General
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For the Homeschool Grammar Nerds
This is a follow up post to Why I Write. What’s the longest sentence in the Bible? That’s kind of a trick question. The longest sentence in the original Greek and the longest sentence in the modern English translations are in the same chapter, but they’re different verses. In Greek, Ephesians 1:3-14 is one sentence. One sentence! Come on, Paul! I love it, though. I can imagine Paul being so overwhelmed with the awesomeness of God that he just keeps writing. He did this – and this – and we have all this because of it. And then we come to Ephesians 1:15-21. These seven verses are just one sentence…
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What is the Blood Curse of Jeconiah? Part 2
Through the prophets Samuel and Isaiah, God promised Israel that the throne of David would be established forever. Nevertheless, Israel didn’t have a smooth ride. Because of Solomon’s disobedience, the Kingdom split in his son Rehoboam’s reign. God gave Jeroboam the Northern Kingdom, leaving Rehoboam with the remnant – Judah. The Northern Kingdom lasted for just over 200 years, from 930 to 722 BC, and in that tumultuous time went through 10 dynasties. For a visual, see this chart. Zimri’s dynasty lasted only 7 days! The backstabbing and intrigue could inspire many a telenovela. In contrast, David’s line survived, father to son, through every threat. Even when Queen Athaliah tried…
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Something new for 2024
When I became a believer during my senior year in high school, I loved studying the names of God. I had a big poster filled with God’s names and attributes: I Am, El Shaddai, Elohim, etc… It was a black background with His names in different colors filling the poster. Anyone remember it? The poster was a staple in Christian bookstores in the ’80s. It traveled with me to college and back and to my first apartment. I would meditate on this visual reminder in times of stress, and it brought so much comfort. By the time I finally retired it, the edges were tattered, and it had countless creases…
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The Ishtar Gate
If you visit the Babylon Archeological Site in Iraq today, you will not find the Ishtar Gate. To see that, you must travel to the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, Germany. The original gate was disassembled brick by brick, shipped to Europe, restored, and reassembled to grace the halls of the museum. However, you will see a recreation of the gate standing as a sentinel at the head of the Processional Way. This gate is just one of eight gates into the ancient city of Babylon, but it is surely the most important. Nebuchadnezzar’s passion was to make Babylon a masterpiece, and the Ishtar Gate was the jewel in the crown.…
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Rosemaling
Rosemaling, the Norwegian folk art originally developed as painting flowers on wood, provides some texture for my story. Joe’s mom serves mujaddara, a Middle Eastern dish of lentils, rice, and caramelized onions, in a beautiful rosemaled platter. https://www.dailyscandinavian.com/the-story-of-norwegian-rosemaling/ Rosemaling went out of fashion in the nineteenth century, but it’s seen a resurgence with the popularity of Frozen. I think rosemaling is just lovely, and YouTube has some great tutorials. Enjoy!
