“A Family of Freedom Fighters.”

Tamar plays an important role in Judas life. Tamar is the daughter of Shem who is a priest. First Tamar marries Er the 1st child of Judah, but later the Lord took his life because he was unhappy with Er's actions and behaviors. The Lord then told Onan, Er's brother, to comfort Tamar in a brother-in- law way and bare children for Er, but Onan failed to do so and took his life. Later Judah told Tamar that she would marry Shelah, but that fell through because Judah kicked Tamar out. Judah felt that there was a curse because everyone of his sons that got with Tamar ended up dying, so he didn't want his last son to die. Judah did a bad thing by kicking out Tamar because she is his property and she then has nothing. She had to go back home which then made her feel bad because she then had to rely on her parents. She then dressed up like a prostitute with a veil that covered her face. She had relations with Judah as he was on his way to Timnath. To repay her he gave her his staff, seal, and belt because he didn't have a gote. He told her that they will meet and he will bring the gote. Judah had a friend deleiver the gote, but she was not there. The relations they had resulted in Tamar being pregant. Judah heard that Tamar had gotten pregnant and wanted to burn her. Before she was going to be put to death she presented the gifts Judah gave her quitetly and she was then not put to death. Tamar bor two children Zera and Peres. Tamar played a key part in changing Judah's ways and when he was in a time of troble she helped him emtionally. She forgave him and comforted him, which made him realize that he needed to fulfill his duties, own up, and be responsible for his actions. This story in Genesis tells us that Tamar was a person who knew what she wanted and would go after it. As we can see Tamar stuck up for herself. Tamar was aware what the situation was and knew what belonged to her and she went and got it. She went through struggles, but came back from them. Tamar felt at times unworthy, but realizes that she didn't deserve what was happening to her ,so she desided to be snickey to achieve what she truely deserved.
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Portfolio 1: What I think I can Achieve

I think that I can achieve an A in this class. I have the learning capacity and I am a great learner and questioner. I am very organized and I am hear in this Parables class to actually learn about Jesus and try to live out his teachings not because im forced to, but because I want to be a good person and do good because I personally have the desire to. I promise that all my assignments will be turned in completed and on time all the time. I promise that all of my work will be original and have insight and my opinions. I will respect others and have a good attitude at all times. I will not rely on just teacher direction, but be independent and direct myself.

Portfolio 1: Who is Jesus, Really?

I think that Jesus taught us that we need to take time to be spiritual and not worry so much about our physical needs like what we are going to wear the next day. Our lives are so busy, but if we take the time to talk or get to know God all of things we need to get done will get done. If we put spiritualness over all the other little things then eventhing will be fine and fall in place because God knows and understands our needs. Jesus wants us to have a relationship with God and to live our lives based on God's views wilfuly. To have a relationship with God we need to get to know him just like we would with other human's. We could read the scriptures to get to know him and live them out. We could never repay God for all the things he was given us so Jesus tells us to always seek forgivness and forgive. Jesus also teaches to love your enemies and the pray for them. Do not seek revenge because revenge takes us no where. I consider myself a follower of these teachings although I need to work on applying them to my life. I practice being spiritual and I also try to have a relasionship with God by praying and go to church to enrich my life of this teachings. I believe that revenge gets us no where. Often times revenge makes you feel bad and could get you into troble. Do the right thing and pray for that person and treat them with agape.

Portfolio 1: Why We Tell Stories

My best friend Liz always tells this story about me back when we were in preschool. We have been best friends for 13 years now and each year she tells that story at least once a month. When I was younger I was very attachted to my mom. Every day of preschool- 4th grade I would cry and say that I missed my mom. My mom was sad to see me cry everyday when she dropped me off at school. When I started elementary school she worked only about two minutes away and I still continuted to cry even though she was that close it felt like she was so far away. To attemp to make me feel better my mom would bring my lunch to school most days and seeing her made me realize that I would see her in just a few hours. She also gave me a picture of her that I kept in my pocket everyday and I also had an angel pin on my shirt that had her birthstone in it, while she had mine. She gave me a picture of her so that way when I cry I would have her right in my pocket. Liz was always there to confort me and now she just laughs at me about it. I think she tells that story because she wants people to know how much emotionally I have grown and how much I care about my family. I also think she tells that story so often cause she wants people to know how much her and I have gone through and that when she would confort me it brought us closer and made us the great and best friends that we are today.