The Beauty of Xiaohe, a 3800 year old mummy found in the Tarim Basin in far western China. She’s known for being so well preserved. In other photos, you can see how defined her eyelashes are, they’re actually really long and pretty… I’m kind of jealous. And doesn’t her attire look a little odd? You can’t really tell, but she’s wearing a fur hat… Yes, she is European. Why was there a European cadaver found in western China? The Silk Road! A bustling place for traders and merchants from all over the world. Sort of like today’s LAX airport. Anyway, HMNS is getting this exhibit (‘Secrets of the Silk Road’) at the end of August. Really considering coming back to check it out! Perhaps during Labor Day. Yay!
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ “ Ezekiel 3:11-14
Oh God, you are the only one who brings life to these dead bones. A world full of trenches and traps where darkness, sin, and death lurk. But your truth brings light and this light points towards a path that allows me to avoid such pitfalls. May I continue to keep my eyes focused on heavenly things and not worldly things. And Lord you know I’ve found myself in these trenches more times than I would have ever desired. But even in those moments, I can look upwards and know that you are indeed still there. For Heaven is a promise. And you graciously offer me your love when I’m often undeserving. And you are good enough to trust. You are worth my hope.
