Sure Hope Gazette

Skipping Without a Rope My dad taught me all about how to take a simple piece of flat shale and using just the right wrist movement and fling, that thin piece of dark shale would joyfully skip across the surface of the flat calm surface. If it didn't work the first time, you just kept trying until you got it. Not sure why exactly, but what an enjoyable activity. Once I learned that, I would look for any rock flat enough (only if there was no shale of course) to skip across any water surface. Some would work, some went kerplunk. Oooh, remember Kerplunk? Hmm, but I digress. But don't ya just like saying that word though? Okay, back to the matter at hand, skipping rocks. Turns out, I also skip proverbial rocks across the Bible as well. What do I mean exactly? Well,  don't know about you, but when Craig and I come to those chapters in the Bible that are all about the genealogies and/or names that tend to twist the tongue in the Bible (not to mention knowing how to pronounce ...

Conspiracy Theories Believe it or not, Craig and I enjoy researching conspiracy theories to learn which ones are conspiracy fact. Unsure about what a conspiracy theory is, keep reading…  It is pretty common that when you tell someone what you believe really may have happened regarding say, the JFK assassination or September 11, 2001, they look at you like you are out of your mind. It gets worse when you tell them about how secret or elusive societies such as the Freemasons, the Illuminati, the Bilderberg Group , or the Bohemian Grove and such, seem to really exist. It is why we usually only discuss it between the two of us :o) Merriam Webster Dictionary's definition of conspiracy is "a secret plan made by two or more people to do something that is harmful or illegal and  conspiracy theory   definition: "a theory that explains an event or situation as the result of a secret plan by usually powerful people or groups."  Basically, conspiracists don't...

The people cried out against their fellow Israelites because they were worried about the famine or dearth in the King James.  Dearth is Hebrew for  1. famine, hunger  A. famine (in land, nation) i) of Jevhovah's word (fig) B) hunger (of individuals) They mentioned that they had even mortgaged their homes and land in order to buy food. Even the children were being forced, I assume by their parents, into slavery. I think when they say that because their fields and vineyards belong to others, that is why they have had to force their children into bondage - as a form of payment. It is sad to think that in order to eat, children can be used as payment in some degree.  When Nehemiah heard what these people were crying about he talked with the nobles and the rulers and convicted them on their usury. They were using the famine as a  means to gain wealth/slaves from their own people who didn't have the means to repay what they owed. Yet if the people who borr...

Chapter 4 of Nehemiah Sanballat was livid when he heard that the wall was being rebuilt. He mocked the Jews. He talked to his army of Samaria, asking things about what the rebuild could mean…"will they fortify themselves? Will they make and end in a day?” Tobiah tried to make fun, by saying that if a fox went on the wall, he would break it down. Nehemiah prayed to God, saying “we are despised…” When Sanballat and Tobiah, the Arabians and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were coming along, that all of the breaches were repaired , they were very angry. So angry they conspired all night (verse 4:8) against the Israelites, how to fight them and hinder them. Nehemiah and the people prayed to God and placed people in places to watch throughout the night and day. Judah was concerned that the strength of the bearers is weakening because there is too much rubbish, to move.“ Their adversaries said, that the Israelites won't know or see us until...

Nehemiah Chapter 3 Chapter three seems to be about listing the names of those who helped with the building of the wall of Jerusalem and even mentioning those who didn't help. Here are just a few notes on what I believe this chapter is about.  One thing that came to mind was that nothing in God's Word is in vain. Meaning, that even the lengthy lists of genealogies and details have special purpose. So I cheated and googled that thought. Because specific names of gates and areas are mentioned, I thought it would be a good idea to have a diagram of Jerusalem to see where these places and names fit in. http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/studies/online/nehem3.htm On that note, here's what I saw in chapter three and after that is the link that gives an idea of what all of the details may mean.  In verse one we are told that Eliashib, who was the high priest, with his brethren the priests, built the sheep gate and sanctified it, as well as setting up the gate's doors...

Nehemiah Chapter 1 My synopsis is from reading the New American Standard Bible and the King James. I totally endorse the King James Bible, but the way my brain works, I just have a very difficult time understanding what I am reading at times. So to help explain it, I do reference some other translations. However, the KJV, I believe, is the number one standard to use. I know that sounds confusing and makes little sense- if I believe it is the best Engish translation, but, it is where my head is at for now.  As visual artist/creative person that I am, reading the KJV, is sort of like solving math problems. Might I say, my first semester of math in grade nine was 29%! I think old english accesses the left lobe of the grey matter, like math does. My right lobe, never shuts down, but the left…well, all I can say is, I hope that makes some sense. I don't believe it is a sin to use another translation, but I do think it gets too confusing when we do not have one standard to use as a ...