21 December 2013

Today's REadings and Stuff -- Saturday, 21 December 2013

Happy Saturday to all to whom these presents shall come, greetings.
And all that.

Heading into the weekend before Christmas.
Today is the birthday of the grand-niece who lives next door and who is named after Dear Wife.  It will be her first birthday and the get-together is The Great Event of the Season.  Our presence at a birthday party is absolutely required and much anticipated.  So my afternoon is pretty well set. 
In a bit, I am hoping to sneak outside and do some work around the place during a very brief thaw.  Today and tomorrow we are expecting temperatures in the mid-50's, while Monday's high is expected to be around 27 and the same is expected for the next week.  Of course, we are also expecting heavy rain today and tomorrow, leading - in combination with snow melt - to flooding.  We are situated midway on a long hill, so we're not near the river and should not see flooding in terms of rising water but we may well see a LOT of water running through the lot.  Might be interesting.
After spending an hour on a phone interview with the engineering manager at a prospective employer yesterday morning, I later spent another half hour with the executive recruiter who set the thing up.  I'm not 100 per cent sure that this is what I want to do, though what I've heard so far is quite interesting.  And to be downright mercenary, we're looking at a position with a compensation roughly twice what I'd been getting with the Korean firm I pulled out of back in August.  The money would certainly be nice.  We could use it.  Boy, could we!  So we shall see what the Lord has in store for us on this, I'm not driving this bus.

===============

The Old Testament passage for the day is chapters 6 and 7 of Micah.


1
Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
2
Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
3
O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
4
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5
O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.
6
Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
7
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
9
The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
10
Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?
11
Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
12
For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13
Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.
14
Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
15
Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.
16
For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.


1
Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.
2
The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
3
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
4
The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
5
Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
6
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.
7
Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
8
Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
9
I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
10
Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
11
In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.
12
In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13
Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.
14
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15
According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.
16
The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
17
They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.
18
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
19
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20
Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.






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The New Testament passage is chapter 12 of the Revelation.

1
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
5
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
6
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.



20 December 2013

Today''s Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 20 December 2013

getting down to it on the calendar.  At this rate, we'll need to start writing 2014 pretty soon.  Seems as if the year vanished like a dream when you wake.  Sometimes I wonder if, when on the Other Side, our life here will have that same import, a dream barely remembered when we truly awake.  Something to think about when the day's issues seem so massive and important.  Perhaps they're not.

On the other hand,\
Just got off the phone after an hour-long phone interview with an engineering manager from a manufacturer in the Greater Cleveland  area.  We shall see. It would be a daily commute of about 80 minutes each way.  We shall see.

The Big Issue of the day seems to be the Duck Dynasty and A&E flap.  Seems that a magazine has quoted one of the principal people on the show with respect to his views on issues, homosexual behavior in particular.  The response was to essentially quote the Bible on the matter.  And now the whole thing has blown up.  How DARE anyone say anything that does not celebrate that particular perversion!!  How DARE he!!!  Well, I dare.  The Lord has made His decision on the matter.  I think that if He can set the speed of light and the force of gravity, He has rather more power in the matter than the top dogs of GLAAD or at A&E or any of the usual loudmouths. 

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The Old Testament assignment for today is chapters 4 and 5 of Micah.  In some ways, this is much more positive than yesterday's passage was.


1
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
2
And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3
And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
4
But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
5
For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
6
In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;
7
And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.
8
And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.
9
Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.
10
Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.
11
Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.
12
But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.
13
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.


1
Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
2
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
4
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
5
And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
6
And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
7
And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.
8
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
9
Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.
10
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:
11
And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:
12
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
13
Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.
14
And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
15
And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.



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The New Testament reading is chapter 11 of the Revelation.


1
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
3
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5
And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6
These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10
And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11
And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12
And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
13
And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14
The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
15
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
16
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17
Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
18
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
19
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.


19 December 2013

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 19 December 2013

another week is flying past.  Dear Wife was not up to much yesterday, was either in bed or in the recliner laid back with feet elevated, just about all day.  Discoloration in the damaged ankle area did largely go away, though there is still some swelling.  We shall see how she does today.  Long term chronic illness is a drag on one's entire existence.

Never heard back from the headhunter (executive recruiter) who had called me Monday morning re setting up a phone interview for today or tomorrow (or even, as I was led to believe, yesterday, which did not happen).  I called him and left both voicemails and e-mails.  Nary a word.  It does make scheduling things very very difficult. 

Got a package yesterday, Beloved Older Daughter had sent a sweater to me as a birthday gift.  I appreciate it, greatly, it is very attractive and warm and practical in this cold climate.  I do wish she hadn't, with our current situation I simply CAN'T do the sort of Christmas giving that I would like.  Can't at all - barely keeping the lights on and food on the table.

The Old Testament reading today is chapters 1, 2, and 3 of Micah.  Another of the "minor" prophets, again with stern and fearsome warnings.  And, later, some blessings.  It is believed that he lived during the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah, living in southern Judah.


1
The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2
Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the LORD from his holy temple.
3
For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
4
And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
5
For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?
6
Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
7
And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
8
Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
9
For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
10
Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
11
Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.
12
For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.
13
O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.
14
Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
15
Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.
16
Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.


1
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2
And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
4
In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
5
Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.
6
Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
7
O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
8
Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
9
The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10
Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11
If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12
I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
13
The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.


1
And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
2
Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
3
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
4
Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.
5
Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
6
Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
7
Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.
8
But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
9
Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
10
They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
11
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
12
Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.





==========================

The New Testament reading is chapter 10 of the Revelation.


1
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
2
And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
3
And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
5
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6
And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
7
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
8
And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
9
And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
10
And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11
And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.


 



18 December 2013

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 18 December 2013

the sun is shining today.  That seems rather pedestrian, but in this corner of the world, it is a rarity.  Something of the location with respect to prevailing winds and the Great Lakes, combine to make this area the most overcast part of the USA.  Skies are almost ALWAYS gray and dismal, makes the place look like a monchrome horror movie, and the behavior of some of the citizenry is in keeping with that.  I woke up to a temperature of about 22 degrees.  I am told that the prediction for Sunday is a high of 61, but on Monday the high is predicted to be 27.  Floip-flops in the morning, arctic wear at night.  And you wonder why sinus trouble is so prevalent.
Dear Wife and family have planned a "girl's day" today, off making Christmas cookies or the like for a Great Occasion on Christmas Day, location still not revealed.  I'm epecting some calls, so plan to stay home by the phone.    -- mid-paragraph update:  18 months ago or so, she took a fall and broke an ankle.  A few months later, she re-broke it at the same place.  Brittle bones form the underlying medical issues, and side effects of the meds.  She got out of tub limping, is purple and swollen - and painful - from the toes to half-way up the lower leg.  She's staying home.  Sister is coming by to pick up the good Kitchen-Aid mixer, remnant of a long-gone restaurant she owned, and Dear Wife is planning to stay on the recliner the rest of the day.
Headhunter that called the other day said I'm to have a phone interview with a prospective employer this week.  Promised to send e-mail with details.  Nothing received so far.  I called him, got voice mail.  Left message.  Sent HIM an e-mail.  No response as of now, so am not sure what to expect at this point.

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The Old Testament reading for today is the book of Jonah.  Most people in the USA are generally familiar with parts of the story, the account of "Jonah and the Whale" rings a bell.  Bible doesn't actually SAY "whale", it says big fish.  I guess whale would do, but I guess the Lord could have prepared a very large bass as well.  Jonah doesn't come off all that well in this story, actually.  Far from being an eager and obedient servant of the Lord, when given an important mission, he runs the other way.  The result is the storms and damage that hurt other people,innocent bystanders really.  And doesn't work, he ends up at Ninevah anyway.  Somehow, being puked up by a fish doesn't sound like my every dream come true.  Knowing what I know about digestive systems, anyone caught in on for a couple days would look pretty frightful coming out, and I don't want to think about the odor.  He must have been quite a sight on the streets of the city.  You had to be able to "sense" he was there. And not happy about it either.  Not only for his adventures, but for the message he carried.  The message of repentance with the possibility of forgiveness was one he did not wish to carry.  These were the enemy, those "other people" over there.  He dearly wanted the Lord to smite and destroy them.  They deserved it.
So do I. 
The message of grace and forgiveness is a hard one to take, sometimes.  We like it for ourselves.  For others, for those who have done us wrong, not so much.


1
Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
3
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
4
But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5
Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
6
So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
7
And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8
Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
9
And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10
Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
11
Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
12
And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
13
Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
14
Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
15
So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
16
Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
17
Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.


1
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
2
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
3
For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
4
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
5
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
6
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
7
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
8
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
10
And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.


1
And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,
2
Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
3
So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.
4
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
5
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
6
For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
8
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
9
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
10
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.


1
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
2
And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
3
Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
4
Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?
5
So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
6
And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
7
But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.
8
And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
9
And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
10
Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11
And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?





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The New Testament reading is chapter 9 of the Revelation.

1
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8
And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12
One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16
And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17
And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18
By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19
For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
20
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

17 December 2013

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 17 December 2013

getting down to it.  We now are down to two weeks left in this year.  2014 is not that far away.  I was born W-A-Y back in the 1900's, it's beginning to seem an impossible time ago.  Have seen quite a lot, sometimes, perhaps, too much.  Too much loss, too much death, too many funerals, too many friends lost, too many failures, too many dashed hopes, too many darkened windows, too much sorrow.

Yet I have also seen joy.  A new baby, a new Christian, a young couple in love, an old couple who have grown old together, a new day.  I have seen gratitude for rain after a long drought, a round of chemotherapy with a good outcome, a survival in the face of impossible odds.
And I have lived to see the difference between happiness and joy.  When I was much younger, there seemed to be no difference.  I was wrong.  The Lord has allowed me to live long enough to appreciate that and to appreciate Him more.  He is good.

The new year fast advancing is, of course, just an arbitrary mark on a stick.  The planets do not suddenly change their orbits as of 12:00:01 as the ball drops.  Yet it is useful to be able to periodically make an assessment of where we are, where we've been, and where we hope to be going.  More that 20 years ago, I began a new job with a firm - Rubbermaid -- that was heavily into the Franklin Planner system, now called Franklin Covey.  That system has you defining your goals and values, and then setting up plans with defined dates and shorter-term goals as a part of furthering those values and goals, both in one's business but also in one's private world.  Other systems exist, but I have been trying to follow that system. 

Today is supposed to be the day the retirement check hits the bank.  We'll verify that in a bit, if so, we have to get to the grocery (after swinging by the nearest of the nearby gas stations) to replenish a very bare pantry and refrigerator.  We had originally been under the impression two weeks ago that Dear Wife's Disability check would be hitting right now, after a delay of nearly two years we'd been informed that it was finally approved.  Now we are informed that determination of the AMOUNT may take another 60 days!  We need it right now.  But we have faith that the Lord will see us through, somehow.  This road gets bumpy some times.

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The Old Testament reading for the day is the book of Obadiah, just one chapter and short at that.


1
The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.
2
Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
3
The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
4
Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
5
If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?
6
How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!
7
All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; that they eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.
8
Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?
9
And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.
10
For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
11
In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
12
But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.
13
Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;
14
Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.
15
For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.
16
For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.
17
But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
18
And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.
19
And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
20
And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.
21
And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's.



==============

The New Testament reading is chapter 8 of the Revelation

1
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
2
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
3
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
5
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
6
And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
8
And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
10
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11
And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
12
And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!