THE MASTER’S VOICE     Matthew 29:30

Bread broken, a hymn was sung.

“I will not drink of the vine,

fruit of earthly soil until new

with you in my father’s kingdom.”

He raised his voice a soft rumble;

The root note beneath them all.

Thunder in the distance, his bass

Lifted them sweetly aloft.

Perhaps he voiced high tenor,

His lips shaping clear vowels

That soared above the others.

He set the true pitch sensed

 in shimmering stars.

Did their wet eyes seek his,

Inhale in unison, or did Jesus

Tap the downbeat?

Harmony in fifths and fourths

Angelic voices chimed in above.

Marys and Simons in harmony

Tightly woven, occasional

Dissonance relaxed melts into

the sweetest tension.

Earthly echoes of heavenly resonance

A Capella or did John tune the lute?

This the voice lambs heard,

Stilled the water, raised the dead.

Which psalm duets the last cup?

A tremor here and a catch

In breath, there, they blend again.

A plagal echo lingers eternally

Absorbed in ancient walls,

Witnessed the final Amen.

By Mary Stromer Hanson March 2016

Painting by Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902:  

Last Discourse of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Mary's Sword

Mary’s Sword   Poem by Mary Stromer Hanson 4/9/2017

Art: "Women at the Cross" by William Strang 1859-1921

Huddled beneath the cross,

We sink in blood-soaked mud.

Stones embedded in our knees,

Light, dark, thunder, sun again.

Has it been a day? Time is lost.

Moaning mouths now silent,

No two words cling together.

My son just cried, “Father,

Why have you forsaken me?”

Long ago, Gabriel spoke,

“You are highly favored!”

My young body was eager,

My faith was so innocent,

“May it happen as you say.”

Youthful ignorance spoke,

He meant favored for this?

To see my son brutally die?

God, to this I did not agree!

My firstborn was a delight,

Despite the village gossip,

Dear Joseph at my side then,

Ignored the whispered scorn.

A sword did not occur to me.

At first my younger children,

Did not all agree with him.

He asked, “who is my mother?”

That one day, like I wasn’t there!

Simeon’s mysterious words,

“The rise and fall of many.”

Our house was full of friends,

How was I so naive?

One denied him last night,

Betrayed him with a kiss.

You his Father, you allowed this!

Remember, His earthly flesh mine.

Were we not in this together?

Now I know this sword of Simeon,

He said this child, my son, will

Be the rise and fall of many.

Spouses split, friends fail,

Sheep scattered, curtain rent.

The Jews in disarray,

My heart pierced lifeless.

The mighty win, the poor

still hunger. That sword.

Laments from Childhood: “Will I Ever Really Belong?”

by Mary Stromer Hanson

“Jesus Loves Me This I know,” but he loves the boys more.

“Faith of our Fathers,” but the faith of the mothers is not notable.

“Dare to be a Daniel,” but do girls ever do noble deeds?

“Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing,” but not me, only the men.

“A father, husband, or oldest son must be your head.”

So what is wrong with my own head?

“The twelve disciples are all men,” so I am excluded yet again.

God, you made me a woman, but despise me for being what I am?

If I love you with all my heart, why don’t you love me back?

Do my prayers not soar so high, do you not hear me so well?

Will my arms never be long enough, my voice loud enough?

Will I ever be included even after 1,000,000 years in heaven?

Praise God for new songs, new stories, new lessons, new life!

This was written at a very low point many years ago.

I just found it again. Thank you to CBE, the many authors,

teachers, and mentors who have aided my recovery. 

Sarah’s Pleasure: Genesis 18:12

Poem by Mary Stromer Hanson

Artist: Gabriele Münter

German 1877-1962

These are thoughts for upcoming Valentine’s Day to those who may not have a romantic partner.

Sarah's Pleasure: Genesis 18:12 With trepidation, I address a topic of Christian feminism that has, to my knowledge, never seen the light of day. I have done some reading in perfectly legitimate scientific literature. One of many websites follows. In recent times—centuries perhaps—our embodiment has been downplayed in favor of the spiritual. However, this is a part of our experience; a part of our perfectly-made bodies that cannot be denied.

What is the “pleasure” to which Sarah is referring? The birth of a child, of course, but perhaps a bonus as well? Wider acknowledgment would be a source of positive feelings about our bodies, and/or even a "gift" to ANY woman.

This topic could be expanded in many ways adding to female empowerment. Why is it OK that female bodily phenomena have been kept undercover for eons, but vulgarly exploited by men? So many female body issues have been kept under wraps to our detriment and suffering: female genital cutting; menstruation keeping girls from schooling are only a few examples. These topics have only recently come to popular attention. I am presenting another discussion that allows us to reclaim our bodies.

Sarah’s Pleasure    by Mary Stromer Hanson

Genesis 18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought,

“After I have grown old and my husband is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

My body which was given for me;

I beg for mercy from that which

I do not wish to be delivered.

Sarah’s revenge let it be called.

Sarah who thought she was

too old to know pleasure!

In the throes of the dark,

let not the masculine imagine

they have a monopoly on

a night-time guest unbidden.

No forewarning, interrupting

deep REM sleep, riding a bike

through autumn leaves,

a remembrance of playful times.

Tornados about to devastate,

running frantically, fast, faster.

Subconscious memories surface.

Come back sweet sleep.

No, I beg stay, a relief so welcome,

Yes, no, whatever, visit more often.

Secret gift to nuns and sisters,

who are imagined not initiated!

The equalizing angel visits Eve’s daughters.

Next morning’s smile gives her away.

The sleep robber, who stealthy steals

into our dreams and makes them live.

Waves and waves of sweetness,

Sarah’s bed is not so quiet.

Should she wake Abraham?

Naw, leave him undisturbed,

Sarah thought herself long dead,

Again knows glorious pleasure.

She laughs over this gift to even

aged bodies that will not be denied.

If it could only be packaged, but

defies imitation, pads in silently

on cat’s paws, the unbidden angel,

the glorious elixir, the fountain of youth.

Who knows what hormones,

linger for days and prolongs the

secret memory as she spreads seeds?

.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolution-the-self/201310/the-three-surprising-types-spontaneous-orgasms

He Born of Her          

 “No money to pay, no place to stay.”
She birthed with the breath of animals.
He gasped the dankness of fresh dung.
The gold of kings received with joy,
A few coins paid, his body was hung.

His baby lips sought her breasts,
Her lips brushed his soft cheeks.
From her he learned a mother’s kiss.
His lips greeted, loved, farewelled.
The kiss of betrayal he did not resist.

A thirst awakened on his tongue,
Her mother’s milk brought nurture.
She taught him the taste of fine wine.
From water he fermented vintage of joy,
A cup of sorrow in the garden he cried.

A newborn shivering in the cold,
Soft lamb wool swaddled him.
Her warmth the glow of very first love,
He loved the sheep every last one,
Became the sacrifical lamb from above.

Embryo ears heard hints of life outside.
Her voice told secrets of the world to come.
A childhood in Galilee with friends.
His voice healed the lame, the spirits fled.
But in the end voices condemned.

Eve’s flesh the dust of his humanity.
His human body hungered as a boy.
Her strong arms kneaded dough,
He told the lesson of leaven.
Broken bread of life we now behold.

woodblock by Eric Gill 1929  British

She He Never Blamed

Poem: Mary Stromer Hanson

"She He Never Blamed"

December 2016

Artist: Mina Anton

Cairo, Egypt  2013

"John 8 Woman Taken in Adultery"

She He Never Blamed                  Dec 2016

He laid no blame on her now.

Nor ever. Did he hear the taunts?

Absorb their darts of disdain?

Born of immorality they rant

In derision of his own Mother,

She could have been stoned,

If she were caught in The Act.

Jesus also bore her pain and

On such as her, he laid no blame.

His ancient mothers Rehab,

Bathsheba, Ruth, and Tamar.

Wombs used bravely despite

Deceit to further Jessie’s line.

How did they bear the shame?

Unborn waiting to be born.

His ancestry of uncertain fame,

Boldly proclaimed at his birth.

On mothers, he laid no blame.

The woman spilled blood

Unclean a disgrace shunned.

Jesus did not abhor the stain,

With no angry refrain, he healed.

A woman again unnamed,

Cried and kissed his feet.

How could a prophet not know?

That in this city she is profane.

“Go in peace I lay no blame.”

Stones raised against her,

He could see his mother.

Forced to drink the cup of dust

From the temple floor as the

Priests were quoted.

The adulteress condemned

Miscarries, barren, cursed.

Jesus bent to write in the dust.

Who of you have not sinned?

No one remains? A fetus saved?

On a woman he never laid blame.

Lesson Plans for Bold Girls

 

 Lesson Plan Ideas for Bold Girls Speak: Girls of the Bible Come Alive Today
by Mary Stromer Hanson

Below are several activities to preview the stories before they have been read or review the Bold
Girls after all have been read. These ideas will pull together the information learned and place
new knowledge into the larger context of the biblical world.

1) Map: On a large map of the Middle East, find the location of each of the Bold Girls. Use this
matching exercise to get started. Note that in some stories the girls moved from one country to
another. Can we visit these places today?

2) Timeline: Draw a time line either on a classroom whiteboard, bulletin board, or your own
paper. Graph paper is ideal. Starting with 1400 B.C., mark off 100 year increments until 100
A.D. Find the approximate years when the stories of the Bold Girls take place.

3) Books of the Bible: Make a list of all the books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Find the book in the Bible where each of the Bold Girls are found. Who is the author of each of
these books?

4) World History: On your time line, note other events that took place in the world outside the
Bible during these years. Who were the important kings and which countries were strongest?

5) Costumes: What would the Bold Girls wear in each of these settings? How does that change,
depending on the country, climate, time of year, their activities, or their economic status?
Students in a class could dress as one of the Bold Girls and then have the class guess which
character they are. Boys could dress as any of the male characters.

6) Work and Recreation: The Bold Girls are involved in many different activities. What would
be your daily occupation as a Bold Girl in the various stories? Students can pantomime the
different activities for the rest of the class to guess from clues. How are these activities different
from those of girls in our time and place?

7) Foods: Find books about foods of the Holy Land or recipes from the Bible.
What foods would you eat as a Bold Girl? How is the food produced and prepared? Who would
do the various stages of preparation during the times of the Bold Girls?

8) Art: Draw pictures of the Bold Girls or make illustrations for the stories.

9) Cultural and Geographic: Find books about ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Holy Lands.
Look for illustrations and information about daily life in those times and places.

10) Families: For each of the Bold Girls, determine the identity of other family members. Look
for hints in the original passage from the Bible. Remember that the Bold Girls stories are mostly
fictional, but built on information available from the Bible.














Matching Quiz
1. Jerusalem: The home of Mary Mark                         A. The Girl Whose Hand Jesus Held

2. Caesarea                                                                        B. The Servant Girls Who Questioned

3. Egypt                                                                             C. The Girl Who Found Her Voice

4. Jerusalem: Quarters of Zadok                                    D. The Daughters Who Prophesied

5. Damascus                                                                     E. Rhoda Who Persisted

6. Capernaum                                                                   F. The Daughters Who Built

7. Jerusalem: Palace of Caiaphas                                  G. Miriam Who Negotiated

8. Philippi (Greece)                                                          H. The Girl Who Spied

9. Sinai                                                                              I. The Daughters Who Inherited

10. Jerusalem: Walls                                                        J. The Servant Girl Who Witnessed







Answers 1. E 2. D 3. G 4. H 5. J 6. A 7. B 8. C 9. I 10. F









Quiz Your Knowledge of Bold Girls of the Bible
 
1) Does the Bible ever indicate that women inherited property?

2) Who bravely approached the daughter of a powerful monarch?

3) Name a woman in the Bible whom we meet both as a child and an adult?

4) Whose daughters in Jerusalem used non-traditional skills for girls?

5) Who was the Bold Girl who witnessed to an enemy soldier?

6) Who was entrusted with carrying an important message?

7) Which Bold Girl is possibly named after her place of origin?

8) Which Bold Girls are given spoken words which are recorded in the Bible?

9) Which Bold Girls are actually named in the Bible?

10) Which Bold Girls had contact with Peter?






1. Yes, the daughters of Zelophehad in Numbers 27:5 and the daughters of Job 42:15
2. Miriam, in Exodus 2:7
3. Miriam, assuming the sister in Exodus 2:4 is Miriam
4. The daughters of Shallum in Nehemiah 3:12 who repaired the walls of Jerusalem
5. An unnamed servant girl of Naaman in 2 Kings 5
6. An unnamed servant girl in 2 Samuel 17:17
7. Rhoda in Acts 12:5:7
8. Miriam, Ex 2:7; Servant of Naaman, 2 Kings 5:3; Servant girls in the house of Caiaphas Matthew 26:69-71; Rhoda in Acts 12:14; Unnamed servant girl in Philippi, Acts 16:17
9. A sister of the baby is introduced in Exodus 2:4 and is not named in the passage, but traditionally this sister has been connected with Miriam. The daughters of Zelophehad in Numbers 27:1; Rhoda in Acts 12:13
10. The servants of Caiaphas, Matthew 26:69; Rhoda Acts 12: 5-17