It's Spring!

It's been beautiful weather in Denver this week (although we could use some moisture). Today is the day that we've really seen evidence of Spring though.

The kids were looking out in the backyard this morning and laughing at the squirrels who were "fighting". I explained that they weren't really fighting, but were getting ready to have babies. They, of course, thought that was particularly interesting.

Once we were ready for school, we were watching out the front window and the kids were enraptured with the many birds flying around, including a pair of Robins in our tree in the front.

My oldest (almost 8 years) informed his younger siblings that the birds were mating. They asked what that meant. Here's his reply:

"Well, mating is when animals get together and don't really have a ceremony in a church or anything, but they get a nest together and have babies. It's actually so amazing that I don't really have words to describe it."

At which point, I turned into the kitchen and had my own little private chuckle.

I love Spring. I love hearing the birds, watching the landscape come back to life after dull winter colors. I feel content in the fullness of hope that comes with new life.

International Women's Day

International Women's Day was created in 1911 and serves to as a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

Julie Clawson has organized a synchroblog for IWD and encouraged bloggers, pastors and anyone interested to tell the stories of women in the Bible.

I've started researching Hannah for my class this Spring. Her story is told at the beginning of the book of 1 Samuel. Hannah is married to Elkanah, who also has another wife, Peninnah. And here's where the story gets interesting...Peninnah has children, but Hannah doesn't. Having children was a vital role of women in that society and Hannah's lack of children significantly impacted her status.

This particular year, as the family is in Shiloh worshiping the Lord, Hannah prays desperately for a son and in return she promises to give the child back to the Lord for service. Through a series of events, her prayer is answered and her son becomes the means by which God works in Israel and eventually establishes a monarchy for the kingdom.

As I look at Hannah and her story, I'm reminded of Sarai (later Sarah). Both these women were unable to have children and through a miracle of God were granted sons who were instrumental in God's work within the people of Israel. It's easy to overlook these stories as they don't seem critical. Yet the stories are included and we're left to wrestle with the "why".

Considering the status of women during Old Testament (and New Testament) times, the inclusion of these stories, I believe, is a glimpse into the redemption God intends for the people of God. The stories from the margins show insight into Kingdom values and encourage us to honor such stories in our world today.

Hannah's story is of a woman shunned in her culture, of little value. Her cry to the Lord, the ensuing pregnancy and her beautiful, prophetic song set the stage for God's next move.

Let us value the stories of women. Let us honor the stories of calling and passion. Let us grieve the stories of abuse and degradation. Let us work to encourage, to protect, to call out injustice and to be agents of God's kingdom of reconciliation!

There are some amazing posts as part of this synchroblog. I encourage you to check out the posts linked below:

Julie Clawson on the God who sees
Steve Hayes on St. Theodora the Iconodule
Sonja Andrews on Aunt Jemima
Sensuous Wife on a single mom in the Bible
Minnowspeaks on celebrating women
Michelle Van Loon on the persistant widow
Lyn Hallewell on the strength of biblical women
Shawna Atteberry on the Daughter of Mary Magdalene
Christine Sine on women who impacted her life
Susan Barnes on Tamar, Ruth, and Mary
Kathy Escobar on standing up for nameless and voiceless women
Ellen Haroutunian on out from under the veil
Liz Dyer on Mary and Martha
Bethany Stedman on Shiphrah and Puah
Dan Brennan on Mary Magdalene
Jessica Schafer on Bathsheba
Eugene Cho on Lydia
Laura sorts through what she knows about women in the Bible
Miz Melly preached on the woman at the well
AJ Schwanz on women’s work
Pam Hogeweide on teenage girls changing the world
Teresa on the women Paul didn’t hate
Helen on Esther
Happy on Abigail
Mark Baker-Wright on telling stories
Robin M. on Eve
Alan Knox is thankful for the women who served God

Beautiful Conversation

I called my kids to me and all of us snuggled together around our reading chair, now much to small to hold the four of us, but we manage. One sits on my lap and the two others each sit on the arm of the chair and we lean in together. This particular night, we're reading from In God's Name by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso.

I love this book, but honestly, my children have not. They would much rather read about the adventures of Scooby Doo or of Jack and Annie and the Magic Treehouse stories.

This particular evening, we decided to read the story a different way. This particular book talks about the names people have for God and how often it is easy to fight over which name is "right". It begins:

After God created the world, all living things on earth were given a name. The plants and the trees, the animals and the fish, and each person, young and old, had a special name. But no one knew the name for God. So each person searched for God's name.

The farmer who works the land calls God, "Source of Life"
The man who tends the sheep calls God "Shepherd"
The soldier who has fought too many wars calls God "Maker of Peace"
The slave who is freed from bondage calls God "Redeemer"

As the story unfolded, we took a break at each page and discussed that particular name for God. We asked the question why that character thought his/her name for God was so good and then talked about how that name does describe God. As we discussed, this book that has held so little interest for my children became alive. They were caught up in this story of who God is and how God works in our lives.

As we ended our reading for the night, they asked if we could read it again every night and talk more about God. I understood that my kids need to know more than just the details about God outlined in a book, but instead need to experience how it impacts them. Somewhere in that journey, it began to come alive and soak into their souls. My mother's heart was full and thankful.