“Every year millions commemorate Good Friday on the Friday before Easter. It’s believed that Jesus was crucified and entombed on that Friday afternoon. But does the Bible teach that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday?
Good Friday is the traditional holiday supposedly honoring the day of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. However, a concordance search will reveal that the term Good Friday is not found in the New Testament. In fact, its exact origin is uncertain. Some sources say it comes from “God’s Friday,” while others say it comes from the German Gute Freitag. It is referred to as “Holy Friday” in Romance languages and was called “Long Friday” by the Anglo-Saxons and is still referred to that way in modern Danish.
But do the four Gospel accounts designate Friday as the day Jesus died and was entombed? If not, then what did happen on that Friday?
When we understand that there were two Sabbaths observed in Jerusalem that week—an annual Sabbath and the weekly Sabbath—understanding Jesus’ statement about “three days and three nights” becomes easier.” Continue Reading.
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
The breaking of the unleavened bread at the New Testament Passover service is symbolic of Christ’s suffering in our place for our sins. It reminds us of our deserved punishment that fell on Jesus as His body was beaten and broken.
Eating the bread is also symbolic of our allowing Jesus Christ to live His life in us, and our need to live by every word of God (John 6:35; Galatians 2:20; Matthew 4:4). Just as physical food is essential to maintain physical life, living by the spiritual “bread” is essential for a healthy spiritual life.
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
It was Jesus’ intent that each year as Christians drink this small glass of red wine that it would serve as a vivid reminder that His blood—His life—was poured out for us. This helps to impress on us the reality of the enormous price that was necessary to pay to forgive our sins—the death of the Son of God!
Christians remember the New Covenant that we made with God at baptism every year as we take the Passover. The New Covenant allows God to write His laws on our hearts, and it provides forgiveness of our sins and a promise of eternal life (Hebrews 8:8-12; 9:15).
Study more about sin and Christ’s shed blood for our forgiveness in our Fundamental Beliefs “6. Sin and God’s Law” and “7. The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.” See also our article “Seven Last Sayings of Jesus.”
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Update.
After two visits to a chiropractor, at my own expense, at last I have some relief from my back pain. My tailbone will always be a sore spot because it is bent. Still waiting for out of network permission from my medical insurance to pay for treatment. A friend who does Myofascial Release helped quite a bit. She originally learned how to do this on horses, but it works on other four legged and two legged beings also. (It is a type of physical therapy often used to treat myofascial pain syndrome. Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder caused by sensitivity and tightness in your myofascial tissues. These tissues surround and support the muscles throughout your body.)
As I am supposed to have a contract on both my house and the mini-house, so when the opportunity came to buy an old Holiday Rambler Presidential travel trailer, I grabbed it. Yes, it needs work, but at least I will have a home if the house deal goes through.
Getting the trailer moved was quite a process. It was under a rickety roof-over, which had been repaired with cross beams that were too low to allow the AC to pass under them, so they had to be removed. Then there had been a water leak under it and a great big wet area was hampering getting the leveling blocks out. A water faucet on a post was not far in front of it, so that meant that the truck couldn’t be lined up very well.
My girlfrend with a 3/4 ton diesel truck and I couldn’t do it alone, so I called “Mr. Impossible”, my son Kevin. Fortunately, he has just moved back to TX from FL. He can do impossible things, and he really did it then. But because the grass was so slippery we had to pull his big van with my friends diesel chained in front of it, to get the trailer out. One tire was flat so we had to mount the spare. My compressor came in handy to air up the tires too. The trailer has an electric jack which didn’t work, so fortunately my floor jack and some cement blocks did the job. I still didn’t have my subdivision’s permission to bring it in here, so we took it to my friend’s horse pasture. But before we could even get it through the gate, Kevin had to cut a bunch of low hanging branches down with his chainsaw. But at least we got it out into a safe place with no real mishaps, and no people, animals or property were hurt in the process.
I made Baked Jimaca Fries and a Bison Impossible Pie for the church’s Sabbath potluck. Then anything with leavening was taken out of the church’s kitchen for me to store in the empty mini-house fridge, as Passover starts on Friday evening. A lot of us can’t drive at night, so we are going to have our Passover Service at 11.am on Saturday.
The Bible readings were Exo. 9:1-35, Isa. 34:11-35:4, Heb. 12:14-17 and Matt. 13:51 to the end of chapter 14.
My little skinny foster cat, Oreo, is really on her last legs, and I have been packing up all her meds and food to give back to my SPCA boss. Oreo makes her last ride to the vet this afternoon, so I going to go lie down with her for the last time before she goes over Rainbow Bridge.
As you can see I have been really busy, so this post is for last Sunday.
“What killed all the dinosaurs? What are dinosaurs? Why don’t we find any today?
Huge Sauropod dinosaur leg bone. Compare to the author’s 6’4″ handsome husband!
“Over the years there have been several theories for what killed the dinosaurs and why we don’t really find them today. Was it an asteroid impact? Was it climate change? “What killed the dinosaurs?” is a history question, so let’s go back to the reliable source of history that we’ve talked about – the Bible. The global flood, i.e., “Noah’s Flood”, in Genesis covered the whole earth and all the land-dwelling creatures not on the ark died. Since dinosaurs lived on land, they must have died in the flood. As mentioned in the previous article about rocks, fossils, and the age of the earth (read here), many of the rock layers were created during the global flood, including fossils of some of the creatures that died during the flood.
So, the global flood is what killed most of the dinosaurs. Noah did take some on the ark (see full article), so a few dinosaurs did survive the flood. However, the climate after the flood was very different and probably made it difficult for these creatures to survive. Additionally, looking at dragon legends, the ones that remained were probably pests that humans fought and killed in the following years. What killed the dinosaurs? Several factors – the global flood, changing climate, and humans.
Didn’t dinosaurs evolve into birds?
Archaeopteryx fossil. Photo from pixabay
The idea that dinosaurs evolved into birds is very popular right now. First off, there are a bunch of problems with the idea of evolution as a whole. One type of creature turning into a different type of creatures simply has not on record. You can read more in last week’s article about evolution. Next, looking at the anatomy of a theropod dinosaur (those like T. rex and velociraptor that are thought to have evolved into birds) presents a lot of problems for the way birds breathe and walk.
Then, or course, is the issue of feathers. Feathers are very, very, very different from the scales we find on reptiles – they are very complex and function more like a hair than like scales. There is fossil evidence of skin impressions from many dinosaurs showing scales (even recently discovered on T. rex). The famous “missing link” fossil between dinosaurs and birds, archaeopteryx, is an extinct bird – very clearly not dinosaur. The true identity of “fossil proto-feathers” is still hotly debated among paleontologists. Even many scientists who accept evolution don’t agree with dinosaur-to-bird evolution. To top it all off, fossil parrots, loons, and other birds have been found buried in the same rock layers that we find dinosaurs in. Even the lowest (relatively oldest) dinosaur-containing rock layers have bird footprint fossils.
In conclusion, dinosaurs are marvelous creatures created by God just a few thousand years ago. We don’t see dinosaurs around anymore because of the global flood, changing climate after the flood, and humans fighting these dragons. No, those birds you see in your back yard are not descendants of a dinosaur. Be sure to come back next week as we conclude this series of articles on Creation basics!” Excerpts from: http://creationclues.org/2018/03/03/what-happened-to-the-dinosaurs-creation-basics-5/ By Sara J. Mikkelson (Bruegel) is a young woman dedicated to bringing glory to the one and only God (the LORD, Yahweh, of the Bible) in all that she does.
“There are times in life when stubbornness, ego or vanity will push us into forcing an issue or putting great effort into something that only amounts to little.
Krists Luhaers/Unsplash
Sometimes the best thing to do is to take the other path.
Farmers who had a tough time plowing their fields had an old saying: “Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.” There are stumps and then there are stumps. Some may be worth the effort, some may not. Knowing the difference can save a lot of grief, and having good tools can make a difference.
Jesus gave some good advice when He said that we need to count the cost of projects or things we are facing (Luke 14:28). Sometimes the best thing to do is to take the other path. That is how Abraham solved his trouble with Lot. He told Lot to make a choice and rather than have strife, Abraham would simply go the opposite way (Genesis 13:9). Abraham knew God would bless him wherever he went. When you go around the “stump” for God, hold His hand.”
“Wisdom can be found anywhere God chooses, whether we hear it or not.
Rod Long/Unsplash
God’s Word offers direction for the times we lose our way on the road of wisdom. Ask for wisdom and observe the fruit borne from that request.
Is it possible that as worldly knowledge increases, wisdom decreases? Humanity has accomplished much and has many clever sayings, such as “knowledge is power.” But it’s a spiritual paradox of sorts.
Let’s consider Scripture. Standing amidst an assortment of pagan altars, Paul stood up at Mars Hill and said: “Men of Athens, I see how very religious you are in every way” (Acts 17:22). Paul spoke to them at their spiritual level. He didn’t look down his nose and walk away. He didn’t say, “Your idols are outrageous and need to be destroyed.”
He may have screened his thoughts and practiced diplomacy. Paul found a way to tell them some good news about his merciful, all-powerful God, using a sliver of wisdom he found among these knowledgeable Athenians: “I found an altar where you worship with the words written on it, TO THE GOD WHO IS NOT KNOWN. You are worshiping Him without knowing Him. He is the One I will tell you about” (Acts 17:22-23).
Wisdom can be found anywhere God chooses, whether we hear it or not: “Wisdom cries out in the street; she utters her voice in the markets” (Proverbs 1:20). We may cry out in prayer for understanding and seek it as treasure, but Scripture cautions about misplacing our focus on knowledge: “And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2).
God’s Word offers direction for the times we lose our way on the road of wisdom: “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Communication and signs are navigation tools. Ask for wisdom and observe the fruit borne from that request. “Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly” (Proverbs3:18).
Connecting the dots on this spiritual treasure-seeking quest will help us stay on target for the heavenly wisdom of James 3:17 and our true, living God.”
“Many people carry loads that are heavy, but invisible.
If we carry our concerns and worries from the previous day into today, we will have an ever-heavier load to carry.
These invisible heavy loads are thoughts that burden us with anxiety, fear and concern. There could be thoughts of revenge and records of hurts we may have suffered. These inner loads are heavy only to you. “It does not take a very big person to carry a grudge,” someone noted. But the one carrying it may find their life changed and the joy they could have had curtailed. “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; it only causes harm” (Psalms 37:8). Most of that harm impacts the one carrying the load, but all those associated with him are affected.
Jesus advised His followers to stop worrying about tomorrow or things they could not change—there are plenty of things a person needs to be concerned with without adding some extra (Matthew 6:34). If we carry our concerns and worries from the previous day into today, we will have an ever-heavier load to carry. There are some parts of the load that we must bear, but things like grudges, anger or attempts to retaliate are ones that we do not need. Drop them, and your load will be lighter.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/drop-the-load
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Update:
Zack got one coat of paint on one side of the 15-light door in the mini-house, and we did a few other odd jobs.
Chris and I took the van to Pete’s auto repair shop in Conroe as he has got it inspected for me in other years. But he said that his scanner would not give him a good code for why the engine light is on. So we picked it up and I took it to a larger shop. They scanned it, free, and said it is one of the 3 oxygen sensors and that they didn’t have time to fix it until the following Wednesday, (for $220).
As I was driving it back to Willis, the engine light was off, so I thought that I would get it inspected. It passed everything, except they said that the computer had been reset and that I had to drive it for 100 miles within 2 weeks, and then they would inspect it again. I set the trip to zero, and wondered how I was going to rack up 100 miles in two weeks. I didn’t have to worry about that, the engine light came back on in only 18 miles.
On Monday, Luna, my Siamese foster was picked up by my SPCA boss, Kenya, and taken to her house overnight so that she could be taken to the vet Tuesday morning. They had to verify that she is indeed already spayed, and get her next shots. Then Kenya put her in the Habitat at Petco. The next day, Wednesday, Chris and I were going to get my van from Pete’s when Chris got a call from the Habitat that Luna was having a seizure again. We rushed there and picked her up. Chris dropped me off at Pete’s and took Luna to my house while I took the van to the larger shop. When I got home, Luna was fine and as loving as always. So it is either the shots or being confined in a small spaces that sets off the seizures. Kenya is going to pick her up again next week and keep her under observation with a camera. She is going to trade with me, I will be getting a gray boy cat who was saved from a foster mother’s home that caught on fire on Tuesday. Three of the critters, 1 dog, 2 cats died in the fire, but this cat, and two others were saved and treated for smoke inhalation.
Puddin’, my other foster cat, is so happy to be home from the Habitat that she hardly leaves my side, and is tolerating Luna being in the house. At first she swore terribly (a sailer would blush) anytime she saw Luna, but now she has calmed down to a growl. By the 17th., I have to get her used to being around other cats as she has a potential adopter who already has a cat. Luna and Puddin’ sleep on my bed with me, but not near each other. Maybe Puddin’ will like the new cat better?
I have trained Puddin’ some “catiquette”, or cat etiquette. She doesn’t get on counters or the dining table, she comes when called, that gets two treats, and if she comes on her own, that’s one treat. Of course, she has me trained, too, she lets me know when she wants her canned food, and comes to get me when she thinks it is bedtime. The changing of the clocks will probably confuse her tonight.
When I took Zack to the local food pantry, he was given two batches of beets, and a package of ground bison, which he promptly gave me. Some people don’t know what’s good, or what’s good for them. I put the beets in a big pot, boiled them, skinned them and I will have a great time eating them in different dishes. I have some brown rice soaking, ready to cook it in a crockpot, and cooking it in the beet water will give the brown rice an interesting hue. Who says you have to stick to the conventional recipes? I find cooking in a crockpot gives my kitchen smoke alarm some rest. If I cook food on the stove, I often forget about it, until it reminds me.
The ground bison was cooked with some chopped onion, and as I had an abundance of potatoes, I cooked and mashed them, too. What did that make? A Shepherd’s Pie, of course, though I had to add a pound of grass-fed ground beef to make it enough for the church potluck. I took some beef gravy for the pie, and a cut up cantelope, too. We also had chicken alfredo, tamale pie, beef pie, etc., lima beans, broccoli and other veggies.
The Bible readings were Exo. 30:11-34:35, about the Altar of Incense, the golden calf, the second pair of tablets of stone inscribed with the 10 Commandments, the seventh day the Sabbath, and the Feast Days being days of rest, 1 Kin. 18:1-39 and 2 Cor. 3:1-18. The Teaching was more about what Martin Luther’s Reformation has done for us. The people now had translations of the Bible in their own languages. The pilgrims had came over here with the Geneva Bible, as the King James version was so new.
After I had helped clean up the dining hall kitchen, I went to the nursing home to see Claudia, who is still hanging in there. The weather this week has been variable with air conditioning needed one day, and heat the next day.
The Good Steward of God's Blessings: Sharing Our Time, Talent and Treasure.
"In the face of seemingly insurmountable difficulties, you can make a difference.
You’re sitting on the couch watching the evening news report of a devastating natural disaster overseas. Tens of thousands of hungry, exhausted, injured people have been displaced from their homes. Video footage depicts them walking for miles, carrying their children, desperately searching for food and clean water. They’ve left behind their homes, their possessions and in some cases their dead loved ones. Social safety nets that we take for granted in the developed world don’t exist now in their world.
The news anchors in the television studio comment on how tragic it is for the thousands and thousands who, by the unfortunate accident of where they happen to live, are now stripped of all their possessions and forced to start over, trying to meet their basic human needs. The report numbs you. It hardly begins to cross your mind that you wish you could do something to help those people. But of course you can’t—not in the face of such overwhelming devastation.
Then it’s dinnertime, which you enjoy with your family. You chat about your day and work on coordinating your schedules for the busy upcoming weekend. You never think about the news report again, and the images of innumerable human faces lined with intense suffering fade from your memory. You would never say so, but the forgetfulness is welcome.
We see seemingly insurmountable problems and think we are unable to make a true difference. After all if it were even possible to make a difference, surely someone else with more brains, money and time would do so.
But are we truly so powerless? Do we so quickly forget who our all-powerful Father is?
The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle performed by Jesus Christ that all four gospel writers recorded (Matthew:14:13, Mark:6:31, Luke:9:10-17 and John:6:5-15) The multitudes had been following Christ, listening to His teaching and receiving His healing. The disciples wanted Jesus to dismiss the many thousands to go find food, but Christ wanted the disciples to take care of the people themselves. Given the circumstances, the task was impossible. There was no way to quickly purchase food for the five thousand men plus thousands more women and children who had gathered, and the disciples quite reasonably said so. “But He [Christ] said to them, ‘How many loaves do you have? Go and see’” (Mark:6:38)
In John:6:8-9 we read that a boy responded by offering his five barley loaves and two small fish to the disciples. Understandably the disciples commented, “What are they among so many?” This small amount of food was woefully inadequate for the situation. However Jesus multiplied the offering, abundantly meeting the needs of the people.
The Take-Away
What can we learn from this youth who responded to the disciple’s call for resources and the miracle Christ performed with such meager supplies?
1. Freely give what you have to God. We are stewards, not owners, of all that is in our control (including our time, talent and treasure). Surely others had food on that day in the Palestinian countryside. But when the disciples searched for resources upon Christ’s request to do the impossible, it was this boy who responded. He gave all he had and was thereby given the most excellent blessing of seeing God multiply his small offering to meet a staggering need. God could have had Jesus Christ turn stones into bread for the multitude, but instead He delighted in taking an offering and multiplying it for the benefit of the giver.
God will have His work accomplished, but He wants to do it through us.
2. Trust God to meet the need. We do not measure our own resources against the problem—we measure God’s resources against the problem.
Christ did not ask about the magnitude of the problem or the lack of resources—He asked, “What do you have to offer?” What looked vastly insufficient to human eyes became more than enough in God’s hands. Our human contribution to God’s work is marginal at best—even the contributions from the wealthiest, the most talented or even the most righteous among men. But God can take our offering—be it our time, talent or treasure—and multiply it to meet the need. It is only when we face a task impossible by human standards that we can stand aside and let God perform a miracle. So rejoice in impossible problems—you will see the hand of God!
“I am weak and can do nothing” is not true humility. Too often that approach is actually a convenient cop-out that serves our laziness or selfishness. We shirk our duty yet manage to pacify our conscience. “I only have five loaves and two fish— they won’t even make a dent in this overwhelming need, so I shouldn’t even bother...” Or more commonly today, how about, “I’m only a minimally talented musician, or speaker, or dinner host, or organizer, or conversation starter, or ______, so I won’t even bother trying to serve—someone else can do it, and they’ll do it better than I could anyway.”
True humility is knowing that on our own we are weak and can do nothing, but that through God, we can do anything He desires for us to do. And we will do anything He desires for us to do because in humility we will put all of our selfish cares behind us in order to serve God and our fellow man.
3. Reap such blessings that there is not room enough to receive them.
Not only did all the people following Jesus that day eat but there were twelve baskets of scraps taken up after the meal! What if the boy hadn’t offered up his meal? Perhaps he would have secreted away and quickly filled his belly, feeling vaguely uncomfortable and guilty. But instead of eating it all himself, he gave what he had to help others with no expectation of return. His offering, which in his hands could only have met the needs of a few, was then used by Christ to fill the needs of thousands of hungry people. Not only that, he also had the honor of being part of Jesus Christ’s miraculous care of the people.
Though others likely had food that day, they probably figured they didn’t have enough, so they didn’t give anything at all. One boy gave what little he had, and God made it more than enough.
What overwhelming needs do you see around you—in your family, your community and your world? What resources do you have that you can put in God’s able hands? What miraculous impact could come about because of your small offering? Our meager resources will never yield more when we clutch them tightly to our chest—instead they will wilt, wither and even poison us with anxiety. But the same God-given resources have infinite potential to help others if handed freely back to God.
AN AMAZING FACT: "In 1896, Sir Albert Cook journeyed to Uganda as a medical missionary. In his lifetime, he founded the oldest hospital in East Africa, trained countless native medical workers, began a midwifery school, and established a treatment center for STDs and sleeping sickness, as well as a school for medical assistants!
In an era of discrimination and prejudice against native Africans, British medical missionary Sir Albert Cook stood out as an unusual example of equality and service. After beginning medical work in Africa, he recognized the desperate need for trained local medical workers and decided to take action. For Cook, missionary work meant recognizing the needs of those around him and doing what he could to serve them.
His actions reflect the words of the apostle James. “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” Sharing God’s love often starts with action. In the United States, the need for food and medical attention might not be as desperate as it is overseas, but people also have emotional needs. Showing others that we care, taking an interest in their lives, and being a difference to them is frequently the best first step of evangelism."
KEY BIBLE TEXTS: "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." - James 2:15-17
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From me: When we lose a pet, as I just did, we get comfort from the poem of the Rainbow Bridge, http://rainbowsbridge.com/poem.htm , but is it true?
Will God Resurrect Animals?
"We really love our pets. It can be so sad when they die or we have to put them to sleep. If God can resurrect humans, then can’t He bring our pets back to life?
Animals are a special part of creation, and many of us have a special attachment to our pets. Some animals seem to have been created specifically for our enjoyment and companionship. We love them, care for them, play with them and are comforted by them.
Our pets simply become “part of the family.” It’s a genuinely sad experience when a pet dies. Often a child’s first experience with death is when he or she has to come to grips with the loss of a beloved pet.
Cartoons and children’s stories sometimes deal with the death of beloved pets by picturing them in some kind of “animal heaven.”
But does the Bible tell us why God created animals? Is there a purpose for them beyond their physical existence?
Some have a sincere question: If God plans to resurrect people, might He also resurrect animals to reunite us with those pets we came to love?
The reality is that while the Bible promises the resurrection of humans, it simply doesn’t say that He will resurrect animals. Why is that?
"I read an intriguing list the other day of 19 things to watch for in society that will be trending in the coming year. It was quite different than most lists that predict social movements in fashion and fads or follow pop culture and famous people.
It certainly wasn’t as silly and superficial as that stuff.
On the contrary, it’s worth paying attention to because these are trends that are impacting the everyday lives of people around the world, including you, your family and your children. In fact, the source where I found this information notes that these are major stressors in society.
Trend spotting these issues is fairly easy—as I read these, just ask yourself, “Do I see these trending up or trending down?” How would you rank our culture today on the following?
People will be, the list says:
Lovers of themselves.
Lovers of money.
Stuck-up.
Proud.
Abusive.
Disobedient to their parents.
Unthankful.
Irreligious.
Heartless.
Unforgiving.
False accusers.
Lacking self-control.
Violent.
Despisers of those that are good.
Betrayers.
Rash.
Conceited.
Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.
Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won’t be real.
Pick any one of those social indicators—are we trending up or trending down? And what is the effect on a person who portrays such a trait? What is the effect on others who have interaction with such a person displaying this trait? What does it do to human relationships when any of these factors increase? When these things increase, I think the word “stress”—or “perilous,” as it was also described—is pretty accurate in many ways.
So, where did this list come from? Believe it or not, it’s from the Bible! The author is the apostle Paul, and he was forecasting the identifying marks of society in what he called “the last days.” You might say, “We’ve always had people like that around,” and you’re right. But Paul’s point, when he said, “In the last days perilous times will come,” is that these conditions will be progressively escalating. He follows on by saying this evil will grow worse and worse, with people deceiving and being deceived. In other words, these conditions will be trending up, and people won’t recognize why. And they won’t recognize how they are being desensitized!
This is found in 2 Timothy 3, by the way. It’s a fascinating forecast (given that it was written down nearly 2,000 years ago) and, by my way of thinking, is incredibly accurate in its assessment of today’s world.
So here’s what counts for us: You can’t change the world, but you can watch what’s trending in it, and you can watch your own life. Need a resolution for 2014? How about resolving to be a trendsetter—trending away from the dangerous direction society is heading!" From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/whats-trending-in-2014/
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The program on WGN TV this morning:
Meet God
"It's the great mystery of life. Who is God? How can you know about Him? How can you interact with Him? You can know God! Find out how."
Blizzard brings tragedy to Northwest Plains, Jan 12, 1888:
"On this day in 1888, the so-called "Schoolchildren's Blizzard" kills 235 people, many of whom were children on their way home from school, across the Northwest Plains region of the United States. The storm came with no warning, and some accounts say that the temperature fell nearly 100 degrees in just 24 hours.
The storm is still considered one of the worst blizzards in the history of the area."
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Massive earthquake strikes Haiti, Jan 12, 2010:
"On this day in 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastates the Caribbean island nation of Haiti. The quake, which was the strongest to strike the region in more than 200 years, left over 200,000 people dead and some 895,000 Haitians homeless.
The earthquake hit southern Haiti at 4:53 p.m. local time. The nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, a densely populated city located about 15 miles from the quake’s epicenter, suffered widespread devastation. Countless dwellings were reduced to rubble, while hospitals, churches and schools collapsed and roads were blocked with debris. Numerous government structures were heavily damaged or destroyed, including the presidential palace, parliament building and main prison. (At the time of the quake, Haiti lacked a national building code, and many structures were shoddily constructed.)
Governments and individuals around the world made donations and pledges of aid to Haiti totaling billions of dollars. However, on the first-year anniversary of the disaster, reconstruction efforts were still in their infancy. Thousands of people left homeless by the quake were living in tents, and only a small portion of the heavy debris resulting from the disaster had been cleared."
Wendy and I had our usual Saturday phone call. They were making plans to build a real house on the adjacent lot that they just bought next to their mobile home lake house at Lake Somerville, TX. They sold their big house in the Houston area to retire there, and her husband transferred to the Navasota office. They may be reconsidering building there as it is a long way for him to go to work for the next 20 years.
It is a 45 minute drive each way, so he has to allow an hour. That's two hours out of every day away from the family. Yes, lots of people do long commutes, but it is very stressful which affects the health. So they have been looking at areas closer to Navasota. Their son, Tony, also has to drive a quite a way to his job. Being a new young driver, this was a big worry when the roads were icy. Another thing to consider is that their place is 25 minutes away from the nearest big town where there are only Level III medical facilities. Something to think about as they age.
I fed the cats their breakfasts. A week or so ago, I fixed four little pet bowls, but now it is down to two.
Then I got ready for church. As the weather was great, I didn't even have to wear a coat.
One of the older members is out of the hospital again, and it was great to see her and her two daughters, as we have all prayed for her daily.
Another couple were absent as they are full-time RVers and live mostly in the Thousand Trails system, http://www.thousandtrails.com/ . They are 'snowbirds' and stay in TX in the winter, and up north during the summer. They had to leave the Conroe TT park for a while, as per TT rules, so they went to the TT park at Columbus, TX on the Colorado River, and will be back soon.
After the opening prayers, the pastor started by reading Psalms 121, 123, and 125 about how God is looking out for us. Then we sang two songs before the Bible readings. This week it was the continuation of Genesis 44:18 – 47:27, and then Ezekiel 37:13-28. This is about when Joseph, after years of being in Egypt reunites with his father, who thought that Joseph was dead.
Then we had the special prayers for those in need and the main song service, followed by the message which was about letting God work within us.
We all had good fellowship, conversation and food at the potluck. For the first time, I could hang around and help clean up the dining hall as I didn't have to hurry home to let Misty out yesterday.
"I am often asked for my list of the best foods to eat — the foods that contain the most micronutrients, phytochemicals and other health-promoting compounds. People want to know which high-nutrient foods provide the keys to optimum health and longevity. They are searching for a simple answer to the question, “What should I eat to reach my ideal weight, achieve immunity to disease and feel my best every day?”
It is difficult to squeeze all the nutrient dense, health promoting foods into a list of the ten best. The foods on my list however, are the foods that I believe everyone should include in their diet on a regular basis. They are strongly cancer-protective and longevity-favorable. They contain the most vitamins and minerals and powerful phytochemicals including allium compounds, glucosinolates, aromatase inhibitors, flavonoids and lignans. Of course not all of my favorites could make my top ten and the runners-up include many other vegetables and fruits.
Print out Dr. Fuhrman’s Ten Best and Worst Foods as a daily reminder of what to eat and what to stay away from: http://bit.ly/1edfxSy
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Frequent Hunger and Sweet Cravings? You May Be Making This Common Mistake
"David Kirchoff, president of Weight Watchers, the world's largest diet company, recently said on their website: "Calorie counting has become unhelpful.
When we have a 100-calorie apple in one hand and a 100-calorie pack of cookies in the other, and we view them as being 'the same' because the calories are the same, it says everything that needs to be said about the limitations of just using calories in guiding food choices."
Tip: "Pay particular attention to the serving size and calories per serving listed on the nutrition label. A packaged muffin may contain 300 calories a serving, but if the serving size listed is one-half muffin, there are two servings per package and the actual muffin contains 600 calories."
"Just one shot glass full of pine nuts every day can help suppress hunger. Pine nuts contain pinolenic acid, a naturally occurring fat that stimulates cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), both powerful hormones that alert the brain that the stomach is full. In one study, women who consumed pinolenic acid reported a decreased desire to eat and also reduced their food intake by 36%."
Confusing sell-by dates on food may be costing you money
"Terms like "sell by," "use by" and "best before" are usually not good indicators of how safe the food is to eat. Rather than referring to when the food is safe to eat, these terms are simply suggestions from the manufacturer for when the food is at its peak quality. The "sell by" date tells grocery stores how long to offer the product for sale, and food is usually fresh for at least several days after that date.
"Best by" usually speaks to when the food has its best flavor and quality. "Use by" is the last date recommended for use of the product at its peak quality. Confusion over these dates prompts 9 out of 10 Americans to throw away food before they really need to – a waste of taste and money." More at: http://www.today.com/news/confusing-sell-dates-food-may-be-costing-you-money-8C11339499
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On This Day:
First meeting of the United Nations, Jan 10, 1946:
"The first General Assembly of the United Nations, comprising 51 nations, convenes at Westminster Central Hall in London, England. One week later, the U.N. Security Council met for the first time and established its rules of procedure. Then, on January 24, the General Assembly adopted its first resolution, a measure calling for the peaceful uses of atomic energy and the elimination of atomic and other weapons of mass destruction.
In 1944, at the Dumbarton Oaks conference in Washington, D.C., the groundwork was laid by Allied delegates for an international postwar organization to maintain peace and security in the postwar world. The organization was to possess considerably more authority over its members than the defunct League of Nations, which had failed in its attempts to prevent the outbreak of World War II. In April 1945, with celebrations of victory in Europe about to commence, delegates from 51 nations convened in San Francisco to draft the United Nations Charter. On June 26, the document was signed by the delegates, and on October 24 it was formally ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council and a majority of other signatories."
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Yesterday:
As they were going to the vet, I didn't feed Misty or Ava much breakfast. Misty's appointment had been changed from 'blood work' to 'euthanasia'. Ava was going for the vet to feel her thyroid. I wanted to make sure she wasn't having trouble with that because she is always hungry.
Fortunately, I had loaded Misty first, and had her carrier strapped in, as Ava did not want to get in her carrier, and she turned into an octopus with eight sharp corners. So I was leaking as I drove through the heavy rain with a tissue catching the blood. I hadn't expected that from sweet old Ava, or I would have loaded her into the carrier a different way.
As it was a mild day, I left Ava in the van while Misty and I went into the vet. Misty sat on my lap in the lobby, listening to everything going on around her. The vet said that he was glad that I was doing this before she got too bad. She had lost two pounds since the last time she was there two months ago, but it didn't show. Peacefully, she was PTS, being stroked and listening to my voice, and went to Rainbow Bridge. First time I have left a vet without my animal. She stayed there as she was being picked up by a crematorium. Other pets were brought home to be buried here.
The vet said that as long as Ava is gaining weight she doesn't have thyroid disease, and to save an office visit. They will do blood tests on her later, if I am still concerned. I could have taken her in there for a free weighing, but not with her aversion to being put back in a carrier.
As Ava was quite comfy being in the van, I stopped at the lawyer, signed and picked up my will that they had ready for me. It was a freebie from AOL. Then I went into Kroger's for a few groceries so that I wouldn't have to go out in the rain again. Maybe Ava learned that carriers aren't that bad after all, as she seemed to like watching the scenery go by, and wasn't taken into a vet for shots or anything.
Once home, I emailed Kenya, my SPCA boss, and this is what she wrote back to me:
"Hi Penny,
I am so sorry about Misty. I know you will miss her a lot but also hope you know that Misty knew she was loved and well cared for the last years of her life like no one else would have been able to do for her. I will never forget the change in Misty after you got her all cleaned up and groomed that first time and how she not only looked like a different dog, but how I could also see in her eyes that she felt like a different dog - one that deserved to be loved again. You made her feel that way and I know if was not easy for you and that it took many times on the grooming table to get her all done as she was in such bad shape.
You Did Me a Kindness
When my legs grew too weak to carry me, And my tired eyes could no longer see, When it pained me to struggle for each new breath, When my heart beat weaker, and I drew closer to death, You did me the kindness of letting me go. You didn't make me hang on when I was suffering so. I promise I don't think that you loved me any less, And I love you all the more for your selflessness. You freed my spirit from its body so wracked with pain, And let me run the fields of Heaven, where I'm sure we'll meet again.
Unfortunately for many pets not everyone has the strength you do to give that last act of kindness to their pets. I am so thankful that you are such a kind and caring person and knew when it was time to let Misty go.
We had her on our records as a forever foster since we did not feel we could adopt her out with the cancer, so you did not need to pay for it yourself as SPCA should have paid for it. You had already been paying to feed and take care of her in your home all these years (many more years than I thought she had, due to the great care and love you gave her).
I called Conroe Vet and asked them to transfer the payment to your account and told them to leave the expense on our bill and SPCA will pay for it. That is the least SPCA can do for you after all you have done for Misty.
Ray called me from our SPCA Habitat to tell me that Peekers, my foster kitten, was back there, so I emailed Kenya again. This was her reply:
"Hi Penny,
He was returned on Monday. It was not his fault. The lady did not do what she was told to do and keep him in a separate room for even the first day, so her cat got all stressed out and the two cats were not getting along which of course they would not get along the way she did it.
I did not offer for her to try another cat because I could tell she was not going to do what we asked her to do and keep any cat she got in a separate room for a week. So let her go somewhere else and get one and see that it also will not work out, when she does not do what she should be doing.
Thanks, Kenya."
I wish I had known before I left Conroe, I would have dropped in to visit him yesterday.
"Most have taken for granted Jesus' nativity story as commonly related - that when Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem there was no room in an inn so Mary ended up giving birth to Jesus in a stable. But is this the true account in Scripture? See for yourself!
The Greek word translated "inn" in Luke 2:7 refers to a guest room.
A typical translation of Luke 2:7 says about Mary giving birth to Jesus, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (New King James Version).
We've grown up hearing the account that the "inn" in Bethlehem was full, with no "room" available, so Joseph and Mary ended up in a stable, with Jesus Christ born and laid in a manger there. This image has been used to promote the typical Christmas nativity scene for generations. Yet a careful analysis of the biblical text reveals quite a different story!
Not an inn but a guest room
The New Testament was originally written in Greek, and the Greek word translated "inn" here is kataluma. It means a place of rest, usually a guest room. In fact, the same writer Luke uses this very word later where it clearly refers to a guest room and not an inn. Notice Luke 22:11, where Jesus said to His disciples, "Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "'Where is the guest room [kataluma ] where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'"
Furthermore, Luke elsewhere in his Gospel uses a different Greek word when he writes about an actual inn—not the word kataluma. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus mentions that the injured man in the story was taken to an inn—and here Luke translates using the Greek word pandokheion, the normal word for an inn. We read this in Luke 10:34, where the kind Samaritan set the injured man "on his own animal, brought him to an inn,and took care of him."
Interestingly, the Arabic and Syriac versions of the New Testament, which reflect more of a Middle Eastern context, have never translated kataluma as meaning an inn, but instead as a guest room. As Kenneth Bailey, a Middle Eastern and New Testament scholar points out, "This translation [of the word as 'inn'] is a product of our Western heritage" ("The Manger and the Inn: The Cultural Background of Luke 2:7," Bible and Spade, Fall 2007, p. 103).
In addition, Young's Literal Translation uses the term "guest-chamber" instead of an inn. It says: "And she brought forth her son—the first-born, and wrapped him up, and laid him down in the manger, because there was not for them a place in the guest-chamber."
Note also the word here translated "place" or "room." In the context of "inn," most assume this is referring to an individual room ("no room in the inn"), yet even inns of that time did not often have individual rooms. The reference is simply to space. What Luke is telling us is that there was not enough room, or enough space, for them in the guest room.
The linguistic evidence shows that Luke used the term katalumato mean not an inn, but the guest room — indeed, "the" guest room (the definite article is used) of a particular house.
Historical factors
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, after pointing out that the word katalumais used elsewhere in the Gospels for the guest chamber of a private home, comments: "Was the 'inn' at Bethlehem, where Joseph and Mary sought a night's lodging, an upper guest room in a private home or some kind of public place for travelers? The question cannot be answered with certainty. It is thought by some that it may have been a guest chamber provided by the community. We know that visitors to the annual feasts in Jerusalem were entertained in the guest rooms of private homes" (1982, Vol. 2, "Inn," p. 826).
Another factor that powerfully argues against this term meaning an inn is that these places were not appropriate to giving birth to a child. Inns at that time were far from anything like typical motels or hotels we might think of today. "Generally speaking, inns had a bad reputation . . . This ill repute of public inns, together with the Semitic spirit of hospitality, led the Jews and the early Christians to recommend the keeping of an open house for the benefit of strangers" (ibid.).
Besides, for commercial reasons inns were usually found along the major roads. Yet Bethlehem was a small town in the upper mountains of Judea, and no major Roman road is known to have passed through it. Since it seems to have been an insignificant village at the time, it's doubtful that an inn even existed there then.
This gives yet more reason to realize that what Luke really wrote is that there was no room in the guest chamber. Certainly, due to the Roman census being taken at the time and the huge number of people traveling to their birthplaces, available space in the guest quarters was scarce.
So the question then becomes: Does that mean Joseph and Mary aimed to stay in someone's home but, since the guest room was full, were turned out into the night to a stable? When Mary was in labor? That might seem worse than being turned away from an inn. Of course, both scenarios seem rather terrible—certainly downright inhospitable, which is far out of line from the way things were at that time.
A culture of hospitality and honoring kinship
In Christ's day, hospitality to visitors among the Jews was essential, based on biblical example and law. In Deuteronomy 10:19, God told the Israelites to "love the stranger." And Leviticus 19:33 stated, "If a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him." Denial of hospitality was shown throughout Scripture to be an outrage. Hospitality toward visitors is still important throughout the Middle East.
Moreover, since Bethlehem was Joseph's ancestral home, he probably had relatives there. And being a descendant of King David, whose hometown this was, he would have been highly respected upon his arrival. Think of a descendant of George Washington coming to his hometown of Alexandria, Virginia, after a long lapse of time. The townspeople would've shown him respect.
Note that it is only the manger, an animal food or water trough, that gives any indication of a stable. And indeed a manger might well have been found in a stable. But it's important to realize that they were also to be found within first-century homes!
A typical Judean house of that day consisted of an area near the door, often with a dirt floor, where the family's animals were kept at night—so they wouldn't be stolen or preyed upon and so their body heat could help warm the home on cool nights. The family lived and slept in a raised part of the same room set back from the door. There was also usually a guest room either upstairs on a second floor or adjoining the family common room on the lower floor. Typically the lower area near the door had a manger for food and/or water for the animals.
"Christ and the early Church didn’t celebrate Christmas. Why? If you strip it of its commercialism, pre-Christian customs and inaccuracies, what do you learn?"
Was the birth of Jesus really on Dec. 25? What else is questionable about Christmas?
Today, Christmas has become a nostalgic icon of a past that never was. Santa Claus, the Christmas tree and lots of gifts take center stage in Christian and non-Christian homes.
But these and other customs have little connection to the Bible and the true story of the birth of Jesus, or the message and meaning of His first coming. While the Bible teaches a great deal about Jesus and His message through the story of the birth of Jesus Christ (“Christ” means “messiah” or “anointed”), the traditions of Christmas often mislead, misinform and even contradict the Scriptures!
Would you be surprised to learn that the Bible doesn’t say when Jesus Christ was born? That the early New Testament Church didn’t celebrate Christmas? That Christmas was banned by the Puritans of New England? Or that some Christians today do not celebrate Christmas for biblical and doctrinal reasons?
Why? Honoring Christ?
The primary problem is that the roots of Christmas lie in polytheistic, pagan religious practices, rather than in Christian ones. The New Testament Church honored Christ as the One who came to deliver us from error, darkness and sin. Having turned from paganism to follow Christ, early Christians would never have continued in the practices of paganism in an effort to honor Him!
The apostle Paul wrote, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-11).
If something is grounded in practices dedicated to pagan worship and false gods, continuing in such “unfruitful works of darkness” would have been a fundamental violation of the allegiance and obedience they were pledging, as Christians, to their Savior and King!
No wonder, then, that the New Testament Church did not observe Christmas.
When did “Christmas” become “Christian”?
The World Book Encyclopedia explains, “The first mention of the celebration of Christmas occurred in A.D. 336 in an early Roman calendar, which indicates December 25 as the day of observance” (1990, article “Christmas”). Notice this first mention of Christmas is more than 300 years after Christ’s lifetime! The date of Christ’s birth is not recorded in the Bible. So why did they pick Dec. 25?
“This celebration was probably influenced by pagan (unchristian) festivals held at that time. The ancient Romans held year-end celebrations to honor Saturn, their harvest god; and Mithras, the god of light. Various peoples in northern Europe held festivals in mid-December to celebrate the end of the harvest season. … [Their] customs gradually became part of the Christmas celebration” (ibid.).
Even religious people who celebrate Christmas have written about its non-Christian roots. Consider this history from the “Grace to You” website: “The decision to celebrate Christmas on December 25 was made sometime during the fourth century by church bishops in Rome. They had a specific reason for doing so.
“Having turned long ago from worshiping the one true God and creator of all things, many early cultures in the Roman empire had fallen into sun worship. Recognizing their dependence on the sun’s yearly course in the heavens, they held feasts around the winter solstice in December when the days are shortest. As part of their festivals, they built bonfires to give the sun god strength and bring him back to life again. When it became apparent that the days were growing longer, there would be great rejoicing.
“The church leaders in Rome decided to celebrate Christ’s birth during the winter solstice in an attempt to Christianize these popular pagan celebrations. For the most part their efforts failed to make the people conform, and the heathen festivities continued.”
“An affront unto the grace of God”
Is adopting pagan customs acceptable to God?
“It’s common knowledge that Christmas and its customs have nothing to do with the Bible. … The theological question is quite simple: Is it acceptable to God for humans to choose to worship Him by adopting paganism’s most popular celebrations and calling them Christian?”
The Roman festivals were characterized by licentiousness—a trait that continued to characterize the supposedly Christian holiday through the centuries.
Over the decades, parents have told children about Santa Claus and his workshop at the North Pole. Where in the Bible does God excuse lying—especially to our children?
Even gift-giving customs have non-Christian roots. In his book 4,000 Years of Christmas: A Gift From the Ages (1997), Episcopal priest Earl Count relates historical connections between exchanging gifts on the 12 days of Christmas with the customs of ancient, pagan Babylon. He shows that mistletoe was adopted from Druid mystery rituals and that Dec. 25 derives from the ancient Roman Saturnalia rather than with Jesus.
What of the wise men?
That’s not the only biblical fact that Christmas customs have wrong. Joe Kovacs, author of Shocked by the Bible,points out, “If asked how many wise men were present at the Bethlehem manger when Jesus was born, most people would likely answer, ‘Three.’ They would be wrong. The correct answer from the Bible is actually … zero!” (2008, p. 3).
What difference does it make?
Some will wonder, “What difference does it make? Those pagan customs now have ‘Christian meanings.’ Doesn’t that make them acceptable?”
If we leave the decision up to human opinion, the debate could probably go on endlessly. But God specifically addresses the issue of what customs to use in worshipping Him. We should look to the Bible for the answer.
It’s found in Deuteronomy 12:29-32: “When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, … 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.”
To the devoutly religious Pharisees, Jesus said in Mark 7:6-9: “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men. … All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”
Imagine a purer, less commercial, more spiritual Christmas. But don't call it history.
"The only problem is that, as historians are increasingly discovering, this purer, simpler, more spiritual past is more a product of our cultural imagination than of historical fact. A series of new studies suggests that the observance of Christmas was never an entirely religious affair, that many of the most popular seasonal traditions are relatively modern inventions and that complaints of crass overindulgence and gross commercialism are nearly as old as the holiday itself." From: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/961223/archive_009449.htm
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The program on WGN TV this morning:
Is Something Missing in My Life?
"Is your life so busy you can't seem to get everything done? Even so, is something still lacking? Learn more."
"The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is signed into law by President Bill Clinton. Clinton said he hoped the agreement would encourage other nations to work toward a broader world-trade pact.
NAFTA, a trade pact between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, eliminated virtually all tariffs and trade restrictions between the three nations. The passage of NAFTA was one of Clinton's first major victories as the first Democratic president in 12 years--though the movement for free trade in North America had begun as a Republican initiative.
During its planning stages, NAFTA was heavily criticized by Reform Party presidential candidate Ross Perot, who argued that if NAFTA was passed, Americans would hear a "giant sucking sound" of American companies fleeing the United States for Mexico, where employees would work for less pay and without benefits. The pact, which took effect on January 1, 1994, created the world's largest free-trade zone."
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Yesterday:
After a couple of checks during the night, when I woke up, the first thing was to see if Punkie, the sick, old dog, had made it through the night. She had, but she was so weak. She was already wearing a sweater, but I still put one of Misty's cozy coats on her, carried her outside, let her do her thing, and carried her back inside. Then I tried to feed her and give her more electrolyte water. She was suffering, so I was, too.
After tending to all the other animals, I knew that something had to be done about Punkie. I called her Mom who said that she should have had Punkie PTS a week ago, and gave me permission to have it done.
After calling the vet, I asked Ray if he would drive me there. I didn't want to drive myself and have to put Punkie in a carrier, I wanted to hold her and make her feel loved and safe. The vet was expecting us, and we didn't have to wait long. He saw Punkie's condition, gave her a shot in the arm, and she went to sleep in my arms. So Punkie is now at peace. The vet tech put her in a cardboard casket so she can go home to Mindi's ranch and be buried there. Punkie is the fourth of Mindi's poodles that have gone to Rainbow Bridge in the 15 years that I have known them.
Ray dropped me off at the church, but I was a few minutes late. They usually start with a couple of songs, and I arrived during the second one. Then we had the continued Bible reading of Genesis 25:19 – Genesis 28:9, about Isaac and Esau, and then Malachi 1:1-28.
For the main song service they usually have the words of the songs on a projector screen, but the bulb had gone out, or just didn't want to work due to the cold. Jeff, our guitarist, usually has the program all planned, but this time we chose songs from a hymnal. During the prayers for those in need, I asked for prayers for my ex-daughter-in-law, Becky, who after having a double mastectomy, now has cancer throughout her body.
Jeff gave the talk, and it was more on the subject of prophecy. This time about "The Date Setters". In Matthew 24:3 the disciples asked Jesus about the signs of the time of the end of the world, and He told them. Then in Matthew 24:36 He says that no one knows that day or hour, but My Father only. Jeff told us about many of the people throughout time, even as far back as 3200 BC, who have predicted the time of the end, and obviously have been wrong. Among them were emperors, mathematicians, astrologers, preachers, astronomers, rabbis, popes, all of different religions. Even Christopher Columbus made a prediction. Good examples of the foretold 'false prophets'. Just shows you that man should go by the Bible, not by what man thinks.
For the potluck, I had made a crockpot vegetable soup with homemade turkey broth, but didn't have time to go home to get it after the vet. So I will have to eat some, and freeze some. Fortunately, there was plenty of food for me to have a bite, good fellowship and discussions with the other diners. When I called Ray asking him to come and get me, he came in the dining hall and met the people there. They gave him a warm welcome and offered him some potluck, but he declined. I needed to get home and let the dogs out, anyway.
I took all the dogs out in the cold, some wearing their coats, and Caesar looked at me as if to say "Where's Punkie?" and then went back to sniffing the back yard. By this time, I was tired out, and wanted to lie down for a nap, but Misty gave her little "I'm hungry" bark, so I was back in feeding mode for the remaining 4 doggie boarders, my dog, and the three cats.
Ann, the previous foster mom of Ava, my 'new' old cat, didn't advise my sending Ava back, as the situation had changed at her house. She was re-fostering an adoption return in Ava's place, and Ann said that Ava and this cat did not get along, and it tormented Ava. It sounded like Ava would be very unhappy and have bad time. To make sweet, gentle Ava go back there would be cruel, and I couldn't do that to her. I knew that with all the fosters that Ann has, that Ava would get more attention, love and care here in her old age, so I have been taking allergy pills each day.
Arctic sea ice just hit a record low. Here’s why it matters.
“The Arctic Ocean’s vast, frozen expanse of ice is rapidly vanishing. On Monday, scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center announced that the extent of sea ice in the Arctic had reached its lowest level since satellite measurements began, breaking the previous record in 2007. That’s particularly striking because the summer melting season still has about two more weeks to go.
The Arctic has lost more sea ice this year than at any time since satellite records began in 1979, Nasa says.
The sea ice extent at 26 August (white) is markedly different from the 1979-2000 average (orange line)
It’s clear that Arctic sea ice is now shriveling more quickly each year. And scientists say the melt has been driven by both global warming and other pollutants that humans have put into the atmosphere. So why does the disappearing sea ice actually matter? Partly it’s a sign of how quickly we’re heating the planet. Yet the vanishing sea ice can also have its own side effects, from warming up the Arctic further to unlocking once-frozen areas of the north for oil and gas exploration. Below is a rundown of what we know about Arctic sea ice and why it’s worth watching.” More at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/28/arctic-sea-ice-just-hit-a-record-low-heres-why-it-matters/
“More than 624,000 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have filed disability claims (both physical and mental), the Military Times reported in January and a recent ABC news report says that according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 1,286 service members who are now amputees as a result of those two wars.”
Chief prosthetist John Fergason measures the residual limb of U.S. Army PFC. Heath Clemons, 21 from Cameron, MO, while fitting him for a leg prosthesis at the Center for the Intrepid (CFI) rehabilitation center at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), Aug. 8, 2012. Clemons lost both his legs when he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Maiwant, Afghanistan, May 29, 2012. Thousands of U.S. military war wounded, most suffering from amputations, burns and functional limb loss in Afghanistan and previously in Iraq. (John Moore/Getty Images)
The Iraq and Afghanistan wars have made the term IED (Improvised Explosive Device) a household term. IED injuries result in thousands of US military war wounded suffering from amputations, burns and functional limb loss. The vets spend months (and sometimes years) in outpatient care, many at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. The BAMC comprises the Center for the Intrepid that is home to the largest inpatient medical facility in the Department of Defense. The hospital is the DOD's only burn center and Level 1 trauma center in the US. Getty Images photographer John Moore takes us inside the hospital, showing some of the wounded's steps to recovery. -- Paula Nelson (33 photos total) From: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/08/war_veterans_recover_at_brooke.html
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Group trying to save Galveston Bay's oyster reefs
"Galveston Bay produces oysters and shrimp and blue crabs more than any other place in the state of Texas," Galveston Bay Foundation President Bob Stokes said. "Unfortunately, we had about 50 or 60 percent of our oyster reefs damaged or destroyed by the sediment that got stirred up from Hurricane Ike," Stokes said.
That meant big trouble for the bay's ecology. "The fact that they can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day for one individual oyster," said Matthew Abernathy with the Galveston Bay Foundation. They are nature's filtration system, removing silt and contaminants from the water. They also serve as habitat for fish and invertebrates. But with more than half the reefs destroyed by Ike, something had to be done.
"The purpose of this project is to enhance and help reestablish healthy oyster reefs in Galveston Bay," Abernathy said. Matthew Abernathy leads the restoration program through a process called oyster gardening. It begins here at Tommy's Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Clear Lake. "We go through a bout 6,000 oysters a week," the restaurant's owner Tom Tollett said. Tollett is the pearl of this project. He supports the program by recycling his shells. "We take them and we put them in bins so that the Galveston Bay Foundation can come and pick the oysters up," he said.
The shells are transported to Texas City, where they sit in the sun for six months. The process is called sun bleaching. It removes unwanted bacteria and organisms from the shells. Then, they're bagged and prepped for gardening. "And we take bags, mesh bags full of oyster shell like this and we hang it off of piers out here in the bay. And what it does is this provides a hard substrate for the oyster larvae to attach to," Abernathy said. Young oysters develop on the recycled shells and when they're large enough, they're placed into the bay to repopulate the reefs.
"We want to bring life back to these oyster beds. We say these beds are ours. They actually belong to the state," Buddy Schultz said. Nearly 20 bagged shells are hanging from Schultz's pier at Pelican Rest Marina. He's hoping the reefs in his area will show signs of life once again.
But there's one thing to keep in mind about these oysters. "The oyster restoration projects and these near shore oyster reefs that we're working on in Galveston Bay are not for public consumption," Abernathy said. These oysters are grown solely for the purpose of enhancing habitat creation, water quality and shoreline protection -- all for the benefits of improving this beautiful Texas gem called Galveston Bay.” More and video at: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=8800688
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Alaska: the next Libor litigation frontier?
The aurora borealis is seen above residential homes along Osborne Road near Nome, Alaska March 10, 2012.
Credit: Reuters/Oscar Avellaneda-Cruz
(Reuters) - “The Libor scandal, which began in London with bankers accused of manipulating a key global interest rate, has reached the Alaskan wilderness.
Or at least that's the hope of New York plaintiffs' lawyer Brian Murray. He filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of investors in Alaska - as well as investors in Wyoming, North Dakota and about 20 other states - that accuses banks of violating various state antitrust laws in allegedly rigging the London interbank offered rate.” More at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/13/us-libor-classactions-idUSBRE87C06120120813
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Bladder Cancer Not the Only Severe Actos Side Effect
“Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Takeda Pharmaceuticals alleging that extended usage of Actos leads to bladder cancer and tumors. A recent federal whistleblower lawsuit states that Actos also may be connected to suicide, schizophrenia, epilepsy and grand mal seizures. The Actos whistleblower lawsuit was filed by Dr. Helen Ge who worked for Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
“Rainbow Bridge is the world's largest known natural bridge. The span has undoubtedly inspired people throughout time--from the neighboring American Indian tribes who consider Rainbow Bridge sacred, to the 300,000 people from around the world who visit it each year. Please visit Rainbow Bridge in a spirit that honors and respects the cultures to whom it is sacred.” Read More
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Top Ten Home Energy Myths
Source: www.energy.gov
“Some ideas are so widely held that they appear to bear little scrutiny or even a second thought. While often factual, such common wisdom can also be based on outdated or erroneous information such as old wives’ tales or urban legends.
Widespread misconceptions about home energy use can cost homeowners on their energy bills and lead to unnecessary home maintenance and reduced comfort. Ten common home energy myths that may be costing you, include the following:” Rest of article at: http://members.questline.com/Article.aspx?articleID=15983&nl=12928”
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The Survival of the Sea Turtle
“Watch the miraculous journey of infant sea turtles as these tiny animals run the gauntlet of predators and harsh conditions. Then, in numbers, see how human behavior has made their tough lives even more challenging.” View full lesson on TED-Ed BETA: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-survival-of-the-sea-turtle
And just like the coal itself, Arch Coal’s proposed West Elk mine expansion into the Sunset Roadless Area in western Colorado will be a lose-lose-lose-lose proposition. Sadly, that doesn’t mean it’s going away.
The Forest Service is proposing to OK the mine’s expansion under the roadless area, a natural, rugged landscape of beaver ponds and aspen stands, lynx habitat and giant spruce trees, elk and deer habitat and dramatic scenery of the adjacent West Elk Wilderness.
To get at the coal under the roadless area, the mine says it will need to drill wells to release methane from the mine. Methane is a hazard to miners, but when released into the atmosphere, it’s a climate change-causing gas on steroids, with more than 20 times the heat trapping capacity of carbon dioxide. Infrastructure to remove the methane will require bulldozing more than 6 miles of road and nearly 50 one-acre well-pads, cutting the heart out of the roadless area.
So, Loss No. 1: Natural lands in the Sunset Roadless Area……
Loss No. 2: Unnecessary methane pollution………
Which leads to Loss No. 3: Our money…..
But wasting America’s natural gas isn’t enough for Arch Coal. It wants a discount for mining the coal (a nearly $5 million cut in royalty payments), making this an even worse deal for taxpayers—Loss No. 4.”
“Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant surrenders New Amsterdam, the capital of New Netherland, to an English naval squadron under Colonel Richard Nicolls. Stuyvesant had hoped to resist the English, but he was an unpopular ruler, and his Dutch subjects refused to rally around him. Following its capture, New Amsterdam's name was changed to New York, in honor of the Duke of York, who organized the mission.
The colony of New Netherland was established by the Dutch West India Company in 1624 and grew to encompass all of present-day New York City and parts of Long Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. A successful Dutch settlement in the colony grew up on the southern tip of Manhattan Island and was christened New Amsterdam.
To legitimatize Dutch claims to New Amsterdam, Dutch governor Peter Minuit formally purchased Manhattan from the local tribe from which it derives it name in 1626. According to legend, the Manhattans--Indians of Algonquian linguistic stock--agreed to give up the island in exchange for trinkets valued at only $24. However, as they were ignorant of European customs of property and contracts, it was not long before the Manhattans came into armed conflict with the expanding Dutch settlement at New Amsterdam. Beginning in 1641, a protracted war was fought between the colonists and the Manhattans, which resulted in the death of more than 1,000 Indians and settlers.
In 1664, New Amsterdam passed to English control, and English and Dutch settlers lived together peacefully. In 1673, there was a short interruption of English rule when the Netherlands temporary regained the settlement. In 1674, New York was returned to the English, and in 1686 it became the first city in the colonies to receive a royal charter. After the American Revolution, it became the first capital of the United States.”
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Deadly hurricane batters Texas, Sep 8, 1900:
“One of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history hits Galveston, Texas, on this day in 1900, killing more than 6,000 people. The storm caused so much destruction on the Texas coast that reliable estimates of the number of victims are difficult to make. Some believe that as many as 12,000 people perished, which would make it the most deadly day in American history.
Galveston Island lies just off the Texas coast. It is long and narrow, about 28 miles long by 2 miles wide, and is barely above sea level. The harbor on the bay side of Galveston was a prime port with numerous rail connections. As a major hub for trade, thousands of people settled on the island at the end of the 19th century.
It was a Friday afternoon when the residents of Galveston first got an indication that a storm was imminent. For a few days the storm had been bearing down on the Texas coast, coming across the Gulf of Mexico from the Florida Keys. At the time, there was no reliable warning system in place for hurricanes; it was not until 1908 that ships began radioing the mainland about approaching storms.
The storm hit Galveston on Saturday, September 8, with sustained winds of at least 115 miles per hour; the town's wind gauge blew away so the wind speed may have been even higher. A Category 4 hurricane, the storm brought with it an enormous storm surge and, by 3 p.m., water had covered nearly the entire island. It came in waves that were 15 feet higher than the mean tide. At the Bolivar Point lighthouse, there was a report that salt water spray from the ocean reached a height of 115 feet. Buildings crumbled and fell from the force of the water and high winds ripped the roofs off of nearly every building in town. Many Galveston businesses and families had installed slate roofs after a serious 1885 fire and these roofs became flying weapons of destruction as the hurricane tossed them through the air.
The St. Mary's Orphanage collapsed and killed all the inhabitants. At the Ursuline Convent, 1,000 people gathered seeking shelter, but when a 10-foot retaining wall fell, the entire front part of the convent collapsed. Ships in the harbor were tossed into each other and some were later found 30 miles away. Survivors reported seeing corpses floating all over and around the island. Thousands died in Galveston and at least another 2,000 on the mainland coast also perished. Precise numbers will never be known, in part because thousands of bodies were disposed of in the Gulf of Mexico without being counted or identified. When Clara Barton of the Red Cross came to Galveston soon after the disaster she said, "It would be difficult to exaggerate the awful scene here."
Galveston began to rebuild almost immediately. On October 2, 1902, construction began on a massive protective sea wall. Two years later, the wall, 16 feet thick by 17 feet high and constructed of cement, stone and steel bars, was complete. By 1910, the population of Galveston had grown to 36,000. Thanks to the city's preparations, when a comparable storm hit in 1915, only eight people died.”
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FYI:
“The word "hurricane" comes from Hurican, the Carib god of evil. Hurricanes typically form in the tropical zones north and south of the equator. They can be hundreds of miles wide and last for several weeks as they move across the ocean. The Atlantic Ocean hurricane season runs from June through November.
In 1953, the U.S. National Weather Service, which tracks hurricanes and issues advisories, started giving storms female names in order to help scientists and the public follow them. Beginning in 1979, men's names were also used. The World Meteorological Organization assigns one name for each letter of the alphabet, with the exception of Q, U and Z. The lists of names are reused every six years; however, when a hurricane is especially deadly or costly its name is retired and a new name is added to the list. In 2006, "Katrina," along with four other names from the 2005 hurricane season, was taken out of service. Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast states in August 2005, was the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history.”
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Yesterday:
After doing some more research about healthy food, tending to emails, phone calls and junk mail, I knew I had to get to get back to work on the cargo trailer drapes. I had been putting it off for too long.
That was when I realized what a task I had ahead of me to make them for all five windows. I hadn’t wanted to gather this fabric, as it is very thick and would have looked terrible. So I had started to make pleats on the first drape which was very time-consuming. Then it was obvious that each pleat would also have to be sewn vertically for about 10” too, to make them hang right. The cargo trailer will in all likelihood be sold to a man, and men are not keen on drapes. The kitchen drapes might get in the way of the cook stove, so I think I will buy some pull-down shades, and replace the fabric with my fabric.
The true cost of a thing is how much "life" must be surrendered to possess it.
Immigration
"ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION is not a new problem...Native Americans used to call it WHITE PEOPLE."
Life !
Life is what happens when you are making plans to do something else !
The Journey Counts.
If we agree that the bottom line of life is happiness, not success, then it makes perfect sense to say that it is the journey that counts, not reaching the destination. —Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Your Present
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift; that is why they call it the present" Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
Pet's World
...Saving just one pet won't change the world...But, surely, it will change the world for that one pet.....
Don't breed or buy while homeless pets die!
EVERY LITTER BIT HURTS
Spay or neuter your pet
Thank You
Low Cost Spay/Neuter
From: 'Healing Animals' by Dr. Michael W. Fox
“Our perception of animals determines how we treat them, and whether they suffer under our dominion or not. Behind our perception and treatment of animals lie our needs, wants, values, and cultural and religious traditions.
Until these are addressed and our perception changed so there is empathy, respect, and communication, the holocaust of the animal kingdom will continue. And those qualities or virtues that make us human – humility, compassion, and selfless benevolence – will continue to be crushed by arrogance, ignorance, and the selfishness of our species.”
Difference
Nature
"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." - John Muir
What is Man Without the Beasts?
"What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." (Chief Seattle, 1855)
Gandhi
As Gandhi once said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated".
Is There An Animal Abuser Near You? Please Report it!
http://exposeanimalabusers.org/section.php?id=163
Can They Suffer?
The basic issue is simple:
"The question is not, can they reason?
Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?"
(Jeremy Bentham, philosopher and animal rights activist; 1748-1832.)
Recycling
Where to recycle, no matter if you live permanently somewhere, or on the road: http://earth911.com/
Krists Luhaers/Unsplash
Rod Long/Unsplash
"I am often asked for my list of the best foods to eat — the foods that contain the most micronutrients, phytochemicals and other health-promoting compounds. People want to know which high-nutrient foods provide the keys to optimum health and longevity. They are searching for a simple answer to the question, “What should I eat to reach my ideal weight, achieve immunity to disease and feel my best every day?”
"David Kirchoff, president of Weight Watchers, the world's largest diet company, recently said on their website: "Calorie counting has become unhelpful.
Was the birth of Jesus really on Dec. 25? What else is questionable about Christmas? 
"Galveston Bay produces oysters and shrimp and blue crabs more than any other place in the state of Texas," Galveston Bay Foundation President Bob Stokes said. "Unfortunately, we had about 50 or 60 percent of our oyster reefs damaged or destroyed by the sediment that got stirred up from Hurricane Ike," Stokes said. 
The shells are transported to Texas City, where they sit in the sun for six months. The process is called sun bleaching. It removes unwanted bacteria and organisms from the shells. Then, they're bagged and prepped for gardening. "And we take bags, mesh bags full of oyster shell like this and we hang it off of piers out here in the bay. And what it does is this provides a hard substrate for the oyster larvae to attach to," Abernathy said. Young oysters develop on the recycled shells and when they're large enough, they're placed into the bay to repopulate the reefs. 
“Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Takeda Pharmaceuticals alleging that extended usage of Actos leads to bladder cancer and tumors. A recent federal whistleblower lawsuit states that Actos also may be connected to suicide, schizophrenia, epilepsy and grand mal seizures. The Actos whistleblower lawsuit was filed by Dr. Helen Ge who worked for Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
Source: www.energy.gov
