This past Sunday I met with 5 of the 6 fun filled, delightful 7th and 8th grade girls who make up the Confirmation Class (one girl was ill). We did an overview of the Bible. Did you know for example that the Bible is a library not a book. It contains 66 different books by at least that many authors.

The Old Testament (1500BC-400BC) was written in Hebrew with no vowels and no spacing between words. The New Testament (AD 50-125) was written in Greek. There were no chapter and verse divisions until hundreds of years later. The Bible is great testimony of how people experienced God over a great span of time, different cultures, different languages, different traditions, different folk ways. And yet at the core is the same human dynamic of seeking God in life and trying to live the love God reveals to us.

We looked at Genesis 1 (creation), Exodus 20 (Ten Commandments), Psalm 23, Matthew 6 (Lord's Prayer), Romans 8 (God's assurance), and I Cor 13 (Love). I asked them to do a little exercise which is appropriate for us as well.

I Cor 13:4 - 7 says:
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not boastful; love is not arrogant; love is not rude; Love does not insist on its own way.

Now read it again, only this time wherever the word "love" appears, substitute the personal pronoun "I." "I am patient..."

One of the girls said, "This is really tough!"