Thinking About A Fig Tree & Other Misc. Notes about my life

Mark 11:12-26 (NASB)

12On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He (Jesus) became hungry.
13Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening.

Jesus Drives Money Changers from the Temple
15Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;
16and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.
17And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS'? But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN."
18The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
19When evening came, they would go out of the city.

20As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.
21Being reminded, Peter said to Him, "Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered."
22And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God.
23"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
24"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.
25"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.

26["But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."]
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

I have always wondered why Jesus cursed the fig tree in the above passage. I am still wondering, I have no conclusions yet. Big Daddy brought it up recently and I discovered he is wondering about it also.

Why would Jesus curse it when it wasn't the season for figs? Was it a parable or a prophetic teaching for His Disciples (and us)? Was it simply to illustrate to them the kind of faith in asking the Lord for things as He went on to talk about in vs. 22-24?

Anyway, I'm just chewing this over.

In other news...
My Summer Day Camp job is enjoyable. I am spending much time with the children at pools and the beach. It keeps me busy, of course, and quite tan, despite my rigorous attempts at applying sunblock religiously and wearing a hat and sunglasses. I am now seeking to find a wonderful thing called a rash guard suit of my very own.



I am reading my bible in a year plan, of course, and loving it. I am also finally reading Hannah Hurnard's Hind's Feet on High Places, a gift from my Mother-in-law from ages ago. I am enjoying that one, by the way, and finding it timely. I am trying to keep my resolution to not buy any new books until I've read all of the ones I already have. I've collected many books over the years, and there are a portion of them that remain unread. I 'have been meaning to read them, BUT haven't actually gotten around to yet.' I think I mentioned on an earlier post I was reading James Joyce's "Portrait of the Artist...", and I finished it.

Next I began Gabriel Garcia Marquez' 100 Years of Solitude, which I have had for at least 16 years, long before a certain influential talk show hostess had it on her book club. I loved Marquez' short story, A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings when I read it as a student. I have always been a fan of magic realism in fiction and fond of South American fiction in a rather limited way (Isabelle Allende). I got somewhere between one half and two-thirds of they way through One Hundred Years of Solitude. It is beautifully and fancifully written, I just grew a little weary of some of the plot and character elements that were troubling and immoral, such as incest. The book is not particularly graphic or gratuitous in is descriptions of various immoral behaviors, but I was not comfortable in going on with it, so I didn't. I loved the character Melquíades, the gypsy. And the strange land-locked ship wreck José Arcadio Buendía finds reminds me of another land-locked ship from pop culture: The Black Rock. (I miss LOST!)

And now I bid you Adieu and goodnight.

Hey Baby, It's The 4th of July

Charles Dickens wrote:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way..."

Which brings me to the song I'm posting today, Fourth of July by X. I just can't help it. This song is a musical and lyrical snapshot of my life as a newlywed. I see half a dozen cheap apartments or house rentals, in neighborhoods that were on the verge of going rough, but not there yet. We had passion, parties and drama. I am so glad we don't live there anymore, yet we had some good times, some defining moments that I like to think made us into the people we've become today. But that isn't the whole story.

The whole story has to give more than a passing nod to faith in God, and Jesus intervening in our lives in a big way. So, more than anything I am grateful to have found the Lord; and that my life is no longer a haze of wine, cigarettes and unfulfilled *something* that neither true love or bohemian squalor could satisfy.

Big Daddy and I even had a little tiff today, and I though, how appropriate, "Whatever happens, I apologize!" I just naturally think of that song today. Those were the best of times and the worst of times. Sorry I couldn't find the real video.

Notes from Late June

The spiderbite is healing without professional medical attention. The Good Lord saw fit to lead me to some effective home remedies and over-the-counter treatments, and I am almost mended. I bathed the situation in prayer, peroxide rinses and activated charcoal poultices, among other things like baking soda, antibiotic cream and ingesting generic benadryl and vitamin C.

We are celebrating my Mother's birthday. A good time has been had by all. I was chided for choosing a nice vanilla rum cake. It was pretty good, but the icing - not so much.

The chiding got me thinking. Which made me google a little and I found this. It's an interesting and amusing post (that relates a little to the rum-cake thing) on an interesting blog. In some Christian circles (apparently mine) it's not acceptable to even use wine or liquor for cooking and baking. Most extracts like vanilla are infused in an alcohol base. Understandably one teaspoon of vanilla extract in an entire batch of cookies or a cake wouldn't impair anyone. And though rum cakes have a smidgen more, I'm fairly sure they won't either. I don't believe it's wise for anyone to drink alcohol, let alone a Christian. But I simply don't have a problem using it occasionally in food recipes. However, I will be careful now not to offend anyone unnecessarily.

So, I'm curious: How many of you are uncomfortable with, or opposed to using alcohol in cooking?

Also, thanks for your prayers over my bite.

Your Song?

Somebody recently asked, as a couple what is “your song?”

[Is your song Your Song? hehehe]

The song that reminds Big Daddy of us is "Heaven" by Bryan Adams.
The song that reminds me of him is "I Got You Babe" the version done by UB40 and Chrissie Hynde.

::sigh:::Twas nighteen-eighty-five, and we were so young, sweet, naive and hopeful! Those were good times.

Our joke song is "I Remember You" by Skid Row, because one time we were driving with it cranked up on the radio as a joke. We were never big Skid Row fans (though we couldn't help but appreciate Sebastian Bach's fabulous hair). In fact, we liked to mock the hair bands and much of metal that was on MTV's Headbanger's ball during that era, even though we liked our share of metal. Anyway, we were driving from Sarasota to Orlando one day and got a flat tire, while listening to that song and singing with faux-passion at the top of our lungs. So now that song just reminds us of that goofy day and now we kind of like the song. It has a nice acoustic guitar in the beginning and all...

We were/are such music fans there are so many songs that remind us of each other, I suppose. Sometimes Big Daddy walks around singing "Over The Hills And Far Away" to me, which is funny because he was never the Zeppelin fan, I was. He will sing “Lady, you got the love I need…” It’s sort of sweet, really, and makes me feel good when he sings it to me. I love the way the acoustic guitar trails off and the tiny bit of organ music at the end of that song too.

I can't presume to speak for Big Daddy but he has mentioned "Me and Honey," and "Home" and this one as fitting at various times in our life together. For me there are so many in addition to the ones mentioned above. A few more of mine: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Harvest Moon, Skyway and By Your Side.

There are a few songs that remind me immediatly of some of my friends because they were played at their weddings. It's sweet to think of those times.

So, what songs remind you of your spouse? Did you play them at your wedding? Do you still listen to them?

Honoring Dads

I am so grateful for my Dad.

"I had a dad
He was big and strong
I turned around
I found my daddy gone
He was the one
Made me what I am today
It's up to me now
My daddy has gone away*..."

I still miss him terribly!



I am blessed with a husband who is a great dad.
My husband's step-father, is a fine man, also a pastor,
and I couldn't ask for a better father-in-law.

This is an older photo - Adam is as tall as his Dad now.


May the Lord bless all you Dads out there, may you grow in His grace,
mercy and love. We are grateful for you.

*lyrics from 'Had A Dad' by Jane's Addiction

A Great Collection of Music

A few weeks ago, while ordering Big Daddy's Father's Day and anniversary present, I treated myself to a little something: The soundtrack from the movie version of the musical Godspell. I recall being in fourth grade, and our class doing one of the songs, Day By Day, as our musical performance. My Mom was fond of musicals and movies. She probably took took my brother and I to see Godspell when it was first released. I also recall seeing the movie various times while growing up. Godspell used to get played on TV during Easter season, but it has been a good 10-15 years since I have seen it on cable or network television. Draw you're own conclusions about that. I think it has less to do with the dated, quaint 'hippyiness' of the movie and more to do with our nation's current climate of being tolerant of everything but art and media that carries an such an overt Christian message. However, I could be mistaken.

Anyway, this soundtrack is a perennial favorite of mine, and having lost it during our various moves, I thought it was time to replace it. When I was a newcomer to Christianity as a young adult, this album was something I recalled from my childhood as being religious, good, and full of great folk-rock music. Since I was turning from my old ways and becoming new person in Christ, it was especially helpful. I missed good music, since I felt then the importance of giving up my old rock and roll (and punk, jazz, alternative, etc., music) collection. This fit the bill, along with an old Al Green album. Later on when I found Don Francisco and Rich Mullins I was ecstatic. DC Talk went on to cover Day By Day on their seminal Jesus Freak album.

The Godspell movie features a very young, thin Victor Garber in the Jesus roll. Having been a fairly keen Alias fan, I was delighted when I realized that the man who played Jack Bristow also played Jesus! It also features the late, great Lynn Thigpen. You'll recognize both Garber and Thigpen from the numerous TV and movie rolls they've acted in over the years. Thigpen will always be beloved by me as the radio station DJ from The Warriors, a classic running-the-gauntlet movie from the late 70's. Thigpin was also The Chief from Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego and the voice of Luna from the Bear in the Big Blue House, both 90's era kid's programs. She and Garber can sing as well as they can act. Enjoy.

A Funny Thing to Read

Someone posted this on a messageboard somewhere,
it's called The story of Roger and Elaine by Dave Barry.