Suffering with Job
Today was the first of eleven days of reading in the Book of Job. Want to know about suffering? Want to know about asking God, "Why? Why me?" Want to see how friends can steer you wrong? Want to know how to persevere? Well, this is a good book of the Bible to read. But it isn’t always easy to understand.
Newsflash: I’ve suffered when I haven’t done anything to deserve it. I have not lived a charmed life, and plenty of things in my life haven’t turned out the way I dreamed they would or that I wanted them to. I share a lot of things in this public blog, but there is much that I don’t share except with my most intimate friends and family members.
Life isn’t always fair. In fact, as the song goes, "Life is hard. God is good." Only God knows exactly why things happen as they do, and for the Christian, submission to their Sovereign God is the only real answer when trials, testing, hardship come. Grief and mourning are as real for the person of faith as for anyone else. The difference is Who we trust to see us through.
The books of Job in the Old Testament and James in the New Testament have served to guide me through more than one storm. I’m thankful for the guidance, examples, and comfort I’ve found therein.
Shakespeare Night
Tonight is my first show of the 2005 season of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. I’m only seeing three of the five performances this year because of scheduling problems, and tonight is the only play by the Bard that I’ll see this season. This one is The Taming of the Shrew. (Will love tame a shrewish heart and an intemperate bachelor?) This year is a special treat because in addition to my two writer/Shakespeare buddies who I go with every year, I’ll be joined by both of my daughters and both of my sons-in-law. We’ll sit on low-to-the ground lawn chairs, eat our dinners, visit, laugh, and watch the performance as evening falls over the outdoor stadium. I love it.
Book Progress
Hmm. The good news is I’m moving forward. The bad news is I’m not
moving as fast as I wish I was. Still, I’m enjoying the story and hope
readers will too when it is done. It is lighter fare than my just
released The Victory Club. This one is an historical romance with a fun tone and an ahead-of-her-time heroine.
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Well, I want that progress meter to really move this week, so I’d best stop posting and get to my writing. It’ll be time to pack my supper in the cooler and toss blanket and lawn chair into the back of my car before I know it.
-rlh-
Hi Robin ~ I too have been going through Job. The verses that have really stood out for me were in chapter 5 verses 17 & 18. Particularly 18: “For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.” How often after the wounding have I refused to let Him “bind up” and “make whole”. Thank God I’m learning! How much quicker the healing comes when we give it all over to Him to make better. 🙂 The situation might not be better, but man, my whole outlook changes when I allow Him to heal me.
So enjoy reading your blog! Thanks for the many words of encouragement you share here. God bless!
Having performed in Taming of the Shrew, I can attest to who the true shrew was. I played Biance, the true shrew. If you see the end, where Kate is baraging Bianca with how to treat your husband, it is Bianca who has lorded herself overher husband.
Tables turn, Kates heart changes, but Bianca remains a spoiled brat!