Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 16 September 2017

Last day of the week.  3rd Saturday of the month.  Ending of the last full week of Summer:  a week from yesterday begins Autumn and the slide into yet another awful winter in this part of the country.  I know that there are people who love this time of year, and don't mind Winter either.  I despise both, and always have.  But it's beyond my control, my agreement or lack of same makes no difference whatever. I started getting out the "space bags", the closable plastic bags that we put the off-season clothes in and then suck the air out to reduce the size for easier storage.  As time permits, and as laundry is done, the "warm" weather stuff will go into them, and the COLD weather stuff is coming out, thence to go into the dryer for freshening and be hung up or folded and stored.  That's the theory, at least.
And in about six weeks, 5 November, the change back to "standard time", so we'll be seeing darkness by 6 p.m.

Yesterday got interesting.  When we moved here into this hovel a few years ago, things were, to say the least, "tight" financially.  The place had a dishwasher.  It worked.  It also leaked, badly, something we were not originally aware of.  It leaked out the bottom doing some real damage to the floor and structural elements beneath it.  For obvious reasons, we stopped using it.  So, for several years now, we -- meaning Yours Truly -- has been the scullery maid, doing all by hand.  Not a real Big Deal, it's how I'd lived since a child and in my various abodes up until a bit after Dear Wife and I were wed.  But, as she put it, while her health is bad, what does she do if/when something happens to me?  She's not up to these tasks and there would be no one to do them for her. 
We got a call from her sister last week, she'd bought a used-but-in-good-condition dishwasher, but then discovered that the one she had simply needed a pretty minor repair, which was done.  So did we want this one?  Sure.  Promise was made that it would be brought here Tuesday.  Well, "time on target", a term those who have been in or around the military should understand, is not her strongest point.  To say the least.  So, last night around 6 p.m., as we were getting ready to eat, her boyfriend (not her husband, note) showed up with a dishwasher. 
We spent about 5 hours getting the old one out, likewise getting the "portable" one Wife had bought (utterly polluted with apparent years of non-cleaning of the filters etc. and which weeks of effort had not fully remedied), and hauling the "new" one in.  And installing it. Well, it functions. It also leaks. Apparently, there is a small piece that is involved where the incoming water goes into the cabinet.   Various efforts, accompanied by "blessings" in several languages (but not English) have had mixed results.  We finally sprayed it down with something called "FlexSeal" which I happened to have, and we're letting it set up for a day or so before another test run.  So I just an hour ago finished yet another load of hand-done dishes, etc.
Note:  Wife was, among other things in her pre-Disability days, a restaurant manager.  The Health Board standards for food service joints, is a rinse water of 180°.  I don't know about anyone else, but that sounds to me like a shortcut to a 3rd degree burn and the Emergency Room.  I try to do a good job of this scullery maid stuff, but 3rd (or even 2nd) degree burns are not  on my personal wish list.  So, when doing this chore by hand, I am definitely NOT using a rinse -- or wash -- water in that temperature range.  If that reveals me as a bad person, I'm guilty.

It did give us some time to interact with him.  He is, like so many in this region, what he terms a "confirmed Catholic", meaning his parents made him go through that process of confirmation.  But he abandoned the faith, if indeed he ever had it in any real sense.  And, particularly on public social media forums, he and I go back and forth on a variety of issues relating to faith, politics, culture, and the like.  We get along reasonably well personally, but have very few points of agreement otherwise.  But who knows, perhaps the engagement will eventually show some results.

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

Our reading in the Old Testament is Proverbs 30 and 31, completing the Proverbs.
From time to time, we see mention of a "Proverbs 31 woman", and the honor due her as well as recognition of the blessing that she is.  I am fortunate, no, BLESSED, to have such a woman as wife. 

Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. 3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. 4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. 7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: 8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. 10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. 11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. 15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: 16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. 17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. 18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. 20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. 21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: 22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; 23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress. 24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: 25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; 28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces. 29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: 30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up. 32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. 33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Proverbs 31

1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. 2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? 3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. 7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. 8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. 9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. 10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

-=====================-------------=================------------------==============
=======================------------

The New Testament reading is chapter 8 of 2nd Corinthians.

II Corinthians 8

1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. 7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: 14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: 15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. 16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. 17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. 18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; 19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: 20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: 21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. 23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. 24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.