Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 10 January 2017

G'mornin'!

Cats let me sleep until 05:45, which was around the time that the alarm went off.  They're fed, Dear Wife is fed, dressed, and just walked through the snow across the backyard and is set to "watch" the Beloved Great-Niece today.  We had a bunch of snow overnight with more falling now, then set to  change to freezing rain.  Supposedly going to be above the freezing mark after bit, but not by much, so driving conditions are likely to be treacherous at best.  Lord willing, I'm staying home, avoiding the Tuesday-afternoon "story time" at the local library that we usually take the Little One to attend.  But we shall see.

Yesterday ended up being a long day.  We had, fortunately, a previously arranged appointment with the "Primary Care" physician (a 20+ mile drive away) which worked well with Wife's illness.  And, yes, I had an appointment as well.  They called us in early afternoon, told us they'd had a cancellation, and could we come in right away?  We could, we did.  More than half an  hour drive, so "right away"  was subject to some interpretation, but we made it.  Yes, she has a very nasty sinus infection, she's prone to them.  So a prescription for heavy-duty antibiotics was issued and called into our nearby pharmacy.  I had my brief appointment.  We both got shots, I got for the pneumonia vaccine and the "flu shot", she got just the one.  I don't normally do these flu shot things, but they highly recommend them for persons in my age group, and Dear Wife pestered me, so I did.  Whatever.
Then back towards Home, but first a stop at the pharmacy, which is in the nearby Big Box store.  Of course, they were very busy.  And, of course, they didn't have it ready: it had only been an hour and a quarter since it was called in.  So we picked up a few items, VERY few, like bread, that we would be needing soon, paid for the prescription, came home.  Walked in at 6 p.m., in the dark (sunset being around 5 pm). 
Cobbled together something to eat, took her first dose of the antibiotic.  Cleaned up some, while she watched "Antiques Road Show", about the ONLY thing on PBS that isn't trash.  Turned in around 10 pm., after taking a second dose and  here "usual" nightly meds.  She lay in bed a while but finally got some sleep, the Benadryl helped some with that.
Long day.

I'm not a big sports person, the matter is too much like the "bread and circuses" of the decadent and dying Roman Empire, so didn't watch the Big college football game.  Our old friends and neighbors in Alabama did, I'm sure, loudly confident of a blowout against Clemson.  Only that didn't happen, which I didn't know until 20 minutes ago.  I have no dog in that fight, but some friends are probably on suicide watch this morning.

I haven't had much "quiet time" in the last 24 hours.  I see on the news the "usual" things of war and death and crime and loss.  And anger, lots and lots and lots of anger.  Anger is not necessarily a horrible thing, but when it utterly consumes a person, something many of us have seen and experienced, it is not a good thing.  We've seen cases of fights, serious, sometimes deadly fights, even within families, over team sports, or TV show choices, or other things that, taken in isolation,  are just not A Big Deal.  And the fixation on such peripheral matters, to the extent that they take over one's life, keep us from focusing on the Big Things.  Like the Lord.  Like eternity.  Like our families.  Like, .. well, fill it in.  "bread and circuses".
I've had to listen to some of these fixations on matters I consider to be peripheral for my whole life.  Ever hear the arguments over such earth-shaking matters as the "correct" way to put toilet paper on the roll?  When I got married, I was "instructed" by Dear Wife on the "correct" way to fold bath towels.  A big issue, apparently.  An old argument is and has been the use of musical instruments in church worship services.  Some -- and I know many -- are convinced that such are devices of Satan.  Others, and I know some, are involved in small-scale orchestras, including violins, in their services.  I've heard some of my Catholic friends claim that any house of worship that does not include use of an organ, really doesn't count.  Or whether one may use hymn books with "standard" music notation, rather than those using "shaped notes".  My Amish and conservative Mennonite cousins and childhood friends get into arguments, some quite heated, over the   correct size, shape, and customs of the "covering" that women in their fellowships wear.  Ditto the use of the "babushka" that women in, say, the Russian Orthodox churches wear, or a mantilla in some of the Hispanic fellowships.  Or the old (around here) Ford vs. Chevrolet contentions. While families, neighborhoods, and the culture collapse around them.
How all of that glorifies the Lord and builds His kingdom escapes me.

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The Old Testament reading today is chapters 25 and 26 of the Genesis.
Abraham has buried his wife.  And, though nearing 120 years old, he took another wife.  And several concubines.  Had children as a result.  Children that would, in later years, be a grief and snare to his "main" descendants.  Like, for example, the Midianites.
And his son Isaac, married, also has children by Rebekah.  Twins, Jacob and Esau.  Trouble from the start.  Even in the womb and certainly at the birth.  Esau is favored by mom.  Jacob is favored by the Lord.  Lots of results to that, none good.  We still see the results of that, several thousand years later.

Genesis 25

1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.  

2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.  

3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. 

4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.  

5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.  

6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. 

7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.  

8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.  

9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;  

10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.  

11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.  

12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham:  

13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,  

14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 

15 Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:  

16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. 

17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.  

18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.  

19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:  

20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.  

21 And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.  

22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.  

23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. 

24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.  

25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 

26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.  

27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.  

28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:  

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.  

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.  

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?  

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.  

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 26

1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.  

2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 

3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;  

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;  

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.  

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:  

7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. 

8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.  

9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.  

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.  

11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.  

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.  

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:  

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. 

15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.  

16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. 

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.  

18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. 19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.  

20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.  

21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.  

22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.  

23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba.  

24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. 

25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well. 

26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army. 

27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? 

28 And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; 

29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.  

30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.  

31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.  

32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.  

33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.  

34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:  

35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

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The reading from the New Testament is verses 1-17 in the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 9:1-17

1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.  

2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.  

3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.  

4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?  

5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?  

6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 

7 And he arose, and departed to his house.  

8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.  

9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. 

10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.  

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 

12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  

13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  

14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?  

15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.  

16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 

17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.