God Calls Samuel (for October 19), Spark pp. 122-125

God Calls Samuel  (spark pp. 122-125)

Our story for today was one of my favorites when I was little.  You know why?  It’s about how God sometimes has big things for little people to do! And sometimes God uses children to teach adults important things.

Do you remember how Hannah promised her son, Samuel, to God?  Our story today is about Samuel and something that happened when Samuel was 12 years old.  He had been living and working in the temple with the Priest, Eli, for several years now.  He knew where important temple jars and altars were because Eli took care of him and showed him where things were.  BUT Samuel took care of Eli too, because now Eli was older and almost blind, and he needed Samuel often to help him see where things were.  One night, something special happened.

Samuel was sleeping in the temple (ZZZZZZ) when he heard a voice call

SAMUEL

“What?  What was that?  Did Eli just call me?  Maybe something is wrong!” and Samuel hurried to find and help him.

“Here I am, Eli! You called me—how can I help?”

But Eli was confused.  He shook his head.  “I didn’t call you!  It’s late and you should go back to bed.”

Now Samuel was confused, but he did exactly as Eli told him, and he fell asleep again quickly.   A little while later, the voice called again.

SAMUEL

This time, more tired (YAWN) and a bit grumpy, he crawled out of bed a bit slower.  He went back to Eli’s room.

“Here I am, Eli.  You called me (YAWN, rub eyes) how can I help you?”

Eli, too, was a bit grumpy at being woken up again.  He sighed (SIGH) and said more firmly. “I’m not calling you.  PLEASE go back to bed!”

Samuel laid back down and fell asleep. 

SAMUEL,  said the voice.  It had happened again.  He went to Eli again, more tired and grumpy this time.

That’s when Eli thought, “Aha!  It must be GOD who is calling Samuel!”  He turned to Samuel and said, “If you are called again, just say ‘God I hear you and I will do whatever you want.”  Can you say that with me?  “GOD, I hear you and I will do whatever you want.”  Well, the voice called again.

SAMUEL.

And this time, Samuel knew what to do.  He said exactly what Eli told him to say, and guess what?  It WAS God!  And he had a LOT to say to Samuel.

Even though Samuel was only 12, he wanted to serve God and God had great plans for Samuel.  With God’s help, Samuel grew up to share many of God’s messages with many people.  People all over Israel knew Samuel as God’s trusted prophet.

What did we learn?

God sometimes talks to us when we least expect it, and when we feel too young or too unimportant.  Keep listening.  God can make us great servants when we are willing, no matter our age or abilities.

Ruth's Journey (For October 5)

Ruth’s Journey (Spark pp. 110-117)

Once, there was a woman named Naomi who had two sons.  They married Ruth and Orpah, and Naomi, the two sons and Ruth and Orpah all lived in a house together as a big, happy family.  But then times got hard—the two sons died and a famine (BIG hunger) came into their country.  Naomi said to them, “Orpah, Ruth, I’ve been thinking.  Life is better for widows like us when we can be near the rest of our family—they will help us find food.”  So they packed up everything they had, and started to walk.

Walk, walk, walk.  Halfway there, Naomi turned to Ruth and Orpah—“I am only your mother in law, and you still have your parents and are young.  Go back to live with your mothers and fathers, they can help you find new husbands-- and leave me to find my own way.”

At first, they both said no.  They didn’t want to leave an old woman without someone to care for her.  But Orpah changed her mind and returned to her parents.  Ruth refused. 

“I will go where you go, live where you live.  Your people will be my people and your God, my God.”  Say that with me: “Your people will be MY people, and your God MY God.” Ruth loved Naomi and promised to stay by her, no matter what.

Naomi saw she meant it, and smiled.  “All right,” she said, and they continued along the road.  When Naomi’s family saw her coming, they welcomed her with open arms—and they hugged Ruth, too.

But things still weren’t easy.  Ruth and Naomi were very poor.  They had no money to buy food, and as widows (without husbands) were allowed to work only the outside edges of the fields to “glean” (or find) their food.

Ruth knew what she had to do. “I’m going to the field nearby to pick some of the leftover grain so we can make some bread to eat.  Hopefully, I’ll meet someone who can help us.”

In the field, Ruth walked behind the people harvesting grain, only able to pick up the pieces, here and there, left behind after the harvest.  In the evenings, she would grind the grain into flour and use it to make bread so they could eat.  Ruth worked very hard.

Ruth didn’t know it, but she had picked a field that belonged to a man named Boaz—he was both wealthy, AND one of Naomi’s relatives.  He noticed her picking in the fields one day.

“Who is that young woman picking up the leftovers?”

A servant replied “HER?  Oh, she isn’t from around here—She came with Naomi and asked if she could have some of the leftovers.  She works very hard!”

Boaz went out to meet and talk with Naomi.  “I understand that you came here with my relative, Naomi? You are welcome to stay here and work with the other women.  If you get tired or thirsty, please stop, rest, and have a drink of water from the well.”

Ruth was a little surprised: “You’re being very kind to me.”

Boaz: “I’ve heard how hard you work and how kind you have been to your mother in law, Naomi, staying by her even when your husband died.  I think God must be very proud of you and I would like to help you.”

As time passed, Boaz continued to care for Ruth and, in fact, decided to marry her! Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed, who was the grandfather to King David (you remember David and Golaith?)  What an amazing thing Ruth had done—she trusted in God, and  became part of what we call the lineage—the family history—of Jesus!

What did you learn?

  Hard work can be important

God goes with us, even on the long and difficult journeys

Joseph's Journey, Part 2

Joseph's journey, part 2 (Spark 57-65)

Last week, we met Joseph who had some pretty strange dreams..  Things weren’t going very well for him!  His brothers sold him into slavery and he left EVERYTHING he’d ever known—his 11 brothers, his parents, his country, and was taken off to Egypt.  Worse than that, when he got there, he was thrown in jail—and was there for over two years!  But, you see, the thing that got him in trouble—those dreams?  They were a special gift—a super power of sorts, from GOD!  And God not only gave him those dreams, but the power to tell other people what their strange dreams meant.

So, two years have passed since he told those two servants of Pharaoh what their dreams meant, when someone shows up at his jail cell door!  He had been summoned—the Pharaoh himself needed Joseph’s help!

The pharaoh tells Joseph his dream:

PHARAOH:“First, I dreamed that I was standing by the Nile River, and out came seven healthy FAT cows.  They were eating grass.  And then seven UGLY, sick, skinny cows showed up and ATE the fat cows!  Then, in another dream, seven, thick, juicy and healthy ears of corn grew on a corn stalk.  Then seven, thin, rotten, unhealthy ears of corn grew and ate the healthy ones. What does it all mean?”

God helped Joseph understand, and Joseph told the Pharaoh what the dreams meant: 

JOSEPH: “They mean t that for seven years, Egypt will have plenty of food—lots and lots of it! Then, there will be seven BAD years—there will not be enough food, and people will go hungry!”

Pharaoh knew this meant he had to do something! He put Joseph in charge—for seven years, Joseph helped collect and store the extra food, getting ready for the years when there wouldn’t be enough.  In the other countries near Egypt, there wasn’t enough food—people were starting to go HUNGRY, but Egypt had plenty!  God had helped Joseph understand his message and know what needed to be done.  With God’s help and love, Joseph helped Egypt—and people from other countries.

Some of those people who started to go hungry were Joseph’s brothers!  They journeyed to Egypt to find food for their family and to plead with the leaders of Egypt to help them.  They had no idea Joseph was in charge. And when they saw him, they didn't know who he was.  Joseph recognized them, though.  At first, he kept it a secret—but then, he grew too excited!  He finally understood why God had sent him on this long and difficult journey. He told them:

“I am your brother Joseph, who you sold to the Egyptian traders.  Don't feel bad anymore because God sent me ahead of you so that I could save people, including you.  This famine—time with bad crops and hungry people—is going to last for many years, so hurry back to our father and tell him I am safe.  I want you to bring your families and your children and your sheep and goats and all your belongings and live near me!  I will help take care of you.”

What do you think Joseph’s brothers did?  They hugged each other and cried—they were so happy to be reunited with Joseph, and so excited for the journey Joseph’s life had taken!  They talked and talked and talked.  Even the Pharaoh heard about Joseph’s family and their journey.  He told Joseph, “Tell them to go get EVERYONE in your family and I’ll give them the best land in Egypt to call their own.” 

Joseph gave his brothers wagons, and loaded them with food, supplies, and new clothes.  They quickly went back to their father and told him the good news about Joseph and what waited for them in Egypt!

His father was so excited—it was everything he wanted!  He would see his son again, and they would all be together in Egypt!  They loaded the families and all of their goats and sheep and all of their belongings and started back to Joseph!

BUT….on the way, the brothers started to worry!  What if this was a trick?  What if Joseph was still mad at them for selling him and oh!  They’d been so TERRIBLE to him!  What if he was going to take all they had? 

So they carefully went to Joseph—“Here we are (sigh).  We don't deserve to be your brothers anymore.  Take us as your slaves.”

What did Joseph do? He said to them “Don't be silly!  I am your brother, no matter what! Even though you planned something bad to happen to me, God turned it into something good!”  And the family celebrated being together, and Joseph being able to take care of Egypt—him and his silly dreams!

What did you learn?

Even things others mean for bad, God can turn into good.

Joseph forgave his brothers (WOW)—is that an easy thing to do?  NO!  sometimes brothers and sisters can be difficult, but God helps us love them   

A seat at the table

I've spent a lot of the last six months frustrated beyond belief.

At work.
At home.
At church.
On Facebook.
Over email.
And the last few weeks, at Tristan's school.

I understand that some of these are probably ridiculous, but there is a common thread running through all of the frustrations:

My perspective, my words, are being dismissed or ignored. Constantly.

I've heard from my former research colleagues (when I couldn't make a 3 pm meeting because of T's school schedule) "Well, what works for the working mothers in the group?"  (ummm, I still work, thanks--but not your standard hours).  I've heard comments about my not being a "real" professor because I teach online (for a very reputable school and in a nationally-accredited college of Education). I was also told that "basically anyone could do what you do," when working with youth at the church and "any parent knows how to work with kids" (while I understand that any parent COULD work with kids, that doesn't mean that every parent knows how!)

I've also had my concerns over helping T adjust to the classroom and knowing a "safe place" to calm down when he gets overwhelmed ignored during orientation....only to get a call the next day for ideas (from me) on how to help him adjust because he's overwhelmed in the new space.  I had the principle basically laugh at me when I said I was concerned mostly over the teacher's safety when T had a meltdown because I'd been a teacher myself and knew that feeling of powerlessness--I don't know if it was because he found it hard to believe that I could be afraid of my own kid (ask any parent with a kid on the spectrum and who has behavioral/tantrum issues at times--we have physical scars and emotional ones to go with them) or if it was because he didn't believe I'd really taught before.

I've gotten into logical discussions on facebook over politics and social justice and philosophy and been completely ignored or shut out of the conversation by other posters (usually not the person the discussion began with--and, frankly, usually older males).  Just because I'm "only" in my 30s, don't hold a full professorial role (by the way, those represent less than 30% of teaching staff at colleges--or less--these days, and I personally don't know anyone under about 40 years old right now who's even able to claim that they're on tenure track).  I do realize that it's facebook and it's the silliest place to have serious discussions, but I also have this happen on a regular basis on in-person and classroom forum situations.

And I don't mean to sound cranky or bitter about it, but here's the thing:  I want a seat at the table.

I want to stop feeling like because I chose to stay home with the kids, my job(s) haven't paid much, and my areas of expertise are children, identity and faith development, I'm somehow considered not worth listening to.  I want to feel welcomed into the conversations and valued.

And I know I'm not alone, which is why I guess I took the time to write this post.

Before you dismiss someone's views because they're too young, too disassociated, too 'uninformed,' or too....not you or your immediate friends, pause.  listen and reflect.

Realize that sometimes the ways in which we (especially in the church) isolate others is in failing to listen.

It takes so little effort to listen and respond (with appropriate respect) really--and it empowers so much.

This is why youth council was formed at our church--a few kids had great ideas and the adults sat around saying that they were worried kids would leave and were trying to find ways to entice them to stay....without asking the kids what they wanted.  Adults knew better, right?  Empowerment--giving room for self advocacy should be a no-brainer, but it's often not.  Those in power like to think that they got that way because of all of their experience, knowledge, and ability.

I'd like to argue that that's not true--they got there because someone gave them a chance, an important seat at the table.

I'd like to see that opportunity given to more people, rather than exalting those who already have those seats as somehow deserving of more power, prestige and praise.  Spread the love around, and do so through listening--really listening--and lobbying on behalf of new people who deserve to have a chance at leading.

Joseph's Journey, Part 1

Joseph’s Journey, Part 1 (Spark, pp. 48-56)

First we stepped out with Abram, not knowing where he was going.  Then we helped his son, Isaac, find a wife and continue his journey.  Isaac has two sons—Esau and Jacob, and Jacob?  Jacob has TWELVE sons!  One of his sons, Joseph, had a very interesting journey indeed!  So interesting in fact, that we’re starting it today and finishing it next week!

One thing we see first, is that in bible times, the First born son was always the most important—to carry on families, to take care of their parents—but not so with God!  God knew that each was important and each person had a special role.  Joseph?  Joseph was the 11^th son of 12!  He wasn’t the “baby” or the youngest, but…his big brothers sort of saw him as a problem.  Dad seemed to love him best, and spend lots of time with him. They were sad and angry about all the attention Joseph got—after all, he wasn’t first born!  He wouldn’t take care of the family one day.

Worst of all?  Joseph had weird dreams, and he loved to tell his brothers about them.

Joseph: “Listen to this!  I dreamed we were all in the field tying stems of grain together.  Suddenly—and this is weird!—Your grain made a circle around mine, and then bent over.  You were bowing down to me!  Isn’t that exciting?”

Joseph’s brothers laughed.  “Our grain did what?  Why do you think we’d bow down to you like some king?”  His brothers were MAD.  Who did Joseph, the little punk, think he was? Joseph didn’t understand why they weren’t excited about the dream too.

The next night, Joseph had ANOTHER dream.  He, of course, ran to tell his brothers about it again.

Joseph: I had an even better dream last night!  I looked up into the sky and there I was!  I saw the sun, the moon, and the stars bow down to me.  Isn’t that amazing?”

This time?  His dad, Jacob, was listening—and even HE was angry!  “Why do you think your mother and I would stand next to your brothers and bow down to you, as if you were a king? I don’t like your strange dreams—and stop acting like they’ll come true!”

With everyone mad at Joseph, Jacob sent the brothers off to tend sheep for awhile, hoping they’d calm down. 

But then Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers and the sheep.

“Here comes Joseph, the dreamer!  Let’s get rid of him!” They GRABBED Joseph, and threw him into a pit (OUCH!) and tried to figure out what to do next. They waited and saw a group of traveling traders come by—and they SOLD Joseph, to get rid of him once and for all!  The tradesmen took Joseph away from his family—and into Egypt.  

Things…only got worse for Joseph.  You see, when he arrived in Egypt, he got in trouble.  Someone ELSE decided that they didn’t like him, and when Joseph didn’t do as she said, she lied about him and he was thrown in JAIL!

Joseph: “Why, God?  Why are these things happening?  How long will I be here? I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m in jail!  At least I know that YOU are with me!”

Months later, men who worked for the king were put in jail.  One morning, Joseph overheard them talking about strange dreams.  He asked them what was wrong, and they told him about their dreams.  God helped Joseph listen carefully, and then explain their dreams to them. The men never forgot Joseph’s help.

TWO YEARS LATER, Joseph was still in jail, but one of the men was back working for the king and when the king had a bad dream, guess who the servant told him to call?  That’s right—Joseph! 

And you’ll hear the REST of the story next week!

What did you learn?

Sometimes, bad or scary things happen even to people who love God.

Sometimes (often), even when we’re praying hard to understand things, we have to wait.  It’s not always clear.  Sometimes things are hard for a LONG time—think about Joseph!  He was in jail for over 2 years, waiting and praying, before he was given a chance to get out!  In the mean time, he was working for God’s purpose in the jail and telling others about dreams—something that he gotten him in trouble in the first place! But God is still part of Joseph’s story!  A BIG part—an important part—and Joseph has some pretty amazing and GOOD things happen to him in the next part of the story, but this part wasn’t easy, was it?  It’s kind of sad and scary.  You think God walks with you through the sad and scary parts, too?