Today's Readings and Stuff - Thursday, 17 Juy 2014

another one of "those" days.  Dear Wife had an appointment with eye doctor for 08:30 this morning.  I took a wrong turn, OK, took two wrong turns, but we made it with seconds to spare.  While en route she called the Physical Therapy center to affirm that the Orthopedic Doctor she saw yesterday had given orders for her to cease the physical therapy, it's done as much good as it can and little more can be done until her knee absolutely demands surgery.  Which could be many years and the knee will probably outlast her.  So we went to eye doc. Got new prescription for glasses.  Took the prescription to the WalMart vision center.  Turns out that her prescription does not cover grinding the prisms into the lenses.  So we did some paperwork and will have to come back next week after her Disability check hits -- after we paid bills and bought groceries, we have $1 in bank until my next check in five weeks.  I do have a small amount of cash, but not much.
While there, we checked in at our bank, notifying that she'd lost her debit card.  They put a hold on it, but we were heading to the last place she was known to have it, which is at yet another WalMart (don't ask) in the adjacent state (we live on a state line) so they suggested we check there before further action and meanwhile had a "hold" on transactions with that card.
Went home and had a quick lunch before setting out.  Went to the bank where she'd left he card in the ATM.  They'd found it, gave it two days, and had shredded it this morning.  So, next week when we go to order her glasses, she'll sign a paper and order a new card.  Picked up three of her prescriptions at the pharmacy.
Came home, she stretched for 45 minutes and then went next door to "watch" beloved grand-niece.  She roped me in on it as well, she's now got a bladder infection or the like, and a real case of diarrhea as well.  Had planned a major excursion in the morning with niece, going to a big regional flea market type thing.  It's down near the Ohio-Pennsylvania-West Virginia corner, the area I was born in actually, and my mom used to teach school in that town.  I haven't been in there in more than 40 years, but used to go frequently with my dad when he & mom owned a small country market.  LONG ago.  Will see if Dear Wife is up to it in the morning.


I need to do a second load of dishes and crash myself.  Wife already is asleep.

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The Old Testament reading before us is Psalms 22-24
Many of us have memorized the 23rd Psalm, and that is a good thing to do.  When a kid, I also memorized Psalm 24 and it has sometimes been a comfort.
But look at verse 1 of Psalm 22.  Sound familiar?  It should.  The words of Jesus on the cross. If it was good enough for Him. .......

Psalm 22

1	My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2	O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3	But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4	Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5	They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6	But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7	All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8	He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9	But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10	I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11	Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12	Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13	They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14	I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15	My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16	For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17	I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18	They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19	But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20	Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21	Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22	I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23	Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24	For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25	My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26	The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27	All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28	For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations.
29	All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30	A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31	They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Psalm 23

1	The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2	He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3	He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4	Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5	Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6	Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalm 24

1	The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2	For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3	Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4	He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5	He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6	This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7	Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8	Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9	Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10	Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

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The New Testament reading is verses 1-16 of Acts 20

Acts 20:1-16

1	And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
2	And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,
3	And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
4	And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
5	These going before tarried for us at Troas.
6	And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
7	And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
8	And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
9	And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
10	And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
11	When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
12	And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
13	And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.
14	And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
15	And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.
16	For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.