17 February 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 17 February 2018

Trying to get a better start today than was the case for yesterday.  But we shall see.  Events have surprised me from time to time.  Like hour to hour, or less.

Supposed to make it up above freezing today.  But snow this evening and tonight.  Then well above freezing tomorrow, and a real warming trend through the week.  But the rain last night and all the snow melt (still ongoing) has led to quite a bit of localized flooding. 
There are areas around here that are chronic flood situations, happening several times a year, EVERY year.  One is on the road that my nephew and his wife live on.  But the "powers that be" can't be bothered to address the issue.  I gather that their attention is focused on the latest "green initiative" or some such nonsense.  Certainly isn't focused on fixing the notoriously awful roadways, nor dealing with the hideous number of waterline breaks.  But then, some of those waterlines are 40+ years old, and were often installed by much-less-than-honest contractors (I knew and had dealings with some of them, it's not an exaggeration).  But the money is diverted so other cronies can build amphitheaters, etc.  Part of a "bread and circuses" mentality.  If that's what you want to call it.

Meanwhile, one of the local school districts, pretty much taken over by the state, is admitting what most of us knew: that the diploma -- and, remember, they're tightly focused on increasing the graduation rates -- not only isn't an indicator of achievement and learning, it's not even a reliable certificate of attendance.  Seems that they're handing out diplomas and passing grades to "students" who mostly don't bother to attend, and some who can not READ Very "progressive" of them. 
We had a story in the local paper, one of them, the other day.  Female all of, I believe, 25, with 5 kids.  No husband, and never was.  No job, and never was.  Driving around "stoned".  Oh, well.  Multiply that by about 10,000 more such, and you begin to understand the reality of the destruction of the nation and of the culture.  And of the lives of many, beginning with those kids she endangered.  Some of whom are probably suffering either from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, or as "crack babies", or some similar conditions.  I wonder how they'll do in school studying Algebra.
And does anyone really believe that they'll be in Sunday School tomorrow?  Probably not, and probably she never was either.  There are results of that, and those are not good ones either.

Today, the "day" is to be 10 hours 43 minutes, and another 2 minutes 35 seconds tomorrow.  So that 11 hour "day" is not too far off.  After today, there are to be 11 more days in February, which means March.  March is not great, not my favorite, but it does get us into the months with short names, and away from those whose names end in "-ary" or "-ber".  A good thing, as I see it.  So things are trending in a better direction.


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Our reading for this day is chapters 5 and 6 in the book of Leviticus.  Again, keep in mind that these are the very words of the Lord, giving some precise instructions as well as the sense of what it means to follow His lead and direction.  Note as well that there are clauses here that remind the reader that unintentional sin, that done -- or not done -- out of ignorance or unawareness, is still a serious matter, and one to be addressed as soon as a person becomes aware of it.  So, obviously, ir's a good idea to be well versed in the Lord's commands and direction.  As the powers that be even in our time will say, "ignorance of the law is no excuse".  And, certainly, what the legalists (a group that I have encountered, it includes most lawyers and the parasites around them, and I despise the lot of them) term "willful blindness" is not an excuse either.  Yes, all have sinned and fallen short.  Me particularly.  But that is no excuse for not treating the Lord's commands seriously, for failing or refusing to be seeking His will and His way.
-- by the way, there are references here and throughout the Torah section of the Old Testament, to units of measure we no longer use, making the sense of things a bit unclear.  Just for info

  • an ephah (as in 5:20 for example) is approximately a bushel
  • a hin is about a gallon
  • a homer is roughly 6.5 bushels
  • but an omer is about 2 quarts 
now, if you're out in the middle of the desert, where do you get a bushel of grain that you don't need absolutely to eat?  Oh, wait, there's manna, right?


Leviticus 5
1  And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
2  Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.
3  Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.
4  Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.
5  And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:
6  And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
7  And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering
8  And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder:
9  And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.
10  And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him
11  But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.
12  Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: it is a sin offering.
13  And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest's, as a meat offering.
14  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
15  If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
16  And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.
17  And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
18  And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.
19  It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord.




Leviticus 6
1  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour
3  Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:
4  Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,
5  Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.in the day…: or, in the day of his being found guilty
6  And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:
7  And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.
8  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
9  Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.
10  And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
11  And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.
12  And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
13  The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
14  And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar.
15  And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the Lord.
16  And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
17  It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.
18  All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the Lord made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.
19  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
20  This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the Lord in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.
21  In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the Lord.
22  And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the Lord; it shall be wholly burnt.
23  For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
24  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
25  Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord: it is most holy.
26  The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.
27  Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.
28  But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.
29  All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.
30  And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.


16 February 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 16 February 2018

Late and short today. 

Wife and I had been "volunteered" to go "watch" her nephew's kids today.  An "in-service day" for teachers at their school, mom is working part-time, and dad worked last night until midnight or so and needs to sleep.  So we rolled out of the sack at 06:30, did all the morning stuff, and headed out, getting back just a bit ago.
The temp outside is about 22° lower than it was 24 hours ago, and snow is in the forecast.  Mid-50's yesterday, snow likely tonight and/or tomorrow.  That is many things, but fun is not one of them. 


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The Old Testament reading for the day is chapters 3 and 4 of the book of Leviticus.
Pay attention here, these are the very words of the Lord.
And, note as well the proviso that some of these are specifically noted as being appropriate only for seeking forgiveness for unintentional sins, sins out of ignorance or unwitting.  NOT for deliberate willful rejection of the Lord and of His commandments.

Leviticus 3
1  And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.
2  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
3  And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away
5  And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
6  And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.
7  If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord.
8  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.
9  And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
10  And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
11  And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord.
12  And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord.
13  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
14  And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
15  And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
16  And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the Lord's.
17  It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.



Leviticus 4
1  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
3  If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering.
4  And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the Lord.
5  And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
6  And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the veil of the sanctuary.
7  And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8  And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
9  And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,
10  As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
11  And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,
12  Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt\
13  And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
14  When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.
15  And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord: and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord.
16  And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:
17  And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, even before the veil.
18  And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the Lord, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
19  And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.
20  And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
21  And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.
22  When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
23  Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
24  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the Lord: it is a sin offering.
25  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
26  And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
27  And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
28  Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
29  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
30  And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
31  And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the Lord; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
32  And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
33  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
34  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
35  And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

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Psalm 35

A Psalm of David.
 
1  Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2  Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3  Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4  Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5  Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.
6  Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.dark
7  For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8  Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9  And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10  All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11  False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12  They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul
13  But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom
14I   behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.behaved myself
15  But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not
16  With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17  Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18  I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people
19  Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause
20  For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21  Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22  This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23  Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24  Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25  Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26  Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27  Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28  And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.



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Mark 7
 1  Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
2  And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
4  And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
5  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
6  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7   Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8   For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
10  For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
11  But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
12  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
13  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
14  And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
15  There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
16   If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
17  And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
18  And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
19   Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
20   And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21   For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22   Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23   All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
24  And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
25  For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
26  The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27  But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
28  And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
29  And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
30  And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
31  And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
32  And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
33  And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;
34  And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
35  And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
36  And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;
37  And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.


15 February 2018

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

A bit of  a sad day for me.  Today would have been my mother's birthday.  She passed over back in 2007.  She would have been 100 years old today.  Seems impossible, but she was the youngest in the family and didn't get married until she was 30 years old, an "old maid" in that time and in that culture.  She was born at home in Volant Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.  When she passed, we were living nearly a thousand miles away, lucky to make a visit of a few days, twice a year.  We'd been unable to see her very much for more than 15 years, and really only a few times a  year when we were "only" 25 miles away or so.  But I have good memories of her, and suspect that I'll be seeing her again, soon too perhaps.  But I do miss her, and wish desperately that I'd been able to be around her more.
So, it is a bit of a "downer" day just for that reason.

The news is full of the mass shooting at the high school in Florida yesterday.  17 dead, last I heard.  I understand that there was a security guard present, but that the "usual suspects" have enacted rules forbidding that person from being armed.  He saved a number of lives, but lost his own in so doing.  Carefully not mentioned in most of the accounts from the Lame Stream Media is that he was wearing a t-shirt proclaiming his solidarity with "antifa", or that he'd posted on social media both some violent threats against that school, interspersed with proclamations of "Allahu akbar".  So probably not an Amish kid on rumspringa, you think?

It was supposed to be all the way up to the 50's today, and above freezing again tonight.  We've made the 50's ok.  But starting to rain, something that is expected to get heavy later.  But we don't have to shovel rain, which is something.  To be barely above freezing for the "highs" on tomorrow and Saturday.  And snow likely.  But we're in the 2nd half of February now, a "day" of 10 hours 38 minutes and picking up 2 minutes 34 seconds tomorrow, so the 11  hour "day" is not too far off.  First day of Spring about 5 weeks off, and the beginning of Daylight Savings Time to be March 11.  Good signs, all of them.

A bit of an odd mood.  Was involved in a "frank and earnest exchange of views" earlier with someone I've known literally my whole life.  He's really really into the lefty-lib fad of the day or the week, has been for about the last 45 years or so.  Good guy, all in all.  But generally wrong.  Right now he's into the "hurray for the 'undocumented' aliens" and the Moslem "refugees" (rapefugees is more nearly correct).  Well into the "no borders" and "make America Mexico again" and the like.  I am not so inclined, having seen at all too close a distance the damage that individuals from both groups are doing all around the country and around the world.  He's quite upset with me right now.   Oh, well.

But then.  Wife is next door to "watch" the great-niece and great-nephew.  Good for all of them.  But Niece just called me to ask that I check on a feral cat that is between our place and the neighbor on the other side.  I did.  Feral cat.  Alive, but probably not for long.  We can;t afford the veterinarian's tab for our own inside cats, one of which probably needs it, so hauling this one off is out of the question.  We're barely feeding our own cats (and I could do without them but Wife vetoed the idea), so there's not much to be done.
Seems to me that the feral cat is more deserving of sympathy than a drug "mule" coming over the border with a rucksack of heroin or fentanyl, but the libs see it otherwise.

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Today's reading in the Old Testament has us taking up the book of Leviticus, chapters 1 and 2

Leviticus 1
 1  And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
3  If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.
4  And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
5  And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
6  And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.
7  And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:
8  And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
9  But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
10  And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
11  And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.
12  And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
13  But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
14  And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.
15  And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar
16  And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:his feathers: or, the filth thereof
17  And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.


Leviticus 2
1  And when any will offer a grain offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
2  And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord:
3  And the remnant of the grain offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire.
4  And if thou bring an oblation of a grain offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5  And if thy oblation be a grain offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
6  Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a grain offering.
7  And if thy oblation be a grain offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
8  And thou shalt bring the grain offering that is made of these things unto the Lord: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
9  And the priest shall take from the grain offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
10  And that which is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire.
11  No grain offering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire.
12  As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the Lord: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.be burnt:
13  And every oblation of thy grain offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy grain offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
14  And if thou offer a grain offering of thy firstfruits unto the Lord, thou shalt offer for the grain offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
15  And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a grain offering.
16  And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.




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In the day's Poetry section, we have Psalm 34
In this case, the name of Abimelech refers to a king of Gath, an enemy nation.  See 1st Samuel 21:10 -- 22:1

Psalm 34


A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.
1  I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2  My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5  They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed
6  This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7  The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
8  O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9  O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
10  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
11  Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12  What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15  The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16  The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17  The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18  The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit
19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
20  He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21  Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.desolate: or, guilty
22  The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.


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Our New Testament passage is chapter 6 in the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 6

1  And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2  And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4  But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5  And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6  And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
7  And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8  And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
9  But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10  And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
11   And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
14  And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
15  Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
16  But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
17  For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
18  For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
19  Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
20  For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
21  And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
22  And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
23  And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
24  And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
25  And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
26  And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
27  And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
28  And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
29  And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
30  And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
31  And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
32  And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
33  And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
34  And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
35  And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
36  Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
37  He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
38  He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
39  And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
40  And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
41  And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
42  And they did all eat, and were filled.
43  And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
44  And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
45  And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
46  And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
47  And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
48  And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
49  But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
50  For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
51  And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
52  For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.
53  And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
54  And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
55  And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
56  And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.