It is one of the ironies of childhood or, perhaps, proof of the playfulness of God, that children often develop an intense interest in whistling at about the same time their front teeth fall out.
I still remember my own frustrated attempts to purse my lips just so, channel my blow of breath and mostly get nothing… Then one day after many days, it just happened - clear and loud and long, a whistle came through my lips. It was wondrous. It was beautiful. It was loud. It was also in the middle of arithmetic class. All the eyes in second grade turned my way, farthest row on the right, three seats back. Sister was not pleased. I still don’t handle embarrassment well and at the tender age of seven, I squirmed at my desk and tried to disappear. But inside, I was triumphant. I could whistle! I remember that thrill to this day. And I still whistle.
“Jesus stands at the shore and whistles.” It was just a stray phrase within a larger read but it stopped me in my tracks. Down the rabbit hole of imagining I dove. Did Jesus whistle? I was, of course, sure that he did. Did he, then, learn to do so as a boy with a few teeth missing? Was it something he learned from Joseph, along with how to hold a hammer and drive a nail? And what about as an adult? He and his disciples walked many miles together. Did ever a whistled tune shorten the distance? Might the sound of whistling have joined laughter, story, and song around the fire at night? And at the seashore? Did Jesus stand at the shore and whistle, as in the snippet I had found? How that would have carried clear and loud over the waters of Lake Gennesaret!
What could I find in the Bible about whistling? Was it something, perhaps, that shepherds did to call their sheep? In the Song of Deborah and Baruch we read, “Why did you stay among the sheep pens to hear the whistling for the flocks?” (Judges 5:16 NIV). Then as now, the dynamic between shepherd and sheep included a kind of call and response, recognizing the sound of voice or whistle. The prophet Zechariah likens the people of Israel to sheep, “the people wander like sheep. They are wretched because there is no shepherd” (10:2). He promises a few verses later, that God will respond, “I will whistle for them and gather them together for I have redeemed them.” (10:8 NASB). Jesus drew heavily on the metaphor of the shepherd calling his sheep. By whistle or word, calling by name, or hailing us from the shore, what does Jesus not do to get our attention?
Such ponderings enliven my image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Yet, what appeals to me most is the carefree abandon that I associate with whistling. "Whistling comes from a joyful spirit," says my friend, Jo Anne. It's not generally something we decide to do. It just bursts from inside, sometimes without our even realizing or intending. And when it does, that joy is spread. Says Jo Ann, "I always smile when I hear whistling. It means there is a joyful spirit nearby."
So, did Jesus whistle? Bet you know what I think. How about you?
Guest Appearance
Monday, June 27th, I had my first guest appearance as an author for a book club that had selected WHY THESE WOMEN for its Book of the Month in June. It was great fun to join the good folks at United Lutheran Church, Bella Vista, Arkansas via Zoom. I am always amazed how a book takes on its own life and touches people people in ways that even the author had not imagined. That evening was no exception. Thank you ULC for the invitation and for a lively, enlightening conversation. God bless your journey and your outreach. You make a difference!
If you are the member of a book club and your group chooses WHY THESE WOMEN for an upcoming selection, I'd be happy to Zoom with your group. And if you've not already purchased the book, you may contact me directly for a reduced, book club rate.
Either way - for the reduced rate or to have me visit, contact me.
WHY THESE WOMEN has also been sighted at the shore, on the beach at Cape Cod! (Don't you just hate it when your book is having more fun that you are?) Bathsheba, Ruth, Rahab and Tamar. These four women do indeed provide stories that hold their own with any Harlequin romance!
I also discovered from a reader that if you purchase a Kindle version of WTW, you can choose to have Alexa read it aloud to you. Who knew!
Hope your summer reading includes WHY THESE WOMEN. If you don't already have a copy, you can preview and purchase one here at:
Summer Reading Program
Meanwhile I've been busying myself with my own summer reading, checking out my favorite genre, women in scripture. I'm immersing myself in some of the offerings from other writers and expect to have some good stuff to share in the Fall. If you've happened on any good books along the lines of women's studies and scripture, I'd be interested in your suggestions.
I happened upon this poem by St. Catherine of Sienna on Father's Day. The love she experienced as a child prepared her for her later remarkable life as a mystic, activist, and poet. Enjoy!
Truth never frightens.
I remember once walking out in the winter
to greet my father as he returned from work.
He was a little late that night and I waited by a street corner near our house.
The cold can enliven thanks, my wool coat became a sacred robe,
how happy I felt to be alive.
I waited in a world of magic, smells of good food,
the street lamps, the smoke coming from the chimneys,
the candles burning in the windows, the snow.
Angels feasted, as I did, on existence and God kept saying,,
"Have more of what I made."
I saw him coming. We ran into each other's arms
and he lifted me through the air,
his hands beneath my arms.
That is what the Truth does:
lifts and sets us free.
