Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 15 March 2018

Happy Thursday to all.

We have a dryer!!!  Yay!!  I just a moment ago finished wiring up the used-but-usable clothes dryer that Wife found on a buy-sell site for a whole $60!  It about wiped us out, leaving just about enough for when I go tomorrow (or so it appears) to the Pharmacy to pick up one of her prescriptions that had to be shipped in (one of those unusual ones).  Our old dryer was wired to a 4-prong plug, which fit up to the 4-prong plug in our laundry area.  This one came with a 3-prong plug, so there was a rewiring that had to take place.  We pushed it back into place, tried it, and it heats.  Hurrah!!  No more having jeans, towels, sheets, etc. hanging on one of those collapsible drying rack thingies in our "living room", and for two days or so at that: jeans and towels take a long time to dry.
But it made me think about some stuff.  We take a lot of these things for granted.  Toss stuff into a washing machine or a dishwasher, etc., turn it on and forget about it.  I grew up, the oldest kid, having to help my Mom hang clothes outside on a line.  Yes indeed (and a good number of my cousins still do that).  That was after I'd helped her with that old wringer-type washing machine and two rinse tubs (and a hose from the bathtub faucet to fill them and another hose from the tubs and washer to that same tub's drain).  But she was happy:  her mother (and dad's) had used washboards, not washing machines, and had to heat the water on coal stoves first.  A water heater was unheard of.  So she was happy.  Wasn't all good of course:  You haven't lived until you've gotten clothes off the line that are frozen stiff from being out there in 15° weather.  Or had to hang them wherever you could in the  house to finish drying.  A dryer does away with all that, but who thinks to thank the Lord for one?
Our church had missionaries visiting two weeks ago.  They serve in Africa.  Nice people.  She's from Indiana (but not related to my relatives there: I asked).  She showed photos of having to "do" their clothes in big pots on an open fire.  Not what she was used to in Indiana.  A bit of culture shock.  But they persevere, and are engaged in a great work.

But we also neglect to give thanks for having clothes to wash.  Having at one time been down to the clothes on my back, I remember that.

An "attitude of gratitude".  A very important thing.  We don't realize how blessed we are until something goes wrong.

The weather prognosticators tell us that we shall have "lake effect" snow starting this evening.  For the uniformed, we live about 60 miles south of the Great Lakes, that vast inland sea.  At various times during the winter, a cold blast comes out of NW Canada, nicknamed the "Alberta Clipper", comes across the relatively warmer Great Lakes and picks up moisture therefrom, then comes overland above an area that is colder than the water, and dumps megatons of moisture in the form of snow.  Heavy snow.  Part of the "joy" of living in these parts.  Sometimes, those warning are overblown.  Sometimes, the area gets a foot or more of snow.  That's a whole lot of misery.  And it may be heading our way this very evening.


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Numbers 29

 1  And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

2  And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish:

3  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram,

4  And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:

5  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you:

6  Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.

7  And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein:

8  But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish:

9  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram,

10  A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:

11  One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.

12  And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days:

13  And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:

14  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,

15  And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs:

16  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

17  And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

18  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

19  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings.

20  And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;

21  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

22  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.

23  And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

24  Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

25  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

26  And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

27  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

28  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.

29  And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

30  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

31  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

32  And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

33  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

34  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

35  On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein:

36  But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish:

37  Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

38  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.

39  These things ye shall do unto the Lord in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.do: or, offer

40  And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.

Numbers 30

1  And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded.

2  If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.break: Heb. profane

3  If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;

4  And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.

5  But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

6  And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;she vowed: Heb. her vows were upon her

7  And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

8  But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the Lord shall forgive her.

9  But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.

10  And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;

11  And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

12  But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the Lord shall forgive her.

13  Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

14  But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.

15  But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

16  These are the statutes, which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.

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Psalm 54

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?

1  Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.

2  Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

3  For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

4  Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

5  He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.

6  I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good.

7  For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

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Luke 9

1  Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

2  And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

3  And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

4  And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.

5  And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.

6  And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

7  Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;

8  And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

9  And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.

10  And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

11  And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

12  And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.

13  But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

14  For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.

15  And they did so, and made them all sit down.

16  Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

17  And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

18  And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

19  They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

20  He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.

21  And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;

22  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

27  But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

28  And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

29  And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

30  And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:

31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

32  But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

33  And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

34  While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

35  And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

36  And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

37 And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him.

38  And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.

39  And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

40  And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

41  And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.

42  And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

43  And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,

44  Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

45  But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

46  Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

47  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,

48  And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

49  And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

50  And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

51  And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

52  And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

53  And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

54  And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

55  But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

56   For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

57  And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

58  And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

59  And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

60  Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

61  And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

62  And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.