Sometimes one just needs to label a big box of unrelated things as “miscellaneous.” It’s a bit freeing, this overly broad term that tells you nothing.

Here is some “misc” for you today. ;)

• Homeschool started today – AG loved it, although she politely told me it wasn’t as fun as she had expected. I asked her why, and she told me she was hoping to do more math! Ha! I’m glad that she seems to have inherited her mother’s love of science and math!

As I have been running low on writing time [for those of you who have been faithfully following One Summer, One Story - my sincere apologies! We really will finish this eventually. Hopefully it won't become one YEAR one story!], here are some great links for your perusal:

• Why I renounce Islam and Choose Christ – powerful stuff.
• World Help reached and exceeded their goal of raising $120,000 to send 6 shipping containers full of 5 million life-saving meals to the horn of Africa! The work continues, and the needs (especially for food and medication) are great. Learn more about what has been happening and how you can get involved here.

I’d also strongly encourage you to watch this video to get a better sense of the scope of the situation.

Somalia Refugee Camp from World Help on Vimeo.

• Mrs. Adulteress – my friend Julie Sanders shares excellent “Marriage Mondays” posts each week, and this is a great one.
• Julie’s post reminded me of this song, which has been playing in my head this week.

Hope you are having a great week – whatever the “miscellaneous box” holds for you. :)

This is one of the most powerful things I’ve seen in a long time. Definitely worth watching – with a kleenex.

This was grace – short film from Andrew Laparra on Vimeo.

Sorry for the silence… again… on the blog this week. I’ve been writing elsewhere and pulling out fall clothes from the attic and reorganizing drawers and doing laundry- it’s all very, very exciting. :)

News. It’s sometimes good, sometimes not so good.

• GOOD NEWS: Scripture Dig is relaunching today with a brand new look! Come check out the new “digs!” :)

• NOT SO GOOD NEWS: Things in Somalia and the surrounding regions devastated by famine are not going well. In this report from Vernon Brewer of World Help, he shares the sobering report that more than 3.2 million Somalis (2 million of whom are children) will die in the next few weeks if they do not receive adequate food, water, and medical care.

• GOOD NEWS: much is being done in the name of Jesus that will make a real and tangible difference in the lives of countless individuals. World Help is nearing their goal of raising $120,000 to ship almost 5 million meals to desperate areas. Every $1 you donate will feed 40 people! Samaritan’s Purse is also actively working in Kenya among those who are struggling to survive. Click here to see the work of Samaritan’s Purse captured in some powerful pictures, as well as in the video below.

If you have not already done so, please consider how God might have you to give. Will you join us for Somalia on Saturdays – the SOS Project – tomorrow?

• MORE GOOD NEWS: {especially if you like to shop}-

Yesterday I visited the Women at Risk International store in Rockford, Michigan with my mom and sister. It’s been a few months since I’ve been to the WAR store, and they have some beautiful new things!

If you’ve read this blog long you know that I love WAR’s ministry, giving voice and income to those who have been rescued out of human trafficking around the world, or empowering those who are at high risk of being victimized and giving them protection and care. They sell absolutely gorgeous handmade items from these women, with 90% of your purchase price going directly to the individual or safe house who provided them! If you can’t visit one of their stores in Naperville, IL, Rockford, MI, or Wyoming, MI, their online store is well worth looking at, especially as you may begin thinking ahead to Christmas shopping. {Yes, I’m already doing Christmas shopping!!}

Just to inspire you, here are some pictures of some of my new favorites… it doesn’t have to cost a lot to make a real difference in someone’s life and also give a beautiful gift!

SO BEAUTIFUL - $19.08!!

Love these fun crystal stretch bracelets - $12.72!

LOVE THIS black pearl stretch bracelet - $8.48!!

This is my sister's favorite scarf {and she has GREAT taste} :) - $19.08

This picture doesn't do it justice... stunning necklace! $23.32!

Love these 6-strand paper bead necklace! Each bead is hand made in Uganda out of strips of paper! $25.44!

Alright, alright, I’ll stop tempting you. But seriously… you should check out all of their amazing stuff and make a difference in the life of a precious woman – victimized by mankind but loved by God. It’s so great to purchase one of these items and think of the difference it is making in her life – and then pray for her each time you pull it out! :)

Now, let’s go give, pray, serve, even shop with purpose!

Image from visualBiblealive.com

Today I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Something I have wrestled with for years as a female Bible teacher. *Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh*-

I just don’t know if I like Esther {the historical figure, not the book}.

I go back and forth on this Biblical character. We tend to think of her as a Biblical hero of the faith. The Veggietales version inspires us. We use her as an example of courage and female strength and proper submission and faith. While I agree with most of that, I wonder about the faith piece. Was she really a woman of great faith, or was she fasting and doing the things she did because she was culturally a good Jew? Why is the name of God not mentioned anywhere in the book? Why was she willing to go through the “selection process” {which was more than a singing contest, I’m sure} and not voice any type of moral objection? Why did she hide her nationality? I think of her story in contrast to Daniel, another Jew living in a foreign palace in a hostile land during a time of exile – Daniel most definitely did not hide his nationality, refused to compromise his commitment to God’s law, and risked his life to do what was right rather than take the easy way out. Can we really defend Esther’s actions because her life would have been in jeopardy?

But, then I waver back the other way. Perhaps it is unfair to contrast her with Daniel – she was submitting to Mordecai’s authority and leadership in her life, and we don’t necessarily know if she agreed with him. She does fast and ask Mordecai to call the Jewish people to fast – perhaps prayer was implied?

I tell you, I’m on the fence. A decade ago I would have come down a lot harsher on Esther, but my tone has softened over the years. Yet I’m still not convinced one way or the other. I’ll tell you what I am convinced about, however: Esther isn’t the hero of the story. God is.

The book of Esther is a powerful picture of grace to me. God’s people had turned their backs on Him time and time again. They killed His prophets, rejected His Word, and flagrantly embraced false idols with grotesque practices. God had sent them into exile, where they largely continued to reject His prophets and His Word. By the time the account of Esther begins, Cyrus has allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, but some choose to remain where they are. {Again, I wonder why Mordecai and Esther did not return?} And even yet, God is faithful to His people who have not been faithful to Him. Faithful to His people who have turned their backs on Him time and time again. Faithful to His people who remain in a foreign land rather than returning to rebuild. Faithful. He has not forgotten them.

Whether Esther was a faithful follower of God standing courageously in faith for her people or a culturally religious woman simply interested in surviving – it really doesn’t matter as I look at this book. Because either way, God is the real hero. God is the faithful One. It’s all about God.

And as I ponder this I realize… isn’t that what grace really is? The promise that it’s not about me and my story? If my life were written up in a book, I’m not sure I would turn out looking like such a hero. I fail – often. I forget or refuse to believe. My responses and words can be damaging and hurtful. But the message of grace is this: it’s not about my story, but rather about God’s. It’s not about my faithfulness, it’s about God’s. I am not the hero of my story. God is.

Who is the hero of your life story? Self-righteousness wants to make us the centerpiece, to glorify our own goodness and set ourselves up as the example to follow, the hero to emulate. We want to showcase our good deeds and set an example, encouraging others to act like us. People who understand grace want to make God the centerpiece, to glorify His goodness in spite of our failings, to lift Him up as the only source of true goodness, the only hero of our lives. People of grace shine a spotlight on Him, not on themselves, and know that it’s not about our faithfulness, it’s about God’s.

No matter what you think of Esther, it doesn’t really matter. She was a sinner just like you, just like me. And through it all, God was faithful. Through it all, God was the hero once again.