Category: Torah (Law)

The beginning to ca. 1400 B.C.

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BECAUSE YOU WERE OBEDIENT

obedience

When looking for a picture for today’s post, I searched pixabay.com with the word obedience. 

Dogs, dogs, and more dogs were the main photos that appeared. 

The one above is showing a shepherd dog breed doing weave poles on an agility course. 

  • What is it about dogs that make us link them so closely with the word obedience? 

As a norm, dogs that are properly raised desire to please their humans. 

My husband did agility training with Molly, one of our previous dogs. 

Molly loved the rewards of food treats while learning the various parts of an agility course. 

When Molly was not actively training on the course, we had to keep her leashed because she would search the entire field for any stray treats that other dogs may have missed. 

Molly also loved the time she spent being active with my husband while training. 

It was a special bonding time for their relationship. 

  • How does this relate to Bible Study? 
Continue reading “BECAUSE YOU WERE OBEDIENT”
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Parental Impact On Our Character

fudge pops

Do your parents or caretakers share stories about you as a child that you do not personally remember?

My grandmother did this exact thing with me.

Every year she would sign my birthday card with, “May today not be a ‘plain ole day’ for you!”

At family gatherings, the story behind the “plain ole day” reference was often laughed over.

Grandma was caring for me and my siblings while our parents were traveling.

I was supposed to eat a Twinkie early in the day.

But Grandma couldn’t find where mom had stored the Twinkie.

No Twinkie for Barbara Lynn.

Later in the afternoon, the milk delivery truck arrived.

I asked Grandma if we could get some frozen fudge pops.

Grandma said no.

No frozen fudge pops for Barbara Lynn.

I stomped away from her muttering, “well this sure is a plain ole day.”

How does this relate to Bible Study?

Continue reading “Parental Impact On Our Character”
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What Key Ingredient Is Missing?

key ingredients

A couple of years ago, my husband and I were preparing a meal for our extended family at his mother’s home.

The menu included a vegetable tray with hummus, butternut squash lasagna, steamed broccoli, and a dessert munchies platter.

This was the first time we attempted the butternut squash lasagna.

We used the vegetable tray with hummus as an appetizer as we started steaming the broccoli.

Everything was going as planned.

Delightful conversation and enjoyable food for all.

When we opened the oven, we realized we had neglected a key ingredient.

What key ingredient was missing?

Heat.

And you thought I was going to say butternut squash!

No, it was not the oven’s fault.

It was our error. 

We had misunderstood the controls on the oven.

After we recovered from laughing, we served the steamed broccoli, followed by a dessert tray and then butternut lasagna as the last course.

  • What does this missing key ingredient story have to do with Bible Study?
Continue reading “What Key Ingredient Is Missing?”
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How Far Would You Go?

practicing

At the start of my undergraduate studies in music, I was told I was required to practice my instruments two hours daily. Since I was pursuing a degree in two instruments — piano and flute — that meant four hours of daily practice.

This was besides private lessons, band and orchestra rehearsals, accompanying other flutists as a part of my scholarship responsibilities, and performing in masterclasses.

I also had a full course load of other required courses since I was attending a liberal arts university.

My heart was determined to excel musically, so I practiced more than the required two hours daily per instrument.

I would be at the music building as the janitors were unlocking so that I could either get into a practice room or my professor’s studio.

Between classes and other rehearsals, I would be in the practice rooms until security kicked me out so they could lock up the building.

If I’d been lucky enough to get into my professor’s office after she left, security couldn’t kick me out since they could not know if it was a student or a teacher. So yes, there were nights I spent the night in my professor’s office practicing and occasionally resting on her couch.

Sundays are when I would catch up on all my other courses and rest from practicing unless I had a performance scheduled.

My professors recognized my dedication but did not know I had set up a practice routine of ten hours a day, Monday-Saturday. 

  • What does this have to do with Bible Study?
Continue reading “How Far Would You Go?”
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When Not to Ask Questions

noquestionsasked
  • When did you not ask questions?

Back when my husband and I were living in Oklahoma, he was standing in our kitchen with his back to me ranting about the garbage bucket needing to be emptied. His level of frustration regarding an overfilled garbage bucket was excessive. It was also not his usual demeanor.

Although I wanted to ask questions or say something snarky about his behavior, I sensed the issue was not about the garbage bucket.

Turns out tired frustrations over something at his work triggered his behavior, not the garbage, nor me.

To this day, I am glad I let him express his frustration rather than interrogate him right then.

  • How do you decide not to ask questions?
  • Does the Bible have an example of not asking questions?
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Firepits

burnt offering

Why are we drawn to gather around firepits?

Firepits may be used to cook a meal, keep one warm, and to generate light at night.

Fellowship with others often occurs around firepits.

My husband and I find time spent around a firepit to be enjoyable whether it is just the two of us, a few friends, or even a larger group at a camping event.

But sometimes a firepit is used to burn up something.

  • What does this talk of firepits have to do with Bible study?
Continue reading “Firepits”
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LETTING GO

lettinggo

When have you struggled with letting go?

What triggered your struggle with letting go?

Was it a person, place, or thing that you were letting go?

Recently I assisted my parents in their second process of downsizing.

The first downsizing occurred only four years prior from a ranch house that had been my childhood home. They had lived there at least fifty years.

This time they were downsizing from a duplex to a handicapped apartment.

Letting go of space, paper, furniture, timing, control, and so on, were the operative words for everyone involved.

Stress and tension were present due to fond memories of things that were forced into the category of letting go.

How does this relate to Bible Study?

Continue reading “LETTING GO”
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MATERNAL INSTINCTS

maternalinstincts

What do you think is happening in the picture above?

Is the dog simply curious about the kitten?

Or is the dog a threat to the kitten?

How do you know?

What if instead of a dog and cat, the picture was of two half-brothers?

One is your child. The other is the child of your husband with another woman who was your maidservant.

How do you interpret the photo now?

What does this have to do with Bible study?

Continue reading “MATERNAL INSTINCTS”
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CELEBRATION TIME

celebration

What life transitions have you hosted a feast in celebration?

Perhaps a significant birthday?

A wedding or an anniversary?

Graduation from high school or college perhaps?

Did you ever host a celebration for weaning your child?

ESV Genesis 21:8  And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

I personally have never been invited to or heard of someone hosting a celebration at the life transition of their child being weaned except in the verse above.

Why does scripture tell us Abraham celebrated this life transition?

Continue reading “CELEBRATION TIME”
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Babies and Old Age Part Two Bible Study

babies and old age

Our Bible study, Babies and Old Age Part One, focused on the age of Abraham as mentioned in the following verse:

ESV  Genesis 21:5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Although Sarah’s age is absent in the verse above, reading cross references and commentaries for this verse takes one to verses that mention Sarah’s age.

It is one thing for a man to father a child in his old age.

But for a woman to give birth in her old age? This is most unusual!

Continue reading “Babies and Old Age Part Two Bible Study”
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