Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 15 March 2019

Happy 3rd Friday in March and last Friday in Winter.  Yay! 
Well, sort of.  Next Wednesday is first day in Spring, the so-called Vernal Equinox.  Supposedly going to be up to 50° that day.  Which is certainly better than I've too often seen, with heavy snows.  (Which can still happen, by the way).  But it certainly does not herald nice warm weather with windows open and flowers.  The forecast for the next week shows most of the nights falling below the freezing point, which I don't regard as a good thing.

Last night got downright scary.  Heavy rain storms, lots of high winds and lightning, an EF-0 tornado touched down in a nearby county, and lots of storm damage.  Whether it's related or not I do not know, but a fire in an apartment complex in a town near here, and a massive fire at a car dealership that completely destroyed the showroom building and all the new cars in it.  Fortunately, there were no injuries in either fire.  Not sure if there were casualties in the tornado touchdown.  Our little hovel isn't a good place to be in a windstorm or tornado, so we went next door with the niece and the kids, all prepared to take shelter in the basement.  Her husband was at work in an area manufacturing operation, and he called to let her know that they'd shut down the production lines and moved everyone into the restrooms, the most substantial interior divisions in their building, like every other factory I've been in (and I've been in too many).  The storm passed without hitting us directly, eventually, but it meant we missed our dinner and didn't get to bed until quite late.  The wind-down from the scary situation also made it hard to get to sleep.  We managed, or at least I did.  Seems that Wife got up while I was near dead, went out to kitchen, made herself an egg sandwich and mug of cocoa, and came back to bed with me none the wiser.  That's scary for me: sleeping light has kept me alive a few times and it certainly wasn't the case here.

Then we slept in later than we should have, and got up to go next door to "watch" the great-niece and great-nephew as their mom went into work for what was supposed to be just a few hours (but turned out to be a full shift) while their dad was grabbing some sleep after a 12-hour work shift.  So we were the surrogate watchers.  It's become Wife's reason to live, she doesn't really have another, which is a sad situation but it is what it is.

Beyond that, I don't have much of worth to say.

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The occasion in these early verses is termed Rosh Hashanah, celebrated by our Jewish friends, which this year begins at sundown on September 30, ending at sundown on October 1. 


Numbers 29

1And 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.

2And 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:

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

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

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

6Beside 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.

7And 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:

8But 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:

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

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

11One 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.

12And 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:

13And 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:

14And 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,

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

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

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

18And 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:

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

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

21And 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:

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

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

24Their 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:

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

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

27And 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:

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

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

30And 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:

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

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

33And 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:

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

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

36But 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:

37Their 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:

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

39These 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.

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

Numbers 30

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

2If 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.

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

4And 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.

5But 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.

6And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;

7And 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.

8But 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.

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

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

11And 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.

12But 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.

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

14But 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.

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

16These 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Luke 10

1After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

23And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.