Emotional Translation

The other day I was alternately weeping and translating, translating and weeping. In a former season, it was because of how difficult the exercise was. This week, it was for the beauty and grace, love and worship, and sense of calling revealed to me in the pages of Luke as I translated.

This is why I came to seminary. This is why I serve the Lord. This is why I love Jesus.

"And answering, Simon said: Master, through the whole night we were toiling and growing exceedingly weary, and we caught nothing. But at your word, I will let down the nets.

When they had done this, they enclosed a multitude, many fish, and their nets began breaking through. And they signaled to the partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and they filled both the boats until they began to sink."

(Hear Peter's response:)

"After seeing this, Simon Peter fell down to the knees before Jesus saying, 'Depart from me, because a sinful man am I, lord.' For amazement had seized him and all those with him because of the catch of fish which they had caught. And likewise, also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon."

(And the response of Christ:)
"And Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not fear; from now on, you will be a catcher of men.'

And when they had brought down the boats to land, they left everything and followed him."

First, I was overwhelmed by Peter's response to seeing Jesus perform a miracle-- the miracle of catching fish. Peter had worked and toiled the whole night, growing weary as he attempted but was unsuccessful at catching even one fish. Jesus uses this same action of fishing to then demonstrate what working in the Kingdom will look like. On our own, we are unable to bring the Gospel to even one man. But with the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit in us, we will see many receive the Good News of the saving work of Jesus Christ. We just obey. At his word, let down the nets. And man, will that boat of ours fill to sinking.

This isn't a numbers game. It is a raw obedience, receiving grace, witnessing God's power, leaving everything to follow him kind of moment. How do we respond to such an amazing gift? I have taken my cue from Peter, and his beautiful confession. What descriptive words-- he falls down in front of, says the verb, and to his knees, Luke additionally describes, before Jesus. Proclaiming his unworthiness of such an outpouring of Jesus' power. May I have such awe.

(Passage is my rough translation of Luke 5:5-11)

4 day Boston itinerary

I have had a blast playing travel guide for several folks traveling to Boston this summer! And in the spirits of hoping to have more folks come to visit us in our final year of school, here's what I would propose as a 4-5 day travel itinerary in Boston and our North Shore!

Downtown:

Begin by looking at Google maps and orienting yourself to the Charles River and the Gardens/Commons. You can't get lost if you know where these 2 landmarks are.

I recommend staying in the Back Bay.

Afternoon post-airport. You could start as late as 3 or 4pm.

Freedom Trail (beginning at Boston Commons/Gardens ending in North End (aka Little Italy))

Dinner in Little Italy at Giacomo's. You'll want the butternut squash ravioli. You need cash.

Dessert just a block closer to downtown on Hanover Street at Mike's Pastries.

Walk back to the Boston Gardens via Charles St. (where the signs are pictoral)

Full day: Exploration of Back Bay and Cambridge

Begin again near the Boston Gardens

Walk Newbury Street, enjoying the fancy shops

Track back on Boylston, hit the 3 story Apple store, the Boston Public Library, Copley Square, and Filene's basement

Take the Copley Plaza subway (to the left of the library, up the hill 1/2 a block if you're looking at the library) to Fenway

Fenway Park

EITHER Take the red line to Cambridge/Harvard. Enjoy the campus, Harvard Square, and maybe grab dinner there. Walk along the Charles. Take the subway back to Back Bay or your hotel.

OR Take public transportation to the Sam Adams Brewery for a tour.

North Shore/Cape Ann

1st stop- me at Gordon-Conwell!

You'll want my pass to go onto Crane's Beach (a couple dollars) and maybe the Crane Estate (free) if you're interested in that.

Pick apples at Russell Orchards on the way to/from or at least stop for fresh cider donuts.

Have brunch at Sugar Magnolias in Gloucester. You'll want the carrot cake pancakes. Breakfast only until 1pm.

Maybe pop through Rockport. It's a bit touristy, but quintessential New England. The Proposal with Sandra Bullock was filmed here.

Drive up the coast to Halibut State Park

Catch a sunset dinner at the Lobster Pool

Either spend the night at an Inn in Rockport, or go ahead and drive up to Newburyport

Newburyport/Portsmouth

Spend the morning walking around, looking at boats, trying to find the jean store, Katwalk, and popping through Azure

Have lunch either at Michael's Harborside (a bit expensive, but good local seafood) or The Black Cow (yummy local pub). Both have amazing porches on the water

Spend the afternoon driving up 1A to Portsmouth

Walk around and enjoy an evening in Portsmouth. Not sure where to eat here for dinner, but I'm sure you'll find somewhere amazing either there or on the way.

Spend the night in Portsmouth.

Grab breakfast at The Friendly Toast on your way out.

Stop at the Kittery Outlets if you haven't had enough shopping.

Back to Boston! That'll do you, I think!

ezer

2 things brought up this passage in an hour, so I feel compelled to bring it up a third and round it out.

Genesis 2:18: The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make an ezer suitable for him."

Ezer. You probably added in the word helpmate from memory. This for me conjures up the image of a woman standing behind a man giving him a boost. or providing a third hand. or grabbing the edger while he mows. or cooking a meal for him while he works. Helpmate.

Contrast this with the roles taken on by an ezer in other places in Scripture. The image of ezer elsewhere is of God delivering from the sword of Pharoah (Exodus 18:4). and contending against the adversary (Deuteronomy 33:7). and saving his people (Deuteronomy 33:29). and assisting the troops (Ezekiel 12:14). and answering in the day of trouble (Psalm 20:2).

On and on... every time this exact title is used, all 16 other times for "ezer" in the Old Testament, it is used as a military assistance and deliverance, most often as a title for God. So where does this "boost" idea come from?

Here's the 2 contexts of the hour:

1. A college student asks me how I defend biblically my role as a woman in the ministry of the church. My answer? Sure-- I could have talked about the roles of Esther and Deborah. I can discuss the principle versus the application of Paul's letters. But really, I see all of that as flushing out what it looks like that God said it was NOT GOOD for man to be alone, that he needed a helper suitable for him to take on the Kingdom work of subduing the earth, even before the fall. And so I conclude that men and women need each other in ministry. It's not good to take on God's work alone. So we need one another in the home, the church, and the business world.

2. The Boston Globe published a photo essay about the most dangerous countries for women in the world. And all I could think was-- it is NOT GOOD for man to be alone! Why are women being treated in these horrific fashions? It goes against what God has created and ordained for his world.

We must, really must, recapture the God-given mandate to work together!

"I lift my eyes up to the hills. Where does my ezer come from? My ezer comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121: 1-2

PS. Carolyn Custis James wrote a book about the role of women in the church, and she introduced me to the meaning of ezer throughout the Bible, as a word used to describe the military might and help of YHWH, the LORD God.

talkin' money

I know we (as in, we as a people, generally) don't talk about money very often. But we did, kinda, with new friends this weekend, and we got a great idea from them!

They keep 1 main bank account and everything for the month gets paid out from it. But then they have 2 separate checking accounts, 1 for each of them, that is used for spending money. It doesn't get tracked in the major budget, and you can spend it however you'd like. The money for the spending accounts comes from the leftover at the end of the month, which is split in half.

I love this idea of a spending account that I can use to get myself a pedicure, a new album on iTunes, or to save up my birthday money without it disappearing into the oblivion of the monthly budget. I know Larry likes the idea of being able to save up for the new iPhone 5 without hand calculating how much of the current checking account is "his." I married a saver, while mine tends to go $10 at a time. But the idea of splitting the difference at the end of the month doesn't work for 2 students whose pay checks aren't identical month-to-month, and neither are our student expenses (like the $1500 semesterly health insurance check we're about to write!). So we've modified the idea and come up with this:

- 2 separate spending accounts, 1 for each of us

- $15 a month going into each account plus any birthday/holiday money. Plus Christmas spending money for the other spouse so that we don't see what the other one bought.

So I thought I'd just open it up and see if anybody else has some ingenius money ideas out there that they're hoarding just because people don't talk about money! Do you keep separate spending accounts? How has it worked out for you? Any bugs in this system you want to warn me about?

give it away now

I’ve just finished cram-studying church history from about 1600AD to present. Exam’s done. This is the first thing I read afterward, and it’s quite a bit of the theology and history in my exam in one article from my financial website:
"Are You Ready to Start Giving Money to Charity" from Mint.com

You can get the gist for yourself, but basically they’re saying that donating money lacks financial wisdom. So don’t do it. Be like the airlines. Put your own mask on first.

But then they throw in this last line with the most tremendous sense of irony and dispacement with the rest of the article:

In fact, he’s done economic numbers crunching to establish “that when people give more money away, they tend to prosper.”

Well, Fancy that.

What are your thoughts? What value do you find in “giving away” money? Where have you seen this trend before?