January 29

It is amazing what you think you know. I had somehow assumed that all the plagues happened to all the people of Egypt including the Israelites. I did a chart to figure out what happened to whom.
the Plagues


1. Water to blood Everyone got it The magicians could replicated it Pharaoh's response was hardened hearts
2. frogs Everyone got it The magicians could replicated it Pharaoh's response: if moses took them away, the people could go but after relief, P hardened heart

3. dust gnats Everyone got it The Magicians could not replicate but they said it was the 'finger of God' P has hard heart


4. flies Everyone got it except those who live in Goshen Not recorded as to Magician's response P go sacrifice here in Egypt, then go sacrifice far from here, when removed P hardened his heart

5.terrible plague on livestock Everyone got it except Israelite livestock Magician response not recorded P heart unyielding

6. soot to boils everyone got it The Magicians couldn't replicate it but they couldn't stand for the boils! Lord hardened heart

7. Hail All got it except those who listened to Moses and Goshen Magician response not P said he sinned. Pray for him and go. When it was gone,he hardened his heart to Moses

8. locust everyone got it Magician response not recorded Lord hardened P heart

9. darkness that could be felt everyone except the Israelites got it Magician response not recorded Lord hardened P heart

10. firstborn's death everyone except those with blood on their door got it Magician's response not recorded P said up and leave Bless P also!


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NT – another placement story. I have heard the little children come unto me loads of times. There is even a lovely painting of it as you walk down the stairs to the children’s area at Mt Vernon Presbyterian. I always loved that image of Jesus. I also have heard the story of the rich young man/ruler dozens of times. It is one that always causes problems during pledge time at church.
But what I didn’t realize was that these two little vignettes were placed back to back. That gives the stories an entirely different approach to me. Children, especially the little ones, really have no concept of what money is. As long as they had their Batman pjs, mac n cheese weekly and Pokemon cards and cousin time, my kids were basically set. With Don and me, it was much more complicated. Credit cards, car loans, mortgages, and are we going to have ‘enough’ for retirement. Those were and are grave concerns for us. Every year, we do a budget and every year, we wrangle over line items. I don’t recall us having God talk during any of those budget sessions except where it came to discussions about our church pledge. I guess for me, the question is – do I spend more time worrying and focusing on “me and mine” than I do on following Jesus? How can I become more childlike? (Don’t worry – I won’t be buying the Batman PJ set at Target…)

Proverb – Well, today, we finally move off the sex but land squarely on money. I find it surprising that the very first thing we hear is not to sign for someone else. But in a time where you could be thrown into prison if you didn’t pay your debts or whoever you pledged for, I guess it could truthfully be a life or death situation for giving someone surety.

Have a lovely, rejuvenating Sunday.