wrdsandwrks

I also think of Stephen in Acts 7:59,60 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them! And having said this he fell asleep. Stephen obviously forgave those who killed him. I also wonder how much his dying prayer had to do with the future salvation of Saul of Tarsus who in the words of the NIV (Acts 8:1) And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. It is inconceivable. I remember that the Amish people captured the attention of the world, not just because this horiffic crime was perpetrated against them, but also because they publically forgave the murderer and his family. The media was buzzing about their amazing words of forgiveness and how they reached out to muderer's wife in forgiveness and compassion, truly witnessing to the miraculous power of forgiveness.

http://www.hebcal.com/hebcal/ The ten days are from Rosh Hashanah, which was last Thursday, the 13, to Yom Kippur, which is this Saturday, the 22. All Jewish holidays go from sundown the evening before to sunset the next day.

Great stuff Dan, I only had a few minutes this morning, and I read through about half of the article. Will have to finish it later and come back to the discussion.

Which is why I look up to you, you're still the coolest girl in the 9C.

Bowtwi, That is so great. So glad to hear about it and I pray that you find a "church home" there where you can learn and grow and contribute.

Is that a new spin-off? (JK) T-Bone, very interesting stuff on antinomy. I'll have to read the J.I. Packer book. I haven't been following this thread much because to me it seemed like almost a no-brainer, of course God knows everything, he knows the end from the beginning and everything in between. But there's some great depth in here to ponder, thanks everyone.

I had more in mind the "list" of people I respect and look up to, Excie you're right up there on my "list" too. (Sorry should've put quotes around it the first time.) (It's like walking in a mine field around here.)

Dan, You're at the top of my list of "elders".

Dan, Thanks for including me in your list. I'm honored.

Edi, Sounds like some interesting stuff. I'd be interested in hearing what you're studying about the Law. Maybe a thread in doctrinal...?

Dan, I wonder if the idea for Lent came from the Jewish Day of Atonement? After your post I read the Catholic encyclopedia article on the origin of Lent. Don't have time to get into it now, but thanks for the interesting article Abi, Understand about taking some time off, but selfishly, if I could or should I would beg you to stay.

Here's an interesting perspective on the Rosh HaShanah and the Days of Awe: The Meaning of Rosh Hashanah: http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/230800.aspx

Here's another one: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/69001.aspx

Just saw this one today, Back at you with the love, (((((((((RainbowsGirl)))))))))) I love Christmas too. Seems like it gets pushed back earlier every year. One of the best days of my life was my son's first Christmas. Watching him open presents was so special, even though he seemed to like the boxes better than the actual toys he got. That was fifteen years ago but still a very special memory. I read somewhere recently that Sept. 11 was significant to the Muslims because it was the date of a significant defeat of the Muslims back in the early days. (I'll have to look it up to remember the exact event.) I'm sure it was a spiritually significant day and connecting it to Rosh Hashanah and the birth of Jesus is very perceptive.

Happy Birthday Socks! Great picture! I remember how much I used to love listening to Joyful Noise. Thanks for the inspiration!

Abi, Great thread, count me in. I've been reading up on the whole time frame and I love it. I'm taking some time to meditate and pray about my Teshuvah.

Abi, RG, Mr. Squirrel and really everyone on this thread, Love you guys, glad to be on this journey with you!

Great point. So did I. I hadn't really thought about how it made me hungry for the "real" world made known by the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Shifra, I think a lot of the same info is in the book I posted above. Has to do with acidity, alkalinity, timing and depth of (well you know), and yeah there's the enjoyment factor too, if I recall it's all in there.

She's in San Antonio with her hubby Bill F*ry. I talked to her about a month ago. PM me if you want her phone #. Gosh you guys look young.

I think sometimes kids talk about the things they think will impress others kids the most so that may be why they're dwelling on this with your kids, going for the shock value. But I know my views on "fairy stories" have changed quite a bit in the past few years. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein have convinced me that most fairy or fanatsy type stories are healthy for children and adults and arouse in us "desire" for other worlds, not like ours, in other words for heaven. They arouse hope in us for a another world, not like ours. Here are some quotes from Lewis and Tolkein that have changed my views on the subject: J.R.R. Tolkein from "On Fairy Stories" "The peculiar quality of the ‘joy' in successful Fantasy can thus be explained as a sudden glimpse of the underlying reality or truth. It is not only a ‘consolation' for the sorrow of this world, but a satisfaction, and an answer to that question, ‘Is it true?' . . . In the ‘eucatastrophe' we see in brief vision that the answer may be greater–it may be a far-off gleam or echo of evangelium in the real world . . . The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories. They contain many marvels–peculiarly artistic, beautiful, and moving: ‘mythical' in their perfect, self-contained significance; and among the marvels is the greatest and most complete conceivable eucatastrophe. But this story [i.e. the Christian Story] has entered History and the primary world; the desire and aspiration of sub-creation [those who write and enjoy fanatasy literature] has been raised to the fulfillment of Creation. The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man's history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy. It has pre-eminently the ‘inner consistency of reality'. There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true" (Peculiar Joy and the Christian Story). C.S. Lewis from "On Stories" "It would be much truer to say that fairy land arouses a longing for he knows not what. It stirs and troubles him (to his life-long enrichment) with the dim sense of something beyond his reach and, far from dulling or emptying the actual world, gives it a new dimension of depth. He does not despise real woods because he has read of enchanted woods; the reading makes all real woods a little enchanted..." "And I think it possible that by confining your child to blameless stories of child life in which nothing at all alarming ever happens, you would fail to banish the terrors, and would succeed in banishing all that can ennoble them or make them endurable. For in fairy tales, side by side with the terrible figures, we find the immemorial comforters and protectors, the radiant ones; and the terrible figures are not merely terrible, but sublime. It would be nice if no little boy in bed, hearing, or thinking he hears, a sound, were ever at all frightened. But if he is going to be frightened, I think it better that he should think of giants and dragons than merely of burglars. And I think St. George, or any bright champion in armour , is a better comfort than the idea of the police."

Dan, I know I saw a web site a while back devoted to stories of Muslim conversions, many of whom converted when Jesus appeared to them in a dream or vision. I don't have the URL offhand but I'll look and see if I can find it.

I don't know about what Doc Rawlins taught but I have a book on the subject. Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/How-Choose-Sex-Your-Baby/dp/038548562X

Hey Out There! I was wondering where you've been. I was thinking I'd send you a PM to see how you're doing. Understand about the retreat, but you should know that you're a blessing wherever you post and you're missed.

Bliss, I can relate! Francine Rivers books have that effect on me too. You've probably already done your penance in bleary-eyedness on the following day. So consider yourself absolved. Once I get involved in a riviting story, I'll stay up all night to find out what happens. I think it's what C.S. Lewis called "sheer narrative lust". The lastest one that had had this effect on me was Jasper Fforde's "Lost in a Good Book", appropriately named I think. Glad to know there are other bookworms out there...