King Solomon's mines

this is pretty cool...

Mine from King Solomon's Time Discovered

Researchers led by Thomas Levy of the University of California, San Diego, and Mohammad Najjar of Jordan's Friends of Archaeology, discovered a copper-production center in southern Jordan that dates to the 10th century B.C., the time of Solomon's reign.

The discovery occurred at Khirbat en-Nahas, which means "ruins of copper" in Arabic. Located south of the Dead Sea, the region was known in biblical times as Edom.

Research at the site in the 1970s and 1980s indicated that metalworking began there in the 7th century B.C., long after Solomon.

But Levy and Najjar dug deeper and were able to date materials such as seeds and sticks to the 10th century B.C.

Their findings are reported in Tuesday's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

:)

more Lily

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she beautiful?

first dress

These are taken from our first video chat with the Atlanta DiCristinas. Lily dressed up for our visit, this is her first time in a dress!

water Lily

all cozy after a bath -

Luke 6:27-38

Love Your Enemies

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

tough and tender

I appreciated these words from a commentary on this week's Torah reading (the weekly Jewish lectionary, which covers all of Genesis through Deuteronomy each year).  As Rosh HaShanah is the New Year in the Jewish calendar, the Torah reading is just finishing up.  ("HaShem" is a way of referring to God, literally meaning "the Name," ie.  YHWH, or Yahweh - blessed be his name).

Too often, parents and teachers alike resort to harshness in dealing with their children and we adults also too often do the same with each other.  It seems that the art of gentleness and the virtue of kindness has gone out of fashion in our day.  A pity!  Where would we be if Hashem stopped being gentle and kind toward us?  Are we not to treat others the way He treats us?

When Joshua was told to be strong and courageous, Moshe was instructing him first in how to deal with his own people; and only afterwards, with the nations whom they would dispossess.  True strength has no need to be harsh; for true strength is best expressed through gentle firmness.  Genuine courage is not arrogant; it is firm but in a kindly way.  It knows nothing of sarcasm, hostility and agitation.  True biblical strength and courage are expressions of a selfless love toward those whom we serve.  This was the message to Joshua - and indeed, it is the message to us this week.

Of course, "Joshua" was Jesus' name technically.  (The one coming from Hebrew, the other from the Greek, hence the difference).  And Jesus perfectly incarnated this beautiful call to relate as God does...

The whole comment is at

http://www.lekarev.org/torah/Vayelech68.htm

U.S. Catholic Bishops' letter re. Financial Crisis

This financial mess has been so upsetting. Economically, of course, but also trying to understand it - that is a full-time job. The fear factor and the hype to push something through without scrutiny also makes it worse. And the frustration of a whole system that has become so sick, even evil, where "the privatization of gain and socialization of loss" indebts virtually everyone...

Anyway - I'm trying to understand it; I'm trying to trust in the Lord; and I'm trying to see how kingdom living might be radically different than being a Christian who also is committed to the good, old American dream with its consumerism, selfishness, pleasure-seeking marketing, etc.

Robert told me yesterday about a letter that the U.S. Catholic Bishops had released - a five-point moral compass with regard to this 700 billion dollar bailout (that's $700,000,000,000 - a lot of zeroes, and a lot of food, medicine, clothing, housing...).

U.S. Catholic Bishops Letter to Congress, Bush Administration

The letter concludes with this summarizing paragraph:

Our Catholic tradition calls for a "society of work, enterprise and participation" which "is not directed against the market, but demands that the market be appropriately controlled by the forces of society and by the state to assure that the basic needs of the whole society are satisfied" (Centesimus Annus). These words of John Paul II should be adopted as a standard for all those who carry this responsibility for our nation, the world and the common good of all.

Yes indeed - the common good. We exist, of course for the praise of God's glory. One way we fulfill that is to work for the common good, to seek the welfare of the city in which we live (Genesis 1:28; Jeremiah 29:7), to do all we can to promote peace / shalom for all, that is, wholeness, healing, a context for human flourishing...

Looking up this letter reminded me of the Bishops' Pastoral Letter on the Economy released in the late 1980's. I hope to revisit that.

Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath,
even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
On the scales they are lighter than a breath,
all of them together
Put no trust in extortion;
in robbery take no empty pride;
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
God has spoken once, twice have I heard it,
that power belongs to God.
Steadfast love is yours, O Lord
for you repay everyone according to his deeds.
(Psalm 62:12)