For Monday

Shorty-note

Class this morning, two hours - we have a tingxie too, and I haven't done my homework yet.
Lunch
Study Chinese for a couple hours while I wait for the library to open after lunch (Chinese culture, like many cultures in the world, have a habit of 'napping' in the afternoon from about 12:30 to 2:30. This can be exceedingly frustrating for an American-workaholic.
Do a little journal research on a philosopher I'm reading right now, Hans-Georg Gadamer. He's writes primarily on aesthetics. I'll be sure to post on an article I'm reading right now called The Relevance of the Beautiful.
Home
Dinner with wife
Chinese tutoring with our friend Wendy (she speaks GREAT Chinese; listening to her is like floating in a chocolate fountain; so smooth, so easy to drink it in!)

Asaph. Anyone recognize that name? Not often listed among the 'greats' of the Bible. But he really plays quite a significant role during the period of the kings in Israel's monarch. I recently read a short article on him while searching for other things. Here's a few things I found to be of note:

- He was David's music director and likely wrote much of the (now lost) music for David's Psalms
- He wrote 'more' of the Bible than Peter, James, Jude, Jonah, Amos, Micah, Joel, Malachi, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Nahum, Haggai, or Obadiah.
- He lived a long life, spanning the reigns of David, Solomon and Rehoboam.
- He watched the Kingdom of Israel grow to is highest glory in David's time, through Solomon's reign, and crumble as Solomon led the nation in worshipping idols.
- Before he died he watched the nation be torn in two by Solomon's son, Rehoboam.
- He wrote 12 Psalms (73-83; & 50)

I recommend this brief article by Richard Thompson I read on Asaph for a clearer description and picture of his life. He has also written a number of articles on Asaph's psalms and some helpful commentary.

Enjoy!