Tess: Well welcome back to Sisters in Session, where therapy meets sister talk and nothing's off the limits. We're two sisters who overthink everything, laugh too loud and try to make sense of life's chaos one session at a time.
lexi: From relationships and self-care to the messy middle of growing up, it's part heart to heart, part comedy hour and all real talk with zero chill. So grab your coffee or drink of choice and settle in. It's time for your weekly dose of sisterhood and self-reflection.
Tess: Just so everybody knows, we did that flawlessly the first time and then we are having some issues. And anyways, it was good the first time. You guys didn't hear it, but trust us.
lexi: Trust. So where'd you get your
Tess: Here we are. my sweatshirt is from Walmart. Yeah. It is. It is. It's
lexi: Love that. No and I l
Tess: super cute. Made to be off the shoulder. I didn't do this. It's like that.
lexi: Mm-hmm. No, I believe you. I can see the seam.
Tess: Bam.
lexi: Yeah, the ham.
Tess: Yes, it's from Walmart. I love it.
lexi: Might have to get one, I don't know.
Tess: you should.
lexi: I think I should too.
Tess: It's like early for us. I'm tired.
lexi: And it is, and that's on me. No, you know who it's on? And
Tess: Michael
lexi: it is. And it is.
Tess: Why do you have to go up?
lexi: He j He misses me.
Tess: That's why
lexi: Yeah, no, there's there's literally quite honestly no business related reason.
Tess: He's just like, Hey, come up this week. Like maybe you should put some resistance in his life.
lexi: No. If it makes you feel any better, I was like well
Tess: I was about to see
lexi: And then he said he missed me and I was like, Okay, fine. Sold.
Tess: Wow. Love that.
lexi: in other news, nobody can tell me anything today 'cause Lamar said, what did he say? My hair looks what?
Tess: Good. Nice? Your hair looks good. Your hair looks nice. One of those two.
lexi: Thought it was pretty.
Tess: Your hair looks pretty. Maybe.
lexi: Either way, can't tell me anything.
Tess: Well yeah. I I don't know why you didn't say that about my hair, so
lexi: And see he's hateful for that.
Tess: PS. It's giving two thousand.
lexi: It is, but I love it.
Tess: Thanks. It needs washed. Of course it does.
lexi: Anyways, yes. We have matching nails.
Tess: Yeah. And like I don't necess did you change yours? okay, nice.
lexi: It was just getting a little bit too much.
Tess: Yeah. Yeah. Well I had the tan and black and they were
lexi: Mm.
Tess: super cute and they were on for a long time 'cause I was just like busy. We had company last week for the week. had a really good time. but I've just been like and I yeah. I have some things going on tomorrow, so I have to get things done today.
lexi: Yes.
Tess: But yes, I have a ton of things to do today.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: because, you know, I will be for a few not finishing any of those sentences. That was intentional. I know sometimes I don't finish sentences anyways, but like that was on purpose. We're not trying to be mysterious,
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: just something
lexi: Something's just
Tess: I
lexi: also The nails back to these for a quick seg.
Tess: Sorry, yes.
lexi: No, it's okay. After recent discussion, not
Tess: Okay.
lexi: just the one we had, but it had actually been previously, he brought it up to me. And I was like and like for that I can't have red nails.
Tess: Do you think that's why he wants you to go up today?
lexi: I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.
Tess: I need to talk to Dad. Just be like, Hey, has Michael asked you? I won't tell
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Lexi Well I'm glad you did your
lexi: She won't know. No, she wouldn't.
Tess: hair.
lexi: Right. Well, and see, that's been like my thing is like just I'm I'm in engagement purgatory. It's a thing. Where like you don't know when it's happening, but like you feel like it's soon. You just don't know when.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: That's where I'm at. I'm in engagement purgatory. Tessa and he and I had a recent discussion on FaceTime the other day. And so now I'm like.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: Do I need to be planning something or no?
Tess: Well that's my thing. Like, if he's just if he would just tell me like I'm going to I could start to get things in order. Because like what we've come up with now, the timeline is very short.
lexi: Well and like and for those for those who are preying on my downfall, know I'm not pregnant. Thank you. Okay. Tessa
Tess: Yeah. Fast wedding does not always mean
lexi: it means we're grown adults who
Tess: And also, Michael has a lot of hobbies. It's very hard to catch a window.
lexi: And it is. But anyway, I said planning. Like do I need I'm not planning anything. The most that I'll probably do is reach out to the venue.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: And then my hands are off. And that's
Tess: Yes.
lexi: you might be like, that's not fair to her, blah, blah, blah. Trust, that's how she wants it.
Tess: That's true. Quite honestly I don't really care about anybody else's opinions except for yours, of course, obviously. But like other than that, I don't really care what anybody else thinks should or should be done.
lexi: Mm-hmm. Did you see
Tess: I only get one Lexi wedding and I've been waiting for this for years. So I don't I don't know what people want from me.
lexi: Honestly as a future potential bride. Ooh. Okay, as a future potential bride, I am like I would rather it be this way.
Tess: Right.
lexi: Because like while you'll be probably a little like stressed about some things, I won't be. And I just
Tess: One hundred percent. Right. And I love that for you.
lexi: and I just get to like be soaking up the the engagement, whether it be a month, whether it be you know, we'll see. I don't know. I guys,
Tess: Yeah, yeah.
lexi: I'm telling you, I have no idea, but just know, pray for me. because I am an engagement purgatory. And I just I just don't I just don't know.
Tess: You just don't know. That's the worst.
lexi: It is. It is. But I'm here for whatever.
Tess: Well yeah. I just like if it doesn't happen then I just have to like rethink everything. 'Cause I really like where we're going, but then that's a whole other year. And I don't love that.
lexi: Well it's just like why?
Tess: Right.
lexi: I don't know.
Tess: Anyways, what else
lexi: Anyways.
Tess: has been happening? really think too much on my end. Like I said, we had company last week. sorry we didn't get out a new episode. It just like we actually really tried. We tried really hard, but like we could not get our schedules to mesh.
lexi: All of the elements surrounding when we were trying just were telling us no.
Tess: Yeah. So sorry for leaving y'all hanging last week. let's see, what else? What else? Honestly, not much. I heard it was really cold there this morning.
lexi: It was. It was like forty degrees.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: There was frost, it was a whole thing.
Tess: Wow, it's like fall.
lexi: Mm. Mm.
Tess: We have had rain for the last three days or like clouds. I haven't seen the sun in three dang days. And I gotta tell you, I am depressed.
lexi: Yeah. Anyway.
Tess: Anyways. So I know that you're wanting to hit the road, so we can just dive in if you want.
lexi: Yeah. Let's dive.
Tess: So I didn't have time to like type up my stuff so it's just my handwriting. So good luck to all of us.
lexi: May the odds be ever in our favour.
Tess: True. Okay. We're gonna read an Esther today.
lexi: Love her love her
Tess: Love her so much and I feel like does every girl love her, or is it just like the girly girls who love her? Genuinely asking.
lexi: I don't know. Consider myself like Well Yeah
Tess: No, I wouldn't say like you're like girly girl quite like I am.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: and I don't even know what that means, but like
lexi: But I do love pretty and nice things.
Tess: Yeah. I would say like I come from like a my word, like she was the not that I think I'm the prettiest girl on the land. I just mean like like that's not why and it's like but all
lexi: You is the prettiest girl in the land.
Tess: Yeah, but also I feel like so like that kinda resonates with me for whatever reason. I mean she obviously has no like pride in it, but like whatever. But I feel like maybe you love it because like you're very much like Rosie Riveteer, like Riveter? Riveteer. Whatever. Like girls can do anything.
lexi: I am.
Tess: And like I love that aspect from her too.
lexi: And I was just thinking about this the other day. Michael has made me soft.
Tess: You know what he has? And honest
lexi: And you know what? Like I used to be dad's son, essentially, but now I have
Tess: Right.
lexi: Michael. And so like Michael is dad's whatever. And now I'm just like, hmm.
Tess: Yeah, and I'll be honest, like I feel like I have to like relearn you a little bit, like as a person. Sometimes I'm in uncharted
lexi: Don't get me wrong.
Tess: uncharted territories.
lexi: Yeah, don't get me wrong, I still think that girls can do pretty much anything. Still heavy on that. And that that is something I will instill into my nieces, into my own daughters. But the difference is my daughters won't have to do everything. They'll know they can,
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: but they'll have a dad that you know. Anyway, go on.
Tess: Yeah. It's hard though, because whenever you like I like I believe I can do some things, but then also I'm like, I can't do this. Lamar
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: does this. Like I can't. Mom
lexi: Yeah. Yeah.
Tess: would be like, Why don't you just do it yourself? I'm like, Mom, no. I don't I
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: don't have to.
lexi: And I think that's where we get it from is because mom was very much like, I'll do
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: I'll do anything and she can do anything. But
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: now we just don't have to.
Tess: Yeah. And so you do get a little bit lax. That's me.
lexi: Y you know me too.
Tess: I'll do anything I don't have to. Like ug. Working outside gross. I hate working outside.
lexi: I don't mind mowing, but
Tess: Love to mouth, but like anything, like I don't wanna rake up pine needles and I don't want to like I just don't wanna do it.
lexi: Right now we need to rake leaves.
Tess: That's wild.
lexi: I mean they are just like falling.
Tess: Like it is still I mean it's been rainy, but like it's still like eighties. So anyways.
lexi: Yeah. Anyway, Esther.
Tess: Esther, we do love her. Regardless of why you love her, she's worth loving.
lexi: Mm.
Tess: Now I would really love to read the first two chapters, which sounds like a lot, but like bear with me, because we're gonna split it up. Now, what I will say is And this is just like from me, like whenever I was like growing up, I was like, yeah, Esther, mmm, such a fun story, such a great story, but like there are some things to discuss because wild.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Listen, the old testament is just it is a vulgar, violent Crazy time to be alive.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Like, just everybody's always fighting. And everybody's
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: always like Anyways, okay. I may skim. We'll see. We're gonna start with Esther, chapter one, verse one. These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over a hundred and twenty seven provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. At the time, Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. This celebration lasted a hundred and eighty days, a tremendous display of the opulent wealth and of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty. He's a toll bag.
lexi: They all
Tess: When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden. The courtyard was beautifully decorated. We're gonna skip some of the details. It was beautifully decorated. And at the same time, Queen Vashti was also having a banquet for the women. That covers from like verse six to nine. So picking back up on verse ten, on the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was high in spirit because of the wine, aka drunk.
lexi: He was just like drunk. Well, I mean, you're throwing a seven day banquet. Yeah, like he needs to get it together.
Tess: And this may maybe it was in the part Yes, it was in the part that I skimmed over. Like he basically said like no limits were placed on the drinking for the seven days. Like just have whatever you want.
lexi: I know, I just know his liver was screamin'.
Tess: Yeah. So anyways, first ten on the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was high in spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him, I'm not going to read their names, to bring Queen Vashi to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty for she was very beautiful. But when they conveyed the king's order to Queen Vashdi, she refused to come. This made the king furious and he burned with anger.
lexi: She said, Not on my watch, big boy, you're not gonna parade me around.
Tess: Well, a lot of Jewish commentaries imply that like he was asking her to walk around naked. Yeah.
lexi: What a sick freak.
Tess: No I know
lexi: A drunk sick freak. Ew. You wanna talk about a serious ick? Him? Sink
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: King Zirks?
Tess: King jerky.
lexi: King King Jerkskies.
Tess: Jet skis? Listen to me. King Jerkskies? I like that because he was a jerk. Listen to me.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: When I read that, I was like, no, because you're kind of like listen, Queen Vashti was in no means like a like to I mean there's no nothing indicates that she was like a believer. So like she probably thought she was as pretty as what everybody else thought she was. So to me, somebody who feels that way, if they were like the king was like, hey, like, come show everybody how pretty you are, I'd be like, All right, like
lexi: Time and place, babe, time and place.
Tess: Yeah, so I'm thinking maybe that that makes sense to me as why she would be like, No, like I'm
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: not doing that.
lexi: Do you think she was do you think she was like at her own like side eyeing her own husband, like just being like
Tess: 1000%. You know I guarantee you she's like, he's drunk. I'm not walking around naked in front of like like I understand that she wasn't really a like a believer, but no woman wants to be paraded around for men to stare at her. And to me, like I think that's why it maybe, maybe, again, that I think maybe that's why he specifically says to bring Queen Fashy to him with the royal crown on her head. So nothing but the crown. Cause like why wouldn't she Jimmy like it's weird that
lexi: Right.
Tess: he would specifically say that.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Wild. Moving on. So where are we? Verse twelve, She refused to come, this made the king furious, and he burned with anger. He immediately consulted with his wise advisers. I take issue with the wives.
lexi: Yeah. Like what are their credentials?
Tess: Yeah. Who this here you're about to get him. Who knew all the Persian laws and customs for he always asked their advice. Okay. I think these are let me check the names. Okay, no, these are not the same guys. Cause I don't I one, I don't really find their names important and two, I'm not gonna try to read them. But I thought maybe they were the same ones who told him to bring her out. They're not. So he just has bad advice surrounding him.
lexi: Well like tell me how this conversation went down. He was like, Hey guys, I'm calling
Tess: Ha ha
lexi: this meeting. My wife won't walk around nude in front of my friends. What do I do?
Tess: Yeah. At these c
lexi: While also probably slurring his speech.
Tess: Yeah. Yeah, because I don't know like what the time frame is on this.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Like I'm assuming I don't anyways, it doesn't really matter. We're still within the I mean we're still within the feast.
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: So anyways, he asked their advice. Their names were blah blah blah. They're seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in his empire. What must be done to Queen Vashti? The king demanded, what penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king's orders properly sent through his eunuchs? Verse sixteen, the one guy, again, not trying to pronounce name, answered the king and his nobles, Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire. Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they weren learn that Queen Vashti ha has refused to appear before the king. Before this day is out, the wives of all the king's nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger. Seems dramatic. But whatever.
lexi: No, like the most dramatic.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: Like, she won't walk in she won't walk around in front of your friends naked. Do you know what this means?
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: The wives are gonna start rioting.
Tess: But also
lexi: Yeah, I can see how you made that connection.
Tess: Yeah. Verse 19. So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law that cannot be revoked. It should order that Queen Vashdi be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she. When this decree is published throughout the king's vast empire, husbands everywhere Whatever their rank will receive proper respect from their wives.
lexi: No, but like, where was the respect to her?
Tess: Yeah. The King twenty one The King and his nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed the council. He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases. That's the end of chapter one. So like let's just break this down really fast. You threw you asked your wife to prayed around naked. Again, that's what most Jewish comment and to me it just makes sense. So like hold it with an open hand, you know, maybe it didn't go that way, but like I think it makes sense and there is some backing to it, so whatever. And she didn't want to do that. And so you threw a little fit. And made up an entire lol that like cannot be changed. Like you can no longer take that back. I meant to say this at the beginning, so I'm gonna say it now. just something interesting about because my whole point for this is like whenever like trusting God whenever you can't always see him moving. Let's pretend I said that at the beginning. That's kind of the point of why we're reading here. because did you know that in the entire book of Esther, it's the only book in the Bible that God is not mentioned. The law's not mentioned, God's not mentioned nothing. But the whole book is kind of like alluding to the fact that God is working in the background. So if I would have been really on top of my game, I would have said this at the beginning. That even whenever we don't see God moving, he sometimes is. And we just have to trust him. So that's the whole point of this little series of Esther. So
lexi: Mm.
Tess: having said that just in this part, pointing out some ways that God is moving behind the scenes. the king gets drunk, throws his little fit, and with the help of his advisors, which honestly we could talk about like the advice and counsel that we bring into our own lives, like Jimmy, like check who you're asking. Or like make sure you're looking through like Good advice, not just what you want to hear. Anyways basically turns a domestic dispute into an unchangeable lol.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Because he was drunk and sad and mad. Which could be kind of a coincidence, except for naturally we don't really necessarily like
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: like I'm not saying there are no coincidences, but like, you know, I feel like it was a coincidence with a purpose. so because God was gonna use the pride, rage, and fragile ego of the king to create a sudden and rather unprecedented vacancy on the throne. So like we had to somehow get the queen out of her position And so while it seems kind of like dramatic, it's also like, well, I mean, like it doesn't say that, you know, God was working in the background, but you can kind of see it. Because without that there,
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: then why would anyways, why would Esther ever be there? So, which I'm guilty, I don't wanna put too much I mean, obviously I've never done things like quite like King Xerxes, but like to say that I've never like made Jurassic decisions because
lexi: I never have done that.
Tess: I mean like I can't even come up with an example.
lexi: No, because I'm just like
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: Couldn't be me.
Tess: Right. So, which that's kind of like the divine hand. So we're gonna look at there's another part once we get to chapter two, where we kinda see like the coincidence and then like God's divine hand. So that was kind of those two parts for chapter one. And so before the Jewish people even knew that they needed, somebody in that position to save them, God was already making a way for her. That's kind of the gist of chapter one. See, that wasn't too bad. We can easily get through chapter two quickly. But this is where it gets really just like so Old Testament. Can we start using Old Testament as a verb?
lexi: That's so old testament.
Tess: Yeah, like whenever something's just like so like violent or vulgar or just like disgusting.
lexi: Misogynistic.
Tess: Yes. Okay. So let's let me just check my notes real fast to make sure I didn't miss something 'cause I missed the main point of it at the beginning. Okay, I don't think so. So now we're beginning at chapter two, verse one. After Xerxes' anger had subsided, shocker, he began thinking about Vashia and what she had done and the decree he had made. So his personal attendance suggested I don't know if these are the same guys but like at this point if you were regretting what they had just told you and they don't name this time, so I don't even know. But If you're regretting what they just told you to do with Queen Vashti, why would you go back to them? Anyways. So his personal attendance suggested, let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hagai, if I'm not pronouncing that correct, just I am gonna say his name because he's mentioned several times, but Hagai, the king's eunuch in charge of the harem. We'll see that they are all given beauty treatments. After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashdi. This advice was very appealing to the king, 'cause he's a dirbag. So he put the plan into effect. That was Tesla's version.
lexi: No, because he
Tess: Dirt bag's not in the Bible, but could be. Could be right there.
lexi: It's kind of just saying it.
Tess: So I want to talk about that for like a minute, but I am gonna read the next couple verses just because that kinda brings in like Mordecai and Esther. So verse five at that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shemai. His family had been among those who okay. They were I'm gonna kinda s not surmise. What's the word?
lexi: More eight.
Tess: Condense. What did you say?
lexi: Summarized.
Tess: Summarize is the word I looking for. they're part of the Jewish people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. Anyways, that's this guy. And his niece actually says cousin here. Whatever. Mordecai had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who all was also called Esther. You know, Jewish name versus not because they're in Babylon. When her father and mother died, he adopted her into his family and raised her as his own. Okay. So that's how we get introduced to those two people in this story. That's how this comes to about. So Just to summarize before we go on. Yeah. King Xerxes regrets his decision, obviously. Goes to potentially the same advisors. Stupid. they came up with this great quote, if you're not watching, idea to basically station guards in every How's it say? sorry. in each province. Okay. So in each area. Specific guards each area to bring young virgins to the king to see what pleases him. Okay, a couple things here. One. It doesn't say that they were trafficking these girls, but like can't imagine they were necessarily going willingly. Two They're probably twelve to fourteen years old. Just very old testament. Just gross. Like I understand that like somet I how do I say this? 'cause I'm n I'm definitely not like excusing there is some culture context, like obviously that is not the world we live in today, as far as like to say like it was quote wrong. or against the law. I you know what I mean? As far as that way. However, I don't care. It's still like it's just it's it's just wrong. he was probably around forty years old. Ugh. Like it just disgust me.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Like, I don't want to give it away, but like he does kind of come around to be like an okay king in just like his actions, but like don't think a lot of him, I'll be honest with ya. Being jerkskis, jet skis, not a fan. so anyways, so then we'll go on. So as a result of the king's decree, Esther along with many other women w were brought like and I hate that the And I have to remember that like girls got married at like fifteen or sixteen. So like
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: in order for them to be virgins, they probably had to be that young. So like but like quit calling them young women. These are children. Yeah.
lexi: Yeah. They're girls.
Tess: Anyways, verse eight. As a result of the king's decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king's harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Haggai's care. Hagai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven maids, specially chosen from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem. Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background because Mordecai had directed her not to do so. Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her. Okay, so just a small thing there. It's pretty miraculous. just along the theme of like God's working even if we can't see it. pretty crazy that Esther would even be in this position. Like she's an orphan, she's not she's ju not that anybody knows that she's Jewish, but like they know she's not like Babylon, like she looks different. she's yeah, basically like an orphaned minority girl. and should basically she should have been like invisible. Like she should have never really been on the radar. of these people other than maybe the fact that she was so pretty. But regardless, okay. Verse twelve before each young woman was taken to the king's bed before each little girl was taken to the king's bed. She was given the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments. Six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments. Six months to smell that seems excessive.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Like what do they do? Just sit in it? What does that treatment look like daily? You have to rub down with oil?
lexi: I don't know.
Tess: When it was her time for when it was time for her to go to the king's palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem. That evening she was taken to the king's private rooms, and the next morning she was brought to the second harem where the king's wives lived. There she would be under the care of the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would never go to the king again unless he had especially enjoyed her and requested her by name.
lexi: Especially enjoyed her.
Tess: Yeah, disgusting. Verse fifteen When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Haggai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her. I'm gonna just I'm gonna read to the to verse twenty, and th I do have some things to talk about, but we'll finish off the actual reading. Okay, so verse sixteen Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Ashti. To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther's honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone. Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official, Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecaia's directions, just as she did when she lived in his home. So basically just to recap, these girls would go through a month a year long preparation to go in to see the king. And then whenever they went in, the eunuch s specifically told Esther, like the king is gonna ask you, like I if you want something or whatever, and just basically don't ask for anything was the advice that he was given she was giving. Given. So just to talk about a couple ways here, where God was moving, even though it doesn't necessarily say that, was the fact that one, Esther was even there, even though she was like an orphaned, a minority girl. And not only was she there, like in three different verses, I'm not gonna reread them, but like it specifically mentions in some variation that she like found favor. So like she was Hagai's favorite, she was the king's favorite, and and then even after that, basically the that he loved her more. And I'll just give you the verses 'cause I can't find it, but verse two nine, two fifteen, and two seventeen all imply that she like everybody loved her.
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: Basically this hag eye guy. Spends a whole year beautifying these girls in order to prepare them for the king and his pleasure. Disgusting. So basically, the king takes turns picking a girl for the knight to take their virginity over the course like this was not like a week. Well I mean at the very least it was like a year, but like it's not like all the girls were picked at one time. So there's a good chance. We do know I read that it was like four years after Bashie was that he like chooses Esther to be queen. So that's the roughly give or take, roughly fifteen hundred knights, roughly fifteen hundred girls. Again, not exact numbers, but like It's so old testament.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Anyways, so we're gonna finish this out now. So I mean, yeah, there are ways that we can see that God's hand was in it, but like this the the historical Listen, I believe that everything is in the Bible for a reason, obviously. And like this is like a great story, but like it is not the pageant show beauty queen thing that you kind of think of at least I did. I'm just like, yeah. She was the prettiest she got to be queen, Slay.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: not quite. Anyways, okay, so we're gonna finish out chapter two. Verse twenty one One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, who were guards at the door of the king's private quarters, became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai heard about the plot, gave the information to Queen Esther, she then told the king about it, and gave Mordecai credit for the report. When an investigation was made and Mordecai's story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pool. This was all recorded in the book of the history of King Xerxes' reign. Okay, so just wrap this up. Back to our coincidence and God's divine hand. So right after Esther is crowned as queen, Mordecai happens to be sitting at the gate and overhears the assassination plot. Tells Esther, she tells the king, he's saved. that usually meant like pretty right a like pretty immediately, like lavish gifts. You know, honor like you saved the king's life.
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: Normally there would be like you would kinda get your reward right away. Where in Mordecai's sense he it was simply written down and forgotten. Because and this is kind of where we see like God's hand, like it wasn't just a coincidence that he was forgotten. if he had been rewarded right away, the debt would have been settled, but because the king had overlooked it, God could play his hand right as the people needed it. Which is so encouraging because like I mean, how often? Again, speaking for me, I'm just like, why is this not happening right now? Like, why why are you just like not genuinely I've probably no, I know I have thought these things. Like, why are you not doing anything about this like right now? You don't care? You don't see it. I'm not praying enough. Like, why is this not getting taken care of? Why aren't you fixing it how I want you to?
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: But God didn't just need Esther on the throne, he needs the king to owe Mordecai a massive documented debt. Which I thought was so good. Because like you're right, like it just because Esther was on the throne And we'll see later if we continue to read the rest of the book, but like that wasn't gonna be enough to save the people. And we'll see another time or however things play out. But like eventually, like King Xerxes forgets about Mordecai and then can't sleep one night and then is reminded and then gets to s you know, use it to his advantage then. But It's so wild because like again, we just read two chapters and never once did it say anything about God. Even the fact that it said it was Jewish people, like it never said like his people, his chosen people. It's just Jewish people. But everything about this, I mean like plot twist, like the entire n Jewish nation gets is basically at risk of being killed by the by the time by the time the story starts to play out. Like this is not like The big deal.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Anyways, so sometimes it's just it's nice to remember that even whenever we don't see it, even whenever it's not even talked about. which I
lexi: huh.
Tess: think is also super encouraging because like there are things that I don't even there are ways that God is working that I don't even know or think about because I just like don't. Or like, do you know what
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: I Like I just don't you don't know what you don't know.
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: But like he is. So hopefully that was encouraging to y'all because it was really encouraging to me. also disturbing, but you know, it all works out for good.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Anyways, so we can decide later if we want to continue on, just because like it is like a pretty cool story. the rest of it's not quite so I should maybe add something at the beginning. I don't know if people let their kids listen to this, but maybe just add a disclaimer.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: yeah. The rest of the book isn't quite so gross in like the I mean it's still violent in some ways, but it's definitely not as just whatever. I don't even know the word. I can't think of the word. But anyways, hopefully that was encouraging to you guys. It was encouraging to me. I do still, in fact, in some ways, love the story even more. It's just not quite as girly and pretty as what as what I always thought. But anyways, we'll leave it there for now. Did you learn anything today?
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: I know. Oof. Anyways. Update. We did insurance came through. so we're gonna get that taken care of. It's still gonna take a little bit longer just because we're going to I think I'd already said what we're gonna have done. But it's gonna be a couple weeks till they can get here and do it. But it should only be a day of work. as far as like under the house. Then of course they think that I don't know if I said this last time, so you'll just have to bear with me, but they said that they think that once they do this, like set up the clothes off Seal off the crawl space, put a commercial dehumidifier down there. They think if they dry it out slowly, the subfloor will kind of go back to like will just dry out and like go back into place. Hopefully. There are some point there are some parts that have gotten significantly worse since. So we'll have to kind of see, but Either way, insurance came through. Woo.
lexi: We love that.
Tess: yeah. I mean we're getting it done anyways, but you know, it's nice not to have to do it out of pocket. Aside
lexi: Yeah, for sure.
Tess: from the deductible. But Yayos. Alright, so Lexi's
lexi: Exciting straw.
Tess: gonna head head to the job site. anything else exciting going on this weekend?
lexi: Mm, I don't think so. Not that I can think of.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: But good luck tomorrow. Obviously I'll talk to you, you know. But for the people, thoughts and prayers. And that's
Tess: Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Be in contact. Thanks.
lexi: all you're gonna know about it, people. I'm sorry.
Tess: It is. It is. Some things are just meant for the privacy of friends and family.
lexi: But yes.
Tess: Anyways, happy Friday. Have a great weekend. We will talk again soon. Bye.
lexi: Bye.
lexi: From relationships and self-care to the messy middle of growing up, it's part heart to heart, part comedy hour and all real talk with zero chill. So grab your coffee or drink of choice and settle in. It's time for your weekly dose of sisterhood and self-reflection.
Tess: Just so everybody knows, we did that flawlessly the first time and then we are having some issues. And anyways, it was good the first time. You guys didn't hear it, but trust us.
lexi: Trust. So where'd you get your
Tess: Here we are. my sweatshirt is from Walmart. Yeah. It is. It is. It's
lexi: Love that. No and I l
Tess: super cute. Made to be off the shoulder. I didn't do this. It's like that.
lexi: Mm-hmm. No, I believe you. I can see the seam.
Tess: Bam.
lexi: Yeah, the ham.
Tess: Yes, it's from Walmart. I love it.
lexi: Might have to get one, I don't know.
Tess: you should.
lexi: I think I should too.
Tess: It's like early for us. I'm tired.
lexi: And it is, and that's on me. No, you know who it's on? And
Tess: Michael
lexi: it is. And it is.
Tess: Why do you have to go up?
lexi: He j He misses me.
Tess: That's why
lexi: Yeah, no, there's there's literally quite honestly no business related reason.
Tess: He's just like, Hey, come up this week. Like maybe you should put some resistance in his life.
lexi: No. If it makes you feel any better, I was like well
Tess: I was about to see
lexi: And then he said he missed me and I was like, Okay, fine. Sold.
Tess: Wow. Love that.
lexi: in other news, nobody can tell me anything today 'cause Lamar said, what did he say? My hair looks what?
Tess: Good. Nice? Your hair looks good. Your hair looks nice. One of those two.
lexi: Thought it was pretty.
Tess: Your hair looks pretty. Maybe.
lexi: Either way, can't tell me anything.
Tess: Well yeah. I I don't know why you didn't say that about my hair, so
lexi: And see he's hateful for that.
Tess: PS. It's giving two thousand.
lexi: It is, but I love it.
Tess: Thanks. It needs washed. Of course it does.
lexi: Anyways, yes. We have matching nails.
Tess: Yeah. And like I don't necess did you change yours? okay, nice.
lexi: It was just getting a little bit too much.
Tess: Yeah. Yeah. Well I had the tan and black and they were
lexi: Mm.
Tess: super cute and they were on for a long time 'cause I was just like busy. We had company last week for the week. had a really good time. but I've just been like and I yeah. I have some things going on tomorrow, so I have to get things done today.
lexi: Yes.
Tess: But yes, I have a ton of things to do today.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: because, you know, I will be for a few not finishing any of those sentences. That was intentional. I know sometimes I don't finish sentences anyways, but like that was on purpose. We're not trying to be mysterious,
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: just something
lexi: Something's just
Tess: I
lexi: also The nails back to these for a quick seg.
Tess: Sorry, yes.
lexi: No, it's okay. After recent discussion, not
Tess: Okay.
lexi: just the one we had, but it had actually been previously, he brought it up to me. And I was like and like for that I can't have red nails.
Tess: Do you think that's why he wants you to go up today?
lexi: I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.
Tess: I need to talk to Dad. Just be like, Hey, has Michael asked you? I won't tell
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Lexi Well I'm glad you did your
lexi: She won't know. No, she wouldn't.
Tess: hair.
lexi: Right. Well, and see, that's been like my thing is like just I'm I'm in engagement purgatory. It's a thing. Where like you don't know when it's happening, but like you feel like it's soon. You just don't know when.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: That's where I'm at. I'm in engagement purgatory. Tessa and he and I had a recent discussion on FaceTime the other day. And so now I'm like.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: Do I need to be planning something or no?
Tess: Well that's my thing. Like, if he's just if he would just tell me like I'm going to I could start to get things in order. Because like what we've come up with now, the timeline is very short.
lexi: Well and like and for those for those who are preying on my downfall, know I'm not pregnant. Thank you. Okay. Tessa
Tess: Yeah. Fast wedding does not always mean
lexi: it means we're grown adults who
Tess: And also, Michael has a lot of hobbies. It's very hard to catch a window.
lexi: And it is. But anyway, I said planning. Like do I need I'm not planning anything. The most that I'll probably do is reach out to the venue.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: And then my hands are off. And that's
Tess: Yes.
lexi: you might be like, that's not fair to her, blah, blah, blah. Trust, that's how she wants it.
Tess: That's true. Quite honestly I don't really care about anybody else's opinions except for yours, of course, obviously. But like other than that, I don't really care what anybody else thinks should or should be done.
lexi: Mm-hmm. Did you see
Tess: I only get one Lexi wedding and I've been waiting for this for years. So I don't I don't know what people want from me.
lexi: Honestly as a future potential bride. Ooh. Okay, as a future potential bride, I am like I would rather it be this way.
Tess: Right.
lexi: Because like while you'll be probably a little like stressed about some things, I won't be. And I just
Tess: One hundred percent. Right. And I love that for you.
lexi: and I just get to like be soaking up the the engagement, whether it be a month, whether it be you know, we'll see. I don't know. I guys,
Tess: Yeah, yeah.
lexi: I'm telling you, I have no idea, but just know, pray for me. because I am an engagement purgatory. And I just I just don't I just don't know.
Tess: You just don't know. That's the worst.
lexi: It is. It is. But I'm here for whatever.
Tess: Well yeah. I just like if it doesn't happen then I just have to like rethink everything. 'Cause I really like where we're going, but then that's a whole other year. And I don't love that.
lexi: Well it's just like why?
Tess: Right.
lexi: I don't know.
Tess: Anyways, what else
lexi: Anyways.
Tess: has been happening? really think too much on my end. Like I said, we had company last week. sorry we didn't get out a new episode. It just like we actually really tried. We tried really hard, but like we could not get our schedules to mesh.
lexi: All of the elements surrounding when we were trying just were telling us no.
Tess: Yeah. So sorry for leaving y'all hanging last week. let's see, what else? What else? Honestly, not much. I heard it was really cold there this morning.
lexi: It was. It was like forty degrees.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: There was frost, it was a whole thing.
Tess: Wow, it's like fall.
lexi: Mm. Mm.
Tess: We have had rain for the last three days or like clouds. I haven't seen the sun in three dang days. And I gotta tell you, I am depressed.
lexi: Yeah. Anyway.
Tess: Anyways. So I know that you're wanting to hit the road, so we can just dive in if you want.
lexi: Yeah. Let's dive.
Tess: So I didn't have time to like type up my stuff so it's just my handwriting. So good luck to all of us.
lexi: May the odds be ever in our favour.
Tess: True. Okay. We're gonna read an Esther today.
lexi: Love her love her
Tess: Love her so much and I feel like does every girl love her, or is it just like the girly girls who love her? Genuinely asking.
lexi: I don't know. Consider myself like Well Yeah
Tess: No, I wouldn't say like you're like girly girl quite like I am.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: and I don't even know what that means, but like
lexi: But I do love pretty and nice things.
Tess: Yeah. I would say like I come from like a my word, like she was the not that I think I'm the prettiest girl on the land. I just mean like like that's not why and it's like but all
lexi: You is the prettiest girl in the land.
Tess: Yeah, but also I feel like so like that kinda resonates with me for whatever reason. I mean she obviously has no like pride in it, but like whatever. But I feel like maybe you love it because like you're very much like Rosie Riveteer, like Riveter? Riveteer. Whatever. Like girls can do anything.
lexi: I am.
Tess: And like I love that aspect from her too.
lexi: And I was just thinking about this the other day. Michael has made me soft.
Tess: You know what he has? And honest
lexi: And you know what? Like I used to be dad's son, essentially, but now I have
Tess: Right.
lexi: Michael. And so like Michael is dad's whatever. And now I'm just like, hmm.
Tess: Yeah, and I'll be honest, like I feel like I have to like relearn you a little bit, like as a person. Sometimes I'm in uncharted
lexi: Don't get me wrong.
Tess: uncharted territories.
lexi: Yeah, don't get me wrong, I still think that girls can do pretty much anything. Still heavy on that. And that that is something I will instill into my nieces, into my own daughters. But the difference is my daughters won't have to do everything. They'll know they can,
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: but they'll have a dad that you know. Anyway, go on.
Tess: Yeah. It's hard though, because whenever you like I like I believe I can do some things, but then also I'm like, I can't do this. Lamar
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: does this. Like I can't. Mom
lexi: Yeah. Yeah.
Tess: would be like, Why don't you just do it yourself? I'm like, Mom, no. I don't I
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: don't have to.
lexi: And I think that's where we get it from is because mom was very much like, I'll do
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: I'll do anything and she can do anything. But
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: now we just don't have to.
Tess: Yeah. And so you do get a little bit lax. That's me.
lexi: Y you know me too.
Tess: I'll do anything I don't have to. Like ug. Working outside gross. I hate working outside.
lexi: I don't mind mowing, but
Tess: Love to mouth, but like anything, like I don't wanna rake up pine needles and I don't want to like I just don't wanna do it.
lexi: Right now we need to rake leaves.
Tess: That's wild.
lexi: I mean they are just like falling.
Tess: Like it is still I mean it's been rainy, but like it's still like eighties. So anyways.
lexi: Yeah. Anyway, Esther.
Tess: Esther, we do love her. Regardless of why you love her, she's worth loving.
lexi: Mm.
Tess: Now I would really love to read the first two chapters, which sounds like a lot, but like bear with me, because we're gonna split it up. Now, what I will say is And this is just like from me, like whenever I was like growing up, I was like, yeah, Esther, mmm, such a fun story, such a great story, but like there are some things to discuss because wild.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Listen, the old testament is just it is a vulgar, violent Crazy time to be alive.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Like, just everybody's always fighting. And everybody's
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: always like Anyways, okay. I may skim. We'll see. We're gonna start with Esther, chapter one, verse one. These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over a hundred and twenty seven provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. At the time, Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. This celebration lasted a hundred and eighty days, a tremendous display of the opulent wealth and of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty. He's a toll bag.
lexi: They all
Tess: When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden. The courtyard was beautifully decorated. We're gonna skip some of the details. It was beautifully decorated. And at the same time, Queen Vashti was also having a banquet for the women. That covers from like verse six to nine. So picking back up on verse ten, on the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was high in spirit because of the wine, aka drunk.
lexi: He was just like drunk. Well, I mean, you're throwing a seven day banquet. Yeah, like he needs to get it together.
Tess: And this may maybe it was in the part Yes, it was in the part that I skimmed over. Like he basically said like no limits were placed on the drinking for the seven days. Like just have whatever you want.
lexi: I know, I just know his liver was screamin'.
Tess: Yeah. So anyways, first ten on the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was high in spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him, I'm not going to read their names, to bring Queen Vashi to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty for she was very beautiful. But when they conveyed the king's order to Queen Vashdi, she refused to come. This made the king furious and he burned with anger.
lexi: She said, Not on my watch, big boy, you're not gonna parade me around.
Tess: Well, a lot of Jewish commentaries imply that like he was asking her to walk around naked. Yeah.
lexi: What a sick freak.
Tess: No I know
lexi: A drunk sick freak. Ew. You wanna talk about a serious ick? Him? Sink
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: King Zirks?
Tess: King jerky.
lexi: King King Jerkskies.
Tess: Jet skis? Listen to me. King Jerkskies? I like that because he was a jerk. Listen to me.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: When I read that, I was like, no, because you're kind of like listen, Queen Vashti was in no means like a like to I mean there's no nothing indicates that she was like a believer. So like she probably thought she was as pretty as what everybody else thought she was. So to me, somebody who feels that way, if they were like the king was like, hey, like, come show everybody how pretty you are, I'd be like, All right, like
lexi: Time and place, babe, time and place.
Tess: Yeah, so I'm thinking maybe that that makes sense to me as why she would be like, No, like I'm
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: not doing that.
lexi: Do you think she was do you think she was like at her own like side eyeing her own husband, like just being like
Tess: 1000%. You know I guarantee you she's like, he's drunk. I'm not walking around naked in front of like like I understand that she wasn't really a like a believer, but no woman wants to be paraded around for men to stare at her. And to me, like I think that's why it maybe, maybe, again, that I think maybe that's why he specifically says to bring Queen Fashy to him with the royal crown on her head. So nothing but the crown. Cause like why wouldn't she Jimmy like it's weird that
lexi: Right.
Tess: he would specifically say that.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Wild. Moving on. So where are we? Verse twelve, She refused to come, this made the king furious, and he burned with anger. He immediately consulted with his wise advisers. I take issue with the wives.
lexi: Yeah. Like what are their credentials?
Tess: Yeah. Who this here you're about to get him. Who knew all the Persian laws and customs for he always asked their advice. Okay. I think these are let me check the names. Okay, no, these are not the same guys. Cause I don't I one, I don't really find their names important and two, I'm not gonna try to read them. But I thought maybe they were the same ones who told him to bring her out. They're not. So he just has bad advice surrounding him.
lexi: Well like tell me how this conversation went down. He was like, Hey guys, I'm calling
Tess: Ha ha
lexi: this meeting. My wife won't walk around nude in front of my friends. What do I do?
Tess: Yeah. At these c
lexi: While also probably slurring his speech.
Tess: Yeah. Yeah, because I don't know like what the time frame is on this.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Like I'm assuming I don't anyways, it doesn't really matter. We're still within the I mean we're still within the feast.
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: So anyways, he asked their advice. Their names were blah blah blah. They're seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in his empire. What must be done to Queen Vashti? The king demanded, what penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king's orders properly sent through his eunuchs? Verse sixteen, the one guy, again, not trying to pronounce name, answered the king and his nobles, Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire. Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they weren learn that Queen Vashti ha has refused to appear before the king. Before this day is out, the wives of all the king's nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger. Seems dramatic. But whatever.
lexi: No, like the most dramatic.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: Like, she won't walk in she won't walk around in front of your friends naked. Do you know what this means?
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: The wives are gonna start rioting.
Tess: But also
lexi: Yeah, I can see how you made that connection.
Tess: Yeah. Verse 19. So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law that cannot be revoked. It should order that Queen Vashdi be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she. When this decree is published throughout the king's vast empire, husbands everywhere Whatever their rank will receive proper respect from their wives.
lexi: No, but like, where was the respect to her?
Tess: Yeah. The King twenty one The King and his nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed the council. He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases. That's the end of chapter one. So like let's just break this down really fast. You threw you asked your wife to prayed around naked. Again, that's what most Jewish comment and to me it just makes sense. So like hold it with an open hand, you know, maybe it didn't go that way, but like I think it makes sense and there is some backing to it, so whatever. And she didn't want to do that. And so you threw a little fit. And made up an entire lol that like cannot be changed. Like you can no longer take that back. I meant to say this at the beginning, so I'm gonna say it now. just something interesting about because my whole point for this is like whenever like trusting God whenever you can't always see him moving. Let's pretend I said that at the beginning. That's kind of the point of why we're reading here. because did you know that in the entire book of Esther, it's the only book in the Bible that God is not mentioned. The law's not mentioned, God's not mentioned nothing. But the whole book is kind of like alluding to the fact that God is working in the background. So if I would have been really on top of my game, I would have said this at the beginning. That even whenever we don't see God moving, he sometimes is. And we just have to trust him. So that's the whole point of this little series of Esther. So
lexi: Mm.
Tess: having said that just in this part, pointing out some ways that God is moving behind the scenes. the king gets drunk, throws his little fit, and with the help of his advisors, which honestly we could talk about like the advice and counsel that we bring into our own lives, like Jimmy, like check who you're asking. Or like make sure you're looking through like Good advice, not just what you want to hear. Anyways basically turns a domestic dispute into an unchangeable lol.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Because he was drunk and sad and mad. Which could be kind of a coincidence, except for naturally we don't really necessarily like
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: like I'm not saying there are no coincidences, but like, you know, I feel like it was a coincidence with a purpose. so because God was gonna use the pride, rage, and fragile ego of the king to create a sudden and rather unprecedented vacancy on the throne. So like we had to somehow get the queen out of her position And so while it seems kind of like dramatic, it's also like, well, I mean, like it doesn't say that, you know, God was working in the background, but you can kind of see it. Because without that there,
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: then why would anyways, why would Esther ever be there? So, which I'm guilty, I don't wanna put too much I mean, obviously I've never done things like quite like King Xerxes, but like to say that I've never like made Jurassic decisions because
lexi: I never have done that.
Tess: I mean like I can't even come up with an example.
lexi: No, because I'm just like
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: Couldn't be me.
Tess: Right. So, which that's kind of like the divine hand. So we're gonna look at there's another part once we get to chapter two, where we kinda see like the coincidence and then like God's divine hand. So that was kind of those two parts for chapter one. And so before the Jewish people even knew that they needed, somebody in that position to save them, God was already making a way for her. That's kind of the gist of chapter one. See, that wasn't too bad. We can easily get through chapter two quickly. But this is where it gets really just like so Old Testament. Can we start using Old Testament as a verb?
lexi: That's so old testament.
Tess: Yeah, like whenever something's just like so like violent or vulgar or just like disgusting.
lexi: Misogynistic.
Tess: Yes. Okay. So let's let me just check my notes real fast to make sure I didn't miss something 'cause I missed the main point of it at the beginning. Okay, I don't think so. So now we're beginning at chapter two, verse one. After Xerxes' anger had subsided, shocker, he began thinking about Vashia and what she had done and the decree he had made. So his personal attendance suggested I don't know if these are the same guys but like at this point if you were regretting what they had just told you and they don't name this time, so I don't even know. But If you're regretting what they just told you to do with Queen Vashti, why would you go back to them? Anyways. So his personal attendance suggested, let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hagai, if I'm not pronouncing that correct, just I am gonna say his name because he's mentioned several times, but Hagai, the king's eunuch in charge of the harem. We'll see that they are all given beauty treatments. After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashdi. This advice was very appealing to the king, 'cause he's a dirbag. So he put the plan into effect. That was Tesla's version.
lexi: No, because he
Tess: Dirt bag's not in the Bible, but could be. Could be right there.
lexi: It's kind of just saying it.
Tess: So I want to talk about that for like a minute, but I am gonna read the next couple verses just because that kinda brings in like Mordecai and Esther. So verse five at that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shemai. His family had been among those who okay. They were I'm gonna kinda s not surmise. What's the word?
lexi: More eight.
Tess: Condense. What did you say?
lexi: Summarized.
Tess: Summarize is the word I looking for. they're part of the Jewish people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. Anyways, that's this guy. And his niece actually says cousin here. Whatever. Mordecai had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who all was also called Esther. You know, Jewish name versus not because they're in Babylon. When her father and mother died, he adopted her into his family and raised her as his own. Okay. So that's how we get introduced to those two people in this story. That's how this comes to about. So Just to summarize before we go on. Yeah. King Xerxes regrets his decision, obviously. Goes to potentially the same advisors. Stupid. they came up with this great quote, if you're not watching, idea to basically station guards in every How's it say? sorry. in each province. Okay. So in each area. Specific guards each area to bring young virgins to the king to see what pleases him. Okay, a couple things here. One. It doesn't say that they were trafficking these girls, but like can't imagine they were necessarily going willingly. Two They're probably twelve to fourteen years old. Just very old testament. Just gross. Like I understand that like somet I how do I say this? 'cause I'm n I'm definitely not like excusing there is some culture context, like obviously that is not the world we live in today, as far as like to say like it was quote wrong. or against the law. I you know what I mean? As far as that way. However, I don't care. It's still like it's just it's it's just wrong. he was probably around forty years old. Ugh. Like it just disgust me.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Like, I don't want to give it away, but like he does kind of come around to be like an okay king in just like his actions, but like don't think a lot of him, I'll be honest with ya. Being jerkskis, jet skis, not a fan. so anyways, so then we'll go on. So as a result of the king's decree, Esther along with many other women w were brought like and I hate that the And I have to remember that like girls got married at like fifteen or sixteen. So like
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: in order for them to be virgins, they probably had to be that young. So like but like quit calling them young women. These are children. Yeah.
lexi: Yeah. They're girls.
Tess: Anyways, verse eight. As a result of the king's decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king's harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Haggai's care. Hagai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven maids, specially chosen from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem. Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background because Mordecai had directed her not to do so. Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her. Okay, so just a small thing there. It's pretty miraculous. just along the theme of like God's working even if we can't see it. pretty crazy that Esther would even be in this position. Like she's an orphan, she's not she's ju not that anybody knows that she's Jewish, but like they know she's not like Babylon, like she looks different. she's yeah, basically like an orphaned minority girl. and should basically she should have been like invisible. Like she should have never really been on the radar. of these people other than maybe the fact that she was so pretty. But regardless, okay. Verse twelve before each young woman was taken to the king's bed before each little girl was taken to the king's bed. She was given the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments. Six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments. Six months to smell that seems excessive.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Like what do they do? Just sit in it? What does that treatment look like daily? You have to rub down with oil?
lexi: I don't know.
Tess: When it was her time for when it was time for her to go to the king's palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem. That evening she was taken to the king's private rooms, and the next morning she was brought to the second harem where the king's wives lived. There she would be under the care of the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would never go to the king again unless he had especially enjoyed her and requested her by name.
lexi: Especially enjoyed her.
Tess: Yeah, disgusting. Verse fifteen When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Haggai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her. I'm gonna just I'm gonna read to the to verse twenty, and th I do have some things to talk about, but we'll finish off the actual reading. Okay, so verse sixteen Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Ashti. To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther's honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone. Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official, Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecaia's directions, just as she did when she lived in his home. So basically just to recap, these girls would go through a month a year long preparation to go in to see the king. And then whenever they went in, the eunuch s specifically told Esther, like the king is gonna ask you, like I if you want something or whatever, and just basically don't ask for anything was the advice that he was given she was giving. Given. So just to talk about a couple ways here, where God was moving, even though it doesn't necessarily say that, was the fact that one, Esther was even there, even though she was like an orphaned, a minority girl. And not only was she there, like in three different verses, I'm not gonna reread them, but like it specifically mentions in some variation that she like found favor. So like she was Hagai's favorite, she was the king's favorite, and and then even after that, basically the that he loved her more. And I'll just give you the verses 'cause I can't find it, but verse two nine, two fifteen, and two seventeen all imply that she like everybody loved her.
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: Basically this hag eye guy. Spends a whole year beautifying these girls in order to prepare them for the king and his pleasure. Disgusting. So basically, the king takes turns picking a girl for the knight to take their virginity over the course like this was not like a week. Well I mean at the very least it was like a year, but like it's not like all the girls were picked at one time. So there's a good chance. We do know I read that it was like four years after Bashie was that he like chooses Esther to be queen. So that's the roughly give or take, roughly fifteen hundred knights, roughly fifteen hundred girls. Again, not exact numbers, but like It's so old testament.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Anyways, so we're gonna finish this out now. So I mean, yeah, there are ways that we can see that God's hand was in it, but like this the the historical Listen, I believe that everything is in the Bible for a reason, obviously. And like this is like a great story, but like it is not the pageant show beauty queen thing that you kind of think of at least I did. I'm just like, yeah. She was the prettiest she got to be queen, Slay.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: not quite. Anyways, okay, so we're gonna finish out chapter two. Verse twenty one One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, who were guards at the door of the king's private quarters, became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai heard about the plot, gave the information to Queen Esther, she then told the king about it, and gave Mordecai credit for the report. When an investigation was made and Mordecai's story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pool. This was all recorded in the book of the history of King Xerxes' reign. Okay, so just wrap this up. Back to our coincidence and God's divine hand. So right after Esther is crowned as queen, Mordecai happens to be sitting at the gate and overhears the assassination plot. Tells Esther, she tells the king, he's saved. that usually meant like pretty right a like pretty immediately, like lavish gifts. You know, honor like you saved the king's life.
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: Normally there would be like you would kinda get your reward right away. Where in Mordecai's sense he it was simply written down and forgotten. Because and this is kind of where we see like God's hand, like it wasn't just a coincidence that he was forgotten. if he had been rewarded right away, the debt would have been settled, but because the king had overlooked it, God could play his hand right as the people needed it. Which is so encouraging because like I mean, how often? Again, speaking for me, I'm just like, why is this not happening right now? Like, why why are you just like not genuinely I've probably no, I know I have thought these things. Like, why are you not doing anything about this like right now? You don't care? You don't see it. I'm not praying enough. Like, why is this not getting taken care of? Why aren't you fixing it how I want you to?
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: But God didn't just need Esther on the throne, he needs the king to owe Mordecai a massive documented debt. Which I thought was so good. Because like you're right, like it just because Esther was on the throne And we'll see later if we continue to read the rest of the book, but like that wasn't gonna be enough to save the people. And we'll see another time or however things play out. But like eventually, like King Xerxes forgets about Mordecai and then can't sleep one night and then is reminded and then gets to s you know, use it to his advantage then. But It's so wild because like again, we just read two chapters and never once did it say anything about God. Even the fact that it said it was Jewish people, like it never said like his people, his chosen people. It's just Jewish people. But everything about this, I mean like plot twist, like the entire n Jewish nation gets is basically at risk of being killed by the by the time by the time the story starts to play out. Like this is not like The big deal.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Anyways, so sometimes it's just it's nice to remember that even whenever we don't see it, even whenever it's not even talked about. which I
lexi: huh.
Tess: think is also super encouraging because like there are things that I don't even there are ways that God is working that I don't even know or think about because I just like don't. Or like, do you know what
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: I Like I just don't you don't know what you don't know.
lexi: Mm-hmm.
Tess: But like he is. So hopefully that was encouraging to y'all because it was really encouraging to me. also disturbing, but you know, it all works out for good.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: Anyways, so we can decide later if we want to continue on, just because like it is like a pretty cool story. the rest of it's not quite so I should maybe add something at the beginning. I don't know if people let their kids listen to this, but maybe just add a disclaimer.
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: yeah. The rest of the book isn't quite so gross in like the I mean it's still violent in some ways, but it's definitely not as just whatever. I don't even know the word. I can't think of the word. But anyways, hopefully that was encouraging to you guys. It was encouraging to me. I do still, in fact, in some ways, love the story even more. It's just not quite as girly and pretty as what as what I always thought. But anyways, we'll leave it there for now. Did you learn anything today?
lexi: Yeah.
Tess: I know. Oof. Anyways. Update. We did insurance came through. so we're gonna get that taken care of. It's still gonna take a little bit longer just because we're going to I think I'd already said what we're gonna have done. But it's gonna be a couple weeks till they can get here and do it. But it should only be a day of work. as far as like under the house. Then of course they think that I don't know if I said this last time, so you'll just have to bear with me, but they said that they think that once they do this, like set up the clothes off Seal off the crawl space, put a commercial dehumidifier down there. They think if they dry it out slowly, the subfloor will kind of go back to like will just dry out and like go back into place. Hopefully. There are some point there are some parts that have gotten significantly worse since. So we'll have to kind of see, but Either way, insurance came through. Woo.
lexi: We love that.
Tess: yeah. I mean we're getting it done anyways, but you know, it's nice not to have to do it out of pocket. Aside
lexi: Yeah, for sure.
Tess: from the deductible. But Yayos. Alright, so Lexi's
lexi: Exciting straw.
Tess: gonna head head to the job site. anything else exciting going on this weekend?
lexi: Mm, I don't think so. Not that I can think of.
Tess: Yeah.
lexi: But good luck tomorrow. Obviously I'll talk to you, you know. But for the people, thoughts and prayers. And that's
Tess: Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Be in contact. Thanks.
lexi: all you're gonna know about it, people. I'm sorry.
Tess: It is. It is. Some things are just meant for the privacy of friends and family.
lexi: But yes.
Tess: Anyways, happy Friday. Have a great weekend. We will talk again soon. Bye.
lexi: Bye.
