"The Jesus I Never Knew"

Traditional bookmarks. Conventional inserts.  Do your children make them?  Carefully draw them, and with your help, laminate the priceless gifts? They are presents for their book- wormy mommy. Bookmarks. They can never be a-thing-in-the-past.  At least, not in my domain of home-teaching kingdomette.  I hope to keep that passion for reading real pages and pages of words in published paperbacks and hardbounds. And pages of letters written by conventional, old-fashioned letter-writers.

Whatever you call them in this day and age of ebook technology, books that you collectively stand in your not-only-three-book cases, and read them voraciously, depending on the mood—are they, your books, still a living, growing favorite in your family?

Here's another bookmarked piece of interest. My desperately thinking brain has been in it since my mind laid eyes on it—for the last three weeks. Yeah, it’s new in my hand. But the concept and facts are as old as more than five millennia of writings. Writings and history of a people through ages. It’s about the Creator of the universe who chose to become like this people. Whose own humanity rooted from the unpopular- next- to-nothing  town of Natzeret in Galil (Galilee).  That turned the world upside down.  It’s insane, as the unbelieving critic puts it.

Cute little bookmarks my children gave me leafed-in through the pages and chapters. The 2,000 years of history covered up in this book is both exhilarating and disturbing. But I still drink its portraits of the Saviour like water, since I learned about Philip Yancey's, "The Jesus I Never Knew". I thought I knew Him!

It's not a friendly book though. The book was neither intended to flatter anyone, nor lift itself up above the Holy Writ.  It's a tough-skin read. But I’ve risked it. If you are the kind that asks too many questions, and is prepared to accept hard facts-- but facts gentle to digest and absorb--then, this book is for you to read and accept the challenge. Here, you encounter facts that many of us do not pay attention to-- Facts only the Biblical writers and historians put careful, fearful study and record.  Bless them!  

I’m neither a Biblical writer, nor a wannabe historian, far from it. If you are the kind that just cannot simply afford to brush off issues that may add to your treasury of wisdom and knowledge of the Son of the living God, then this book, “The Jesus I Never Knew” is worth reading and bookmarking. It’s a gentle book. You'd want to "touch every stone and turn them over" to check it out for yourself. As you do that, you'd not be disappointed in what you'd find out. You'll come out of your "comfort zone" with the sense of freedom for finding out the truth yourself.

Count yourself challenged.  Why?  This book is void of the fluffy stuff. My old beloved biases, blinders, critical blandishment of knew-it-all were lovingly taken away since I’ve seriously studied the Scriptures in its plainest meaning : What God really meant from His heart.  I’ve seen the Saviour anew and fresh as how God laid out His words to be understood!  This book, is like one of the tools I value and add in to my toolbox for building.

Read it like a little child. And you’ll attempt to take a few more baby steps, drawing and delighting nearer to the heart of the Father in heaven. 

Just as the rain water comes down in drops and forms rivers,

so with the Scriptures: one studies a bit today

and some more tomorrow, until in time the understanding

 becomes like a flowing stream.—Song of Songs Midrash Rabbah 2:8

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FFOZ | The Weekly eDrash : Spiritual Matzah

FFOZ | The Weekly eDrash : Spiritual Matzah

Revolution in World Missions by K.P.Yohannan

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First Draft

“Dreaming as usual, Miriam?”

Miriam stifled a half-smile, didn’t answer, and then went back to her reverie.

“You’re extremes. It’s either you’re out here tiring yourself, or lulling half asleep with a book.”

“I wasn’t asleep,” Miriam said and pulled a blade of grass. “I was watching the lake.” A giggle escaped, she knew Grampa was only teasing.

“Look there! The blue wrens took flight, then back with their morsels and fed them to their baby starlings.” Then Miriam pointed to the mountain, “I’m waiting for the sun to brush its last ray on that ridge.”

“What’s on your mind, Miriam?”

She hesitated.

“I’m satisfied, Gram. My final manuscript’s ready for publication.”

“Your first non-fiction, “The Daughters’ Return” will be out soon. I believe in you, Miriam.”

“Thanks, Gram. But, I’m not sure how the mainstream churches will accept it,” she sighed, “because, I’m only eighteen.”

“I’d care more what parents would think and do about the obvious modern-day issues.” He stared at the visionary young author, “You poured out your heart and life on your first book.”

“I wish I’d become a pilot, and ventriloquist, instead.”

“How d’you think author Miriam’s gonna do that?” Grampa said, chuckling.

“Gram?” Silence pervaded.

“A-huh?” Miriam watched him gaze at the distance, Grampa always knew how she felt.

She sucked in breath of the late afternoon mist.

“If only Mom were alive.”

“Yeah. I miss her too”

“Hey, Gram,” she wiped away tears, “you haven’t written for a year since Mom died. Why not dig up those manuscripts and have them published?”

Turning back to the house, they passed the sloping banks inlaid with blooms and thickets of wild daisies and lavender. The evening walk was pleasant under a full moon. They could see the lights from the house uphill.

“Gram? Can you make me your apprentice?” Miriam spoke under her breath. “And while I’m at it, the first draft of my next book might have a head start.”

Grampa jested, “Apprentice with me, heh?”

“How ‘bout it, Gram?”

“Hmmm...”

“Best-selling author— my grandad! Me, apprentice. Isn’t that how I’m supposed to be-- to set out for the second book I’m writing?”

Miriam teased, “Disciplined under the tyranny of a master teacher of writing. I think, I can learn to cope with that,” she chortled, a gleeful laugh felt nice.

“Hold your horses, child,” he said. “So now I’m the expert at cutting writers to the quick with my criticisms, heh?”

“Dyo’ think you haven’t done that for forty years as editor, Gram?”

Grampa thought a while.

“I was once a young writer brimming with hope. I learned to endure, to perfect, and to challenge my pain-makers-- my writing teachers.”

Practice. More, more, practice. Miriam’s writing-craft perfected and became enjoyable. She remembered her first bicycle ride. Without thinking of the techniques, now became natural to her.

Grampa continued, “Variety. Clarity. Precision. These enlisted for my watchwords since.”

“Clichés clutter,” Miriam mimicked, “watch out for those awry lines and words.”

“See here,” Grampa showed Miriam’s latest manuscript. “You did well with your catchy, inviting words in every page.”

“I... I wanted to impact my readers. Otherwise I didn’t do my job well.”

With “The Daughters’ Return”, would her readers have profound experiences with her live, moving characters? Miriam hoped. She wanted the best of her readers’ time, what they were willing to heed and be challenged by --was important.

She was young. Did Miriam have a real understanding of human nature?

“My book might be a failure, Gram.”

“Study. Experience. Vision. These are what make you a skillful young writer, Miriam.”

Her heart leaped with joy.

“It was a pleasure knowing my characters. It was not easy. Sometimes I thought, “’Did my characters say this? Or was it me?’”

“You’ve seen the otherness in so many people around you. You had a teacher--your mother.”

Miriam’s experiences with wiser women helped make her book become a reality.

But it left her a vast terrain of sorrow and pain in the middle of success and loneliness for her best friend-mother.

“Beyond that horizon of grief, rejoicing places higher into which your mother has been the heart of your writing tapestry.”

“O, Grampa, I wish Mom were here -- to pray with me.”

“With your writing-gift, God, our Master-Teacher equips. And He hears, Miriam.”

Miriam fought back the tears. Grampa’s words delved into her heart.

Silence.

“Now, Miriam, let’s get started with your first draft.”

“How does the title, “Journey into God’s Will” sound, Gram?”


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Infinity: Simply Calculus (Testimony of a Homeschooling Mom)

I often marvel at mathematical formulas and equations.

It confounds me when I watch my daughters decipher Saxon Math problems with ease. They make sense of algebraic equations as simple as baking banana bread. Baking calls for maths in converting proper proportions with the right ingredients. Thus, their success at both, algebra and cake-making, helps me re-evaluate my own knack in solving simple arithmetic and culinary skills. There’s always room for learning and improvement. And I’m set for increasing my knowledge as a home school teacher and mom.

My eyebrows furrow at Jotham’s fractions and reducing portions to smaller equivalents. His quick-to-learn and get-on-with-it study habits inspire my desire to further my studies in the world of numbers. Pursuing advanced calculus down the track though is quite a strange wish, and is unlikely to materialize.

Homeschooling has its share of ups and downs. One of them is teaching Algebra. As I share this with some homeschooling moms, they share the same uneasiness, “You are not alone in this.”

To be able to brave through the tackling of the most obscure equations, my imploring knees to the All-Wise Creator must first be in fervent operation. After all, with just a word, He put the whole universe in perfect place and order. Another mom echoed, “What a mighty God we serve!”

Re-learning the basics in math is invigorating and uplifting too.

Another usual home-schooling morning, Jotham needed my help. Fifty-five items of problem equations and fractions in his math workbook daunted me at first glance. A half-smile, a half-puckered lip met with my creased eyebrows. My whole face looked like a fraction of anxiety and courage. Finding the standard formula for algebraic equations was most elusive. I was hard at thinking. I was concerned for my son’s future endeavours with facing higher maths. I guess, the mother’s heart in me overruled. The clock ticked rapidly towards lunch break. But beyond doubt, we advanced at a steady speed. I wasn’t giving up. I must teach him. I must relearn.

Here were five simple approaches to how I valiantly defied my trepidation in math:
1. helped the best I could,
2. be cheerful,
3. took a deep breath: portrayed that I was in control –of myself.
4. consulted my valuable teacher’s manual;
5. make sure Dad was available for deliverance.

A writer-editor and friend who taught her daughters until they graduated from their homeschooling is now reaping the fruit of her labor. She noted to me, “Why, my eldest now teaches college maths.”

I pondered, “Hmmm, why not me?” My friend, an author and editor, a homeschooling mom, her labours are never in vain. On second thought, I might as well get back on board into writing... while I teach.” My heart leapt with joy.

-----

My sons acquired the term, infinity. Elementary school math introduced this word attached to a mathematical formula, I think. I don’t remember defining it to them from one of their math text books. But I suspected that they might have read about it somewhere in our library of 1800’s-1900's antique books. But I cannot underestimate the probability that they might have learned infinity from a dusty Advance Calculus book neatly stacked in some crevice intended for that volume. Given the benefit of the doubt, they might have gotten it from Isaac-Newton’s use of calculus. Rumours tell me, Daddy contributed this endless word to their vocabulary.


If my old memory remained loyal, my grade five definition of infinity was, “Never ends.” At the time of writing this article, Thesaurus gained my gratefulness. My success with word search yielded dividends, at least to my simple satisfaction. Perpetuity. Time without end. Eternity. I think, never ends suited me just fine.

Just the other night at our sporadic Daddy-Mommy-time alone, courage beckoned me to admit my ignorance. I asked my husband what sort of term was infinity.

“Is it scientific? Is it spiritual? Or is it simply calculus?”

My husband, a man of few words, answered, “Simply calculus. Infinity characterizes God, as well. He’s no beginning and no end.”

“Whew!" To me, it was an exhilarating breakthrough to know this, "Thanks, Hon!” My guess was right.

Since the conception of its usage, infinity has acquired its valuable place in the many phases of our home life. It hasn’t worn out its use and function to whom and for what it was intended.

For instance, each time food was served on our ten-seater, messmate dining table; my sons often rated my cooking: “Infinity out of infinity, Mom!” Even the little ones, Gilead 3, and Uzzielle, 5, copy, "Fin fin, Mom." What many pleasant meal times they'd been. My English inclinations to correct, “Use proper adjectives, dear” just simply amounted to infinite gratitude of, “Oh thank you, children, I’m very glad you like my yummy, scrummy cooking!”

Isaac-John, 8, and I exchanged hand signals. Three squeezes meant, “I love you”. But his boyish little hand squeezes,as hard as he could, hard squeezes that seemed more than three. And he said, “I love you Mommy, infinity out of infinity.”

Well, if stones of calculus were still of use today, its mathematical functions could never logically reason away love. Methodically, love cannot be confined. Symbolically, love, and all of the rates, volumes and gradients of human wisdom combined cannot explain the love overflowing from a mother to her child, and a child to his mother.


There is one encompassing and better love: It is the high cost of the free gift of God's mercy. It is the perfect kindness that came down from glorious Heaven to be with humanity. God has begun it, and perfected it at the cross by His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ.

It’s a high call to all to come, repent of sin, and surrender to the never ending, infinity out of infinity merciful love of God.

The Scriptures says, “Nor shall height, nor depth, nor any other creature, be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Math? Who? Me, teach Math? Piece a’ cake?

Yeah, come to think of it, it should be, with more work plus time put out while at it.

If home-teaching drew me closer to God, then, it was good. I see it now; to serve the Lord with fear, rejoicing with trembling because of what He did for for me on the cross- He truly loves me. He truly loves my children.

Teaching then at home is my simple, reasonable service to our merciful, Eternal God.
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