The Pharisees dogged Jesus so relentlessly they should have known his teachings as well as his disciples did. It’s tragic that they weren’t trying to learn anything from him other than how to discredit him.  

Have I learned what Jesus meant when he said, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”?

It is hard to misunderstand what he means in the first chapter of Isaiah.

“‘What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices;’ says the Lord; ‘I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats . . . Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean! Remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.’” (Isa. 1:11, 16, 17 ESV).

"If you are a believer, someone had to plant the seed in your mind. Someone else watered it. Acknowledging these gospel gardeners gives us perspective. When it seems like life has been mostly dark, it can remind us that Jesus has been there all the time."

I found that Downton Abbey and the Jeremy Irons Brideshead Revisited miniseries gave my imagination some kind of scaffolding upon which to understand this very subtle, very restrained, and very sophisticated fictional memoir. 

To be perfectly frank, I really don’t know what this book is about. I know that it’s about dignity. I know that Mr. Stevens has a great deal of pride and prejudice related to the word dignity and that this book chronicles his awakening into other understandings of the word dignity. 

https://plumfieldmoms.com/plumfield-moms-book-reviews/the-remains-of-the-day

https://plumfieldandpaideia.com/the-remains-of-the-day/

"We know Jesus did say, 'Judge not, that you be not judged.' Are we to take this as our motto without context? In this same sermon, Jesus also tells us to beware of false prophets. How will we know true from false if we don’t judge anything?"

“The historical novels Sally Watson has laid in Great Britain and America are separate and complete, yet are united by a family tree. They romp across four centuries, from 1582 London to 1892 Northern California. No one gets a starring role twice, but main characters sometimes reappear in another book in a relatively minor role as grandparent, sibling, cousin, lover or even a wayward eyebrow. The predominant family trait seems to be producing and marrying strong-willed women. Though the protagonists range in age from eleven to adult, and some are specifically juvenile and others definitely adult, the characterization, vocabulary, and plotting are appropriate to all ages from—say—eleven up.”

Wikipedia, Sally Watson page

"Do I trust God enough to stand before him with an open mouth and allow him to feed me? Am I absolutely sure that whatever he chooses to put in will be good? My head knows it will. His Word assures me that all his intentions for me are good. Is my heart so convinced that I can open my mouth wide before him and accept whatever he feeds me?"

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The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier is a compelling historical fiction novel written in 1959 about a Polish family torn apart by the Second World War and, happily, reunited afterwards.

https://plumfieldmoms.com/plumfield-moms-book-reviews/the-silver-sword

"When I feel inadequate for the tasks I’m called to, isn't that right where I need to be? It’s only with God’s help that, when called upon, I will be able to run through a whole troop of men, even if they’re all staring at me. With the shield of salvation and God’s right hand to hold me up, I’ll be able to cover more and more ground with my ever-lengthening strides without turning an ankle. 

As for God, his way is perfect,