Today's (OK, yesterday's) Readings and Stuff == for Sunday, 03 September 2017

yes, this is delayed.  Sorry.

Yesterday went by in a rush.  Woke up early, "courtesy" of small cat who wanted an early breakfast, and was dancing on me to make the point.  She made an exit from the bedroom and the door was shut.  Slept a bit longer, then woke.  One benefit of "geekdom" is that I can, and do, read the Bible as well as other things, on the connected devices without disturbing Wife who desperately needs the sleep.
I did, eventually, rise, do the "shower & shave" and don duds thing, went out of the bedroom to feed the feline monsters who were, truly, in no danger of starvation but their routine is to get a VERY small amount of canned food in the morning, and they wanted it RIGHT NOW.  Reminds me of some people, me included.
Yesterday afternoon my nephew and his wife were having a renewal of their marriage vows at the church I grew up in.  My other brother was coming by to pick us up around 12:30, make the 35 minute drive to the church on the southern rim of the county south of here.  So I'd be able to make it to the church services, come home, get rearranged, and head out.  Except

• got word while at the church that brother was coming in early.  So I had to duck out after the Bible study and miss the worship service, which I don't like to do
• Wife became too ill to go along to the Event

So, I came home early, he arrived early, we had some "get-together" time.  And headed out, arriving early, during the late preparations for the Grand Event.
It was nice.  My younger brother, my nephew's dad, was there which was a nice surprise.  Astonishing was that his current wife was there as well.  She is the one who has openly and loudly announced her hatred of Wife and I, of this same nephew and his wife and son, and, indeed, just about everybody that knew my brother "before".  But she was there.  Which was OK.  She spoke not a word to me nor to anyone else except my brother, and her daughter and that one's current live-in boyfriend and a child she'd had by some anonymous (to me anyway) sperm donor.
But whatever.
I got to see and speak with some people I'd not seen since, well, around 1969 or so, other than at my mom's funeral in 2007 and dad's in 2011.  Those had not been good occasions for socialization and memories, light or heavy.  So that part was nice, very.  Some of those people had at one time been very good to me and to the family.  Others, well. we'd not always gotten along but perhaps we've all grown up some in the last half-century or so.  Perhaps we can get together again before we're all in the grave.
On which subject, I was able to break off, before things started, and go out to the cemeteries on several sides of the church house and visit the grave sites of my parents, grand-parents, many aunts and uncles and so forth.  As well as a few people I'd known, including one who'd been my age, in my Sunday School groups way back when, and who died like 9 years ago or so.  Not easy, but the memories are worth while.

We stayed through the ceremony and the punch & cupcakes afterwards, and then finally left and came home.  Wife made a meal for us, we pigged out (I hadn't had lunch, neither had brother (and he's diabetic, BAD, so that wasn't good).  Spent some time talking and then he finally left.  And, very shortly thereafter, we Got Horizontal and collapsed.

The world will not long remember the day, but I will.
So, long way around, sorry for the delay.

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Old Testament reading, and it deserves attention, Proverbs 3 and 4.

Proverbs 3

1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. 11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. 19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. 21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: 22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. 23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. 24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. 27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. 28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. 29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. 30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. 31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. 32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. 33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. 34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. 35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Proverbs 4

1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. 14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. 20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

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The New Testament passage, chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians,  This is often referred to as the "Love Chapter".

I Corinthians 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.