A tale of two Princesses

Jacob thought Rachel was beautiful. She had long flowing hair and was drawing water so gracefully, she only had to flutter her eyelashes at Jacob and he was a goner.

He resolved right there and then that he would take her for his wife.

Only one snag. Her father, Laban, didn’t think this was fair because his eldest daughter was unmarried. He could see Rachel was too young and Jacob not altogether trustworthy, in fact he was rather impulsive. So he said if you really love my daughter you will work seven years and then Rachel can be your wife.

Jacob was so in love he didn’t care, he would do ANYTHING to have her.

Big sister Leah didn’t care that much for Jacob or did she? She was happy for her little sister. Rachel was so beautiful that all the guys fell in love with her, yet she was smitten with Jacob too. She was flattered that Jacob prized her so highly.

Leah looked in the mirror, but she couldn’t see very well cos she was very short-sighted. Nobody glanced twice at her, where Rachel had a gorgeous figure, perfect teeth and fair hair, Leah was plain, homely and dark.

She had nearly given up hope of ever being married. So she parked her life on the shelf and watched while her little sister flirted with anything that moved.

Her dad had other plans. I don’t know if he thought he was doing Jacob a favour by tricking him or whether he wanted to punish Rachel or genuinely wanted Leah to be happy. Or maybe he just wanted to marry her off and keep daddy’s little girl and favoured daughter Rachel to himself. I don’t really know.

But what transpired was like something out of Shortland Street.

I’m pretty sure Jacob was drinking some sort of love potion number 7 before his big wedding day. The seven years went by so quickly and finally the day came.

Rachel had five bridesmaids, and one of them was Leah. Rachel was putting on airs and on hens night, and Laban decided to make a deal with his daughter. He was doing this because it was shameful for the younger to marry before the elder. Leah had never been wildly in love like Rachel. Rachel was desperate to get married, and Jacob was so handsome and popular she was sure the prize would be hers. Rachel never spared a thought for her sister, with her looks the best she could hope for was a lifetime of spinning wool and serving her father in the cattle business.

Leah put on her bridesmaids dress and saw that Rachel had deliberately ordered them made them plain all the more to stand out from the rest as the ravishing bride. But then the thought came to her. What if I tried on Rachel’s wedding gown? I want to know what it’s like to wear white and be a princess. Rachel and Leah were not the same exact same size but they were close enough. The long flowing delicately embroidered robe graced her shoulders and even if she could not see clearly in the mirror she felt beautiful. It felt soft and silky, enveloping her and she felt light and floaty as if she had wings. This must be what it’s like to be loved, thought Leah. To wear a gown fit for a princess. Aunt Rebecca had made it especially and was an excellent seamstress.

Leah lit her torch to wait for the bridegroom. She had no idea what time he would arrive and it was getting dark. Where was Rachel? Still at the hen’s night? She had stayed out of it, to prepare for the big day.

The other bridesmaids were due to arrive soon and were also preparing.

All she could do was wait..and watch.

What I learned from God through dusting

Lord, why do I have to dust? Is cleanliness next to Godliness…really?

Aaah – choo! Sniff. Sorry.

I think of God’s temple, and wonder did it have carpet or were the floors so pristine you could eat off them? I recall God said to Moses, take of your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. Well, it was made of sapphires.

Jesus said to ‘shake the dust off your feet’. Those towns must have been really dusty. He was also really into footwashing.

Dust, like sin, gets everywhere. There’s no getting away from it. I sweep the floor and the dust flies everywhere. It’s dry, you can’t shape it into anything. It flakes off our bodies and makes things dull and dirty.

I went to a funeral were the body was cremated. The undertakers said the heat from the furnace was really hot and the body gets dropped into the oven and roasted, then ground into a powder. All that is left is ashes.

I’ve burned rose thistles and thorns. When burnt up they shrivel to nothing. Is this what hell is? I don’t ever want to be turned into blood and bone. Bury me whole, and let the spirit of the living God make these dry bones live.

Just add water. I think of Jesus, adding his spit to this dust, making us new and shaping us like a potter with his clay. And then I rinse my mop and wipe everything clean.

A Supernatural Parting

Jesus only went away for a little while. It was just three days, but those three days had turned the world upside down.  They were surprised he came back, before they had even finished mourning and looking only a little worse for wear with his hands and feet scarred from the crucifixion. Is that Jesus, the man from Galilee? Correction, the Son of God!

Everyone was surprised and could hardly believe it. Jesus was killed on the cross!  And now he was very much alive. It was the miracle to end all miracles. Mary at first did not recognize him and thought he was the gardener.  Jesus had a hard time convincing his disciples it was truly Him. Thomas especially. Jesus took him by the hand and asked him to touch his scars on his hands and feet. Thomas had to concede it was truly Him and not a Jesus impersonator or a ghost.

As Jesus was hungry after three days of no food he joined Peter and John for a picnic on the shore.

What, they didn’t believe me? But truly I told you...

Oh I knew you were coming back, John assured Jesus. I just didn’t know when. I knew you’d need to tell Peter where all the fish were.

 And it was true, Jesus knew exactly where Peter had to cast the net. They had a big catch that day!

Jesus told Peter he was the best cook and that because he loved him he would promise to feed his sheep and his lambs. Then he took Peter, John and the rest of the disciples who came round to believing to the mountain near Bethany, giving them instructions for them to wait in Jerusalem to receive power from on high. It was His way of being with them always...even while He was away.  He blessed them all as He parted from them up into heaven, out of sight into the clouds.....

Jonah's Journey

Phew! I am exhausted. I’m glad there’s a tree here so I can rest in the shade. I’m east of Ninevah having just come from there telling them they need to repent or God is going to destroy their city. I’m waiting to see if He’s going to do it!

It’s so hot here that I’ve built a little shelter as there are no houses around and nobody to bug me. When I was in Ninevah it was so crowded that I could hardly move. I wanted to go to Tarshish but the Lord had other plans. 

Tarshish sounded like a cruisy place. I could hang out and relax.  So I bought a passage there on a ship. I was on the side of the deck having a snooze when the wind started kicking up. The sailors panicked and thought the ship would be broken up and that they were going to sink. I knew it was just the Lord trying to get me to turn back. I had told the sailors I was on this ship to get away from Him, as He kept bugging me to go to Ninevah. I didn’t want to go THERE. Awful place.  

The wind got worse. God was really angry with me. So I told the sailors they should just cast me into the sea and God would stop the storm. He did, and thankfully I was swallowed up by a huge whale who spat me out on dry land. But God wouldn’t let me go. He told me again to go to Ninevah and preach to them.  He said He would  give me the words to say. It took me three days to get there.  So when I got there I told the Ninevites God was angry at their wickedness and in 40 days their city is going to be destroyed. That felt real good. I don’t care for the Ninevites, it’s a horrible city.

 But wouldn’t you know it... their King is getting all his subjects to fast and cover themselves with sackcloth, and turn from evil. So it looks like God isn’t going to destroy them after all. Wasn't He was merciful to me when I repented about not going to Ninevah? But oh what a waste of time going there! Why couldn’t He just let me go to Tarshish? 

Dowry

Esther bathes in oil
Ruth gathers wheat
Eve sews aprons
Mary sings songs
Anna prays night and day
Hannah cries

All long
To be the bride
All wait
To be prepared

Come the day
Come
Quickly, Lord Jesus

Dont laugh Sarah and Elizabeth
Its not funny
Leap for joy instead
I bring you tidings
Of great joy
And I repeat
Of this great joy

hallelujah! its raining!
get your feet wet
take off your shoes
You are standing on
his Holy ground

Present yourself
Adorned in His mantle
And this banner
Over you is
Love

Lift up your hands
Declare victory
Jehovah Nissi


Selah...

Wild Oats

I once loved a wild man
sowing his wild oats
in the field where they grew
there was endless boundless freedom
and thorns and thistles too
he never promised me a rose garden
I don’t like roses anyhow
those thorns prick
and I bleed


I got transplanted
and grafted in
to this olive grove
I am fed on ancient mysteries
in a garden with flowers and fragrant fruit
the doves come and nest
in my branches
and the oil drips down
anointing the sheep

the grass is greener here
the river is peaceful and flowing
the birds sing
I am forever grateful
He keeps the wolves from the door
And allows me
to sup and eat with Him

He also says to me
“I will never leave you nor forsake you’
Lo I am with you alway…

alway?
Always…
Everyday?
yes..

He also says…to the end of the age…

While I am safe in his garden, 
idly counting sheep and resting
gazing up at the clouds
He is hard at work
Burning the chaff, separating the wheat
and letting the goats with their kids go.

Conversations at the Well

How do you talk to him? 
I stand at Jacobs well, drawing water over and over, but it can never satisfy
A man walks over
Yet he is not merely a man
He is ageless
He knows all I ever did
Who am I?
Call your husband, says this man
I have no husband
He tells me thats true
For I have had five husbands
And the one I am living with now
Is not my husband

I draw water
My back aches
Where do you worship?
Jerusalem?
Mount Geriziah?
Which?
He replies
Those who worship the Lord
Must worship him in spirit 
And in Truth

....
I see him as a man
yet he is not merely a man
He is a prophet
I want to run
Go tell everyone
Go tell it on the mountain
all the people
Everywhere

Before he lets me
Go

Some startling new information 
Comes to light
I have the secret 
Of eternal life
The well that never runs dry
The husband that is eternal
The one who always satisfies
With living water

It is too good to be true
It is hard to believe
I flee the scene
My wineskins burst
I have seen the light
He is the Messiah

.........

Shabbat

Not black
Not green or white or blue
But gold
Burning candles
Prayers round the dinner table
Holding hands
a song

Was this what man was made for?
or was it made for man?
Cos the woman has to do everything
make the challah
Light the candles
Say the prayer

Set the table
have the children
Oy vey!
It is too much work
And the cholent is burning
and the gelfite fish is tough
And the matzah is dry...

There is an empty cup
Elijah 
Who never comes
To my failed dinner parties
Yet I still wait for him 
To tell me what to do

I married the wrong man
had the wrong children, kids
Yet Im happy
Or at least 
Pretend to be
For their sake

.........

I have a friend named Mary
But take lessons from her sister Martha
She says I do it all wrong
I should do it this way
I try my best
I want perfection
But it never turns out
Quite how it looks
In Better Homes
better than mine

Martha bosses Mary
get your A into G
She says
Lazy Mary
Sitting around
Listening to Jesus
Tell tall tales
Of heavenly nonsense
and angels wings

Im sure he has the hots for her
I burn the dinner
Again