I don’t know what it is about personal scripture reading that makes it so difficult for me to improve past a once a week (or once a month average). I like doing it, I feel better when I do, but I can’t seem to make it sit at the top of my priority list. Or I pass our couple scripture time (which doesn’t even happen every single night) off in my mind as enough for the day and crawl into bed.

I think the problem lies in timing. I don’t like reading when I wake up because my mind feel so fuzzy. And I need to get up and get ready to work out. Then I get back and he baby is up. The day moves so quickly that all the sudden it is 10 pm and if I want to get a decent amount of sleep I’m trying to get into bed as quick as possible.

Just now I had to stop to change a poopy diaper. Our home teachers will be here in a few minutes, then it will be time to break our fast and make dinner.

It’s just hard. And not that I don’t think it’s hard for everyone, I just need to take a few moments to think through where the change is going to be. How do I make it one of the first priorities each day, instead of one of the last items on a very long list?

Genesis 28

Jacob saw a ladder ascending to heaven. On it were different rungs. Each rung could be a covenant or promise made. Angels were ascending the ladder, maybe these are the angels moving up after their temple work is done for them? And the descending angels are those doing missionary work?

Genesis 27

Was Isaac not only blinded physically, but spiritually? Esau not only sold his birthright, he married outside of the covenant. It does not seem likely that the Lord intended for such a man to carry the mantle of the Priesthood. This is yet another example of why right and wrong can not always be classified as black and white.

If it was wrong for Jacob to have the blessing, Isaac could have revoked it. He did not.

Genesis 26

It seems to me like Isaac was thinking about moving to Egypt because of the famine in the land. The Lord told him not to go to the rational place, the logical choice, and Isaac proved his faith bbt obeying the Lord. Thus he was tempted and tried like Abraham, and was given great blessings in return. At least this is how I read the situation.

Also interesting that Isaac faced the same situations as Abraham when it came to his wife and saying they were brother and sister. Could he also claim they were brother and sister without technically lying the way Abraham did?

Esau chose to give up his birthright AND married outside the covenant. We now know the things he did not value. (The things of God).

Genesis 25

Verse 16
Ishmael had 12 sons, 12 princes, 12 tribes.

The phrase “and he was gathered unto his people” is really growing on me. I think I’d like something like that on my grave. It’s nice to think that we have people waiting for us on the other side. Family members and friends who will greet us happily when we meet up with them in heaven.

Verse 21

They worked for twenty years to have a baby, before they were blessed with twins. How hopeless things must have seemed. Rachel must have had a string relationship with God throughout this, because when she felt the babies “struggling” in her womb, she turned to Him for advice. Women during this time were very oppressed socially and culturally, but Rachel must have known her Divine Worth and identity as a daughter of God in order to turn to Him instead of her husband.

Verse 25

I wonder how much, if any of this, was literal. Did baby Esau really pop out all hairy like a beast. Or did he just grow hair at a very young age? And is impossible for the second twin to be delivered in a way where they come to close together that he is holding on to his brother’s heel?

Verse 29

I don’t think Esau was about to die. Or at least he was about as likely to die as in was as a kid when I would tell my mother I was starving to death. He just didn’t value his birthright as he should.

Genesis 24

I think what like most about this story is the idea that marriage works because you choose to make it good. Yes, Rebekah was beautiful, but that beauty wouldn’t last forever and I’m sure her husband knew that. Arranged marriage is so foreign to us, but I like what it can stand for (not what it often stands for, selling a woman off for money or status or to forge social bonds). I’m thinking of the scene in Fiddler on the Roof when Tevya asks “Do I Love Her?” Their marriage was based on trust and respect and working to survive the harsh conditions of the world. Not fairy tale romance.

Genesis 25

Abraham was gathered unto his people, in other words, he died and was united with those who had gone before. He lived in on the spirit world.

I did otiose that the institute manual completely skips the fact that Abraham had a bunch of concubines and kids and basically gave them nothing. I wish I could find a resource that would talk about things like this and help me understand the context a bit more.

Genesis 24

Verse 4
Abraham’s message? Marry within the covenant.

12-14
The institute manual points out that Abraham’s servant was likely a man of faith as well. This makes sense, as a man with responsibilities as great as Abraham would not only need someone dependable and trustworthy, but also a person that could understand his viewpoint. My closest friends also often share my faith, I know they can understand what I’m talking about when I need to vent or celebrate or brainstorm. This is also the reason I love sharing my faith with my husband. He just *gets* me on so many levels.

Verse 14
The servant had a problem. He not only asked for help, he presented a plan. This is key.

Genesis 23

Abraham went to great lengths to bury his wife in a beautiful place. This is how he meant to honor her. I spent this chapter thinking about how we honor the dead now, and and ways that I might be able to improve. I think one way would be for me to better learn the stories of the family members before me, whether deceased or still living.

This is actually the best reason to blog, because as long as I’m blogging, our kids will have a relatively complete record of who I was during that time, both through my pictures and my opinions. I need to do a better job asking my grandparents about their lives because they won’t always be around to tell me the stories.

Genesis 24

I wonder what an outside perspective is on this story, of Abraham working so hard to make sure his son married within the covenanta. Though I don’t have any servants go make promises with, and I will let my children make their own decisions, I will always encourage them to choose someone within the faith because of the happiness I believe it can bringl abrham knew this, and he also knew the important of two parents passing on faith in God in a joint effort. It means so much to me to have a spouse working toward the same goals as me.

Verse 2
Joseph corrected thigh to hand.

Genesis 22

Abraham means “exalted father” and “father of a great multitude”.

God did not tempt Abraham, He tested him. Although God does use temptation I think
Didn’t he tempt Job?

I think Abraham’s ready answer of “Here I am” tells us a few things. First, Abraham had a relationship with God, and so he knew who was coming to call. Second, he was eager to do the Lord’s bidding. How can I better display my willingness to serve? And when the Lord calls on me to do something, will I know it is Him doing the asking?

So many beautiful parallels between the sacrifice of Isaac and the sacrifice of the Savior!

Isaac was Abraham’s only begotten with Sara
The sacrifice happened on Moriah, not far from Golgotha (and it happened high in the mountains, which I think leads to thoughts of growing closer to God)
Was the sacrifice on then third day? Based on the scriptural account it seems like it
Abraham took the wood that would be used for the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac (thoughts of the cross upon the Savior’s back come to mind)
Isaac was likely an adult male, powerful to resist the sacrifice his father was making of him.
Isaac might have been in his 30′s.

That moment when Abraham lifts up the knife and hears the angle just in time is so powerful. One of the most dramatic verses in all of scripture I think. Abraham had incredible faith.

Genesis 20

Verse 3
My first thought when reading this was “poor Abimelech”, since Abraham did lie to him about who Sarah was. But then I realized that he brought this upon himself by having policies that ended up forcing men to lie to him. He was greedy and took beautiful women to himself because he could.

On further reading though, I wonder if Aabimelech really does deserve some sympathy. It sounds like he didn’t threaten Abraham, Abraham was just scared because of previous encounters.

Genesis 21

I feel really sad as I read the story of Hagar.

Genesis 19

Verse 1
Joseph Smith corrected two to three. The footnote also points out that angel could/should mean messenger. Who where these angels that needed to eat? I think only mortals and resurrected beings can eat, which is why Jesus broke bread with the disciples, to prove he wasn’t a spirit after the resurrection, right?

Verse 4-11
So I wrote this…
These verses are very troubling. The gang came to the door wanting to rape the men, so Lot offered up his daughters instead? How is that better?I wish the institute manual did a better job explaining this because it was really no help at all.

And then I read the JST of these verses. Much better! Now I feel like I can really understand what was going on. http://lds.org/scriptures/jst/jst-gen/19?lang=eng

Verse 26
I think it is clear from these verses that Lot’s wife lacked some faith in the Lord, but I identify with her because I can imagine myself doing the same. She had left behind some of her children, and probably some grandchildren. All of her earthly possessions (and in those days, they really didn’t have much) were left behind. It would be so tempting to turn and try to beat the fire and brimstone. I don’t think Lot’s wife turned into a literal pillar of salt, and some scholars speculate that what we know as the dead sea today is where Sodom and Gomorrah was located.

Verse 31
Oh wow, one of the juiciest stories in all of scripture. I’m wondering if maybe when the girls said there was not a man to impregnate them, if they meant there wasn’t a righteous man. They made a judgement that a child with their father was better than a child with an evil man (and after their experience ps in Sodom and Gomorrah I’m thinking they probably had some serious trust issues when it came to men). How sad to feel so alone and so isolated!