The Roots and Fruits of New Year’s Eve. Christmas Is Not for Kids! Avoiding Pork Tapeworm Parasites And Epilepsy.

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The Roots and Fruits of New Year’s Eve

“Some of the customs may seem crazy or quaint, but what are the real origins and results of the New Year’s holiday?

I admit it. I have been up at midnight on New Year’s Eve a few times. Not celebrating exactly. In fact, most of those times I was part of a volunteer security force on the campus where I went to college—which happened to be along the Rose Parade route in Pasadena, California.

Our job was to be alert to criminals, vandals and even people camping out along the parade route and searching for anything they could burn to keep warm. You might be surprised that it gets fairly cool in January in Southern California. Of course, it is much warmer there than in New York’s Times Square (where it averages 33.7 degrees Fahrenheit at midnight) and other northern gathering places where people count down to the new Roman year.

It makes you wonder: How did New Year’s Eve come to be celebrated in the winter and at midnight? Blame it on the ancient Romans.

Julius Caesar, the calendar fixer

Many ancient societies began their new year in the spring. But by the time of Julius Caesar, the Roman calendar was off. Way off. To get the calendar to line up with the seasons, Caesar had to add 90 days!

History.com explains, “Over the centuries, the calendar fell out of sync with the sun, and in 46 B.C. the emperor Julius Caesar decided to solve the problem by consulting with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians of his time. He introduced the Julian calendar, which closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that most countries around the world use today.

“As part of his reform, Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honor the month’s namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. Romans celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending raucous parties.”

Beliefnet.com also notes that New Year’s is associated with the winter solstice and is “an ancient holiday with deep spiritual roots. … Ancient Romans celebrated with six days of carousing that would probably be familiar to us today.”

Customs and superstitions

From its ancient origins, a wide variety of traditions and superstitions have developed around the world. Here is just a sampling.

“In Ecuador, people make dummies, stuffed with straw, to represent the events [and people, such as politicians and pop culture icons] of the past year. These ‘[año] viejo’ effigies are burned at midnight, thus symbolically getting rid of the past” (Beliefnet.com). Some even try to jump through the flames 12 times!

MarthaStewart.com describes another jumping tradition: “Many Danish people celebrate the New Year by jumping off chairs at the stroke of midnight. Leaping is said to banish bad luck and bring good fortune into the new year. They also traditionally throw plates at neighbors’ doors to symbolize their friendship. The person with the most broken plates is said to have the most friends.”

On NPR.org, Maria Fe Martinez describes another Latin American New Year’s tradition: “If you want to have a very lucky year, you have to wear yellow underwear. And if you want to have a very passionate year, you wear red underwear. …

“And you can get them all over town. Like, if you’re driving in your car, you’re going to see a street vendor selling yellow underwear, which is hilarious. Right after Christmas, they show up.”

The International Business Times reports that 44 percent of Americans say they will kiss someone at midnight. But why?

According to Livescience.com, “Puckering up at the stroke of midnight is a venerable tradition with ancient roots. Many cultures considered the transition from the warm to the cold seasons to be an intensely vulnerable time, when evil spirits could run amok, Aveni [author of The Book of the Year: A Brief History of Our Seasonal Holidays] said.

“Many of our traditions, including kissing, originally come from the English tradition of ‘saining,’ or offering blessing or protection, during the period of Yuletide, Aveni said. (Yuletide was originally a pre-Christian Germanic festival that eventually became synonymous with Christmastide in Europe.)”

New Year’s crime rates

In addition to its pagan roots, the fruits of this holiday are not good. For example, according to Allprobailbond.com, “the holidays are the busiest time of year for the bail bond industry.” Why?

“• Increased alcohol consumption. … Driving under the influence is the leading cause for New Year’s Eve arrests. …

“• Increased emotions. Some people are very unhappy during the holidays. Domestic violence often increases during the holiday season as well as self-inflicted wounds. Consumption of alcohol also increases violent acts.”

What does the Bible say?

The Bible gives its own list of meaningful annual celebrations, but Jan. 1 is not on the list. It’s definitely not God’s new year; He set the first month of the year to begin in what we call March or April. The Bible gives its own list of meaningful annual celebrations, but Jan. 1 is not on the list. It’s definitely not God’s new year; He set the first month of the year to begin in what we call March or April (Exodus 12:2; Deuteronomy 16:1). And the Bible warns against getting ensnared by customs that are based on pagan religions. We are not to ask, “How did these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise” (Deuteronomy 12:30).

Superstitions and customs that may seem quaint or harmless to most people today can be repulsive to God who knows their roots and their fruits.

Playing with paganism isn’t cute—it is corrosive to our relationship with the true God. When God calls Himself a “jealous God,” it’s actually a sign of His love and desire for the best for us (Deuteronomy 6:14-15).

And consider the apostle Peter’s call to avoid sinful celebrations where there is “lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries” (1 Peter 4:3). Peter acknowledged that our friends may think it strange we no longer party with them, but in the end we must answer to God.

For all these reasons, celebrating the pagan holiday of New Year’s Eve is not pleasing to God.

Learn more about what God says in our free booklet From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You.

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Christmas Is Not for Kids

“Christmas traditions focus heavily on children, but they actually teach many negative character lessons. Discover why Christmas is bad for your kids.

Even though Christmas is technically celebrated on Dec. 25 by the majority of the world, people start preparing for it months in advance. Shortly after Thanksgiving children start sending letters off to Santa Claus, who also starts appearing in stores and malls. Parents start shopping for presents on Black Friday and Cyber Monday and may start setting up Christmas trees and lights around the same time. Most popular Christmas traditions revolve around children.

There are many problems with Christmas, which we explain in detail in many of our materials. But many people will counter those reasons with the excuse: “But it’s for the kids!”

Well, here is a proposition that may be surprising: Christmas is not for kids.

Christian parents should keep in mind the instruction to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). When we really analyze Christmas traditions, we discover they teach children lessons that lead them in the wrong direction. 

Four reasons Christmas is not for kids

1. Christmas teaches children it’s okay to lie.

While children should be taught about the birth of Jesus Christ, it shouldn’t be taught alongside a holiday based on many lies about His birth. You can learn about those lies in our article “The Birth of Jesus.” Simply put, if children are taught about Christ’s birth from Christmas, they are being taught a totally inaccurate story of what really happened and when it happened!

But the facts of Christ’s birth aren’t the only lies surrounding Christmas. Christmas traditions emphasize the story of Santa who lives at the North Pole, of elves who make toys for him and of flying reindeer that help him deliver toys to the world’s children in a single night. These are all myths—lies!

Parents teach these lies while also expecting their children to be truthful. They fail to see that “harmless” lies teach children that some lies are acceptable. Instead of teaching myths, it’s much healthier for parents to teach what God says in His Word about lying and why it is forbidden in the 10 Commandments. When parents actively teach the values of truth and honesty, it doesn’t make sense to teach the various Christmas myths.

2. Christmas teaches children greed and selfishness.

Commercials entice children with the latest toys, electronics and fashion during the Christmas shopping season. The words “I want” and “mine” are often the first words that children learn, but during this time of the year those words are magnified! Children are not really focused on Christ during this season that is supposedly all about Him, but instead on what they will get. This leads to covetousness (which breaks the 10^th Commandment). Are we seeing a pattern here?

Jesus warns us, “Beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). Teaching children to give and be content with what they have is a good antithesis of the getting focus of Christmas.

3. Christmas devalues faith.

Millions of children around the world request gifts from Santa Claus and wait for their request to be answered on Christmas morning. Sometimes they are then disappointed by not getting what they asked for and then later learning that Santa really doesn’t exist.

Not only do Christmas traditions ask children to put faith in a nonexistent man, but they also set them up to question God. How can they develop true faith when their original faith was built on a lie?

When we really analyze Christmas traditions, we discover they teach children lessons that lead them in the wrong direction.4. Christmas is used as a bargaining chip.

A 2009 survey by kidsturnscentral.com asked kids, “What does Christmas mean to you?” A 15-year-old in Kansas responded, “A time where we pretend that our good behavior for the day will carry over to the rest of the year.”

Think about it: Christmas teaches children to be good because “Santa Claus is coming to town.” In other words, be good so you will get presents.

According to the Bible, we should choose to do good because it is the right thing to do. Ecclesiastes 12:13 teaches us to “fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” Children must be taught that they shouldn’t just obey God to get—but instead because it is the right thing to do all the time.

Teach truth, not lies

Christmas compromises some of the most basic and essential biblical principles: honesty, generosity, and faith. Along with its unbiblical and pagan origins, parents should reconsider exposing children to Christmas and instead teach them how to worship and live according to the Bible.”

We have recently published a parenting resource manual to assist parents who are serious about teaching their children about God’s way of life. You can download free lessons at “Encourage, Equip & Inspire.”

To learn more about improper and proper worship of God, request our free booklet From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You.    From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/blog/christmas-is-not-for-kids/

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Avoiding Epilepsy Through Diet

Transcript of YouTube video at: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-epilepsy-through-diet/

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

“Avoiding pork tapeworm parasites (cysticercosis) is not as easy as just avoiding pork!

Another review last year confirmed that pork tapeworms taking residence inside our brains “is a significant public health issue within the United States.” At first, though, clinical diagnosis can be challenging. Initial presentations of the disease are often vague complaints like headaches, weakness, dizziness, high blood pressure.

In terms of treatment, in a series of more than a hundred cases published this year, although antiparasitic deworming drugs were found to be effective, about 10% of victims require brain surgery—what’s called an open craniotomy, where you have to go in and basically just dig ‘em out.

They can get into our muscles, too. This is an X-ray of someone’s leg, and you can see how infested the muscle is. And that’s why we can get it from pork—because it gets into muscles.

But what if you don’t eat pig muscles? Well, to all the smug non-pork-eaters out there, if we can find pork tapeworms in the brains of Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn, we can find pork tapeworms in anyone.

They weren’t sneaking off for schnitzel. It was their pork-eating domestic houseworkers preparing their food. When 1,700 members of the local synagogue were tested, 1% tested positive. The researchers suggested that those “to be employed as domestic workers or food handlers should be screened for tapeworm infection via examination of three stool samples for [tapeworm] eggs.”

So to avoid the #1 cause of adult-onset epilepsy, we may want to not eat pork, and not eat anything made by anyone who eats pork.” 

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How to Gain Control of Your Life When You Feel Helpless. Praying in Jesus’ Name. Avoiding Epilepsy Through Diet.

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How to Gain Control of Your Life When You Feel Helpless

“Overwhelming feelings of helplessness can have devastating results in our lives. How can we take back control when we feel like everything is out of our hands?

Debilitated by anxiety. Crushed by depression. Enslaved by addiction.

These three things have wreaked great havoc on human beings around the world.

As doctors, scientists and mental health professionals try to identify the causes of these situations that so many find themselves in, a striking theme arises often: helplessness.

In his book Breaking Addiction: A 7-Step Handbook for Ending Any Addiction, Dr. Lance Dodes explains the powerful effect the feeling of helplessness can have on human beings and how it is one of the primary drivers of addiction. This is shown throughout the book through several case studies.

One of the book’s constant themes is that unhealthy, addictive behaviors are often ways people try to take back control of their lives when they feel totally helpless.  

An important takeaway is that when people experience helplessness, it is essential that they try to regain control of their life in a healthy, constructive manner. If not, they will often try to regain a feeling of control through unhealthy behavior.

The same general principle can also apply to anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression can lock us into unhealthy “shutdown” reactions. The reality is, these reactions never lift the feeling of helplessness. Instead, they often add to the problem and make it worse (Proverbs 12:25). 

For more insight into unhealthy behaviors that can arise when we feel helpless, read our blog post “6 Steps to Overcoming Bad Habits.”   What makes us feel helpless?

What sparks these feelings of helplessness?

Is it that extra work laid on our desks when we are already swamped? Is it that crying baby that wakes us up several times during the night? Is it that feeling that no one listens to us or cares what we think?

Is it the nightmare year 2020 that brought crisis after crisis, all of which were completely out of our control, yet directly affected our daily lives (restrictions, job loss, canceled plans, etc.)?

Whatever it is that makes us feel helpless, too often we retreat into the throes of addiction, depression and anxiety to cope. We must remember we have an adversary, Satan, who wants us to resort to these behaviors. He often uses feelings, such as feeling out of control, to lead people down the path of destructive behavior. To learn more about Satan and his destructive influence, read “Satan: A Profile.”

But there are alternative ways to deal with feelings of helplessness. Let’s look at two healthy ways we can take back control of our lives when we feel helpless.

1. We can strive to do small, healthy actions throughout the day.

When we start to feel helpless, we can try to take small steps to actively take back control of our lives. Here are some small things we can do every day:

• Choose to pray and study the Bible every day. Try not to let the happenings of life get in the way of these priorities.
• Choose to reframe circumstances and feelings thrust upon you in a positive light. Choose to be actively in control of your health every day. Try to be physically active and mindfully select what you eat at every meal. Remember that your body is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit, so maintain control of your health (1 Corinthians 6:19).
• Choose to reframe circumstances and feelings thrust upon you in a positive light. When challenges arise, view them as growth opportunities.
• Choose to put things that are out of your control into the hands of God. We can do this by regularly praying, “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10).

2. We can take immediate action when we start experiencing feelings of helplessness.

No matter how well we do at keeping our life under control, there will be times when we’ll feel like we’re losing control. Rather than letting those feelings fester and grow into unhealthy actions later, we can actively take steps to take back control.

Here are some things we can immediately do when those feelings arise:

Pray immediately and take the situation to the God who has ultimate control (Jeremiah 32:27). Instead of harboring anxiety, use it as an impetus to go to God in focused prayer. Prayer is actually one of several pieces of spiritual armor God has given us to deal with challenges like this. Read our article “How to Put on the Armor of God” to learn more about these spiritual tools

Before responding to whatever situation has arisen, take a short break to fully process the situation. Sometimes our knee-jerk reaction can make things worse and cause the situation to get even further outside our control. This could simply involve taking a five-minute walk to collect your thoughts and get control of your feelings. Some people may find journaling helpful.

When something is too much to bear and you need extra support, talk to a trusted friend, mentor or counselor.

The point is this: In order to avoid or fight feelings of helplessness, we have to find things we can proactively do to maintain a sense of control over our lives. This is very important, because if we don’t do something, we can quickly begin to go down a destructive personal path and feel even more helpless. We should also remember that Satan will often try to exploit these feelings and use them to our detriment.”  

Scriptures to read when you feel helpless:

When we feel helpless, one of the first places we can go for help is God’s Word. Here are some scriptures to read and meditate on when you start to develop feelings of helplessness:

• Job 42:2: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”
• Psalm 27:14: “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!”
• Psalm 56:3: “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”
• Psalm 138:7: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.”
• Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
• Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
• 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
• Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
• 1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

You can find more helpful scriptures on our “Encouraging Bible Verses” pages.

“Doing something positive is much better than doing nothing    If we often experience feelings of helplessness, we must take steps to take back control. Doing something healthy to regain control will help us avoid allowing unhealthy behaviors to arise in our lives.”

From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/how-to-gain-control-of-your-life-when-you-feel-helpless/

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Praying in Jesus’ Name

John 14:13-14

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

“Jesus Christ was willing to entrust His disciples—those who have committed their lives to following and obeying Him—with His name. They could pray to the Father “in Jesus’ name”—and what greater privilege could there be than to approach the Father with the blessing of His beloved Son! It’s like being given His official seal or a blank check with Jesus’ signature on it.

And not only can we ask the Father in Jesus’ name, but Jesus Himself said He would do it!

Of course, a disciple of Jesus Christ will be striving to only ask according to God’s will—according to what is truly best for us and others. We won’t ask selfishly or from sinful motives. As Jesus continues in verse 15: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” God’s commandments reflect God’s love, providing a foundation for praying according to His will.

For more about properly using Jesus’ name, see “Third Commandment: You Shall Not Take God’s Name in Vain.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/praying-in-jesus-name/?

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Avoiding Epilepsy Through Diet

Avoiding pork tapeworm parasites (cysticercosis) is not as easy as just avoiding pork.

Transcript of:  https://youtu.be/wMMV9aJMzUU

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

“Another review last year confirmed that pork tapeworms taking residence inside our brains “is a significant public health issue within the United States.” At first, though, clinical diagnosis can be challenging. Initial presentations of the disease are often vague complaints like headaches, weakness, dizziness, high blood pressure.

In terms of treatment, in a series of more than a hundred cases published this year, although antiparasitic deworming drugs were found to be effective, about 10% of victims require brain surgery—what’s called an open craniotomy, where you have to go in and basically just dig ‘em out.

They can get into our muscles, too. This is an X-ray of someone’s leg, and you can see how infested the muscle is. And that’s why we can get it from pork—because it gets into muscles.

But what if you don’t eat pig muscles? Well, to all the smug non-pork-eaters out there, if we can find pork tapeworms in the brains of Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn, we can find pork tapeworms in anyone.

They weren’t sneaking off for schnitzel. It was their pork-eating domestic houseworkers preparing their food. When 1,700 members of the local synagogue were tested, 1% tested positive. The researchers suggested that those “to be employed as domestic workers or food handlers should be screened for tapeworm infection via examination of three stool samples for [tapeworm] eggs.”

So to avoid the #1 cause of adult-onset epilepsy, we may want to not eat pork, and not eat anything made by anyone who eats pork."  From: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/avoiding-epilepsy-through-diet/ 

Also see: Leviticus Chapter 11.

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Humility: The Surprising Key to Lasting Success. Gratitude? Stubbornness. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”

Humility: The Surprising Key to Lasting Success

“You can find dozens of business and self-help books giving keys to success, but most overlook this vital key that makes all the difference—humility.

‘Would you like to know the single greatest factor in real success?

It’s not something most people would guess, and yet the answer has been around at least as long as the Bible. That key is not solely a matter of having vision or setting goals. It is not merely the result of passion, nor is it simply the product of drive, resourcefulness or perseverance. These are all important elements, and you certainly need them to succeed, but I do not believe they are the single greatest key.

I believe that key is humility—a realistic understanding of our own importance in relation to God and other people.

Without humility, whatever success you achieve will be shallow and joyless. Why?

Because humility allows you to put your accomplishments into perspective—it reshapes your goals, your passion and every other factor in your pursuit of success. Humility makes it possible for you to respond to and have a good relationship with your God, who looks “on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit” (Isaiah 66:2).

Let’s take a look at the impact of humility on three of the most commonly recognized steps necessary for success.

1. Goal setting

Almost everyone who lays out a plan for attaining success includes goal setting, whether those words are used or not. For example, in his 1989 classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey tells his readers that they must “begin with the end in mind.” That’s just another way to say begin by setting goals.

Humility affects the type of goals you set. Are your goals about getting as much as you can, whether it’s money, prestige or power? Then you’re setting the wrong goals! On the other hand, if your goals reflect a desire to serve God as well as your fellow human beings, then you are on the right track.

When you set your goals, keep in mind the two great commandments: “you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37) and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (verse 39). Humility in goal setting means recognizing your God-given talents and then planning to use them in serving God and His children.

2. Preparation and education

You won’t go very far in your life unless you prepare yourself for whatever path you will follow. If you want to be an electrician, for instance, you’d better learn all you can or you won’t be able—or even allowed—to do the work.

So what does humility have to do with education? Quite a bit, actually. First, you need to recognize that you don’t have all the answers. You can learn from other individuals in your chosen field.

That’s simple enough, but at a more basic level, humility will prompt you to assess your own natural talents and abilities against the career paths that appeal to you. You’ll ask yourself whether you are a good fit, not only because you want to succeed for yourself, but because you want to succeed for others.

You’ll want to succeed for loved ones who depend on your income. You’ll want to succeed for coworkers who depend on your contribution to the team. And you’ll want to succeed for customers or clients who depend on you to do a thorough job.

Then, once you’ve assessed your God-given talents honestly, you’ll be ready to prepare yourself, through the appropriate education, to use those talents well.

3. Passion

Another element often included in recipes for success is passion—and the drive that comes because of it. When you don’t care, you won’t act, so you won’t succeed. But how does humility affect your passion?

If you care about what God wants and what other people need, and if you are pursuing goals that reflect that care, you’ll find that your passion is greater.

Let’s say, for instance, that you are in sales. If you don’t really believe a potential customer will benefit from your product, you’ll find it nearly impossible to pitch it. On the other hand, if you are convinced that your product will solve a customer’s problem, you’ll find yourself driven to share that solution.

We could spend page after page considering the impact of humility on other traits and actions associated with success, but let’s move on to considering the inherent struggle we all face.

Clothed with humility

Unfortunately, as human beings we tend to put ourselves first. Our natural tendencies are at war with humility and always will be.

“Humility is a choice—and so is arrogance.”Pat Williams, in his book Humility: The Secret Ingredient of Success, came to believe that “any person of true greatness” throughout history was “also a person of deep humility” (2016, p. 18). Anyone who aspires to greatness, though, must first recognize the internal struggle and then choose humility:

“Humility is a choice—and so is arrogance. The wild beast of arrogance always lurks within us and can only be subdued by a more powerful, more spiritual force: the character strength of humility. We must continually choose an attitude of humility—or we will choose arrogance by default” (pp. 40-41).

The apostle Peter describes this choice as “clothe yourselves with humility” (1 Peter 5:5, New International Version). That seems like a strange way to describe the choice we make until we look into the meaning of the Greek. According to The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, “‘Clothe yourselves’ (egkombosasthe) is a rare word that refers to a slave putting on an apron before serving. So Christians are to imitate their Lord, who girded himself and served” (1981, Vol. 12).

Christ’s example of service

The second sentence of the Expositor’s quote refers to John 13, which describes Christ as He assumed the role of the lowest of household servants to wash the feet of His disciples. An important aspect of being clothed with humility is choosing to serve by choosing to do what the people around you need.

So what does this have to do with success? We find the answer in a companion passage. On that very night before Christ was crucified, the night on which He took the role of a servant to wash the feet of His disciples, they began to argue about who among them would be greatest in the Kingdom (Luke 22:24). In essence, they were concerned about their own success.

What Christ said is revealing. After mentioning that gentile kings routinely “exercise lordship” (verse 25), Christ taught His disciples that whoever “is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves” (verse 26).

If we want to succeed in life, then we, too, must continually choose humility.

Sidebar: What, Exactly, Is Humility?

In our narcissistic age of social media and selfies, the idea of humility being an important principle for success, let alone a critically important key, seems absurd. After all, the Western world has tirelessly promoted self-esteem as vital to emotional well-being ever since psychologist Abraham Maslow published his hierarchy of needs in 1943.

Isn’t self-esteem in opposition to humility? To be humble, don’t we have to think of ourselves as having little or no value? And if we don’t believe we have value—that we have something to offer—then why would anyone else believe we do?

The answers become clear when we begin to consider Christ’s example. No one would argue that He saw Himself as having little or no value, and yet neither would anyone argue that He lacked humility.

“Let this mind be in you”

One of the most moving passages in Scripture is in Paul’s letter to the Philippian church. Paul admonishes the Church to adopt the mind-set of Christ, and that mind-set is one of humility:

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:3-8).

Notice that Christ “did not consider it robbery to be equal with God” (verse 6), so He did not think of Himself as having little value. On the other hand, Christ “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death” (verse 8).

Humility, then, is not just about how we view ourselves. It is about how we view others. Of course, none of us should have an exaggerated sense of importance, but denying our God-given talents is just as wrong. The right approach is a realistic appraisal of our own abilities, coupled with a desire to use those abilities to serve others. That is real humility!”  https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/christian-living/humility/humility-surprising-key-to-success/?

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Gratitude?

Imagine that you woke up today, and everything was gone.  EVERYTHING!
Everything except; that which you expressed gratitude for yesterday.  
What would you have?
Your house?  Your family?  Your pets?  Running water?  Food?  Community?

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Stubbornness

“We have all encountered stubborn and obstinate people, and maybe we were or are one of them.

Lean Xview/Unsplash

Be stubborn for the right things.

Stubbornness can be a good quality in a person if it is tempered with wisdom. When it leads to obstinacy and contradiction, the stubborn one needs to be able to weigh the pros and cons and know when to quit. Funny how being obstinate or contrary subsides when we no longer dig our heels in. "Stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (1 Samuel 15:23) when it means rejecting the word of God for Satan's way.

There are a number of encouragements in the Bible to "stand fast." God is pleased with one who holds fast to what is right. The word stubborn seems to mean holding fast no matter how wrong we are. God wants us to hold fast when we are right. Paul encouraged the Philippians to hold fast to that which is good and to stand fast in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:21 and 2 Thessalonians 2:15). Be stubborn for the right things.” https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/stubbornness

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Update

There hasn’t been an update for a while because, mostly, I didn’t have anything new or interesting to talk about, but now a few things have occurred.  Whether they are of interest to anyone but me, I don’t know. 

Are you tired of the Medicare ads, I know I am.  But I accidentally found out that my health plan did need to be updated.  Someone who has the same plan as I do told me that they are now adding a food card, and one of those “Help” alerts, so I met my insurance broker and we got that done.  Might not hurt to see how your plan stacks up with the new year’s additions.

I drove June, my new neighbor, to have an x-ray on her leg, she had to drink stuff that would show up on it, and it made her feel bad.  But we had left early so that we could could go grocery shopping beforehand at a big supermarket and get organic food, which we packed in insulated bags with blocks of dry ice.  The sun was really bright that day, and it hurt my eyes a lot.  I am having them checked at an ophthalmologist next week.

We three Sabbath keepers had our normal Friday morning Bible study, then Sherry and I went to the Sabbath School at the church to go over the week’s lesson, as usual.

In the afternoon June and I went to Brenham, TX to a Bible study there.  We tried to get out of there early enough so that we wouldn’t be driving in the dark, but we didn’t make it, and June’s phone’s GPS took us down some really dark country roads.  It was pretty scary.

Neither us can drive in the dark, so one of the other people said that they would come and pick us up the next Sabbath to take us to the next Bible study which was in Paige, TX.  That was a long way, but we had an enjoyable afternoon fellowshipping and studying with the group there. The ride there and back was great talking to the couple who drove us.  In the morning I had gone to the local church for Sabbath school and then we didn’t get home until nearly 8.00 pm, so that was a long day.

Can Satan Deceive You? What's Behind Today's Gender Issues? Free Bible Study Course. Update.

Can Satan Deceive You?

“Just when I thought the streets of America might be settling down, another city burst into flames this week. Kenosha, Wisconsin has been experiencing riots and looting after the shooting of another black man by police. This summer of discontent seems to go on and on.  

Here is the thought that went through my mind:

“Just a few days before the shooting, did people plan to pour into the streets at first opportunity? Were they waiting for an excuse to riot? People who were going about life, were they preparing for this?”

I don’t think it went down that way—although I understand human nature, at times, is just a step away from anarchy.

The Bible says there is a prince of the power of the air, a spirit that works in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). This describes the work of Satan the devil, the powerful spirit that works to thwart the purpose of God. It is this spirit presence—that most do not understand— that is behind all the evil in this world. Satan and his demonic forces must be understood as part of the story of violence that we see in the streets. How else can we explain the sudden eruption of such anger and its sustained spread night after night?

The blind hatred that you see among rioters is more than ideology. It is more than reaction against injustice. It is a spirit that works among the nations to incite violence. It must be understood. 
My colleague Gary Petty did a Beyond Today program, Satan’s Four Great Deceptions. I encourage you to watch this entire program right till the end. And order the free study guide “Is There A Devil?” It is time to understand this missing spiritual dimension in world affairs. As Gary says, “You may believe that Satan exists. But if you believe that he can’t influence you, you’re already deceived.” 

We are heading toward a new normal. Understanding how the world really works is essential intelligence.

Until next time,  Beyond Today - Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow”

From: Weekly Update -- Can Satan Deceive You?

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What's Behind Today's Gender Issues?

“A shocking story of a mother transitioning her boy into a girl brings us into God’s Word on this subject.

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/MJQOO3w3B4Q

[Darris McNeely] “I’ve been doing research for an upcoming “Beyond Today” television program on our spiritual identity in contrast to the gender identity issues that are roiling through society today. And I ran across an article that kind of illustrates what’s going on in the broader culture today. The headline out of “The Christian Post” says, “Mother intent on gender transitioning eight-year-old son into a girl wins a sole medical decision-making power.” This is out of “The Christian Post.”

It goes on to show that a mother who’s attempting to gender transition her eight-year-old son into a girl has been awarded decision-making power regarding her son’s health care and schooling. “In the ongoing case of eight-year-old, James Younger, Dallas judge Mary brown canceled a hearing scheduled for Tuesday and removed his father, Jeffrey Younger, from having any say in his son’s medical, psychological, and psychiatric care. Instead, the Judge gave all decision making power to Dr. Anne Georgulas, a pediatrician and non-biological mother of James and his twin brother, Jude,” according to the report. Younger, the father, has been ordered by the court to pay for trans-affirming counseling sessions.

Now, this has raised a great deal of attention, focus, and even outcry across the nation from groups that are focused on and watching this particular situation. But it speaks to what is happening in our broader culture today in the gender wars and especially the intent of a parent to take an under-aged child and make the decision to trans them, to change their gender based on the sole desire of the parents.

Georgulas says… And the article goes on, “Georgulas has forced James, the boy, to live as Luna, a new name, in a school surrounded by teachers and therapists who do not acknowledge that he has said multiple times to multiple people that he wants to be a boy, and hates being forced to be a girl. Georgulas, the mother is not the biological mother, as he and his twin brother were conceived through the use of a donor egg and IVF reproductive technology.

And so here we have a young eight-year-old boy, being transed, being changed into a girl at the whim of the mother. The courts are involved, and in this case, turning sole control over to a mother, another chapter, if you will. And the ongoing gender wars of the LGBTQ community and issues whether it’s politics, sexual identity, and otherwise, in our society today, having the net effect of actually hiding from us our true identity, as the Bible affirms it in God.

Now for those of us with a biblical worldview, an article and a situation like this is very important to understand and to watch as to what is taking place. And as we view what the Scripture tells us, regarding God’s view of male and female, human beings being created in the image of God, male and female, according to what Genesis tells us, what Christ Himself reaffirmed in Matthew 19, it is very clear from the Scripture as to what are the genders, what are the intended roles and purposes. And God is very clear in that teaching.

Thinking about this and looking at it, it reminded me of the Scripture in Romans 1:24, where Paul describes his first-century world, but it has an application for our 21st-century world with this issue. As Paul describes, “A time where God gave also them up to uncleanness in the lust of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.” Paul describes here activities going on then that speak to today, unclean, unnatural activities that human beings wanted to have, God allowed it to dishonor their bodies among themselves.

The Bible shows us there is a creative order to humanity, to humankind, according to God’s will and purpose. Male and female created He them for a divine spiritual purpose. And when that is changed, when that is denied, as Paul is showing, it was taking place in the first century, we are dealing with a time and a culture that is turning its back ever-increasingly upon God. He goes on in verse 25 to say, “They exchange the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped, and served the creature, rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen.”

What it means is they serve the creation. They worship the creation. And really at the heart of what we’re seeing, even in the gender identity, the gender wars that are roiling across the culture of America in the Western world is a denial of the created natural order that God placed there and a worship of the creation over what God has intended. For those of us with a biblical worldview, it’s important to have this understanding from what God says, as we face these issues, seek to understand them, and certainly uphold biblical truth.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/whats-behind-todays-gender-issues

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Update.

Another week has scampered by, I just don’t know where it went.  The older you are, the faster they go !!

Apart from a doctor visit in the next town not much went on here.  The bus came, took me there and picked me up. The doctor now wants to do a barium x-ray on me. 

After a lot of research, I am pretty sure that my suspicions are right, my little old cat Evie has diabetes. This is why the previous owner told me not to feed her “no-grain’ food, or she will throw it up.  That is because it has more calories in it than grain food, and she can’t tolerate a lot of calories.  They also said they hoped she wouldn’t disturb me in the night.  Well, she gently touches my face about 2.00 am and now I know it is because she feels bad because of her blood sugar and needs to eat. Also her pee was so sticky that it wouldn’t clump the litter, but on her new lo-cal diet fed four times a day, that I have put her on, that seems to be a bit better.

If they had researched more they would have found out what was wrong with her and how to take care of her. And all this was caused by her being fed just dry food most of her life.  She had been handed down through several homes because of this behavior but now she is where she is going to stay.  I won’t throw her away like they did.  You are what you eat, and our pets are completely dependent on us for their correct nutrition. 

Evie sees the vet for tests next week, so I hope that I don’t have to give her insulin shots, but I am hoping that with her new diet of Wellness Core canned food, and real meat, that she will gradually get better.  It is expensive, but you have to pay for quality just like for people. Pay for the right good food now, or pay the doctors and hospitals later.

Speaking of hospitals, my daughter is now home from the rehab after her accident, and will have therapists coming in to help her exercise and get better.

Sherry and I studied this week’s lesson in the church’s Bible study book on Friday morning as usual, but I went to the church on my own because her granddaughter came to pick her up on Saturday.

Where Does Racism Come From? Racist Thoughts and Feelings? Bruce Lee. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Where Does Racism Come From?

Racism does not come from a system of economics that supports slavery, or from societal structures that support class distinctions. Like all evil, it originates with Satan and embeds itself within the heart of mankind.

Timon Studler/Unsplash

Racism has been and will continue to be a scourge on mankind. To eradicate it, this ingrained and evil way of thinking needs to be cleansed from man’s heart.

Perhaps at no time in modern memory did the evil of racism manifest itself worse than in Nazi Germany’s “Final Solution.” After Hitler and the Nazis came to power in 1933, Aryan racial superiority became German government ideology. Such racist thought culminated in the deaths of some six million Jews.

More recently, “ethnic cleansing” became the term used to describe the racially motivated slaughter of population segments considered inferior. This was the case in Bosnia and Rwanda in the 1990s and in other human tragedies since. Today in America, racism explodes in violent street clashes in cities like Ferguson, Missouri, and Charlottesville, Virginia.

The Bible is clear: The evil of racism comes out of the heart of man.

Racist thought and racially motivated hatred is deeply rooted in mankind’s psyche. As defined by Merriam Webster, racism is “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.”

Where does racism come from? Like all evil that men do, it comes from the heart of man. Christ said, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew15:19).

Racism does not come from a system of economics that supports slavery, such as in the days of the Roman Empire or in early American history. It does not originate from societal structures that support class distinctions. These things have perpetuated racism, but they are not where racism comes from. The Bible is clear: The evil of racism comes out of the heart of man.

An attitude like racism was even addressed in the New Testament Church. Here, the apostle James warns the believers not to “hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality” (James 2:1). The word “partiality” seems less serious than racism, but it means nearly the same thing. Partiality means showing favoritism, or “respect of persons”—that is, thinking one person is better than another due social class, wealth or race.

If the believers were doing this, James asks them, “Have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:4). God will have no part of such thinking, for Scripture says, “There is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11).

The Bible says, “God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:27), which includes men and women of all races. Further, it says, God “made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 1:26).

If we treat a person with contempt for their race, religion, social status or any other reason, we have “become judges with evil thoughts.” Harboring such thoughts in the heart is to hate another person made in the image of God. Scripture says, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15).

Such evil in man’s heart—evil like racism—influences all his attempts to justify his supposed superiority on his brother. According to God’s Word, this is a spirit of murder.

Racism has been and will continue to be a scourge on mankind. To eradicate it, this ingrained and evil way of thinking needs to be cleansed from man’s heart. Thanks to God and His mercies, there is such a plan in the works. To anyone who draws near to God in true repentance and cleanses himself from such evil, God will draw near to him and purify his heart (James 4:8).

When God brings His Kingdom to earth, racism and all evil in man’s heart will be eradicated. God will show mankind a better way: “I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them” (Hebrews10:16). The heart of man will be cleansed of the evil that comes from it, thus ending the scourge of racism forever.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/where-does-racism-come-from

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How Do I Overcome Racist Thoughts and Feelings?

“Overcoming racist thoughts and feelings requires a change of mind and seeing all people as God sees them—as made in His image, with the same glorious future potential of eternal life.

Yatharth Roy Vibhakar/Unsplash

Overcoming racist thoughts and feelings requires a change of mind and seeing all people as God sees them—as made in His image, with the same glorious future potential to be in His eternal family.

Racism is one of the most hotly debated and discussed topics of the past several years, with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, consistent news coverage and analysis, college classes focused entirely on the topic and large-scale societal discussions of repatriation, restitution and equity.

While there have been a lot of discussion revolving around this topic, a definition of what constitutes racism has proven difficult to nail down. In its simplest form, when a person looks at individuals of another race or culture as inferior to themselves in some way based purely on the color of their skin and not the content of their character, then by definition that person has exhibited racist thoughts and feelings.

Overcoming racist thoughts and feelings requires a change of mind and seeing all people as God sees them—as made in His image, with the same glorious future potential to be in His eternal family.

The apostle Paul makes the point that when it comes to spiritual inheritance, gender, social class and race make no difference. God sees all of his creation as potential children in His family. If a person is baptized in Christ and receives God’s Holy Spirit through the process we see outlined in scripture, and if that individual yields themselves to God’s Holy Spirit, allowing it to lead them, then they are heirs of the promise, the very children of God (Galatians 3:28, Romans 8:14).

It doesn’t matter if they are black or white. It doesn’t matter if they are poor or well-off, it doesn’t matter if they are male or female. The presence of God’s Holy Spirit within them unifies them as one body in Christ Jesus (Romans 12).

As a result of this—when we pass judgment on someone else because of the color of their skin, we exhibit partiality, which is sin (James 2:9). We must repent of that sin and bring ourselves in line with God’s own viewpoint on the topic of race outlined in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Repentance comes from the Greek word, metanoeó,  meaning “to change one’s mind.” As Christians we are all striving to change our minds and put on the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). We must pray to God and ask for repentance from a great number of things, but if we are specifically struggling with racist thoughts and feelings, praying to God earnestly to change our mind and help us to see the potential in all of mankind is essential.

Our great God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35). He shows no partiality, calling people of every race and land (Acts 17:26-27). We must repent and believe in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15) and work to bring every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:5) as we mature to the full measure of the stature of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:13).”  From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/how-do-i-overcome-racist-thoughts-and-feelings

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Never Growing Faint

An Amazing Fact: “Bruce Lee, a martial artist and film star who lived from 1940 to 1973, was said to be one of the strongest and fastest men alive at the time. Among his amazing feats was his ability to strike an object from three feet away in only .05 of a second. He could reportedly do push-ups using only his thumbs.

Bruce Lee was not a very big man, but he was very powerful. Not only were his physical achievements unparalleled, but his charisma made him very attractive as well. He was a very influential actor too, popularizing the martial arts movie genre for the Western audience. He was thoroughly dedicated to his physical and artistic work.

On July 20, 1973, however, Lee died. He was reportedly not feeling well earlier in the day, and the official cause of death was labeled a cerebral edema caused by a reaction to a medication he had taken for a headache. In the end, his strength and power could not stop excess fluid from building up in his brain.

God, on the other hand, has limitless power and strength. The Bible says that He never grows faint or weary. His strength never subsides, and He never gets tired or needs to rest. He holds the same power today as He did when He created the Earth and all that is in it. He will never die or decay. He will reign throughout eternity with unfathomable power.

Though God is the only one with inherent immortality, He imparts that immortality to us as a free gift. From our position of sin and mortality, we can only imagine bodies that do not grow weary and strength that never fades. But the Bible promises that, when we trust in the Lord and wait on Him, we will “run and not be weary” and will “walk and not faint.” Because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, we can look forward to life without end with strength and power that rivals and exceeds even the most amazing feats demonstrated by Bruce Lee during his life. 

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23”

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Update.

Another week where not much has been going on, mostly because of the really cold weather and my back still isn’t any better.  Zack, Jay and I did work in the mini-house one morning when it wasn’t too cold, but we still had to run the heat in there.  We took the fancy light out of my bathroom and re-installed one of the original ones in there, then Zack painted the metal part of the fancy one bright gold to match the fixtures in the mini-house.  The glass is the same color as the vanity top, a shell-color, so that is why I wanted it in there.  When it was dry Jay installed it. 

One night it went down to 20, and fortunately I didn’t have any broken pipes.  The icy snow stayed on the roofs for two days, and the melting ice made lots of pine needles fall to decorate the pathways, so we raked them up, as they can be slippery.  We had several hours of the power going out for a few seconds every 10 minutes.  Just as I was going to hit send, off it went again!  I am grateful that it came back on, though, because for so many homes, it didn’t.

My lovely lilac-point Siamese foster cat hasn’t had any more seizures, so I am hoping that she can go to a loving home after all.  It is still a mystery if she was allergic to her vaccinations or something like a fall.  She is so loving, sweet and plays so gently. 

Another week of no meat, and I don’t miss it at all. “The fat you eat, is the fat that you wear”, and I have got to disrobe some more fat, even though I am gradually losing it!  I have several crockpots, different sizes, and each day I usually put one on.  You can just chuck sweet potatoes, potatoes, rice, quinoa, beans, oatmeal, buckwheat, or most food in there and it will be cooked by the time you are ready to eat, or save for another meal.  Just wash the veggies, don’t dry, and plop them in there.  I have done tomatoes and apples in the same pot and they turned out great, just add whatever seasonings you desire.  So there is always plenty of cooked food, cereal and fruit in my fridge, and I can eat as many starches as I want, (with in reason), but NO FAT, and especially no animal fat.

My doctor ordered an xray of my back.  The following day I want to the chiropractor again, and he told me that my spine would never get better, it is worn out.  All those years of having to move stuff and do stuff on my own has made the edges of my vertebrae rough, stress fractures and “Acquired Spondylolisthesis”.

What Is Spondylolisthesis?  The word spondylolisthesis derives from two parts - spondylo which means spine, and listhesis which means slippage. So, a spondylolisthesis is a forward slip of one vertebra (i.e., one of the 33 bones of the spinal column) relative to another. Spondylolisthesis usually occurs towards the base of your spine in the lumbar area.

So that is why the chiropractors were having trouble getting my back put back in.  Well, I knew it was out and I could feel that it was more of a front to back, than a side to side, misalignment.  My doctor prescribed two meds, one was steroids which would only give temporary relief, so I didn’t even pick it up, and the other was a muscle relaxer, not Motrin. I took half a dose of that, but I woke up in the night hardly able to get my breath my mouth was so dry, I was itching, and I felt terrible all the next day, so no more of that chemical for me!  Why do doctors prescribe stuff that has so many side effects?

As I wasn’t feeling so well after that medicine, I didn’t cook anything for the church potluck.  I had two containers of Ground Beef Stew and Veggies in my freezer, so I defrosted them and put them in my “carrying-crockpot” (the one with the locking lid) and that was about all I could carry to the car, my back felt so bad. 

The bad freeze broke a water pipe at the church, so the pastor’s wife called to ask me to bring any jugs of water that I might have, as they had to turn the water off.  I have lots of water in one, two and five gallon jugs, but I just couldn’t go unlock the greenhouse and carry them all the way to the car.  I felt so bad not being able to do my part, but they had pulled up some water in big pots for kitchen use, and turned it on once in a while to flush the toilets, so we managed.  

The Bible readings were Exo. 6:2-9:35 (Let my people go),  Eze. 28:25-29:21 and Eph. 2:1-10 and the Teaching was about ‘You Can’t Do Anything Your Way”!  We think we can, but if you don’t stick to the rules, you become unstuck.  Just think how great it would be if people only obeyed a couple of the commandments, like “Do not lie”, and “Do not steal”?

What a change in the weather, it was a 70 degree day.

Cruise Control or Overdrive? Parasitic Battery Drain. Fifth Wheel Hitching. King Pin Stabilizers. Many RV Tips. And A Laugh! Poor Richard's Almanack.

 

For "tRaVersing Thursday" or RV Day:

Use your cruise control or overdrive while towing?

"When towing a travel trailer, can you use the cruise control? What about an overdrive transmission? These are questions that can puzzle new RVers — and even some veterans.

First, cruise control. Here's a school of thought where most folks who've had cruise tend to agree: Towing a trailer with cruise control is fine — with certain caveats. Towing "on the flat" is a snap, and may save you fuel if your cruise control handles the accelerator. However, if you encounter a situation where your transmission begins to "hunt," that is, to move from one gear to another and back, then you may need to make a change. Usually the "hunting" can be stopped by simply slowing down or speeding up just a tad. If this settles the transmission down, well and good. If not, you may be back to "flying manually."

Cruise on hills can be a different story. We've found by our own experience that leaving the cruise control engaged when hill climbing is OK when the grade isn't real steep. On steeper grades the cruise will try to maintain speed, downshifting and eating more fuel. If you have a fuel economy gauge in your rig, try using the cruise while hill climbing and see what happens to consumption. We often tow up hills with the cruise "off" and holding the accelerator at a given point — this means slowing down, of course, and downshifting where needed, but it pays at the pump.

On the downhill side, safety is the chief concern. Cruise control won't hold your speed from going "over" the set-point, so on a steep downgrade we feel more comfortable with the cruise off.

Other places to forgo the comfort of cruise control include icy or otherwise slick roads, and in heavy traffic. We've found some bridge decks set up an awful "bounce" for our truck-and-trailer combination that's enough to rattle your teeth out. Drop off the speed control and slow down to get these nasty bounces under control.

For automatic transmission users, what about overdrive while towing? There were some trucks produced in the past that decidedly recommended against towing in overdrive. This is because by the design of these transmissions overheating could be a problem. Towing adds a heat load, and to keep the transmission cool, fluid is pumped through a radiator-like device to cool it off. In overdrive, some transmissions couldn't pump it fast enough to handle the added heat load, and the results could be really expensive.

First rule: Read your rig's owner's manual. If the manual rules out towing in overdrive, then lock out the overdrive. If the manual allows towing in overdrive, you could be conservative and safe by installing a transmission temperature gauge and keeping a close eye on it.

Finally, you may have a rig with a "Tow/Haul" switch. For many transmissions, that switch resets the shift points of your transmission to a selection more appropriate for the extra transmission load. It may also lock up the torque converter (reducing heat buildup), and may even lock out overdrive. Again, check your owner's manual to be safe." by Russ and Tiña De Maris

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How to drain an RV fresh water tank

"Gary Bunzer, the RV Doctor, explains how to properly drain the fresh water holding tank of a recreational vehicle, whether a motorhome, travel trailer or other RV."

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How to stop parasitic battery drain

"How to prevent parasitic battery drain, and manage the level of current being drawn from an RV battery.

The folks at Trailer Life show you how to find sources of parasitic drain on your RV, plus a device to show you if you are, in fact, inadvertently drawing power that will ultimately run down your RV batteries."

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Fifth wheel hitching: an old-timer’s advice

"From several years of observations at campgrounds, it seems most RVers don’t know the importance of hooking up the umbilical cord from the truck to the fifth wheel trailer before trying to connect (or disconnect) the king pin to (or from) the fifth wheel.

This is necessary so you can apply the brakes on the trailer, and is a "must do" to avoid pushing your trailer off its leveling blocks or to prevent it from moving even a few inches — which would put great strain on the landing gear. If the trailer rolls or you don’t get a good king pin connection, your trailer can be sitting on the box rails of your truck — a very expensive experience.

Mind you, this advice is largely pertinent to those fifth-wheel owners who have "electric over hydraulic" braking systems. When you hit the brakes in your truck – or hit the control lever on your brake control, electricity is run back to a motor in the trailer that in turn, pumps hydraulic pressure to the trailer breaks. Conventional electric trailer brakes don't react in this same way. If your trailer brakes are electric, the only completely assured safety when hitching up to keep it from rolling is to tightly chock the wheels, on both the front and rear of the tires.

An old-time truck driver told me that in years gone by when a semitrailer was parked, it often had no brakes until air was applied to the trailer. Today’s semitrailers have spring brakes that come on automatically if the trailer loses air, much like activating a breakaway switch on your towed RV trailer.

One last important step to remember on unhooking: Disconnect the umbilical cord once the king pin releases from the fifth wheel so you don’t drive away and pull the wiring apart." by George Bliss

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How useful are king pin stabilizers?

"One fifth wheel owner we know refuses to set foot in her fiver unless the front end is "supported" with a king pin stabilizer. She knows it's nuts, but she's afraid the trailer will topple forward if she puts her weight up there without the support. Not everyone is quite so paranoid, but plenty of fifth wheel folks put a stabilizer under their king pin. Is it worth it?

The answer to that question is subjective: Some fiver owners wouldn't do without, others simply scoff at them. Here are the facts and the fiction.

First, unless your DNA is related to Godzilla's, there's no way you'll "tip over" a fifth wheel by crawling up above the king pin area. The laws of physics (and proper RV design) simply won't allow it. So why a stabilizer? Most supporters point to less "rolling" motion when walking in the trailer. But keep in mind that motion in a parked trailer isn't just affected by a king pin stabilizer.

When you pull into camp and set up any rig, its own running gear, including tires, springs and occasional shock absorbers, are still going to give some bounce. Unless you get the tires out of contact with the ground, the running gear will still "give," regardless of the number of stabilizers and their location. Most who use a pin stabilizer report reduced "bounce" — never heard of one sitting still like a "sticks and bricks" home.

It comes down to how much bounce reduction is worth to you. King pin stabilizers have their drawbacks, among them:

Weight: To really get bounce reduction, stabilizers built of steel seem to work best. Users report lighter-weight aluminum stabilizers just aren't as solid as steel.

Bulk: You have to store them when traveling. Mama isn't going to put up with those big old clunkers in the fifth wheel — they'll be in the back of your tow vehicle taking up space. And while most king pin stabilizers are like tripods, having three legs, many users report the "bipod" two-legged variety of stabilizer that takes less space is less supportive than its three-legged cousin.

Not useful everywhere: Parked in a site not close to level, you may find the stabilizers won't work. If the ground under the front end of the fifth wheel slopes down, they may not reach the pin box. If the ground slopes the other way, the legs may be too long to work.

On the other hand, there is an unexpected benefit of a king pin stabilizer that many have commented on: They no longer bang their heads on the king pin. Of course, they may not be telling us about banging their shins on their stabilizer legs!" by Russ and Tiña De Maris

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RV Tips:

Where is the best place to mount a portable generator on a fifth wheeler?

"You have several options for mounting your generator on your fifth wheel, but what is the best place? And all RVers do not agree. Check out these options and figure out the best place for you.

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Clean your Plexiglas shower door without scratching it
"If your RV shower door is Plexiglas, it'll scratch real easy. Here's a recipe/directions for cleaning without scratching: To an empty spray bottle add 1 cup of water with ½ teaspoon of dishwashing detergent. Add ¼ cup of vinegar. Mix contents GENTLY. Now spray the Plexiglas with a light, thin mist. Let sit a few seconds and wipe clean with a soft, lint-free cloth. Wipe in large circles. Repeat until clean."

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Interstate Rest Areas. A guide to rest stops across the USA.

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Prepare for recipes for the road
"Favorite recipes look good for the road? Take a photocopy of them, note the ingredients needed. Next trip, pack the ingredients – and the recipes – in your galley items."

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How to fix windshield chips yourself and save money. This could come in handy.

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Keep your keyholes clear
"Some bugs like to lay eggs in little spots — like in the keyholes of locks on RV storage compartments. Once in there, the stuff's like glue. If your locks are steel, get small disc magnets from the hardware store and "stick" one over each lock."

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Clean water stains off your RV ceiling
"Water stains on your RV ceiling? Take a clean sponge, impregnate it with hydrogen peroxide straight out of the bottle. Carefully rub the stain with the sponge and follow up with clean paper towels. Best to test an inconspicuous spot first, and be sure to protect the floor below where you're cleaning the ceiling from drips."

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Keep wasp nests out of your RV
"Maybe you don't have any wasp screens, a simple preventive to keep those nasty mud-daubing wasps from taking up residence in your RV. See how Russ De Maris tackles the problem of uninvited wasps."

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Barehanded dumper changes his ways.
"Jim Twamley used to dump his holding tanks barehanded. Then he came upon nitrile disposable gloves. That was it — no more barehanded dumping and the exposure to bad germs that came along in the process. Read more."

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Is it a good idea to buy an extended warranty for your RV?
"In this short video aimed at new and novice RVers, RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury discusses the pros and cons of buying an extended warranty for your RV. While some RVers believe such policies are important, others disagree. Watch the video."

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Use a laser pointer when loading your truck camper
"When loading your camper back onto your truck, you must make sure that truck and camper line up parallel and stay that way.

Here is a clever way to do it using a beam of light from a laser pointer. See how."

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Protect your Android device from hostile invaders
"The popularity of Android devices has begun to make them a target of the bad guys — not just the ones who'd like to steal your device, but those who'd hijack it through malware. But you can take measures to keep malware out of your device."

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Tips for buying LED lights — saving power and money
"Conserving 12-volt power is one of the many fundamentals of becoming a seasoned RVer, especially a boondocker. Replacing the incandescent lights in your RV with LED lights is a great start. LED lights draw about one-tenth the amperage of the conventional RV bulbs while providing the same or in some cases more light. Read more."  The comments are interesting, too.

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"Make sure other adults who travel with you are capable and confident in driving the motorhome or towing the trailer. It’s better to share the driving duties or, at a minimum, have the ability to drive if the need presents itself. Are you confident in driving or towing?" Tech Tips from Mark Polk

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Taste fresh water first.
“Always taste water before adding to your fresh water tank from an unfamiliar source.  It’s a lot easier to keep bad water out than to GET it out.” Bill's Hints

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"Don't bring your firewood from home with you to a distant campground. It could carry bad bugs. Many campgrounds these days do not allow such "imported" firewood."

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Cleaning a black water holding tank with a Camco Swivel Stik

"Sometimes you won't get all the solids removed from a holding tank, including its walls. Here's a product from Camco that promises to easily dislodge waste deposits and odor-causing particles after a tank is emptied.

Patented holding tank rinsers with shut-off valves dislodge and flush stubborn waste deposits and odor-causing particles left after holding tank is emptied. Powerful rotary cleaning action reaches corners and walls of tank. One-quarter turn shut-off valve at your fingertips. All brass moving parts. Flexible Swivel Stik™ has a flexible 55-1⁄2" reach for basement holding tanks."

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Product keeps mice out of your RV

"Randy Murray of Pete's RV shows you a product that will keep mice out of your RV, and potentially save you thousands of dollars of repair bills repairing their damage. Setting traps and scattering dryer sheets when an RV is parked is not enough to keep pests and their damage away. This product, says Randy, will do just that."

Mouse-free:  http://www.mouse-free.com/    http://www.mouse-free.com/dealers/

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Ready to laugh?
"Read the tale about the proper lady and her restroom request.
Kids — and sometimes older ladies — say the darndest things, but even Art Linkletter would have been flumoxed by this letter sent by an older lady (presumably raised with a focus on the genteel side of upbringing) inquiring on a campground's facilities where she hoped to make a reservation. The campground manager's letter must have given her quite a flush in the face. Read more."

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On This Day:

Poor Richard's Almanack is published, Dec 19, 1732:

"On this day in 1732, Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia first published Poor Richard's Almanack. The book, filled with proverbs preaching industry and prudence, was published continuously for 25 years and became one of the most popular publications in colonial America, selling an average of 10,000 copies a year.

Franklin was born in Boston in 1706 and was apprenticed to his brother, a printer, at age 12. In 1729, Franklin became the official printer of currency for the colony of Pennsylvania. He began publishing Poor Richard's, as well as the Pennsylvania Gazette, one of the colonies' first and best newspapers. By 1748, Franklin had become more interested in inventions and science than publishing. He spent time in London representing Pennsylvania in its dispute with England and later spent time in France. He returned to America in March 1775, with war on the horizon. He served on the Second Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence. He was also instrumental in persuading the French to lend military assistance to the colonies. He died in Philadelphia in 1790."

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Yesterday:

When I was in the hospital I realized that it had been a while since I had updated my will.   So I called the lawyer and they took the details over the phone.  I'll go pick it up when it's done.

The weather turned into a nice 70°, so it was time to do some work outside.  Misty enjoyed sitting out in the sun, and soaking up some rays.  While the foster cats were playing in the Grooming Room, I let Ava, my 'new' old cat, out onto the screen porch in the front of the house, for the first time.  She looks like she has gained weight since she has been here.

She usually likes to hide in my bathroom and look out the back window, so she had a different view at the front.  She is quiet and sedate, so I didn't worry about her jumping on the empty plant shelves and getting a leg caught, and maybe broken, in the rails. 

Energetic young Peekers would jump on those shelves, so I haven't let the foster cats out there yet.  Jay is in one of his 'moods' again, so I don't have anyone to help me to get the shelves out of there. 

Ray is still sore from the truck accident, and they have now x-rayed his ribs, as one might be broken or cracked.  He brought my cats some of that 'cat grass' to eat, as his cat just loves it, but none of mine were even interested in it. 

Jim, the mechanic down the street, took my little old Puddle Jumper station wagon down to his shop to service it, and I knew it also needed something in the exhaust system. It is just driven here in the subdivision, like a golf cart, but it was getting noisy.  I hoped that it was just a loose pipe, but it was the muffler, so I ordered one of those. It was over $100 locally, but only $31 with free shipping, on eBay.   It should be here in a few days.  

The time went fast, and as you can see, I spent more time gathering a lot of info for this "RV Day".