More Than Hearing

Hey everyone! We’re back for another episode! We are also at the beach (again) doing a remote podcast (again)! This is the fourth time we’ve done a remote show this year. If nothing else, this is evidence that if you are thinking about doing a podcast but think you may need to be anchored to a recoding studio, this is not the case. If you are willing to have a different “sound” to your show, then take your microphones and hit the road!

It occurs to me that the show for three years ago was also done remotely. We really like taking this on the road, don’t we? Anyway, we used the Habakkuk passage last time, so if that’s what you are looking for, click the link! We also were looking at all eight intelligences then, so if you want more than what we’ve supplied this time, click the link!

Today we are emphasizing MUSIC smart and WORD smart. As we’ve mentioned before, both of these intelligences get a lot of exposure in worship – hymns, preludes, postludes, praise music, and choral anthems for MUSIC, and the sermon, prayers, bulletins, and announcements for WORD smart. Of course, you can always push these to include some different sources and styles. Check out the worksheets below to see what we offer.

Isaiah is holding nothing back in these first verses. God is fed up with the people’s nonsense and lukewarm expressions of worship. God also sees through the hypocrisy of their day-to-day cutthroat existence by telling them they “have blood on their hands.” Whoa. Intense. For WORD smart, I was reminded by reactions on Twitter to an exchange between Whoopi Goldberg and a co-host on The View. Read the threads below to see how they responded to the words she spoke. Maybe people hearing God’s words through Isaiah had a similar response?

For MUSIC smart, we have some options listed below. The link to Tom Petty’s song is not to the music itself, but to the story behind its inception. Stevie Nicks had broken up with Joe Walsh of The Eagles. He arrived at a house where Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics was staying with her and Tom Petty and when she saw Walsh, she told him, “Don’t come around here no more!” Maybe God was as exasperated with the peoples’ worship and while God wasn’t telling them to stop showing up, God did want them to examine their lives and attitudes more closely and own up to what they were doing.

• WORD smart – [07:11]
  • Scholarly Mama tweets about being “told something”
• EYE smart bonus – [10:30]
  • special effect using fake blood
• MUSIC smart – [11:22]
  • “Day By Day, Dear Lord” – Singing the Faith
  •  Vs. 12ff – “Don’t Come Around Here No More” Tom Petty
  • “Create in Me a Clean Heart“

This psalm possesses both confession and confidence. The first five verses speak to the need to confess and what happens when one does so. The last verses speak to the result of confession. The author is confident that confession will relieve one’s personal soul-struggles and provide a hiding place to recover and be shielded from trouble.

For MUSIC smart, we have songs about confession. You can use the plethora of sacred music dedicated to the topic, but don’t turn away from contemporary, secular songs about it, either. Of course, take care for language and situations in the song. For WORD smart, think about ways we use words to confess – like the 12 steps in recovery programs, for example.

• MUSIC smart – [16:22]
  • “You Are My Hiding Place”
  • “Confession” by Florida-Georgia Line
  • “My Confession” by Ray Price
• WORD smart – [19:38]
  • The fifth step of AA

Confession doesn’t always need to be an admission of error. A confession could be simply saying what one feels and believes, much like Paul’s confession of love and admiration for the believers to whom he’s writing. How do words of praise and encouragement effect behavior? For WORD smart, think about ways you can emulate Paul using prayer to encourage and motivate your people and their discipleship. For MUSIC smart, think about how overtures for musicals or classical works use elements of what is to come to set it all up right there at the beginning. We have a link to Quincy Jones’ “Soulful Celebration” – a reworking of Handel’s Messiah. It’s definitely worth a listen!

• WORD smart – [25:27 & 27:39]
  • Ben Witherington III describes the particular prayer practice that Paul uses in the thanksgiving section as a form of a teaching prayer. He says it’s the kind of prayer a parent prays within their children’s earshot so that the kid will hear what his or her parents wants him/her to do.
• MUSIC smart – [25:51]
  • The Overture for Quincy Jones’ Soulful Celebration

You KNOW this story, your long time members KNOW this story, so exercise those creative muscles to present this story! For MUSIC smart, David suggests using some sound effects as the story is read. We demonstrate how that might sound, too! For WORD smart, look deeper into the parts of the story that tend to get glossed over in a quick, “kid friendly” telling. Three years ago, we talked about what Zacchaeus name means. What else is right there that we might miss? Who were the tax collectors? Did they choose this profession? Why does Jesus pick this one guy in a tree out of all the others to go get lunch with? Why does he call him a “son of Abraham”? Look beyond the words for extra layers. Who really needs to confess?

• MUSIC smart – [31:10]
  • “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man”
  • Find some sound effects! I got mine from freesound.org
  • Here is a list of hymns for this Sunday’s selections
• WORD smart – [35:36]
  • Zacchaeus → from Hebrew : zakak = pure

Photograph by Kalhh at Pixabay Used by permission.

Welcome back to the podcast! We’re so close to the end of the Year C cycle!! We’ve been batting around the thought to go back to the format we used for the first three years of the show’s existence. We’ve been both pleased and challenged this year to present illustrations and special effects for only two intelligences per podcast. We’ve also noticed that the other six intelligences have been creeping onto the stage where we’re focusing on only two, and think we may have to simply open the door and let them back in. What is your preference? Leave us a comment below.

To see what we did with all the intelligences three years ago, follow this link to Year C, Ordinary 30, 2016. We have illustrations and special effects for the Timothy, Luke, and Joel passages.

Today, we are shining the spotlight on SELF and PEOPLE smart. Follow this link to read an essay by Sharon Ely Pearson, at Building Faith for some information about these and the other six intelligences.

Sirach is not a book I’ve spent much time in, so I went looking for some information. According to the commentary linked below, the book was written almost 200 years before Jesus was born. Hellenization was everywhere, and faithful Jews were working hard to keep their identity; Sirach is written to remind the people who and whose they were. Verse 17 gives a great reason to endure in the faith – God will not ignore supplications from the vulnerable.

For SELF smart, David thinks this passage would be a good way for people to examine their motivations for giving. How does God’s giving match ours?If anyone thinks they are going to be able to even out accounts with God, they are sadly mistaken, but in a “reverse loan shark” kind of way. Check out the worksheet for some other ideas people may have about why they give to God. The PEOPLE smart illustrations and special effects are similar – the discussion happens in small groups as opposed to time for self reflection.

• SELF smart – [07:30]
• PEOPLE smart – [10:23 (commentary) / 11:52]
  • commentary from A Lectionary Resource for Catholics
  • commentary from Biblewise

For PEOPLE smart, stick to small discussion groups and talk about the places where people were happy to be in God’s house. Is God’s house the sanctuary? Is is ever the sanctuary? Again, the SELF smart exercises are similar. Finding God’s dwelling place also reveals the source of strength and courage needed to endure.

• PEOPLE smart – [15:26]
• SELF smart – [17:58]

Using Paul’s history, encourage people to think about how they might support others who endure imprisonment in SELF smart. Amnesty International works to make sure people will be treated humanely and given fair trials. They have also provided ways for individuals to connect with the imprisoned to remind them they are not forgotten. For PEOPLE smart, allow small groups to share times when they have “finished a race”. How long did it take and were they ever tempted to quit? What gave them the strength to keep going?

• SELF smart – [21:08]
  • Amnesty International works to assure that imprisoned people have received fair due process and humane treatment.
  • One of their responses is letter writing campaigns.
• PEOPLE smart – [24:17]

Both SELF and PEOPLE smart examine narcissism – how the Pharisee may be expressing it, and how we recognize it in others and ourselves. For PEOPLE smart, you might use the Readers’ Theater script we wrote three years ago. For SELF smart, we have some questions to ponder including how do our own attitudes about “others” endure parables as barbed as this one?

• PEOPLE smart – [27:50]
  • Communal narcissism
• SELF smart – [32:45]
  • Here are some tvtropes on the subject of self-aggrandizement
    • It’s All About Me
    • Lack of Empathy
    • Narcissist
    • Break the Haughty

Photo by Lucas Pezeta from Pexels. Used by permission.

Welcome everyone! David tells the story that I once told him that I liked dancing with him because he “doesn’t give up.” He seems to think I was commenting on his ability; I was commenting on his willingness to actually get his butt out on the dance floor without having been lubricated by beer. Since I’m writing this, I’m right. Heh. Anyway, the passages for this week emphasize persistence, particularly of the faithful. Jacob wrestles all night long. Paul encourages Timothy to remember where he came from and what he learned in order to bolster his ministry. The Psalm shows the faithfulness of God, which is the basis for our persistence. Jesus tells a short parable demonstrating how persistence pays off.

Three years ago, we used the Jeremiah passage instead of Genesis. We also found illustrations and special effects for all eight intelligences. You can see what we did at this link.

Be sure to check out the link to Howard Gardner’s work at the top right corner of this page. We also have a link to a resources page. I’ve added some websites where you can find music useful for Lectionary Sundays. Some concentrate on global and contemporary music, too!

Since marrying David, I’ve become a fan of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. The musical style is a snapshot of late 60’s / early 70’s rock, but the story endures! As we discussed setting this story to an opera style, we agreed that the whole Jacob cycle would be an excellent source for opera. Someone get on that!! Otherwise, for MUSIC smart you could use one of the linked hymns below, or check out the new music addition to the resources page.

For NATURE smart, think about the persistence of animals wrestling with one another. For some of them, the wrestling may mean one of them will die, so the persistence has a life or death quality to it. In a way, Jacob’s all night bout did result in the death of his former identity; he received a new name and may have found the resolve to cross the river and face his estranged brother.

• MUSIC smart – [07:11]
  • Bless Me, O My Father, Bless Me – B. W. R. Taylor, (c. 1920)
  • O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go
  • Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face
  • Freedom is a Constant Struggle– spiritual
  • The story could be a grand opera …..
  • …. or a singspiel
• NATURE smart – [11:40]
  • wrestling animals!
    • Mongoose vs. Cobra
    • Mongoose vs. Black Mamba
    • Walrus tusk wrestling
    • Two koalas
    • Kangaroo boxing
    • 10 animal fights

For NATURE smart, think about the hills in your region. (Or, if you live in a very flat spot, think about the lofty structures in your area.) How does the geography of your place influence how you perceive “lifting your eyes to the hills”? For David, growing up in western Pennsylvania, hills were everywhere! For me, growing up with the front range of the Rocky Mountains always to the west, they locked in my location wherever I went. Moving away from them presented some problems in the first year or so!

This psalm has a lot of musical adaptations, so for MUSIC smart try one of the songs listed below. I’ve taught VBS music for several years and have discovered that we all learn the words to music more thoroughly if we anchor it with movement, so incorporate some BODY smart sign language, too.

• NATURE smart – [15:25]
  • Show this or a similar geographic map of Israel.
• MUSIC smart – [19:27]
  • This psalm is a “song of ascents”.
  • I to the Hills Will Lift Mine Eyes
  • I Lift My Eyes – SonicFlood
  • Psalm 121 – All Sons and Daughters
  • Teach some simple and broad sign language

For MUSIC smart, see the listed hymns below. David had a great illustration idea from the movie musical Singin’ in the Rain. In the middle of the movie, Gene Kelly has an extended dance sequence of a young man who comes to the big city because he’s “gotta dance.” Paul is telling Timothy that he’s “gotta preach.” Can you think of any other musical numbers that encourage persistence?

For NATURE smart, list some of the more resilient and persistent creatures here on earth. We have camels and rats and cockroaches, and a truly remarkable little critter called a tardigrade. You could also talk about how very resilient our own bodies are and with the advances of medical and health support, we live a lot longer and with greater vigor than our ancestors did (BODY smart bonus).

• MUSIC smart – [23:28]
  • Lord, Speak to Me
  • O Word of God Incarnate
  • Take My Life and Let it Be
  • an excerpt from the Gotta Dance and Broadway Melody Ballet (because WOW) from Singin’ in the Rain
• NATURE smart – [26:08]
  • Here’s a list of 10 resilient and persistent creatures on earth

David found a lot of videos of persistence in the animal kingdom for NATURE smart. The longer video of the squirrel working its way through the outer hull of a black walnut reminded me of the time I heard a very strange grating sound right outside our second story bedroom window. I looked and there sat a squirrel working on a black walnut. It looked at me looking at it and went right back to its meal.

The musical offerings for MUSIC smart are about praying, which Jesus encourages his disciples to do. The parable is about persistence, which made me think of the chanting and singing that protestors do when out in the streets. We heard a lot of interesting chants when we went down to DC for the Women’s March on January 21, 2017. Some cannot be repeated here, but the crowds broke out into song and chants often. Give the widow voice, and write a chant or a protest song for her.

• NATURE smart – [30:50]
  • persistence in nature = a squirrel working on a walnut
  • and another longer one (and the time-lapse version)
  • A woodpecker banging on a tree; and another
  • A beaver gnawing a tree
• MUSIC smart – [34:09]
  • O Lord, Hear My Prayer – Taize
  • Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying – Ken Medema
  • Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
  • Seek Ye First

Photo from Mark Dixon, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, 2015, and thus used by permission.

Hey all! Welcome to the podcast! This week, we have some stories about healing and a psalm of praise. Na’aman, a general for the king of Aram, is advised to seek out Elisha, a prophet in Samaria, for help with his leprosy. The Psalmist extols the Lord’s mighty deeds and Paul continues to encourage Timothy in his ministry. In Luke, ten lepers call out to Jesus for help. He sends them on to the priests and one of them, discovering he’d been healed, turns back to thank Jesus. Turns out, he’s a Samaritan.

Three years ago, we used the Jeremiah passage for the Old Testament text. We also were still attempting to find material for all eight intelligences for three passages. Follow this link to find other illustration than the two we are using for today.

This week, David is covering MATH smart or Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, and I am examining BODY smart or Kinesthetic Intelligence. For more information about Howard Gardner’s work, click the link up there on the right corner of the page. MATH smart people will be engaged by logical reasoning and numbers, and BODY smart people will be attracted to motion, especially if they are invited to move!

For BODY smart, remind your congregation about the indignity of the small, easy action of changing out of street clothes into those paper robes in an examination room. Na’aman may be experiencing this sensation when Elisha tells him to bathe in the Jordan. Turns out, this little, easy thing is the key to healing. For MATH smart, consider the logical response Na’aman’s people have to his outburst.

• BODY smart – [08:18]
  • commentary by Debi Thomas
• MATH smart – [11:03]
  • The king of Israel would be Dr. McCoy, in reverse. “I’m a king, not a doctor!”
  •  Naaman’s servants (v. 13) would be Mr. Spock (short summary; very long summary) bringing the voice of logic to the table.
  • a fortiori arguments; or greater to lesser arguments

While Psalms are usually like catnip to WORD and MUSIC smart people, the mass of words can be simply a pile of similar words to MATH smart people. So, play to their strength and preference and make a chart or graph out of the words used in this Psalm. For BODY smart, utilize WORD (paying close attention to the definition of “heart” and “compassion”) and MUSIC and design an interpretive dance or movement. Liturgically, this could be the response to the offering or a prayer of dedication.

• MATH smart – [15:21]
  • How would you graph this Psalm? arbitrary, discrete points, like a bar graph, maybe?
  • as a step function?
  • as a pie chart?
• BODY smart – [19:05]
  • commentary by Yolanda Norton
  • commentary by Wil Gafney

Paul uses WORD smart himself in the last verses of this selection. He urges Timothy to caution others not to “wrangle over words,” which made me think of Twitter or Facebook fights. Think about how we get twisted up in those and how that makes your body feel. For a BODY smart special effect, do you know anyone who is limber enough to twist up into a pretzel? Maybe doing the yoga pose Eagle? If not, then try the suggested “Word of God, Unchained” illustrations.

David continues with the idea of graphing, but this time, using Paul’s “if … then” statements in verses 11-13. He has an example of using the step function graph mentioned in the Psalm on the worksheet. Download it to see what he’s done!

• BODY smart – [23:28]
• MATH smart – [26:32]

In these short verses, we see ten lepers call out to Jesus for mercy. Seeing them, he tells them to go show themselves to the priests. As they turn to go, they discover themselves healed! One of the ten returns to Jesus to praise and thank him. For MATH smart, present an idea of reverse decimation. Decimation was a Roman military form of discipline where every tenth man was killed by his compatriots. David has some ways to illustrate a 10th using familiar situations. I like the ones using baseball.

For BODY smart, consider that as the ten lepers turned to go see the priests, they were still unclean. It was as they obeyed Jesus that they were healed and cleansed. We are still sick when we leave Urgent Care; it is only in following the prescription given by our doctors that we begin the process of getting well.

• MATH smart – [30:56]
• BODY smart – [34:45]
  • commentary by Dennis Sanders

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash; used by permission.

Hey all, welcome to the podcast! We are getting close to the end of this liturgical year; Christ the King is coming! And also the day we celebrate that! Meanwhile, we have this week’s texts to examine.

The Old Testament complimentary lesson is from Habakkuk. The prophet proclaims and complains that evil is afoot in the land. The verses the Lectionary Committee omits are a laundry list that hits pretty close to our own contemporary situation, so use that with caution. The Psalmist encourages people not to fret or let the circumstances surrounding them get to them, because it leads to evil. Paul reminds Timothy of his heritage of faith, and the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith in Luke.

Three years ago, we used the Old Testament passage from Lamentations and have some other material for 2 Timothy and Luke. You can see what we did for Year C, Ordinary 27, 2016 at the link.

This week, David looks at WORD smart and I have EYE smart. You can read about both and the other six intelligences at these links: Diana Waring – Education That’s Relational, and The Distance Learning Technology Resource Guide, by Carla Lane. Worship tends to be heavily WORD smart and most congregations make great use of EYE smart, but it never hurts to step back and reconsider how each is utilized from week to week.

I’m not entirely sold on how to pronounce the prophet’s name, but his message is quite clear. After the first chapter of listing how the evil seem to have free rein over everyone else, Habakkuk states clearly that he is now waiting and watching to see what God will do about it. He trusts that God will not allow the misbehavior to go on forever or even for much longer. For an EYE smart special effect, bring in some long handled tools that are bent or broken to illustrate the way justice has been twisted. For WORD smart, encourage your congregation to use their own words to complain to God – and then listen for what words God uses in response.

• EYE smart – [07:29]
  • commentary by Richard Nysse
• WORD smart – [11:50]

I’m always amused and amazed by how two people can read the same passage and see it from different angles. For EYE smart, I thought that the interpretation of the Hebrew word חָרָה (charah) as “burn” meant that people were surrounded by evil that burns. David thought of the evil being internalized, which presents a danger to the self. Either way, there are some interesting images that can arise out of a word study. You can also make a bulletin insert using words from the psalm for a WORD smart special effect.

• WORD smart – [15:21]
• EYE smart – [16:36]
  • commentary by Wil Gafney
  • PPE (personal protection equipment)

In what ways is your faith in Jesus obvious enough that, seeing it at work in you, someone might approach you for help? Paul reminds Timothy that his faith is a treasure that he needs to shelter and protect. For WORD smart, David remembered a story from A Prairie Home Companion’s Lake Wobegon about a family that discovers they are next in line for the Scottish throne, and how it gives them a different outlook on their lives. For an EYE smart special effect, bring in an object that represents the treasure of your faith and show it to people.

• EYE smart – [21:21]
  • commentary by Karl Jacobson
• WORD smart – [22:42]
  • look for the collection News from Lake Wobegon: Fall.

For a WORD smart activity, show people how do an acrostic using the phrase “INCREASE OUR FAITH.” For EYE smart, have people think about the size of faith; their own and what the disciples may be thinking they need. Using the definition of the word “faith” below, allow for some SELF and PEOPLE smart time to consider how they entered a significant relationship based on trust due to small things

• WORD smart – [28:03]
• EYE smart – [29:51]
  • Faith (pistis) is also trust and confidence. This should be a WORD smart link, but by now we all recognize the boundaries are soft and pliable.

Photo by Kristopher Roller on Unsplash

Hey Everyone! Welcome to More Than Hearing. We’re glad to have you join us for our weekly tour through the Revised Common Lectionary readings seen through the lens of Multiple Intelligence Theory. We are taking a wee detour from the usual show this week in an effort to jump ahead a bit. Three years ago, we simply skipped three weeks of work (Ordinary 23, 24, and 25) and got ahead that way.

This time, we’ve stuck with the lessons but have shortened the work load. Today you are getting two episodes in one! We’re presenting the Old Testament (complimentary) and Gospel selections for Ordinary 25 and Ordinary 26. We have a show for Year C, Ordinary 26, 2016, but we used the Jeremiah passage instead of the Amos passage. We did have some thoughts for the Timothy passage, though! We’ll be back next week with all four passages for Ordinary 27.

For Ordinary 25, we will focus on the Amos and Luke passages using MUSIC smart and NATURE smart. We use music all the time in worship, but how often do we use it in sermons? This could be a good week to try it! Nature is challenging to utilize; we truly have to put our imaginations outside or look at a much larger picture presented in a passage. It’s not impossible, but can be quite challenging. Here are our worksheets for these selections.

I hear a lot of emotion in this passage from Amos; I hear frustration, some anger, and a whole lot of disappointment. The “elites” are engaged in deceitful practices that are harming the poor, and what else is new? David found MUSIC smart illustrations about cheating someone and has some suggestions about how a theme song could be used in this reading. For NATURE smart, I thought about exploitation – not just of the poor, but of the land. This got me to thinking about The Dust Bowl here in the United States 80+ years ago. Follow the links for some interesting history.

• MUSIC smart – [06:34]
  • Dream Girls
  • Carrie Underwood’s song “Before He Cheats”
  • Here is a video with 10 villain themes you could try.
  • Here’s an article with a list of 10 themes
• NATURE smart – [09:38]
  • The Dust Bowl of the 1930’s
  • A report on wheat pricing and production in the US, Argentina, and Australia for 2019 from the site InformaPLC.
  • An article about the Dust Bowl from History.com
  • Another article about the Dust Bowl from How Stuff Works.

Deceitful practices continue in the Gospel passage where a steward cheats his master (some more) and insinuates himself with the master’s clients in a way that may be beneficial to him once he loses his position. The connection to NATURE smart is a bit of a stretch; I think it was likely that there was price fixing for commodities which the steward exploits for his gain. I also think that the “eternal home” and “true riches” are the planet God made and gave us. For MUSIC smart, David found an article with examples of music managers and how they cheated their talent out of lots of money. He also wrote the parable out in limerick form:

A manager cheated his master,
And got caught, so he had to think faster.
“Take your bill, mark it down!
When I’m fired, I’ll come round.”
Thus, he shrewdly averted disaster.

– David A. Douthett, 2019, free for use with attribution.

• NATURE smart – [14:43]
  • Price fixing for crops
• MUSIC smart – [19:03]
  • Here’s an article from LA Weekly (filled with profanity, so beware)

For Ordinary 26, we emphasize PEOPLE smart and SELF smart. In a way, these intelligences are the most subtle, because I think we use them all the time in sermons, liturgy, and hymns or other music. We use a lot of plural pronouns in prayers and litanies, and the point of most sermons is to get people to think about their individual lives and make some decisions based on Scripture and the Holy Spirit’s call on them. Here are the worksheets for each.

We’ve backed up a bit for this passage and until David reminded me that this is the complimentary Old Testament passage, I was a bit mystified as to why. The images of indulgence at the expense of the poor paints a vivid picture much like that of the rich man in the parable in Luke. Here, those at ease are living the high life without being at all grieved over the fate of others. They are the first to go into exile, then. The indulgence reminded me of the Roaring Twenties until the bottom dropped out of the market. Asking people to consider the strength of their foundations is a good SELF smart question. For PEOPLE smart, David found an old commercial about indulgence and an opinion piece about how economics leads people to think differently.

• SELF smart – [25:13]
  • Sounds like the life of Riley until verse 6b.
  • The Roaring Twenties
• PEOPLE smart – [29:01]
  • “Opulence. I has it.”
  • Here’s an interesting opinion piece from Medium dot com on how rich people and poor people think differently.

For PEOPLE smart illustrations, consider the work of Martin Buber and Walt Disney – two names that don’t often appear together in sentences, I know. Yet, each presents insights to attitudes that affect one’s willingness to consider the dignity and worth of another human being. I have similar illustrations for SELF smart; how does changing places with someone change your perspective on your life? The rich man still didn’t get it even in the tormenting fires of hades. Also for SELF smart, ask people to consider that if they were the rich man in this story, who would be their Lazarus?

• PEOPLE smart – [34:43]
  • Martin Buber I and Thou
• SELF smart – [38:02]
  • Trading Places
  • The Prince and The Pauper

Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Hey everyone! We’ve lost a couple days this week due to various real work and real world events staking time in our lives. We are doing an abbreviated show this week as a result. We can’t even point you back to our show three years ago, because we skipped it – due to real work and real world events! September is a tough month. At any rate, the Old Testament complimentary selection is from Exodus when God’s patience with the Hebrews comesthisclose to breaking before Moses draws God back into cooler temperatures. In Luke, Jesus tells stories about lost things being found – and heaven rejoices.

We found a new website with some information about Gardner’s theory! We have some examples written by Kendra Cherry at VeryWellMind. Check it out! Today, we are concentrating on BODY and MATH smart for illustrations and special effects.

I often wonder what it might have been like to be in Moses’ shoes in this story. There he was, on a dark and threatening mountain, receiving the law directly from God. WOW! I imagine every hair on his body was standing on end. I imagine him anchored fully in the experience. Then, suddenly, God is really angry and is telling him to go back down because HIS people were misbehaving! For BODY smart, David suggests experiencing God’s anger; God was giving them the means for life and prosperity, and they were down there worshipping a golden calf. Infuriating! For MATH smart, Moses had to step in and reason God back from the brink of destroying them. He does this by reminding God of God’s reputation with the Egyptians. This seems to be enough; plus, Moses refuses to let God disavow the covenant. Pretty smart.

• MATH smart – [07:34]
• BODY smart – [09:58]

Jesus tells these two stories in today’s passage as a response to the Pharisees and scribes griping about his associations with tax collectors and sinners. The ultimate point of all three parables in this chapter (the third, about the two lost sons, we did some weeks back) is that God places great value on all of us, especially those who have strayed and become lost. The return of the lost is cause for rejoicing in heaven. For BODY smart, stick with the idea of experiencing the emotion of the story in your own body. We have a story about losing our son in a large crowd and how that has stayed with us 22 years later. Our relief at being reunited with him was palpable. For MATH smart, look up the value of silver and crunch some numbers to illustrate the woman’s efforts to find her coin.

• BODY smart – [15:04]
• MATH smart – [20:30]
  • Four out of five dentists recommend Trident gum.
    • More about that fifth dentist….
  • Here is the price for a gram, an ounce, and a kilo of silver.
  • A sestertius weighs about 28 grams.
  • A shekel weighs 13.61 grams
  • The Greek text uses the word drachma, which is a Greek coin.
  • Here’s a listing that includes some drachmas (tetradrachms) at wildwind.com (about 1/3 down the page)

Photo from Pixabay, free to use.

Hey everyone! We’re back with another show – and we think we have a good idea why we did not publish a show for this week’s lessons three years ago. They are hard! Each one of them contains within them a choice. For Deuteronomy, Moses sets before the people the choice of following God’s commands and having a long life in the land or not following God’s commands and perishing quickly. The Psalm lesson immediately sets up a contrast between the wicked and the righteous as those who do or don’t delight in the law. Paul writes to Philemon and gives him the choice to accept his returning slave as a brother – or allow him to remain with Paul as his assistant. And Jesus in Luke tells people that in order to be his disciple, they must place following him above everything else, including their own lives. Whew – difficult choices await us this week. How will we choose to preach and lead worship with these texts? We have a few ideas.

This week, we are considering EYE smart or visual/spatial intelligence. Charts, maps, and graphs as well as photographs and videos are all excellent EYE smart tools. See the worksheet below for some insights or click the link on Dr. Gardner’s work at the top of the page. We are also focusing on WORD smart or linguistic intelligence. Use word puzzles, word games, rhymes, and puns to engage these folks. See the worksheet below for more information.

In the verses for this Sunday, Moses is giving the Israelites some final advice before they cross the river Jordan and he crosses over to God. He tells the people that their choice is plain and simple. They can choose God and life, or they can not choose God and suffer serious consequences. For EYE smart, give people some visual representations of before and after pictures to illustrate the stark contrast between the two options. Keep in mind, a bombed-out city is not the result of an entire peoples’ choice for or against God; the idea is the shocking difference. For WORD smart, illustrate the people hearing (and hopefully obeying) the words of God the way a crew team hears and obeys a coxswain. I also have some fun anagram puzzles based on this passage.

• EYE smart – [07:49]
  • before and after pictures of various war zones, like these of Syria
  • Use  a Jenga® set
• WORD smart – [11:14]
  • Listening to God’s commands is like being a crew member paying attention to the calls of the coxswain.
  • See the worksheet for some Ana-grammars.
  • Use Inge’s Anagram Generator to find words for your own puzzles!

We have mentioned before that the Greek word for sin is ἁμαρτία (hamartia) or “missing the mark.” Lo and behold, the Hebrew word for sin is חָטָא (chata) or “miss the mark.” Sin is not making the goal or going wrong. Conveying this idea through word definitions, word puzzles, or Isaac Watt’s poem would be a great way to engage WORD smart people. For EYE smart, think about the way that researchers watch over rodents in a test maze as an illustration for the way the Lord watches over the righteous. This is not to say that we are rats in a lab, but that God pays close attention to us to see how we will make decisions and live them out. There may even be cheese at the end of it!

• WORD smart – [16:34]
  • Make a crossword using words from this psalm.
  • Or a word search!
  • See the worksheet for the poem by Isaac Watts.
• EYE smart – [19:54]
  • Describe the classic scientific investigation of mice or rats in a maze
  • See also Tryon’s Rat Maze for more detail on one early test.
  • Here’s a video of some rats going through an amateur maze.

David combines MATH and WORD smart for an EYE smart special effect for this passage. Paul uses some interesting techniques in this letter in order to elicit a hoped-for response from Philemon. Take a look at the EYE smart worksheet to see where these words are and how you can make a chart to show them to your congregation. (There is some PEOPLE smart in this exercise in that Paul is hoping to push the right combination of buttons to motivate Philemon to his position.) For WORD smart, try to identify the different types of documents contained in this letter. I think there is a character reference, a legal negotiation, and a sermon about grace and mission. What else might there be?

• EYE smart – [25:01]
  • See the worksheet for the chart
• WORD smart – [27:33]
  • Is Paul’s letter to Philemon a sly way to get what he wants? Like Jimmy Fallon’s thank you notes?

Take a look at the WORD smart worksheet to see some more Greek words used in the passage. How they are translated into English may provide some other insight into what Jesus is telling the crowds. We shy away from this passage because the Greek word is “hate” – but it is also used comparatively, much like Moses in Deuteronomy and the Psalmist. Jesus is pushing the people to see that their choice to follow him is plain and that the consequences of doing so are steep. Is he giving people an out, or is he just warning them to consider carefully? For EYE smart, make a poster with a thermometer and fill it up with the items listed on the worksheet.

• WORD smart – [31:34]
• EYE smart – [34:58]
  • Got some help from the Feasting On the Word Commentary for this passage, Year C, Vol. 4

Photo by Oliver Roos on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Hey all! We’re back for another episode of Multiple Intelligence Theory illustrations and special effects. We looked back over our show three years ago and are a bit mystified as to why we do not have anything for Ordinary 22, 23, or 24. We put up a Feedback Loop episode in place of Ordinary 22 and left two weeks out of the cycle. Which is to say, we do not have any other options to offer this week other than what we prepared. The passages for this week are about honor and shame and hospitality. Let’s go see what we found for the two intelligences for this week.

David looked at NATURE smart this week while I concentrated on SELF smart. NATURE smart includes geology, biology, categorization and classification, botany, and anything that involves connecting with the great outdoors in a non-sporting manner. SELF smart involves time to reflect on one’s inner world; thoughts, feelings, hopes, and opportunity to meditate or pray. The worksheets for each intelligence are available for download below.

This story is full of drama; the authorities are watching Jesus while he in turn watches others. For SELF smart, I wondered if being under the microscope affected Jesus in any way. I found a documentary about this very thing – I’m eager to watch it when it airs on POV next month. David suggests a NATURE smart illustration through applying something like social Darwinism. [David also misspoke in the episode when commenting on being watched in a surveillance society; Londoners are said to be on camera over 300 times per day!]

• SELF smart – [07:14]
  • The Feeling of Being Watched, a documentary based on journalist Assia Boundaoui‘s life in Chicago. Here is a teaser to the show which aired last spring at the Tribeca Film Festival.
  • commentary by Bill Loader
  • commentary by Andy Nasselli
• NATURE smart – [12:15]
  • “the fittest” as described in this article from socratic.org

The author of Hebrews encourages readers to be in tune with one another’s spirits in order to be in harmony with one another. For NATURE smart, David came across some people discussing whether animals can sense or understand human’s emotional states. The author also urges readers to offer fruits of praise, so bring in some fruit! For SELF smart, I found a sermon illustration about entertaining angels that has its own internal illustration! By throwing in a bit of WORD smart study, we can ponder what it means to act towards strangers the way we would toward those we know and love.

• NATURE smart – [18:20]
  • a conversation on a forum (Chronicle of the Horse .com)
• SELF smart – [20:41]
  • This sermon by Philip McLarty has an interesting story about hospitality to strangers.
  • entertaining angels or showing hospitality which is “love of philo strangers xenia” is the exact opposite of xenophobia
  • Here is a google search for ways to be a prison pen pal.

I must admit that often my SELF smart reflections often begin with a WORD smart romp through translations and definitions. The Psalmist insists that those whose righteousness is founded in GOD will never be shaken. I looked up the Hebrew word and have some thoughts about how that might work both physically and emotionally. For NATURE smart, David melds SELF smart and the experience of being up before sunrise.

• SELF smart – [26:04]
  • never be moved = מוֹט or not be shaken
• NATURE smart – [29:02]
  • Here’s a longer, similar description of the experience of dawn with a bunch of SELF Smart thrown in from The School of Life .com.

We have never used anything outside the canon to which we are accustomed, so venturing into Sirach was fun. It may have been more fun if we had included more than two intelligences – I think there is much more to unearth in these verses. At any rate, David thinks these verses could be demonstrated by bringing in some plants and literally uprooting and replanting them. Moving to SELF Smart, a commentary at Catholic Culture defines pride as sin. “God may know what is good in some things, but in this thing, I know better. He says it is bad; I know it is good.” How often have we gotten ourselves into hot water by thinking this way? This may be a chance to reconnect with God through spiritual disciplines.

• NATURE smart – [34:02]
• SELF smart – [36:17]
  • Commentary at Catholic Culture
  • Soul Shepherding has a list of spiritual disciplines for reconnecting with God.
  • Church Leaders has 12 disciplines.

We don’t get to use the book of Proverbs very often, either. I took it upon myself to read through them a couple years ago using Richard J. Clifford’s work in the Interpretation commentary Old Testament Library Series: Proverbs. I recommend this book! Jesus was obviously a scholar of Proverbs – these two verses are the basis for his story in Luke.

Photo by Tembela Bohle from Pexels. Used by permission.

Hey everyone! Welcome to the next episode!

As I am working on the show notes, I’m also listening to a football game on television. I grew up in Colorado, and on Sundays in the fall, we would come home from church and eat the meal my mother had slow roasting in the oven while we were gone. After lunch, my father would turn on the Denver Broncos game, and I would lie down on the floor where the sun came through the windows with the Sunday comics from The Rocky Mountain News. A hour or so later, I would wake up, my dad would still be sleeping, and the Broncos had lost. For me, the sound of a football game carries with it life long associations of food, sunshine, and naps. I don’t expect that anymore, especially when games are on at night, but it’s hard to shake it.

The passages for today all reveal expectations, especially in the Gospel. In Isaiah, God expects the people to remember who God is and who they are and for them to act like it. The Psalm does remember who God is and sings a hymn of gratefulness for God’s steadfast presence. The author of Hebrews imagines the responses of people at two different mountains expecting God to show up. And in Luke, Jesus heals someone who likely expected to live her life as usual, while the authority figure expected the sick to have more respect for the law. Jesus has other expectations.

Three years ago, we chose to use the Isaiah passage, as well as Hebrews and Luke, so you can click over to that episode here and see what we did with them. At that time, we were not using the Psalm.

This week, we focus on MUSIC and PEOPLE smart for the podcast. Here is a list of selected hymns for this Sunday from Hymnary.org. Most churches use MUSIC smart every week in worship. They also use PEOPLE smart , although it is usually more subtle and unconscious. Download the worksheets below!

Ah, this is more like the Jesus we expect, not like the guy bringing swords and fire from last week’s passage. Here, Jesus is compassionate and heals a woman who had been bound by a spirit that kept her bent over for 18 years. Wait, someone objects to this? And then Jesus sets him straight and calls him a hypocrite? Luke is showing us a Jesus who does not shy away from confrontation, especially when human suffering is at stake. He has some expectations. David presents a really wonderful story in PEOPLE smart, and I have a list of hymns and songs for MUSIC smart.

• PEOPLE smart – [08:04]
  • Here’s a link to a story on facebook about a man who was bent over.
• MUSIC smart – [13:18]
  • We Cannot Measure How You Heal John Bell ( the link goes to sheet music, but the words are great poetry )
  • A Touching Place John Bell – this link has the lyrics and melody.
  • Healer of My Soul John Michael Talbott

The author of Hebrews has listed the giants of the faith and the suffering of the saints prior to today’s passage. Now, he starts making comparisons between mountains, namely Mt. Sinai and Mt. Zion. Each mountain has fire and the trumpeting voice of God. Yet, while the people and Moses trembled with fear, those who approach Mt. Zion can expect to encounter a heavenly festival! I’m not entirely convinced that wouldn’t be terrifying as well, frankly. For PEOPLE smart, remind your congregation of a time when they persisted in misbehavior until an authority figure appeared. I have more hymns and poetry for MUSIC smart.

• MUSIC smart – [17:52]
  • Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers  Andrew Reed
  • All Consuming Fire Jack Mooring, Leland Mooring, and Michael Farren
  • O Comforting Fire of Spirit Hildegard of Bingen
  • Before Thy Throne, O God, We Kneel William Boyd Carpenter
  • Send Down the Fire  Marty Haugen
  • Commentary by Timothy Adkins-Jones at Working Preacher
• PEOPLE smart – [20:48]

God’s intention is to bless us with good things. We tend to forget that, or forget what those good things are as God defines them. For PEOPLE smart, David found another story about a woman who forgot important things about herself and her life due to a head injury. She is taking the risk to remember by re-living a relationship. In a way, she is living out the promise of this psalm, expecting love to see her through. I have even MORE music and poetry!

• PEOPLE smart – [24:14]
  • Here is a story on facebook about a woman who lost her memory
• MUSIC smart – [27:31]
  • 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord, My Soul)– Matt Redman
  • Bless the Lord – from Godspell (1973)
  • Bless the Lord – Taize
  • Commentary by Scott Hoezee (Center for Excellence in Preaching) – Paul McCartney’s answer to his critics re: sappy love songs?
    • Silly Love Songs one of his biggest hits. So there!

These verses are the end of the chapter that begins with some harsh words from God about the obstinance of the people. By the time we get to verse 9b, God is once again reminding the people of their obligation to live as a holy people, which the hymns and poetry listed below address for MUSIC smart. The language is covenantal so bring in some lease agreements or contracts or your own bylaws for PEOPLE smart to demonstrate how we expect certain actions from one another. In this chapter, we see what actions God expects of us.

• MUSIC smart – [32:44]
  • Return to God Marty Haugen
  • Suggestions for hymns from Hymnary.org
  • O Breath of Life Bessie Porter Head
  • Sabbath Sings a Quiet Song, (poem set to Proctor Springs) Terry W. York and C. David Bolin
• PEOPLE smart – [34:59]

Photograph copyright : Jaromír Chalabala at 123rtf Photos. Used by permission.