name of the LORD?"

"I saw the army of Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd, and I heard God say, 'These have no master, let them all go home in peace." Micaiah boldly answered.

Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he wouldn't prophesy good about me?!"

A quite lively discussion followed with Micaiah ending up in the dungeon, but I want to focus more on Jehoshaphat in this story, so if you want to know more about that, read II Chronicles chapter 18.

After things quiet down a bit King Ahab smiles at King Jehoshaphat. "So, buddy! You still up for a battle? Hey, I'll let you wear my robe!"

"Sure!" Jehoshaphat says.

So off they go: The armies of Judah and Israel; King Jehoshaphat wearing Ahab's kingly armor; and King Ahab himself disguised as a common soldier. What could go wrong, right? The prophecy said the king of Israel was going to be killed. Jehoshaphat wasn't the king of Israel and, since King Ahab was disguised, he would be fine too! It was a great day to fight!!

The King of Syria talked with his captains as they planned their strategy. "Go capture the King of Israel!" he said. "Don't fight anyone else. I just want him!"

The armies got closer. It was easy to tell who was the king. He had his well-known robes on. The Syrian captains gave the commands and they began to chase King Jehoshaphat, king of JUDAH! I don't know what he said, but he began to holler something, and soon the Syrian army realized this was not Ahab, king of Israel. As they regrouped, some guy was playing around with his bow and shot an arrow at random. It flew out over the army of Israel and struck a man standing on the edge of the battlefield in his chariot. And, with that, the battle was over, because THAT was the REAL King of Israel. He was mortally wounded and the army of Israel was scattered and went home in peace.

 But, we aren't going to Samaria, Israel. We are following Jehoshaphat, King of Judah back home to Jerusalem.

The King of Judah and his men arrive at the city and were greeted by their friends and family. And, who should meet King Jehoshaphat, but his seer (or prophet), Jehu, the son of Hanani. 

"So, we go make friends with just anybody these days, huh? -being all buddy-buddy with people who hate the LORD? Helping ungodly people? Don't you realize you could have gotten yourself killed? God isn't too happy with you right now!" King Jehoshaphat grinned sheepishly. He kind of knew it was dumb, but, it was fun to go hang out with other kings sometimes and talk about kingly things. Yep, that was a pretty stupid thing to do. But, he was home now.

"It's a good thing you have done so much good and your heart is after God." Jehu said. 

Well, Jehoshaphat went back to being a good king. He continued encouraging his people to seek God. He sent judges and Levites throughout the land of Judah to teach the people. He was a very good king. Another altercation came up a few years later and he again inquired of the LORD first! The army of Judah didn't even have to fight! God destroyed the enemy before the day of battle. Judah went in and everyone was dead. It took them four days to gather up all the booty!

I just love the stories of this king! He seems so genuine to me. I laugh when I imagine Seer Jehu coming to meet him and telling him that God was not at all impressed with what he had done. I am in awe of how God defeated his enemies before him! He was a Godly king up until his death!

But, in preparing to write this story, I came across a verse that mentioned his name and my face went white. II Kings 8:18 mentions his son, Jehoram, who reigned after him. He was wicked! He acted more like one of those kings of Israel than a son of David. And, it mentions his wife was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel! Elsewhere we learn her name was, Athaliah. The story of Athaliah is one that I often skip when reading the Bible to small children. She reminds me of someone who would be in a Disney movie. Evil and cruel! That Athaliah was the one who married Jehoshaphat's son and taught him all about her religion. 

I guess Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, had no way of knowing, when he accepted that invitation to the barbeque, the corruption that would follow. How could he have known it would be unwise to make an alliance with someone who believed in God AND worshipped Baal? I guess, when he chose Ahab's princess daughter for his son to marry, he had no way of knowing they wouldn't live happily ever after.

But, somehow the scolding seer shaking his finger at the ruddy-faced king doesn't make me laugh anymore. Now I realize it was more than just a narrow brush with death. The God who created time knew what would become of this. This good king, who sought after God with all of his heart, was strong enough to not follow the ways of his friends in Israel, but his kids weren't. Dad's friends became their family and soon both kingdoms were worshipping false gods and killing their own children. And, here I was excited to share this war story with you, where only the bad guy dies. Why did I have to read the next page? Well, the good news is, God's mercy shines through in the end. Righteous ones arise in each generation. There are some who fear God and keep His commandments. And, each person is responsible for their own choices. Even Jehoram had a choice. Blaming the woman has never worked! He should have known better. His Dad had teachers on every street corner. He grew up reading the proverbs of Solomon. Yes, Jehoram knew better. King Jehoshaphat made sure of that. He was a good King, known for seeking the LORD God.

(I have added some words, but they are based on the connotation of the Biblical passage. What is in quotes only means it is spoken by a character in my story. It isn't, necessarily, a literal quote from scripture. Please read II Chronicles 18-19 to get the accurate version.)

The Biblical Feast of the Nations

Here in the Pacific Northwest, the fall rains have already begun. After about three months of hot, dry weather and wildfires, we were suddenly blessed with a nice soaking rain. Day after day of drenching, beautiful rain! The cooler, wetter weather means the Fall Feasts will soon be here, so it is time for me to write about these increasingly popular festivals. 

First comes Feast of Trumpets 

In years past we acknowledged this day many different ways. When my kids were little we ate apples dipped in honey and blew homemade paper trumpets. Some years we had friends over and had shofar blowing contests, made circular challah bread, and squeezed our own grape juice on Trumpets. 

            

Last year my youngest was 10 years old, so none of the little kid crafts, like the paper trumpets, interested anyone. Young adults and big kids, busy with jobs and crazy schedules made it look a lot different from previous years. A relative came over and brought honeycomb. I picked apples off of our tree. We blew our shofars and laughed. It was short and sweet and kept me smiling all day. Later that evening, I stood on the porch by myself in the stillness and took a picture of the moon to share digitally with the kids. It was peaceful and joyous. I realized that meeting with our Creator is the most important. I sang praise songs to Him into the night.

The Holiest Night of the Year

On Day of Atonement we sometimes dress in white, sing songs and read scriptures.

It's strange that, this holy day, was the last one that I began to observe. I wasn't sure what to do on this day. Some years we fasted from something. We would also go to the river with some friends and throw bread into the water and talk about our sins being thrown into the depths of the sea. 

Last year, when Yom Kippur came, I resigned myself to, and even looked forward to observing this day alone with my Savior. I wore my white shirt and took my Bible and a blanket and headed for my favorite spot in the yard. Soon my oldest daughter joined me. It was an amazing experience. I opened the Bible and it just happened to open to something that related to the day. We prayed and sang and read and just sat and listened to the quiet. We felt so clean. Washed. It was a beautiful experience. We felt like burdens were lifted and chains were broken. So often it is in the simple, quiet, unplanned moments that our Creator makes Himself known.

Feast of Tabernacles 

  

For Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, we have gone to Feast of Tabernacle Camp meetings a few times. Some years we build a sukkah on our porch using branches from trees in our yard. Every day we add something to the sukkah to make it more comfy and beautiful. We put pillows and blankets in there and go out there throughout the day to read and snuggle. I fix easy meals, like soup, that we can grab when we are hungry. I love sneaking out there to just breathe for a few minutes throughout the day. In the evening we sit out there as a family and play games and eat snacks. I do a minimal amount of housework that week. We use disposable dishes and eat a lot of finger foods.

Some years we often camp at the nearby river with some friends. During the day each family does their own thing, but we eat dinner together. Each family takes turns being in charge of dinner. In the evening we sit around the fire and talk, play games, discuss scripture and sing songs.

Last year. at Sukkot time, we couldn't get everyone together to camp, or even build a proper booth. We decorated the grape arbor with colorful cloths and a branch in each corner. I set up a little mattress and comfy chairs. I set a waterproof container with snacks and drinks in it out there. My youngest and I went out there to do schoolwork each day. In the evenings, whoever was home would go out there and read a scripture and eat snacks and pray.

My daughter and I embroidered with gold thread on the hanging cloths some evenings. We strung lights up in the grape arbor. At night the light reflected off of the embroidered thread.

One evening I was driving home and noticed all the dark Halloween decorations in our neighborhood. As I reached our driveway I saw the light. The sukkah shone bright with gold and blue and purple. I realized that this October I hadn't felt depressed or sad. I felt warm and hopeful. May we always have light in our hearts, even if we are surrounded by darkness.

This year I want to do more. I didn't grow up celebrating holidays, except Thanksgiving and birthdays. I realize that I have an opportunity to start family traditions that future generations may enjoy. Besides, my middle child asked me to be more organized this year!  So, I better start planning! 

My Plan This Year

It seems like I get a theme each year, even if I don't really do much with it. 

This year, my word is: Nations! 

These feast days look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus. We practice listening for the Trumpet. Ten days later, we think about the Lamb of God and our names being written in the Book of Life. Five days after that begins an eight-day celebration of dwelling in tents, or booths and looking forward to that Last Great Day when people from every tongue, nation, tribe and people, will dwell together in unity! 

If you are honoring these special days this year, please share any thoughts and ideas you have.

May God bless your day! 

Our Visit to the Creation Museum

 

I have been procrastinating on this for way too long! I even thought maybe I would just write another story instead, but I know some of you want to hear about our visit to the Creation Museum in Kentucky. I want to tell all about it, really I do, but there are so many thoughts jumbled around in my head I'm not sure where to begin. So, I guess I will start... in the MIDDLE!!

I stood in the middle of the museum.

Somehow the crowd had dispersed and I was alone.

My brain quieted. Suddenly. I realized I wasn't on the Pacific Coast anymore. Here I was, in the Bible belt. My week began at the Ark Encounter, then a wonderful Convention with like-minded believers in Jesus, and now I was here, at the Creation Museum. 

I didn't think I needed to come.

But, maybe the reason why I came was exactly why it was built.

I didn't realize I had been on the defensive for the past few years. -constantly alert 

Researching, studying... (there is a not-so-subtle agenda) -trying to figure out what is good and what isn't. Constantly aware of my surroundings, watching everyone around me (we live in an area known for human trafficking). -keeping one ear open when the TV is on in the other room:

"Did you hear that?" 

"Well, THAT isn't true!"

"Did you hear what they did there? Do you see the message they are sending?"

Yes, Mom. 

We know. 

We see.

My kids have seen and heard more than I ever imagined. (And, we are HOMESCHOOLED!)

But here, in this little spot, far away in the hills of Kentucky, I felt my body relax, or maybe I became aware that I already was relaxed. 

-so relaxed that I wasn't even sure where my kid was. I knew he was with friends, somewhere in this building. I knew he was exploring and hopefully reading and learning. But, I also felt confident that no one here would harm him: Physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. 

I could let him roam freely and not worry about his safety at all.

That week I was tired. I'm always tired on vacation. I don't sleep well away from home. But, I realized that everywhere I had gone this week, every seminar or workshop, every tourist attraction, every late-night conversation, had been good. Good!

I wondered just how long it had been since I had been able to say that about a place. I mean, there were hard things. Sad moments. But, even those times seemed to bring about something that was good. Like when people from many backgrounds came together to pray for a sister with cancer.

It was really good.

Often, when we watch a show, or visit a tourist attraction, I say: "It was good, EXCEPT, I don't know why they had to put in that one word, or show that scene."

My mind ran through the halls and side rooms again, the ones I had just been in. It traveled backwards through the meetings and all the way back to Monday and the Ark. And, then I realized why this place existed, and why it was so important that the Ark Encounter be built.

The hardness that I had somehow developed to survive this cold, deceptive world that I live in, melted.

 And, I walked back through again:

    The beauty of the garden. The harmony of nature.  

    When everything was VERY GOOD!

    The freedom to decide for ourselves. The choice, our choice, to turn away from God's Word. -to not believe the only One who is Good.

    The darkness. The pain. The suffering.

    The one family who still listened. When everything around them was chaos. The preaching to mockers. Walking into the Ark with only eight people. The rescue from that evil world.

    -God's Word being preserved through time

    -God's people through time

    -the preciousness of life

    -walking through the life exhibit with my dear aunt who has fought for life for herself, her child, and many others

    -Jesus

    -Life. Good. Beauty.

If you don't believe, that's okay. If places like this make you angry, (places that believe the Bible is true.) don't go. It was built for me and my kids. A place we can go that speaks our language. Where the Bible is the highest authority- on any subject. A place we can breath, smile, nod and laugh. I guess even Christians are allowed to have fun!

Soon my group found me and we all sat at a table in the café. "Look!" my cousin pointed to the center of the table. "Made with cedar from Lebanon". I remember hearing that a wise man, long ago used those trees. They were the best. Only the best was good enough for the building he was building. God didn't ask for a temple "made with hands". But, Solomon spared no expense. He built it with reverence and humbly asked for God to fill that place. And, God did! Could humility and reverence for God and His Word been Ken Ham's motivation? 

After that we went outside to the beautiful botanical gardens. The walking bridges were fun to walk on. There were many different kinds of bridges and lots of beautiful ponds and flowers. There were also animals and another awesome playground. But, we didn't have time to play there. We had run out of time and new adventures awaited.

Somehow my perspective of the world changed and I realized how much God loves this world and how much He loves us. And, because of that, I will try a little harder to love this world He Created for us and all the beautiful, unique people He created in His image! But, most of all, I will remember that, no matter how dark and evil this world may get, God has a plan and someday it will again be VERY GOOD!

Our Visit to the Ark Encounter

 I am sitting here listening to Buddy Davis sing on Answers TV, and thinking about our recent visit to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. 

I presume most of my readers have heard about it, but, in case you don't know, there is a huge, luxurious ship in the middle of Kentucky! No, this isn't a scam! It is really there, and you should go visit it if you get a chance.

To be honest I, on my SAHM budget of ... umm... (opening my wallet.... looking at my bank account...) $0. 😟 I couldn't afford to visit the Ark Encounter, or the Creation Museum. Let alone BOTH!! Not to mention, I live 2,430 miles away. 

But, thanks to some very persuasive relatives of mine, Jojo (my 11-year-old son) and I found ourselves in Kentucky! It's hard to say no, when someone offers to pay your way! (Thank you so much cousins! 💕 )

Admission was about $60 for me and $30 for Jojo. To compare, a theme park in our state, Wild Waves, charges the same amount, so, evidently this is a reasonable price. But, I don't often frequent theme parks, so, it sounded like a lot to me! It was hard for me to swallow my pride and let someone else pay that much for me and my son to visit the big, wooden boat!

To compare with my lifestyle: the small, county fair near us has free admission. The creation museum near Mt. St. Helens (our mountain), about 30 miles from our house, is by donation. The county museum in town is also by donation. So, I guess we are spoiled. We even camp for free by doing dispersal camping in the nearby National Forest. 

Yah, my expectations were unrealistic for sure! Nothing is really "free". Someone pays. And, wow! Some people really put a lot of time and money into this massive structure. They spared no expense! 

My husband works in a sawmill and we live in the woods, so I kind of have an idea of the value of wood. 

There is a timber framing business in our little town. I know some of the people who work there. They are very particular about the logs they use. The trees are carefully chosen and cut at the correct time of the year. Their customers are in a very different tax bracket than anyone I know personally. Yet, even these very rich people, can usually only afford to frame the entrance to their house. I couldn't wrap my head around how much it must have cost to build the Ark Encounter using such huge, beautiful, sturdy logs! 

The exhibits are very well done! You can ask "Noah" questions and he will answer you! The cages have a system for feeding and watering several animals at once. The library has a scroll for each book that evidence suggests may have been written prior to the flood. 

They did very thorough research on everything. There are so many details and everything is purposeful. If I lived close, I would love to buy the season pass and visit often. I think a person could visit several times and see things they hadn't noticed before.

But, my experience may very well be very different than yours. Here is where I am coming from:

I was raised as a homeschooler in the 80's. Ken Ham (our modern-day 'Noah') used to come to our homeschool conventions. He was so much fun to listen to and explained everything so clearly. As I homeschooled my kids, my parents often gave us the Answers for Kids, and other literature from "Answers in Genesis". I am currently homeschooling my youngest, Jojo. He has grown up with dinosaur books from AiG and watching videos of  "The Wild Brothers" and "Buddy Davis." My cousins' kids were really hoping to see Buddy Davis in person, as he is a celebrity in our circle!

Jojo ran through that ark like he had been there before. He glanced at the signs and claimed he already knew it all (To be honest, while I am sure there must have been something there that he didn't already know, he probably does know a lot of it). He said, "Hi" to Noah and the dove. He appreciated the correlation between Jesus and the door of the ark. And then he asked if we could go to the virtual reality building. He had money he had earned from mowing lawns and said he could pay for both of us. I swallowed my pride again as my 11-year-old son pulled out a wad of his hard-earned money to pay for a few minutes of entertainment. It was really cool though! Jojo loved it! And, he had to actually sit still and listen! 😂 

Of course, my brain never stops philosophizing, and, um... judging (?)... or, maybe "critiquing" is a better word!  (My husband says that is why I get headaches so much- overthinking!)  

 I wondered what Ken Ham was thinking building this place. Why the admission was so high? It was obviously FOR PROFIT! In our Christian community we kind of look down on things that are done "for profit." Especially when the gospel is shared. The gospel should always be FREE!! Maybe we even kind of believe that Christians should not be rich. They should give their money away to help people less fortunate. Isn't that what Jesus said?

As I toured this massive structure and the surrounding attractions I saw it from two conflicting perspectives.

 On one hand it must have cost a lot to build this place. The upkeep must be quite a bit too. I'm sure Ken Ham has a lot of money by now with all of the helpful and informative literature he has authored. He could have kept his money for him and his family. He could be retired now and living a quiet life back in his home country of Australia. But, instead, he is on the front lines. Speaking the truth, no matter the cost. But, he chose to buy high quality materials and hire like-minded people to realize this dream. It may seem silly to some. But, there are a lot stranger things people have spent money on.

 The other perspective was people like me. People who save up, sometimes for years, to go on their dream vacation. Families struggling to survive on one income. Christians who believe in the Bible, and already read the Book. Mom's with 11-year-old boys who already know all the answers.  And, families with little kids who still take naps! A more reasonable admission price would be $30 for adults, $20 for youth, and free for kids 12 and younger. 

But, maybe that amount wouldn't be sustainable. The Ark Encounter does have a very important message, and it is hard to put a price tag on that. Maybe they need to charge as much as they do to keep it running. I'm not a business woman. What do I know?

Attractions by Age Group

Kids 1-10  

    It is free this year for this age group! I hope they keep it free. The little kids might get bored reading all the big signs, but someone thought that through very well. There are a lot of cool things for them to see, right at their height. Some little kids in our group were scared by the loud thunderstorm at the beginning, so headphones might be a good idea. There is a room off to the side with scary animals (not real- there are no real animals on the ark itself). My son led his little cousins through it without realizing how scary it was and regretted that! Poor kids! Hopefully they weren't traumatized for life! 

    If you have little kids I would suggest planning to spend more time outside. We didn't know this and ended up not having time to see the zoo as a group. Jojo and I ran through the zoo on our own though.

    The playground is absolutely the coolest playground ever! The kids could spend hours playing there. I think, if we go again in ten years or so, and have little kids with us (this is a hint to my adult children!), we should take two days to tour the Ark. I would suggest taking the kids through the Ark at a steady pace and then riding the carousel and visiting the zoo the first day. The second day, I would bring lunch and let the kids play on the playground and snack while the adults and teens take turns touring the ark at a slower pace. 

Ages 11- 18

    Young people might need to slow down and be encouraged to read the signs. Have them watch videos in preparation for visiting so they know what to look for. There are videos, on Answers TV, of Ken Ham explaining specific things to look for. I wish I had thought to look for them before we visited. I think Jojo would have paid a bit more attention if his Mom had prepared him better! 

    The playground is still fun and appropriate for big kids, but it won't keep them busy for long. The zoo is actually pretty cool, though small. It will only take a few minutes for kids in this age group to see all the animals. I never did find the petting zoo, but I guess there is one. We ran out of time.

Jojo and I listened to an animal presentation in the zoo. It was so refreshing to hear everything they said be based on our worldview! Of course, Jojo said he didn't learn anything new. But, I thought it was very well done and informative (I guess it wasn't new information for me either, but I appreciate repetition at my age! 😂)

 Again, I wish they didn't charge so much for this age group. I'm guessing that most people in this age group, who visit the Ark, will already be familiar with most of the information presented. A bit too old to be impressed by the models of people, the cute animals and pretty lights. A bit too young to think critically about the logistics of the building. 

    Most everything inside the ark is enjoyed through only two senses. It would be great if they had live actors, or activities. -make it more of a living-history experience. -a scavenger hunt, or mystery solving game for the tweens to play. (maybe they do and I just didn't know) Or, "chores" to do to win cheap prizes. Something to make it challenging for young people who already know the information presented. Maybe even contests they can join. -build a miniature model ark and see if it holds up in a small wave pool, or something. Get these hands doing stuff! 

    The virtual reality experience is cool for tweens and young teens. I'm not sure if older teens would be impressed. It is a high quality experience. Very well done, as is everything at the Ark Encounter.

    The carousel is large and in it's own area. It is really nice. Jojo ended up riding on it and having fun. The music is great! I think it would be great if they had more rides, but then they would probably raise the price even more. If they put in more rides, I hope it is something geared towards this age group! 

    Kids this age should definitely bring plenty of their own money. There are lots of places to buy food inside and outside. The gift shops are well-stocked, but priced to make a profit! Mom and Dad won't want to hand out $7 for a cool magnet, or $5 for a deck of cards! So, if your kids like to spend money, they should come prepared. Everything is priced at typical theme park prices. 

Adults

     If you don't have kids in your group you can easily experience the Ark Encounter in one day! I would suggest going off season as it was super crowded when we went. Take your time to enjoy the experience at a leisurely pace. Read all of the signs. Look above you and all around. There are so many details that are easy to miss! 

    Take time to look up and down when you are in the center of the Ark. This is truly a remarkable building. It is very well-researched. Everything in the exhibit is there for a reason. Take your time and look at all of the details.

    There are short videos to watch throughout the Ark, so give yourself time to sit and enjoy them. Don't be embarrassed to ask "Noah" questions. He has some very thought out responses. 

    Walk through the zoo, ride the carousel, and eat lunch at the picnic tables next to the playground. Watch the children play and be thankful that you aren't at that stage anymore, and then have a twinge of sadness as you wonder why you didn't bring the grandkids. Next time! 

Another Idea

    IF you have wanted to visit the Ark, but have a hard time figuring out how to afford it, this is what I would suggest: 

    Get a subscription to Answers TV and explore the Ark virtually. 

    Save up a much smaller amount of money and visit Mt. St. Helens. You can camp in the National Forest for free! Castle Rock, Washington has the Mount Saint Helens Creation Center that has the same information you can get at the Ark for free! Give them a donation so they can keep their doors open. Sign up ahead of time to go on a tour guided by experts and actually experience what the Ark Encounter only tells you about. Walk in a canyon carved by a mudflow that got geologists all over the world questioning the millions of years theory. Dig your fingers into ash that is still here decades after the devastating explosion! See evidence of life returning much quicker than anyone expected! See their display of REAL dinosaur bones! The people there are so kind and knowledgeable. They are usually not too busy to sit and talk with you. They have personal account stories to share! 

    The little town of Castle Rock has a family friendly restaurant that serves the best pizza and has little games and rides in the back that still use quarters like they did in the 80's. They also have motels and parks and antique stores. 

    Let the kids out in the woods where they can run and holler and experience God's creation and be awed by the catastrophic remains of a relatively small volcanic eruption. 

    Be immersed in the experience! Look at the volcanic crater and the canyon; hear stories of personal experiences of this mini-catastrophe that taught Creation scientists much of what they now know; taste huckleberries that God caused to grow where so many people thought it would be impossible (because of the deep ash cause by the volcanic explosion); feel the ash, volcanic rock and dinosaur bones; smell the fresh mountain air and evergreen trees that grew where it was "impossible." Stand in Awe of God and His creation! 

    For more information visit:   https://www.mshcreationcenter.org

    [I'll write another blog about the Creation Museum in Kentucky later.]

    So, if you have the means to visit the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, USA, go for it! It is a remarkable experience! But, if you can't, don't feel like you are missing out! There are other ways to learn the same information. There are also other places to visit with your family that impress and educate about our world view. 

    If you have also visited a creation museum, or the Ark encounter, feel free to share your experience in the comments. Also, educate me on what a fair price is! 😁