Sarah: a woman of action and not a fan of waiting

This month’s study is on Sarah. The wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, she is seen as the matriarch of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Her original name was Sarai and later changed to Sarah when God made his covenant with Abraham. Both names mean essentially “princess” as evidence of her importance. Her death, at the age of 127 years, is the only instance in Scripture where the age of a woman is recorded (Genesis 23:1-2). What insights can we learn from her characters? What lessons can we apply to our lives from Sarah’s example?  What does Sarah’s story tell us about God’s promises?

Sarah was a very beautiful woman. So beautiful that she attracted the attention of ancient rulers (Genesis 12:14 and Genesis 20:1-2). She was strong willed and was a woman of action. Unfortunately, her strong will and action led to jealousy and mistreatment of innocent people. She knew of God’s promise to make them the parents of a nation and when a child hadn’t arrived yet, she took matters in her own hands. She asked her husband, Abraham, to sleep with her maidservant, Hagar, in order to have a child through her (Genesis 16:1-4). According to my devotional study, Sarah is described as a loyal wife who did right and did not give in to fear. But did she really? Did she do what was right? She mistreated Hagar who was pregnant by Sarah’s own plots (Genesis 16:6) and blamed Abraham for Hagar’s hatred of her (Genesis 16:5). She called for the banishment of Hagar and her son, Ishmael so he couldn’t share in Isaac’s inheritance (Genesis 21:9-10). What about not giving in to fear? The whole Hagar situation is evidence that her fear and lack of faith in God’s promise that she took matters in her own hands.

The lessons we can apply from Sarah’s example is two points. First, God responds to our faith despite our failures. Despite Sarah’s plan to create the promise child ahead of God’s plan, she was still blessed with her son, Isaac, at the age of 90. God can accomplish his purposes despite our frailties, our little faith and our belief of self-reliance. He did the same for King David numerous times. He did for Elijah was he struggled being God’s primary prophet (1 Kings 17 & 18). He did for Peter even after his denial of Jesus (Mark 14:66-72). Second, God isn’t bound by physical limitations, he can stretch the limits and cause the unthinkable to happen. Our understanding of the world, the universe and even God, is limited by what we see. First Corinthians 13:12 says “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror, then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” We only see in part while God sees the entire picture. When we pray for something. We see our desires to 1) have it now or 2) have it at all. God sees the picture and knows 1) its too soon or 2) its not good at all. One day we will have all the answers and see from God’s perspective.

The second point leads me to God’s promises. All God’s promise come to pass with time. Sarah didn’t believe God would give her a child in her old age. Impossible! she thinks. She laughs as if God made a joke (Genesis 18:12). The promise was first made to Abraham in Genesis 17:15-21 when he made the covenant with him. Later, in Genesis 18:10, God had given them a timeline for this child to appear: one year. And within one year, Isaac was born (Genesis 21:1-7). Today, fulfillment of God’s promises comes when we pray. Sometimes we get an immediate answer whether it is yes or no. Sometimes we’ll get “silence” usually a clue that God has answered “not yet.” The Bible is filled with verses which states God’s promises to provide and deliver. One of my favorites is Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” The best way to bring peace to a troubled heart is to focus on God’s promises and trust him to do as he promises.

In conclusion, there’s nothing harder than to wait. Waiting is the hardest part whether is waiting for someone good, someone bad or something unknown. Waiting can be agony. Sarah knew the difficulty in waiting. Sarah tried to “help” along God’s promises and tried to deal with her problems without God. And when that didn’t work, she tried to cover up her faults by blaming others. She allowed her desire for a child and fulfill God’s promise to get ahead of her faith and even God himself. From Sarah’s story, we learn that it is best to wait on God’s timing rather than take matters in our own hands.

Dear Hollywood

Dear Hollywood,

Movies have been a source of entertainment and escape for many people since the first film on the big screen. For me, it is roughly 2 hours (or more) to imagine living in another place and time. To learn about civilizations and peoples long since gone. You’re human and a citizen with the same responsibility that I do. While I love to learn new things, I do not go to the movies to be lectured. You’re allowed to have your beliefs and opinions. However, sometimes your comments show how out of touch you are with the rest of us. Your hypocrisy, bias and lack of open conservation with those who disagree with you shows that you do not practice what you preach. Even an “insider” saw this and called you out on it!

One of the biggest complaints is the hypocrisy. Many actors preach, lecture and scold about various topics, the most current one being climate change, and then do the exact thing they were just ranting against. It’s the “Do as I say and not as I do” attitude. If you want change, then lead by example. Jane Fonda’s Oscar choice to wear an old gown is a start. She wore a gown that she also wore to Cannes in 2014 to combat climate change (Apatoff, 2020). Unfortunately, her efforts did not leave the public very impressed. Some of the comments I found online were less than impressed and dripping with sarcasm. One commenter wrote, “wearing the same dress 2 times in 6 years. What a sacrifice and role model. Let’s give her an award!” Another commenter wrote, “I swear the same clothes once a week, every week. Nobody in the media is writing about my eco friendly habits.” While some commenters tried to defend her actions and applauding her efforts, others weren’t having it. One response was “WOW! What a pioneer!! Just imagine wearing clothes more than once!! What a rebel!!” But to be fair and play devil’s advocate, maybe Ms. Fonda’s statement was aimed at her fellow actors and Hollywood’s standards that you must wear new, never-before-seen fashion. Maybe? Wishful thinking?

Hollywood has become notorious for extreme bias. Yelling from the rooftops about tolerance, diversity and acceptance and yet someone one has a differing viewpoint, you shut them down. Actor Kevin Sorbo has been essentially blacklisted for being a Christian conservative and liberals proudly boast about banning him from fan-based conferences (Stossel, 2019). Many actors have come out to rail against the gender pay gap and how it is unfair to women. In 2018, actor Benedict Cumberbatch made the commitment to refuse any project where his female co-starts will be paid less them him (Deb, 2020). Did any other male Hollywood actor say anything in agreement? Or made a similar commitment? I hadn’t heard of anyone. Though, again, a few from the public were not impressed and commented that the gesture is all talk and aren’t holding their breath to see if he follows through. I think many view Hollywood as a lot of talk and not enough walk. Let’s see a little more action and maybe we’ll start listening.

Many people in the public applauded Ricky Gervais, despite being a stanch liberal, roasted, blasted and called out many in Hollywood for their hypocrisy and inflated ego. In his monologue at this year’s Golden Globes, he said, “You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world.” One commenter, I read online, stated, “he wasted the Hollywood hypocrites and they deserved every word.” He even called out his own hypocrisy while shamelessly promoting his Netflix’s show, Afterlife. “His speech ended up being a phenomenal takedown of an overly political and absurdly left-wing Hollywood that’s become obsessed with self-righteous crusades” (Stepman, 2020). Your audiences don’t like being scolded and lectured to like disobedient children. If you have a cause you want to pursue, that’s fine but forcing people to accept it by shoving it in our faces and down our throats is not the way to do it. I feel many in Hollywood have been a part of the Ivory Tower for far too long that they forget what the real world feels like.

I think Hollywood that your heart is the right place. To educate people. To broaden their horizons about people and places we’ll never meet or see. I applaud your desire to shine lights the issues you hold dear. However, it is the “righteous statements of incoherent idealism” (Deb, 2020) that many people are fed up with. It is the “Do as I say and not as I do” mentality that get people’s goat. It doesn’t work with children and it won’t work with adults. Everyone can fall prey to hypocrisy. I know I do, and I work hard to avoid it. However, Hollywood, if you were to admit your faults and shortcomings and have an honest dialogue with us instead of lecturing them, maybe we would be more open to listening.

Sincerely,

A fan

References

Apatoff, Alex (February 10, 2020). Jane Fonda Wears Gray Pixie Cut, Recycles 6-Year-Old Gown at Oscars After Declaring She Won't Buy New Clothes Again. People magazine. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jane-fonda-wears-gray-pixie-051353437.html. Retrieved February 10, 2020.

Deb, Sandipan (February 16, 2020). Opinion | Thank you, Hollywood, but spare us your moral lectures. LiveMint. https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/opinion-thank-you-hollywood-but-spare-us-your-moral-lectures-11581874258220.html. Retrieved February 17, 2020.

Stepman, Jarrett (January 6, 2020). At the Golden Globes, Ricky Gervais Exposes Hollywood’s ‘Woke’ Culture. The Daily Signal. https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/01/06/at-the-golden-globes-ricky-gervais-exposed-hollywoods-woke-culture/. Retrieved February 21, 2020.

Stossel, John (December 3, 2019). One Fix for Hollywood Bias. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/JohnStossel/videos/835046203619217/?sfnsn=mo&d=n&vh=e. Retrieved February 17, 2020.

If She Saw: a quick read but decent thriller

If She Saw by Blake Pierce is the second book in the Kate Wise series. Semi-retired and legendary FBI agent Kate Wise is enjoying life. She is spending time with her granddaughter and the blossoming relationship with her boyfriend when she is asked to take on another case when two couples are found brutally murdered in their homes with no motive. The only clue is a piece of a child’s blanket that is found at each crime scene. As Kate and her partner, Special Agent DeMarco, follow the clues, they realize they are on a race against time as the killer may strike again at any time. Are the victims chosen at random? Are they connected somehow? What is the meaning of the piece of cloth left behind?

If She Saw is a fast-paced thriller which will leave readers on the edge of their seats. Although I found the “false” suspects to be a bit too obvious, I enjoyed reading as Kate and DeMarco take every road that opens with each new clue and suspect. Kate does make one decision that I didn’t like and thought why she didn’t just say “I’ll start in the morning?” It is a decision she later regrets and wishes she did say just that. But I feel this makes Kate human. How many times have we made decisions in a split second only to realize it could have waited?  I look forward to reading the next titles in this series. There are currently seven books in this series. If you haven’t read the first book, If She Knew, I highly recommend picking it up. If you enjoy mystery thrillers, I recommend If She Saw.

If She Saw

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Jim Crow Laws: the origins, the laws and the fight back

As it is Black History Month, I decided to research more into the Jim Crow Laws. As a student, I had heard the term and the very basics of what they were, but I realize that I didn’t know anything beyond that. Named for a black minstrel character, Jim Crow Laws were a collection of state and local statutes which legalized racial segregation. These laws existed for about 100 years from the post-Civil War until 1968. What was the origins of the Jim Crow Laws? How were they expanded across the South and the nation? What helped bring the end of Jim Crow? And what type of Jim Crow laws were enforced in my home state of California?

Jim Crow Laws started as Black Codes as early as 1865 (Editors, 2018), which were strict laws detailing where and how the newly freed slaves could work and for how much. It was a legal way to put blacks back into an indentured servitude as their voting rights were essentially taken away, they were told where to live and how to travel. And since former Confederate soldiers were now serving as police officers and judges, there was no real legal recourse for the blacks to fight back (Editors, 2018). Jim Crow Laws started with restricting blacks from voting. They included literacy tests, poll taxes and a grandfather clause (Urofsky, 2019). The grandfather clause stated that men who were entitled to vote before 1867 and their lineal descendants were exempted from the literacy and other qualifications. Segregation didn’t begin immediately. Until 1877, New Orleans had fully integrated schools and North Carolina had blacks and whites serving on juries together (Urofsky, 2019). It didn’t truly begin until the Plessy v Ferguson (1896) which created the “separate but equal” standard.  From very early on, people were fighting back against Jim Crow Laws. Notably, Ida B Wells, who refused to leave a first-class train car designated for whites only (Editors, 2018). As well as Isaiah Montgomery who founded a black only town, Mound Bayou, Mississippi, in 1887. The town still is predominately black residents (Editors, 2018).

Jim Crow Laws would expand across the nation. Public parks would be forbidden for blacks to visit. Theaters, restaurants, waiting rooms, water fountains, restrooms, building entrances, even cemeteries would all become segregated (Editors, 2018). Some states would even require different textbooks for white and blacks students and different Bibles would be used to swear on in court (Editors, 2018). After WWI, lynchings and violence was on the rise. For several months in 1919, there were widespread race riots in the country. As black WWI vets were returning home and fighting back. “Between April and November of 1919, there would be approximately 25 riots and instances of mob violence, 97 recorded lynchings, and a three day long massacre in Elaine, Arkansas during which over 200 black men, women, and children were killed after black sharecroppers tried to organize for better working conditions” (Higgins, 2019). The Great Migration of the 1920s, as blacks were leaving the South, found Jim Crow Laws spreading to the North and Western states. In the North, suburban developments would not allow blacks to obtain mortgages for certain “red-lined” neighborhoods (Editors, 2018). As the country would fall into the Great Depression, racial tensions would only deepen.

The end of the Jim Crow Laws began with post-WWII and the Civil Rights Movement (late 1940s- late 1960s). In 1948, President Harry Truman would integrate the military. In 1954, the Supreme Court would rule in Brown v the Board of Education that the “separate but equal” standard was unconstitutional and would begin the national integration of schools. In 1964, President Johnson would sign the Civil Rights Act which ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act would be passed, banning the use of literacy tests. In 1967, Loving v Virginia would end bans on interracial marriages. In 1968, the Fair Housing Acts ended discrimination in renting and housing sales (Editors, 2018). In 1971, the Supreme Court would uphold busing to insure integration of schools in Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education.

California had many laws which restricted people based on race. California produced more legislation against Chinese and other Asian descents due to the massive Asian immigration. In 1850, California passed a statute which stated that “no black, mulatto person, or Indian, shall be allowed to give evidence in favor or, or against, a white man.” In 1854, the California Supreme Court would rule that this statute also included individuals of Chinese descent. Between 1866-1947, California would pass 17 Jim Crow laws including anti-miscegenation (interracial marriages), education and employment. In 1891, all Chinese people would be required to carry a “certificate of residency.” If they were caught without it, they could be arrested and jailed. It would be illegal for whites to marry blacks, mulattos or Asian descents. It is interesting to note Hispanics were not included in the anti-miscegenation laws because they were considered white due to their Spanish heritage. Anti-miscegenation laws would be overturned in California with Perez v Sharp (1948) in which Andrea Perez (a Mexican American woman) and Sylvester Davis (a black man) were denied a marriage license in Los Angeles County. This case was the first in the 20^th century to overturn anti-miscegenation laws. Chief Justice Warren would use this case as the basis for the Loving v Virginia decision.

In conclusion, Jim Crow Laws were a massive systemic discrimination against blacks and, by extension, other minorities. They were implicated slowly and gained prominence by the turn of the 20^th century as the denials of basic rights like voting, housing and education were ways to keep prominent powerful white majority in positions of authority. The fight against them had been early on but didn’t gain momentum until after WWII as black vets returned home and said enough is enough. The history of Jim Crow Laws and other laws should not be ignored or forgotten. As we celebrate Black History Month, let us remember these horrible laws as we try to find a balance and harmony among ourselves.

References

Editors (February 28, 2018). Jim Crow Laws. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/early-20th-century-us/jim-crow-laws. Retrieved February 11, 2020.

Higgins, Abigail. (July 26, 2019). Red Summer of 1919: How Black WWI Vets Fought Back Against Racist Mobs. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/red-summer-1919-riots-chicago-dc-great-migration. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

Urofsky, Melvin I. (August 21, 2019). Jim Crow law UNITED STATES [1877-1954]. Britanncia.com. https://www.britannica.com/event/Jim-Crow-law. Retrieved February 19, 2020.

The Girl Puzzle: an interesting look into a woman ahead of her time

The Girl Puzzle by Kate Braithwaite is the story of Nellie Bly, the journalist who broke through the male dominated field with her expose of Blackwell’s Island in 1887. Told between two timelines, 1919-1922 told though the eyes of her secretary, Beatrice Alexander, as Nellie is nearing the end of her life, and through Nellie’s eyes with the events up to her stay at the asylum, her experience while there and the events which occurred after. Born Elizabeth Jane Cochran in 1864, Miss Bly was a puzzle to those who knew her. She was a woman of many secrets and rarely allowed anyone to truly know the inner workings of her mind, motivations and desires. She died on January 27, 1922 at the age of 57. As her published story is well known but, did she tell the whole truth about her times at the asylum? What happened to the women she encountered there?

I had heard of Nellie Bly before. Her name was mentioned in a Smallville (2001-2011) episode (“Gone” season 4, episode 2), as the hero of Chloe Sullivan as she was a pioneering female journalist. Unfortunately, I knew very little of her and her accomplishments. When The Girl Puzzle was suggested to me, I took the chance to find out more about her. She was certainly an enigma as many would describe her “useful in a crisis but remote and always moving on.” Miss Bly was a woman shaped, better or worse, by her childhood and home situation growing up. She was an advocate for foster children and made it her mission to find good and stable homes for them. She had gumption to not be put into a stereotypical place of what women could write about and report on. From this story, I am interested in reading more about Nellie Bly. I recommend The Girl Puzzle.

The Girl Puzzle

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Blue Cloak: an interesting retelling of a notorious crime in American history

The Blue Cloak by Shannon McNear is the new title in the True Color historical story of American crime series. It is the year 1797 in Know County, Tennessee when the US was young, and the west was still wild. Rachel Taylor attends the wedding of her friend, Sally, to Wiley Harpe. Something about the groom and his brother, Micajah, gives her the creeps but her friend seems so happy and she tries to shake it off. One year later, Rachel notices a group, two men and three women, come into town. One woman is her friend, Sally, who hadn’t been seen in a year since whispers of the brothers’ “business” practices started and they disappeared. December 1798, along the Wilderness Road in Kentucky, a young man is found murdered. It is the fourth along the road and it has been linked to the Harpes. A young lawyer, Benjamin Langford, from Virginia comes looking for his cousin, Thomas, and quickly joins the search for the group. Will they find the brothers before they kill again? How is Sally involved? Will Rachel see her friend again?

The Blue Cloak is the third book I’ve read in the True Colors series and this one was creepy. Creepy but I was unable to put it down. Featuring the real-life case of Wiley “Little” Harpe and Micajah “Big” Harpe, the two would begin a horrifying crime spree through Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois from 1797 until 1799 when Micajah was captured and killed. Wiley would continue his killing spree as a part of the Samuel Mason gang until 1803 when he was captured and later hanged in 1804. I was fascinated by this story from history that I have never heard before. It was hard to read at times especially when these men seemed to enjoy their crimes; but I was fascinated how they were eventually caught and what became of the women who were with them. I highly recommend The Blue Cloak, especially if you have enjoyed the other titles in this series.

The Blue Cloak

is available in paperback and eBook

Love in Rewind: a bad romance with good 80s music references

Love in Rewind by Tali Alexander is the first book in the Audio Fools series. Emily Bruel has the life of dreams. At 29, she has two beautiful kids with her gorgeous and successful husband, Louis Bruel in a luxurious Upper East Side townhouse. There, she has a live-in nanny, a housekeeper, a cook and other perks that make her life a breeze. Louis has built a real estate development firm to a billion-dollar success in less than 15 years. Together, their ten-year marriage seems to be the stuff of fairy tales. But something is off. Emily feels Louis becoming distant and secretive. She is forced to search for the truth among the silence and lies. Will the truth shatter any hopes of rekindling their love and marriage? Can their remember their love for each other through the help of their favorite songs?

I am a sucker for a good romance novel but from the very beginning, Love in Rewind was not the book I thought it was. It is a marriage in peril as the opening chapter finds Emily waking up from a horrible dream and begs her husband to comfort her, who turns her away. The second chapter finds her reminiscing about the day she met Louis. She was 18, he was almost 30 and had the eye of every woman in the room. I didn’t mind the age difference between the two characters as I know a few very loving and committed couples with such an age difference. However, Louis constantly refers to Emily as “little girl” while they have their romantic and sexual encounters is creepy. I loved the idea of song references to their love story as my husband and I love quoting songs to each other, but it wasn’t enough for me to like this story. I do not recommend Love in Rewind.

Love in Rewind

is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook