This throwback photo from our Donny & Marie ‘70s show, had me wearing multiple gaudy rings, necklaces stretching the length of my neck... bracelets, and other bling that adorned me from head to toe. Seeing this image took me back to a day with my Father. I was heading to an industry party all decked out and had on a lot of jewelry/bracelets that made noise as I walked down the hall to leave. My Dad said to me, “It says in the Bible that in the last days women would tinkle as they walk… Marie, don’t you think you should take off some of that jewelry?” I replied jokingly, “I’m just trying to fulfill prophecy, Daddy!" 🤣💍😆
My Father loved the Bible and the word “tinkling” was in reference to Isaiah 3:16:
“Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a TINKLING with their feet.”
I was your typical teenager who loved bling then as much as I do now! But like my Father, I love the scriptures. These writings are basically chicken soup to the soul and much more appetizing to the spirit than jewelry and flashy bling are to a teen. I’m reading the Bible once again and my Dad’s voice keeps echoing in my mind as I re-read the Book of Isaiah. (That's where I am right now.) I am fascinated with the Prophet’s symbolisms of rings, earrings, nose apparels, chains, bracelets and other jewelry and items worn to describe the behaviors and attitudes of the daughters of Zion. When I read the women would wear "glasses" I thought, "What’s wrong with that?" Then through my research, I discovered that in Isaiah's time, glasses meant "see-through clothing or lack of modesty." I could not help but chuckle briefly re-living treasured analogies and parables my Father often extracted from Isaiah during his tender teaching moments. “No matter which stage in life we are in,” Dad would say, “Isaiah’s visions and prophecies describe a template of the life we are living today.” How I miss his wisdom and counsel!
My mother, who came from a family of educators, was a bookworm! In addition to cherishing the scriptures, she had a great eye for inspirational, motivational and educational books. She passed this love on to me and I believe I've passed on her passion for reading to some of my children. I’ve encouraged them at an early age to pick up good books because my Mom believed, one’s imagination is far better than anything Hollywood could ever project on the silver screen. My oldest son Stephen read Moby Dick at age 10 and my youngest son Matt just finished “Atlas Shrugged.” As he's preparing for his mission, his desires now is to unravel the complexities of the Old Testament. It must be in the genes. 👀📚
I hold sacred my special reading room where I can curl up alone, unwind, put my feet up and expand my horizons. Of course right now, a nice beach works too.😊💕 I challenge you to try to carve out a little space and especially some "me time,” and do the same on this #Happy #Sunday.
So forget about the tinkling of jewelry or worldly distractions. (Well, if you have a piano you could tickle the ivories.) Make time to bury yourself in an uplifting book, filled with treasured words that will stimulate your thinking so that you can tinkle your "soul" with delight.
What are you reading?