The Big Minute

Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt

Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16)

When God informs Moses of the tenth and final plague, he tells him that it will happen at "approximately" midnight. Rashi, the great commentator, asks why God was not more exact. Doesn't God have a watch? He answers that timekeeping was an inexact science in those days. Were God to have said "exactly" midnight, people might have confused their timings and thought that it was God, and not them, who had made a mistake. To avoid potential confusion, God says "approximately."

At first glance, this answer makes no sense. Let's put it in context for a moment. God has brought ten miraculous plagues upon Egypt - blood, locust with iron teeth, hail with fire inside, darkness that is palpable... These miracles are about to climax with the slaying of every firstborn Egyptian in a single moment. And God is worried that because someone might not have an atomic clock, he will think that God's not as cool as he says He is?!

Some Call it Communion, Some Lord’s Supper, Some Eucharist

By Fred Liggin

Luke 22:14-23 “When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you. But look, the hand of the one betraying Me is at the table with Me!

In Jesus’ last meal He instituted what some call “Communion,” some “Eucharist” and some “Lord’s Supper.” Whatever one calls it, its important to remember not only why He did this, but also with whom He shared this table meal. But first, a very brief background sketch is probably necessary (if you know it already, skip to next paragraph):

This New Covenant meal was instituted during an Old Covenant meal called Passover. Passover was a meal practiced by the Jews that reminded them of their deliverance from Egyptian slavery. This was a meal designed by the LORD to engage all five senses as well as heart, mind and soul. In their deliverance the LORD saved them by requiring each Hebrew family to cover the doorposts and lintels of their houses with the blood of a pure, innocent, sacrificial lamb, which they are to eat as a special dinner before the Lord. In a terrible moment of judgement under the cover of darkness, the LORD would send a deadly plague throughout the land of Egypt in judgment of their oppression, idolatry and disobedience. This plague would kill the firstborn male of every Egyptian family, as well as the firstborn of all livestock. The only way for a Hebrew to escape the judgment aimed at Egypt was to do as the LORD commanded through Moses: cover the doorpost and lintels with the blood of the lamb. The LORD would see the blood and “pass-over” them, resulting in their salvation. It was this terrible yet redemptive act of God that convinced the Egyptian Pharaoh to set His people free to live and worship Him.

Things You Do Not Want To Hear In Surgery

A man speaks frantically into the phone, "My wife is pregnant, and her contractions are only two minutes apart!"

"Is this her first child?" the doctor queries.

"No, you *idiot*!" the man shouts. "This is her *husband*!"

http://www.cybersalt.org/clean-jokes/fathering

Never a Better Time Than the Worst Time

Nevin Bass

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,” Gal 4:4

In our fast paced world convenience is a premium. Fortunes have been made be those who cater to man’s desire for ease and convenience. We have instant pudding, instant potatoes, microwave ovens, and direct deposit. And yet some things are just not as convenient as we would like. As a matter of fact, usually the best things take time. The best things are also not always convenient. I know there are those who speak about the recognizing the will of God by its ease and convenience. Yet the unvarnished truth is that the will of God is not always convenient. In fact God often does not check man’s schedule before executing His plan.

Speaking about convenience, how many times have parents commented that Christmas could come at a more convenient time? I want to tell you about some parents that where hoping for a more convenient Christmas.

Tax Time

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” Luke 2:1

I will admit that that tax-time is not my favorite time of the year. I suppose tax-time has never been a popular time. In the days of Caesar Augustus tax-time was extremely unpopular. Not only was it time to pay out for “services” that folks didn’t agree with, but you had to travel for the privilege to do so.

Aren’t you thrilled when Uncle Sam does all kinds of ridiculous stuff and then sends you the bill? Do you realize how much frustration there would be if every American had to write a check to the government every time they got paid? I will remind you students of American history that some red-blooded Yankees held the Boston Tea party over a 3% tax on tea! You heard me right; the spark that ignited the American Revolution was a 3% tax on tea! How far we have come!

Not only was it tax-time in Luke chapter two, but every one in Israel that was from somewhere else had to return to their hometown. You couldn’t crank up the ‘puter and efile over the Internet. You couldn’t even just fill out a form and mail in a check. Nope. You had to pack your bags and return to the town you were from. Oh yeah, you didn’t have an SUV to throw all your luggage into. Your mode of transportation was old Clyde the donkey.

Did I mention that the wife was due any day? How many of you ladies like to travel when you are great with child? Why did your husband have to be from another place? This is probably one of the worst days of your life!

And when you get to the tiny hamlet of Bethlehem, there are no vacancies in any of the inns. Great! Oh my, … a contraction. And another … and another. It’s time! It is the worst day of your life. Your firstborn is about to come into the world, and you don’t even have a roof over your head.

 Convenience?

Did someone say that the will of God is always convenient? Was that you that said we should just wait for the door to open and waltz into glory? Can’t God make it easier for me? Why does it have to be so hard? Well, on the worst day of Joseph and Mary’s life, God made His appearance.

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,” Gal 4:4

God’s time was not man’s time.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7

Is it possible that God was in control of this situation all along? Not only is it possible, it is absolutely certain. God’s purpose was to bring Mary and Joseph to a stable and the precious babe that was born to be laid in a manger. No, He was not born in a convenient way. This was not the birth of a conventional king. He is the Great Shepherd and He came into this world at the worst of times. And yet it was God’s perfect time. This was the fullness of time - God’s perfect time.

All of the disasters that went into this day from Mary and Joseph’s perspective were indeed the plan of God from the beginning of time.

Invite Jesus Into Your Calamity

I want to encourage you to recognize the sacredness of your calamity. Perhaps the political environment is not to your choosing. I know the economy has not been this poor for many years. Maybe it is a hard time for your family. It might be that Christmas is not coming at a convenient time for you this year.

Could it be that the hand of God is at work behind the scenes? Might the Lord not be found directing some of the very things that are troubling you? Why would He do this? God does His greatest work in your life sometimes on your worst day.

Would you welcome Him into your calamity? Would you push aside the hay and give the Lord Jesus the position of honor in your stable? Place Him there in the manger. When you do, you discover that He was born to reign in a world of uncertainty and trouble. Other kings are born for a palace, but Jesus came for the worst day of your life. And He will take you home to glory.

Christmas is the time that we celebrate the advent of our Savior into the world. I must remind you that the first Christmas was a very tumultuous time. There is never a better time to celebrate the presence of Jesus in your life than the worst time.

http://truthstreams.com/?p=92

What you need to know about birth order

By Olivia Yao, Three Moons | Yahoo! SHE

  

Most people know the usual birth-order relationship combinations but there’s a lot more to it than we thought.

Do you know your birth order plays a part in developing your personality? Ever notice how only children and firstborns are usually controlling? What about how middle children are more often than not the peacemakers who get along with almost anybody? And how about those lastborns who are usually funny and carefree? Studies suggest that the best relationship matches happen between an only child and a youngest child, a firstborn and a youngest, and a middle child and a youngest child. Of course, these are generalizations and there is a lot more to birth order, most of which you can find on the WWW.

The worst combination

Melissa Pizaña-Cruz, certified life coach and head of the parenting cluster of the Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM) of the Ateneo de Manila University, says, “The worst mix is an eldest and eldest, or an only child and only child. A firstborn married to another firstborn will cause high friction because both are usually controllers, both bosses.”

An example she gives is the situation in China where, because of the only child policy, the divorce rate is very high. “You have only children who are married to only children,” she says. “And they’re not used to giving in, which is what you need in a marriage—a give and take relationship.” However, she adds that “wrong” or “bad” birth order combinations “can work in certain circumstances.” What are these circumstances?

Emotional birth order

It’s possible for you to be of a certain birth order but to emotionally belong to another, explains Pizaña-Cruz. “We have what we call an emotional eldest or emotional youngest,” she says. You could emotionally be of another birth order if for example, “you are an eldest child but do not function as the eldest in the family.”

In her family, Pizaña-Cruz is the youngest, but was born six years after her three older sisters who are two years apart from each other. “So even if I’m the youngest, I’m an emotional only child or eldest because of that gap,” she shares. “That can happen. Or let’s say for one reason or another, one of the middle children takes on more responsibility for the family, that can drive them up the emotional family tree and make them an emotional eldest.”

Parent modeling

According to Herald Cruz, Pizaña-Cruz’s husband of 18 years, certified life coach and co-head of the parenting cluster of the Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM) of the Ateneo de Manila University, what has more importance over birth order is who holds the power in the family of origin. “Parenting is 80% modeling,” he says. So if in your family, it is your father who holds the power—calls the shots and makes the decisions—you will most likely expect your husband to do the same thing. So, “if the woman has the power and she marries a man who has the power too, it can also be a source of conflict,” he adds.

Problems with birth order

Because more importance lies in who has the power in a marriage, you shouldn’t necessarily rely on birth order to check your compatibility. Pizaña-Cruz says it’s important not to put people in a box just because they belong to a certain birth order. They may emotionally be of another birth order. At the same time, she adds that you can change throughout the years. If you realize along the way that both you and your spouse make a bad birth-order combination, Pizaña-Cruz says, “You can change the dynamics of your relationship if both of you are willing to change. There’s always hope.”

Olivia Yao has been writing ever since she can remember. She has written for health, teen, parenting, and children's magazines. Her latest endeavor is being a mom to her three-year-old daughter—her toughest assignment yet. Swap stories with her at threeolivias@yahoo.com.

For counseling and other inquiries, contact: Center for Family Ministries (CeFaM) Spiritual Pastoral Center. Ateneo de Manila University Campus, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Telefax: 426-4285. Telephone: 426-4289 up to 92. E-mail: cefam@admu.edu.ph

http://ph.she.yahoo.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-birth-order.html