A Meme - Getting to Know Someone

Hebrew 13;7 says “Remember those who rule over you , who have spoken unto you the word of God , whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”

This verse gives a directive that is often overlooked - especially today when so many of the people we listen to on TV or radio or read their books, we have never met!
The word translated ‘rule over you’ is not meant to be a master and slave mentality but rather the kind of ‘rule’ someone would have over you if you look to them for advice, counsel or teaching.
“Whose faith follow” - is an echo of Paul’s words II Thess. 3:9 where he emphasizes the fact that as leaders they were careful “to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.”
But we are not to follow them blindly!
We who are listening to them, looking to them for spiritual direction are to judge them according to their ‘conversation’ or behaviour.
Is a teacher full of enticing words but his everyday behaviour gives him away for who he really is?
So often we never have the opportunity to see our ‘teachers’ in their every day garb, and that makes judging them difficult!

While I do not consider myself a ‘leader’, my blog does focus on my spiritual thoughts and opinions.
Reading other blogs I find it quite easy to ‘get to know’ the blogger quite well, but I don’t share as much personal everyday kind of information about myself as some do. However, I do recognize the importance of letting my readers see me for who I am !
So to give you a glimpse of who I am on a more ‘every day’ level, once in a while I don’t mind participating in a meme going around. I was tagged by Sara a couple of days ago and decided I would take her up on her challenge and answer the questions she posed to me!!
Here goes!!

1.What is your favorite summer dessert? Describe why.

Oh, that is soooo easy !! It is a toss up between fresh warm rhubarb pie! Or fresh raspberries --- both with vanilla ice-cream, of course!!
I need to describe why? Because I love how they make my taste buds feel!
And maybe also because they bring back happy childhood memories.
For several years my parents had a small raspberry field and while us kids hated spending the long, hot summer days picking berries, we never tired of getting a bowl from the kitchen, picking it full of raspberries , adding sugar and our own-cow-supplied whipping cream from the fridge!!
The only problem was that we risked getting scolded from Mom for using up all the whipping cream! No fear of the extra calories in those days, we just used them all up!

2. What is the story of your name - why did your parents choose the name they gave you? Would you change it if you could?

My name was chosen because of a family tradition that went back multiple generations on my Dad’s side of the family. The first born son was given his father’s two given names in reverse. So since my grandfather’s name was John Jakob, my father’s name was Jacob John. Since their family name also started with a J. that meant the initials were JJJ.
My dad decided the tradition had gone on long enough and he wanted to break it, but perhaps he felt some traditional burden of responsibility so he took the ‘coward’s’ escape.
I was their first child so my parents named me Julianna Joy , thereby keeping the tradition of the triple J initials but ended the reversal of the father’s given names and also my dad said that in giving the three J’s to me, he knew it would be totally broken when I married!

I would not change my name because I believe by the time you realize that you COULD change your name your identity is tied up in the only name you know yourself by and changing it could be psychologically damaging. (smile)
I am who I am – name and all!

3. If you could spend six months (money and responsibilities being no problem), anywhere in the world, where would it be? Doing what?

If I were to be honest, and I assume that is the goal of this little exercise, I would really choose to be home, doing what I love. (smile)
OK, if I’m not allowed to choose home, then I would like to spend six months in a country where the Christian believers are persecuted and I would like to spend time with the underground church, worshipping with them and helping them in any way I could!
I would also like to go visit Austria, Switzerland, or Ireland/Scotland/Wales.

4. What is your favorite season of the year? Why?

My favourite season of the year is definitely spring.
I love the fresh everything of spring!
The springing forth of life – with nothing ‘old’. All the vegetation is lush and bursting with health and vigor.
The tree blossoms are all so beautiful!! My favourite color is pink and I think spring is ‘pink’ more than any other season!
Also the weather is perfect! Never too hot and never too cold!
Awwww….spring is ‘just right!’

5. What is the most daring thing you'd like to do, but haven't? What would it take for you to get up the courage to do it?

I am a very undaring kind of person so it is hard to think of something daring I would LIKE to do!!
I think I might like to try hang gliding. I think it would be fun to soar soundlessly in the sky, I have often wished I could be a bird for a day.
What would it take for me to get up the courage to do it? The first thing that comes to mind is that I would have to know it was the last day of my life anyway so it wouldn’t matter if I crashed or not!! (smile)

So there are my five --- if any of you would like to add your five answers in your ’comment’ --please do!!
Or on your own blog if you prefer!!
Have a wonderfully blessed day!!! I love you all!!