partsofspeaking

This is passion week.   Of all weeks of the year we should focus on the cross.   We can approach the cross in many ways, some of which are not really doctrinal (re:  Bill O’Reilly).   But we can even from a Biblical standpoint look at the cross from several perspectives, and the best book on this is John Piper’s 50 Reasons why Jesus Came to Die .   The doctrine of the cross is very rich and deep. One way we must approach it is from the Old Testament views.   Hebrews definitely looks at it more as Christ fulfilling ceremonial law of the priesthood.   So I would like to talk about the tabernacle some and what it was like for a person to “worship.” There are two chapters in the Bible on creation and a whole book on how to worship, b ecause we don’t worship creation, as marvelous as it is.   Actually, creation is marvelous but also cruel. You really can’t do a study of Hebrews without an understanding of the Old Testame...

 I look out my front door and feel like I am in a Monet painting.  Cherry blossoms and Japanese magnolia.

I am now Dr. Barbara G. Tucker, B.S., M.A., M.A., Ed.D.

God is the only one who can humble you without humiliating you and exalt you without flattering you. (from Ravi Zacharias, Recapture the Wonder , but not original to him.)

It seems like in this polarized world, the ability to listen and discriminate points of arguments is missing.  Of course, the word "discriminate" is inherently bad, right?  Like "niggardly."  Anyway, one first has to listen, put down the phone, look someone in the eye, and fully understand a position to get nuance. In a professional meeting I was at recently, there was a concern over the world "liberal."  Since the historical meaning of the word is not understood, the real meaning of it now is not.  We are all liberals in the historical sense, whether we like it or not.  Progressive and socialist more adequately describe what is going on now.  Statist, maybe.  But even still, I am missing the nuance of positions and views. 

Our unit's secretary said yesterday, "I'm wishing my life away."  That is an interesting phrase (must be a Southernism).  I have been doing that lately in terms of my getting through this doctorate.  No more.  I have eight weeks to graduation and I plan to enjoy them, since I won't see these folks again. My committee has my dissertation and I am planning the defense, but I have two conference presentations before that, a paper due, and oh, yes, classes to teach and work to do.  And today, making this house semi livable again. Carpe Diem, seize the day, is not a totally pagan concept.  I live in the future so much (planning) that it is a consummate work of the will to love this minute.  I have also been experiencing depression, odd for me, so that's a concern. The commercial on TV just said, "Is this the year you plan to spend more quality time with your dogs?"  Oh.  My.  Word.  Quality time with your dog?  But here they a...

Sunday School class A. Big themes in Hebrews: 1. Keep in mind that Hebrews is about “Jesus is better than the collective ministry within Judaism.”   Lots of references to others who were like Jesus or seemed to be like Jesus in the past but were not worthy of being the savior:   angels, Moses, high priests, animal sacrifices.   They serve as the baseline for interpretation, but Jesus is the platinum standard 2. Faith mixed with hearing.   The word does not good if not responded to and believed.   Faith that responds to the word heard or read leads one to mighty acts, especially in terms of dealing with persecution, oppression, and rejection. Many of the names listed in Hebrews 11 were victims of persecution. At the same time, many of them did some really stupid and wrong human things (even murder in Moses’ case) but faith was what made the difference 3.   Don’t stop, move forward.   4.   Persecution (the people in t...

Although it didn't get as much press as the closing of Sweet Briar College in Virginia (a closing that is still being disputed and from what I read seemed premature), on the same day Tennessee Temple University announced its closing, or really its merger with Piedmont International University, which used to be Piedmont Bible College. This has been harder for my fellow graduates and alumni of TTU (or College when I graduated) than it has been for me.  Working in higher ed, I know these things happen.  And I had long snipped my emotional ties to that institution, except for my many friends.  Of course, the transcript issue is a concern, but Piedmont will (have to) take care of that from now on.  I am not sure all of those people worried about transcripts really needed to be.  What do you need transcripts for except grad school?  Of course, I needed mine at 56 to apply to Georgia, so I have nothing to talk about there. I have read the posts on Facebook, th...

If anyone comes to this blog on a semi-regular basis, I just want to post what's going on.  I am in the midst of many stressful things right now, most notably defending my dissertation this month and feeling totally unprepared to do so.  Ideas are not coming like they used to,  and when they do I am either exhausted or reticent about posting them. I am also in a different (administrative) job which makes me aware of discretion in terms of what I would post, so I self-censor.  The stress has given me some of what I call "immobile days" when forward movement is hard and a pure act of will.  Yet I am pretty productive, just valuing what little time to myself I have. I have been thinking about the evolution question.  Media types love to talk about how stupid Americans are not to believe evolution.  There are many facets to this issue, but one I am sure of:  those who reject it understand its ramifications.  Where does meaning come from if we a...