Psalm 73, Part 3

This week we are still talking about the wicked....

Their eye bulges from fatness;
The imaginations of their heart run riot,
The mock and wickedly speak of oppression;
They speak from on high,
They have set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue parades through the earth.

So, basically, the Psalmist is still describing the characters and actions of the wicked. They imagine wickedness beyond belief, they speak evil, and they speak against God. So why do they seem to prosper?

Soon...we'll see the answer.

Friday

Week one of summer at work is done. It has been an insanely long week with people and paperwork all. the. time. Today I finally got to eat lunch at 3:30 after the last person left. By 5:30 I thought I was just about done for the day when the phone rang. It was a dad from earlier today who wanted to sign up his son to start next week. That was fine, but as we spoke he learned that the child needed more hours than mom was going to sign for so.....he had to talk to them about adding more time and call me back. He called back at just before 6:00 to arrange for him to start on Monday morning which meant I had to make sure everything was ready for him before I could go home. I finally left work at 6:30, making the work week approximately 51 hours long. No wonder I'm tired!

7 weeks of summer left. Next week looks to be at least almost as long as this week. The week after I'll be in school (yay!) and then everything should settle down to nice, normal days. I hope.

Books

I'm trying to read some of the books that have been donated to the church library. Most books we okay right away, but a few we're not sure about. We can turn them over to the elder for approval, but this is not his area of expertise.

So far I've read 2 novels. (I know, I know...the things I do to ensure quality books...I am so dedicated!) They both turned out pretty well so I'm adding them to the library.

The other books are princess books. One of them is called "Do You Think I'm Beautiful?" and the other one is "Keeping a Princess Heart."

I'm not a fan of the princess mentality. I sort of understand; all women want to be called beautiful and seem special. I just worry sometimes that with all the princess talk we ignore huge parts of Scripture and it becomes all about us.

Really, I should read the books before I judge them, I get that. Um...if anyone out there has read them and can tell me how they are, it would help me.

Please?

Psalm 73, continued

The next 3 verses start off the Psalmist's list of how he views the lives of the wicked....

For there are no pains in their death,
And their body is fat.
They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like mankind.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
The garment of violence covers them.

From his perspective, the wicked seem to have it good. They're prosperous, not troubled, either liked or at least left alone....it sounds good. It seems good to the wicked as well, as they are prideful and willing to turn to violence untouched.

Sometimes it's hard to see how good unbelievers have it and how easy things come for them. We'd maybe like to change places....until we remember God. (I've peeked ahead to see how the Psalm comes out. Go ahead; we won't get to the really good stuff for a few more weeks!)

Church Notes

This morning on my way into church one of the boys said, "Miss Dorothy, I was somewhere doing something and I lost my library book." One week in existence and already the library is a book short. He's going to try to find it, though. He knows where he left it, so there's hope!

I taught my Junior Church babies again today. We're just about finished Joseph; he met up with his brothers again. Some of them seemed a bit sad that no one died, but next week will make up for that: Jacob and Joseph both die.

It's the oddest thing: church starts on time in summer. I think it's because there is no Sunday School before to make things busier and, since we start at 10:45 (Sunday School starts at 9:30 in the winter) there's no trouble getting there on time.

And now, some history and a hymn....

Canada Day...The Lighter Side

I believe I left this off the list below of great things about Canada, so I bring you the Arrogant Worms.....

Canada Day

I realized this morning that last Canada Day I was very busy and promised a proper, patriotic Canada Day post at the end of summer when I might be less busy. Research has shown that I never wrote that post. Research has also shown that I requested that someone remind me to write it and nobody did. For that reason alone I'm not feeling guilty about my neglect.

However....it's a year later and I'm a bit more relaxed, so I'll give it a shot.

Canada is a great country. Really, it is. It's big, it has an amazing array of nature: mountains, prairies, amazing forests.... I don't know why anyone would live anywhere else (except maybe to avoid winter). Actually, I like the change of seasons as well; I missed winter when I was in Taiwan. Canada also has a good medical system (yes, yes, not perfect, but what is) and an education system that is open to everyone (and I know that's not perfect either, but it beats out countries where you can't go to school if you're not rich enough or if you're a girl).

Yesterday: I went to work at a job I found on my own, that I can quit if I want to, and that pays enough to live comfortably, and don't feel intimidated by the people in charge. I took public transportation to get there in relative comfort. I stopped to get iced coffee from a coffee shop where they know me by name and are open and friendly. I spoke with parents who want the best for their children and taught children who have multiple opportunities ahead of them and who are growing up in a safe society. After work I went to the grocery store where I am always overwhelmed by the variety and amount of food. I walked home without fear, I entered a safe apartment with reliable electricity and hot running water. I surfed the net without restrictions and watched a video and read whatever I wanted.

Every Sunday I go to church and teach the children about God and sing out with other believers and listen to a pastor preaching soundly from the Word....all without fear of arrest or execution.

Every election I get to vote and no one tries to intimidate me.

I'm a female, and I can work and drive (if I wanted to) and walk the streets in whatever clothes I like and go to school without fear of arrest or persecution.

I know Canada has problems because no country is perfect. It will never be perfect this side of heaven.

Given a choice, though (and here I have a choice to move within the country or move to another country if I want), I think I'll stay.