Tag Archives: christian parenting

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Life Lessons from Joseph and his Brothers-A Retelling

Joseph, the youngest in his family, was given a colorful coat simply because he had been born in his father's old age.

The young boy, in his fine coat, one day was sent to find his brothers who were shepherding.

When he found them, he shared his dreams in which his family bowed down to him.

No surprise, this didn't go well.

In jealousy his brothers stripped him of his rich robe and threw him into an empty cistern.

-No water in the cistern. No robe for covering. No apparent love to surround him.

An afterthought, the brothers sold him to some Ishmaelites who were on their way to Egypt.

Upon hearing the brothers' news when they returned, Jacob the father, thought that Joseph must have been killed by a ferocious animal

He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth-refusing to be comforted.

(Meanwhile in Egypt)

The LORD was with Joseph. He prospered.  An Egyptian master saw that the LORD was with him.  He became an attendant for the master Potiphar who put him in charge of his household.  He was given success in everything he did.

But soon enough, being well-built and handsome, Potiphar's wife wanted him for herself.

One day Potiphar's wife caught him by the cloak.  He refused her and fled leaving the coat behind.

Showing the coat to her master, she told a wicked story of Joseph attacking her and leaving his cloak behind.

Joseph, stripped of his fine coat once again, was thrown into prison.

And once again, being left with outward covering and comfort, the LORD was with him.

The LORD showed him kindness and granted him favor.

Again he was given success in whatever he did, even though in prison.

Dreams come into his story once again.

Joseph interprets the prisoners' dreams.

He interprets Pharoah's dreams too, telling Pharoah just as he told those in prison-

I cannot interpret your dreams; it is God.

He is put in charge again.

He is given Pharoah's signet ring and robes of fine linen.

He is given the responsibility to prepare for a widespread famine.

(Hungry, the downcast brothers re-enter the scene minus the youngest and now most-loved son of Jacob named Benjamin)

Coming to buy grain in Egypt, the brothers bearing gifts, bow to Joseph who recognizes them. They, however don't recognize him.

He sends them with a bag of grain and hidden silver to get Benjamin whom he has never met.

(Back in Canaan, the grain is eaten and dread grows as the brothers know they must return to Egypt with Benjamin.)

Armed with more gifts, double the silver and with Benjamin in tow, the brothers return.

Joseph in his grief, schemes again, having his own silver cup placed in Benjamin's sack.

As this is revealed the brothers tear their clothes; one brother saying "God has uncovered your servants' guilt" )knowing that this trouble was brought about by a deed they committed long ago.)

Joseph tells the brothers that it was God , not them who sent him to Egypt.  It was in God's plan to use their evil for good; "to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance."

This story ends with Joseph being reunited with his father and his brothers.  They live out their lives with plentiful provision.  -Genesis 37-47  But where this story ends another begins.

We are Joseph.  We are his brothers.

Like the silver cup in the sack, what is hidden in the heart is ultimately revealed.

We dream as though searching for the meaning of life, only God is the answer.

Maybe most intimately in life's cisterns and prisons, the LORD is with us.

When the silver and fine linens are stripped away, it is God who is our true covering.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

"Because he loves me", says the LORD, "I will rescue him"; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.

Psalm 91:4,14-16

 

 

 

 

 

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Writing Life

As I mentioned in my last post, my mom and baby sister were here this past weekend.  My mom is in the editing stage of  her first children's book.  My sister and I offered our assistance.  We also took time to focus our teacher eyes on writing found of Rylie's and my nephew (our stubby fingered kiddos).

In other words, writing happened; editing happened.  Mistakes and inadequacies were reflected upon.  Smiley faces were drawn with our imagination as we looked at writing in its early stage.  Improvements were made.  We shared parts we liked. - Drew stars to show our favorite parts; we agreed and disagreed.

Jason even joined in the book editing with mom-often inserting the proofreading symbol for new paragraph on each page.  The more I write, the more I see the need to frequently start new paragraphs, much like in life.

Life like writing, is a process.

It's not so much the beautiful story written.

The magic and mystery is in the story being made. -Parts you scrawl out hastily with a pen; moments you can hardly keep up.

Parts of life seem like the blank space on the page.  You stare....and nothing.  You scratch your head and chew on your pen, still nothing.  Wordless, seemingly purposeless you sit and think.  You think so hard you want to get up and walk away.

Life has misspellings.  Life is full of errors;  errors that happen because you're in a hurry and other times just because you don't know better.  Sometimes you catch those errors and correct them.  Other times you are pained as your errors are pointed out by others.  But still...you write.

Like children your letters are misshapened, malformed.  Through tears you are forced to keep writing.

There are long arrows drawn indicating pieces or chapters out-of-place, like pieces of life.   -Not wrong, but out-of-place.  There are lines you deem unnecessary.  Take heart..... Those lines you scratch out.... the ones you try to erase?  They're part of the process.

Sometimes we stay inside the margins.  We are neat and display proper penmanship.  Other times we scribble in the margins.  Sometimes it's that which is beyond the margin that stands out in the end.

Keep writing.  Neat or messy, keep the pen moving.  Find comfort in the blank spaces.  Go outside the margins when necessary.

Write life, being thankful for the One who helps you hold the pen.