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February 27, 2007

Thoughts about Leviticus

I'm reading through Leviticus right now via my One Year Bible. Strange book no? It's especially hard to understand all the diatary laws God establishes for His people.

The commentary my Bible provides on this book, explains several theories scholars have formed regarding the rules set up in Leviticus. Some scholars explain that these rules emmerge via the healthy affects generated by following them. For example, pigs, were considered unclean by the Israelites, because in fact they carry parasites. In not eating pork, people will perhaps remain healthier.

Other scholars think God established these laws to set his people apart from surrounding people groups. The Canaanites used pigs quite a bit in their worship practices, therefore, it was necessary for Israel not to follow suit.

Some scholars reject these theories altogether and claim that the people of Israel were rejecting what was intuitively repulsive to God. Namely, "creeping insects, scavenger birds (animals carrying parasites) etc..." (NIV Study Bible 138)

Not sure what I think, especially about this last theory. Are there certain creatures that are repulsive to God? I am naturally averted to rats and cockroaches, but is that just because they dart quickly in and out and have scared me at one point or another in my life. Also, I know they are dirty and potentially carry disease.

As stewards (sorry H-D this word was overused at Calvin!) of creation, I think some of these questions are important. How are we to care for creation...even the animals and things in creation that we are naturally repulsed by. This seems kind of like a silly question, I guess. I mean what is a spider, a worm, a rat, compared to a person. Issues like these are tricky too because of the suffering that so many people in our world experience. Still, it's something I ponder.

Posted by larawalk at 11:34 AM | Comments (7)

February 22, 2007

Tiring Questions

"So, what do you do?"

I find myself more and more, frusterated by this question. Perhaps it's because right now, I'm not quite sure where my studies/life are heading. When I hear this question I feel like I've got to have it all figured out.

This question makes me feel labeled. Immediately I feel as though I'm calculated, and put in a box w/ tight strings: "Oh, she's studying X, she must be brilliant. Or, " Oh, she's studying Y, she must have this type of personality." or " Oh, she's traveling to Z, she's amazingly strong." A million judgments and opinions (can) snap through the mind in the face of this simple question.

I guess, I just long for exchanges that are creative and honest. Must we always hide behind socially acceptable questions and phrases? Even w/ friends, it's easy to fall into the pile of standard questions: How are you? (do we really care?). What's up? What are you doing this weekend?

Engaging in real, creative, conversation is easier said then done. I need to remind myself that conversations is an art that demands practice and wisdom. It's also good to rememer that there are lots of different types of conversations-you simply can't be "deep" w/ everyone.

Above all, I'm convicted that conversation is something, I need God to help me w/. It's a good opportunity to come before him and ask for help. Yes, even in the middle of those awkward, stumbling for words, dialogues.

Posted by larawalk at 04:17 PM | Comments (11)

February 13, 2007

Snowed In!

This is wolf. He's quite the survivor, let me tell you. A few years back, his jaw was singed when his negligent owner attempted to use him as a lamp shade. To add to his physical discomfort, a person ( who will go un-named) accidentally pulled out a tuft of his wiskers. It's a wonder this guys alive!

Here I am w/ wolf, Daniel (orange Bear named after my Dad), and another Bear who has never been named (ideas?). Don't we make an interesting bunch!

Finally, here is a picture of my infamous baby blanket. This picture makes it look a little less ragged than it actully is!

Cheers to snow days!

Posted by larawalk at 02:18 PM | Comments (6)

February 09, 2007

Before the Twins Woke Up

Ab and I hung out last Saturday. We were babysitting some twins, at a funeral home of all places. I probably shouldn't post the kids photos, but here are some of my sister. These were taken while we were waiting for the twins to wake up from their nap.

Posted by larawalk at 09:40 PM | Comments (1)

Spit it out

I wish I was a improv slam poet so I could spit out words as fast as they came. No need to write down or remember. Just spit, spit, spit, till you can't think any more.

I think my brain is overstimulated. It's like the feeling I had last night: coffee, sweets, hot chocolate mixed w/ trying to sleep.

I just finished watching "God Grew Tired of Us", a documentary about the lost boys of Sudan. The problems in Africa, they just put everything into perspective. My struggles grow small and dim in contrast like pictures taken from a rising rocket.

Rocket huh? Ring a bell ? Yes, the astronaut woman caught in a love triangle, driving, driving, w/ an diaper on so as not to loose time. Time? She needed all the time she could get in order to assalt/murder the object of her jealousy.

One of my co-workers sincerely questioned this case: "How does that happen? How do people snap? Could I snap like that?" I didn't know what to tell him. I mumbled something about community and sharing your deepest darkest sins w/ others. But really, can that alone save us from evil? From passion gone bad/mad? Lord have mercy. Protect us. Save us. Forgive this woman. Forgive us.

It's just so crazy, sometimes, this world. One moment I'm in a coffee shop reading a book, feeling French and poetic or something. The next moment I'm sitting there in Africa, watching starving skeletons march on a screen. My mind can't do it. It resists. It screams.

Then, the next day, I'm on w/ my life and all my absorbed thinking. Strands of anxious thoughts go by, tying me up in ropes. Sometimes the thinking is fun though. Sometimes I stand by the train (which I catch to school) and imagine my future: Who I'm going to marry? how many kids? What will they look like? Should I live in the inner-city or move out to the sticks so I can run w/ out constraint and cry.

Cry? I remember when I was in high school, or maybe it was college. I imagined a big field full of redish flowers. I wanted to find this field so I could cry. Really cry. Let it all out under the sky. I just remembered that.

Tttttttt(THat's how I laugh sometimes), speaking of crying I saw "Garden State" the other day. Oh, before I get to the crying part, I must say I howled when the girl (I can't remember her name now) hands the protagonist of the film the remains of her precious baby blanket. I laugh because I have all these plans to patch my decaying baby blanket but the reality of the situation is that, in all likelihood, like the girls, my blanket will eventually decay. Crying? Oh, ya, it was cool that the dude eventually shed a few tears. I liked how they were gently preserved in that plastic cup.

I wonder how many gallons we would collect if we gathered all the tears shed here on this crazy planet. Maybe we could save some thirsty refugees, or maintain a garden-a place we all belong.

Kind of a late night rant guys. Thanks for listening.

Posted by larawalk at 01:05 AM | Comments (4)

February 07, 2007

Pictures

I have pictures~

Thanks to Heidi, Neil, and Worku

Posted by larawalk at 05:58 PM | Comments (5)

February 04, 2007

Good old Dostoevsky

I finished reading "The Brother's Karamazov" and am left with a thousand questions and a hundred intrigues: Who is the hero of this book? Is it really Alyosha? How does Smerdykov's identity as an illigitimate son play into his final "gesture"? What's to be made of the "stench" Father Zozima leaves behind? Why does Dostoevsky weave a sub plot out of Ilusha's short life? What role does comedy play in this novel? What are Dostoevsky's answers to the questions he poses (suffering of the innocent, God's existence, supernatural experience vs. psychotic episodes). If any one has read this book and wants to chat it up, let me know. I'm itching to talk about it.

Posted by larawalk at 05:46 PM | Comments (8)