>Charles Barkley finally starting to get it, talk about a fool. “Just because I can lose the money doesn’t mean I should.” He estimate gambling away over $10 million dollars. It is his money and he can do what he wants with it. As someone who raised his own salary for 4 years, to throw away that much money seems wasteful when there are so many good people with good idea trying to help others but who lack resources. Charles instead of gambling on casinos why not find some things you believe in and gamble on them…make the world a better place Charles.
>Proverbs 8:1-11
>
8:1 Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
Where does wisdom get you? That question can be looked at two ways, the first is what is in it for me. If I seek wisdom all the days of my life what is the promise. Proverbs says, long life, wealth, and a good family. Yes there are exceptions to this rule the Bible is filled with them both because we are sinful and we live in a fallen world, but that doesn’t make the rule not true.
The other way to look at is where does it get you. Like the other woman wisdom cries out, she calls to fools. The offering of wisdom is truth, righteousness, knowledge, all of which is very valuable. A desire for fast cash doesn’t square with what wisdom gives you, simply because you would probably spend it as soon as you get it. I just listen to This American Life from last week where they covered the U.S. mortgage crisis. There were people just out of college earning $100K a month during the boom, who now are on the brink of bankruptcy during the bust. Not wise.
My desire is for wisdom, and I am constantly frustrated with what a slow learner I am. May God give me the patience to get there.
>Running without Legs
>
I don’t know how much you have read about this controversy in the world of competitive running, but the latest news brings a smile to my face. No it is not about some other cheater getting busted on steroids. it is about Oscar Pistorius getting a decision overturned to compete in Beijing. This guy is incredible. Yes I have some reservations about whether he is getting an unfair advantage, but look at what he has had to overcome, on top of everything this court case has severely interfered with is training. Anyway I am glad to hear the right decision was made and look forward to hearing all the talk about fair and unfair on it. Good decision!
>Proverbs 7:10-27
>
10 And behold, the woman meets him,
dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.
11 She is loud and wayward;
her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
and with bold face she says to him,
14 “I had to offer sacrifices,
and today I have paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with coverings,
colored linens from Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him;
at full moon he will come home.”
21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast
23 till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.
24 And now, O sons, listen to me,
and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
do not stray into her paths,
26 for many a victim has she laid low,
and all her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol,
going down to the chambers of death.
So she is tricky. Not only is the young man in the wrong part of town, now he is around this lady who seems very willing to get to know him. She is out preying for young men. They are out foolishly seeking her. There is this beautiful set up where things seem pretty good, kisses, nice linens, rest and other benefits in her nice house…then you find out it is filled with bones. She is in Sheol, you are going to die.
Coming up next is the wooing of lady wisdom.
>Proverbs 7:6-9
>6 For at the window of my house
I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among the simple,
I have perceived among the youths,
a young man lacking sense,
8 passing along the street near her corner,
taking the road to her house
9 in the twilight, in the evening,
at the time of night and darkness.
Creepy. The father is looking out his window…don’t we all:) What he sees is a bunch of idiot young men who are making simple mistakes. The lack of sense leads them to walk on paths they shouldn’t be on. Stay the course, find your house and make yourself at home!
>Proverbs 7:1-5
>7:1 My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from the forbidden woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words.
These lessons are the important ones. None more important for a young man in the ANE culture than to remember to be wise and stay away from women you are not supposed to be with. This is pretty much the same today. You can over spiritualize the meaning and turn the forbidden woman into anything that you are not supposed to be healing, just chose one of the ten commandments or any of the hundred in the New Testament. But the simple meaning seems the most correct.
Make the commandment the apple of your eye. Often times as a Reformed Christian I do not delight in the law, probably some left over from Luther teaching me to not get hung up on it. Bind it on your fingers, find a way to remind yourself to do what is right. Sometimes because of who I am it is just easier to do wrong, if I simply remind myself it can save me from doing wrong. What reminders do I have in my life. One is reading, this to me is the greatest way to be reminded.
>Exposing our Children through our blogs
>Yesterday I was in a session on blogging. There ended up being an interesting discussion on how we expose our children through our writing online. This was something that I have not concerned myself with assuming that the crazies are crazy and will find away to act crazy.
Now most of the bloggers agreed with that not as concerned with the security exceptions. Yet the question was asked, Would you post a pic of you kid up at the community center? Of course not, good thing to consider. Some suggestions were to wipe out the face of your kids like Michael Jackson does, the other is to make up a pseudonym for yourself and your children. Interesting. The thought was, Don’t your children have the right to created their own online identity? I don’t think so, though I think it sounds nice. Part of being a parent is integrating you kids to the world, I start the path for them being exposed, this starts with who holds your baby…so obviously wisdom must be used. The problem is there are lots of DA (dumb asses) around.
Lastly one of my favorite authors exposed her son and herself in an amazing way. Ann Lamott writes about parenting and has reached my soul. Now her son surely had plenty to overcome since he has been so publicly exposed, yet I am grateful to know some of his life. Sorry your suffering is my gain. But as I have said before it is just one more contribution to my daughters story she will share with her counselor in the future.
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