Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 14 January 2017

Happy Saturday and welcome to the day book.  We, or at least I, seem to have survived yet another "Friday the 13th".  And no, if the movie was on TV somewhere I did not watch it, or seek it.  Has no attraction for me.  Your mileage may vary, of course.
I trust and hope that the day finds you well.  We are "enjoying" a torrid 25° here, with an assurance that we may actually make it up to 35° today!  Wow!  Heat wave!!  I was archly informed a few days ago that this constitutes ironclad evidence of Catastrophic Global Warming.  I reminded him that the heat record for that particular day was set in 1898 and was about 8 degrees warmer than the "unseasonably warm" temperatures we were seeing that day.  Haven't heard much from him since then.  Data has a way of doing that.

Dear Wife has had yet another bad night.  Up most of the night.  She went to bed same time I did, but lay there awake for more than an hour (so was I), then got up, hungry finally, and made herself something (pancakes) while I slept.  She finally came back to bed, hours later, slept fitfully off and on,  After I got up two hours before dawn to feed cats, she drifted off.  And is still sleeping now.  She had visions of another attempt to cut my hair today, but we shall see.  It may be time to get her to coach me in how I should do it myself.  I know other guys who do it, and as homely as I am, it couldn't make me look much worse.  She just likes to do it, in part I think, because it makes her feel useful after long periods when she really can't do very much at all. That feeling is worth something, surely.  To both of us.

Neighbor (not the niece, the other one, the one whose husband died a few weeks ago) has their dog out in a big enclosure.  Large dog, part Rottweiler I think (I can barely distinguish between a Chihuahua and a collie), and he's out there barking at birds, passers-by, the wind,  etc.  Good for him to be outside at least for a little while.  And at least she doesn't let him run loose like some nitwits do.  Pet peeve of mine, ok?  Everyone has a few, I've noticed.  But listening to the "chorus", particularly in the all-too-brief warm season of this area, as the various neighbors let their dogs outside, there to compete in vocal efforts, gets real old, real fast.  At least cats don't bark.

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The morning's reading from the Old Testament is chapters 33, 34, and 35 of the Genesis.
Big changes here, as Jacob and his family return to the area of his father and brother.  Some long-standing animosities and other issues, some serious.
And, at the end, Isaac dies. In Hebron, the so-called "Palestinian West Bank", the area that the Moslem heathens claim no Jew ever lived.  One of the multitude of lies that constitute the evil demon cult of Islam.
Much here in this passage.  Have you ever tried to repair a family feud that stretches back over decades?  It is as tough a thing as exists, even IF both sides desire it, which is not always the case.  And sometimes too there are more than two sides.  Happens.  We've been seeing some of it since our return to this area where we now live.  On both sides of the family.  I have a sister-in-law who would open fire if she saw me near their house, the one I lived in for many years.  I have cousins who will not acknowledge my very existence.  Dear Wife has similar situations, with various relatives still angry over something that my late mother-in-law or father-in-law did in the 1940's!  To this very day!  And violence is always an available option -- late mother-in-law was a cousin to a notorious Sicilian Mafia figure in this area, who was assassinated causing her much grief.  And there are other "family (or Family, la Famiglia) associations here and there.  So some of these rivalries are quite real.  And the the old dispute between Jacob and Esau very nearly became just as nasty.  Remember that Cain and Abel were brothers too.

Genesis 33

1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. 2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. 3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. 5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. 6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. 7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. 8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. 9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself. 10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. 11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it. 12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. 13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. 14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir. 15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord. 16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. 17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. 18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. 20 And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.

Genesis 34

1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. 3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. 4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife. 5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him. 7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done. 8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife. 9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you. 10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein. 11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give. 12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife. 13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister: 14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us: 15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised; 16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone. 18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son. 19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honorable than all the house of his father. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying, 21 These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised. 23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us. 24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. 25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. 26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, 29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. 30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. 31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?

Genesis 35

1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. 2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: 3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. 4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. 7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 8 But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth. 9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. 10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. 11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; 12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. 13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. 16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. 17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. 19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. 21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. 22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: 24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: 25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: 26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram. 27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arba, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. 28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. 29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

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The New Testament reading is chapter 11 from the Gospel of Matthew.
This is taking place in that period after Jesus had sent forth the Twelve to proclaim the Good News, and He was still dealing with questions and issues in the area He was in.  Some of those questions came from the followers of His earthly cousin, John the Baptizer.  Good questions at that, important ones, and the answers were, and remain, equally important. For them and for us as well.

Matthew 11

1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. 

2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,  

3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?  

4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.  

6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.  

7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?  

8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 

 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.  

10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 

11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  

12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.  

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 

14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.  

15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.  

16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,  

17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.  

19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.  

20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:  

21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 

22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.  

23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  

24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. 

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.  

26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.  

27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.  

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 13 January 2017

There once was a comic strip in your local paper named Pogo.  The strip, now defunct, always made a deal of Friday the 13th, with lines like "Friday the 13th came on a Wednesday this month" and the like.  Others have remarked upon the late Mr. Walt Kelly's joke.  Like here.

There are those who are superstitious about this day.  I'm not one of them, but some do take it quite seriously.  Whatever.  I was even once told that it corresponds to the date in ancient Egypt at the time of the Exodus, the day upon which the firstborn of Egypt all died.  Somehow I doubt that -- our weekly calendar, including the 7-day span, as well as the number of the day of the month, cause one to doubt the veracity of it.  Makes an interesting urban legend though.

Yesterday's weather had us well, WELL, into the 50's.  Accompanied by some record-challenging downpours of rain, and consequent flooding, but in the 50's.  Not now!  We're back in the 20° range, but above zero, not below.  Having experienced -20°F in this area, I am not eager to repeat the experience.  Your mileage may vary, of course.  Anyway, our "high" for today is predicted to be 32°.  I liked the 50's better. And the coming week, the period Tuesday through next Sunday, have us mostly in those 50's.  Which is not to say that we won't enter a period of serious sub-zero temps for the ensuing two weeks.   But it does remind me that the "official" long-range forecasts for this winter were confident of a long, brutal, bitterly cold season, and a long one at that.  Hmmm.  More of that "settled science" that the "warmists" are all so certain of.  What I am relatively confident of, is the lengthening days.  Shortest day of the year is right around the first day of the Winter Solstice.  We are slowly, slowly pulling back from that.  Per the astronomers, our "day", as opposed to "night" for today is set for 9 hours 30 minutes, and tomorrow to be 1 minute 30 seconds longer.  So we are relatively confident that the "day" will make it to 10 hours around the end of January, and 11 hours around the first of March.  The Vernal Equinox, the first day of Spring (officially, not necessarily weather-wise in these parts) is around the third week of March.

Wife had another bad night, though not as bad as some.  Having spent yesterday afternoon "watching" her namesake 4-year-old great niece may have worn her down, just a bit perhaps.  So she's still in bed under a pile of blankets.

I probably need to venture out later.  Some of her meds got shipped into the pharmacy.  I really should have gone yesterday, but other matters -- and my own forgetting -- crowded that out.  I do think that  I may wait until, say, 1:00 pm:  the rain in combination with the current temperature creates an "interesting" phenomenon the locals call "black ice", meaning it is ice that is not readily visible until you are skidding across it:  it's not white like your ice cubes, it is transparent so you just see the asphalt road beneath (or the concrete) and you are fooled into thinking it's safe.  Hint:  it's not.
Trouble often comes to us that way:  disguised as something other than what it is, a veneer of trouble over the top of something we rely upon, like a road surface.  Other examples come readily to mind, don't they?


And, Wife is up.  "Enjoying" the experience of simultaneously throwing up and having diarrhea.  At the same moment.  Not something we've not gone through before: she actually has a few doses of a medicine prescribed for the nausea, and some of the over-the-counter generic Immodium for the diarrhea.  Both, of course, can be caused by "bugs" floating around, though the diarrhea is almost certainly from the ulcerative colitis, one of her constant companions that Humira normally deals with, but with the sinus infection she can't take the Humira, so the colitis reappears.  The nausea and vomiting may, again, MAY, be from a "bug", but is also potentially an offshoot of the heavy-duty antibiotics that she is on for the sinus/upper respiratory infection.  I gave her one of the remaining anti-nausea pills, and she has enough for today and tomorrow, but no more.  Just called the Primary Care doctor's office, getting an answering machine, and left a message.  We shall see.  Just another day in Happy Land.  Yes, it wears you down.

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Today's passage from the Old Testament is chapters 31 and 32.  Jacob has decided that he's worn out his welcome with the in-laws, and decides to light out for home.  And trouble follows close behind.  A real tense situation ensues, but the departure continues.
And then he meets an Angel of the Lord, or perhaps a Theophany.   A very big deal, in either case, and one of those world-changing and life-changing encounters.
And note the part about the heap of stones.  Monuments, named ones.  We still do that, see the cornerstones of certain buildings.  Or battlefield monuments.  Or small park-like settings where something of import occurred.  Jacob and Laban piled stones up at a place Jacob called Galeed, which may be the origin of the place name Gilead.  Later, Jacob encounters the Angel of the Lord, his life is changed, and his name as well, and he calls that place "Peniel".  It is near Succoth, on the EAST Bank of the Jordan, the area the Moslem heathens claim that no Jew ever dwelt in.  A lie, of course.
It is not a bad idea to mark the places and occasions where great events happened.  It helps to remind us of the great things that the Lord has done for us and for those we love.  Of course, we ourselves should also be not just dead standing stones, but "living stones", mobile signs of the Lord's work in our lives and the life of this world.

Genesis 31

1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. 2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, 5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. 6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ring-streaked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ring-streaked. 9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. 10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled. 11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. 14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? 15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do. 17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; 18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. 19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. 20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? 27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? 28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? 31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. 32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. 33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. 35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images. 36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? 37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. 38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. 39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. 41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. 42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. 43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? 44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. 45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. 47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. 50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. 51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee: 52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. 55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

Genesis 32

1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: 5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; 8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape. 9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. 11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. 12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. 13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; 14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, 15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. 16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. 17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? 18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. 19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. 20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me. 21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. 22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

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The New Testament passage for today is 24-42 of the 10th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.  Part of the commissioning of the Twelve as Jesus sends them forth, but good words for us as well.  And not exactly what those "TV preachers will be saying, is it?

Matthew 10:24-42

24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.  

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?  

26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.  

27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.  

28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  

31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.  

32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.  

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  

40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 

41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.  

42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 12 January 2017

Groan!  Cats woke me at 03:00, near enough.  Wrestling or something on our bed, on top of me, is not conducive to deep sleep, or any other kind.  So I arose, chased them out of the bedroom, closed and blocked the door, lay back down.  Wide awake.  Spent most of the next two hours in one of those deep conversations with the Lord.  I do that, periodically.  It's moving and meaningful for me, and has a whole lot of confession and hauling out regrets, but with some assurances.  Some straight out of Scripture, some direct at particular issues.  I won't list the bunch, it's a deeply personal matter.
Got back up at 05:36 and put out two small tins of the cat food to avoid imminent starvation and claims of animal abuse. (Ha!).  Back to bed, door open.  Meaning that 25 minutes later, I had TWO cats walking back and forth atop Dear Wife and I, and trying to venture onto the top of the headboard, etc.  So I was back up, chasing out cats, and blocking door.  Again.
Anyone think this is conducive to sleep?  Hardly.  Tried.  Fell into a reprise of the early prayer and conversation time.  Until Wife announced her awakeness, and arose.  After, of course, I brewed her a cup of coffee.  She's moved to the recliner under blankets and with her still-healing (in the 17th month after surgery) foot elevated.  I took the chance to climb into the shower, praying that the floor of it will not give way -- has several long cracks, hoping to survive until spring and then, perhaps, be replaced.  Hopefully.
The other thing affecting sleep is the weather.  We are in a relatively warm 2 days.  Warm meaning high 40's, possible hit 50 even.  But accompanied by HEAVY rain storms, with flash flood warnings out all around the area.  I'm glad, at least, that it is as warm as it is, otherwise we'd have about a FOOT of snow in just a few hours.  Yes, the rain is that heavy, and often accompanies with high winds.  Again, not conducive to sleep.  Among other things, it makes the cats upset, so they "act out".

Wife is to leave here in about an hour or so, she's "watching" the Great-Niece next door.  Niece has to be at work at noon.  Niece's husband (nephew?  nephew-in-law?) gets off work at 6 pm and when he gets home Wife can come home.  So she and the Little One will have some "quality time" together.  They both enjoy it.  Usually, anyway.  Wife is suffering some nasty sinus/upper respiratory/ possibly systemic infection.  On heavy antibiotics since Monday evening, so it is just NOW starting to show a little bit of effect.  Of course, the antibiotics, combined with underlying conditions, combined with a need to avoid the weekly Humira injection, has meant a relapse of the ulcerative colitis, which means heavy diarrhea.  Which, of course, will in itself make one feel lousy.  And has.
Fun, huh?

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The day's reading in the Old Testament is chapters 29 and 30 of the Genesis.
Jacob has been sent off to find the rest of the clan, and find himself a suitable wife.  He does.  That's the good part.  The bad part is that he ends up with two wives, sisters at that.  And a couple of concubines as well, both nominated by the sisters/wives.  Sounds like a recipe for disaster.  And there certainly is contention, not only with the "domestic situation", but with the father-in-law and the rest of the family there.  Oh, and they're still living in the same compound as the in-laws.  Sound good to you?  Nope.
But, again, out of that situation, come the twelve sons of Jacob, renamed Israel by the way. And those twelve sons are the ancestors of the twelve tribes that will be a big part of Scripture and the events of the world, right up to today.

Genesis 29

1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. 3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place. 4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. 7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. 8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep. 9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. 13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. 15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? 16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. 21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. 30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. 31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. 33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. 35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

Genesis 30

1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? 3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. 4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. 5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. 6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan. 7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. 8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. 10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. 12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher. 14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes. 15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes. 16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. 17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. 18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. 20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. 21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: 24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son. 25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country. 26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee. 27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake. 28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. 29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. 30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also? 31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock. 32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire. 33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. 34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word. 35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ring-streaked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. 36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks. 37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. 38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. 39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ring-streaked, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-streaked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle. 41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. 42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. 43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

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The day's New Testament reading is verses 1-23 from the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.  Having called His Twelve Apostles (remember the number 12 from the Genesis reading?), He sends them out into the world to proclaim the Good News of salvation, warning that they would face opposition. That part hasn't changed either.
I am struck by two things (actually, more) in this passage.  The first is that among those sent out, is Judas Iscariot.  Jesus had to know that Judas would later betray him to crucifixion, but He sent him anyway.  Sometimes, and many of us have seen it, the Lord uses less-than-great people (like me) to accomplish His higher purposes, knowing the situation in advance.  Well, He has to.  None of those who seek to do His will are perfect, all have fallen and come short.  Remember that?  So, perhaps, even Judas Iscariot accomplished some eternal good.  It can happen.
The other thing that stands out is He sent them out with nothing but the Gospel.  No money, no choirs, no prepared sermons, advance team, none of the stuff that we associate with the large evangelistic outreach efforts.  Just the Gospel.  Did I say "just"?  "Merely"?  Perhaps the command to "go and tell others what the Lord has done for you" is what is most needed, and all of us can do that.  And are supposed to do that, in fact.

Matthew 10:1-23

1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.  

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;  

3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;  

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.  

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:  

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 

9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,  

10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 

11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.  

12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.  

13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.  

14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.  

15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.  

16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.  

17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;  

18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 

19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  

20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.  

21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.  

22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.  

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wedensday, 11 January 2017

It would appear that the earlier post for today went into The Great Beyond.  No loss, probably.  If there is such a thing as a bloggers trophy, people like Michelle Malkin (whose posting I greatly admire and recommend) would be far more likely to receive it than I.  Deservedly, as well.

But anyway,

Middle of the week.  Temperature is up over 40 degrees right now, so the ice and snow accumulations are melting.  Not fully gone yet, of course, at least right here.  Two miles away may differ in either direction.  And there are flood warnings for the river valley of the navigable waterway that I can see from the front drive.  We're up high on the valley banks, so it would take something on the order of Noah's ordeal to reach us, and that is unlikely.
Wife needed some things, so I gathered our few kopecks and lira and headed off to the Big Box store.  "Enjoying" the opportunity to sit at virtually EVERY traffic signal on both legs of the trip.  They seem to have deliberately arranged this abomination.  Just as well those responsible are anonymous.  I find it hard to wish the louts well.  Seems to be a regional thing:  the states (we live on a state line), counties, towns, and such, seem to be in a contest as how best to inconvenience motorists.  Feeling their power?  I don't know.  Seems possible.

So I picked up a VERY few things.  Got home, having completed the list, only to be asked "did you remember to pick up my prescription?".  No, hadn't been informed of such -- pharmacy had sent a "it's ready" message to her, but not to me, and my ESP powers don't stretch that far.  So, apparently, I "get" to go back tomorrow.  The payment has already been made, so that's some comfort. 
So another opportunity to go out and about.  Not a bad thing in itself: for more than 40 years, I spent far, far more time away from home than at home.  Long, LONG work hours, plus long commutes, plus things like college courses, professional association meetings, deacons meetings, the "on call" stuff, and the like, made me not much of a home body.  That was one thing when I was single, but we're in our 29th year of marriage, and for far too much of that, the various unavoidable responsibilities and loud demands, kept me away from home and family far too often and far too much.  Now, it feels strange to be home most of the time.  And, in this area at this time of year, going outside very much is a recipe for frozen ears and toes, and pneumonia.  I'm not a TV person, never have been.  So reading is ok, and some Internet stuff.  Video games pretty much bore me.  So, going to the store is OK, I guess.
Guess I'll go tomorrow: they had called the house Monday to say that one of her other meds was en route, and would be available tomorrow after, say, 3 or 4 p.m.  So I'll head out for that.  It will be one of the few days with the temperature much above freezing that we'll see for a while, though the projected highs over the next week do get above that point, but the lows are well below, and snow and rain (which will transition into ice) during that time.  I can drive in snow, NOTHING handles ice very well.  At least the 10-day forecast doesn't show any of the long stretches of sub-zero temperatures that I recall from 40 years ago.

All the political stuff, the name-calling, accusations of this and that, shouts and wails and all of it, did not end on election day, unfortunately.  The presidential inaguration is nine days away, which would, one hopes, create some period of relative comity.  Should.  Will it?  Ever tell an enraged 2-year-old to sit down and behave?  Quite a few on the losing side in the recent cycle remind me of that.  The two-year--old perhaps has the excuse of that age, but those doing most of the shouting don't have that excuse.  I know some of them: some of them are former co-workers, old friends (or acquaintances at least) from the era when we were all in elementary school (or before).  Not used to being told "NO!", and not handling it very well.

And wars, rumors of war, fightings, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, snow storms, and droughts.  Remember the Chinese curse: "may you live in interesting times".  Seems to be playing out.

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The Old Testament passage for today is chapters 27 and 28 of the Genesis.
Isaac and Esau and Jacob.  Some of the bad results of plural marriages and the fights between the offspring.  I've seen similar, even in our day.  No, in America at least,one may not legally have more than one wife (or husband) at a time.  But I have regular dealings with some of those who share one father, but the mothers are different.  Sometimes, that comes from sleeping around.  Sometimes, and I'm thinking of one, where he was married, and had three kids.  But he also had a "relationship" (only one, to my knowledge) and had two by her.  Which fact was not revealed until his wife died.  He remarried, to his mistress, and then the truth came out.  A whole lot of hurt there, and it won't heal any time soon.  Well, what went on with Isaac and his two wives and the sons the resulted, is worse.

Genesis 27

1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. 2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: 3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; 4 And make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. 5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 7 Bring me venison, and make me savory meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. 9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savory meat for thy father, such as he loveth: 10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. 11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: 12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. 13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. 14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savory meat, such as his father loved. 15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: 16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: 17 And she gave the savory meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? 19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. 20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me. 21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. 22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him. 24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank. 26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. 27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: 28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: 29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. 30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 And he also had made savory meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. 32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. 33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. 34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. 35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. 36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? 37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? 38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. 39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; 40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. 41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. 42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; 44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away; 45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? 46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

Genesis 28

1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother. 3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; 4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. 5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother. 6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; 7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; 8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; 9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife. 10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

 by the way, that location here named "Bethel" is thought to be the same place now called "Beitin" in Israel, on that "West Bank" area that the Moslems claim that jews never were.  A lie, of course.
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The New Testament reading is verses 18-38 from the 9th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew.

 Matthew 9:18-38

18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. 23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. 27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. 32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.