Ruth 4 – Boaz consults with the man and with ten elders.  He puts the matter to the man as if Naomi were selling land that belonged to her husband, and asks the next of kin if he is interested.  The man says he is, but when he learns that with the land comes Ruth, he yields his “rights” to Boaz. The deal here is that if the man were to take Ruth and she were to have a son by him, the son would legally be Elimelech’s heir—Ruth’s husband’s father’s, and the land would then go to him. …

Listen to this post: http://www.turtleboxstories.com/audio/recentlystamped.mp3…

The coach of a college basketball team at Baylor, Scott Drew, is being chastised for his holier than thou personna while breaking NCAA rules on recruiting.  He is being compared to teleevangelists in his hyprocracy because while recruiting high school basketball players in violation of the NCAA rules he would pray and sing hymns.  I guess only Holy people can pray and sing Hymns. 

A problem facing members of today's church is that they are held to a higher standard then those with…

Ruth 3 – Naomi wishes to find some better situation for Ruth.  She instructs her to go down to Boaz when he is done eating and drinking, “uncover his feet and lie down” there. What she is doing is offering herself for the purpose of giving Boaz the opportunity of providing his close relative—the deceased Elimelech—with a lawful heir. He is “next of kin” or “one with the right to redeem.” He wakes in the middle of the night, finds her there and is duly impressed with her virtue. He…

Where would Jesus hang out in

Venango county, Pa?

If Jesus where to come to earth…

QuakerQuaker this Week, 4/9/2012

In the Quaker blogs, Alice M Yaxley asks "What Does the Gospel Look Like?" and writes "The problem's too complex for us to solve with our own minds, but sinking down into the Holy Spirit's well of deep peace and compassion, I believe we are each being led into the action that is required uniquely of us." Her post began as a response…

Let me start by saying I really enjoy Micah Bales blog posts.  I admire that he is trying to walk the talk.  However I can't get on the "occupy" bandwagon.  At least not yet.

When it started I read the complaints of the occupiers and recognized the legitimacy of the complaints against the present economic powers, both government and corporate.  However, I also recognized that a lot of the complaints were the result of their own poor judgment.  They borrowed money to pursue interests…

downtoegypt.blogspot.com

Ruth 2 – Boaz is a relative of Elimelech and a rich man as well. Ruth goes to glean in his fields behind the reapers. Women with no man to whom they were attached had to glean like the poor, taking the remnants of the harvested grain. Boaz inquires about her and learns she has been gleaning for long hours. He talks to her, tells her to stay in his fields, that he has instructed his people not to bother her.  Ruth prostrates herself before him and asks why he is being kind.  He tells…

New Blog Post: "Quaker Plain III: A Plain Spirit"  

http://wp.me/p1OXtI-1D

Ruth (Background Information) – This book, one of only two in the Bible named for a woman character, has no known author. It was ascribed to Samuel and is set in the period of the judges – sometime between the 14^th to the 11^th century BC.

Ruth 1 – When the judges rules, there was a famine, Elimelech (a man from Bethlehem whose name meant “my god is king”) and his wife, Naomi (“my fair one”), went to Moab [east side of the Dead Sea]…

Why do I go to Quaker Meeting? I go to be transformed by God. Whether this language chimes with other Quakers or not, I hope no one expects to leave Meeting for Worship the same as when they arrive.

My desire is that everyday I will become a better follower of Jesus. This requires not only my own effort but also God’s grace. I meet with others to learn what committed discipleship looks like and witness how God’s grace is manifest in the lives of my fellow pilgrims. In a Quaker…

http://downtoegypt.blogspot.com.es/2012/04/who-are-dani-dayan-and-khaled-meshaal.html

Where are Quakers with the insistent question of homosexuality?

Are we welcoming and affirming? Or do we proclaim homosexuality a sin, asking that those with the ‘affliction’ renounce their desires. 

 Of course we are divided, some Yearly Meetings of one opinion and some Yearly Meetings of the other – though all Yearly Meetings with some dissenters from the prevailing opinion.  And nearly everywhere, wouldn’t you agree, we are inclined to silence, finding the topic too charged…

Baruch 6:1-39  (thought to be a Letter of Jeremiah) – Jeremiah tells them what to expect in exile.  He asks them to beware of becoming like the foreigners or “of letting fear for [their] gods possess you when you see the multitude before and behind them worshiping them.  But say in your heart,’ It is you, O Lord, whom we must worship.’ For my angel is with you, and he is watching over your lives.” (6:5-6) They are false gods; they “cannot speak” (6:8). No one should be…

Baruch 4 – What God has given to the people, the commandments of the Law, a knowledge of “what pleases God” will stand forever, Baruch tells us. “Turn back, Jacob, seize her, in her radiance make your way to light” (4:2-4). He urges them to “take courage,” for “I have put my hope in the Everlasting to save you, and joy has come to me from the Holy One, because of the mercy that will soon come to you from your everlasting savior” (4:23). “Look toward the east, O Jerusalem, and see the…

This week we experimented with a Tenebrae service, focused around Jesus' request of his disciples to "Stay with me, watch and pray," the night of his arrest.

Before I write another word, I feel like a disclaimer is in order. I knew many Friends who participated in the Occupy movement, back in its heyday. While I came to eventually lose patience with the movement, even to disagree openly with its stated priorities, I still maintain a respect for those who put their full weight behind the cause. I feel that these heavily committed Friends never left Occupy behind, but that extenuating circumstances beyond anyone's control eventually dissolved the…