Flashpoint: Ferguson, Missouri. American Nurse in Quarantine Conflict. Update.

 

Flashpoint: Ferguson, Missouri

Police in riot gear use tear gas to clear the street in front of the Ferguson Police Department after the announcement of the grand jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old, Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

"Jesus prophesied, “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Are we seeing that in the news—and in our own lives?

In the aftermath of the decision by the grand jury that officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted in the death of Michael Brown, how much love was being expressed in Ferguson? Along West Florissant Avenue, businesses were being looted, buildings were being burned to the ground, and rocks were being thrown at reporters.

A banner proclaiming “Season’s Greetings” was being engulfed with smoke, tear gas and the sounds of gunfire. In a season when “peace, goodwill toward men” is often touted, people were aggressively cursing the police and stealing from others.

There were calls for nonviolence from government leaders—all the way up to President Obama—but to no avail. There was little love being expressed toward fellow man. And things will get worse and worse because of sin—which is the breaking of God’s laws. So, what are we to do?"       More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/flashpoint-ferguson-missouri/

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Vertical News: American Nurse in Quarantine Conflict

How does the Bible shed light on the current Ebola crisis and the understanding of an ancient medical protocol?

Source: freeimages.com/wax115

"Nurse Kaci Hickox, from the state of Maine, has been in a legal battle with the state over the need for her to undergo medical isolation known as quarantine for 21 days following her return from working with Ebola virus patients in West Africa. Though she claims she shows no signs of the virus, the state had asked that she be required to fulfill her quarantine through November 10 ^th . However, Judge Charles LaVerdiere rejected this demand and freed her from the legalities of quarantine. She is no longer required to avoid public areas (Nick Bryant, “Maine ‘Thinking Locally’ on Ebola Nurse Quarantine,” the BBC at BBC.com, October 31, 2014).

The issue of quarantine has surfaced frequently during the recent media coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Another doctor who also went to West Africa to work with Ebola patients lied about his self-monitored quarantine and was in fact in contact with the public of New York City many times (Jamie Schram and Bruce Golding, “Ebola Doctor ‘Lied’ About NYC Travels,” The New York Post at NYPost.com, October 29, 2014).

Some news sources and, indeed, some medical professionals have portrayed quarantine as antiquated and hurtful to the mental state of those who must undergo it. It’s hard to find the truth amongst all the hype. Where does the concept of quarantine, defined by isolating an individual or group of people from the larger society for a specific period of time until illness has developed and abated or until no threat of illness is present, originate?

You might be surprised to know that it comes directly from God’s word in the Bible. In the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers God gave to the ancient Israelites an enlightened approach to health and hygiene that included burying human waste and burning clothes or other items that had come into contact with infection, among other measures that prevent disease (Leviticus 13, 14, 15). He also gave Israel the concept of quarantine during times of illness or “uncleanness” as it is referred to in the Bible (Numbers 19, and Leviticus:13:45-46
). This put the needs of the many above the needs of the few and prevented spread of disease, but it also allowed those that were ill to recover away from the rest of society.

When a cure for disease isn’t available, such as in the case of Ebola at the present, then the rules of quarantine serve to protect those who are ill and the greater number who are not. Rather than an antiquated procedure, it’s important to look at quarantine as one of the gifts of understanding that God gave to ancient Israel and through them, to the rest of the world."     From:  http://www.ucg.org/youth/vertical-news-american-nurse-quarantine-conflict/

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Update:

Jay still has his cold, but we installed some more siding on the storeroom extension which is going to be a green house.  The transom window came in, and we framed up for that.

Ray and I painted the bad spots on the other side of the Puddle Jumper.

Ray, Jay and I cleaned up a trailer load of used plywood that I acquired.  We pried out all the nails  and stacked it back up on the trailer and covered it with a tarp.  We will be using the dickens out of that soon, I hope.

On Thursday, my son Kevin came to see me, and we spent a good few hours just chatting.  (Mostly about the motorcycle he was going to buy.)  When he isn't stump-grinding, he wheels and deals in land and motorcycles.

On Friday, Jay and I went to the half-price sale at Angelic Thrift shop.  My old microwave finally had died, so I bought one there, and Jay bought a 47" flat screen TV.  I also bought some very fancy light fixtures.

At church, the Bible readings were Eph. 2, Psa. 56,57,61,62, Gen. 28:10–32:3 and Hos. 12.:11-14-9.

Jeff gave us a great teaching. He called it "The Pre-eminence of Jews".  He is enrolled in several evening classes, and by coincidence in his English class there was a story about a Jewish lady who was in one of the terrible war camps in Poland.  Then in his History class there was a story about a Jewess in the 1900's, about the New York Jews.  And finally in his Musical History class wast he story about Felix Mendelssohn, a Jew. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Mendelssohn   It seems that all through history is there are stories about the Jews somewhere.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Jewish_history    I haven't made it sound interesting, but Jeff did!

Deut. 28:1 "And it shall come to pass, if you shall listen diligently to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command you this day, that the LORD your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth"

We all enjoyed a good potluck, and it was a great day.

Thanksgiving Day.

 

Happy Thanksgiving.  Please be safe, thankful and joyful.

Thanksgiving Day

An Amazing Fact: "Thanksgiving Day might not be celebrated in the United States today were it not for a remarkable woman named Sarah Josepha Hale (1788 -1879). It is well known that the first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated by the Pilgrim fathers in 1621 to give thanks for their bountiful harvest in the New World. In 1789, President George Washington issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation to commemorate the first Pilgrim celebration. But Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, discontinued it. After this, Thanksgiving was observed by some individual states on whatever date suited their fancy.

Then in 1828, Mrs. Hale, a patient, persistent 34-year-old widow and mother of four, began campaigning for the restoration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. For years she wrote letters and sought appointments with national leaders, from five different presidents on down. Time after time she was politely rebuffed, sometimes being told it was “impractical” and “impossible,” and sometimes being chased off and scolded and told, “This is none of your business!”

But Sarah was relentless. Finally in 1863, President Lincoln listened seriously to her plea that North and South “lay aside enmities and strife on (Thanksgiving) Day.” He proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November to be the official “national Thanksgiving Day.” This day was finally ratified by the U.S. Congress in 1941.

What many people do not know is that Mrs. Sarah Hale was the first woman magazine editor in the U.S., and the first person to use the word “lingerie” to describe undergarments. Sarah also helped start the first college for girls in the U.S., was the first to suggest public playgrounds, and also started the first day nursery for working mothers. But Sarah
Hale is probably best remembered as author of the poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

The Bible encourages us to have a spirit of thanks in our hearts. Daniel thanked God for insight to understand Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s demand” (Daniel 2:23). Whether it is for God’s protection, the bountiful harvest of our fields, the blessings of family, or the guidance of the Spirit, giving thanks is a habit we should express all year long."
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. - Psalms 100:4

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Unthankful to Our Creator

Romans 1:21  "Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

"In the early chapters of Romans, Paul shows the sinfulness of all men, gentiles and Jews. This verse follows the powerful statement that “His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (verse 20). God’s creation itself is proof that God exists, so even those without any biblical background are without excuse.

But the gentiles of Paul’s day put God out of their minds and didn’t give Him glory or show Him thanks. Many people today follow this same poor example. Ingratitude is a hallmark of human nature and especially of this end-time perilous age (as Paul mentions in 2 Timothy 3:2).

Psalm 100, “a Psalm of Thanksgiving,” provides the cure for this common ailment. “Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. … Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:3-4).

For more about gratitude, see “In Everything Give Thanks.”

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2 Reasons Thanksgiving Is Being Forgotten

"It seems Thanksgiving Day is becoming less important in America today. Why is this 151-year-old national holiday becoming overlooked? Does thankfulness matter?

Black Friday sales dominate the thoughts of many during the Thanksgiving season. It seems that many would rather focus on getting things for themselves than giving thanks to God.

President Lincoln’s proclamation said: “The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added … [by] the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.”

Lincoln continued: “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God. … It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.”

So why don’t American leaders, or even average Americans, talk like this anymore? Consider two reasons:

More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/2-reasons-thanksgiving-is-being-forgotten/

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Update:

The Crime Stoppers "Featured Felon" has been seen in this neighborhood again, but hasn't been arrested yet.  We don't know where she is hiding, but I hope the police pick her up soon.  It is scary having a known robber on the loose.

Today, I stayed home and my son came to see me. It was a quiet day.

Xi Jinping: Another Strongman. Jesus’ Jewish Heritage. Health Science and the Bible. Pets and Antifreeze. Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Xi Jinping: Another Strongman Arises in the East

"Throughout the past year, the world has focused on Vladimir Putin and a resurgent Russia. But another strongman is rising in the east. Meet China’s Xi Jinping.

The rise of Vladimir Putin as a strongman in Russia has been covered thoroughly in American media this last year. His actions in Crimea and Ukraine have made him one of the most distrusted men in America and Europe, and the world continues to watch what he will do in eastern Ukraine.

But there is another political leader in Eurasia that our readers should be aware of: Xi Jinping.

Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/xi-jinping-another-strongman-arises-in-the-east/  by Erik Jones - November 19, 2014

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Jesus’ Jewish Heritage

Matthew 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

"The genealogies of Matthew 1 and Luke 3 give context to the life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who also was the descendant of Abraham and David. Both David and Jesus were of the tribe of Judah (verse 3), the tribe promised the scepter—the symbol of rulership (Genesis 49:10). As Jesus said, He was born to be a King, and He will rule all nations in the Kingdom of God (John 18:37; Revelation 11:15).

Jesus was ethnically a Jew and grew up with a Jewish heritage. The genealogies help to link the Old and New Testaments into the unified whole that God intended. Though Jesus argued against many human traditions that had grown up around the religion of the Bible, He always showed respect for the inspired writings of what we now call the Old Testament and the laws revealed in it. This only makes sense when you consider that Christ was the “spiritual Rock” that followed and worked with ancient Israel (1 Corinthians 10:4).

For more about the inspiration and unity of the Bible, see “Who Wrote the Bible?” and “What Is the Bible?""   From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/jesus-jewish-heritage/

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From me: As Jesus was a Jew, he went to the synagogue on Saturday, the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath.  It was the Romans who didn't want to have anything to do with anything Jewish who changed the day of worship to Sunday, the first day of the week.  But God didn't change it.

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Health Science and the Bible

"The Holy Bible was not written as a medical textbook, but the health advice in it is sound, pivotal and far ahead of its time.

The Bible is concerned more with spiritual soundness than with physical health. Yet surely the God who created us would understand what we need to be healthy. Certainly He would teach us the most important rules for caring for the bodies He designed.

Indeed, God provides sound guidance in the Scriptures to help us achieve the healthiest possible lifestyle.

Let’s see how seven of these biblical health tips stack up with modern medical advice.

1. Practice good hygiene and sanitation.

Deuteronomy 23:12-13: “Also you shall have a place outside the camp, where you may go out; and you shall have an implement among your equipment, and when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and turn and cover your refuse” (see also Leviticus 11:32; 15:11; Numbers 19:14-15; Job 9:30; and Matthew 23:25-26). More….

2. Get checked out.

Leviticus 13:2-3: “When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling, a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes on the skin of his body like a leprous sore, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. The priest shall examine the sore."  More……

3. Stay away from others if you are sick.

Leviticus 13:45-46: “Now the leper on whom the sore is, … his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” More….

4. Be faithful to your spouse.

1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (see also Exodus 20:14; Romans 1:27; and Leviticus 18:6). More….

5. Watch what you eat and drink.

…..Eat clean meats only.  According to a 2009 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, consumption of pork consistently correlates with liver disease across countries and over decades of research in epidemiology. Impressively, the strength of the association may be even stronger than the correlation between alcohol and cirrhosis. This pattern does not emerge with beef (a biblically clean meat).

God truly wants what is best for us. Scientists are still learning about factors that make certain meats dangerous choices for humans, but the Bible lit the way long ago.

A little alcohol (up to one or two drinks in a day) can have health benefits. However, the Mayo Clinic warns, “drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, liver damage, obesity, certain types of cancer, accidents,” alcoholism and even weakened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy). The Bible does not forbid alcohol, but it clearly shows that alcohol abuse is not only dangerous, it’s sinful. More…..

6. Get adequate rest and exercise.

Ecclesiastes 5:12: “The sleep of a laboring man is sweet” (also see Psalm 127:2 and 1 Timothy 4:8). Modern medicine and the Bible agree: The sedentary, bleary-eyed lifestyle is not good for us. Sleep helps regulate our hormones and immune systems and provides time for cell repair. As a result, sleep-deprivation can make us susceptible to colds, heart disease, diabetes, accidents and even obesity, as WebMD reports. More…..

7. Cultivate a positive outlook.

Proverbs 18:14: “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?” (see also Proverbs 17:22).

The Bible suggests that attitude affects our physical health. More and more researchers are finding that it’s true! For instance, older adults who expressed only low to moderate levels of satisfaction with their lives were, after eight years, “about 80 percent more likely than their happier counterparts to have developed mobility and functional problems,” as The Washington Post explains.

In contrast, subjects in another study were told to briefly write, once a week, about five things for which they were thankful. After only two months of “gratitude lite,” they felt happier and more optimistic. What’s more, they “reported fewer physical problems and spent more time working out,” according to The New York Times.

Need another reason to be thankful?

God’s Word doesn’t just encourage us to have positive attitudes. It shows us the best, healthiest way to live now and the amazing destiny God is offering each one of us!"  More….

Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/is-the-bible-true/how-do-we-know-the-bible-is-true/health-science-and-the-bible/  by Heather Cole

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In the Animal Kingdom:

Poison Alert: Keep Antifreeze Containers Tightly Closed and Far Away from Your Pets

"Animals love the taste!  It is estimated that up to 90,000 animals are poisoned each year by the toxic agent ethylene glycol, which is found in antifreeze. Poisoning most often occurs when an animal encounters an antifreeze leak from a car radiator. Dogs typically lick the fluid right off the ground; kitties are more likely to walk through it, then lick their paws.

The toxic agent in antifreeze is ethylene glycol, and it takes as little as 1 tablespoon to cause acute kidney failure in dogs. About 5 tablespoons can kill a medium sized dog, and just 1 teaspoon can be fatal to a cat."   More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/11/23/antifreeze-poisoning.aspx

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Update:

Last Sunday, 16th., Ray and I drove to Houston to buy a used small dishwasher to install in the guest house.  These are the little ones that some people install in RVs.  I have one here in my house and it works well, so I wanted one for the guest house.  The freeways were packed, the weather was horrible, rainy and wet, but it was the only day that we could go.  Sorry, I was too beat to post when I got home. 

Jay and I got a bit more done on the storeroom extension.  Then he came down with a cold.

Ray and I have been busy solving problems.  We are thankful that we have all this behind us.  Ray's brakes went out and he found out that it was a wheel cylinder. 

We had to cut another trapdoor in the floor of Ray's utility room to find a second drain leak.  When we had that slow water leak earlier on in the year, it had washed away some of the support to the house.  That caused a beam to sink and made the two drain leaks.

One night it was going to freeze for the first time this winter, so Ray and I spent the whole afternoon covering and moving plants. The next day it came back up to the mid 70's, so they are uncovered now.  10-day-weather shows that it's not going to freeze again in the next 10 days.  The plants all appreciated the day of rain, and then the sunshine.

Even with the bad weather, I am still selling aloe plants and shipping them north.  But I have to really insulate the packages with newspaper.

Ray's son's power went out during the freeze.  He lives next door on the other side of me, so he stayed with Ray for a couple of days.  Ray and I, armed with a long cord plugged into my house, work lights, flashlights, multimeter and other electrical tools, tried to fix it. This is a rare breaker box and the main breaker has to be removed with a 9mm Allen key.  Now if you have ever bought a set of Allen keys, if you look, you'll find that they don't come with a 9mm!   We went, or called every tool place in town.  Finally, after I looked through five tool boxes here, I found one.  We cleaned the wires with DeOxit, and then figured out that it was the main breaker that was faulty.  Now this is a rare Gould 200 amp breaker and so we had to go to the one and only electrical supply house that carried it.  We were too wary about doing the change-out ourselves and called Jim the mechanic down the street to come and do it.  He did, and so let there be light!

Then I had bought a new door bell, and it wouldn't work every time the button was pushed.  We messed with that thing for ages.  I wrote to the company that made it, and they said it was obsolete so they would send me a new one. Hurray!

Yesterday, Ray and I went to our church's Thanksgiving dinner.  Jay still had the sniffles and a wet cough so even though he wanted to go, he didn't.  The Bible readings were Gen 25:19-28:9, Mal 1:1-2:7.  The teaching was about putting on "The New Man"

Eph 4:24 "and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."

The teaching also reminded us to be thankful for everything.  At my age, I am just thankful to wake up this side of the grass!!  We all had a great turkey dinner for the potluck.  I took scalloped sweet potatoes with apple, Craisins and walnuts; and a big dish of mashed rutabagas topped with Parmesan, and some canned cranberry sauce.  Ray helped me by cleaning up my silver cranberry sauce server, so I took that, too.     It was a great day.

A Message Christianity Ignores. Don’t Copy Pagan Ways. 10 Ways to Unknowingly Crush Your Cat’s Spirit. Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

The Kingdom of God:
A Message Christianity Ignores

"The Gospel accounts are very clear about the focus of Christ’s message. Yet the gospel of the Kingdom of God is nearly absent from Christianity today.

The Kingdom of God is currently in heaven. But it will be established on earth when Jesus returns.

"The myriad of churches that make up Christianity profess that their religion is based on Jesus Christ. Nearly all claim Him as their founder and say that their teachings are based on what He said and did 2,000 years ago. But, sadly, there are many doctrines where mainstream Christianity ignores or actually rejects the teachings of Jesus Christ.

This month’s column makes a bold assertion: Mainstream Christianity does not teach the same message that Jesus Christ brought when He walked the earth 2,000 years ago.

Jesus had a central message that formed the basis for His entire ministry and teachings.

He pinpointed this central message in the heart of His most famous sermon—the Sermon on the Mount. He made a statement about what should be the highest priority for His followers: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, emphasis added).

Jesus Christ’s words are clear—the Kingdom of God is to be the No. 1 focus and emphasis in the lives of His followers. In fact, it was the core of His gospel message.

Christ’s gospel was not just about Himself

Gospel is a common word in the Christian world. Some think of it in connection with a genre of religious music, but most understand that it describes a message. It literally means a message of good news. Most churches include the word gospel in their mission statements. Typically, the gospel is described as the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is seen as the message of His life, death and resurrection. (You can see this by doing a Google search of the mission statements of different denominations of Christianity.)

But was this the central message that Jesus actually taught? Was His message only about Himself?

A study of the Gospel accounts of Christ’s life pinpoints exactly what His message—His gospel—was all about!

Notice Mark 1:14: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” That statement is pretty plain—Jesus preached the gospel about the Kingdom of God!

There are many scriptures that reinforce this fact. For example, Matthew 9:35 says, “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom.”

At one point in His ministry, Jesus was about to leave an area where He had been preaching for some time. The people of that area tried to persuade Him not to go (Luke 4:42). Jesus’ response was, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (verse 43).

Let that sink in.

Jesus Christ said that one of His primary purposes for coming to earth was to preach about the Kingdom of God! That was His gospel. That was His message. That was His purpose. That is what drove Him.

When we understand that the thrust of Christ’s message centered on the Kingdom of God, we understand better why He made the statement in Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God.” He tells us to seek first the Kingdom because the Kingdom of God was His primary message.

This message is about the literal establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth at the second coming of Jesus Christ. See our infographic on page 29 to learn more details about what the Kingdom of God is.

But where is that message in mainstream Christianity today?"  More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/kingdom-of-god/a-message-christianity-ignores/

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Don’t Copy Pagan Ways of Worship

Deuteronomy 12:29-32

“When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.”

God knew the traps that Satan lays with alluring ways of worship. He warned His people not to neglect His clear instructions about how He wants to be worshipped. He tells us to never assume that He would like to be worshipped in the way those who worship other gods worship them.

Yet Israel continually fell into this trap, creating a syncretistic religion that combined some elements of biblical commands with the religious customs of the people around them.

Looking at the history of Christianity, it becomes evident that a similar process took place, as pre-Christian customs and celebrations were accepted by much of Christianity, though rejected by those who remained faithful to the teachings of the apostles and prophets."  More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/dont-copy-pagan-ways-of-worship/ By Erik Jones

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10 Ways to Unknowingly Crush Your Cat’s Spirit

by Kathy Blumenstock

"Famously independent, sometimes falsely assumed to be immune to feelings, cats are in truth super-sensitive to emotions, sound and stress. Perhaps because felines lack the eager-to-please openness of their canine colleagues, humans overlook the big and small ways that they can break a cat’s spirit.  Are you guilty of any of these?

Not Cleaning the Litter Box: Leave the box filled with kitty’s waste because some new litters promise freshness for multiple days--so you wait till the weekend for that dreaded chore of cleaning the litter box. Imagine leaving your own toilet unflushed all week long, and you’ll know how your cat feels.

Shouting: Raised voices will terrify your cat. Feline ears are extra sensitive to loud noises, so yelling is amplified to extreme levels. A cat who hears shouting will flatten her ears, lower her head and look for a place to hide, away from the sound and fury.

Punishing: Yelling “bad cat,” throwing things, motioning in anger and scolding your cat when she misses the litter box or claws your sofa, tells her you are unhappy, even if she has no idea why. Grabbing him and shoving her face in a mess will leave her petrified. Her eyes will darken in fear, but will not alter her displeasing behavior because all you’re teaching her is to be afraid.

Ignoring The Pain: Looking away when your cat repeatedly chews at a sore spot on her belly or furiously scratches at her ears. Cats are masters at hiding their discomfort, whether an infected tooth makes eating difficult or a urinary tract infection means litter box visits are pure agony. Monitoring your cat’s wellbeing means being a pain detective so you know what ails your cat, even if she can’t tell you directly.

Leaving the Lights Off: Left alone in a silent home when darkness falls, your cat will feel abandoned. Yes, cats can see in the dark. But why not provide a radio for murmured sounds of companionship, and a nightlight, a small beacon of brightness to remind Tabby that you’ll be home soon.

Teasing: Pulling on your cat’s tail (or letting your kids do so), blowing in her face, ruffling her fur while she’s sleeping, picking her up if she dislikes being handled, jiggling her in your arms—such antagonizing behavior confuses and depresses your cat, who wants to love you. Why goad her into feeling dislike instead?

Skipping the Small Stuff: Never grooming your cat, allowing her to experience the discomfort of hairballs. Not trimming her claws, so she snags them around the house. Not checking her ears for mites, even when she shakes her head repeatedly. Ignoring her problems chewing, even if it signals gum or tooth trouble. The little things add up and can deplete your cat’s energy and health.

Hurting:  Hitting, kicking, physically harming a cat in any way, from a “light tap” to a hard smack, is inhumane, evil, morally wrong and guaranteed to instill fear in any cat, breaking her spirit, and her heart, in the process. Physical pain teaches cats to fear people.

Not Filling or Cleaning the Water Dish: Filling a small bowl with water and letting the cat drink from it no matter how long it sits, how much dust accumulates, what spills into it, then topping off the same bowl a few days from now without washing it—this gives your cat the opportunity to drink stagnant water, down to the last drop. And how many times have you enjoyed a bottled water today?

Neglecting Your Cat: Offering your cat no attention, no conversation, no affection, no interaction and no playtime leaves your cat confused. She craves even the smallest gesture or word of kindness in exchange for her pure devotion to you."

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Update:

As it was raining, Jay wrapped a piece of the inner tube over the drain leak, secured it with the clamps, and it held really well. Then he spent the rest of the week working on his neighbor's porch roof, which he couldn't do in the rain.

This has been a week of painting.

One day, Ray painted some places on the shed that the previous painter had forgotten.

Another day, Ray painted the back door.  We have gradually been painting all the doors, including the shed door, with a blue/gray paint to match the trim on the house.

Another day, we painted some places on the back of my van, where the paint had worn off. 

Then we worked on the Puddle Jumper.

 

 

 

 

 

See that black trim around the windows?  It had faded over the years, after all the PJ is an 88 Tracer! So we taped the car up, just leaving the trim showing, primed it and sprayed it with Hammered Black.  It looks like new now.

Yesterday, I went to church, and the readings were Gen.18:1-22:24 and 2 Kings 4:1-37 and Psa. 20.  The teaching was about Obedience to God, and the pastor quoted so many of the verses where God asks us to be obedient. Obedience is the Key to Spiritual Knowledge. 

The pot luck was great as usual.  The new family didn't share our food as some of it had been cooked just before the service.  They are real sticklers about the Sabbath, they won't cook on the Sabbath, they will only eat what has been prepared the day before, Preparation Day, Friday.

I drove home to take Ray a plate from the church, as he couldn't leave his house in case his illegal squatter showed up to get more of her things.  We will be so glad when all this is over.

Then I drove to Luby's in Conroe, and met Arlene from the RV-Dreams chat room. http://www.rv-dreams.com/chatroom.html.  About 50 RVers were having a GTG there.  I didn't eat as I was already full from the church potluck, but I enjoyed listening to everybody.  Lots of the RVers were staying at Thousand Trails, Conroe.  Many of the full-timers are gate-guarding at different locations.  Like anytime RVers get together, there was incessant chatter.  This is to show how the great big long table looked:

 

 

 

 

 

These pictures were taken with my new cell phone, so they aren't the best.  Then I scurried home, and only just got there before dark.  There was a wonderful and unusual sunset, and I wish I had stopped along on the road to take a picture, because it was gone by the time I got home.

It was a very special day.

Can the United States Defeat ISIS? What Time Is It Anyway? Vote For Wildlife. Where Am I? Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Can the United States Defeat ISIS?

A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft sits on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson on Oct. 16, 2014, as the ship supports Inherent Resolve.

"One pressing issue facing the United States is the ISIS threat. What are the options available to the U.S., and is it possible for a coalition to defeat ISIS?

The rise of ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) has captured the attention of many in the United States and the world for the last several months. The debate continues about whether or not ISIS can be defeated solely by the coalition’s air power (supporting Iraqi and Kurdish forces) or if American ground troops must again be sent into Iraq.

According to Speaker of the House John Boehner, “At the end of the day, I think it’s gonna take more than air strikes to drive them outta there.”

More recently, Senator John McCain said that ground troops, or at least special forces, should be sent in to defeat ISIS because “they’re winning, and we’re not.”"   More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/can-the-united-states-defeat-isis/  by Joshua Travers - October 27, 2014

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What Time Is It Anyway?

"Oh, hi there. I was running out of paper, so I thought I would slice off one end of this sheet and put it on the other end. But it doesn’t seem to be working. I still don’t seem to have any more paper.

If it doesn’t work for this piece of paper, would it work if we tried it with something else? What if we tried it with a day? Could we cut off an hour on one end of the day and add it to the other end and end up with a longer day? Actually, we would not be any more successful than we were with the paper.

Yet every spring in much of the Western world we go through this process. We call it Daylight Savings Time. We really don’t change the day—the sun still rises and sets on schedule—but we try to trick ourselves by changing the time on our clocks.

Most nations have tried using some version of Daylight Savings Time, but most have found it confusing, and it’s primarily the nations of the Western world that continue to use it."  Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/what-time-is-it-anyway/

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Manatees Don’t Vote,  But You Do.

Vote for Wildlife on Election Day

"Why have record-breaking numbers of manatees recently been dying in Florida?  800 this year!
In part because some of the conservation funds that should be protecting important streams, wetlands, forests, and beaches have been taken away from conserving these critical habitat areas. Nutrient runoff may be contributing to deadly outbreaks of red tide.
Wildlife across the country need help. In every state, in every district, we urgently need friends of wildlife like you to stand up and fight back against injustices like this.

In states and cities throughout the country, measures that protect wildlife are up for a vote this Election Day. So are candidates who stand for—and against—wildlife interests.

A lot is at stake—healthy habitat for manatees, wetlands protections for great blue herons, limiting carbon pollution from power plants, restoring wild bison to their habitat, and so much more.

Manatees, great blue herons and all wildlife can’t vote, but you can!

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Who cares about innocent animals in fear.

Who cares about fair chase.

Who cares that there’s so few of them left.

Who cares about the health of the ecosystem.

Who cares if he's so desperate to get free he gnaws off his own paw.

Who cares about those cubs, now orphaned and alone.

Who cares if you have a say.

Who cares about bears.

Who cares about wolves.

Who cares about this election.

"There are 636 wolves left in Michigan. They just came off the Endangered Species list. But like a bad dream, the trophy hunters who want to re-open a killing season on them are hoping for a green light in three days.

The bear baiters, houndsmen, and trappers across the country have been working tirelessly—and they’re only going to turn up the heat over the next 72 hours—to keep Maine a virtual “do-as-you-please” zone when it comes to killing bears with extreme methods. One of those methods is setting traps for the bears, in which the animals can languish in agony for up to 24 before they're shot at close range, execution-style. When it happens to mother bears, their cubs are abandoned, left to fend for themselves in the woods. It's appalling."  Please vote for Wildlife.

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Where Am I? An App for Frequent Travelers

"Ever ask someone to write down a local phone number, and later notice they didn’t include the area code? Or how about watching a weather alert that tells you about a tornado warning in xxxyyy county? If you travel all the time like we do, you have no idea what county you’re in, or what the area code is for local phone numbers.  Now you do! All you need to do is tap the icon for an App called “Where Am I?” and all the information in the screenshot here will be displayed.

We use this all the time,mostly for the county name, zip code, and sunset/sunrise time. It’s so simple!

Another feature that could come in very handy in an emergency, is the ability to tap on the share icon and send your location to a friend via email. If your friend opens it on their smartphone, they can tap on your location and Google Maps will navigate there!

• App Name: Where Am I?
• Author: Ejelta LLC
• Price: Free
• Available for Android (a similar, but not as complete, App is available for iOS: Where am I at?)

To learn more about Smartphones and Tablets, watch the Geeks on Tour weekly show: What Does This Button Do?

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Update:

As Ray's squatter went out of town (no, not arrested yet) we tore up the floor in one of his closets because we were looking for a grey water drain leak.  We found it, but there was a big beam right on top of the drain line. It looked like the PVC pipe had come out of the fitting.  So Ray and I went to the hardware store, but there was no way that it could be fixed the conventional way.  Jay came the next day, cut a floor joist out of the way, and temporarily patched the leak with some auto gasket material and universal clamps.  Until we can find a more permanent solution we put a piece of plywood over the hole in the floor so we can inspect it. So far it is holding, but we don't want to leave it the way it is. 

Another day, we fixed Ray's temperamental kitchen faucet, and replaced the trim on the floor of his utility room.  We also took a lot of measurements, because as soon as we know for sure that there won't be any interference, we are going to enlarge his kitchen.

Ray and I went back into town and snared a used car inner tube, so we are going to use some of that to fix the drain leak with the universal clamps. Then we will wrap it with wide Eternabond. 

At church, the readings were Gen 12:1-17:27 and Isa 40:27-41:16 and the teaching was about Revelation.  The potluck was great as usual, and we all had a great day.