18 January 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 18 January, 2014

Welcome the day.  For many people, this is the first of a 3-day weekend, as Monday is a holiday in honor of the memory of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, jr.  We lived in Dr. King's last home town, Montgomery, Alabama until a few months ago.  There are several memorials and monument to his name in that area.  I wish that I could say that all his hopes that were spoken in his public speeches had been accomplished.  That would not be true, and the examples and causes of that are many.  And there is plenty of blame to go around.  Wish it were not so, but it is.

Dear Wife is dealing with the need to select form available plans under her newly-acquired Medicaid coverage.  Our effort is complicated a bit by the fact that we are located less than a mile from a state line, and numerous providers are located just on the other side of that line.  Yet under the complications of the enabling laws and regulations, we may be forced into use of physicians and other providers on THIS side of the line, with the nearest at least 10 miles off, and several of them twice that.  In the 22 or so years we've been away from the area, many of the hospitals and clinics have undergone major changes in name and arrangement, sometimes several times.  Some of the physicians she saw back in the 1980's are long retired or dead or not accepting new Medicaid patients.  Turning into a thorny problem, and we have to have matter arranged by Monday-Tuesday. 

Hoping to see some old friends this weekend.  One of my dearest friends in my life lives about 45 miles from here.  Have had terribly little contact for more than 20 years, and our continuing financial collapse has kept us from having the gas money for a non-vital run to go visit.  Got a message from his daughter the other day.  She lives even further away than we did before the move, and she and husband were planning to fly in last evening and spend the weekend, possibly bringing him and perhaps his new wife (his first wife passed away more than 10 years ago) to see us.  I'd like to see her, and meet her husband as well, and her expressed desire to have at least a brief get-together means a very great deal to me.  It has not been easy, this traipsing around the country like nomads, but that has been our lot for more than 20 years.  So we hop that this may happen, and if not, then anothr time.  The wish is out there.

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

The Old Testament reading today is chapters 42 and 43 from the Genesis.
How much do we trust the Lord?  I mean, really.  How much?  How much do we, do I, trust that He has a purpose that has more to it than what we can see right now?  It's not a trivial question.  This is an example.
Joseph is one of the children of the man named Israel.  Polygamy is hardly ever a good thing, and the family dynamics of that group are in keeping with that.  In this case, things got so bad that his brothers captured him, and sold him into slavery , heading for far-off Egypt.  He went through some pretty tough experiences, and a degree of anger and bitterness would be understandable.  I don't see it in the accounts.  Joseph evidently had someone in his youth who got him thinking in the right directions, and encountering the Lord.  It shows throughout his time in Egypt, and the Lord blessed him, and used him in a mighty way.  The last few chapters over the last few days have shown his increasing stature within the Egyptian state, something that could have been accomplished in no other way.  Now we see some sign of what the Lord was about.  Visitors arrive.  The same brothers who sold him into slavery.  He is in a position to help, or to exact vengeance.  I know what most people would vote for.  Me too, unfortunately. He does better.  A great deal of what happens in the future is possible because Joseph trusted the Lord and walked in His way, no matter what.

1
When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”
2
And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.”
3
So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
4
But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him.
5
Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6
Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
7
Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
8
And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
9
And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”
10
They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food.
11
“We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”
12
He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.”
13
And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.”
14
But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies.
15
“By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
16
“Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.”
17
And he put them all together in custody for three days.
18
On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:
19
“if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,
20
“and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.
21
Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”
22
And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.”
23
They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.
24
Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
25
And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.
26
Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed.
27
And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack.
28
He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
29
When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying,
30
“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land.
31
“But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we have never been spies.
32
“‘We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’
33
“Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way.
34
“‘Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”
35
As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.
36
And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.”
37
Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.”
38
But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”


1
Now the famine was severe in the land.
2
And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.”
3
But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’
4
“If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5
“But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
6
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?”
7
They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8
And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
9
“I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10
“If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”
11
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
12
“Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13
“Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man.
14
“May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15
So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.”
17
The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18
And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.”
19
So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door of the house,
20
and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.
21
“And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us,
22
“and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
23
He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24
And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder,
25
they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26
When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.
27
And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
28
They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.
29
And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!”
30
Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.
31
Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.”
32
They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.
34
Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

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The New Testament reading is verses 33-58 from the 13th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.  Jesus is teaching, and creating quite a stir in so doing. 

33
He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
34
All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.
35
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
36
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”
37
He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38
“The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
39
“and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
40
“Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
41
“The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,
42
“and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43
“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
44
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,
46
“who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.
48
“When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.
49
“So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous
50
“and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51
Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.”
52
And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
53
And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there,
54
and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
55
“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
56
“And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
57
And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”
58
And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbel

17 January 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 17 Janueary 2014

Friday again.  Doesn't mean what it once did when I was in the workforce.  On that subject, I dropped Dear Wife off at her cousin's place to work on her computers, and then went back into the city to get registered with one of the staffing agencies there.  They are advertising a position under the title of Mechanical Engineer, but the pay is about 1/3 of the going rate for such.  They confirmed by take on that, but even at that, it would be acceptable.  Even a few hundred dollars a week would make a very large difference in our situation,and they do pay overtime, which my most recent employer didn't (illegally at that).  So we shall see, they asked me to give them a week to put things together,which is fine by me.
Dear Wife was busy doing the computer tech thing at her cousin's place.  They've always been close, even with us far away.  Sandy buried two husbands in the last 15 years, both with lung cancer.  She'd taken FMLA from her job to take care of the 2nd one and never went back to her job selling securities.  Can't blame her, and she found that she can collect widow's Social Security for BOTH of them, so she's getting by OK.  Selling securities is probably a lousy place to be, as we nervously await the pop of the bubble and the descent into a situation that will probably make today's situation seem the Good Old Days as we go into something that makes the Great Depression seem a trivial thing by comparison.  You'll see.  This is going to be ugly.

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

The Old Testament reading for the day is chapter 41 of the Genesis.  This is Joseph, now in Egypt, becoming a factor in the court of Pharaoh. 

Genesis 41
1
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
2
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favored kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
3
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favored and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
4
And the ill favored and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
5
And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
6
And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
7
And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
8
And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
9
Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day:
10
Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker:
11
And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
12
And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
13
And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
15
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
16
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
17
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
18
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favored; and they fed in a meadow:
19
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favored and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
20
And the lean and the ill favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
21
And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favored, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
22
And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
23
And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
24
And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
25
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26
The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
27
And the seven thin and ill favored kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
28
This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh.
29
Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30
And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31
And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
32
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33
Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34
Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35
And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36
And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
37
And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38
And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
39
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40
Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
41
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42
And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43
And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
45
And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
46
And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47
And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48
And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49
And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50
And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
51
And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.
52
And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53
And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54
And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55
And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
56
And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57
And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.





========

The New Testament reading is verses 1-32 of the 13th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.  Jesus is teaching the people.  All the people: the people there, and us here.

1
The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2
And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15
For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17
For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
31
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
32
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

16 January 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 16 January, 2014

getting further into the matter.  Plans are shortly for me to take Dear Wife to her cousin's place about 18 miles from here so that, in no particular order, she can reconnect to one of her favorite relatives, one she had not really seen since her mom's funeral in 2007; and also to work on cousin's computer.  Wife is actually a very accomplished computer tech, though as her eyesight dwindles she's able to do less and less of such things.  This will probably be primarily a software fix, remove all the trojans, virii, and associated malware.  Plan is for me to leave them to their own devices somewhat as I run by a local employment agency to get registered into their system.  I need to do that anyway, and I don't think they really need me hanging around to snoop on all the girl talk.  We could REALLY use any added income right now.
One good thing that we did get, Wife was able to finally reach someone at Social Security with regard to her LONG-delayed Disability award.  We're two years into the process, and back in early November were advised by the attorney that the application was approved.  After two weeks of no word, she called the SS people.  Status was that the app was "approved", but the amount (and timing) could take as much as another 60 days.  Been more than that already, and no word.  So she called.  The amount was told her, it's about half of my  SS Retirement amount, which puts us in a much better state.  Or it will, when it finally arrives, which timing has not been told us yet.  She qualifies for Medicaid, there's still squabble going on as to whether I do.  Problem is that we can't get approved under Obamacare, because we have not been able to tell them what our monthly income will be, since SS had been taking so very long getting the amount of her Disability determined.  Fortunately, I'm normally healthy (so far, and thank You Lord) outside the "normal" colds and flu and such.  But Wife's keep-you-breathing-one-more-day meds are running out and we've had neither the funds to get refills nor a local doctor's prescription to get some of them filled anyway.
We spent the last 5-1/2 years with me making about half my "normal" income.  While Wife was able to work, we made out.  But she's been essentially bed (or recliner) -ridden for the last few years and we've been in an increasingly difficult financial position.  When we looked at possibility of my retirement and our relocation, we determined that the combination of her Disability and my Retirement would come comfortably close to what I was being paid, without the $60 - $70 per week gas expense of some terribly long commutes, and without the employer's expectations of 60-70 hour workweeks with no O.T. paid.  And would have the added benefit of being back among family for however long the Lord leaves us on this earth.   So we moved, but we spent ALL our retirement saving to do it.  Every single penny that we had left after some SEVERE reversals going back to 2004.  I have primarily been working since around 1984 as a process improvement engineer in manufacturing operations, titled such things as Quality Engineer, Process Engineer, Project Engineer, and Engineering Manager.  But beginning in July of 2004, we went through three plant closings in four years, in three states.  One shut down literally in the middle of our relocation, an experience I could have don without, and we lost EVERYTHING we had in the throes of the catastrophe.  Such savings as I was able to garner since then were modest to say the least, and we spent all of it getting moved here and set up in a place to live out our days, we hope.  So Wife's Disability income will be a huge help.  Still don't know when it might hit the account.  Can't come too soon.

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The day's Old Testament reading for the day is chapters 38, 39, and 40 from the Genesis.
chapter 38 deals with some less-than-great behavior on the part of Judah.  If you've ever heard the term "Onanism", here is the origin of the term.
Chapters 39 and 40 take us to the account of Joseph, having been sold into slavery by his own brothers, and sent down to Egypt.  Looks pretty grim.  But, while he could not have imagined it, this was part of the Lord's plan all along.


1
And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
2
And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.
3
And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
4
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
5
And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.
6
And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
7
And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
8
And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
9
And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
10
And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
11
Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
12
And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13
And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
14
And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
15
When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.
16
And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?
17
And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
18
And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
19
And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20
And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
21
Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.
22
And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.
23
And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
24
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
25
When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
26
And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
27
And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
28
And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
29
And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
30
And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.


1
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither.
2
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3
And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4
And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
5
And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
6
And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.
7
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
8
But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
9
There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
10
And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
11
And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
12
And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
13
And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
14
That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:
15
And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
16
And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
17
And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
18
And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
19
And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
20
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
21
But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22
And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
23
The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.


Genesis 40
1
And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
2
And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
3
And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
4
And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
5
And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
6
And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.
7
And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?
8
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
9
And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;
10
And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
11
And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.
12
And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:
13
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
14
But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
15
For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
16
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:
17
And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.
18
And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:
19
Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
20
And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
21
And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:
22
But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23
Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.





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The New Testament reading is verses 22-50 from the 12th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.

22
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
23
And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
24
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26
And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
27
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29
Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
30
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
31
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
33
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
34
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
38
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
42
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
46
While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.