Smells…..(don’t forget to read Caryn’s “shout” as well..)

Thursday, December17, 2009

 

So, this morning I am still processing "smell" as well as moving on in the principles of values clarification. First smell.

 

My awareness is increased. This morning after my shower, I smelled my towel. It has an odor. It probably doesn't smell good and needs to be washed. But in an odd way, I kind of like the smell or at least find it intriguing. The smell needs a label. Let's call it "Hemmingway." (There is a story behind that, maybe later) Then I went in and had breakfast. As I poured the milk on my cocoa pebbles, there was a wiff in the air. I pulled the milk jug close to my nose, uh…sour milk. I ate my cereal anyway, but poured the remaining inch of milk down the sink and poured a drink from the new jug of milk in the fridge.

 

So, now I am sitting down to see what the scriptures say about smell and odor.

 

1. Isaac is old and blind, but he can still smell. He uses smell as a way of "seeing." Rebekah took Esau's "goodly raiment" and put it on Jacob in order that Isaac would give the birthright blessing to Jacob. Genesis 27: 27 says: "And he (Isaac) came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed, therefore…"
   

   
    

   I actually like that label. I think my towel smells the "smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed."
   

 

1. Song of Solomon. So there are three "smell" scriptures in this book of scripture. I think this is an aspect of smell I don't value, or embrace, or something along those lines. The whole using smell as a romantic or seductive tool. Anyone want to enlighten me here?
   

   
    

2. Esther seemed to understand the reason behind smelling beautiful. She spent twelve months purifying herself "to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women." I assume somehow smell was involved here. In the end, the King loved her best, which is nice.
   

 

1. Noah, upon emerging from the ark, builds an altar and offers a burnt offering sacrifice of every clean beast and every clean fowl. In response, it says the Lord "smelled a sweet savour" and said in his heart, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake." Gen. 8:21 I suppose it smelled good like the Sunday roast cooking as you walk in the door from church, or Thanksgiving dinner. I had not thought of the Lord smelling, but this scripture would indicate that He does. In addition, if we are disobedient to the Lord's commandments, He "will NOT smell the savour of our sweet odours" offered up to Him. Leviticus 26:31. I think of this figuratively. Logically, idols made my man, cannot smell. Deut. 4:28
   

   
    

2. Moses was told how to make a special perfume and anointing oil for use by the priests in the tabernacle. It was a very specific recipe: spices: stacte, onycha, galbanum; plus frankincense. Each a very specific weight, tempered together after the art of the apothecary, pure and holy, beat some of it very small. In addition, no one else was to make and use this particular perfume for any other use. If they did, they would be cut off. Exodus 30:38
   

   
    

3. David agrees with me that God smells good. Speaking of the Messiah, he gives this description: "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad." Psalms 45:8
   

   
    

4. Isa 3:24/ 2 Ne 13:24: This is the passage of scriptures talking about the daughters of Zion who walk with stretched-forth necks and wonton eyes. It includes the tinkling ornaments, cauls, tires like the moon, chains, bracelets, mufflers, bonnets, ornaments of the legs, headbands, tablets, ear-rings, rings, nose jewels, changeable suits of apparel, mantels, wimples, crisping pins, glasses, fine linen, hoods, veils…and in the end… "instead of sweet smell there shall be stink." What does this mean to you?
   

 

1. Mary, who loved Jesus very much, just prior to the final Passover week, "took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment." It was Jesus, not Judas Iscariot, who saw the beauty in this act. I am not sure I understand culturally all that was going on, but I can feel how it expressed the respect and love Mary had for Jesus.
   

   
    

2. D&C59:19. "Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul." It seems God wants us to enjoy the fullness of the earth with a thankful heart. This would include all the good smells that come with it.
   

   
    

3. Revelations 5:8 describes 24 elders who fall before the Lamb, every one of them has a harp and a "golden vial full of odours, which are the prayers of saints." Have you ever visualized your prayers in this way?
   

   
    

I think today I will be more aware of smells.