The Point of the Gospel--Jesus at Twelve

Jesus’ Childhood {Luke}

Jesus grew and became strong and filled with wisdom. The grace of god was upon him.

(Personal Thought: I wonder if that means the Holy Spirit was in him or he seemed to others to be favored by God in his growth and personality.)

Every year, Mary and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. One year when Jesus was twelve, he remained behind in Jerusalem after the feast. His parents thought he was with friends or relatives traveling back to Nazareth with them and didn’t miss him until a full day away from the city. They returned and searched for three days, finally finding their son in the temple listening to the teachers and asking questions. Everyone was astonished at Jesus’ knowledge and his answers to their questions.

Mary asked him why he had worried them so, making them search frantically. They didn’t understand his reply.

“Why did you need to search for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Personal Thought: I doubt that was said or meant as cheeky as it translates in modern English.)

Jesus returned to Nazareth and behaved obediently, and his mother treasured everything in her heart. Jesus grew in body and wisdom, and found approval with God and people.

Personal Thought: It appears that even early on Jesus had a charisma and appeal that drew people to him and invited discussion with him.

Monday—part three of “The Punchbowl.” Next week in The Point of the Gospel—John prepares the way.

The Punch Bowl--Part Two

The Punchbowl—Part Two

Regina greeted new arrivals, pointed out the den designated as the cloakroom, and suggested a look at the terraced garden beyond the French doors where mums still bloomed in the same colors as the leaves falling around them. From a plush blue-gray armchair, a frail hand settled on Regina’s forearm. The pungent aroma of professionally perfected white curls wafted up from one of the aunts.

“Regina, dear, lovely as always.” The older woman offered a rose-dusted cheek.

Regina bent and dutifully pecked. “How nice to see you. Have Trace and the girls said hello?”

“My nephew never forgets his hosting duties and Amy saw to my coat. I don’t believe young Tracey has made an appearance yet. I hope she’s not ill.”

“She’s fine,” Regina answered, careful to restrain the sigh. “I’m sure she’s around somewhere.”

“Almost a teenager now isn’t she? Adolescence, my, my.” The childless aunt nodded in commiseration. “I’m sure one day she’ll be every bit as accomplished a young lady as her older sister.”

“Yes, well,” said Regina, “if you’ll excuse me.”

“Certainly, dear.”

Regina returned to the kitchen and sat down to peel and cut carrots for the vegetable platter. She supposed if Tracey were to make an appearance she should go roust her from her bedroom. Cutting vegetables required less effort. She wondered how other parents managed. Thankfully, Amy at nineteen was nearly safe from the pitfalls of teenaged angst. Firstborn and blessed with a moderate temperament and symmetrical features, her path had seemed relatively mine free.

Born several miscarriages later, Tracey Leonora was named for her father when the doctor made it clear there should be no more babies. Months went by before Regina came to terms with her own disappointment and apologized to Trace for the break in family tradition. He’d gazed at her in complete bewilderment.

Friday—The Point of the Gospel, Jesus’ childhood. Part Three of “The Punchbowl”, Monday.

Short Story--The Punchbowl Part One

The Punchbowl

This is a short story I wrote years ago and updated. I’ve sent it out to a few magazines. We’ll see what happens.

Part One

“Beep! Coming through,” Regina warned loudly. This punchbowl pulled on her shoulders more each year. She clutched its popped-out grape clusters and gingerly centered the sloshing bowl amidst stacks of paper cups. She owned an exquisite crystal bowl that drew in light and released it in prismatic colors. Regina thought the humble, almost warty look of this one better suited to a family gathering.

She discreetly blotted her damp forehead. The buffet table with its tempting display of dark-colored, crisp vegetables and fruits and the softer textures of meats and breads pleased her. “Mountains of food and fountains of drink,” she and the girls caroled to one another in the days of preparation prior to this one day of constant eating, drinking, and smiling over small talk. Regina’s cheeks hurt already.

The Kingston family reunion—she and her husband, Trace, had inherited it after the death of his father, Tracey Leonard Kingston III. Trace, now the patriarch of the multi-branched throng of relatives, never used the y.

Regina greeted new arrivals, pointed out the den designated as the cloakroom, and suggested a look at the terraced garden beyond the French doors where mums still bloomed in the same colors as the leaves falling around them. From a plush blue-gray armchair, a frail hand settled on Regina’s forearm. The pungent aroma of professionally perfected white curls wafted up from one of the aunts.

Part Two on Monday.

The Point of the Gospel--Simeon and the Magi

Simeon {Luke}

On the eighth day after his birth, according to Jewish law, Jesus was named and circumcised. Later, his parents brought him to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices as also written in the law. Simeon, a righteous and devout man, had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Lord’s Christ before he died.

He found Mary and Joseph in the temple and took Jesus in his arms. Praising God, Simeon called Jesus a light to the Gentiles and the glory of the people Israel. Joseph and Mary marveled at his words. He said to Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”

The Wise Men {Matthew}

Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod. Magi, wise men, from the east followed a star and asked Herod where the king of the Jews, meaning the Messiah or savior, had been born. Disturbed by this possible rival, Herod asked the chief priests and teachers of the law what the texts said about the birth of the Christ.

They answered that the prophet Micah wrote about a ruler who would come out of Bethlehem. Herod sent the Magi there and asked them to report back after they’d found the child. The Magi followed the star to the place where Jesus lay, and overjoyed, they bowed down to worship and gave the child gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh.

Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went home. The king was furious at being outwitted and ordered all boys in Bethlehem two years and under to be killed, fulfilling prophecy: “A voice is heard… Rachel weeping and refusing to be comforted, because [her children] are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15)

An angel warned Joseph in a dream to take the baby to Egypt and save him from Herod’s decree. They stayed there until the king’s death, fulfilling prophecy: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11:1) The family returned to Nazareth.

Personal Thoughts

It would have taken Joseph and Mary a number of days to ready themselves to travel from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Why would they have then turned around to return to Bethlehem and been in danger from Herod rather than going home to Nazareth? If they first went to Egypt, Jesus would have been a toddler before they could have returned to their own country and gone to the temple, not the baby Simeon held. The timeline doesn’t mesh. I suspect Luke was more accurate and Matthew simply determined to have Jesus fulfill prophecy.

Update On What I'm Doing

Writer Status

I was going to start posting a short story today but decided to wait till Monday since The Point of the Gospel is tomorrow. I have sent out a short romance, a slice-of-life vignette, a short scifi story, and a narrative nonfiction piece to magazines. Haven’t heard back on any of them yet.

Not doing my job in reading other people’s blogs and leaving comments. I have been reading the bestseller lists and can’t say as any resembles my novel The Devoted of Imshalel. I’m just about ready to start sending query letters to agents for it. The story is complete, the letter is giving me conniptions. So many sources I’ve read that give advice on the format contradict one another, but then so does advice on just about everything to do with writing.

Use an outline; don’t use an outline, let it flow spontaneously; there is a specific structure to stories, no there isn’t, be creative. Most do agree that tension and conflict are the things that move a story and keep a reader turning the pages. Speaking of which…

What I’m Reading

Read The Eye of God by James Rollins, a book in his sigma forces series. The science and history of the story were fascinating, mostly set in East Asia. I don’t mind violence necessarily but I’m not fond of sadistic torture. A little too dark for me. The end especially propelled the reader right along.

I never read J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit as a child. I can see where it would make for a good movie with today’s special effects. As a book, I think it comes across as a bit dated. It’s too violent for young children and too hokey for older kids. Again, the ending did keep me turning the pages.

The Point of the Gospel—days following Jesus’ birth—Friday.