A Bible Study Blog
On my wedding day, I wore a veil.
This is the most common use of veils in my country.
Other cultures require women to be veiled whenever in public.
More rarely, I discovered some cultures require men to be veiled.
The purpose of a veil can be ornamental, traditional, practical, or symbolic.
Possibly all at the same time.
What does this mean for Genesis 24:64-65?
Continue reading “When Do You Use Veils?”
Your answer to the question above may depend on your stage of life.
Those with young children will certainly have a different “routine” to their evening than someone who is an empty nester, for example.
Relaxing.
Energizing.
Meditative.
Relational.
Entertaining.
Industrious.
Other.
I live near the blue ridge mountains.
Frequently, I enjoy a glimpse of the mountain range as I commute to work.
This glimpse always brings a smile to my face.
Yet there are days when rain, fog, or darkness hide their presence from view.
Our emotional states mirror this experience with highs and lows.
Everyone has good and tough days.
Some days are harder than others.
Join me in looking at Psalm 121 for some encouragement.
Continue reading “Are You Struggling Today?”
I recently attended the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in Black Mountain, NC.
My goal in attending this conference was to learn more about the craft of writing and gain constructive criticism on my writing and an upcoming speaking engagement on June 15th for Pendleton St Baptist Church in Greenville, SC.
Before the conference, I elected to take advantage of some paid critiques that helped to prepare and guide me regarding which sessions to attend and which presenters I should try to meet. One of the paid critiques encouraged me to pitch a project we had discussed.
But I did not feel ready to pitch.
Yet, I repeatedly received encouragement from those I met at the conference to talk to publishers or agents about my writing project.
I then prayed to the Lord that if this was a sign from Him, He would help me overcome my fear of pitching my idea.
How does Gen 24:14 support seeking signs from God?
Continue reading “SEEKING SIGNS FROM GOD”
I met my spouse through a college roommate in the spring semester of my sophomore year.
We got engaged in the spring of my junior year and married in August, just before my senior year.
During our pre-marital counseling, there were a couple of weeks that we both wondered if we should follow through with the wedding.
Thirty-some years later, we are still married.
Our process of getting married differs from how Isaac, in the book of Genesis, acquired a spouse.
Continue reading “Who Helped You Choose Your Spouse?”
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.