Updates -- 12 May 2012

It has been a very interesting couple of weeks for us.

Mother's Day is upon us.  A good thing.  But it is tempered with the memory that, just over five years ago, in the space of five weeks, Dear Wife and I both lost our mothers.  Makes this time of year a bit tough for us.  One daughter lives near us but is also married and a full time college student in a very demanding program, so we see little of her.  Other daughter, old one, lives several states away, so we see very little of her either.  Makes the more traditional observances of the day difficult.

We spent last weekend traveling.  Thursday morning we set out on a 650-odd mile drive to spend a few days with Beloved Older Daughter (noted above) and Esteemed Son-in-Law in order to be suitably proud as she graduated from University.  We are so proud of her!  Next year at this time, Lord willing, we will  repeat the trek as Esteemed Son-in-Law does likewise.  We have been in no financial position to help them -- we're relying heavily on the day-old bread store -- and they've had to finance the whole matter with full-time employment and relatively modest student loans.  We are proud of them both.
At the same time, by spending a few days in their spare bedroom, we got to see so many of those who we came to know and love in the five years we lived in that small town.,  So many wonderful memories.  And some that are bittersweet also.  The friends who went through a bitter divorce.  The school friends of our daughters who came to regard us as their substitute parents who are now single mothers.  The one with a serious case of Multiple Sclerosis.  The empty houses with "For Sale - Price Reduced" signs out front.   The empty store fronts and closed-down factories (Gone To Mexico or China) that have led to the empty houses.  All the things of life.  We miss that area and the friends and life we had there.  More of the Storms of Life.

A while back, someone who had worked for Dear Wife at a restaurant she managed, called her in desperation.  Bad health, including HIV, diabetes, peripheral circulatory problems, and others, no money and no home.  We let him stay with us "for a while".  Still here.  The health issues have caused the amputation of half one of his feet.  The diabetes and HIV create their own set of issues.  It has taken TWO YEARS to get him onto the Medicare/Medicaid/SSDI wagon.  And being a homosexual doesn't improve things.
Three weeks ago, without telling us, he drove off in our car.  Supposedly to make an appointment at a local AIDS/HIV clinic.   Probably he did.  He then drove to a local public park often frequented by the local homosexual community for "hookup" purposes.  And managed to get arrested there on a loitering charge.  Not helped, incidentally, by the fact that his driver license was LONG since revoked, or that there was an active warrant over unpaid fines.  We got a call.  From the jail.  Where he was.  With the news that our car, our ONLY car, had been towed and impounded.  NOT, I assure you, what I needed to hear, particularly when I was dressing to go to work, expecting for that purpose to be driving that car that was on the far side of town in an impound yard.  By God's grace and some help, we got a ride to go over there, pay a horrendous fee to recover our own property, so that I could go to work.  Did not improve my attitude, believe me.  Having to go to the city jail a few days later so as to arrange to give some of his meds to the nurse who oversees the needs of the inmates was not what I had planned for that day.  Judge sentenced him to a 30-day stretch.  We got a call a couple days ago from the jail that he had been transferred to the local charity hospital with severe respiratory infections (the city doesn't want to be on the hook, financially, for his care).  Yesterday Dear Wife and a family friend went to the hospital and brought him back to our little dwelling.  He has nowhere else to go.  Needless to say, we are going to be keeping a close hold on the car keys from this point forward.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- 28 April 2012

I must, again, apologize for the l-o-n-g gaps in posting this year.  It has been a bit bumpy,
Long time readers may recall that, after enduring a series of job losses, part of the hollowing-out of American manufacturing, I took a job about four years ago in a relatively low-level (and low pay) role that was supposed to last only a few months.  And was to be strictly day turn.  That latter morphed into a "short stint" on the night shift, beginning the first week of November.  Of 2009.  While so immured, I was off-site and off the radar through hideous turmoil at our company headquarters that saw half a dozen Engineering managers, four HR managers, and a like number of others pass through the revolving door.  Several of whom, despite my on-paper direct reporting relationship, I never met!
I finally got to meet my newest manager back in late January (he'd been in place since early autumn) and had a 2nd meeting at the end of February.  At that point, I finally unloaded, and filled him in on the situation and requested an adjustment in the situation.
OK.
Four weeks ago, while en route to yet another all-night shift, I got a call "inviting" me to a meeting the following day with him.  Upshot of that was that I was being re-defined in the engineering role, to commence effective immediately, and a Day job at that.
So far, so good.  That lasted about 2-1/2 weeks.
Then, one morning, on route to work, I got an emergency call to the effect that my replacement had suffered a serious injury, and that I needed to fill in on the off-site role, days, for the next month or so.
Force majeure, I guess.
That lasted one week.  Then someone who apparently has more avenues of persuasion than do I prevailed and I found myself once again relegated to the night shift.  A week of which has just ended.
Color me unhappy.  And definitely suffering the effects of disrupted sleep cycles.

and also this.
Dear Wife suffers from advanced autoimmune disease, to include things like lupus, Grave's Disease, Sjogren's Syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and related ailments.  Her eyesight isn't good and the amount of medication required every day to keep her alive is considerable, as is the cost. And there are some side effects.
About a week ago, she lost her glasses.  A week of searching a small place turned up nothing, and finally she arranged to have someone take her to the eye doctor.  She'd been complaining of darkening anyway, which is a concern.  I went back to sleep, part of the side effect of working a shift that lasts about 12 hours and gets me into bed around 7 a.m.  She came back from the eye doctor and woke me up, saying "God is SO good!".  Hard to argue that, of course.
Had she not lost her glasses, she would not have gone for the exam.  Had she not gone for the exam, withing two months she would have been permanently blind.  Eye doctor spotted some blocks of something inside the eye.  What they were, and are, are a buildup of a drug called plaquenil, a med she has been taking for several years.  Helps with a lot of her conditions.  And has some side effects.  Buildup inside the eye is supposedly one of them, something ALL her physicians have clearly overlooked and have not been checking for.
So she has new glasses, and the Plaquenil is now off her daily regimen.  And hopefully some of the damage will reverse.
All because she lost her glasses.
God is SO good!
=====
Todays's reading from the Old Testament is chapters 19 and 20 of 2nd Samuel.  David is king, and things aren't always great.  Even in the palace.

II Samuel 19

1	And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
2	And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
3	And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
4	But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5	And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
6	In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
7	Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.
8	Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9	And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
10	And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?
11	And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.
12	Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
13	And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
14	And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
15	So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
16	And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17	And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
18	And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
19	And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20	For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21	But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?
22	And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23	Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
24	And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
25	And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?
26	And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.
27	And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
28	For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
29	And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
30	And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
31	And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.
32	Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
33	And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.
34	And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
35	I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
36	Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
37	Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.
38	And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.
39	And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.
40	Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
41	And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan?
42	And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?
43	And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

II Samuel 20

1	And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
2	So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3	And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4	Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.
5	So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6	And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
7	And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8	When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
9	And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
10	But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11	And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
12	And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13	When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14	And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
15	And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
16	Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
17	And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
18	Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
19	I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?
20	And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21	The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
22	Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.
23	Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:
24	And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:
25	And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
26	And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

This evening, verses 20-38 of the 21st chapter in the Gospel of Luke.  Jesus is speaking of End Times.

Luke 21:20-38

20	And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21	Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22	For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23	But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24	And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
25	And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26	Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27	And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28	And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29	And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30	When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31	So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32	Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33	Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
34	And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35	For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36	Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
37	And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.
38	And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Today's Readings -- 03 April 2012

We appear so far to have escaped the awful tornadoes that tore up Texas today. I confess to being grateful that we have -- at this point -- escaped. At the same time, those are real people going through this. May the Lord watch over them.
This is Holy Week, reminding us of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. A time for thought and prayer and meditating on the Lord's work on our behalf.


The Old Testament reading for today is from the book of the Judges, chapters 10 and 11.

Judges 10

1	And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.
2	And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
3	And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
4	And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
5	And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
6	And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
7	And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
8	And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
9	Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.
10	And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
11	And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?
12	The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.
13	Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
14	Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
15	And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
16	And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
17	Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.
18	And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Judges 11

1	Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
2	And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.
3	Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.
4	And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
5	And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:
6	And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.
7	And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
8	And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
9	And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
10	And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
11	Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.
12	And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?
13	And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
14	And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:
15	And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
16	But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;
17	Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.
18	Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.
19	And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.
20	But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
21	And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.
22	And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.
23	So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?
24	Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.
25	And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,
26	While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?
27	Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
28	Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
29	Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
30	And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
31	Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
32	So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
33	And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
34	And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
35	And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
36	And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
37	And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
38	And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
39	And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
40	That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

This evening, verses 1-36 from the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 9:1-36

1	Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2	And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
3	And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4	And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5	And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
6	And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
7	Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;
8	And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
9	And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
10	And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
11	And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
12	And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
13	But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
14	For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
15	And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16	Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17	And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
18	And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
19	They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
20	He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
21	And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;
22	Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
23	And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24	For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25	For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
26	For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
27	But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
28	And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29	And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
30	And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
31	Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
32	But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
33	And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
34	While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
35	And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
36	And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

Today's Readings -- 31 March 2012

Happy Saturday. Lot of storms here yesterday. And that's not including the "normal" behaviors around here on a Friday night, the "stealing and dealing, shootin' and lootin'" activities, nor the effects of such on the overall culture. Rain storms end. Seeing a murdered friend on a slab doesn't get better by next week. I know.
But God reigns, and does still perform miracles. Quite a record of it in fact. I know that also.

This morning's reading is chapters 3, 4, and 5 of the Judges. It is sometimes useful, but uncomfortable, to realize that despite our technological advances and several thousand years's of history since the time of these accounts, the human being really hasn't changed. And bad behavior leads to bad results, no matter what the 'elites' tell you.

Judges 3 Back to Top

1	Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2	Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
3	Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.
4	And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5	And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6	And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7	And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
8	Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
9	And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10	And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
11	And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12	And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
13	And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
14	So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15	But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
16	But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
17	And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
18	And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
19	But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
20	And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlor, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
21	And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22	And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
23	Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked them.
24	When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
25	And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlor; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
26	And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
27	And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
28	And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
29	And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man.
30	So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
31	And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Judges 4 Back to Top

1	And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.
2	And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
3	And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
4	And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
5	And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
6	And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
7	And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
8	And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
9	And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
10	And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.
11	Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.
12	And they showed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.
13	And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.
14	And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
15	And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.
16	But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.
17	Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
18	And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.
19	And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
20	Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
21	Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.
22	And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.
23	So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
24	And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Judges 5 Back to Top

1	Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
2	Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
3	Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
4	LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
5	The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
6	In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
7	The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
8	They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9	My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
10	Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
11	They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.
12	Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
13	Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
14	Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
15	And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
16	Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17	Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
18	Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
19	The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
20	They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
21	The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
22	Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
23	Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
24	Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25	He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
26	She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
27	At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28	The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
29	Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
30	Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colors, a prey of divers colors of needlework, of divers colors of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
31	So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

This evening's reading is verses 31-50 from the 7th chapter in the Gospel of Luke. The alabaster box story is here. I recommend the song, found here.

Luke 7:31-50

31	And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
32	They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
33	For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
34	The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
35	But wisdom is justified of all her children.
36	And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
37	And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38	And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39	Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40	And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41	There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42	And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43	Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44	And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45	Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46	My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47	Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48	And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49	And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50	And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.