Oh my goodness... so much good stuff has been happening I could hardly stand for the blog to sit idle so I kidnapped it and today's comments are from Lisa. Hopefully, Teresa will start feeling better soon and get back in the blogging mood.

As tempted as I am to go back ALL the way to Mar 25 I'll spare you my blogging blah blah blah and begin with April 4th. There is an awful lot of killing and rape and circumcision and sacrificing going on but I think the story of Jepthah's Vow takes us to a whole new level of bizarre. Can't you just imagine Jephthah bebopping into the house, all proud of his latest conquest, skipping and singing as he walks up the sidewalk - then out walks his most prized possession and as he reaches out to hug her REMEMBERS his vow. OH NO. Then he tears his cloths and of all things says "Oh, my daughter YOU have completely destroyed me!" Come on now - whose idea was this any way? I did do enough research to figure out that he probably didn't actually sacrifice her, just dedicated her to God so she had to remain an unmarried virgin.

I love the story of Samson - it gives me hope to know that God can use such immature, spoiled and arrogant people. Samson was dedicated to God from birth, blessed by God and the Spirit stirred in him. Yet it appears that every thing he did was against God until he asked to be used one more time. And then he is listed as a man of great Faith in Hebrews. Maybe next year I'll go back and study in depth some of these intriguing stories. But for now my deepest thought on this story is did you notice how in Ju 16:25 the half drunk people brought Samson out so he could "amuse them"? That made me laugh out loud.

And lastly, Ruth....feels like someone stuck Julia Roberts and Pretty Woman right in the middle of Mel Gibson's Braveheart. But it is a nice change from all the war and violence we've been experiencing.

But seriously, I loved the way today ended with Boaz being Ruth's redeemer - when she didn't do anything to deserve it and he had no obligation to redeem her. And the elders blessing to Ruth connecting her to Leah & Rachel, making her famous in "Bethlehem" and giving her descendants like those of Perez, the Son of Tamar and Judah. Which of course is who Jesus, our redeemer, descended from!