today's readings and stuff -- Tuesday, 11 September 2018

Today is a grim day of remembrance.  I think that I need not explain why.

But it has also been a bit of a lesson for Dear Wife and I.  Seventeen years, and three states ago, we were approaching our anniversary.  Wife did something probably not seen before in those parts, she had sent flowers to me, at work!  Nobody'd ever seen such a thing, and the ladies in the office were all atwitter over it as we -- those who had the "privilege" of doing so --  went into the regular morning meeting.  A few comments over the flowers even at the start of the meeting, before we "got down to business".
I expected more commentary on the matter as we exited the meeting and came out into the division office.  Not to be.  The phones were ringing, clumps of people were clustered around computer screens, as we watched the planes do their thing.
Needless to say, the matter of a guy getting flowers at work from his wife in honor of their anniversary was quickly forgotten as our countrymen died at the hands of evil.
What a contrast!!  One day, a day of love and affection that was seen by many.  The next, one focused on death and destruction, with an awareness of much more to follow.
That's how quickly things can change.  And have.

We were living in west Arkansas at the time, a good job, until the plant shut down just a few years later.  Then the move to Tennessee.  Which employer shut down less than six months later.  Then the move to Alabama, until that one entered a "downsizing mode" less than a year later.  A longer-than-expected unemployment situation, then nearly six years of a lousy job.  And then this latest, and probably last, relocation.  We know, perhaps better than almost anyone, how quickly the world can change.
But the Lord has been there throughout, and is driving this bus.

So we'll choose to focus on the blessings.  OK?


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Isaiah 23

1The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.

2Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

3And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

4Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.

5As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

6Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

7Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

8Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

9The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

10Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.

11He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.

12And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Kittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

13Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

14Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

15And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.

16Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

17And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

18And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Isaiah 24

1Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

2And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.

3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

5The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

8The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

10The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

11There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

12In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

13When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.

14They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

15Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

16From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

17Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

18And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

20The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

21And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

23Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

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Proverbs 11

1A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

2When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

4Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

7When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

8The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

9An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

13A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

14Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

15He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

16A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

17The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

18The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

19As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

20They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

21Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

22As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

23The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

24There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

25The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

26He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

27He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

28He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

29He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

31Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

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Colossians 3

1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

18Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

19Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

20Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

21Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

22Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

25But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.