Happy New Year!

We have now officially passed the 2nd anniversary of the inaugural MIP post, which just happened to be about inaugurations, because I like irony. It amuses me.

A LOT has happened in 2 short years in this “neck of the woods.” For instance, we just purchased a part of another neck of the woods…literally.

Personally, I am a bit surprised that I’m still writing this blog. How about you? Let’s pause to ponder and appreciate that little fact. (If you seriously think I’m going to pause and reflect about anything having to do with this crazy blog, then we need to have a talk about how well you know me.) Nah…let’s just get to today’s blog post business. You’re really here to learn what your fourth and third favorite MIP posts were last year. Without further adieu…!

If you don’t find # 4 odd, you may want to consider coming to my favorite counseling center.

Note: Click here to see the July 2014 MIP Book Club Selection!

Warning: You might want to get 2 of your favorite beverages.

I first “encountered” Beth Moore on a video screen. She was doing a Bible Study on Daniel. I had heard rave reviews about her and was preparing to be my usual hyper-critical self simply because I’m a PK (Preacher’s Kids) and have been doing Bible Studies all my life and have often been less than impressed with more than a few.

The opposite was true. I learned unbelievable amounts of stuff that I never understood before. Maybe Beth Moore isn’t a seminary graduate, but the woman does a pretty good job of learning as much as she can for the Bible book she decides to tackle. And it was actually fun to learn from her, because Beth is from Houston, TX and she is a quinessential Texas woman, with a passion for fashion, a definite Texan drawl, and the almost-required accompanying sense of humor. One of the first things she asked us (as her students) to do with the Book of Daniel was to remember that “not everything is about you!” My daughter and I did this study together and we still giggle to this day when we encounter something where we want to be self-centered and remind ourselves of Beth’s words.

As much as I hate to admit it, Beth’s study was about me. Beth has a way of reaching into your very soul, as if she knows you like her best friend, finding your most vulnerable place and then miraculously healing that place by simply teaching you about the Bible. And so, about Week 5, I found myself fighting back tears as she taught. Only one other speaker has done that to me and I have heard him twice (and yes, he reduced me to tears twice) and that is William Paul Young, author of The Shack and Crossroads. If you ever have an opportunity to hear either one of them speak, move Heaven and Earth to do it. You won’t be disappointed.

Enter Jesus, the One and Only. As I looked at the table of contents, I reminded myself that Beth never takes the easy route through a topic. 53 chapters? Are you kidding me? But, thankfully, the chapters were short. So, I started diving into her step-by-step teaching of Jesus’ life from start to finish.

I have to admit I was disappointed at first. It may be because I had just finished reading 2 really great books and one of them had delved into all the circumstances of Jesus’ life very factually and historically. That book, Killing Jesus, was a “can’t put it down” kind of experience of the Gospels, because Martin Dugard and Bill O’Reilly write like unbiased reporters. No wonder Hollywood wants to make movies of all of their books.

Beth Moore, on the other hand, chooses to use the Greek origins of words, Bible commentaries, etc. to help the reader put themselves into the times of Jesus. And she readily admits that sometimes she is just relying upon her impressions of how things might have gone in particular situations and conversations involving Jesus. I felt like she often missed the very point that I thought was obvious and kept wishing she had used Killing Jesus as a resource for her own book. The reality is that they were probably both written around the same time, so it would have been impossible for her to do so.)

And Beth, because she is passionate about her faith, tends to spend a pile of time rejoicing over the various elements of Jesus’ story and asking the reader to do the same. I guess I’m more of a factual kind of gal and preferred the way that Dugard and O’Reilly tried to leave their own belief systems out of Jesus’ story and let the reader decide whether Jesus is the Messiah or not.

But, just about the time I was ready to curse myself for selecting this LOONNGG book for the June Selection, Beth Moore worked her magic and I got the point of what she was trying to say. At least the point I needed to hear. I found myself crying again (There goes my reputation as a stoic Scot again!).

I think I still prefer to watch her on video (It’s just so much fun to see Beth’s facial expression and non-verbals as she teaches!), but I will be forever grateful I took the time to read the book. Plain and simple? It did a real healing in a chronically vulnerable place of mine.

Here are a few quotes from the book that resonated with me or inspired me or at least made me smile:

1. “Sometimes in the contrast of the night, we can best see the glory of God.”

2. “Jesus probably did not walk until He was ten or twelve months old and He certainly didn’t walk on His bathwater.”

3. “When we set apart our lives unto Him, He will do wonders with us the likes of which we cannot imagine.”

4. “I don’t practice ‘Lord forgive me for all of my sins.’ I don’t see true biblical repentance in that. Repentance assumes we are naming the sin to acknowledge it. Then I like to discuss with God why it doesn’t agree with His Word.”

5. “Every hour you do your job as working for the Lord gets punched on a time clock in heaven. You get paid by God Himself for the hours you work as unto the Lord. I’m not being cheesy. Our future inheritance is real, and it far exceeds minimum wage. As you partner with Christ at your job, you will be more efficient.”

6. “He spoke to my heart and said: ‘Beth, My child, you have an authority problem. You think you can do your part, which is repent. You just don’t think I can do MY part, which is forgive.”

Point to Ponder 1: Did you read this book this month? Did you want to read this book this month? If you wanted to read it and didn’t, what happened to prevent it? Were you too focused on the “urgent” to give way to what’s truly important (your relationship with Christ)? Were you a little lazy this month? Are you a guy and think Beth Moore books are for women only? Did I not give you enough reminders to read it this month in my other posts (Guilty as charged!)? I’ll make you a deal: I’ll try to give you more reminders, if you’ll try to read the next book I select. Deal?

Point to Ponder 2: Where is your chronically vulnerable place? Do you have an authority problem and can’t seem to have the faith to allow God to heal that place forever? If so, ask God to help your lack of belief in His power. Then, have confidence that the maker of the universe can do whatever He wants and He most definitely wants to heal YOU! For Pete’s sake (or in this case, Peter’s sake), He let His only Son get killed just so He could be with YOU. That makes you worth a major healing. 🙂

Point to Ponder 3: Are you sometimes so critical of people/things/situations that you fail to notice what God wants to say to you through that person/thing/situation? I’ll give you an example from my own life: I can be sweet to one stranger at a store, but if that same person gets behind the wheel of a car and is in front of me and driving slowly, I immediately start criticizing their “slowpokedness.” Perhaps what I need to remember in that situation is that there is a wreck that’s about to happen ahead of me and God has sent that person to drive slowly to prevent me from being injured in that wreck (or worse–injuring someone else!). Perhaps I need to learn a little patience! Perhaps I need to say a prayer of blessing for that person and some protection from drivers like me who like to get there pronto and sometimes take unnecessary risks on the road! How about you?

Point to Ponder 4: Is this your first Beth Moore book to read? How did it strike you? If you have read other books of hers, what’s your favorite and why? (Yes, –comment away!)

Monday’s Post: It’s WOW time!

You might also like: Slow Reader Friday: Killing Jesus; Slow Reader Friday: And Then There Were Nuns; and Slow Reader Friday: Undaunted

Book Club Lovers: Go here to see the Book Club Selection for June!

Warning: Get 2 beverages first.

Because of the writing hiatus, few MIP readers will probably remember that the January MIP Book Club Selection was Bill O’ Reilly’s and Martin Dugard’s Killing Jesus. Written like a reporter on the scene, Killing Jesus reads like a fast-paced, yet meticulously-detailed and intriguing tale. Unlike many Christians today, I chose not to go and see The Passion of the Christ. I felt I wouldn’t be able to handle the outright gore of Jesus’ death. After reading Killing Jesus, that was the right decision to make!

I had some reservations about reading this book and in making it the January MIP Book Selection. First, both of the authors are Roman Catholics. Would they rely too heavily upon Roman Catholic tradition and books from the Apocrypha? Would they try to “convert” people to Catholicism? While I’m sure some of the Apocrypha is factual, the books were determined too unsubstantiated to be a part of the Protestant Bible by scholars well-versed in all matters of that era of human history. Second, this book would follow (on the Book Club List) another book talking extensively about Catholicism, And Then There Were Nuns. I feared that my readers might think this was my only area of interest! And lastly, Bill O’Reilly can make me rather uncomfortable with his obvious confrontational grandstanding and self-promotion.

I shouldn’t have worried. At the outset of the book, the authors clearly admit that they are both Roman Catholics, but they do not wish to convert anyone to some “spiritual cause”–they merely want to tell the reader as much factual truth about Jesus’ death as they can possibly find. At the end of the book, their very detailed notes about their research and sources show that they did consult multiple scholarly works both recently and in the past to make sure they were truthfully reporting what is known about his death. Yes, they do rely, rather heavily in my opinion, on Josephus’ book in the Apocrypha, but keep in mind that, unlike their previous books, Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, they were unable to consult youtube.com, journals, newspapers, biographies and other more modern sources for information! I just choose to discount some of Josephus’ accounts to a small degree as a Protestant. If anything, their sources are now on my reading list, based on their own impressions of the sources! And as a kid I was raised in Indiana, so my readers will have to forgive me if I am sometimes on a “Catholic bent.” I was surrounded by Catholicism in a state that is home to Notre Dame University!

Instead of giving you quotations today, I will list some facts I learned from Killing Jesus that I didn’t previously know. And as a preacher’s kid, that is rather remarkable, in and of itself!

1. Herod suffered from lung disease, kidney problems, worms, a heart condition, sexually transmitted diseases, gout and gangrene. He was so disabled he couldn’t even leave his palace.

2. Caesar’s death was so vicious that the senators stabbed each other.

3. Marc Antony was a pedophile.

4. The roads to Jerusalem were so dangerous that the pilgrims going there for Passover traveled in huge groups to protect themselves from criminals.

5. Crucifixion was such a bad way to die that Roman citizens could not be executed this way.

6. The Roman teams of soldiers taking care of crucifixions were vigorously trained on how to make the condemned suffer the longest, most agonizing death possible.

7. As part of this torturous process, the condemned’s legs are broken and the condemned person would most likely wind up urinating and defecating in full view of those watching.

8. The taxation of Jewish citizens was so high that many citizens suffered from malnutrition.

9. Joseph’s death most likely occurred sometime between Jesus’ 13th and 30th birthdays, making him head of the household and responsible for supporting his mother and siblings.

10. Tiberias often swam with “tiddlers,” naked young boys who “nibbled” between Tiberias’ legs.

11. Pilate’s appointment to Judea was not considered a “cushy assignment.”

12. During Passover, the Temple courts would have reeked from the smell of blood from the slaughtered animals needed for the ritual sacrifices that had to be offered.

13. The 4 million Passover visitors meant big bucks to all involved in this huge industry of supplying unblemished sacrificial animals. The “industry” not only involved money changers and livestock providers, but also the Temple aristocracy and Roman leaders of the area.

14. Tiberias actually liked the Jews and scolded Pontius Pilate for behavior that invoked a riot.

15. The behaviors that actually were more troubling to the “industry” were not Jesus’ so-called blasphemous words, but his rampages through the Temple, overturning tables of coins and letting out the animals that were there to be bought for the sacrifices. And he did this twice!

16. The only reason to try and trip up Jesus as he preached was to find a way to be able to execute him without it looking as if money was the motive!

17. The people sent to trip up Jesus were considered very knowledgeable about Torah law and had so much “intel” that they often beat Jesus to his next destination.

18. Caiaphas allowed Pontius Pilate to loot the Temple funds.

19. Because of Passover, the timing of Jesus’ arrest, trial and death became a huge problem.

20. 30 silver coins was the equivalent of 4 months’ wages. Think how that might sound to a man who has been malnourished for a long time.

21. Each crucifixion death squad was composed of 5 men, including an exactor mortis who oversaw it.

22. One can actually sweat blood and Jesus did.

23. High priests were appointed for life so that the money pipeline flowed unimpaired. Thus, Annas, a high priest, was wealthy and powerful.

24. Everything about Jesus’ trial and death was illegal.

25. One member of the death squad held an abacus to count the lashes given to a prisoner.

26. In some ways Jesus’ crucifixion was much less severe than other crucifixions, yet Jesus died in a shorter amount of time than most condemned to this death.

27. Usually, a crucified person would be left on the cross for days so that wild animals can eat the deceased or so the body decomposes before everyone.

28. Deceased bodies were kept in tombs for a year. The bones were then placed in a stone jar.

29. Trees were carried in from many miles to handle the large numbers of crucifixions.

30. Cleopatra died from opium and hemlock, not from an asp’s bite.

31. Jesus had 4 brothers: James, Joseph, Judas and Simon and several sisters.

32. The dove appearing at Jesus’ baptism appeared after his baptism and was a real dove.

33. Women in Jesus’ time were considered the equals of men.

34. Legend suggests that Jesus’ exactor mortis became a Christian.

35. Jesus may have called Simon “the Rock” to poke fun at his unstable personality traits.

36. Jesus was 36 when crucified and probably was born in March during lambing season.

So, if you have read Killing Jesus, what stood out to you?

Monday’s Post: WOW time!

You Might Also Like: Slow Reader Friday: And Then There Were Nuns; Slow Reader Friday: Undaunted; and Slow Reader Friday: Life Interrupted

Book Club Readers: Santa brought me Killing Jesus, so I plan to start my reading today. How about you?

Warning: Get 2 of your favorite beverages first.

Happy New Year! Not to be outdone by December, there are just as many “holidays” in January that make one turn his or her head and think, “What?!” Here’s what I mean:

January 2nd – Run It Up the Flagpole and See if Anyone Salutes Day (Doing this at a military base is cheating, right?)

January 3rd – Festival of Sleep Day (How festive is a festival involving sleep???)

January 3rd – Humiliation Day (I guess this day is for the people who were awake at the Festival of Sleep.)

January 4th – Trivia Day (We need more opportunities to pour useless information into our brains?)

January 5th – National Bird Day (in a month when most birds have flown south for the winter)

January 6th – Bean Day (January 7th must be “Passing Gas Day,” right?)

January 7th – Old Rock Day (So, we watch Rock Hudson movies this day???)

January 8th – Male Watcher’s Day (I suppose Female Watcher’s Day would be sexual harassment?)

January 9th – Play God Day (This is a day in which we honor U.S. politicians???)

January 10th – Houseplant Appreciation Day (Actually watering mine would probably be a good start.)

January 11th – Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day (Let me guess–1/12 is Former Friend Day?)

January 12th – Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day (I think I’d prefer to feast on wild rice, thank you.)

January 13th – International Skeptics Day (I guess a national holiday wasn’t enough here.)

January 14th – Dress Up Your Pet Day (as if we didn’t have enough opportunities in December)

January 15th – National Hat Day (Duh. It’s  January.)

January 16th – National Nothing Day (I got…nothing.)

January 17th – Ditch New Years Resolutions Day (aka “No More Waiting at the Treadmill Day”)

January 18th – Thesaurus Day (So, when is Dictionary Day?)

January 20th – National Penguin Awareness Day (Since I live in Texas, this should be relatively easy.)

January 20th – National Buttercrunch Day (I generally consume butter that is crunchy, don’t you?)

January 21st – Squirrel Appreciation Day (Let’s not tell Duck Dynasty about this one, okay?)

January 22nd – National Blonde Brownie Day (Blonde brownies are smarter than brunette brownies?)

January 23rd – Measure Your Feet Day (Why????)

January 24th – Beer Can Appreciation Day (Most beer drinkers prefer appreciating what’s in the can.)

January 25th – Opposite Day (I suggest not using this day to contradict your boss.)

January 26th – Spouse’s Day (This is probably even less appreciated as a holiday than February 14th.)

January 27th – Punch the Clock Day (One should punch a clock on a Monday.)

January 28th – National Kazoo Day (Celebrate this one at home to prevent losing your job on 1/29.)

January 29th – National Corn Chip Day (I smell a Communist plot by Frito-Lay.)

January 30th – National Inane Answering Message Day (Many will have to do nothing to celebrate this.)

January 31st – Backward Day (as opposed to Opposite Day?)

However, there are some actual useful days to celebrate in January:

January 1st – New Year’s Day (Make goals for the new year so you can drop them on January 17^th.)

January 6th – Cuddle Up Day

January 12th – National Pharmacists Day (Thank your favorite pharmacist!)

January 13th – Make Your Dream Come True Day (Notice this comes before 1/17.)

January 19th – National Popcorn Day (That’s an excuse to watch a movie, right?)

January 20th – Martin Luther King Day (Remember how this man changed the USA for the better.)

January 21st – National Hugging Day

January 23rd – National Pie Day (May I suggest you get or make a pie for a neighbor and take it to them?)

January 23rd – National Handwriting Day (Write an actual thank you note with pen and ink!)

January 24th – Compliment Day (Maybe hand write why you appreciate your neighbor???)

January 27th – Chocolate Cake Day (I won’t have trouble observing this one…how about you?)

January 28th – Fun at Work Day (Maybe bring a chocolate cake to work???)

January 29th – National Puzzle Day (Doing puzzles helps us retain our mental faculties as we age.)

January 31st – Inspire Your Heart with Art Day (Go to an art museum/gallery to inspire yours!)

Friday’s Post: New Habits for a New Lifestyle…

You might also like: The Odd Days of December; The Odd Days of November, Twas the Night AFTER Christmas…, and If You Visit Your Cardiologist, You’ll Wind Up in Kansas