2 Kings (Bible in 90 Days)

At this point in reading the bible, I feel like I am back in my U.S. History class in high school and we have to list two to three facts about every president. Second Kings just sort of goes down the list of kings over Israel and Judah and says the main points about each one. Some were faithful to the Lord, but most weren't. However, they all played a part in history.

It is a bit overwhelming, but the point is that there is a dark fate for those who do not look to God as the true leader. The nations are quickly sliding into corruption, but a few choose to rise above it.

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Only two kings were called good--Hezekiah and Josiah. There were also 30 prophets proclaiming God's message. Two of the most known were Elijah and Elisha.

One of the most amazing stories in Second Kings is centered around the second man who did not have to die to walk with God in heaven. Before Elijah leaves he asks Elisha what he can do for him. Elisha's answer--"Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit" (2 Kings 2:9). Talk about a righteous answer, I'd say he understand God's love. And his request is granted. Elisha sees signs, proclamations and miracles throughout his life.

As for Elijah, he went to walk with the Lord--it doesn't get any better than that.

"As they [Elijah and Elisha] were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind." 2 Kings 2:11

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After living an extraordinary life as a prophet and a man of God, even death couldn't cease Elisha's blessings to the world:

"Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet." 2 Kings 13:20-21

The people of the Lord were few in this dark time of history. The Israelites did evil things in God's eyes so he turned his back on them.

"So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunders, until he thrust them from his presences." 2 Kings 17:18-20

Turns out the Passover had not been observed in some time. It seemed the Book of Laws written by Moses had gotten lost or forgotten over the reign of misguided kings. King Josiah, one of the two good kings, found it and restored the Passover celebration. (2 Kings 23:21-23)

It is also said about Josiah:
"Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did--with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses." 2 Kings 23:25

1 Kings (Bible in 90 Days)

First Kings begins with King David's death. However, it was still a happy time. David was very old and had lived a full and faithful life. On his death bed, David declares Solomon his successor. Solomon was not the oldest son, but history tells that he is the correct choice of both David and God.

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Solomon was a good king with a righteous heart. God asked Solomon what one thing he would want. Solomon's answer--wisdom. God grants his request and is pleased. Because of his gracious heart God also grants him wealth, honor and a long life.

"So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours." 1 Kings 3:9

Solomon's greatest achievement was to complete a temple for God that David, his father, desired to build.

"My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said to my father David, "You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name, Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your won flesh and blood--he is the one who will build the temple for my name." 1 Kings 8:17-19

It took seven years to complete, but it was a majestic temple. Solomon dedicated it to the Lord and people came from all around to see it. The ark of the covenant was brought to rest in the Most Holy Place within the Temple. The Lord was pleased and there was peace in the country.

Over the years, Solomon married many woman from foreign lands. Solomon began to make alters for his wives' gods. God became angry with Solomon and promised to rip the kingdom apart from his son's hands.

"Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him [Solomon's son], but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen." 1 Kings 11:13

This is yet another example of great men showing imperfections.

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Solomon's son Rehoboam, the new king, was not as wise as his father. He refused the advice of the older, more experienced council and instead listened to young men. Because of his decisions Israel revolted and split apart just as God promised.

"When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David." 1 Kings 12:20

The other big story in First Kings is of the prophet Elijah. He is perhaps the biggest prophet in the bible. He followed God and God worked through him--even to command the rain.

"Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." 1 Kings 17:1

Of course this was for a purpose. Ahab, the present king of Israel at the time, needed a BIG sign that GOd was real and the idol he was serving, Baal, was a false god.

Elijah tells the prophets of Baal to call him, but he does not answer. Then Elijah calls on God and He answers with fire. All the people rejoice.

"Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!" 1 Kings 19:14

(The entire story is told in 1 Kings 18:22-42)

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A lot happens in 1 Kings, but my favorite part is hiding amongst all the drama:

"The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the Presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." 1 Kings 19:11-12

God did not come as the wind, an earthquake or fire, but as a gentle whisper. We must be listening and not get distracted by all the commotion surrounding him. Only then will we be able to hear the message God is really speaking to us.

The Stages of Valentine's Day

I love Valentine's Day, I always have. Now that I'm older and have lived a few year, I have noticed that Valentine's Day changes over time and goes through different stages as you go through life.

I remember being a little kid and always so excited about pink hearts and exchanging cheesy Valentines with friends. I loved how the whole day at school became heart and friendship themed with decorations, crafts and glitter. We would have a little party with cupcakes and candy, which made it a fun day. At home my mom would turn the rice pink and make heart shaped biscuits. This was a time of simplicity and fun. I loved Valentine's Day as a kid.

The next stage of Valentine's day came in high school. This was a time when heart themes are lame and celebrating friendships just weren't enough anymore. My friends and I were getting boyfriends and girlfriends and Valentine's Day became about first kisses and as much romance as you can manage at 16. It was a time of self-doubt, uncertainty and wondering what life had to offer.

College brought a whole new set of Valentine's Day meanings. As I got older with more serious relationships and beginning to make real decisions about the rest of my life, Valentine's Day became a reminder that I didn't have it all figured out. The early twenties is a funny time in life--you realize you don't have it all figured out like you thought you did a few years ago, but you feel like you should. During those years being alone on Valentine's Day feels like a failure, in relationships and in life. Thankfully there were still good times even on a Valentine's Day alone--some wine and a nice box of chocolates makes any situation feel brighter.

Valentine's Day while in a serious relationship is something else entirely, especially as that relationship is just starting out. There is this pressure to make this particular day perfect, almost to the point of stressful. I never experienced these feelings to the full effect, but I knew others who did. I knew when I was dating my now husband that he was the right one for me, among other reasons, because we could laugh and have fun on Valentine's Day without any stress or expectations.

Once we were married Valentine's Day changed yet again. As husband and wife there was no pressure to have a perfect Valentine's Day. We just had fun, like we always did. We would go out to dinner and maybe exchange gifts. At this point in my life I knew I didn't have it all figured out and I realized that I didn't need to. Valentine's Day has become simply another opportunity to be thankful that I share my life with an amazing man I call my husband and a beautiful family.

Once in a while, the stars align and there is a perfect Valentine's Day. My most memorable Valentine's Day happened two years ago. Zoey was about 6 months old and my mom had come down to babysit. Stephen and I went on a date to downtown Charleston where we ate dinner and saw "Rent" at the playhouse. It was an amazing night all around. The magical part was when we got out of the theater it was snowing. Two to three inches had fallen, rare in Charleston, making downtown look like a beautiful dream. That was one Valentine's Day I will never forget, but I don't expect that every year.

This year I am excited about Valentine's Day for a whole new reason. Now the stage has changed again to where I get to share Valentine's Day with Zoey. Two years old is an awesome time for crafts and celebrations. I get to relive my fun, simple kid years of loving Valentine's Day with my daughter. We get to paint and make pink rice and turn our sandwiches into hearts. I really like this stage, but then again, looking back, I think I like all of the stages because it means you are growing up and making your own memories.

Valentine's Day is a day to remember those you love and to have fun, no matter what stage you are in.

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2 Samuel (Bible in 90 Days)

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Faithfulness, patience, courage, generosity, commitment, honesty--these are just a few characteristics that describe King David. Second Samuel is full of these and more as they follow David's God honoring life.

It seems David stands out most in the Bible second to Jesus himself. He was born halfway between Abraham and the Jesus and became a legendary leader of Israel and an ancestor to the Messiah.

David is who God chose:
"The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people." 1 Samuel 13:14

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King David does many righteous things after he is crowned king of Israel (5:1-5). He bring the Ark of the Covenant back to the Tabernacle (6:1-23) and he leads military victories completing the conquest of the Promised Land which Joshua began many years before (8-10).

However, even King David was subject to temptation and sin. His eyes filled with lust when he saw Bathsheba and slept with her even though he knew she was married. And then, he put her husband on the front lines to die in order to keep her (11:1-27). The Lord was not pleased with David. But David repents and God forgives him. Even though he loses one son, Bathsheba gave birth to Solomon, a great successor to King David.

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The point is not that David sinned. As great a person he was, he was not perfect. We all sin. We are all human and fall short of the glory of God. The point is, David repented. This story has a happy ending. God loved David so much, he protected Israel for all time. The point of the story is: you can learn valuable lessons from your sins and allowing God to lead you back to a close relationship with Him. There can be greatness out of sin if we righten our hearts with God. We should always strive to be a person after God's own heart, just like David was.

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In Sickness and Health

This has been a crazy week. Last weekend we had family down to celebrate Superbowl Sunday, a belated Christmas and January birthdays. We had an amazing weekend, it was so great to see everyone and Zoey loved playing with her cousins. By Monday they had all gone, and I felt fulfilled but exhausted. I think that might  be why I got so sick.

On Monday night into Tuesday morning, I spent much of my time over the toilet puking my guts out. Gross, right? It didn't feel too hot either. I couldn't figure out what it could be. I thought maybe food poisoning or maybe I literally just ate too much greasy food over the weekend, but it seemed more than that.

My cousin suggested "norovirus," basically the "24 hour flu." I think she was right. I have no idea where I would have gotten it from, but about 24 hours later I was fine. However, those 24 hours sucked.

I am very thankful that my wonderful husband was able to stay home and take care of me and more importantly watch after Zoey because I could not. Even though he wasn't feeling 100% either, he did. He was there when I broke down and there when I was getting dehydrated and there to make we smile as I started feeling better.

Me and my husband, Stephen

I remembered thinking at some point in my day of sickness that I used to lean on my mom to make me better when I was sick. But now it feels so comfortable to rely on my husband. We've been together for 7 years now and married for going on 5 of those, he really is my family now. It's amazing how that transition seems so smooth when it is the right choice.

There are lots of things said about marriage, good and bad. I happen to love marriage and love being married. I couldn't imagine life without my husband and my family. We are both our own individuals and one unit at the same time. Sure I love to get out and do my own thing, but when I'm tired of people and want to be "alone," I never mind that my husband is there with me because he is simply an extension of myself.

And this weekend, I was glad that he was here for me and he loved me so much that we could sit on the couch and watch awesome sitcoms because it made me happy.

If I were to say anything about marriage it is this. Wait for that person that will be by their side and they by yours for better or worse, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, til death do you part. Those aren't just words recited for the masses to hear, they are a promise to each other and to God. We did not even say those words at our wedding, we made our own vows with our own promises and professions of love. But I still hold those traditional words to be true.

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There are always ups and downs in life. Wait for that person who you can truly be yourself around, who loves you for your strengths and your weaknesses and who stands by your side no matter what. Wait for that person who will sit with you and love you even when you are sick.

If you are waiting a long time, it's okay. God always provides the people you need to get you through tough times, if you let him. It could be a significant other at the time, a friend, a neighbor, your family and even your mom. Enjoy your life how it is right now, not thinking it would be better if it were different. Be happy just being you.

God is still teaching me many things, patience being at the top of my list, but I thank God everyday for the wonderful man he sent to me, to love me, all the day of our lives.

Wordless Wednesday: Elmo Band

Elmo Band