Could Biblical Laws Have Prevented Coronavirus? Let Jacob Rejoice. Forgiveness According to the Riches of His Grace. Update.

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What’s Behind the Coronavirus Outbreak?

Had human beings respected and obeyed the Bible’s food laws, the coronavirus outbreak would likely never have occurred.

The coronavirus is causing fear throughout the world. What’s behind this disease epidemic? Is there a solution to it? Will disease epidemics ever end?

Medical workers in protective suits help patients diagnosed with the coronavirus in a temporary hospital in Wuhan, China (Chinatopix via AP). 

The four horsemen of the Apocalypse represent four major trends the world has faced for centuries, but which will intensify to their maximum level in the end times (Revelation 6:1-8).

The fourth horseman is described as riding a “pale horse” (verse 8). This horse is associated with death. By comparing Revelation 6 with Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (found in Matthew 24), we can identify this pale horse as “pestilences,” or plagues (Matthew 24:7). To learn how Jesus’ Olivet Discourse aligns with the four horsemen of Revelation, read “What Are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?”

The pale horse represents disease epidemics that have killed millions of people throughout history and that will afflict the world on an unimaginable scale in the end time.

Disease epidemics are a major issue in the world right now because of the spread of the 2019 Wuhan coronavirus (currently being called 2019-nCoV). Although China is the epicenter of the outbreak and the most affected country, the coronavirus has already spread to other countries in Southeast Asia, and cases have also been detected in Europe and America.

In the age of the plane, nations no longer live in relative isolation. Now a possible disease carrier can infect people in another country or continent thousands of miles away, all in a matter of hours. As of Feb. 11, there are at least 1,016 confirmed deaths and over 42,000 confirmed infections. The numbers increase hour by hour, which has health officials around the world on alert.

The troubling origin of the coronavirus

Initially, it was believed that this coronavirus originated from bats and was transferred to people through bat soup. Scientists researching the origin of the virus believe it can be traced back to a particular “wet market” (a Chinese marketplace specializing in fresh seafood and other meats).

According to Health.com, “researchers studied the genetic code of 2019-nCoV and found that it’s most closely related to two SARS-like coronavirus samples, suggesting that it, too, may have had a bat origin. But when researchers looked deeper, they discovered that the protein codes of 2019-nCoV were most like those used in snakes.”

The current thinking is that the virus could have been transferred to snakes from bats (snakes often eat bats in the wild), and then transferred to humans through snake meat sold at a particular wet market in Wuhan, China.

A recent article in the Journal of Medical Virology found: “Snakes were also sold at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market where many patients worked or had history of exposure to wildlife or farm animals. Taken together, snakes could be the most probable wildlife animal reservoir for the 2019-nCoV.”

Though consuming reptiles and bats is repulsive to many in the Western world, these and many other unusual creatures are commonly eaten in many Asian cultures.

Could biblical laws have prevented the coronavirus?

Though largely ignored in our world today, the Bible contains dietary laws that tell us which meats are designed by God to be eaten and which meats are not. Many have found that these laws benefit human health.

Both bats and snakes are labeled “unclean” in the Bible, that is, not fit for human consumption (Leviticus 11). As is often the case, had human beings respected and obeyed the Bible’s food laws by not eating snake or bat meat, the coronavirus outbreak would likely never have occurred.

To learn more about the biblical laws of clean and unclean meats, read our article “Clean and Unclean Animals: Does God Care What Meats We Eat?”

Another example of a biblical law that can prevent the spread of disease is the Seventh Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery.” This law forbids all sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and woman (Exodus 20:14). This simple law is insurance against contracting the many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that are carried by so many people today—HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital herpes, etc.

(Of course, not everyone who contracts an STI is guilty of breaking this law. Unfortunately, sometimes these diseases are passed to children by a parent or by unsanitary practices at hospitals. Sadly, people’s sins often have repercussions that impact other innocent people.)

God also told the Israelites to bury their bodily waste (Deuteronomy 23:12-13), instead of disposing of it in rivers, lakes and oceans as is often done today—especially in the developing world. This simple preventive measure, if followed, would virtually eliminate the threat of devastating waterborne diseases, such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis and others.

Sanitation, cleaning and quarantine were also emphasized in the Bible. Procedures were also given for the treatment of people with various types of sores and infections (Leviticus 15). Virtually everything the person touched was considered contaminated, including dishes, clothing and even where he or she sat.

These laws were given to help Israel stay healthy and show love to each other. When these laws are applied in the modern world, they can have the same effect!

The ride of the pale horse will be ended

Hopefully, the current coronavirus will be brought under control and its spread will be stopped. But we still know from Bible prophecy that even more serious and deadly disease epidemics are ahead of us. The “pale horse” is already riding—and will ride with more strength and speed during the coming Great Tribulation.

The good news is that Jesus Christ will return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. When that happens, God’s laws will be implemented throughout the world (Isaiah 2:2-4), which will result in a healthy world—both physically and spiritually!

Jesus Christ, who will return on a white horse, will overpower and destroy the four horsemen of Revelation, including the “pale horse” of pestilence.

The sins that led to the pale horse’s ride will be corrected when humanity repents and starts obeying God’s good and beneficial laws. Human beings will no longer eat unclean meats or do any of the other things that have historically contributed to disease outbreaks.  Had human beings respected and obeyed the Bible’s food laws, the coronavirus outbreak would likely never have occurred.

Pray for those suffering from the terrible coronavirus—and for the return of Jesus Christ to earth to stop disease epidemics!”    From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/whats-behind-the-coronavirus-outbreak/?

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Let Jacob Rejoice

Psalm 14:7

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

“The story of the Bible reveals a cyclical history of God’s people. God loves His people, gives them His good laws and His blessings, but too soon the people forget to thank God and forget His laws. They begin doing things the way that seems right to them, but which He knows will result only in suffering and death. The people bring negative consequences and even captivity on themselves, only to cry out to God for rescue.

In Psalm 14 David looks to the end of this recurring history and cries out for the ultimate salvation that God desires to give. Many prophecies refer to a great end-time exodus of the descendants of Israel back to the Holy Land (Isaiah 11:11-16; Jeremiah 30; etc.).

The physical peace and prosperity are only a foretaste of the true spiritual salvation God offers to those who repent and commit to permanent faithfulness to God and His ways. This salvation, made possible by God’s incredible mercy through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our stead, is the source of the eternal rejoicing that David longed for.”   From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/let-jacob-rejoice/?

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Forgiveness According to the Riches of His Grace

Ephesians 1:7

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

The word redemption means “‘buy back’ or ‘ransom.’ In ancient times, one could buy back a person who was sold into slavery. In the same way, Christ through His death bought us from our slavery to sin” (NKJV Study Bible, note on Ephesians 1:7).

The incredible love Jesus showed in being willing to pay our death penalty for us is described with the Greek word charis—grace. “The Greek word for grace is probably equivalent to the Hebrew word chesed meaning ‘lovingkindness,’ a word frequently used by the psalmists to describe God’s character. In the [New Testament], the word charis usually signifies divine favor or goodwill, but it also means ‘that which gives joy’ and ‘that which is a free gift’” (NKJV Study Bible, Word Study: Grace, p. 1737).

Another way to express the meaning of God’s grace is that it refers to God’s great love in action toward us. Grace describes all of God’s wonderful free gifts, from forgiveness of sins to the gift of eternal life.

For more about forgiveness and grace, see “What Is Grace?”   From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/forgiveness-according-to-the-riches-of-his-grace/?

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Update.

We decided to study all the Philippians lessons in that series, last Sunday at the Bible study.  Then on Mondays we have been having the weekly “Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley” meetings here at the apartment club house. Tuesday was Bingo, and on Wednesday, Amerigroup put on a Valentine Party for the residents.

By Thursday, somewhere, somehow, I had put my back out, so it has been difficult for me to bend over to put the leash on the little dog.  Oh, how I wish I had a fenced yard!  My doctor doesn’t believe in chiropractors so he ordered therapy for me.  As soon as I walked into the Therapy building I started sneezing and coughing. 

The therapist didn’t do much for me.  Timed me walking around the corridors of the building six times.  I did one lap per minute.  No massage or any hands-on treatment. Maybe that will be another time.  The sneezing and coughing continued into the next day, and got worse during the Friday morning Bible study.  By Saturday morning, I knew that I didn’t need to go to church to sneeze and cough, disturbing the service, so I took some allergy meds and went to bed.

Finally, I stopped sneezing and coughing, so I went to the afternoon Bible study about Revelation on Sunday.

A World Where Weinstein’s “MeToo” Couldn’t Exist. “Liar, Liar, Plants for Hire”. Slaves of Sin. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

A World Where “MeToo” Couldn’t Exist

“For weeks now, victims of sexual harassment have been sharing their “MeToo” stories. The Bible promises a world where those stories will never happen again.

Sometimes I like to play a game called “What If We Just …?”

It’s a pretty simple game. Here’s how it works: Sometimes, when I come across a passage in the Bible where God tells us to do something, I ask, “How would the world be different if we all just did that one thing?”

The answer is almost always, “It wouldn’t fix everything, but things sure would be a whole lot better than they are now.”

Take the Eighth Commandment. How would the world change if no one stole anything ever again? A lot of insurance salesmen would be out of a job, for starters. We’d be less worried if belongings went missing—in a world with no thefts, things would only be misplaced. We’d be a little more trusting and a little less worried about being defrauded or scammed by a con artist.

You can do the same mental exercise with the other commandments. What if we lived in a world where no one lied? Where no one murdered? Where everyone honored his or her parents? Where everyone kept the Sabbath day holy? Imagine a world where any one of those things is true, and you’ll see how one little rule, universally obeyed, could really change things.

Weinstein and #MeToo

“What If We Just…?” is a fun game, but it’s also a sad one—because at the end of it, you have to come back to a world that frequently ignores all of God’s commandments (and not just the 10 big ones). You have to wade through depressing news story after depressing news story of things that never would have happened if people would just do the thing God said to do.

Consider the millions of stories reflected in the #MeToo hashtag.

Millions upon millions of women have made it clear that sexual harassment is pandemic.Last month, as allegation after allegation of sexual assault came out against movie producer Harvey Weinstein, actress Alyssa Milano suggested on Twitter, “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.”

Within hours, #MeToo was everywhere. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram—over the next few weeks, women around the world took to social media to identify themselves as victims of sexual assault and harassment. Overnight, #MeToo offered a staggering sense of scale:

Weinstein is not an anomaly. Millions upon millions of women have made it clear that sexual harassment is pandemic. It’s a serious problem in the workplace, in universities and even at home. For so many women, it’s not a matter of “if,” it’s a matter of “how often.”

Missing the point

How did we get here? How did we end up in a world where so many women (and even some men) have to deal with being degraded or violated—a world where the victims are often too afraid or too embarrassed to speak out?

Whenever this topic comes up, a lot of well-meaning people have asked a lot of well-meaning questions that have entirely missed the point. These questions tend to put the blame at the feet of the victims: What was she wearing? How was she acting? What part of town was she in?

If we’re trying to get to the heart of the problem, then those are the wrong questions. Is there a discussion worth having about how God expects His people to dress and behave? Yes, absolutely. But are those the real reasons men assault or harass women?

No.

Men who mistreat and abuse women do so because something in their mind is sick and twisted. That’s the reason.

The heart of the problem

Let’s play a quick round of “What If We Just …?” This time we’ll plug in the Seventh Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).

How would obeying that verse change the world?

At first glance, the scope seems limited—at least until we consider the true depth of that commandment.

Jesus explained to His disciples, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).

The Seventh Commandment isn’t just about what we do with our bodies; it’s about what we do with our hearts. It’s about where we’re looking and why. It’s about the places we let our minds go.

Now imagine a world where no one lusted after anyone. Where both men and women looked at each other with respect for their value as human beings and not as objects to be desired, used and discarded.

Would the #MeToo campaign have a reason to exist in a world like that? Would stories like the Harvey Weinstein scandal exist in a world like that?

No, they wouldn’t. They couldn’t. If we just obeyed that one single commandment, there would be no need for anyone to post their #MeToo stories. There would be no need for women to fear being violated or humiliated by strangers and coworkers. We wouldn’t need to be having this discussion at all.”                      Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/a-world-where-metoo-couldnt-exist/

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There’s a Proverb for That: Liar, Liar, Plants for Hire*

“The research into how much we all lie to one another is as prevalent as it is condemning. When it comes to lying, the book of Proverbs is not impressed.

People have been lying to each other for thousands of years. Evidence? A wisdom book written nearly 3,000 years ago addresses the consequences of, and God’s disgust with, lying.

“That’s pants on fire, Patrick*”

In the sophisticated and biting social commentary found within an episode of the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants, the humorously dim-witted Patrick Star skewers the familiar rhyme about dishonesty by instead saying, “Liar, liar, plants for hire.” When corrected by the momentarily uppity SpongeBob, Patrick then retorts, “Well, you would know, liar.”

It’s easy to slip up and lie occasionally for a variety of reasons, even when we strive to be truthful. There are the so-called “little white lies” to make sure we don’t hurt someone’s feelings. We also have the whoppers to get us out of trouble when scared. Then there are the lies that have just enough truth in them for us to justify them as not actually being lies. The common thread? Our nose and seared conscience grow with each one we let slide.

It’s very hard for the truth to set us free when we twist, abuse, distort, neglect and run away from it (John 8:32). If those who love and practice a lie are not welcome inside the gates of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:14-15), there must be a pretty good reason to stay truthful. And, yes, there is a proverb for that.

Proverbs and implications

1. Proverbs 12:22: “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” 

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/theres-a-proverb-for-that-liar-liar-plants-for-hire/

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Slaves of Sin or Slaves of Righteousness?

Romans 6:15-16

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

The apostle Paul, after describing in Romans 5 the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ to pay the penalty of our sins and make possible the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life, saw the need to explain more fully.

We can do nothing to “earn” forgiveness or eternal life, but that doesn’t mean that God wants us to continue sinning. Obviously if God hates sin so much that He requires the death penalty for sin, He does not want us to go back to doing it. Sin causes pain and suffering and death. Obeying God’s law produces right relationships and life.

Paul points out that humans must choose whom they will serve: either sin leading to death or obedience to God’s good and righteous law, which leads to being right with God. Those are the only two choices; and as God said long before, He wants us to choose obedience and “choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:16-19).

For more about sin and God’s law, see The 10 Commandments for Today”

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Update:

My little timid shy foster cat, Puddin’, came home for the holidays, so the other cat that I am taking care of, “Flower”, whose house drowned in Harvey, had to spend the week in my grooming room because she doesn’t like other cats.  She took it like a trooper, but was so glad when she could come back into the main part of the house and sleep on my bed when Puddin” went back to the Cat Habitat at Petco. 

Puddin’ was so happy to be here at home, and I loved having her.  I cried when it was time for her to go, but she doesn’t belong to me, she is an SPCA foster cat and they paid for her medical bills and everything.  Anyway, at my age, how can I offer her a “forever” home?  She doesn’t show well in the Habitat, and won’t come out of the little ‘cave’ to entertain potential adopters, so she will probably be back home when her time is up at the Habitat.  We were hoping that being there would help her get over her shyness.  The Petco employees and customers love to play with the Habitat cats through the plexiglass.

The chiropractor worked on my back twice, but it has been out for such a long time, and now that I am getting older it is more difficult for it to snap back into place.  My back is a little less sore after they massaged it, and my knee doesn’t hurt as much, so we are making progress.

For the Sabbath church potluck I made Angus Ground Beef and Brown Rice. Then it took most of one afternoon to peel, dice and roast all kinds of veggies, zucchini, celery, carrots, onions, bell peppers, sweet and white potatoes, but they are soooo good roasted, that it was worth it. Then because of the time of the year I took some seasoned black-eyed peas. 

The pastor’s wife was sick again, and the elder who usually helps with the kitchen wasn’t there either, so I had to do everything myself, but it went OK, and everyone was happy with the spread.  There was also lasagne, chicken bites and veggies.  Several folks took the left-overs home with them, so they must have liked it.

The Bible reading were Gen. 44:18-47:27, about Joseph’s kin coming to him in Egypt, Eze. 37:15-37:28 and Eph 2:1-10.  The Teaching was “The Nature of the Messiah”, but as usual it was difficult to concentrate on it as I was trying to get the pot luck together in the kitchen.

Now I have acquired a lovely 6 months old spayed Siamese kitten who needs a good home. It was heart wrenching to see the little girl give up her kitten due to allergies.

We are expecting a batch of freezing weather, so I have been going around checking the covers on the long trough of aloe Vera plants, pipes, etc. getting ready for the next few days.

Biblical Alternative to Easter. Let Us Keep the Feast. Guarding A Dead Rosebush. Update.

 

For “Scripture Sunday:

The Biblical Alternative to Easter

“Are you letting religious traditions getting in the way of a real, authentic relationship with God and Jesus Christ? There’s an answer to this problem, and it lies in the biblical festivals observed and taught by Jesus Himself.

Jesus clearly teaches us that a religious tradition, even one that seems to honor God, can actually separate us from God!

A story has been told about a Russian czar who was strolling around the palace grounds and saw a guard standing in a neglected, barren patch of dirt. He approached the guard and asked him why he was standing alone in this spot. The guard said he had orders to do so.

The czar called the captain of the guard, and the captain said that there had always been orders to post a guard there. No one knew why. A search of the archives showed that at the time of Catherine the Great a prized rose bush grew in that part of the palace grounds. A guard had been posted to keep people from picking the roses.

The problem was that Catherine the Great—and the prized rose bush—had died many decades before. Year after year a guard was posted in a meaningless spot, and no one knew why. It had become tradition.

Traditions can be good, and traditions can be bad. Do you practice some religious traditions that may be diverting you from what God actually wants in your life?

Traditions can get in the way of authentic Christianity

Like the sentry in the story of the czar and the rose bush, could you be diligently standing guard over religious traditions that have no real spiritual meaning?……..

The Christian observance of the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread

But we do know of a festival period observed by the earliest Christians that commemorated Jesus Christ’s death and being raised to lead their lives. It was a festival period—actually two festivals right next to one another—that provided a profound connection between much earlier commanded observances and the Messiah. And most importantly, these observances were biblical —not mere human tradition.

One of the places we find this festival period mentioned is in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

We know that the Corinthians were primarily Greeks who had converted to Christianity. For example, Paul tells them to stop being involved in traditional pagan practices that Jewish Christians would not have observed.

Replace the Easter tradition with biblical truth

Easter can feel like a wonderful tradition—a time of baskets filled with candy and colored eggs, a time for friends and family, a time to attend a special religious service. But understand this: It is a non-biblical tradition that actually comes from ancient paganism, from the worship of the fertility goddess Ishtar (Ashtoreth in the Bible). This is why Easter’s most popular symbols are eggs and rabbits—they’re ancient fertility symbols!

The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the other hand, are biblical observances ordained by God, observed by Jesus, taught to gentiles in the early Church and imbued with the Christian gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

This festival period is the biblical alternative to Easter—the right observance to choose. The Christian Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread are filled with rich and meaningful symbols of Christ’s death, resurrection and present work to spiritually deleaven—to spiritually cleanse and heal—those who turn to God. It’s more than human tradition. It is God’s revelation to humanity!”

Excerpts from: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/the-biblical-alternative-to-easter

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Let Us Keep the Feast

“1 Corinthians 5:8

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The apostle Paul wrote more than 20 years after Christ’s death that this mostly gentile congregation in Corinth should “keep the feast” of Unleavened Bread. From the analogy he uses here, it is clear the members were well acquainted with the removal of physical leaven for that week, and he wanted them to think more deeply about the spiritual lessons of replacing sin with godly thoughts and actions.”

Study more about the meaning of this festival in “The Feast of Unleavened Bread: Pursuing a Life of Righteousness.” Read about the meanings of all seven festivals in “Festival Meaning: What Are the Meanings of Each of God’s Festivals?”

From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/let-us-keep-the-feast/

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Guarding A Dead Rosebush

An Amazing Fact: “Years ago in the old Russian Empire the ruling czar, Nicholas II, was strolling through his vast palace gardens when he came upon a lonely guard standing at attention in a secluded corner of the great meandering gardens. “What are you guarding?” asked the inquisitive ruler. “To tell you the truth, O Great Sovereign, I have no idea, but the captain of the guard ordered me to this post,” the sentry replied.

Czar Nicholas then summoned the captain and made further inquiries as to what was being guarded. The captain of the guard replied, “O Great Sovereign, there are clear written regulations specifying that a guard was to be assigned to that precise corner at all times and this has been done as long as I can remember.” The curious czar then ordered a search to find out why.  The palace archives finally yielded the answer. Years before, Catherine the Great had planted a special rose bush in that corner, and she had firmly ordered a sentry to be posted there to guard it so nothing might disturb or damage it. Now, one hundred years later, even though the rose bush had died long before, sentries were still guarding the now barren corner of dirt, even though no one knew why!

Traditions of faith can be valuable. They may be useful in preserving special experiences or ideals handed down by family or culture. However, we should be careful in what we spend our time guarding! Many religions zealously defend rituals which have lost their meaning. People may faithfully stand by traditions but not know why.

There is a more serious concern regarding traditions that Jesus warned us about. If a custom should ever stand in conflict with the commandments of God, it should be thrown out.

Christ told us that holding such traditions makes “the word of God of no effect” (Mark 7:13). It’s a good idea to reflect on the traditions we keep. Do they conflict with God’s law? If so, we are stepping away from the Bible. It’s like standing guard over a dead bush.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. Mark 7:7-8

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Finding a Cure for Cancer

And you wonder why doctors don’t prescribe natural food instead of trying to fix us with chemical prescriptions.   We would all be healthy and no longer need the doctors.  It’s all about the money! “You are what you eat, and what it ate!!”

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Update:

Another unnecessary trip to Homeland Security in Houston to take my marriage certificate that I had taken there before.  The first time the man didn’t want to see it as he said that my driver’s license was enough.  Then I got a letter saying that they wanted to have a copy faxed to them any way.  After spending several hours trying to navigate to the right place, I still couldn’t fax it as their website was so messed up. Calling didn’t produce a real person and just more options which if you didn’t choose the right number, it would say “Bye” and hang up on you.  But I was able to make an appointment online. 

At this second appointment on Monday, which was in a different location, another man said that they didn’t take documents there and to send them by snail mail to Overland Park, KS.  I could have done that 3 weeks ago if they had given me that option.   Their left hand obviously doesn’t know what their right hand is doing. 

All this because my green card needed to be renewed so that I could apply for Social Security.  Now that my main source of income, renting out my guest house which is now destroyed,  I need to get all that is due to me.   He also said that I could use my passport at the Social Security office as my new green card could take up to a year to arrive.

But my British passport expired in 1991, so I had to make a whole new application online and it was easy.  Yesterday our pastor signed as a counter signer for me, verified my passport photos, etc.  Now that has to be sent registered mail to Her Majesty’s Passport Office in England tomorrow.  So much paperwork is making my head swim.

Jay and I have done a little bit more work to the guest house repairs.  Finally, we got the kitchen linoleum (sheet vinyl) cut and fitted right.  We had to move the new wall between the new kitchen and new bathroom a fraction of an inch to make the wall square and to let the lino lie down right.  It was another worker who had installed that wall, not Jay.  We temporaily moved some of the old lower kitchen cabinets into the new kitchen, just to get a feel of how the floor plan will work.  It is a good thing it wasn’t set in stone, as we did have to change it up a bit.  Also we have been working on the wiring, moving outlets up above counter-height.  Other outlets will be installed on a whole new circuit in the new wall between the new kitchen and new bathroom.

Jay has been suffering from allergies and sniffling most of the time and so he didn’t go to church.  I had to wait until the cats were picked up for Adoption Day before I could leave.   Three more new ladies attended, a mother and two daughters came this Sabbath, and we sure do hope they will continue to come.  Another new lady who had been absent sick for a couple of weeks was welcomed back.  Sometimes it is a very small congregation and other times the pews are mostly filled.  But no matter how many, we all feel like a family with great fellowship and pray for the ones that are not present.

For the church potluck, I took a Cucumber Casserole (A what!  Look it up!) and also chicken gumbo and rice.  As I didn’t have much rice I also took some barley cooked in chicken bone broth and that was more popular than the rice.

Now that we are through Exodus we started the first 6 chapters in Leviticus for the main Bible reading. The others were Isa. 43:21-44:23 and Heb 10:1-12.  The Teaching was about doing right and Galations 5:15-26.

15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Good words to live by.

Even though Spring has sprung it has been cold the last couple of days.

Mother's Day. The Empty Nest. Baby Bat's Foster Moms. Iraq Pushes Against ISIS. Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Anna Jarvis and Mother's Day.

Anna Jarvis was the driving force behind the first Mother's Day observances in 1908.

An Amazing Fact:   "Anna Jarvis deeply loved her mother. Following her mother’s death in 1905, Anna campaigned for years to have a national day dedicated to appreciating mothers. She thought it should be a time for sons and daughters to visit their mothers or write letters expressing their love. Finally, in 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Strangely, years after she struggled to establish Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis then fought to abolish it. Jarvis had soured because of the way she felt commercial interests had eclipsed the real meaning of the day. She wanted Mother’s Day “to be a day of sentiment, not profit.” Beginning around 1920, she urged people to stop buying flowers and other gifts for their mothers. She referred to the florists, greeting card manufacturers, and candy makers as “charlatans, bandits, pirates, racketeers, kidnappers and termites that would undermine with their greed one of the finest, noblest and truest movements and celebrations.” Jarvis became crushed and bitter, believing that greed had destroyed Mother’s Day, the holiday she helped create.

Near the end of her life Jarvis was seen going door to door in Philadelphia, trying to collect signatures on a petition to rescind Mother’s Day. In 1948, Anna Jarvis died poor, blind, and childless. Ironically, Jarvis would never know that during the closing days of her life it was the florist companies that anonymously paid for her care.

The Bible also warns about the danger of something sacred becoming over commercialized. “So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, ‘Is it not written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it a “den of thieves.”’” (Mark 11:15–17).

Obviously, we should honor our mothers, and perhaps Anna has a point about turning special days into commercialized celebrations without genuine and heartfelt expressions. May our worship of God never turn into “pretty sentiments.”
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! - John 19:26

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Turning the Hearts...The Empty Nest

"As my wife and I sat for brunch on Mother's Day several years ago, tears welled up in her eyes.

It was the first time neither of our daughters was present for Mother's Day. We had just moved to Texas, but our daughters remained in California. We now were left to reconnect in our roles as husband and wife and not primarily as dad and mom.

With graduation from high school, your son or daughter may plan to go to college or move away from home to take a job in another city. Your children may get married and start new families. Perhaps they were the youngest and now your home (nest) is “empty.” A new set of challenges now begins.

When we were actively parenting our children, we often referred to each other as “Dad” or “Mom.” We put our marital relationship somewhat on the back burner. We didn't neglect it, but merely subjugated it to what seemed to be the more important task of rearing our children. If that back burner is never turned on, however, couples may drift into being neglectful of their roles as spouses.

After the nest is empty, it is imperative that husbands and wives find ways to reconnect. Pray about your new situation. Ask God to help you both rekindle the love flames that you had for each other before children entered the picture. Plan fun things to do together. Go dancing, go for walks or take up bowling. Get together with friends for card games. Go out for dinner or coffee occasionally, and just talk and spend time together.

There is a scripture that begs us to remember how we loved each other at the beginning of our marriage. It goes like this: “Rejoice with the wife of your youth” (Proverbs 5:18). There are a few other scriptures that use this phrase as well. To me, this is cautioning us to remember how much we wanted to be with our spouses in the beginning of our relationships—how nothing was too much to do for that loved one.

So, while we see our homes emptying of our children because of college, jobs or marriage, remember to strengthen your relationship with your spouse by remembering the early years of your marriage and reigniting the togetherness, fun and love that you once had!"

From: http://www.ucg.org/united-news/turning-the-heartsthe-empty-nest

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Foster Mothers: Baby Bat Burritos

"These baby bats are new arrivals to the Australian Bat Clinic after an extreme heat event separated them from their mothers."

http://youtu.be/Uuvaos1WHTk

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Iraq pushes back against ISIS, regains some ground

"Recently the Iraqi army recaptured the town of Tikrit, which had been controlled by the Islamic State (IS or ISIS) since last year. The pushing back and forth between extremists and opposing forces in the Middle East is ongoing.

“‘The liberation of Tikrit was carried out by the efforts of the Iraqi army and police, public mobilization units, tribal forces and the people of Tikrit city,’ Mr. Abadi [i.e., Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi] said on state television. ‘It was carried out under air cover and concentrated bombardment by the Iraqi air force, army air force and the international coalition against the terrorists of ISIS’” (Matt Bradley and Julian Barnes, “Iraq Recaptures Tikrit From Islamic State,”The Wall Street Journal, March 31, 2015) .

At the point where the Iraqi army started to stall, the United States began air strikes to aid in the operation. The Americans want the Iraqis to continue to partner with them instead of Iran and the Shiite militias it’s backing, as the latter could well lead to Iraq eventually coming under Iranian dominion.

As for the Islamic State, Tikrit was a major loss, but ISIS is able to regroup in various areas—and more terrorists in other places continue to declare loyalty to what they see as the restored Islamic caliphate.

Of course, the Middle East will continue to be a hotbed of military and religious strife. And the ongoing struggle will, despite breaks in hostility at times, lead in the end to the return of Jesus Christ. Finally, an ultimately just and wise Ruler will bring peace to the most contentious area of the world. (Source: The Wall Street Journal. )" From: http://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/current-events-trends-iraq-pushes-back-against-isis-regains-some-ground

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Choose Life! Your Most Important Decision. The Bottom Line.

"Some life choices are made after careful thought. Others are spur-of-the-moment, but can have lasting impact. What about your most important life choice?

The bottom line is, when we follow God’s way instead of choosing our own, we will be in a position to make meaningful choices that impact our whole lives."     From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/christian-living/choose-life/

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Update:

A sudden high gust of wind blew the cheap canopy carport the other way this time and bent the poles again, so we are going to rebuild it with lumber.  It was difficult, but I drove the Dodge van out from under it without scratching it.  This time we will build it 1-1/2 ft. taller so that my motorhome can be kept under it.  The expensive canopy carport hasn't budged an inch, but it is protected between the two houses.

Jay and I went shopping on Wednesday, and one item I bought was a bluish-white Tiffany-style light for over my dining table.  I put one of those great big designer white bulbs in it, and now we have light!  The pretty chandelier I did have there, all the bulbs shone upwards and you couldn't really see anything on the table.  I packed it up and took it to be consigned, too.

Some weeks ago I had bought an unusual white ceiling fan and light kit with bluish-white globes.  I bought it for the guest house, but we installed it in my living room which is next to the dining area.  It looks a lot better, matches the Tiffany light, and it will be easier to clean than the one I had.

Friday, another trip to the dermatologist, hopefully to find out what I am allergic to.  He saw me for three minutes and didn't do anything except recommend that I see an allergist and shook my hand with a handshake like a limp rag. Those handshakes are gross, and don't instill confidence.  I found out that he has a very big practice, he would have to have, with 23 girls working in that one office.  Three minutes would be about all he could spare for anyone, gotta keep the people movin' to pay those bills!

Dropped off some more boxes at the consignment shop, and I just got my first check. It is a lot easier, but some stuff will still have to be sold in a yard sale.

Ray finally got back after a week, and I was glad that he was taking over the care of his cats.  My three foster cats, and a 55 lb dog keep me busy, especially as they are all on different diets.  I will be glad when the dog goes to her new home, she is very good, but so big.  I am not used to dogs that shed either, and I have to vacuum after her every day.

I had bought a lot of zucchini on sale, so I grated them, mixed that with some carrots, garlic, basil and dressing to make a big salad for the church potluck.  Also, I had opened a can of beef chili, when I realized that it had tomato in it, so I added some beans and cut-up beef franks, and took it in a crock pot to the potluck. (I am avoiding all nightshade veggies, and tomato and white potatoes are nightshades.)

The Bible readings were Lev.21:1-25:23, Eze. 44:1-31, Matt.5:17-48.  The Teaching was about "Abiding With The Lord".  Then someone messed with the thermostat and it got too cold in there, so I went to the dining hall kitchen to help the pastor's wife, and listened to the Teaching over the speaker.

The potluck was enjoyed by everyone, and there weren't many left-overs.  They get packaged up and given to the members or frozen for another day.

European Army? Avoid Pork. Alcohol Epidemic. Spiders. Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Is a European Army on the Horizon?

"The European Commission president recently suggested that the EU should have its own army. How might this affect Europe’s influence on the world?

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker

In a recent interview with Die Welt am Sonntag, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that Europe is neither respected nor taken seriously on the world stage. He believes that a European army would help show the world, especially Russia, that the European Union is a force to be reckoned with and would have the capability to defend European values militarily.

Mr. Juncker believes that a European army would not necessarily replace NATO forces (which already represent 22 countries of the European Union), but would rather strengthen Europe. He said, “A European army would show the world that there will never again be war between its member states.”  

National or collective army?

Who would control a collective army?

More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/is-a-european-army-on-the-horizon/

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Why You Should Avoid Pork

"If you’re at all familiar with the Bible you’ll probably remember that in it God specifically instructed His people not to eat pork and shellfish. Many people are surprised to find this out, but in the Old Testament God warned us that the pig was an unclean animal–a scavenger and not to be eaten (Check out Leviticus 11).

No matter how you think about it, pigs are a rather dirty animal. They are considered the scavengers of the farm (created to eliminate any waste on the farm), often eating anything they can find. This includes not only bugs, insects, and whatever leftover scraps they find laying around, but also their own feces, as well as the dead carcasses of sick animals, including their own young.

This in itself can explain why the meat of the pig can be so dirty or at the very least not so appetizing to consume. And while being ‘grossed out’ may or may not be a valid reason not to eat something it’s vital to understand a bit more about pork before reaching your own conclusion.

Pork 101: Know the Facts:

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that more than 100 viruses come to the United States each year from China through pigs. There are some obvious concerns about this. Aside from not needing more viruses to fight off, some of these viruses can prove to be downright dangerous to humans.

The CDC recommends thorough cooking of pork as well as freezing the pork meat prior to cooking to kill off any worms. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel good about eating anything that I first have to kill off its worms to eat.

Of course, you’re probably familiar with H1N1, better known as ‘the swine flu.” This too is a virus that has made the leap from pig to human.

But H1N1 is not the only disease to fear from the pig. There are other sicknesses you can get from eating the meat of the pig.

Pork meat is loaded with toxins, more so than most other meats like beef and chicken."  Complete article at: http://draxe.com/why-you-should-avoid-pork/

This is how they live before they are eaten:  http://www.themeatrix.com/

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Alcohol Epidemic

An Amazing Fact: "An alcohol-related problem affects one in every four U.S. homes.

The uncontrollable desire for alcohol consumes about 14 million Americans. About 47 percent of industrial injuries and 40 percent of industrial fatalities are linked to alcohol consumption. Drinking also can increase violent behavior and accounts for 49 percent of murders, 52 percent of rapes, 21 percent of suicides, and 60 percent of child abuse cases. Of course, of all fatal accidents on the roads, over 50 percent involve alcohol.
Staggeringly, more than 50 percent of the people who are in prisons, hospitals, and mental institutions are there because of crime, illness, and birth defects related to alcohol. A wise Christian should have nothing to do with this drug.

There are basically four elements that indicate a person is struggling with alcohol. First, there is a strong craving to drink. Next, there is a loss of control to stop drinking once a person has begun. Then there is a physical dependence on alcohol, causing withdrawal symptoms that can be relieved by another drink. Finally, there is the issue of tolerance—the need to drink increasing amounts of alcohol to get a “high.”

Proverbs accurately describes the harmful effects of drinking alcohol. It warns that alcohol “bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Proverbs 23:31, 32). Like all the destructive temptations of Satan, drinking liquor is portrayed as cool and smart and something that the beautiful do. But it is foolish and ugly. It not only destroys our capacity to think and act wisely, it harms those around us.

It’s not just the book of Proverbs that warns us regarding the evil consequences of alcohol: “Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). And, “Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; who continue until night, till wine inflames them!” (Isaiah 5:11). Biblical wisdom teaches us to firmly avoid alcohol. If you or a loved one has been in the grips of drinking, admit the problem and get help. God wants you to be free from the serpent’s bite.
Additional reading: Proverbs 23:17–35
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. - Proverbs 23:29-30

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There’s Nothing to be Afraid of When It Comes to Spiders. Here Are 8 Reasons Why

3. They Steer Us Clear of Famine

" No, seriously. You wouldn’t believe how crucial spiders are to organic farms. Okay, maybe you would, because here’s the truth: THEY EAT BUGS. LOTS OF BUGS. They eat insects and other pests who have been proven to be quite detrimental to crops. In this article by the Washington Post, it’s put quite simply: “If they don’t eat, we don’t eat.” Believe it!"  More at: http://blog.therainforestsite.com/reasons-to-love-spiders/

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Update:

Jay and I spent two mornings removing two toilets and repairing rotten floors in a neighbor's trailer.  Usual thing, they had a water leak and didn't do anything about it so it rotted out both bathroom floors.  I hate procrastination, especially where water is concerned.  It can do so much damage.

We took the third row bucket seats out of the Dodge van, and put them in the guest house attic.  Then we all gave the van a good vacuum and ran the carpet and upholstery shampooer over everything.  Especially the carpet on the passenger side where it had been leaking. We didn't wash it on the outside because it was too cold out, and and the leak needed to be fixed.

Not much else going on except rain and more rain, no one wanted to get out in that muddy mess.  But I did get the Dodge serviced in between the heavy rain drops, but had to shop-vac up the water that came in on the passenger side, when I got home.

On Monday, I took the van to Able Glass in Conroe.  They were very honest, they could have charged me to R & R the windshield, but that was not the problem.  He removed the wipers and that vent in front of the windshield.  Under there are two tubes for rainwater to drain to the ground, and they were stopped up with old leaves, pine needles and just nasty old sludge.  The van hadn't been kept under cover since Sam bought it, but it is now!  An old sage I knew said "Don't get a car unless you have a garage to keep it".  My garage is a workshop and full of tools, but I have 3 carports.

While the four new tires were being installed, I went to the thrift shop near by.  I bought a nice black and white jacket, and a turquoise blouse. 

At the Dodge dealer, I had the remote made so that I can remotely lock and unlock the van. This remote makes either of the two side doors slide open, and the back hatch open and close, too.  Gee, I wanted a vehicle with buttons, and I got 'em all! 

I didn't have time to get the front end alignment checked, so I'll do that another day.  When I do have to go anywhere, I am still driving my old faithful, the blue Aerostar with the white roof, and no buttons at all.

On Friday, a visit to a doctor, a dermatologist.  He wasn't much help, he took one look at me and said "You've got hives', as if I didn't already know that!!  But he did prescribe some Famotidine, which is like Pepcid, but is good for hives, too.  Who knew??  I just hope that I am not allergic to that also.

After that, a quick stop at the same thrift shop.  I get bargains every time I go in there, this time a study Bible, a blue shirt and a two-tone blue rain jacket. The consignment shop where I get rid of extra clothes and things, was closed, so those items are still in my blue van.  When I got home I made big crockpot of organic potato, carrot, celery and onion soup for the potluck.

At church, the readings were Exo. 35:1-38:20, 1 Kings 7:30-50, and 2 Cor.9:1-15. The teaching was about "Scriptural Persuasion."  We need to know that the Bible is true and to have faith in the Lord.  Just like Abraham's faith when he was asked by God to offer his beloved son, Isaac up on the altar.  (Heb.11 tells of all the ancients who had faith.)

I was going to make a dessert for the potluck, but we had so many pies, fresh fruit and desserts the week before, that I didn't.  This week no one brought any dessert so we had different kinds cookies and donuts that are kept there in the freezer for emergencies.  Didn't bother me, I don't eat white flour and sugar anyway, especially not donuts.

As the weather has finally dried up we have been working in the yard today.

Can You List the 10 Commandments? Protect America’s Waters. Joseph Lister. Update.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Can You List the 10 Commandments?

"Imagine you are walking in the park on a spring day with your partner—who happens to be married to another person. You stop for an ice cream treat; and while the vendor is distracted, you reach in his money box and grab a handful of cash. You think nothing of it and walk on. When you return to your parking space, your car is gone. And it’s not just gone, it has been stolen! So you look around and find another car with the keys in it, and you take it. Now imagine that this kind of conduct is not only condoned, it is legal. There are no laws to prevent you from doing anything you please.

This would not be a happy scenario—at least not if you were one of the victims! Would it be possible for anyone to find true joy or happiness, let alone peace of mind, in such a world?

Thankfully, every nation has laws on the books to prohibit and punish behavior like lying, stealing and murder. Most people recognize that these laws of the land are essential to keeping peace and order in any society. The truth is, society is always better off when laws are obeyed than when laws are consistently broken, or where there is no law at all. Most people easily recognize that, generally speaking, law-keeping leads to peace and tranquility; law-breaking leads to heartbreak, misery and suffering.

So why is it, then, that while we humans embrace the fundamental notion of the great value of law, we don’t equally embrace the value of God’s laws? Actually, many of the fundamental laws of society are based on the Ten Commandments. But not all of them! Ever since God gave the Ten Commandments, we humans have chosen to pick and choose which ones we want to keep and which ones we don’t.

In essence that sends God a message: “If Your laws conform with our ideas, fine. But don’t YOU tell us what we ought to do! We’ll decide that for ourselves.”

The Bible, in fact, makes it clear that humans have always bristled with resentment when God tells us what to do or not do.

The Ten Commandments are some pretty simple rules of life. In fact, Jesus taught that these are laws of love—loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself. They were designed by our Creator to be very basic and easy-to-remember rules that would help us live the right way and enjoy the resulting blessings. But where are we today with regard to the most fundamental of God’s laws?

Here’s a test for you. Can you, right now, list the 10 Commandments? If you can, you’re a rare person!

In a 2007 survey of 1,000 Americans—including churchgoers—80 percent could name “two all-beef patties” as the main ingredients of a Big Mac, but only 60 percent knew “Thou shalt not kill” was one of the 10 Commandments!

Less than half, 45 percent, knew that “honor thy father and mother” was a commandment, but 62 percent knew that a Big Mac has a pickle!

Forty-three percent of those surveyed could recall that Peter and Bobby were characters on the old Brady Bunch TV show, but only 34 percent recalled that “remember the Sabbath” and “do not make false idols” were among the 10 Commandments.

This level of ignorance is amazing and, I must say, immensely disrespectful to God!

No, we’re not the extreme society I described at the beginning of this commentary. But do you ever worry about the direction we’re going? Jesus warned that one of the signs of the end of the age is that the world would become more and more lawless!

Isn’t it time to seriously examine our attitude toward law, especially the law of God?

For Life, Hope & Truth, I am Britton Taylor."  From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/can-you-list-the-10-commandments/

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7 Reasons to Protect America’s Waters

Headwater streams

"Even big rivers start small. Headwater streams are important for fish, amphibians and invertebrates and affect water quality downstream. They supply most of the water in rivers and were protected by the Clean Water Act for decades. Unfortunately two convoluted Supreme Court decisions, actions of the previous administration and inaction by Congress have left these critically important

waterways in a legal limbo and at increased risk for over a decade.

A stream in Mount Rainier National Park. Photo by Crow Vecchio/U.S. NPS. 

More at: http://blog.nwf.org/2014/05/7-reasons-to-protect-americas-waters/

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Joseph Lister

An Amazing Fact: "One hundred and forty years ago, almost 50 percent of the patients undergoing major surgery died from infection due largely to the filthy conditions. Doctors were bewildered why 80 percent more women died giving birth in hospitals compared to those who had their babies at home. Back then, doctors wore bloody aprons and went from patient to patient without washing their hands or instruments. Patients with minor wounds often died from infection or blood poisoning transmitted by the doctor.

In the 1860s, a deeply religious English surgeon, Joseph Lister, was disturbed about the staggering number of patients dying from infection. He read in the Bible where God told the Israelites to wash after contact with the sick or a dead body.  Based on this and Louis Pasteur’s discoveries, Lister recognized germs as the likely source of infection. He suggested surgeons dress cleanly, wash their hands, and sterilize instruments before operating. He insisted that the operating room be kept clean. He also developed a method for preventing infection during an operation by treating wounds with an antiseptic.

At first Lister was regarded as eccentric, and nurses resented the extra work caused by his obsession with cleanliness. Then there was a period of significant mocking and resistance from his peers. Lister, a shy but determined man, was firm in his purpose. He humbly believed he was directed and inspired by God in this endeavor. In spite of all the opposition that he faced, he never gave up.

As the mocking went on, everyone began to notice a change. The deaths from blood poisoning, infection, and gangrene were greatly reduced in Joseph Lister’s hospital ward in Glasgow. Eventually, British and American hospitals saw the benefits and gradually adopted the sterile procedures promoted by Dr. Lister. Before he died, Lister’s services to medicine were recognized and he was awarded a knighthood. Louis Pasteur described Lister as one of the greatest men of the 19th century.

It’s amazing how the world has been transformed by applying the simple rules of sanitation found in the Bible. But did you know there are many other biblical secrets of health the world is neglecting? The God who formed us knows the principles of caring for the bodies He has given us. He lovingly shares that wisdom with us in His Word."
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. - Numbers 19:11
He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. - Numbers 19:12

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Update:

The person who broke into my house, stole stuff and used my credit card while I was in the hospital, has finally been arrested.  But not for those offences.  They were arrested for using another person's credit card, so they will have a surprise when the other charges catch up with them.

The sweet dog that I rescued is like Velcro.   50 lb Baby Girl will not leave my side.  Gradually, she is getting some of her fur back now that she is on corn-meal free food and flea-free.  I took her to the vet and she wouldn't go with the vet tech to be weighed unless I went with her.  The vet said that she should be bathed often with antibiotic shampoo to help her poor irritated skin.  She had an ear infection, so her ears were packed.  She will also have to have the safe, slow, 6-months treatment for getting rid of heartworms. The skin scraping showed nothing contagious, so she can come in my house with the foster cats.  But she loves her big comfy bed in my air-conditioned grooming room.  I hate to think what would have happened if she had stayed where she was.

Ray and I went to church yesterday for the Sabbath.  Jay had wanted to go to the big church in Conroe, but as he was sick, Ray and I went to our favorite usual one on FM1097 in Willis.  The Bible reading was Numbers 1 to 4:17, and Hosea 1:10-2:28.  The talk was about Mysteries of the Bible and Pastor Bobbie quoted a lot of scriptures, so that kept us busy looking them up.  The service, potluck, and fellowship made it a great day.

Has America Lost the Iraq War? When Birds Fly in V Formation. Jewish Africans.

 

For "Scripture Sunday":

Has America Lost the Iraq War?

This photo posted on a militant website on June 14, 2014, shows militants from the al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria leading away captured Iraqi soldiers dressed in plain clothes after taking over a base in Tikrit, Iraq (Photo: AP via militant website, File)Since the U.S. withdrew in 2011, Iraq has disintegrated. Now a terrorist organization threatens to reverse everything America accomplished there.

"In 2003 America and its allies launched the second Iraq war—dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom—to oust the Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein. At the time, the Bush administration reasoned that a Hussein-led Iraq was a strategic threat to the security of the United States.

The war was sold to the American public and the international community based on the belief that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) that he could use against the West (or Israel)—or give to terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda. The Bush administration was convinced that an Iraq without Hussein would result in more stability in the Middle East, make the United States and other Western nations safer, provide more freedom to Iraqi citizens and help start a wave of democracy across the Middle East.

The second Iraq war, though successful at defeating and overthrowing Hussein’s regime relatively quickly, achieved very few of the above objectives. The reality is that Iraq is more volatile and unstable today than it was under Hussein. Arguably, the Maliki government is not as brutal and violent as Hussein’s, but it has proven inept and unjust in other ways……

What we see in Iraq today is the hard-won coalition achievements quickly crumbling away."  Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/has-america-lost-the-iraq-war/  by Erik Jones - June 18, 2014

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When Birds Fly in V Formation, Timing Is Everything

It’s an established fact that when birds fly in V formation, it offers considerable benefits in both energy expenditure and distance covered. But exactly how birds manage to stay in position in a “V” has been a bit of a scientific mystery… at least until recently.

"A team of European researchers devised an ingenious way to monitor the flight of captive-bred ibises that migrated from Austria to Italy. First they convinced the newly hatched chicks to view human volunteers as their moms. When it was time to migrate, the “moms” traveled just ahead of the birds, calling to them. The ibises, for their part, wore tiny backpacks containing monitoring equipment that collected data on their location and wing beats.

The researchers discovered that while flying in V formation, the birds flap in such a manner that one of their wing tips matches the pattern of the nearest wing tip of the bird in front, allowing the follower to take advantage of the upwash created by the forward bird."  Complete article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/06/18/birds-v-formation.aspx

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Jewish Africans

An Amazing Fact: "For as long as anyone can remember the Lemba tribe in Zimbabwe, South Africa has claimed to descend from Hebrew ancestors. The Lemba people look like regular Africans but have some very Jewish customs. For example they abstain from eating pork and other unclean foods. They are monotheistic, keep the Sabbath, and shun idolatry. They wear yarmulke-like caps and prayer shawls. They conduct religious animal sacrifice, and mark their gravestones with a Star of David. They even circumcise their male children, which is uncommon in Zimbabwe.

For years people laughed at the Lemba claims of Jewish heritage. But now, according to a recent BBC report, the legend has been backed up by science. British scientists have succeeded in proving the 80,000 member tribe in Zimbabwe descended from Jewish ancestors. The scientists conducted DNA tests on a large sample of the Lemba people, which confirmed Semitic origins dating back more than 2,600 years.

In fact, members of the priestly clan of the Lemba were discovered to have a unique genetic element only found among the Jewish priestly line known as Cohen. In addition, the report says the Lemba have a sacred prayer language that combines Hebrew and Arabic.

So how did their Jewish ancestors get there? The tribe’s oral tradition says that centuries ago a small group of men fled the Holy Land, making a 3,000 mile journey from Israel to southern Africa. They carried with them a replica of the Ark and took African wives along the way. This story does coincide with the disappearance of the real Ark around 586 b.c., just before Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of the Jewish temple.

Despite their “Jewish roots,” many of the tribe people are now Christians. One Lemba pastor explained, “Christianity is my religion and Judaism is my culture.”
Finding a genetic connection with Jewish ancestors is fun and interesting but will not guarantee you an automatic ticket to heaven. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, explained to the Roman Christians, “Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith” (Romans 3:29, 30). We may all be God’s children through faith.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. - Galatians 3:29

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Update:

Work had been slow around here, either Ray or Jay were sick, but Ray did get the hedge trimmed and Jay mowed.  Everything grew up like crazy with the rainy spell.  Now it has all grown up and needs mowing again!

Roni, the weird gal from down the road was put into a mental hospital for a while.    Some "friends" of Roni's had taken her dog and chained it to a tree in the woods, with no shelter, next to their place.  Said the dog couldn't be on their property because of her fleas.  They were going to charge Roni for "boarding" her. I explained to them that it is illegal in TX to leave a dog chained up 24/7, and anyway the poor dog was so miserable, I had to do something.  "Big Girl" had gone around and around the tree with the chain, and couldn't get to her water, so her urine was really dark, and she was very dehydrated when I rescued her.  Also, she has an abscess in her mouth, so I have been feeding her canned food mixed with good quality dry food soaked in salt-free chicken bouillon. 

Roni had fed the poor dog cheap cornmeal-based dog food and hadn't given her any flea or heartworm protection.  Obviously, the dog has a corn and flea allergy, so she has lost a lot of her hair from scratching all the time.  Big Girl used to be such a pretty black lab with a shiny coat.  Ray helped me put her up onto an outside table so that we could bathe her with the water hose. There was no way that I was taking her into my dog-bathing bathroom! Once she was flea-free and dry, I let her stay in my air-conditioned grooming room, and she thinks she is in dog heaven.  The next day, I put a hefty dose of Revolution on her, de-wormed her and now she is a happy dog, wagging her tail to beat the band.

Jay and I went to the morning church on FM1097 yesterday, the Sabbath.  The Bible readings were Psalms 103,104,105.  Lev.24,26,27 and some verses from Jeremiah.  The message was about Weaknesses.

So the SPCA foster mom who lives near me picked up my three foster cats at 10.30, so we could be at church by 11.  I felt bad that the cats had to stay in their carriers until 12.30 when they were put in their display cages for Adoption Day.  Chelsea was the most outgoing and greeted people who came by her cage. They were brought back at 6.00pm and seemed glad to be home. We will see if any adoption applications come in.

Ray came over and we got a few jobs done today.

'Wood' Rot. Personal Safety. $10! Trees. Nan Madol. Euro Debuts.

 

For "Summary Saturday", or News, some old, some new:

Wood product said to be rotting in 'green'-built homes

"Make It Right, known for its homes’ eye-catching designs and “green” building features such as solar panels and rainwater collectors, was interested in an alternative to conventional treated lumber, which “usually uses chemicals,” Royle said. “In trying to be sustainable and green, we didn’t want to use decking lumber that had chemicals in it,” she said.

The absence of chemicals in the TimberSIL wood meant it could be “mulched and composted at the end of its life cycle,” she said.

But now, decks and steps that were built as recently as three years ago are showing signs of rot, with the wood taking on a dark gray tinge. “It was unable to withstand moisture, which obviously is a big problem in New Orleans,” Royle said.

Billy Ward, president of the Louisiana Home Builders Association, said he hadn’t heard of the glass-infused wood product, but he noted that he’s seen “many products come and go” during his three decades in the industry.

It’s unclear whether the material has gained widespread use in Louisiana or elsewhere across the country."  More at:  http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/neworleansnews/7899967-123/innovative-wood-product-used-in 

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Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this.

"WRITTEN BY A COP: Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. It may save your life or a loved one's life. In daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation... This is for you, and for you to share with your wife, your children, & everyone you know. After reading these 9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts...

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
2. Learned this from a tourist guide. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you... Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy.. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.
DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR , LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE..  If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, Repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.
5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A.) Be aware:look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side.. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zig –zag pattern!
8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird.. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door..' The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby.. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.
10. Water scam! If you wake up in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your outside taps full blast so that you will go out to investigate and then attack.
Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbors!  This should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on America 's Most Wanted when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana. Please pass this on.  "

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What can $10 Get You In The World’s Poorest Countries?

"What can you do with $10? You can go to a movie or buy yourself two beers on a Friday night. You can get an ice-cream and a pop-corn. But we rarely think of the worth of our money on an international scale – what if you were living in one of the world’s poorest countries? What would you $10 be worth in a country where it’s equivalent to several days’ – even weeks’ – work.

The poorest countries earn less than 1000 Int$ on average in a year. Nine of the ten poorest countries on our list are in Africa – a stark example of the inequality inherent in the division of the world’s wealth. For those of us living in the countries at the top of the list, it’s hard to imagine existing on so little. To put your earning power into context, let’s look at what $10 can buy you in the world’s 10 poorest countries:  More at: http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/poorest-list/what-can-10-get-you-in-the-worlds-poorest-countries/

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Mouth Breathing During Exercise May Increase Your Risk for Asthma and Cardiac Problems

"Close to 80 percent of the Western population breathes incorrectly with habits such as breathing through your mouth instead of your nose, using the upper chest, and having noticeable breathing during rest.

Your nose is the only organ able to properly prepare the air you breathe; mouth breathing leads to overbreathing, chronic hyperventilation, depleted carbon dioxide levels, reduced blood circulation and narrowing of the airways.

Mouth breathing and resultant overbreathing elevates your blood pressure and heart rate and worsens asthma, allergies, rhinitis, sleep apnea, and deprives your heart, brain and other organs of optimal oxygenation.

Overbreathing and hyperventilation during exercise can lead to reduced performance, and can also cause vasoconstriction, which increases your risk for arrhythmias and heart problems, even if you have none of the usual cardiac risk factors. 

Your Nose: The Most Underused Organ in Your Body

Complete article at: http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/12/27/proper-exercise-breathing.aspx

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THE MOST AMAZING THING ABOUT TREES

"Trees are one of natures most magical things - they provide shelter and habitat for numerous species; during photosynthesis they produce oxygen which is vital for most life on Earth; and they are among the oldest living things on our planet. Let's all take a moment and really appreciate trees!"

"Trees create immense negative pressures of 10's of atmospheres by evaporating water from nanoscale pores, sucking water up 100m in a state where it should be boiling but can't because the perfect xylem tubes contain no air bubbles, just so that most of it can evaporate in the process of absorbing a couple molecules of carbon dioxide.  Now I didn't mention the cohesion of water (that it sticks to itself well) but this is implicit in the description of negative pressure, strong surface tension etc."

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10 Strangest Trees On Earth

"This list contains ten of the weirdest trees in the world - planet earth."

From me:  You might want to turn the volume down!  Maybe, it's just me, but I don't care for the loud music!

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10 most magnificent trees

"Some amazing trees, its significance and finally . . the vedic perspective of trees . ."

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The Reef of Heaven

Nan Madol is the only known ancient city ever built on top of a coral reef. Construction is thought to have started 1,500 years ago and the Saudeleur people built 92 islands in the water next to Pohnpei, which is today part of the Federated States of Micronesia. (Wikimedia/CT Snow)

An Amazing Fact: "Eight degrees north of the equator in Micronesia, on the remote island of Pohnpei, can be found the haunting ruins of Nan Madol—known also as the Machu Pichu of the Pacific. On this jungle-clad island surrounded by beautiful coral reefs rests a lost city made of bizarre stone “logs.”

The ruins of this forgotten civilization are one of archaeology’s best-kept secrets and greatest mysteries. Nan Madol, which means “reef of heaven,” was abandoned centuries ago. The ruins cover nearly 150 acres in shallow tidal waters bordering the reef-protected jungle, and a labyrinth of stonewalled canals crisscrosses 92 small manmade islands.

Its major buildings are constructed of giant stone logs that are 18 feet long and several feet in diameter. These logs are made of volcanic basalt crystal and weigh up to two-and-a-half tons. They are stacked like cordwood to form walls up to 50 feet high and 18 feet thick.
The main structures resemble the ceremonial squares constructed by the Mayans and Aztecs.

It would have required a large organized workforce and sophisticated culture to create this “Venice of the Pacific,” but this race of builders has vanished. The reasons for its construction, how the massive stone were transported, or why it was abandoned are all unknown. Even the natives now presently living on Pohnpei are equally mystified by Nan Madol.

In the book of Revelation, John describes a civilization that will last forever. A holy city will come down from heaven to the Earth and will be inhabited by God’s people for eternity. Immense and beautiful stones will be used in its construction. But one thing will be missing. Unlike Nan Madol, which had a temple, John says, “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22).

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More about Nan Madol: http://www.weather.com/travel/mysterious-sunken-ruins-nan-madol-photos-20131118

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On This Day:

The euro debuts, Jan 4, 1999:

"On this day in 1999, for the first time since Charlemagne's reign in the ninth century, Europe is united with a common currency when the "euro" debuts as a financial unit in corporate and investment markets. Eleven European Union (EU) nations (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain), representing some 290 million people, launched the currency in the hopes of increasing European integration and economic growth. Closing at a robust 1.17 U.S. dollars on its first day, the euro promised to give the dollar a run for its money in the new global economy. Euro cash, decorated with architectural images, symbols of European unity and member-state motifs, went into circulation on January 1, 2002, replacing the Austrian schilling, Belgian franc, Finnish markka, French franc, German mark, Italian lira, Irish punt, Luxembourg franc, Netherlands guilder, Portugal escudo and Spanish peseta. A number of territories and non-EU nations including Monaco and Vatican City also adopted the euro.

Conversion to the euro wasn't without controversy. Despite the practical benefits of a common currency that would make it easier to do business and travel throughout Europe, there were concerns that the changeover process would be costly and chaotic, encourage counterfeiting, lead to inflation and cause individual nations to loose control over their economic policies. Great Britain, Sweden and Demark opted not to use the euro. Greece, after initially being excluded for failing to meet all the required conditions, adopted the euro in January 2001, becoming the 12th member of the so-called eurozone. The euro consists of 8 coins and 7 paper bills.

The Frankfurt-based European Central Bank (ECB) manages the euro and sets interest rates and other monetary policies. In 2004, 10 more countries joined the EU—-Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. "

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Yesterday:

It was too cold to do anything else but stay indoors or go shopping.  I had heard that Jay had fallen off the wagon again, so I went shopping without him.  The main items on my list were different foods for my three animals. 

Misty, my old dog, is on prescription canned food for her ailing kidneys.  She could eat homemade food, but for me to make it exactly right, would be a big undertaking.  It has to be low protein, low phosphorus, high fat, with added supplements. 

Ava, my 'new' 12 year old cat, has just wanted to eat cheap Friskies canned cat which has bad 'by-products' in it, but I have finally found a better brand that she will eat.   

Nala, my foster cat was getting low on the only wet food that she will eat, refrigerated FreshPet.  Both these cats, if they had their way, would just eat dry cat food, which is so bad for them.

First place was the vet to get some more food for Misty.  Also, they wrote me a prescription, so that I can buy it at Petsmart, which is closer for me.  Next, I stopped at HEB to get Nala's refrigerated food, then on to Petsmart to get more of Ava's new food, and get Misty's prescription set up.  What we do for our critters, but they are worth it. 

The last stop was for a few groceries for me.  As Jay wasn't with me, I didn't even stop at any thrift shops.

It was cold until the sun came out, and then it was a nice, but still chilly day.