Planet Wilder

I wish I got a picture of him drooling ha ha ha… Drew hasn’t been feeling good. The Jovie gave him cooties. So here’s him, on his side of the bed.

I know I’ve got other books to finish but the library circulation got a hold of this book for me today and unlike the other check-outs this one is due in two weeks. This is my second book by Bart D Ehrman, after Misquoting Jesus. It would have been a third (God’s Problem) if I got to reading the other one but no, I got it when I just had Jovie and I had to return it.

I’ve been into the Bible (not in what people would think way) since I started reading Misquoting. I haven’t read the bible since high school — since I had to basically — and I had to dig one out to be able to follow Ehrman’s examples. I love God and I think Jesus is great but the church, those who makes the rules, and the Bible are questionable. I don’t like how the church decide/inform which person is good/bad and who will go to heaven. I always wonder how people could write so well back in the days (I thought most were uneducated) and how the different pieces were found and then put together. How did they know it was the real deal written by who it said it was suppose to be? The books by Ehrman helped me understand the Bible in a different light — if read horizontally. Instead of reading bits and pieces you want to read the same story by the different authors side by side. Write notes and compare them after.

This is how Biblical scholars study the Bible and this is also how seminaries in the U.S. and Europe teach future priests. The interesting part is that these priests, once they get to leading a church goes back to the devotional Bible instead of what they learned, the historical. From the historical stand point there are a lot of discrepancies and errors. For example: who visited Jesus after he was born? When was he captured, put to trial and crucified? What happened after Jesus was born – did they flee to Egypt or they went home to Nazareth (per two different authors)? If you have an open mind and sense of humor you’ll find yourself laughing and giggling at some parts – The plaque in Egypt (Moses) got me laughing. The field animals all got killed by the fifth plague but then a few days later more animals got killed by the seventh (or something like that) plague. Quoting Ehrman: “What animal?” I laughed so hard.

Ehrman’s books are great scholarly work – a historical glimpse of the Bible. Ehrman knows his stuff and because of his books I wish I could sit in his lecture or even worst… learn Hebrew/Greek so that I can study the old scriptures to be able to read the original. Yes, he’s making me want to do Biblican study — which in my case would require me to start from scratch in terms of education.

The Bible, like many books, were written by men. Because it was written by men years later and then transcribed by many (some can’t read but they have good hand writing and so due to humanly mistakes — while others are on purpose — the Bible got transcribed incorrectly) hundred of years after that things got hairy. The Bible gives confusing ideas of God and Jesus. Then there’s the question of: Was the Bible inspired by God? Some scholars think so while others don’t. Me… I’m not knowledgeable enough to really say. Right now I just like being informed.

It’s so interesting though reading the Bible again. If people now say they’ve dreamed of God talking to them or angels coming down to leave them messages the majority would think the person’s crazy. But back then that’s how things were communicated and written as God’s words in the Bible. People believed it and many still do. If Jesus came to visit unannounced, he’d probably be taken to the funny farm unless he performed some miracle — which would be great but at the same time kind of sad… would we only believe that he’s Jesus IF he performed something out of ordinary?

I like reading these types of books. I am open minded and I like books that can answer a lot of my questions. Between these types of books and books about past/after life I feel like I have a better understanding of why I am here and it’s comforting. Even if one day I am diagnosed with cancer or loose a leg. I wouldn’t feel like it’s bad luck or God’s angry with me. It’s just part of my learning experience here on earth. So good/bad I know I’ll be ok. I chose this life and body.

If there’s ever a Bible study group, a historical one, I’d be interested in joining. The devotional group I can pass.

I love making cards. Although day’s 18′s picture of the day should have been “friends” I forgot to take a picture even though we had our friends over for dinner. So instead it’s “card making” which is appropriate too since it was something I did that day and an activity that I enjoy doing very much.

I like making cards. I honestly don’t send or give a lot of cards but I like the process of making them and sharing the end results with other card/stamping/paper enthusiast. I am on the computer all the time at work and doing crafts relaxes me. This hobby of mine has also helped make friends whether in person or online. Card making and scrapbooking have also given me opportunities that I didn’t think would have been possible. Being published by a national magazine, getting freebies as creative team member for a store/company/blog, and hanging out on Adobe’s Kuler page. Right now I’m holding off on applying for anything more. I’m waiting for after the move.

Lovely winter to be out in Kansas City. The weather was great although the drive home was a bit rough. It was so foggy we had to go 35 miles/hr quite a bit. We did though have wonderful sushi at Edokko, got some groceries at Whole Foods, got my Archivers into my system, and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (hi Tiramisu!). Fabulous day.

When we’re out and about (I’m sure it’s the same with everybody) we always encounter something interesting. After we parked at Whole Foods we were treated to the below. Check out the rims too:

Pure sweetness, huh?

Have a nice one!!

That Book! Here’s Jovie trying really hard to grab Drew’s catalog. Jove loves to stand and we’ve been helping here a bit now and then.