Frequently I buy books from a mail order bookstore. Many of their things are artistic, deep and a bit edgy.
A while back I ordered, among other things, something that was described in the catalog as "Women of the Old Testament Knowledge Cards." I was planning to give them to a conservative relative whom I love a lot.
When they arrived early this week I thought the box looked edgy. I got a little nervous so I carefully opened it to peek at the cards.
uh oh!
The pack was shrink wrapped so I could see only the front of the first card "Eve" and the back of the last card "Queen of Sheba."
But it was enough to know that they won't be leaving the house.
The artist is a former member of the Benedictine order and the writer is a professor at Hartsford Seminary so the cards aren't X rated but....
...let's just saw that the Old Testament is full of sex and violence, much of it directed at women, and the cards depict this in somewhat graphic ways.
I tore open the package to check them out. Since Monday I've read a few of the cards each morning.
They've impacted me deeply and spiritually. I'm being reminded of ancient women who had absolutely no power, who sometimes lived brutal lives, but were, many times, able to rise up and be strong anyway.
When Clinton and Palin talk about the 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling we all need to remember that it started with some of these ancient women.
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