Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 18 February 2019

Next-to-last Thursday in February.  Ready for Winter to be nothing but an unpleasant memory.
There are, sadly, at least two more hurdles.  First, the weathercasters tell us that the next few days are going to be nice, with highs above freezing and some in the 40's, even the upper 40's.  Yippee!  And then, next week, another bout of ghastly storms and hideously low temperatures.  Snow and ice and all of that.  After that, perhaps, another short break. 
But then we look ahead to one of the unfortunate traditions of the area.  Not a planned tradition, a voluntary custom.  Just a Thing that all-too-often occurs.  The St. Patrick's Day Blizzard tradition.  St. Patrick's Day, March 17th.  Mark it on the calendar.  That will be an eventful week anyway:  Sunday the 13th begins Daylight Savings Time around here, then St. Pat's on the 17th, then first day of Spring on the 20th.  Now, Spring doesn't mean green grass, sunshine, flip-flops, etc.  Not here.  We've often had SNOW a month, or more, into Spring.  It is, nonetheless, a happy reminder and date marker.  Can't come soon enough.
Oh, and living where we do, with a very high proportion of -- at least -- "cultural Catholics with either Irish or Italian ancestry, St. Pat's is a Very Big Deal.  For those who don't know, St. Patrick was originally Italian, or at least of Italian parentage, who ended up in Ireland bringing the faith to the pagans there.  Some of my Italian friends always referred to him as Pasquale.  I have no opinion.  But there are many churches and at least two schools nearby named St. Patrick's.
So that's something.  Still a month off though.

Dear Wife is still ailing, so I "got" to make a Wally World run earlier.  Off over hill and dale through the ice and snow.  It was all of 10 degrees outside when I woke.  Up to 28 now, with a low of 16.  Cold, but beats the sub-zero temps of a few days ago.  Tomorrow is supposed to make it up to 49 and may hit 60 by Saturday.  We shall see.
The nearest WallyWorld is across the line into Pennsylvania.  I have many relatives, on both sides, who live in PA.  They like it.  I hate it.  There may be a more inept bunch of dolts in the world than PennDOT (the water department in Flint, for example), but not many.  The roads are dreadful, the planning of them a disgrace, and the arrangement of traffic signals would embarrass a sheltered workshop.  From the time I leave home until I arrive at the destination, I pass 21 traffic lights.  This morning, I stopped at Every.Single,One.  All.  Several of which turned green, just so you could see, a block away, the next one turning red.  Several of which had ZERO traffic going the other way.  Operated solely on a timer.  Some of which NEVER have ANY cross traffic.  But still operate.
PENNDOT is run by idiots.  But then, ODOT (the Ohio version) is little better, if at all.
This, particularly in PA, due to Harrisburg being the Only Source of True Wisdom in the entire commonwealth, means all decisions are made by far-distant anonymous (and unfireable) bureaucrats with a sick sense of humor.

Oh , well.  Every one has a pet peeve.  Bad roads and stupid traffic signals are mine.

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The Old Testament reading is chapters 26 and 27 of Leviticus.  This completes the walk through Leviticus.
Some direct commands, and dire warnings here.  Lots of promises that IF the people will obey the Lord, they will be blessed.  If they refuse, the consequences will be harsh.
Then I look at our world, and particularly our nation.  We too -- and I include myself -- have not only failed to obey, we've loudly refused to do so.  And yet expect His blessings, which now we regard as just the natural order of things.  Except it's not.  This will not turn out well.

Leviticus 26

1	Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
2	Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
3	If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
4	Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
5	And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
6	And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
7	And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
8	And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
9	For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
10	And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new.
11	And I set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
12	And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
13	I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.
14	But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;
15	And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
16	I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17	And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
18	And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
19	And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:
20	And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
21	And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
22	I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
23	And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;
24	Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
25	And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
26	And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
27	And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;
28	Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
29	And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.
30	And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.
31	And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors.
32	And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.
33	And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
34	Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
35	As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.
36	And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.
37	And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
38	And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
39	And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
40	If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
41	And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
42	Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
43	The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.
44	And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
45	But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
46	These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.

Leviticus 27

1	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2	Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation.
3	And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
4	And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
5	And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
6	And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver.
7	And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
8	But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.
9	And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy.
10	He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy.
11	And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the LORD, then he shall present the beast before the priest:
12	And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.
13	But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation.
14	And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.
15	And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his.
16	And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.
17	If he sanctify his field from the year of jubilee, according to thy estimation it shall stand.
18	But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubilee, and it shall be abated from thy estimation.
19	And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him.
20	And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.
21	But the field, when it goeth out in the jubilee, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.
22	And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession;
23	Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubilee: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD.
24	In the year of the jubilee the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong.
25	And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.
26	Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD's firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the LORD's.
27	And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation.
28	Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.
29	None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.
30	And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.
31	And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.
32	And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
33	He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
34	These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

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The New Testament reading is chapter 2 in the Gospel of Mark.
Jesus is already at odds with the "Establishment".
But I love the story in verses  3-12.   There is a great song that goes with that.

Mark 2

1	And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2	And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3	And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4	And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5	When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6	But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7	Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8	And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9	Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10	But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11	I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12	And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
13	And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
14	And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
15	And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
16	And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
17	When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
18	And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
19	And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
20	But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
21	No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
22	And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
23	And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
24	And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
25	And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
26	How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
27	And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
28	Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 18 July 2014

It's impossible to not be concerned about yesterday's shoot-down of an unarmed passenger plane traveling between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur.  Nearly 300 people aboard, all dead.  and it seems passing strange that this is the second major airline catastrophe this year involving Malaysian Airlines.  Not sure I'd be willing to board one of their planes, ever.   Lots of speculation over the questions of who did it, how, and why?  I don't know the answer.  Someone has reminded me of a little incident about a hundred years ago, the Lusitania, an incident that the vile Woodrow Wilson uses as a reason to involve the US into World War One.  Whether this could have similar results is not yet known.  My uninformed guess is that the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine had gained access to some fairly sophisticated Surface to Air Missiles, and used one.  The choice of route is also coming under scrutiny, normally such flights skirt war zones.  Don't know.  This may not turn out well for the rest of the world.

And it's been a "day" so far for us as well.  Dear Wife came down ill, or "more ill", yesterday evening.  A bladder or even a kidney infection is likely to blame, and she also had a very bad reaction to a new med that the neurologist had prescribed for intense headaches that are part of her very severe migraine episodes.  She began getting into real hallucinations, not "just" the weird lights and pain that are part of her "regular" migraine episodes.  The nausea accompanying the infection was no help; she decided to sit in a hot bath for a while, and promptly threw up, IN the bathtub.  Threw up about six more times during the night.  So we called the Primary Care doc's office this morning, got her in 40 minutes later, which included getting her up and dressed (and me too) and managing a 20 minute trip through an area I call "the Red Light District", since the dolts running the town have managed to  have both dreadful streets, and also lights that seem deliberately arranges so that you stop at ALL of them.  We very nearly did.  Made it on time.  Just.  And doc prescribed Cipro for the infection, and arranged restart on some existing meds whose refill limit had been reached.  I brought her home, put her to bed, had a cup of coffee and one of yesterday's leftover muffins, and drove the 20 minutes (in the opposite direction as before, and through another Red Light District) to go to pharmacy. Doc office had promised to call in the refills Real Soon Now.  Well, "Real Soon", like its cousin "Right Away", seems be be capable of various interpretations.  In this case, 'right now" meant just as I was entering the pharmacy, some 90 minutes after we'd left the doctor's office.  So I puttered around near the pharmacy for about an hour,   Finally got the pills, stopped and bought a tub of cottage cheese and some chicken soup for her and came home.  Of such things is our life these days.

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Old Testament reading -- Psalms 25, 26, and 27. Psalm 27 is a favorite, and there is good music to go with it.  I've sung this in several choral groups in several states, wish I could do so again.

Psalm 25 

1	Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
2	O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3	Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4	Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
5	Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
6	Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7	Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
8	Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
9	The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
10	All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11	For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
12	What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
13	His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
14	The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
15	Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
16	Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
17	The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
18	Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
19	Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
20	O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
21	Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
22	Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Psalm 26 

1	Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
2	Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
3	For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
4	I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
5	I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.
6	I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:
7	That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
8	LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
9	Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
10	In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.
11	But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
12	My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.

Psalm 27

1	The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2	When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3	Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4	One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5	For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6	And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7	Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8	When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9	Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10	When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
11	Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12	Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13	I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14	Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

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New Testament passage is verses 17-38 of Acts chapter 20.

Acts 20:17-38 

17	And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
18	And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
19	Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
20	And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
21	Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
22	And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
23	Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
24	But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
25	And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
26	Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
27	For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
28	Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29	For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30	Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
31	Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
32	And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
33	I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
34	Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
35	I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
36	And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
37	And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,
38	Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 02 July 2014

had a nice exchange with someone who checks the blog out frequently.  Sent him a FaceBook request, which he followed up on.  We've never actually met, but we've traded e-mails and such off and on for several years.  A couple years ago, I thought I might have a job not too far from his current location, which would have been nice.  We'd both worked at times in the same industry.  Didn't happen, so the momentary inconvenience of packets of electrons is what we're left with.  Not as good as in person, but more responsive than hand-written letter sent by whomever might be passing by that place. 
Dear Wife was off to Physical Therapy again this morning.  We slept in, bad, and I woke up about an hour before we were supposed to be a 20-25 minute drive away.  Not a great way to begin the day, trust me.  But we made it. With a little bit to spare.
Everyone has a few pet peeves, things that aggravate them more than they should.  One of mine is traffic lights and road layout.  We live in an unincorporated area, and the Therapy joint is in the town whose border is about 3 miles away.  I have lost track of how many red lights there are.  Too many, and very badly arranged.  The roads themselves are in wretched condition, partly from poor construction and partly from neglected maintenance.  And partly because some are, for a variety of reasons, carrying loads far beyond their real capacity.  It is nothing unusual for us to stop at every.single.light on the way to and from the Therapy center.  Some of which were planned when traffic flow and patterns were far different than is now the case.  Some of which are appropriate at some times of the day but wildly wrong the rest of the time.  And, mostly, done strictly on timers.  So one might well sit for an extended period at a light that has NO cross traffic.  At all.  And then, finally, advance to the next light, only to have it turn red in your face, and again, no cross traffic.  The fruits of Central Planning.  There is an intersection in the very heart of this town that must take a right turn.  Of course, the ijits that set all this have deemed it must be a "no turn on red" intersection, though the vast majority of the traffic going the same direction as us, has to make that right turn.  A rather tight one at that.  And there are trucks that must navigate that turn.  A dump truck has little problem.  A 40-foot semi is probably OK.  The 53-footers we now see, have a BIG problem.  That trailer size has been around for a while, but the DOT-type nitwits haven't bestirred themselves to address the matter.  Your tax dollars at work.  Or asleep, as the case may be.  Again, a pet peeve.  Not the most enormous matter on earth, but as aggravating as a bit of gravel in your shoe.  The gravel you can, and probably will, remove without having to ask anyone's permission.  Stupidly done traffic signals, well, that's another matter.  We're celebrating in a few days the country's independence from oppressive government.  Perhaps those who feel empowered to order the rest of us around, might reflect that there are more cays available on the calendar.
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The Old Testament reading today is chapters 23, 24, and 25 in the book of Job.

Job 23 

1	Then Job answered and said,
2	Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3	Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
4	I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5	I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
6	Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
7	There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8	Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9	On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10	But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11	My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12	Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
13	But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14	For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.
15	Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
16	For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
17	Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

Job 24 

1	Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
2	Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
3	They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4	They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
5	Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.
6	They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
7	They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
8	They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9	They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
10	They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
11	Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12	Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
13	They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
14	The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15	The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
16	In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
17	For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
18	He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
19	Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.
20	The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
21	He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
22	He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
23	Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
24	They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25	And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?

Job 25 

1	Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2	Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.
3	Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?
4	How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
5	Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.
6	How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

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The New Testament reading is verses 24-48 of chapter 10 in the book of hte Acts.  This is A Big Deal.  We have become accustomed to Christians who have no trace of Jewish blood.  Indeed, Dear Wife, who has some Jewish ancestry via her father's father, sometimes draws funny looks from others as we have moved from town to town over the last few decades, and sought where our next church home should be.  But at the time of this passage, the expectation was that the believers would be Jewish, as Jesus was, and as all the apostles were.  Here is where that change begins.  And it was not without controversy.  But the Lord found a way to make His wishes known.

Acts 10:24-48

24	And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
25	And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
26	But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27	And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
28	And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
29	Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?
30	And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
31	And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
32	Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.
33	Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34	Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35	But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36	The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
37	That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38	How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39	And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40	Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41	Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42	And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43	To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44	While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45	And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46	For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47	Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48	And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.