Genesis chapter four: the blue team shows their “team spirit”
Genesis chapter five: the orange team is holding their own
Genesis chapter six… things start going downhill. Fast.

6:1-2 “Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.”

There is all kinds of debate about who the “sons of God” and “daughters of men” were. I think the explanation that fits best with what has already been happening in the text is that members of the “orange team” (the sons of God) started to intermarry with the “blue team” (the daughters of men). Our lines are intermixing, and suddenly the righteous remnant is dying out. The result?

6:5″Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The text goes on to say that God was grieved and says he is going to have to “blot out” man from the earth. Only Noah finds favor in the eyes of the Lord.

[Side note: it's fascinating to see the background for Noah's name in 5:29. 'And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.”' What does that mean? They're still looking for the Seed who will make everything right again. The Seed is the only one who could bring comfort, or rest, from the work and toil resulting from the curse!]

We have one guy versus the rest of humankind. In fact, the rest of humanity is so wicked that I’m sure it puts to shame the worst aspects of our society today. Check out the wording again: “…every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Yikes. I would say the teams aren’t exactly even anymore. Evil is winning by a landslide, and the only solution is to wipe out the entire race of mankind. Not a pretty picture.

I hate to burst people’s bubble, but cuddly animals happily climbing on board a cartoon ark doesn’t really fit with what’s going on here. Our God is so holy, and mankind’s sin was so insidious, that God was forced to blot them out from the face of the earth. Noah and his family weren’t taking the animals for a happy cruise on the ark. It was their only way to be saved from worldwide, catastrophic, unbelievable destruction.

[Isn't it weird that we decorate nurseries in Noah's ark themes? I've always found that to be odd. Look, baby - worldwide destruction because of unthinkable evil! I have put my foot in my mouth more than once saying this out loud, so please forgive me if you have a Noah's Ark theme. I just wonder about these things sometimes...]

In Matthew 24 and Luke 17, the second coming of Christ is paralleled with the sudden, complete judgment of the flood. Even though Noah had warned them, everyone was too consumed with their own lives to listen and believe. And they all perished. The flood is a sobering reminder that salvation is through Christ alone. You’re either “on board” or you’re not. You’re either inside when the doors are closed or you are swept away. No matter how hard those people tried to swim against the current, they didn’t make it. And no matter how good our lives look or how hard we try to live a good life, we can’t make it without Christ. He’s our only hope.

Back to Genesis. In 9:1, they get off the ark, and ‘…God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”‘ Sound familiar? It’s a repeat of Genesis 1:26-27. So, we’re back, right?! The scepter is back, the evil is gone… ‘“And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.”‘ Hmmm. Things still aren’t back to the original design. Adam and Eve had the rightful rule, the scepter. The animals didn’t respond to them because of fear and dread, they responded because Adam and Eve were God’s representative rulers. And as you read on through the chapter, it’s obvious that sin is still a very real part of the human heart.

In Noah’s time, they were still waiting for the Seed, and his ultimate redemption. From our time, He came once, and He will come again. The judgment will be swift. Examine your heart and be sure you are safe within the blood of Christ. He is the only way.

**For more reflections on the Old Testament with personal application, you might want to download a free Bible study ebook!**

It’s time for another Saturday Spotlight! Today’s spotlighted blogger is Julie from Come Have a Peace!

I feel honored to have Julie on my blog today – I first met her in 1999, I believe. Her husband, Jeff, was the youth pastor at the church I attended through college and Julie headed up the primary age Sunday School class. I got to know Julie when I volunteered in the primary department, then got to know them both better when my roommate and I helped out with the Sr. High youth.

Julie was a good friend and mentor to me through my college years, and I have fond memories of going for walks and dropping in at their house – Julie was so quick to drop whatever she was doing (and I’m sure I interrupted her in the midst of things!) and offer me a drink and sit down to chat. One night when NP was visiting we went out to dinner – his car was broken into and my purse was stolen. We didn’t know what to do, so we called Jeff and Julie! We were all frazzled when we got there around 9:30 or 10:00pm, and they offered their phone to call our parents, Jeff took his camera to help NP document the damage for the insurance company, and Julie served us warm biscotti she had just pulled from the oven! :) She modeled hospitality and what it meant to be a young, Godly wife and mom to me – and I am deeply grateful for her! So, enough from me… enjoy the interview, give her a warm bloggy welcome, and hop over to Come Have a Peace to say hello and browse around – you’ll be blessed!

1. Tell us about yourself in 3 sentences or less!
I grew up in VA and met my Pennsylvanian husband while in college in Ohio, where we never imagined how many opportunities God would give us. We’ve loved being in pastoral or missions ministry for over 15 years together, and I’ve loved being Jeff’s partner in life & ministry. I’ve used all I learned in college, every talent and ability in my life as a mom to my two awesome kids who prompt many praises and prayers.

2. Flashback: you’re a senior in high school and you’re wearing your favorite outfit today. Describe your “look.”
I’ve tried to block out the memory, but I think I’m wearing keds tennis shoes, jeans (pegged), and a sweatshirt, topped off with permed hair.

3. What is your favorite “fun” thing to do?
Love to go to an historic site that includes an herb garden, place to hike, and unique restaurant.

4. What is your most dreaded household task and why?
IRONING. I ask myself that same question … and while I ponder, my pile grows.

5. What is your favorite thing to do with your kids?
Make a picnic for the day, pack the chairs, blanket, and dog, and go play in the mountains by a stream.

6. If you had a whole Saturday alone with your husband, what would you do?
Sleep a little late, have breakfast at Pete’s, go for a drive in the country, and then end with a romantic hilltop picnic in Cades Cove.

7. What are three other blogs that you enjoy reading, and why?
Love reading Kristi’s blog for the great variety of the personal, the practical, and the purposeful depth she includes. Really enjoy Courtney’s blog for the perspective she brings to life as a woman following God. I also love Lisa’s blog – Lisa really challenges me as a mother.

8. How long have you been blogging, and what motivated you to start blogging?
I started blogging in January of 2009. I had been considering the blog plunge for over a year and had really prayed for the right timing to “blog with purpose” not just add more words to the world. In December an editor with Proverbs 31 magazine asked me to inlcude my blog address in a description for an article that just appeared in P31′s June issue. It was the push I needed. So, the blog was born to express my personal walk with the Lord and to complement my ministry to women in my own church, my writing opportunities, and any new opportunities God opens up beyond that.

9. What five words would you use to describe your blog?
I spent the most time considering this question. I settled on some of what I hope: meaningful, honest, practical,encouraging, and peaceful.

10. Freebie: anything about yourself or your blog that you want to share!
I want people to feel like they “know me” when they read my blog, but more than that, I want them to feel like it helps them “know Him” and His peace. We have “schooled” our children in every way possible at one time or another and are using 2 options right now. Each morning I ask the Lord to help me prioritize my hours with His values in mind, in a way that reflects His peace and overcomes potential craziness. I keep loving & learning so much from His Word the longer I’m in it, and my favorite book is Revelation.

Last week in the post Little Fools in Aldi, we started to look at how disciplining our children is more than just a practical way to go about our day without losing our sanity; it really is a life and death issue!

Sometimes when I hear people discussing discipline, it seems like there is a general assumption in our culture that good, loving parents (or teachers, for that matter) don’t discipline their children. Loving discipline has somehow been equated with abuse. I once saw a celebrity mom on a talk show asking for help on how to get her three year old daughter to stop drinking bottles! They were giving her very practical advice, and also talking about the damage her extreme coddling was having in her daughter. Even though she had asked for help, she really dug in her heels and resisted! Why? The bottles made her daughter “happy” – why would she take them away?

Most people may not have a three year old drinking out of bottles, but there are plenty of foolish parents out their allowing their children to self-destruct out of apparent “love” for their child and not wanting to make their child “unhappy.” What does the book of Proverbs have to say about that?

He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
Proverbs 13:24

Hates! That is a strong word! Why would lack of discipline be equated with hate? Check out Proverbs 19:18:

Discipline your son, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to his death.

Remember, discipline is a life and death issue! Failure to discipline is equated with hate, because the overly permissive parent is being a willing party to their child’s self destruction and spiritual rebellion! Proverbs 23:13-14 touches on this point, as well -

Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
Punish him with the rod
and save his soul from death.

Perhaps we should pause here and distinguish between discipline and punishment.

If my child does something wrong, punishment means they have to pay for their wrongdoing. They have broken a rule, and the goal of punishment is to make them pay for their action in some way. Webster defines punishment as suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution; a penalty inflicted on an offender through judicial procedure. Punishment without discipline can turn ugly, because the parent has nothing in mind other than causing the child to experience suffering or loss in retribution for their actions – the ultimate welfare of the child is not the parent’s goal.

Discipline, however, has an entirely different focus. Disciplining my children is not simply causing them to suffer for their bad choices – discipline is really discipleship! Look at Webster’s definition for discipline: training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character. Do you see the difference? If I discipline my children rather than simply punish them, my goal is not to make them pay, but rather to form their character.

Punishment and discipline might look very similar – when my children choose to do certain behaviors, certain things are their punishment – it is what they have earned. However, a parent who seeks to discipline will have a different goal for the punishment – the goal is not for the child’s suffering but rather, for the child’s ultimate good – for the forming of their character.

What type of character formation are we looking for?

As I look through Proverbs, I see some important themes that are central to wisdom, and also central to disciplining our children! If we are parents seeking to disciple our children and teach them the way of wisdom in the fear of the Lord, it seems to me that these are main areas of focus for our discipline. In upcoming weeks, I would like to give time to address each of these topics in a specific post, and give practical discipline strategies for training our children in wisdom. Being limited in experience and perspective, I would love, LOVE for you to email me with practical teaching/ discipling/ disciplining ideas you have for any or all of the following.

• Controlling the tongue (using wise speech, remaining silent, refraining from slander and gossip, etc.)
• Controlling anger, not stirring up division and quarrelling
• Diligent work
• Honesty – transparency, no duplicity or intent to deceive
• Helping the poor, showing kindness and mercy
• Humility – not being wise in our own eyes, not seeking to publicly praise ourselves
• Choosing good companions
• Maintaining sexual integrity
• Seeking to acquire knowledge
• Receiving counsel and correction from those who are wise

So, please chew on that for a while and share your wisdom with me – I will gladly share it with others!

If you are looking for an adorable children’s book with a strong Biblical message, good writing, rich vocabulary, lovely illustrations, and a wealth of information to springboard further learning… have I got a book for you!

Elsie Larson’s Bombus the Bumblebee is an adorable story about Bombus, a bumblebee who learns that God designed him and made him uniquely from the rest of creation. The book opens with the Biblical creation account, specifically noting that God spoke the creation into existence and declared it to be good.

As the story beings, the honeybees notice after a bit that Bombus is bigger than they are and drinks more nectar than they do. They resent him and decide to trick Bombus into thinking that he had been mistaken – the Creator never intended for him to fly! This story has a sweet message of God’s loving assurance that He never makes mistakes and admonition to Bombus to fulfill what he had been created for.

This book also has great vocabulary! Here are some words that your child will encounter just on the first three pages: swooping, creeping, bobbed, rumbled, clumsy, and lurched.

Now, if you’ve read my other children’s book reviews, you know that I do love nice illustrations. The pictures in this book are lovely!! I love the detail and the variety of creatures in this picture!

The most surprising part of this book to me was the back. After the story is finished, There is a two-page “About Bumblebees” spread, full of discussion about the unique way that God created bumblebees. Did you know that a bumblebee is warm-blooded? Or that it has fur? Or how it uses its wings to change direction in midair?

After the “about bumblebees” pages, there is one full page full of discussion questions that parents can use with their children after reading this book. For example: “Has anyone ever said something that made you feel clumsy, ugly, or bad, because you are different? How did you feel?” “Have you ever acted like the honeybees? What happened?”

Now, if those things are not enough, then there is an additional few pages full of creative activities to do based on this book – making bumblebees out of balloons and discussing again how they fly, making fingerprint bees and discussing how unique we all are, etc. Fantastic!

Bombus the Bumblebee is the first in a series of two by Elsie Larson and is illustrated by David and Elizabeth Haidle. It is published by Master Books.

**For more information or to purchase a copy, click on the book cover image to be taken to the publisher’s website. I am an affiliate and will receive a small percentage of the sale of this or other products. I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my review from New Leaf Publishing Group. The opinions expressed in this review are my unbiased thoughts as in keeping with my disclosure policy.