I do not like it.
Friday, June 17, 2011
uninvited guest
I don't have a phobia of snakes. Roaches make me spaz, but snakes have never really bothered me before. Until now.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Just some pics
These are some pics of Sarah's baptism. I wish they were a little clearer, but I was emotional, and my camera is slow!
Some sweetness...  | |
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Translating
So, as far as bibles go, I used to be a staunch King James Version only kind of gal. Then, our sunday school class did a bit on church history, and I found out that King James wasn't the nicest of people, and thought that I would try another... see how it fit.
Error.
Firstly, the fact that I was going to "see how a bible fit" may be one of the most ludicrous things Ive ever done. That's pretty much me making God who I want Him to be, not letting Him be who He is. As if the bible is a shoe... I try one on that I like, if it's uncomfortable, I try another one, etc, until I find one that "fits".?. The Word of God is what it is, the WORD OF GOD. Comfortable or not, I can't change that. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think that other translations of the bible are evil and that it's necessarily wrong to read them. I just mean, for me, I was looking for something a little, well.... easier than the KJV. To be perfectly honest, I've been reading the NKJV for quite some time, but I am a creature of UN-habit. I like change. I like new things. I like the look and smell of a shiny new bible and the feel of the new crinkly pages and the fact that there is room in the margins for note taking, and ................
....And, me me me me me me me me me.
I SHOULD love the bible for the contents inside. Now, I do.
Back to the search for better scripture...
I grabbed hold of my father's old bible. I say old, it's not really old. It's barely worn. Apparently some years ago he lost his and my aunt bought him a new one. And, apparently, my father wasn't anymore keen on it than I am now. I have been holding onto it and reading from it because I love the thought of anything that ties me to him, my earthly father. But now that he is on the other side of eternity, I am trying to cling to whatever ties me to my heavenly Father, and I am thinking it is NOT this bible. Here's why.
Steven reads from the NKJV, and there have been a couple of times that we've read the same scripture, only it was different. The difference isn't huge, but it's different. I've also noticed in my dad's bible, that in the references (on the large side margins that I love) the words "literally means" would appear with the literal translation to a word in that particular verse. Odd, I thought, but continued to hold this bible tight, looking past the oddities. Then, today, I decided to read the "Preface to the New American Standard Bible", located in the front. It begins by saying how great the old King James Version is, and how thankful the writers/translators are for the history and word-for-word transliteration. Then it goes on to describe the "Principles of Translation". The first one reads...
Modern English Usage: The attempt has been made to render the grammar and terminology in contemporary English. When it was felt that the word-for-word literalness was unacceptable to the modern reader, a change was made in the direction of a more current English idiom.
Insert sound of tires coming to a screeching hault here.
I was so offended by that entire entry that I don't even know where to begin. Let's start with the definition of the word literal.
–adjective
Error.
Firstly, the fact that I was going to "see how a bible fit" may be one of the most ludicrous things Ive ever done. That's pretty much me making God who I want Him to be, not letting Him be who He is. As if the bible is a shoe... I try one on that I like, if it's uncomfortable, I try another one, etc, until I find one that "fits".?. The Word of God is what it is, the WORD OF GOD. Comfortable or not, I can't change that. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think that other translations of the bible are evil and that it's necessarily wrong to read them. I just mean, for me, I was looking for something a little, well.... easier than the KJV. To be perfectly honest, I've been reading the NKJV for quite some time, but I am a creature of UN-habit. I like change. I like new things. I like the look and smell of a shiny new bible and the feel of the new crinkly pages and the fact that there is room in the margins for note taking, and ................
....And, me me me me me me me me me.
I SHOULD love the bible for the contents inside. Now, I do.
Back to the search for better scripture...
I grabbed hold of my father's old bible. I say old, it's not really old. It's barely worn. Apparently some years ago he lost his and my aunt bought him a new one. And, apparently, my father wasn't anymore keen on it than I am now. I have been holding onto it and reading from it because I love the thought of anything that ties me to him, my earthly father. But now that he is on the other side of eternity, I am trying to cling to whatever ties me to my heavenly Father, and I am thinking it is NOT this bible. Here's why.
Steven reads from the NKJV, and there have been a couple of times that we've read the same scripture, only it was different. The difference isn't huge, but it's different. I've also noticed in my dad's bible, that in the references (on the large side margins that I love) the words "literally means" would appear with the literal translation to a word in that particular verse. Odd, I thought, but continued to hold this bible tight, looking past the oddities. Then, today, I decided to read the "Preface to the New American Standard Bible", located in the front. It begins by saying how great the old King James Version is, and how thankful the writers/translators are for the history and word-for-word transliteration. Then it goes on to describe the "Principles of Translation". The first one reads...
Modern English Usage: The attempt has been made to render the grammar and terminology in contemporary English. When it was felt that the word-for-word literalness was unacceptable to the modern reader, a change was made in the direction of a more current English idiom.
Insert sound of tires coming to a screeching hault here.
I was so offended by that entire entry that I don't even know where to begin. Let's start with the definition of the word literal.
lit·er·al
1.
in accordance with, involving, or being the primary or strict meaning of the word or words; not figurative or metaphorical: the literal meaning of a word.
2.
following the words of the original very closely and exactly:
3.
true to fact; not exaggerated; actual or factual: a literal description of conditions.
4.
being actually such, without exaggeration or inaccuracy:
So the translators of the NASV are saying that the true definition of each and every God breathed word in scripture is unacceptable?
Unacceptable to me? No, unacceptable to the modern reader.
Let's define modern.
mod·ern–adjective
1.
2.
characteristic of present and recent time; contemporary; not antiquated or obsolete: modern viewpoints.
Ancient. Antiquated. Obsolete.
Did I say earlier that I was offended? Yyyyyyeeeauh. Just a tad.
Last but certainly not least, let's define idiom.
id·i·om–noun
1.
an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head, or from the general grammatical rules of a language, as the table round for the round table, and that is not a constituent of a larger expression of like characteristics.
3.
a construction or expression of one language whose parts correspond to elements in another language but whose total structure or meaning is not matched in the same way in the second language.
It's number three that really gets me. Honestly, I had to read that sentence a few times. I still don't know that I really understand it. But as for what I've gotten so far (five times reading it), I think its saying that you basically take something written in one language, word it so that it makes sense in another language, and completely forsake the fact that it means something completely different in its original language because you want it to be relate-able. Doesn't the bible say something like "the truth shall set you free".
Hogwash according to the NASV.
Ok, I'm done for now. Back to my NKJV.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Crawley the Bug
Today I decided to stay indoors and begin the long and tedious packing process, much to the kids dismay. To be indoors for the majority of the day is about as bad as forcing them to eat lima beans and do home work. Despite the gloomy outlook for their schedule, they have been relatively peaceful and have played sweetly with each other. They even found, and lost, a new pet.
Crawly the Bug.
John Abraham was in the bathroom for a little longer than necessary, so I decided to peek in on him. He was crouched down on the floor watching a tiny little beetle-type bug crawling on the floor. "Oh, he's so cute" says my sweet boy. Of course, I wanted to squash it, never desiring any sort of creepy crawly thing in my home. But John's little face was filled with fascination as he watched the bug, so I couldn't dare kill his new friend. I went about my business after telling John that he could keep the bug in the bathroom. Eventually the girls realized what he was doing, and with a look of disgust Sarah ran into the kitchen and shouted "MOM, John Abraham is playing with a BUG!!" (She is so my child). I smiled and told her that it was ok. Its just a tiny little beetle and I said that it could stay in the bathroom. A good ten minutes went by before I realized that they were all in the bathroom together, "playing" with the bug, which had been affectionately named Crawly. They put two of John's matchbox cars in there, because Crawly needs transportation. They built a city on the step stool, because Crawly needs a place to relax and shop, if he so desires. They even put an almond on the floor, in case he gets hungry. Then Sarah had the great idea to get a shoe box so that Crawly could come outside with us later (not really "outside", the garage. It must be cleaned and alas, I'm the one to clean it. Ug) The three of them went out on a search and came back into the bathroom just in time to see Crawly make his way underneath the baseboard, not to be seen again. They were frantic, especially Madelyn. At this point, John Abraham lost interest and went back to watching Scooby Doo. The girls, however, were contemplating what terrible fate surely awaited Crawly in the bowels of the walls. Sarah was voicing her plan of action in the event that Crawly made it back out, while Madelyn was pleading with her that they just stop and pray to God to bring him out. Sarah, of course, wasn't listening to Madelyn. So she decided to take matters into her own hands. She stomped off, saying "FINE, I will go pray by myself in my quiet place!"
My daughter has a "quiet place".
When I heard her say that, my heart became mush. She went into my room, between my bed and the wall, and whispered a little prayer. Immediately, when she was done, she jumped to her feet, called Crawly's name and ran to the bathroom, fully expecting to see him in the middle of the floor. I heard her disappointment as she went into the living room to cry to Sarah. I found her and told her that God has to do what is best for everyone, including Crawly, and perhaps Crawly needs to be in the wall... maybe that's where he lives. We talked about it for a bit and she is settled on the fact that God is taking care of Crawly and she might see him again someday.
Thank you God for bugs.
Crawly the Bug.
John Abraham was in the bathroom for a little longer than necessary, so I decided to peek in on him. He was crouched down on the floor watching a tiny little beetle-type bug crawling on the floor. "Oh, he's so cute" says my sweet boy. Of course, I wanted to squash it, never desiring any sort of creepy crawly thing in my home. But John's little face was filled with fascination as he watched the bug, so I couldn't dare kill his new friend. I went about my business after telling John that he could keep the bug in the bathroom. Eventually the girls realized what he was doing, and with a look of disgust Sarah ran into the kitchen and shouted "MOM, John Abraham is playing with a BUG!!" (She is so my child). I smiled and told her that it was ok. Its just a tiny little beetle and I said that it could stay in the bathroom. A good ten minutes went by before I realized that they were all in the bathroom together, "playing" with the bug, which had been affectionately named Crawly. They put two of John's matchbox cars in there, because Crawly needs transportation. They built a city on the step stool, because Crawly needs a place to relax and shop, if he so desires. They even put an almond on the floor, in case he gets hungry. Then Sarah had the great idea to get a shoe box so that Crawly could come outside with us later (not really "outside", the garage. It must be cleaned and alas, I'm the one to clean it. Ug) The three of them went out on a search and came back into the bathroom just in time to see Crawly make his way underneath the baseboard, not to be seen again. They were frantic, especially Madelyn. At this point, John Abraham lost interest and went back to watching Scooby Doo. The girls, however, were contemplating what terrible fate surely awaited Crawly in the bowels of the walls. Sarah was voicing her plan of action in the event that Crawly made it back out, while Madelyn was pleading with her that they just stop and pray to God to bring him out. Sarah, of course, wasn't listening to Madelyn. So she decided to take matters into her own hands. She stomped off, saying "FINE, I will go pray by myself in my quiet place!"
My daughter has a "quiet place".
When I heard her say that, my heart became mush. She went into my room, between my bed and the wall, and whispered a little prayer. Immediately, when she was done, she jumped to her feet, called Crawly's name and ran to the bathroom, fully expecting to see him in the middle of the floor. I heard her disappointment as she went into the living room to cry to Sarah. I found her and told her that God has to do what is best for everyone, including Crawly, and perhaps Crawly needs to be in the wall... maybe that's where he lives. We talked about it for a bit and she is settled on the fact that God is taking care of Crawly and she might see him again someday.
Thank you God for bugs.
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