We have been notified that we will be losing our current pastor and a new one will be coming. This makes the topic of first impressions foremost in my thoughts.  So when I read my morning readings which included the book of Ruth, first impressions made an impression on me. :-) When I read about Naomi, I do not get the impression that she is a kind, loving, lovable person. If you look at the Book of Ruth , you find that Naomi lost her husband, then her sons. She decides to return to where her family is from and tells her daughters-in-law to go home.  To this point, we really don't know much about Naomi, except that her husband and sons didn't live long and that she felt some need to rid herself of the burden of two daughters-in-law (See 1:11-13)  (Ok, there is my first hint at my impression of Naomi!) Then later when she arrives to her home town, she wants her name changed to Mara because mara means bitter and she feels so bitter.  This helps seal my unfavorable im...