Sunday's Study: Judges 19 - a Levite and his Concubine

Judges 19 tells the story of a Levite and his concubine. A man and a woman. Since she's referred to as his "concubine" she's probably of lower social status but she is his wife. And we're told she's unfaithful. She goes home to her daddy and her husband, the Levite, comes after her. After spending some time at his father-in-law's house the Levite collects up his things, including his concubine, and heads home to the hills of Ephraim. When night falls he seeks lodging in the town of Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.

Gibeah, a town of fellow Israelites, should be friendly and hospitable. But no one invites them in. Finally, as they sit in the town square pondering their options, someone approaches them and welcomes them into his home. But the hospitality of the town ends there. Soon the men of the town are banging on the door, demanding the Levite come out so they can rape him. Instead, the host offers his virgin daughter and the concubine. His virgin daughter. This is reminiscent of the story of Sodom.

This tragic tale reveals the lawlessness of the time and sets the stage for the eventual judgment of the Benjamites by the rest of Israel. I'm moved to tears by the fate of the concubine.

Next week we'll look at the consequences of the Levite's decision to mail his dead wife's body to the 12 nations of Israel.

Obstacles Welcome* by Ralph de la Vega

Obstacles Welcome is a mix of autobiography and lessons in leadership. Ralph de la Vega tells of various obstacles he's faced in his life and what lessons he's drawn from his own experiences. He also provides suggestions for how these lessons can be adapted in different scenarios. Unfortunately the leadership lessons are overshadowed by the almost self-congratulatory tales of the author's success.

The author was suddenly separated from his family in Cuba at the age of 10, and transplanted to live with relatives in the Miami area of Florida. Eventually his family was able to escape the communist control in Cuba and join him in Florida. He overcame many obstacles and successfully completed his education. His career in the telecom/wireless industry was also filled with challenges, including facing dismal business climates, managing organizations in difficult political environments and overcoming the devastation caused by natural disasters (Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew).

If the reader has an interest in learning more about the history of wireless communications, including the unprecedented merger of Cingular and AT&T Wireless, this book offers an insider's view of many of the major milestones in the evolution of telecommunications. If the reader is interested in finding a practical handbook for developing leadership skills, there are much better guides available.

The book has too much focus on the personal experiences of the author, telling many life stories wireless communication industry anecdotes. Although the book is interesting from the standpoint of autobiography and history, to be useful for burgeoning leaders the focus should shift from the author's story. If the leadership tips that are buried in the book were brought to focus, with a mix of examples from the author's history and from other industry applications this might become a book worthy of recommendation to potential leaders.

There are some good points: the chapter on the "Success Cycle" located about mid-way through the book is an excellent guide for managing a team through change and Chapter 17, "Become the Leader You Want to Be" provides a useful Leadership Capability Model for self-assessment and practical application. Unfortunately I almost missed these useful sections because I'd lost interest in the life story of the author. I'm glad I overcame that obstacle and persevered. The nuggets were worth the effort.

*Disclaimer: As a reviewer for BookSneeze.com (nee Thomas Nelson Book Reviewer Bloggers) I received a free copy of this book. I received no other compensation.

Sunday's Study: Judges 18 - Micah and the Danites

Micah's world is rocked when the Danites pass through and persuade his personal priest, an egotistical greedy young Levite, to leave Micah's household and join them in their takeover of the Sidonians' territory.

Micah is lost without his priest and his idols. How about you?

The Lord's Ways Are Mysterious

January has been a long month, full of surprises. And full of irony. About 3 weeks ago, in pursuit of my blossoming career-interest (life as a full-time writer) I submitted an application to Examiner.com. Last week they let me know that I'd been accepted as a contributing writer. Glory! The irony? In between my application and their acceptance I found myself in charge of my company. For more on that, go here. You'll notice I've also kicked off a new blog.

My New Year's "Resolutions" this year included "write every day". And "read every day". The list did not include "take over my company". And yet, here I am. I am now the "acting Director" ("local site manager"..."woman without a title"?) for my small company.

And, I'm on board with the Examiner team, committed to publish regularly. And to read. My assignment is "Austin Christian Books Examiner." I will be challenged to manage my time effectively, but what's life without a good challenge? Godless.

With God, all things are possible. I'm praying for God to guide me to the Office Manager that will be my partner in successfully leading my company. That step is key.

If you've stopped by and wondered where I've been, I hope I haven't worried you by my silence. I've been working or working out. My faith is as strong as ever. I trust balance will soon return.

But...your prayers are appreciated.

Welcome 2010, it's going to be a good year.

Last year I began an exercise regimen that successfully stopped the horrific weight gain (20 pounds!) that plagued me during 2008. Although I was able to stop the trend, I'm still sporting the extra pounds. Other accomplishments of note include surviving the 1st year of employment in a start-up working for my old employer and, even better, writing a novel. I also read the Bible in its entirety.

I only have a couple of resolutions for this year: Exercise more, eat less, read more, write more. And by that, I intend to do a bit of each of those 4 activities every day.

On the exercise front: we've acquired the Wii Fit Plus and we're 4 days in. My DH and I have completed 30 minutes per day and we plan to continue the trend. I also have an exercise ball and a heart rate monitor. I'm all in. 30 minutes a day, minimum. Walking, Wii-ing or a tryst with Richard Simmons - it doesn't matter which. My goal is to "Work it, baby!"

On the eating less front... well, yeah, I've got room for improvement there. I've never been good at counting calories. The best I can hope for is some amount of self control. Eating smaller portions, taking smaller bites, eating more slowly. I'm imagining things that are yet to be achieved. But I've got time to work on it. I'd like for dinner to start taking 20 minutes to eat instead of 2 minutes.

On reading and writing, here are the stack of books I currently have queued up, ready to read:

Under the Dome, by Stephen King

The Principle of the Path, by Andy Stanley

Same Kind of Different as Me, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

When Bad Things Happen to Good People, by Harold S. Kushner

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

A Man For All Seasons, by Robert Bolt

Obstacles Welcome, by Ralph de la Vega

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt

How Not to Write a Novel, by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman

The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White

On Writing Well, by William Zinsser

A Twist at the End, by Steven Saylor

Reading Like a Writer, by Francine Prose

The Good, The Bad and the Lovely, by Fran Hart

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Renni Browne & Dave King

The Chronological Study Bible (NKJV)

The Complete C.S.Lewis (Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Abolition of Man, The Great Divorce, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, A Grief Observed), by C.S.Lewis

Adventuring Through the Bible, by Ray Stedman

The Marketing of Evil, by David Kupelian

Ten Things I Wish Jesus Never Said, by Victor Kuligin

The Eduction of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter

The Gospel According to Judas, by Benjamin Iscariot

Reading Judas, by Elain Pagels & Karen L. King

See Jane Lead, by Lois P. Frankel, PhD

The Christian Moral Life, by Timothy F. Sedgwick

Cure for the Common Life, by Max Lucado

If You Want to Walk on Water You've Got to Get Out of the Boat, by John Ortberg

The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror (short stories)

bird by bird, by Anne Lamott

Writing Mysteries, a handbook by the Mystery Writers of America

And the books I won at the Women of Faith conference:

Guys Are Waffles, Girls Are Spaghetti by Chad Eastham
Redefining Beautiful by Jenna Lucado
Take Your Best Shot by AustinGutwein
Knockout Entrepreneur by George Foreman
Beautiful Mess The Story of Diamond Rio

So, I'm wondering....if it's in my stack am I obliged to read it? I think not. My goal is to hone my writing skills. To read like a writer. To write like a reader. To do both like a critic. I plan to write reviews as often as possible (or reasonable).

On writing, I intend to finish "God the Father: What I've Learned about Parenting from God and about God from Parenting" and I plan to complete 4 more drafts of my first novel (and then find a publisher). And I will write my 2nd novel. And, God willing, I'll write a book about my travels to Asia.

Yes, 2010. I'm glad to meet you. It's going to be a good year.

Bo's Cafe - a Book Review

Bo's Cafe is a novel by John Lynch, Bill Thrall and Bruce McNicol. The story tells of a man's journey through the most challenging part of anyone's life - overcoming the demons from the past that threaten the future. Steven, the main character, has unresolved issues which are creating problems for him in his home and in his office. A stranger enters his life, leading him to a place where he can learn to be himself as he's meant to be.

Bo's Cafe is like Cheers - it's a place where problems can be aired and resolved in the company of friends. The patrons come together regularly for loving support. We all need this kind of support. I'm blessed because I'm already part of a group that meets regularly in a similar fashion (Wednesday mornings at an Einstein Bros. Bagels). I can personally attest to the blessing of this in my life. There is a tremendous freedom in being able to talk about anything and everything that's on my mind (work, husband, kids, etc.) and knowing that I'll get honest feedback and loving encouragement. This is God's grace.

Although Bo's Cafe is fiction, the story it tells is all too common. So many of us fall into the trap of trying to rely on our own inner strength, which results in things falling apart all around us. Steven's tale is the sharing of good Christian counseling. I strongly recommend this book - read it and share it with others.

I won my copy and I'll be passing on a copy. Go here to visit Bo's virtual Cafe, to learn more about the book and share in the experience.

Christmas

During my stay at the Windsor hotel in Kunshan, China I was impressed by the presence of Christmas and all its trappings.

When I checked into the hotel their halls were decked and Christmas tunes were playing in the background (specifically - "All I Want for Christmas Are My Two Front Teeth" greeted me upon my arrival).

Whenever I called down for room service, I was greeted with a cheery "Merry Christmas" and I listened to "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" Muzak looping through my time on hold. And given the need to put me on hold every time I called (while they hunted down someone who spoke English), I heard that tune plenty.

Finally, I asked a local co-worker about the broad adoption of this Christian holiday. I know that Christianity exists in China but I was surprised to see so many reminders and signs of Christmas. I was curious if there was an appreciation of the significance of the holiday. I was told that most businesses were touting Christmas because of the commercial aspect - there were goods to be sold, they primarily catered to business travelers and tourists.

I wonder whether things are remarkably different in the US. We may be more cognizant of the Christian roots of the holiday but how many families really focus on the celebration of Christ's birth? How easy it is to get swept up in the decorations and the gift-giving!

Something that struck me during this Holiday season was the weirdness of Santa Claus. The song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is especially creepy. In the song, we attribute traits to Santa that better describe God. Consider Psalm 139:

Psalm 139

¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
² You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
³ You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
⁴ You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
⁵ You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

⁷ I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
⁸ If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.
⁹ If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
¹¹ I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—
¹² but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
¹⁶ You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
¹⁸ I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

....

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

God knows when we're sleeping, he knows when we're awake. He knows when we've been bad or good (so be good for His son's sake!) and He loves us anyway.

God doesn't come to town once a year or only on special occasions. He is always here. He is always with us. He is always seeking a relationship with us. He's forgiving and faithful, loving us beyond measure. He leads us to everlasting life! He's way better than Santa Claus!