Everyday Insights and Real Life Stories

Here's another poem I wrote! Find it on YouTube!  "This Trap I Face" on YouTube This Trap I Face (3 November 2015) by Ariel Douglas I feel like a mouse In a maze Surrounded by different paths Down one, a five foot death fall to the floor Down another, a hungry cat Down still another, a pool of poisoned water Down the last, a piece of cheese On a spring loaded mousetrap I’m under a magnifying glass Prodded, poked, pulled Tested, tried, toasted Flipped, flopped, frozen “I wonder,” says an observer, “How much more the little mouse can take.” I’m beginning to wonder the same The little mouse is alone in the maze Alone, save for the predator Nowhere to hide No one to offer her sanctuary Everything is being stripped away from her Freedom Safety Friendship Happiness The little mouse is frantic Spinning around looking for an escape Any escape But she finds none There is no one here No one but the mouse And her ...

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Samaritan woman at the well and the story of Jesus’ interaction with her.  For those of you who may not be familiar with the story, or might need a refresher, the story takes place in John 4. Just in case you don’t have your Bible app handy, I’ll give a synopsis. I’ll start with some background information and then jump straight into the story: The Jews didn’t like the Samaritans and they hadn’t for many generations.  The Jews saw the Samaritan people as unclean, unfaithful posers (to use modern terminology).  However, Jesus needed to get back to Galilee and He decided to cut through Samaria on His way.  The Bible never says why He decided to cut through Samaria, but He had a very important job to do while there.  Because Jesus was a human man (thought also fully God), He experienced the same things we do -- weariness, hunger, thirst, and so forth.  He comes across a well in the heat of the day and sits, bec...