I meant the crustacean

As my thoughts are whirring around in my head, I can just see the look of anticipation on Dr. Lyons's face. Like he knows what I'm going to say, and can tell me just what is exactly wrong with it. And I might agree with him, but I'm not in LR 101 right now, sitting in the first row, homework in hand. I'm writing a blog, having just gone over Esther chapter 3 in my NKJ Bible in my own comfy bed, nice and by myself. So, I'm sorry Dr. Lyons, but I'm going to take this chapter and use it for my own personal agenda... er, interpretation. *LE GASP*!

So, in chapter 3, Haman has been exalted above the princes (which is a pretty big deal) by the king of Persia (who is a pretty big deal). There's this big hurrah about Haman now and the subjects of this mighty empire are supposed to pay homage to Haman's supposed greatness - his status in the very least. But Mordecai, Esther's uncle, would not bow to Haman. And so Haman, pill that he was, wasn't so thrilled about this. Thus, the obvious thing to do (which he does) is to randomly choose a month to destroy the entire population that shares Mordecai's ethnic background. Of course it's the Jews. And because the king of Persia was all willy-nilly with this ring of his, his "stamp of power" as it were, he gives it Haman. Genocide phase #1? Check!

The obvious villain here is Haman, but he's maybe a bit too overt. The only thing worse than someone like Haman is someone like the king, whose name is too long/too many variations, so we'll just call him 'the king'. I mean, this guy must be a complete dolt. He just sits on his pretty throne with his pretty virgins, hears two sentences from Haman and *poof* gives Haman the ring! ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL! IS HE EVEN LISTENING?!?!?!?!?! Just, he's got all this potential, but he shapes up into such an unimpressive king. Sure, it doesn't seem like he's doing anything wrong. But Haman could have done nothing had it not been for the compliance ignorance of the king. Just, if he actually had thought an inch past his nose, Haman could have done nothing.

If we simply flounder around and let others make choices for us, anything could happen - even , in this case, the near slaughtering of the Jews. It took the courage of a young woman and the will of her uncle to right, what in all senses, should never have happened. IF the king had actually thought about what he was allowing Haman to do, would it have actually gotten so far? I really wonder. It is in large part because of people like the king that people like Haman are so successful in their evil intent.

What. A. MORON.

In any case, Esther is my favorite book of the bible, so I'm reading through it again. I heard it the first time in seventh grade and have loved it since. I think it's my favorite because it's like a Bible fairytale... albeit not something Disney would adapt. But here you have the beautiful girl (Esther) with a destiny not even she can dream about. From all the girls in the land, the king chooses her. But it turns out her family and all her kin are in serious trouble because the evil witch (Haman) has bad things planned for them. So using all of her courage, Esther risks her life in order to beseech her stupid king. And she does, and that clever Esther tricks Haman into thinking he's earned her favor as well. And then he dies. The end.

In any case, those are my words. And if I may:

- "Joan: Where did you get the exquisite shrimp?"
- "Yetta: I came with her."
- "Joan: No.... I meant the crustacean."
- "Yetta: Oh... she's my daughter."

Toodle Pip.