Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 11 January 2018

First order of business is the song of the day.  Now, this is not one you'll find in a hymnal, probably.  Definitely not "high church" or southern gospel.  OK?  But it was in my mind in that eerie half-awake/half-asleep period in the early morning hours.  And still is.  Yes, that just might set one's thoughts in the right order for the day, or, ideally, longer.
At The Cross is that title. 
Meditate upon that theme for awhile.  Yes, His sacrifice changed us, changed me.

It's 50° or so outside right now.  And .... the gas company is on the street, digging up front yards and all sorts.  They've got about 5 trucks, plus at least one backhoe that I could see.  So, of course, none of us, nobody on the street has gas for heat or hot water or cooking or anything.  I talked to the crew a few minutes ago, not sure if they've found anything yet, but I know they damage done to some front yards and landscaping has upset people up and down the road.  I hope they find and fix the problem today, this has not been fun at all.
And, yes, 50's today.  Tomorrow, depending on which  Tarot cards and Ouija boards that the weathercasters have consulted, we should be getting anywhere from 4 inches to a foot of snow.  Sunday's "high" expected to be in the mid-teens, and maintain that pattern for at least the following week if not longer.  So having some heat would be real nice.  But tomorrow we pick up another minute and 22 seconds of daylight.  We're at 9 hours 26 minutes now, which is not what I want, but it's a lot better than what we had a few weeks ago, and we're picking up speed.
But so would having water, even cold water.  We've been without water for more than a week now.  Brother-in-law was here night before last, the fix didn't last even 2 seconds.  He'd promised to be back yesterday afternoon after work, but we never saw him nor heard a word.  I've got piles of dirty dishes and dirty laundry and have enough water in a bucket to flush the toilet just once.  Not a lot of fun.


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Our passage for the day from the Old Testament is chapters 21 and 22 from the Genesis.

Genesis 21

21:1		And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
21:2		For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
21:3		And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
21:4		And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
21:5		And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
21:6		And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
21:7		And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
21:8		And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
21:9		And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
21:10		Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
21:11		And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
21:12		And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
21:13		And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
21:14		And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
21:15		And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
21:16		And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
21:17		And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
21:18		Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
21:19		And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
21:20		And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21:21		And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
21:22		And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
21:23		Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
21:24		And Abraham said, I will swear.
21:25		And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
21:26		And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
21:27		And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
21:28		And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
21:29		And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
21:30		And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
21:31		Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
21:32		Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
21:33		And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
21:34		And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

Genesis 22

22:1		And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
22:2		And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
22:3		And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
22:4		Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
22:5		And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
22:6		And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
22:7		And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
22:8		And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
22:9		And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
22:10		And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
22:11		And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
22:12		And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
22:13		And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
22:14		And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
22:15		And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
22:16		And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
22:17		That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
22:18		And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
22:19		So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
22:20		And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;
22:21		Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
22:22		And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
22:23		And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
22:24		And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

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Our reading today in the Poetry section is Psalm 9

Psalm 9

9:1		I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
9:2		I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.
9:3		When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
9:4		For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.
9:5		Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
9:6		O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.
9:7		But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.
9:8		And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
9:9		The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
9:10		And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
9:11		Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
9:12		When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.
9:13		Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:
9:14		That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.
9:15		The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.
9:16		The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.
9:17		The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
9:18		For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.
9:19		Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
9:20		Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.

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Our New Testament reading today is chapter 9 in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 9

9:1		And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
9:2		And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
9:3		And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
9:4		And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
9:5		For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
9:6		But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
9:7		And he arose, and departed to his house.
9:8		But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
9:9		And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
9:10		And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
9:11		And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
9:12		But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
9:13		But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
9:14		Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
9:15		And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
9:16		No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
9:17		Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
9:18		While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
9:19		And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
9:20		And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
9:21		For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
9:22		But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
9:23		And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
9:24		He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
9:25		But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
9:26		And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
9:27		And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.
9:28		And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
9:29		Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
9:30		And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
9:31		But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
9:32		As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
9:33		And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
9:34		But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
9:35		And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
9:36		But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
9:37		Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
9:38		Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 10 January 2018

Actually above freezing for a few hours today.  Supposed to hit 55° tomorrow!  But Sunday's "high" still looking to be around +16°.  And remain in that region for the week thereafter.  Boo!  But I am reminded that tomorrow we pick up another minute and 18 seconds of daylight.  That's some progress, albeit grudging and slow.  But it's something.
We still have no water here, and I am told we're not the only ones in that fix.  I was at the hardware store again this afternoon (after picking up a refill of one of Wife's meds.  I was by no means the only person looking for the same items to deal with the same issues.  And we're not even halfway through January, the usual worst weather is yet to come.  In fact, starting Friday, just a few days from now, we're supposedly going to get one of those monumental snow events.  4"-8" perhaps, 8"-12" also possible.
Brother-in-law had promised to come by late this afternoon and we'd make another attempt on the broken water lines in the crawl space.  No sign of him nor word from him.  He knows a lot more about this than I do, so I'm relying rather heavily on him.  But no show.  I imagine that there was a reason.


Our Psalm today suggests the song of the day.  How Majestic Is Your Name
There are two very distinct versions, I like them both very much.  Here is the other, the one I'm more familiar with and have sung.  Though our version was longer by a good bit.

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Today from the Old Testament, chapters 19 and 20 of the Genesis.
Now, fair warning.  The behavior of Lot's daughters is pretty bad.  His getting drunk allowed it.  And the results of that bad behavior troubled the earth for a very long time, and perhaps today even.

Genesis  19

19:1		And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
19:2		And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
19:3		And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
19:4		But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
19:5		And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
19:6		And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
19:7		And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
19:8		Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
19:9		And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
19:10		But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
19:11		And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
19:12		And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
19:13		For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
19:14		And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
19:15		And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
19:16		And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
19:17		And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
19:18		And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD:
19:19		Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
19:20		Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
19:21		And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
19:22		Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
19:23		The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
19:24		Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
19:25		And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
19:26		But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
19:27		And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:
19:28		And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
19:29		And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
19:30		And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
19:31		And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
19:32		Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
19:33		And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
19:34		And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
19:35		And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
19:36		Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
19:37		And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
19:38		And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Genesis 20

20:1		And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
20:2		And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
20:3		But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
20:4		But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
20:5		Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
20:6		And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
20:7		Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
20:8		Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
20:9		Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
20:10		And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
20:11		And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
20:12		And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
20:13		And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
20:14		And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
20:15		And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
20:16		And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
20:17		So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
20:18		For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

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The selection for today in the Poetry category is Psalm 8

Psalms 8

8:1		O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
8:2		Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
8:3		When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
8:4		What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
8:5		For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
8:6		Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
8:7		All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8:8		The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
8:9		O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

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The day's reading in the New Testament is chapter 8 in the Gospel of Matthew
Verse 34 and around it has always troubled me.  Here, Jesus did a great thing for a poor fellow.  The result?  "Go away!"

Matthew 8

8:1		When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
8:2		And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
8:3		And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
8:4		And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
8:5		And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
8:6		And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
8:7		And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8:8		The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
8:9		For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
8:10		When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
8:11		And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
8:12		But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
8:13		And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
8:14		And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
8:15		And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
8:16		When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
8:17		That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
8:18		Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
8:19		And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
8:20		And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
8:21		And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
8:22		But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
8:23		And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
8:24		And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
8:25		And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
8:26		And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
8:27		But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
8:28		And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
8:29		And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
8:30		And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
8:31		So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
8:32		And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
8:33		And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
8:34		And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 09 January 2018

Well, we actually got -- ever so slightly -- above the freezing point today.  Supposed to be even more so for the next few days.  Then ........  then it all goes back in the wrong direction.  By Sunday, we are seeing a forecast "high" of 17°.  Not exactly what I'd like to see, but, again, I don't get to have a vote.

And we still have no water.  Brother in law came by after work, he knows FAR more about this than I ever have.  We spent some time underneath in the crawl space, finding a leak (we  hope it's the only one) then off to the hardware store, then back and do the install.  And it still leaks, right there.  So, tomorrow, more parts, another try. 
Meanwhile, the gas fireplace beside me is beginning to "whistle".  Not real bad, not yet.  So, I guess we'll be placing another call to the gas company in the morning.
This is not a great winter, and we're less than a month into the official season.  I am not enjoying this.  Probably not surprising.
I went next door this afternoon and filled some pitchers of water, so we could cook and wash our hands.  Before doing so, I'd heated some water and washed some dishes by hand so we had clean pans and silverware.  My grandmothers and aunts used to do something similar, heating water (drawn from a well using a hand pump) in a well on a coal-fired stove, and then doing the washing by hand.  They'd think me lazy: they made a point of wiping the clean dishes dry and putting them away.  I let them sit in a drainer and air dry.  They were glad they didn't have to haul water in buckets from a stream.  Yes, attitude and expectations are important.
But it would be nice to get hot water out of a  faucet again.  And carrying 5-gallon buckets of water over here to flush the toilet gets old.  Still better than an outdoor privy, warmer at least.

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Old Testament reading:  chapters 17 and 18 of the Genesis.

Genesis  17

17:1		And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
17:2		And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
17:3		And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
17:4		As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
17:5		Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
17:6		And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
17:7		And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
17:8		And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
17:9		And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
17:10		This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
17:11		And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
17:12		And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
17:13		He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
17:14		And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
17:15		And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
17:16		And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
17:17		Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
17:18		And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
17:19		And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
17:20		And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
17:21		But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
17:22		And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
17:23		And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
17:24		And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
17:25		And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
17:26		In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
17:27		And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

Genesis 18

18:1		And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
18:2		And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
18:3		And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
18:4		Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
18:5		And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
18:6		And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
18:7		And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
18:8		And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
18:9		And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
18:10		And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
18:11		Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
18:12		Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
18:13		And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
18:14		Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
18:15		Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
18:16		And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
18:17		And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18:18		Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
18:19		For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
18:20		And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
18:21		I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
18:22		And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
18:23		And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
18:24		Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
18:25		That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
18:26		And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
18:27		And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:
18:28		Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
18:29		And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
18:30		And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
18:31		And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
18:32		And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
18:33		And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

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Poetry passage:  Psalm 7.

The passage itself terms this to be a "shiggaionoth".  That's not a familiar term.  To quite one web site, 

The word denotes a lyrical poem composed under strong mental emotion; a song of impassioned imagination accompanied with suitable music; a dithyrambic ode.   

Sounds like a hymn.

Psalms
Chapter 7

7:1		O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
7:2		Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
7:3		O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
7:4		If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)
7:5		Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.
7:6		Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.
7:7		So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.
7:8		The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
7:9		Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
7:10		My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
7:11		God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
7:12		If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
7:13		He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
7:14		Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
7:15		He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
7:16		His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
7:17		I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high

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Today's New Testament reading is chapter 7 in the Gospel of Matthew

This begins with the most misquoted misused verse in the Bible.

7:1		Judge not, that ye be not judged.
7:2		For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
7:3		And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
7:4		Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
7:5		Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
7:6		Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7:7		Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
7:8		For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
7:9		Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
7:10		Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
7:11		If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
7:12		Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
7:13		Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
7:14		Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
7:15		Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
7:16		Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
7:17		Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
7:18		A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
7:19		Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
7:20		Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
7:21		Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
7:22		Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
7:23		And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
7:24		Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
7:25		And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
7:26		And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
7:27		And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
7:28		And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
7:29		For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 08 January 2018

Supposedly to be warmer today.  Certainly warmer than what we've seen for the last week or so.  Of course, that means it will snow some more:  sometimes it's actually too blasted cold to snow, so there's a not-so-sweet-spot where it's a bit less frigid and your "reward" is even more of that awful stuff called snow.  Sigh.
But yesterday was 64 seconds longer, the "day" portion I mean, than Saturday.  Today is to be 68 seconds longer than that.  Tomorrow another 71 seconds gained.  So we're making some progress.  One of the several awful things about living in this area at this time of year is that the sun goes down early and comes up late.  So, like yesterday, sunrise was not until 07:48, and sunset as 5:10 p.m.  For many years, I had to be at work at 07:30, meaning I was there by 07:10, heading to work in the dark, and leaving in the dark.  (And, all too often, left in the dark all day, but that is a separate issue).  I'd rather see sunrise at 05:10 and sunset around 8:45 p.m.  Year around.  But I don't get to vote on the matter.
So I have confidence that Spring will, eventually, arrive.  I just hate the knowledge of what we must endure until that point.  Oh, and the prediction is for a high of 54° on Thursday, then a "high" of 17° on Sunday. 
At least we shouldn't be "frozen in" as we were yesterday.  Yeah, I was able to go across the backyard once.  It seems that we aren't the only ones having gas line freezeups.  Wife's niece who lives next door woke yesterday to a house temperature in the 50''s no gas to the furnace or the gas range.  Had to have the gas company out on a Sunday morning.   We were spared that.  Now, she'd not had a problem until this last week when they moved her meter from the basement to an outdoor location.    Gets a freezeup a few days later, meaning water intruded into the natural gas line from the road to the house, and froze in the metter.  NOT happy!    Company HAD planned to show up today with lots of digging equipment and dig up the line between her house and our hovel, figuring that the cracked line had to be between us.  Now???  I guess we shall see.
And, in the meantime, we still have no water and the access is frozen due to the horrid temperatures we've been suffering.  Perhaps tomorrow things will have thawed enough that we can gain access and accurately assess what needs to be done.  Would be nice:  this business of hauling 5-gallon buckets of water for "flushing" purposes and every pitcher, bottle, and jar we have to get water for cooking and washing and such is, well, getting more than a bit old.  And making me feel old as well.  I worked hard for more than 40 years to avoid ending my days in conditions like this, and certainly intended much better for my One True Love.  So much for planning.
Going across the back yard in a few minutes to haul water.  But still better than hauling buckets from a muddy river, with the bucket on my head or with two of them suspended from a timber across my shoulders, things that are part of daily life in many parts of the world.  Today.  So, it's a blessing, believe it or not.




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The Old Testament reading for today is chapters 15 and 16 of the Genesis.
As is the case throughout Genesis, there are names and issues that are very much with us to this day.
For example, Abram, having been promised by the Lord, that he would have kids. looked at situation, saw that he was 86 or so and his wife, Sarai, wasn't far behind, and decided -- well, they both did -- to "help things along" rather than wait on the Lord.  So, in time, an alternative was found, and a child was born, Ishmael by name.  Not too many kids named Ishmael around, are there?  But Ishmael had kids in time.  Ishmael is the father of the Arabs.  Now do you see?  Disobedience has had LONG results, bad ones.  Right up to today.

Genesis  15

15:1		After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
15:2		And Abram said, LORD God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
15:3		And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
15:4		And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
15:5		And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
15:6		And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
15:7		And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
15:8		And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
15:9		And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
15:10		And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
15:11		And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
15:12		And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
15:13		And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
15:14		And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15:15		And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
15:16		But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
15:17		And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
15:18		In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
15:19		The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
15:20		And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
15:21		And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Genesis  16

16:1		Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
16:2		And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
16:3		And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
16:4		And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
16:5		And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
16:6		But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
16:7		And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
16:8		And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
16:9		And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
16:10		And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
16:11		And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
16:12		And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
16:13		And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
16:14		Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
16:15		And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16:16		And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

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Our reading in the Poetry section for the day is Psalm 6
Good words, and good memory verses here.


Psalms  6

1:1		Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
1:2		But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
1:3		And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
1:4		The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
1:5		Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
1:6		For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

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Our reading in the New Testament for today is chapter 6 in the Gospel of Matthew
More from the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew  6

6:1		Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
6:2		Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6:3		But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
6:4		That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
6:5		And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6:6		But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
6:7		But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
6:8		Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
6:9		After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
6:10		Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
6:11		Give us this day our daily bread.
6:12		And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
6:13		And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6:14		For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
6:15		But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
6:16		Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6:17		But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
6:18		That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
6:19		Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
6:20		But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
6:21		For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
6:22		The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
6:23		But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
6:24		No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
6:25		Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
6:26		Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
6:27		Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
6:28		And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
6:29		And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
6:30		Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
6:31		Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
6:32		(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
6:33		But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
6:34		Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Today's Readings and Stuff == Sunday, 07 January 2018

COOLD!  Here!!

Yeah, brother in law came by yesterday  (with sister-in-law) to look at our plumbing situation (going on a week now with no water).  To prepare, I'd gone to gas station, bought $10 in diesel fuel, dragged nephew's torpedo heater over and, fueled, started heating the air in our crawl space.  Good preparation?  Yes, I guess.   Sufficient?  No.  When they got here, we tried to pull aside that PVC that blocks (we hope) wind intrusion, animal intrusion, etc. in the space.  Only to find that stuff in that area was frozen so solid that we couldn't gain access.  So ,,,,  I went around to the other side, the opening I had that torpedo heater blowing into.  Pulled it out, leading to a shower of sparks when the housing touched the  outside faucet.  NOT a good thing.  I unplugged the torpedo (it has a blower, you see) and pulled it out.  Tried to wriggle around inside.  No can do.  Not enough space to do so.  And it appears that raccoons, opossums, and an army of feral cats had been active -- most of our sub-floor insulation, including what I'd installed this last summer, was torn up and laying on the ground.  Which, in turn, explains the cold floors and drafts.  NOT good, and nothing I can do about it until Spring at least.    So....  Jim will try to come back Tuesday or Wednesday, when the air temperature is predicted to be in the upper 30's at least, so hopefully the frozen sections will be accessible.

So, no water, still.  I went next door and lugged about 14 gallons over, in various buckets and pitchers.  Lets me heat some water on stove and wash some of the dishes at least.  Some.

This is not turning into a great year, and we're only a week into it.

So we're frozen in and staying home today.  Not even venturing out into the frozen wilderness to attend church worship services.  Yes, that cold.
Now, we have been assured that despite last night's dalliance with temperatures around the -10° mark, today may see a near-tropical +23°!  And a low of +21°, which would be a good bit nicer than our recent "high" temperatures.  And possibly hit 50 on Thursday.  It would be nice to be able to get at stuff and fix the water issue at least.  The torn-down insulation, well,it will have to wait until Spring, at least.  And even then .....  this place is showing its age.  It's been pretty cheap to live in (necessary in our circumstances), and Wife really needed to be back around the area she regards as "home" and around her family.  With niece and their kids next door, and much of the rest of the family nearby, she has that.  But if this place continues to deteriorate faster than we can mend, we'll be needing a fallback.  The emotional strain would be tough on, and most places that we could afford (barely) aren't pet-friendly.  Cats don't bark, which is a plus, but it's still an issue.



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Our study today is chapters 13 and 14 in the Genesis.
Abram, who will later be known as Abraham, is one of those Biblical characters whose life and walk with the Lord led to things that affect each of us and our world to this very day.
But there is much else here.  It is here, for example, that we see the first (but not last) mention of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Here we meet Melchizedek.  He, incidentally was king of Salem.  Salem is now known as Jerusalem, an axis of interest to this very day.   His name will pop up several times later in the Bible.

Genesis 13

13:1		And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
13:2		And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
13:3		And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;
13:4		Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
13:5		And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
13:6		And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
13:7		And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
13:8		And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
13:9		Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
13:10		And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
13:11		Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
13:12		Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13:13		But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
13:14		And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
13:15		For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
13:16		And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
13:17		Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
13:18		Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Genesis 14

14:1		And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
14:2		That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
14:3		All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
14:4		Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
14:5		And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
14:6		And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.
14:7		And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.
14:8		And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
14:9		With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.
14:10		And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
14:11		And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
14:12		And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
14:13		And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
14:14		And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
14:15		And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
14:16		And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
14:17		And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
14:18		And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
14:19		And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
14:20		And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
14:21		And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
14:22		And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
14:23		That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
14:24		Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.