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What was young life like for those 80 and over.  Two of my friends gave the following description.

When they were younger (in their teens) they used to do cartwheels.  Not like we think of cartwheels.

They literally stretched themselves across cartwheels, holding on to the spokes (with their midsection covering the hub of the wheel).  The horse would then be invited to go as fast as possible.  For safety’s sake, a spoke was removed to allow for their head to be place within the cartwheel (thus not allowing the head – which had no helmet – to touch the ground in the rotations of the wheel).

When you got too dizzy you just fell off the wheel – or were expelled from the wheel – which ever sounds better!

Upon hearing this story from two witnesses, I was justly horrified.

They just laughed. 

Maybe we are a bit too protective in our day and age?

My daily reading is taking me through the Old Testament book of I Chronicles.

In a younger day, I spent a good bit of time looking over the two books of Chronicles.  There is obviously an author who is related to the administration of the religious system in Israel.  The extensive genealogy has an expectation that these people are related – and closely involved in the theocracy we would call the Jewish Nation.

I hit I Chronicles 23 a few days ago.  I’m still pondering.

David changes the organizational functioning of the sect – particularly as he anticipates the building of a permanent temple versus the tent of meeting and the area involved with sacrifices.  And yet, he refers back to the original patterns God set for Moses as not being changed.

First, he counts Levites who are 30 years old and older (Moses had consider 25 –50 year age range for religious service – [Numbers 8:24-25]).  Then David states that service in the religious order of the Levites begins with those who are 20 years old and older.

Somewhere in here, David changes the age for service.  Without consulting Moses!  Something has changed in the society since Moses was running things.

The Levites are God’s – in place of all the first born males of all of Israel (Moses statement in Numbers 8:16).  They perform work for the Aaronite priests (a subunit of the Levites).  They care for the sacred objects and the tent/temple.  They sing and they let people in and out of the door to the sacred house of God.

And they are judges – in David’s administration (I Chronicles 23:4).

A question runs around my head. 

If David could change the vocational qualifications for the religious assistants – for worship leaders, judges, assistants to the priests, singers and gatekeepers – what part of the office is sacrosanct and what part is negotiable?

Are we too much taken up with ourselves when we set qualifications for church leaders related to age, and perhaps even gender?

OK, that’s two questions – somewhat related!!!

Tiny words make a difference.

Take the story of Ahitophel and Hushai.

Both were advisors to King David of Israel back in BC days (or BCE days if you are into that type of calendar). 

Here is the line from I Chronicles 27:33 in the Hebrew Scriptures. 

Ahithophel was the king’s counselor. Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend.

Sounds innocent enough.  But here’s the rest of the story.

Ahithophel was a vocation type of guy.  He was wise and strategic.  When he saw that David’s son, Absalom was planning a coup, he joined Absalom.  His calling was advising the rich and famous.  He followed the wave, served as an advisor to Absalom, and was called a “yaats” (Hebrew transliteration that leaves lots to be desired).

Hushai was a “rea” (another Hebrew transliteration that leaves lots to be desired).  He was a friend type of guy.  He was wise and strategic.  When he saw that David’s son, Absalom was planning a coup, he clung more tenaciously to David.  He volunteered to be a spy, serve as an advisor to Absalom, and give disinformation to Absalom.

Hushai won in winning over Absalom and saved David’s life (as well as leading to Absalom’s losing a battle with his father and losing his life as well).  Hushai is noted as a “rea” – a friendly counselor.

Ahithophel lost in winning over Absalom’s heart and he committed suicide.  In his usual way of doing things, “When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself. He died there and was buried in the family tomb.”  (II Samuel 17:23).  Ahithophel is merely mentioned as a “yaats” – a counselor/advisor.

Last night I was with some of my favourite seniors (senior-seniors, as in 80 – 100 years old).  They always surprise me with new thoughts, that are really old thoughts.

When I grew a beard, they wanted to start a fundraiser to buy me razors.  As I delved into there aversion to my beard, I found that they were the young people in World War II.  You were clean shaven as a male – gas masks fit best on an unbearded skin.  These clean shaven men were the choice husbands that many of the women sought.  Good looking was clean shaven.

Last night this was the saying that came out – supposedly given to one of my 90 year olds by her grandmother (making the saying probably a century and a half old):

A whistling woman and a cackling hen

Is neither good to beast nor men

Help me with this one.  Where does this come from? 

And yes, some of the other 90 year olds thought this was sexist!!