Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 02 January 2018

Well, "back at it" today for a whole lot of people.  When I was still in the work world, coming back after a major holiday season was always tough.  When I was in the general field described as "automotive", there are two traditional shutdown periods.  One is over the Independence Day (July 4th for the novice) period.  At least a week.  The other normal one is over the Christmas -- New Year's period.  The business situation at the time would have some bearing on the specific dates of shutdown and startup.  So, I suspect that for most of my friends, the last day was Friday 22 December and the next startup will be next Monday, 08 January.  So a two week shutdown.  Get holiday pay for a few of those days, use accrued vacation time for the others.  Or some percentage thereof.  I used to "save" my vacation days, and use them over these times and I know that many others did likewise.  Generosity of paid holiday time varies somewhat between the various companies.  I've had experience with several, and there was variance between the firms and also year-to-year.

So a lot of people were looking with a mix of anger and resignation at the alarm clocks this morning.  And  blearily heading out the door, if not already on the job.  The roads aren't great, and the arctic blast covering a whole lot of the country, including well into the Deep South, won't help any of that.  But yesterday I made a quip about the nonsense of Global Warming and had a pastor-type scold me, he being a True Believer in Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming.  Nice guy, and I do know him a bit, so I didn't want to get into one of those nasty squabbles.  But we hit 0° last night and  our "high" today is predicted to hit all of 16°, and the rest of the week won't be a whole lot above that, with some sub-zero nights.  I  hate that, and so am not particularly interested in the nonsense that the "warmists" throw around, erroneously at best.    (Friday is predicted to have a "high" of +7° and a low of -3°.  Sound warm to you?  Not me).  But today the "day" portion is said to be 45 seconds longer than yesterday was, and tomorrow to pick up 49 seconds more than that.  The "day" portion, thus, is all the way up to 9 hours 16 minutes.  So we're making progress in a strategic sense.  Day to day, on the other hand, isn't great.

Now if we were not, AGAIN, dealing with frozen pipes in our hovel.  Bathroom sink, hot and cold, both.  And, now, the tub.  I'd had both faucets cracked enough to drip.  But nothing whatever is coming out, even at full (or at least halfway) open.  For a day and a half now.  Toilet is still flushing, or was the last I checked.  Though I could hear what sounded a lot like ice crystals in the flow, so have been flushing even with no need, just to keep water moving.
Kitchen sink OK so far.  So far.  We've got a week of  horrible cold ahead of us.  Where's all that global warming???
Oh, wait.  That was earlier.  The sink dripped all night and was fine this morning. We used it, did all sorts of stuff.  So, fool that I was, I turned the taps full off. BIG mistake!  Now, both lines are frozen.  So ... no water to tub.  None to bathroom faucets.  None to kitchen sink.  None to the washing machine.  The toilet still has flow, but we have to flush it about every hour, and even then can hear ice crystals, especially if that hour stretches to two.  I have about 9 gallons of water in buckets for flushing, just in case.  And, wisely or luckily, I filled about 3 gallons of water into pitchers last night for, again, just in case.  Looks like the "in case" happened.  And that is in spite of the brooder lamp on in the space beneath place, right under the kitchen sink, or the space heater right next to that lamp.
Thermometer shows 16° right now, which almost seems warm.  Projected low tonight, +4°  Tomorrow, "high" of 23° and low of +7°.  But then ....  Thursday, "high" of +12 and low of -1°.  Friday, "high" of +7°! and low of -3°, Saturday "high" of +9° and a real low of -6°. Sunday a high of +30° and Monday supposedly all the way up to 37° which sounds downright tropical, but is also the very first temp above freezing in the next 10 day forecast.  At this point, that may be our first thaw day.  Before the global warming hits again.
There are excellent reasons that I truly did not want to live here, ever again.  But, Someone Else was in charge, and I have made a covenant to go where He sent me.  Didn't say I might not grumble just a bit.  Now what?

We have gas, so we have heat and the ability to cook and bake.  But the gas company has been on our street since early this morning.  A whole bunch of people, about four trucks and two backhoes and the trailers that haul them.  Whether it's a causative thing or not, they don't know, but our next door neighbor (niece and husband), and then two doors further up the hill (nephew-in-law's parents) were discovered to have their gas meters in their basements, which has been in violation of the state fire codes for a LOOONG time after a  horrible fire at an apartment complex in the general area that had some fatalities back in 1982.  So, the gas company people came in, dug up people's front yards, tore up lawns and landscaping, pulled the meters out and put them outside, which is where they should have been all along.  I have my doubts that these meters caused OUR problems with icing, but if they start to have problems, then the matter is uphill from them, I guess.  But this sort of thing is really not what the crew would like to be doing in sub-freezing weather.    I guess a couple of them have been pulling in some decent overtime pay, having to come out on weekends, including holiday weekends, to deal with the issues.  I hate to do it to them, but there's really no choice, is there.



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Old Testament reading:
chapters 3 and 4 in the book of Genesis.  Yes, this is truly "beginnings".  Don't fly past Genesis.  There's a whole lot here, and some things that began there, still affect our world today.  And I'm not talking just about flowers and birds.
When I look at my waistline, I think of verse 12.  Yep.  Dear Wife, like Eve, put temptation in my path.  It's not my fault!  Yes, blaming others goes back a very long way, doesn't it?  Cain was a lot like that as well.

Genesis
Chapter 3

1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Chapter 4

1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

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Poetry reading:
chapter 2 of the Psalms.
As I sometimes remind people, much of the Bible, the Poetry sections in particular, and the Psalms is VERY particular, are best read out loud.  That was the purpose, after all.

Psalms
Chapter 2

1, Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.


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New Testament reading:
Chapter 2 in the Gospel of Matthew..
Laying the foundation for understanding Jesus' with respect to the earthly lineage and the fulfillment of prophecies.  Matthew was also known as Levi, and he had been one of those hated tax collectors.  Until he met the Lord.  Then things changed.

Matthew
Chapter 2

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.