5/16/08

The Story of Abraham

I love the story of Abraham!!! I was inspired by a book that I just finished to go back and study Abraham...really kind of pick it apart...take it all in like I've never done before...let God talk to me in a fresh and new way through the bible...I love that...anyway I feel like taking you on my journey so I'm going to...
Of course I started at the beginning in Genesis 11:1-32...well I didn't really have to start at the tower of Babel...but that takes you to Shem which eventually takes us to the birth of Abram (Abraham)...But lets go back to The Tower of Babel...I blame this for a lot of my life's displeasure and frustration and a little guilt...in the beginning of this chapter it says...Now the whole world had one language and a common speech!!! Then because they built that stupid tower!!! It says...and God came down and said..."If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."For those of you who don't know I am 1/2 Caucasian and 1/2 Mexican...I look more Latin than I do white...anyway all that to say I don't speak Spanish...my dad never taught me because of a lot of reasons...what ever they are the fact remains I don't speak Spanish!!! I feel disconnected in many ways from my Mexican heritage and people because of this...I have been mocked and ridiculed and I never know quite what to say!!! The last encounter was this...a proud of his heritage, well put together, older Mexican man told me...after trying to speak to me in Spanish and me saying for the hundredth gazillion time "sorry I don't speak Spanish" "This is a disgrace to our Mexican heritage!!! Why don't you speak Spanish?" I said "my father never taught me." He said "well you are an adult now it's up to you!" That little man has haunted me in my mind like no other...I'm still feeling guilty about it and wondering what to do...AND I'm blaming The Tower of Babble!!!!
Boy how my mind goes...know wonder it takes me so long to get through a book in the bible...Hee-Hee

2 comments:

sharon said...

Hey Brandi,

Your post was an interesting one. Maybe it's my generation, but I really enjoyed seeing all the parts of who I am (where my ancestors came from and when). That combination of cultures makes me who I am.

While I am an "American" first, I can enjoy those still celebrate St. Patrick's Day with my Irish roots.

Michelle, Tim & I have tried to learn Spanish through cd instructions, but since I don't incorperate it into everyday, I don't retain it. Just put "learn Spanish" on your list and find a friend to speak to.

Love you.

Anonymous said...

I would like to argue the case for Esperanto as the international language, to reverse the curse of Babel. It is a planned language which belongs to no one country or group of states. Take a look at www.esperanto.net

Esperanto works! I've used it in speech and writing in a dozen countries over recent years.
Indeed, the language has some remarkable practical benefits. Personally, I've made friends around the world through Esperanto that I would never have been able to communicate with otherwise. And then there's the Pasporta Servo, which provides free lodging and local information to Esperanto-speaking travellers in over 90 countries. In the past year I have had guided tours of Berlin and Milan in the planned language. I have discussed philosophy with a Slovene poet, humour on television with a Bulgarian TV producer. I've discussed what life was like in East Berlin before the wall came down, how to cook perfect spaghetti, the advantages and disadvantages of monarchy, and so on. I recommend it, not just as an ideal but as a very practical way to overcome language barriers now and in the future.