Lot's Wife

Genesis 19:15-24

            When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be consumed in the punishment of the city.”  But he lingered; so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and left him outside the city.  When they had brought them outside, they said: “Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills or else you will be consumed.”   And Lot said to them; “Oh no, my lords; your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life: but I cannot flee to the hills, for fear the disaster will overtake me and I die.   Look, that city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one.   Let me escape there-is it not a little one?- and my life will be saved!”   He said to him, “Very well, I grant you this favor too, and will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.   Hurry, escape there, for I can do nothing until you arrive there.”  Therefore, the city was called Zoar.   The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
             Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out   of heaven: and he overthrew those cities, and all thePlain, and all the inhabitants of the cities and what grew on the ground.  But Lot’s wife behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

For years, I have wondered why the Lord turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt.   It seems to be an incredibly severe punishment for such a human and understandable behavior.  Who among us hasn’t looked back when we were leaving someone or something behind?   It seems almost as though we need to look back to have some kind of closure.   Yet, the angels were very clear: “Do not look back.”

Now, as I re-read the scripture, it doesn’t really say that the Lord turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt.  It says, “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”   Why on earth would that happen?   A fundamentalist might say “Because the Lord said it would.”  Perhaps that’s true.   However, I think there is a deeper, yet elegantly simple reason.   It is impossible to move forward if you are looking back.

When the Lord called Lot and his family to leave Sodom and Gomorrah, He was not only trying to save them from the physical destruction of the cities, He was also saving them from a destructive and deeply sinful culture.   He was calling them into a new life of trust in Him.   This type of call is difficult for anyone.   Lot himself struggled with leaving everything behind.  Yet, in the end, he managed to do it.  Sadly, his wife did not.  She needed to hold onto what was left behind and it immobilized her.

The underlying truth of this story has as much meaning for us today as it did for the people who experienced it thousands of years ago.  In our lives, we are often called to leave the old life behind, to grow and to move into a new life.   Sometimes this change takes the form of a new job, moving to a new city or state, getting married or having a child, to name a few things.   Other times the change comes in the form of a conversion experience, or simply an understanding that we have to allow ourselves to let go of our old behavior and to grow.   However, it is impossible for us to be successful in this transition if we do not let go of the past completely and, with trust in the Lord, move forward into the unknown.   Anyone who has experienced this knows how hard it is to do and how extremely difficult it is not to look back to see where we have been.   However, if we cling to the past, like Lot’s wife, we too will become immobilized.

Blog Give Away Contest

I know I haven't posted in a long time, but I came across something that I just have to tell you about.   There is a great blog give away featuring 3 beautiful patterns by KnotSewCute on Etsy.  The first two prizes come with enough yarn to complete the project.   Here is a link to the contest: http://knotsewcute.blogspot.com/   The picture above is the first prize.  :)

Don't Worry...Be Happy! ;-)

My thought for today comes from this old Irish saying:


There are only two things to worry about: either you are well or you are sick. If you are well, then there is nothing to worry about: but if you are sick; there are two things for you to worry about: either you get well or you will die. If you get well then there is nothing to worry about. if you die: then there are two things to worry about: either you go up or down. If you go up, then there is nothing to worry about. But it you go down you will be so busy shaking hands with old friends you won't have time to worry

Wrap Around Rosary Bracelet

Wrap Around Rosary Bracelet

This beautiful wrap around bracelet is a full 5 decade rosary.   The focal point are the clear 8mm  Czech beads with a vitrail coating.  They sparkle and reflect almost every color in the rainbow.   Complimenting the Czech beads are 11mm clear faceted crystal beads.   Silver plated spacers and Tibetan silver bead caps add a finishing touch.   Please click here to learn more about this bracelet and to view my other handcrafted rosaries and jewelry.  Free shipping offered on all rosaries and jewelry.

St. Patrick Shamrock Rosary

St. Patrick Shamrock Rosary

Okay, now I know I was slapped by a leprechaun on St Patrick's Day. I can't seem to stop making Irish rosaries and I'm happy about that. Guess you could say that my rosaries are going green. ;-)

The focal points of this rosary are the gold finished, lead free, pewter center and crucifix. The shamrock shaped center features and image of St Patrick. The handsome crucifix has a shamrock at the end of each arm. Both are inlaid with emerald green enamel. The Hail Mary beads are 6mm, satin finish, Czech beads. They have a beautiful glow instead of sparkle and shine. They are accented by 3mm bead caps. The Our Father beads are Celtic Knots which have long been an Irish symbol of immortality and eternity. Please click here to learn more about this rosary and my other handcrafted rosaries and jewelry.

Thought for the Day

I saw this quote on a poster 40 years ago and it blew my mind.  It still does.  I thought I had read it in a book by Catherine De Hueck Doherty, but I was wrong.   It was just a poster.  Go figure!

"If you do not understand God's silence, you will never understand His words."

St Brigid Celtic Irish Rosary

St. Brigid Rosary 

One of the patron saints of Ireland is St. Brigid. Not much is known about her except that she lived at the same time as St. Patrick. She became a nun at a young age and lived a very holy life. Very few people know of her, and it seems as though she is often overlooked. For this reason, I wanted to make a rosary that honors her.

The Pater beads in this rosary are handmade lampwork beads.  They have delicate white and light green flowers in clear crystal.   The Avé beads are 6mm emerald green Czech beads.   Both the crucifix and the center are silver colored metal.  Please click here to  learn more about this rosary and to view more of my handcrafted rosaries.