What's Openhandedness Got to Do With Vacations?

The ten Commandments

were the only ones written, literally and figuratively, in stone. The other laws and decrees were the Old Covenant, fulfilled in Jesus by the New Covenant in his blood - though with some older statues reaffirmed and commanded by Him. However, be that as it may, there's an incredible amount of truth, symbolism, history, medical insight and wisdom to be gleaned, not to mention the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I get so much from reading the Old Testament right along with the New. It drives me nuts when I hear believers say they only read the New Testament, can't "get into" the Old? It's the Holy Spirit who gets you into it. Just ask.

As, for instance, today in Deuteronomy:15:4,5, 7 & 11 - Generosity is not an option, but a command - though with a blessing attached. Despite the fact that "there should be no poor among you ... if only you fully obey the Lord ... there will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded..." This is God talking to me here. I'm usually all, THEY SHOULD GET A JOB or GROW A GARDEN WHY DON'T YOU? I so need to keep this in mind and heart. We're not responsible for what others have done or should be doing, only for our own heart attitudes and what we do about it. God takes care of the rest.

Lovey the cat is on permanent vacation

Then, there's a dimension of openhandedness toward ourselves. A time away from the usual grind, apart even from the week-end or sabbath rest, was also commanded - not merely suggested (Deuteronomy 16). So, we can learn from this, even though it's not "written in stone," the concept is most likely something very beneficial. Some people have a difficult time with the idea of a "vacation."
My husband, for instance, can't stand the thought of all that wasted down time. He would be SO BORED the whole trip and want to just go to sleep. I think he likes his job so much, it's not really like Work? All the same, the instruction in Deuteronomy 15:19-20 is interesting:

"Do not put the firstborn of your oxen to work, and do not shear the first-born of your sheep. Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose."

This seems to presage the later words of Jesus: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27) It was for their own benefit. There is a place for something aside from work and utility, in fact commanded, because he knew the nature of man. Or, some men, to overdo the work ethic. But, note, the work WAS a given. Also - they were to leave their homes for this break. It's too easy to get caught up in stuff that needs to get done when it's staring you in the face. Or, "we can't spend this on a vacation, we need to invest it", and so on.

The Expelled Movie

This movie is a MUST SEE guys!
"For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." Deuteronomy 4:24 And, yes, he is.
The new Ben Stein movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, quotes Richard Dawkins, who rails on against God for this very aspect of His character. (Actually, Dawkins reads from his book during an interview with Stein.) His invective so totally shows a lack of understanding, shared with many today, of the absolute goodness, truth and love of God - who loves his creation and is jealous for us - of whatever pulls us away from him to our own detriment; and the lies of the enemy engage that "wrath of God." He cannot tolerate evil and what is allied with it.

My little granddaughter said she "had to plug my ears when I heard what that dumb guy was saying about God." What was funny though was the way Stein brought Dawkins to the point of saying that maybe we were seeded by more intelligent aliens from another planet. One scientist had the brilliant suggestion that molecules rode in on the backs of crystals. Heigh ho silver! Anything but admit accountability to a Creator who has revealed himself to us and given us a game plan for surviving. The movie exposes (in a very entertaining way) the alarming extent to which the religious activists who are pushing evolution, will go to protect their faith. Any spirit of scientific inquiry is out the window in academia.

Well done, Mr. Stein! We appreciated hearing from honest and reputable scientists who dare to question and speak out against the monolithic spirit of politically correct propaganda coming through our media and the educational system. I especially enjoyed hearing from the author of The Dawkins Delusion, Alister Mc Grath. Another book for my need to read list.

The Vog of Preservation

Here on the Big Island we have "vog", a sulfur dioxide sort of acid haze emission, from our active volcano, Kilauea. The emissions have been unusually high the past few months and some people have been bothered with various symptoms, to a greater or lesser degree. When it's bad, usually at night and the prevailing wind blows down from the mountain, I'll get headaches; and tired eyes in the daytime. It seems the vog is putting the plants and trees into a kind of stress mode too. My garden helper says that's why more blooms than usual, they're trying to reproduce like crazy. We sometimes purposely traumatize our litchi trees here by girdling them to promote fruiting. Stress to achieve a result.

This is the first time I remember seeing money trees flowering. And, could that be a sign? Probably not, unfortunately.

All this brought to mind the history of Christianity - the fact that during times of persecution, massive conversions have taken place. The, humanly speaking, unbelievable faith and courage of believers was such a powerful witness of God at work in their lives, that people were drawn to Jesus, despite the ultimate cost. They were able to see that whatever in this life furthers the preservation of the one that really counts is worth it. And, in our individual lives, there are times when some great stress induces new growth or fruit. "...suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character..." Romans 5:3 The fact of suffering in no way negates the love of God, and in fact, may be because of it. "The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life." ( Psalm 121:7) is still valid - it is our life in him he is concerned about.

"When the hay is removed and new growth appears ..." Proverbs 27:25 That new growth won't happen without a cutting back.

"To see things as God does is to see them under the aspect of eternity." - Spinoza

Fresh Grease

I went to see Grease last night, never having seen the movie, or another production of the musical, and accompanied by a group of women, only one of whom I knew. Turned out well though. We had dinner first and by the time we finished they felt like a bunch of friends.

The main theme of the show seemed to be - the rebel kids are cool - and it's dumb to "just say no". Great message for high schoolers....NOT. But, if we can put all that aside, I will say their performances, the music, singing (super voices) and dancing were terrific. The acting was very good as well and the set creatively designed. What a talented group they got together for this show. And, as per usual, great directing!

I guess it's comparable to a lot of songs you might hear on the radio, where the lyrics stink or don't really say anything at all, but the music and recording are super. Or, some ads that are so clever and well-done you forget they're just trying to sell you something. Sometimes ads are better than the show they appear on. THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT...da da da da!

Is there a parable here? I don't know. You tell me.

From Cacao to Morning Cocoa

I was reflecting on the cacao nibs drying in my oven (on pilot light) and the whole process, from the raw fruit, through fermentation, drying, etc. to the point of chocolate or cocoa. Our understanding of how to prepare all sorts of produce is handed down from generation to generation, everything from making cheese to wine or coffee. But, how did it all start? Current teaching would have us believe it was pure chance, a process of trial and error, and random discoveries, moving slowly through thousands of years of human technological evolution, like the rest of our supposed history from drifting protoplasm to modern man.

I hope most Christians would tend to question that theory or begin to, since God's Word has another version of our accumulated understanding. There we learn that God is the source of wisdom and knowledge, in the physical world as well as the spiritual. While Adam and Eve walked in the garden with their Creator, I'm sure He was explaining the uses of and methods of caring for and preparing all of what He had planted. I can imagine their curiosity as they walked with their Lord in his beautiful garden. We are told, "The land produced vegetation..." (Genesis 1:12) but, "the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden" (Gen. 2:8) There is a difference. Wilderness grows as it will, but "God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Vs. 15) And, we know from the following verses that God walked with them and talked to them in the Garden.

Further, the prophet Isaiah tells us directly where agricultural knowledge comes from. It is such a beautiful passage, I'm going to quote the whole thing (almost). Isaiah 28:23-29:

Listen and hear my voice;
pay attention and hear what I say.
When a farmer plows for planting, does he
plow continually?
Does he keep on breaking up and
harrowing the soil?
When he has leveled the surface,
does he not sow caraway and scatter
cumin?
Does he not plant wheat in its place,
barley in its plot,
and spelt in its field?
His God instructs him
and teaches him the right way.
Caraway is not threshed with a scythe,
nor is a cartwheel rolled over cumin;
caraway is beaten out with a rod,
and cumin with a stick.
Grain must be ground to make bread....
All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
wonderful in counsel and magnificent in
wisdom.


Back to the cacao, all this considering was brought on by a recent cooking blog post about a new way of preparing the fruit using a food dehydrator, skipping the fermentation and roasting processes. I thought, hey this is great, short and simple. Went out (well really it was Craig's list) got a food dehydrator and gave it a try. Guess what? Used up a lot of electricity and didn't get the job done. Sometimes the old ways are better.

Though the different techniques employed for utilizing produce may have changed, the processes are pretty much the same today. i.e. instead of fermenting cacao under palm or banana leaves outdoors, it is more convenient for me to use a pasta pot in a gas oven with pilot light, or for a factory to use a big mechanized operation to deal in quantity. And, isn't it interesting that processing plants remove the cocoa butter for other uses, then add in milk products to achieve that same delicious unctuousness that is part of the chocolate experience. I like mine the way it comes - non dairy. Grind the roasted pods and put in my French Press, add hot water. Voila!

a cacao pod opened

One of my Bible Commentaries compares the verses in Isaiah to the way God created people so different from one another, and how everyone should be treated differently as well, with understanding and respect for their individuality and uniqueness.

The Bride Is Waiting

We went to Upper Room Ministries' Seder last night where many awesome connections between elements of the Passover ceremony and their fulfillment in Messiah Jesus were spoken of by a couple from Chosen People, an international ministry to the Jews.


For example, the matzoth is both pierced and broken (Isaiah 53:5). It is the middle piece which is removed from its place and broken, symbolizing the Son in the Trinity. It is then wrapped in a linen cloth and hidden (Matthew 27:58-60). Later it is found and redeemed (from death or obscurity).

I heard one explanation in particular that was new to me, a parable which I thought was wonderful about the church as the Bride of Christ, waiting for the return of the Bridegroom. It seems that Jewish couples used to start off, before the actual wedding, with a contract from the prospective groom, in which his promises to her were listed. Then the bride price was paid and he went to prepare a place for them to live. It was usually on top of the family home, where a new floor was added on. And, while he was preparing this home for them, the bride would wait for his return. This could be a year or more. Finally, he would come, with an escort of his groomsmen, to take her home.

Wow! Here we are waiting to see the fantastic place Jesus is preparing for us who are his beloved, in his Father's house. - "Love plans ahead." - And, there will be a marriage feast, which we are invited to - "The wedding supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9) Holding fast to God is what brings us out alive - out of this life and into eternal life. "...but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today." May well be announced to us at the Marriage Feast, and may we all be there drinking a toast to that! So, it's important to be ready, not off somewhere else spiritually, forgetting about who we are called to be.

Why A Blog?

In September of last year I wrote an entry in my journal, which was the source of this blog's title - Standing Straight - now we're standing straighter. I'm going to post that today, just so you know where the name came from.

I was interested to learn about the "Alexander" method for correcting posture, and still mean to work more on that. I made a few appointments with a facilitator to be introduced to the technique. What a good reminder it was - that our bodies were designed with an optimum alignment of muscles and bones to function at their best when we are standing straight, in a correct manner. A wonderful creation, we are a perfect parable for the spiritual body.

Whilst she is explaining things, the teacher incorporates the theory that all spiritual philosophical paths are equal, saying the same thing, basically. She tries to control it, but is obviously angry when I stop the lecture and compare this idea to stating that 2+2=5 is as valid an equation as any other. Objective truth should apply in all departments of life.

When our lives are aligned with God's standard in every way, reflecting his truth and plan, then Jesus will be most clearly seen in us. That's what I want - for others to see Christ in me.
My goal for this blog is that I might use the opportunity technology affords to give an account of the hope that is in me.

All In The Timing

Reading today in Numbers 9:15-23, I thought it was noteworthy how God taught the Israelites to pay attention and look to him for direction. It says, in part:

Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent (Tabernacle), the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. Nu. 9:17-18

Sometimes they stayed at a place for a short time and sometimes a month or a year. At night the cloud looked like fire. So, if they were to leave at night, they would see it and be able to follow. God used the cloud over the Sanctuary to clearly show them his will and train them to habitually wait and watch for his direction and timing, moving it in an unpredictable way, at least to them. He may have had his own reasons for each move. I would like to have more of that immediate, reaction of obedience toward God worked into my own life. Always looking to him for direction.

Moses had a related quality, worth emulating, and that we can learn from today, (this from Numbers 9:6-8). When asked for a decision, he replies: "Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you." And, in Numbers 27:5, "So, Moses brought their case before the Lord." And, this was almost the last decision he was asked to give. In his answer to Moses God told him to go up on the mountain where he would die. Then, in his final request he asks God to appoint a successor to himself so the people wouldn't be left leaderless. I think most of us, in his place, would be thinking ourselves perfectly capable of deciding these things, but he knew that our ways are not always God's. Even at the very end of his life on earth with all of his experience and closeness to his Lord. What a humble guy!

On a mundane note, I think my banana wine might be finally coming into its own. Either that or I've found the right thing to pair it with? Made in 2005, I've been trying it ever since (a 5 gal. batch!) and dumping bottles, minus the test glass, into my vinegar crock. There was definitely a flavor flaw. Today, however, I opened another and it went well with a little onion, tomato & fresh oregano pizza. Would probably be equally good with spicy Asian or Indian food. Guess some things just need a bit of time. I've heard a comparison made between Christians who are in process, to little green apples (or bananas) - they're perfect for the stage of growth they're at, just not yet at peak flavor, or in the case of Christians, performance.

A Pig Chase

What you don't see in this photo, taken at about 6:00 a.m. this morning, is me in my pajamas and little silk bed jacket, running after the pig, madly trying to make the most of a photo op, without getting charged, and chase him out the gate at the same time. I think that would have been a better picture. More amusing anyway. And, in my haste I deleted everything but this one shot from my memory card. How did that happen? The poor thing (a wild adolescent boar) must have been trying to get out most of the night. Around 11 p.m. I thought I heard pigs, so went down the drive and shut the gate. In the early morning I heard snorting sounds again and wondered if one had gotten trapped inside. Sure enough.

You might be wondering if this is going anywhere. And, yes, it is. When I was interrupted by the boar, I had been writing about what a great parable God gave us in the Old Testament. They were commanded to go into Canaan and take the land, as the "iniquity of the Amorites" had reached its limit in God's perfect timing. The Israelites were given the land - the outcome was promised to them by God and He did give them victory. Their part was to be committed, faithful and obedient to the Lord. They were told to "be strong and courageous" and fight the necessary battles, believing God for the outcome.

Christians are to take enemy territory as well. We are told in Ephesians 6 to "Put on the full armor of God." Spiritual warfare is called for. Satan was defeated at the Cross by Jesus, but he still holds a lot of territory in human souls. However, we are also commanded, "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Ephesians 6:10 And, Jesus assured his church, "the gates of hell will not stand against" our onslaught.

Getting back to the piggy point (yes Margaret, there is one), at times - even though he doesn't really belong - a spirit agent of the enemy may enter (or have been in all along & not ejected from) our saved Christian lives, if we've left the gate open. And, he'll be happy to stay there too, unlike the boar who wanted desperately to get his freedom back. I guess habitual sin could be compared to an automatic gate opener. As an addendum, I'd like to add this quote, which is appropriate:

Ed Welch: “There is a mean streak to authentic self-control. Self-control is not for the timid. When we want to grow in it, not only do we nurture an exuberance for Jesus Christ, we also demand of ourselves a hatred for sin. The only possible attitude toward out-of-control desire is a declaration of all-out war. There is something about war that sharpens the senses. You hear a twig snap or the rustling of leaves and you are in attack mode. Someone coughs and you are ready to pull the trigger. Even after days of little or no sleep, war keeps us vigilant.”

Get Racked

The guava wine on the right needs to be racked

I have several carboys of wine which need racking at the moment (siphoning off the sediment) and I've been putting it off too long. Such a bother, all that washing up, sanitizing, lugging of heavy bottles, etc., takes some time and effort. But, leaving wine too long on its lees affects the taste negatively. The sediment comes from dead yeasts, and small leavings of the fruit. A little while on it is o.k. for some flavor, but too long, and yuck.

Several of the Old Testament prophets use this image to describe the spiritual state of their people. (Jeremiah 48:11 & Zephaniah 1:12) Junk had accumulated in their lives, contaminants from the dead yeasts of sin, and bad influences from the world around them. What a great analogy. Still applies today. Just look at all the input we can absorb from our culture through movies, T.V., magazines, friends and acquaintances, even family, that taints us spiritually. Then there's the bad habits we sit on, unwilling to let go of, so that our lives might be clarified, i.e. purified. I'm meditating today on what I need to get rid of. I know, some of you are going to say - what about that wine? Maybe so, but hey, Jesus was a wine maker. Then, there's Isaiah 25:6. But, worth considering.....

Suck Lemons or Make Lemonade

This being only my third post, the whole blogging scene is very new to me. I feel as though I've been lost in space and just got back. So, to catch up I've been doing a little research, reading lots of different blogs (especially my favorites - the cooking ones) and some of the comments posted. It's been a bit of a surprise though, the level of anger out there (not on the cooking ones) being expressed toward people with differing opinions or beliefs, not to mention hostility toward God. Right now, in my Old Testament reading, I've just finished with Leviticus. In Lev. 26:14-30, the Lord details a number of scary consequences which he warns the people will result from their hostility towards himself and his laws - and it ain't pretty! Reminds me of Revelation 16, where the 7 bowls of God's wrath are being poured out and, even as people are suffering and in misery, they "cursed the God of heaven" and "refused to repent of what they had done." On a very popular site the author, as well as commentators, speak of "thumbing their noses" at God, because of a miscarriage, sad experience and perceived injustice. It seems a bit silly, really. If you believe in an all powerful God, whose fault you think it was, I'd say, it would be wiser to not attract more negative attention - hey get on his good side. Where does "thumbing your nose" get you? And, more likely, if you don't really believe there is a God, who are you venting your anger at? This posted statement, in particular grabbed me:

"And it's so true, if Jesus saw a pregnant woman who had fallen to the ground, he'd surely walk up and kick her in the stomach. I remember that teaching specifically."

I won't give the "credit" or source, as we'll try to avoid negative input, but it did make me think. The remark takes a universal point of view, that any pregnant woman, no matter who she is, what her life is like, what she's involved in, etc. etc., is a sympathetic figure and somehow "worthy". No bad shit should ever happen. Like saying all people of African descent are good or all white people are bad or .... you get the picture.

I remember having a bad fall from my horse several years ago. I was laid up, flat on my back, hoping it would heal soon. Strangely enough, that time was one of real spiritual growth, during which I drew much closer to God. I guess what we're saying here is that, just because bad things happen, sometimes to good people, it doesn't mean fine stuff can't be made out of it. That all depends on what we do with the situation. Suck lemons or make lemonade.



As an addendum, I just read a review of Night of Weeping & Morning of Joy, by Horatius Bonar. A new printing by Reformation Heritage Books and reviewed by Tony Reinke at The Shepherd's Scrapbook. The book is on "how to interpret the difficult circumstances of our life on earth in light of the eternal promises and purposes of God."

Life in Christ is preparation for something greater—"the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Bonar calls us to pay attention to the suffering and trials of this life because God is at work in all of the trials and struggles of this life, to prepare us for something greater, more gracious, and more glorious." We are tested to growth through circumstances and relationships.
Sounds like a book I want to read.