Jack & The Beanstalk

As time has gone by, I have found a few ways in which I can interact with my unborn daughter. The most common of these is the nightly bedtime story. Interestingly enough, she actually responds (or at least becomes active) when I read each night. Now, whether that means..."I like this" or "Shut up dad!" is yet to be determined.

A couple of things take place. First of all, she is hopefully getting used to my voice. Secondly, it starts a habit for myself of reading to her each night which will continue until she is...well...sick of it. Thirdly, it is a way for me to bond with her in a more "tangible" way I guess. Fourthly, Melissa and I get to revisit some stories that we grew up with...for instance...Jack & the Beanstalk.

Upon reading this book the other night...I was shocked! I guess I forgot what the story was like. Allow me, if you will, to recite the final page of our "Jack" text.

He (Jack) swung the axe at the beanstalk and it came crashing down. The giant also fell to the ground and died at once. Now Jack and his mother were safe and were never poor again.

Are you kidding me? I beg you...what is the moral of this story? That is what children's stories do isn't it...give some sort of moral teaching? Not in this one. Jack sells his cow for magic beans. Mom gets mad and throws them out the window where they grow up into the sky. Jack climbs the beanstalk and steals the gold coins. They ran out of money, so Jack climbed up again and stole a hen that laid golden eggs. "But Jack became greedy and he decided to climb the beanstalk again" (Those are actual words from the story). This time he stole a golden harp and the harp ratted him out.

It is here that you begin to think...

Jack got greedy and tried to steal more...but this time the giant chases him. So, logic would tell you that Jack will soon learn a lesson from this unfortunate incident. A lesson that I can teach my children. But...soon we read the final page. Jack cuts down the beanstalk...the giant falls...the giant dies...and they were never poor again.

Based on the recurring phrase of the giant ("Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread."), I always thought that he was the bad guy. Now, however, I think that Jack is the bad guy. And what kind of mother is this who would condone such a thing?

The overriding theme that I can see here is this: If you are poor, go steal from someone who has more. And if you get caught, kill him...it is okay because you will not be poor anymore.

Obviously I am being a bit facetious here. But still...what do our children learn from this story?

Demo Derby

Tonight was quite a night. Melissa and I traveled to the Jessamine County Fair (which is quite small) with our friends Chad and Meredith Brooks. We went, not for the food...or the rides...or the rip-off games on the "mid-way". We went, rather, for the demolition derby.

As we sat on the bleachers, I will have to say the most entertaining thing of the night was not the flinging of mud or the smashing of cars...but the people.

Allow me to delve into what could be a touchy area. In no way, shape, or form am I attempting to be degrading to anyone or any social class. But, I must say that this sort of event attracts a certain type of person. I can say this...because I was there...so...in a way...I am one of them. Some would call them "red-necks" while some would call them "white-trash". I do not advocate the using of either term...but the unfortunate fact is that by stating those two phrases, you probably know what I am trying to get across. I pray that my descriptions and phraseology does not offend anyone. If it does, I sincerely apologize as that is my last desire for this post...I am simply "over-stressing" things to make my point.

Although they do not live life as I do, or as I may think that they should, there are some things that we can learn from this "type" of person. They may not have fancy clothes, fancy cars, or a lot of money...but I think that I see in them something that many people lack. They have close relationships. Their families seem to be close and their friendships seem to be close.

Just by overhearing the conversations, one will notice that they sincerely love one another. Tonight, I heard a father who was proud of his pregnant daughter (not of her pregnancy but of her), a young woman who deeply cared for an entire family that she was not part of, and a small child who desired to be like his daddy as was obvious by his mimicking his dad's mannerisms and style of dress.

Maybe it is all the stuff (of which we do not have an abundance) that gets in the way of our building relationships. Maybe it is all the concern over having a nice car, nice house, nice clothes, etc. that makes it difficult to truly love one another. Maybe money gets in the way of love. Maybe there is more truth to the words of Christ than we know...

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." - Matt. 19:23-24

John 1:1-4

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. -John 1:1-4

Matthew begins his gospel account of Jesus with a geneology of Christ and His birth. Mark opens his with John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus of Nazareth. Luke introduces readers to Christ by addressing the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. John, however, takes a different approach.

The phrase "In the beginning", is a mirror image (even in the Greek) of Genesis 1:1. We do well to remember that in Gen 1:1, God existed...and this is what John is picking up on. In fact, John spends the first two verses trying to point the reader in this direction. Not only is God in the beginning, which is implied in the fact that He created the heavens and the earth, but the Word is present as well. The Word, is not a created thing. The Word was with God...in fact...the Word was God! And, just for good measure, in case the reader misses it..."He was with God from the beginning."

Verses 3 & 4 (creation of "things"), places the Word as an agent of creation. In Genesis, we see that God is the Creator but now John is stretching our understanding of who this Creator is. The Word, in some sense, is the Creator. Again, this language points us back to Genesis as we remember the creation event and connect it to the life of Christ.

So, why does John speak this way? Obviously (as you can tell also from other texts within the Gospel of John), John is concerned with the identity of Christ. He is not simply some guy in a long line of people since Abraham. He is not simply the son of Joseph and Mary. And He is not just some man from Nazareth who was baptized by John the Baptist. It is not that these things are untrue, but rather that they do not capture the fullest essence of who Jesus is.

Jesus was with God. He was in a relationship with God. Not only was He in the beginning of time with God, but He was present when the beginning of time began, therefore, He was present before the creation event. Jesus and God were together as co-Creators if you will. Furthermore, Jesus was God! They are one in the same. Now we are getting to some theology. Jesus and God are two different persons...but yet...they are the same. I think that John understood the concept (at least to a certain extent) of the theological construct that we call the Trinity today. As you begin to read the Gospel of John, it is important that you know who Jesus really is. He is divine! He is God! Yet, as we soon find out as we read on, Jesus also become flesh.

I will note as well that God speaks things into creation by speaking (e.g. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. - Gen 1:3). The Greek word is "lego"...which is a verb. The Greek word used to describe Christ as the "Word" is "logos"...which is a noun. I will allow my Greek oriented friends add some commentary to connections here. I simply found it interesting and...possibly...extremely important in seeing how God spoke things into creation and the Word created all things. Maybe...just maybe...finding the relationship between the Greek words allows one to see how these two statements coincide.

Lyrical Interpretation

Well...it has been quite some time since my last post. I am really busy with coursework this summer in preparation for the arrival of our baby girl in September. So...I thought I would post the lyrics to a song by my favorite band, Hootie the Blowfish.

The song is entitled The Killing Stone. I would be interested to hear some interpretations of the lyrics. I find them interesting...and puzzling...especially since I am entering the pastoral ministry in a short time.

The Killing Stone
by: Hootie the Blowfish

I heard a preacher man speaking on the radio

Remember thinking that I’d like to tell him where to go

Go back to that book that you’ve been waving around
Open it up, and go to that part about

You without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

He’s turning it over, to the other side

He’s turning it over now, ‘cause now you can’t hide

All that lies beneath, all the lies beneath

The killing stone, oh


Saw another fella talking on the TV show

Trying to tell me how to live and just how I should vote

He says he believes in the sanctity of life

100,000 died

Tell me are you sanctified


Now you without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

He’s turning it over, to the other side

He’s turning it over now, ‘cause you can’t hide

All that lies beneath, all the lies beneath

The killing stone, oooohhhh


We’re all looking for redemption

But is it for our souls

You without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

He’s turning it over, to the other side

He’s turning it over, turning it over now ‘cause you can’t hide

All that lies beneath, all the lies beneath

You can’t hide beneath

The killing stone, oh, oh, oh

Killing stone

Oh no, you’re down on

(The killing stone)

Stone, stone, oh

(The killing stone)

Stone

Any thoughts?

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