irregardless
One of Jesus’ parables features a judge who regards neither God nor man. I know how that is, never having regarded myself. But I did manage to conquer math that was indeed Fun and Good, and learned a little Latin in school,
some German at university,
enough Japanese to direct a taxi wherever we wanted to go in Tokyo those three years.
With a J-Term month of immersion in seminary Greek and now the internet, sufficient Greek to pick my way through the New Testament.
My seminary curriculum did not include Hebrew, the Hebrew professor was going on sabbatical the summer I asked him to tutor me; and so one summer five or seven years ago I tried to tackle Hebrew, but found I was on the wrong team, was getting tackled myself, couldn’t remember letters from day to day, never got round to the vowel points, and after a few weeks just laid it aside, defeated.
some German at university,
enough Japanese to direct a taxi wherever we wanted to go in Tokyo those three years.
With a J-Term month of immersion in seminary Greek and now the internet, sufficient Greek to pick my way through the New Testament.
My seminary curriculum did not include Hebrew, the Hebrew professor was going on sabbatical the summer I asked him to tutor me; and so one summer five or seven years ago I tried to tackle Hebrew, but found I was on the wrong team, was getting tackled myself, couldn’t remember letters from day to day, never got round to the vowel points, and after a few weeks just laid it aside, defeated.
Still, however, nevertheless, irregardless & notwithstanding, a curious priest, minister, preacher and Bible student, my lack of Hebrew has been a constant barricade for decades and so when, a few weeks ago, Linda came into my “study” to show me a basic Hebrew course online, I took it on as my Lent project. That was before The Good Book Club sprouted, which has proved almost full time mental work for me, simultaneously doing and posting This Week’s daily readings, pictures and comments, with my daily blogpost comments bolder than those sent out at 0600 daily from the parish, while working up readings, pictures and comments for Week After Next; and editing, redacting, converting from Pages to Word, re-editing and printing the parish daily email, weekly booklet and Sunday school lesson for Next Week. Thus and so, every week consists of working three weeks worth of readings, pictures, comments simultaneously. It has become sufficiently whelming that I’ve decided to downsize and minimize after Easter when TGBC finishes Luke and shifts to Acts.
All during which I've regarded my daily thoughts and comments as my daily blogpost.
All during which I've regarded my daily thoughts and comments as my daily blogpost.
As for the Hebrew lessons, study and practice, it went to a back burner, but picked up from time to time just as mental exhaustion set in, and nap time. At age 82, nap time is equal fun or better to what recess was at Cove School. All this wandering down various trails eventually coming back onto the main road where I have so far not conquered but fought enough that I can read the first line of the shema
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד
which I must read several times a day or it will evaporate,
which I must read several times a day or it will evaporate,
and now am tackling Genesis 1:1-3.
This is the only report on my Hebrew that I intend to make, so don’t look for updates, and don’t bother asking me about it either online or in person. At this age, Time moves faster than learning.
This is shalom
reading from right, the symbol that resembles a W is actually SH because the little dot at the top is to the right ("remember, she is always right" says my online tutor) down, left, left, left:
SH - AH - L - O - M
SH - AH - L - O - M
DThos+
farther along than ever in +Time+
and trying to "get" Hebrew before the knock at the door
farther along than ever in +Time+
and trying to "get" Hebrew before the knock at the door