Job 30

Summary: Job continues, contrasting his great old life (rich, powerful, respected, generous) with the lives of those who mock him now (wild, poor, still somehow doing better than him) and his current situation (constant physical pain on top of the spiritual anguish that he feels that God has left him). 

Response: I feel like each run through of his problems is necessary. I don't always feel that way for ancient literature. There were pages of Don Quixote that I just skipped because I didn't want to do sonnets that day. But we see more in Job's character here. There is the slightest hint of entitlement, but no more than you'd normally see in his day. He also has a heap more generosity, and wonders why, similar to a blood bank, he didn't get any back when the tables turned. So I first pray for that kind of generosity, but also the wisdom to know that getting it paid back isn't the point of charity. 

Job 29

Sunday: Job (definitely for real life this time) allows himself to reminisce about his old life, which he describes as caring for those below him and gaining respect of those above him. 

Response: So in this small context, Lord, help me to appreciate how blessed I am, but not regard that blessing as my identity. May I find myself in You. 

Job 28

Summary,: We're talking wisdom. (Who? Hard to say. Either Job thinking out loud or the book's author.) He says that many precious things can be dug out of the ground in ingenious ways, but wisdom can't be found that way. Only God knows where to find wisdom. 

Response: I love the word painting here. Sorry DnDers, apparently you need to stick your points in fortitude instead. Joking aside, Lord, help me to seek You for wisdom above earthly ways. 

Job 27

Summary: Job is on a roll. He lets his friends know that he will not give in and claim he is anything but righteous because he knows what God does with unrighteous people. 

Response: I almost didn't write this down today. Lord, get me on track and keep me on track. 

Job 26

Summary: Job is sarcastic with his friends, calling them oh so helpful. He then shows that he knows just how powerful God is, proclaiming His control of the whole earth.

Response: I'd call this another of the moments where, all authorship aside, there's a bit of humanity here. While his friends can't keep it together, Job gets more determined and passionate. Lord, help me to find some passion for You. 

Job 25

Summary: Bildad, sputtering at this point, throws back to Job some lines from a speech of Eliphaz. It's a really short chapter. 

Response: I like the narrative momentum here, like they're running out of ideas while Job continues undaunted. 

Zacchaeus French translation

For whatever reason, my kiddos have been asking me to sing their lullabies in different languages. It usually takes some googling, but "Zacchaeus but in French" got nothing useful. Still, I have a music degree and took French for a two-semesters-in-eight-weeks intensive course in college (and, most importantly, I know how to Google how to conjugate verbs), so I gave it a shot. A bit of it is wordy, but it'll do for now. Et voila!

Zacchaeus, il fut tres petit

oui, tres petit fut il

il est monté dans l'arbe érable 

donc il pourrait verra le Messie

Mais alors qu'il passe devant

la Sauveur regarda levé 

et il disait, <<Zacchaeus, descendre!

donc j'irai a ton maison aujourd'hui,

donc j'irai a ton maison aujourd'hui!>>