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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Neither Shall They Learn War Anymore. God vs. Satan: The Battle of the Ages. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Neither Shall They Learn War Anymore

“This phrase reflects a universal longing. But our world is addicted to ever more deadly war. How will the promise of peace really be fulfilled?

[From the January/February 2014 issue of Discern.]

The irony was hard to miss, even for nonreligious people. Here was a militaristic, atheistic global power, bringing to the world a peace gift inspired by—of all things—the Bible.

It was 1959 when the Soviet Union presented to the United Nations a bronze statue of a brawny man wielding a hammer. With it, he was reshaping a weapon representing war and destruction, a sword, into a tool suggesting peace and goodness, a plow.

Coming from a regime that disdained the Bible, persecuted the religious and had recently slaughtered millions of its own citizens, Russia’s gesture rang hollow. But the words on this famous statue, “We Shall Beat Our Swords Into Plowshares,” strongly resonated in the hearts of people around the world, as they do to this day.

When accepting this gift, then Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld declared that “the ancient dream of mankind, reflected in the words of Isaiah,” was the same dream that had inspired the creation of the U.N.

The statue, regrettably, does not cite Isaiah’s exact words. But in a park across the street from the U.N. stands the “Isaiah Wall,” inscribed with more of the prophet’s quote: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war any more.”

World statesmen often quote this verse in speeches. Musicians set it to songs ranging from the stirring finale in Les Miserables to Michael Jackson’s “Heal the World.” And anyone who reads it can identify with it: “That’s the world I want!” Isaiah’s words beautifully encapsulate a universal longing.” Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/kingdom-of-god/neither-shall-they-learn-war-anymore/

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God vs. Satan: The Battle of the Ages

“Across a span of time and on spiritual battlefields our human minds can only struggle to comprehend, an epic battle has been raging between God and a powerful, evil spirit—Satan the devil. This battle has impacted the course of history in powerful ways (and continues to do so)—but in order to fully understand the battle of God vs. Satan, we have to step back to the earliest pages of human history.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Although we are only given small glimpses of the world prior to man, the Scriptures tell us that during this time Lucifer, one of the high-ranking angels serving before God’s throne, convinced a third of the angels to follow him in rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:13-16; Revelation 12:7-9).

Apparently, because of this great battle, the beautiful earth God had created (Isaiah 45:18) became “without form, and void” (Genesis 1:2). Because of Lucifer’s rebellion, his name was changed to Satan, meaning “adversary.” His followers, fallen angels, became known as demons.

(To learn what the Bible reveals to us about these fallen angels, read our article “Are Demons Real?”)

After refashioning the earth so it could sustain human life, God created the first man, Adam. Eve, the first woman, was created a short time later. In addition to placing them in the Garden of Eden, where they could live and multiply, God gave them instruction in the way of life that would lead to happiness and eternal life.

But this couple was also given the choice of whether they would obey their Creator or choose their own path. God gave Adam and Eve the first opportunity to rule when He put all things under the feet of man, giving him dominion over the works of God’s hand (Psalm 8:4-8).

Satan the deceiver attacks mankind

Though largely banished to earth (Luke 10:18) with only a few exceptions when he could appear before God’s throne (Job 1:6), Satan and his demons were not ready to concede in their fight against God. Satan the devil soon brought the battle to the Garden of Eden.

Satan convinced the first man and his wife to disregard the instruction and commandments of God. They bought the lie that man can choose for himself what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil. As a result of this tragic decision, sin entered the world and death entered by sin. Man cut himself off from the guidance, direction and blessings of God.

From mankind’s perspective, this began the battle of light vs. darkness, right vs. wrong, evil vs. good. Sides were drawn. Camps and philosophies were developed.  Whose side are you on?

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/kingdom-of-god/god-vs-satan/

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Update.

My neighbor Zack, and I are still digging stuff out of everywhere and sorting it into departments.  Some for this granddaughter, some for the other one, some for this thrift shop, and some for another one. We took many items to the curb, and they have already disappeared.  One man’s trash…..   

This morning we took some shelf units and lots of articles that I have for sale to a storage unit on FM 1097.  It is on the way to Navasota, but only about 7 miles from here.  I rented it for three months, just long enough to get stuff out of the houses and later I can move it, or sell it, at my leisure.  It will be cooler by then, too.  Different friends and family members are coming this week to get what they want.  Just got a call that someone wants all my gardening tools, shovels, rakes, hoes, hoses, etc., but I can’t let my weed whacker, lawnmower, hedge clippers or blower go yet because I still need to maintain the place for the next four weeks.  Then I will be free !!!!

My son-in-law and grandson are coming to move me on the w/e of the 20th, so I have marked everything that is going to the apartment with a patch of blue painter’s tape.  That is the tape that comes off easily without leaving any residue.

For the church potluck on the Sabbath, I took some frozen organic pizzas.  I am trying to get my freezers as empty as possible.  Then I made two sheet pans of oven-fried rutabaga fries. I could have cooked them in my airfryer, but I had so many that I did it in the convection oven. Just about the same thing.  But we had so much food at the potluck that we saved the pizzas for another time. The rutabaga fries went down well, even the kids liked them.

The Bible readings were Psa. 24 and 15, Exo. 26:1-30, Eze. 16:10-19, Heb. 8:16 and all of Matt. 24.  The Teaching was “Jeremiah and The Changing Times.” 

I am so anxious that I won’t have it all moved in time, but we will keep plugging at it day by day.

RV, New or Used? Lemon RV? Camper Project. Closet Door Latch. ‘Sisters on the Fly’. RV Tips. Canada Bound? Bent Awning Tube. Self-fusing Tape. Rome Burns. Singing Wobbly Joe Hill.

 

For “tRaVersing Thursday”. or RV Day:

Buying an RV? New or used?

“Sean Michael discusses the pros and cons of buying "new" versus buying "used." Among other benefits, you can save a lot of money buying a quality, used RV.”

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How to Spot a Lemon when Buying an RV

Tips on what to look for on RVs

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The $800 truck camper project
“Seems like truck camper owners are a breed apart from many other RVers. We've seen plenty of do-it-yourself-ing in the community. Here's an interesting video from a gentleman who took an $800 pop-up truck camper, 30 days, and plenty of sweat equity to return a run-down rig into a unit ready for use. Watch the video.”

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Add A Simple, Clever RV Closet Door Latch

“Many RVs have sliding closet doors, but since RVs are moving vehicles the doors must be latched to keep them in place on the road. Different models have different ways of keeping the doors closed. But here's a better way according to the RV Geeks.”

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‘Sisters on the Fly’ still having ‘more fun than anyone’ in their vintage trailers, fishing, riding

“Real-life sisters Maurrie Sussman of Phoenix, Ariz., and Becky Clarke of McCall, Idaho, are avid fly fishers, ‘cowgirls’ and vintage trailer owners.

Together they are the inspiration and force behind a “grab life by the tail and swing it around” group of women known as “Sisters on the Fly.”  Read more at: "Sisters on the Fly" still having fun in their vintage trailers.

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RV Tips:

Avoid waiting games at the RV service center
“Does your rig spend more time in the shop than on the road? Don't let delayed service times ruin your RV trip. Here are some tips that may help.”

Pack along a small fan in your RV that can operate on 12-volt power. “It will come in handy on a hot day when you simply need to cool yourself and don't have the power to run your air conditioner, or don't want to. It can also double as a hair blow dryer, although it might take a long time to do the job.”

Wheel bearings
“When was the last time you repacked your travel trailer's wheel bearings? Experts recommend an annual shot of grease to keep things moving safely.”

Be careful not to void your water heater's warranty
“Want to void your Atwood water heater warranty? Simply replace the drain plug with an anode rod. Atwood says leave the anode rods to "other guys."”

Using a tablet or smart phone to get online? Be careful!
“We love our mobile devices. Unfortunately for us, so do hackers. The 2013 Javelin Strategy Research Identity Fraud Report found that tablet users in the U.S. are 80 percent more likely to be victims of identity fraud than all consumers – 9.6 percent compared to 5.3 percent. Read why, and how you can protect yourself.”

Lock your RV
“Always lock the RV when you’re not physically at the campsite. Do not store valuable equipment in outside storage compartments. Believe it or not, a vast majority of RVs use the same exact key as yours for outside storage compartments. If you store valuables, like golf clubs, fishing gear or tools in the outside compartments, you may want to have the locks changed.”  Tech Tips from Mark Polk

 Waste outlet cap
“Carry a spare waste outlet cap.  If you fail to put the cap back on after dumping, it will probably be torn off while driving.” From Bill's Hints

Clean your roof. . . . . and stay safe
”Be safe cleaning your roof! Use a regular ladder to access, or build a scaffold alongside with stepladders and planks. If you need to go on the roof, remember: safety first, exercise caution.  First feel out its weight-bearing capacity on your hands and knees. If you do step out, make sure it’s not slippery. Learn more.”  Handy tips from Dicor.

Avoid those water leaks! “They can lead to very expensive structural repairs. Many RVers understand the importance of keeping water and moisture from entering the RV through faulty seals or other forms of compromise, but oftentimes it’s difficult, at best, to determine exactly where the leak exists. Well-equipped RV service facilities rely on a SealTech machine to accurately identify air or water leaks in any RV. Check out this RV Doctor video tip.”

RV Solar System Maintenance
”Many of the components in a well-designed RV solar system require very little maintenance, but there are still some things you should check periodically. Solar panels, being up on the roof of the RV, often fall victim to the out-of-sight, out-of-mind syndrome. Here are some maintenance tips you should consider.”

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Canada bound?
“The Canadian national anthem doesn't begin "Oh, Canada!" for nothing. It's a big country with much see. Here is some advice about how to plan a trip to this magnificent country to our north.”

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Awning tube bent. What to do?

Dear Gary,
“Is it possible to straighten an awning tube? If so, how?” —Steve D., Neola, Iowa

“Love those "to the point" questions Steve! To my knowledge, there is no method in the aftermarket of straightening a bent, extruded aluminum awning roller tube. Some can be manipulated somewhat, but will always show evidence of the damage.

In order for the canopy fabric to remain straight and roll up square and evenly, unfortunately, the tube will need to be replaced. I’m sure re-extruding the tube could make it like new, but a new replacement tube would certainly be less expensive than trying to find a way to make that happen! Wish I had better news for you, but I'd recommend a new roller tube.”  Posted by RV Doctor

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Use self-fusing tape for weatherproof connections

“Standard vinyl electrical tape has been around for a long time — too long, some would say. The problem with this commonly used product is its adhesive. It doesn't really stick very well, and after awhile it starts to peel loose, leaving a gooey mess behind.

Some years ago, a worthy alternative appeared — a silicone rubber tape that was self-fusing. It bonded to itself with enthusiasm, and had no adhesive to age or create a mess. Furthermore, it was impervious to many chemicals, ozone and UV, which age and deteriorate lesser products.

Recently, this self-vulcanizing tape has seen a surge in popularity. It's now sold in many colors and widths, all at affordable prices (although much more expensive than its cheaper brother). Sold by everyone from Ace Hardware to Amazon, a 1" x 12' roll runs about $10-$14, and 2" x 36' will set you back $40.

You apply the tape by peeling off its backing (being careful not to let it touch itself — it bonds instantly). Wrap the tape around the object to be covered, and make the first wrap go over itself. Then stretch the tape in the direction you want and continue wrapping. It's easiest to cut off a piece in advance rather than applying it from the roll. A little experience will show you how much to use, and it takes very little: Two to three inches will weatherproof most electrical joints.

Notice that the tape doesn't actually stick to anything but itself. This means that it's easy to remove, but it also means that it can't be used for any application that requires a sticky seal. The best way to think of this "tool" is as a rubber-molding process. Once the tape is applied and wrapped around the object, it is literally as if the object were cast inside a mold. In fact, I've cut open 5-year-old wrappings and they still looked as if they were just one solid piece of rubber.

Due to its stretchy nature, the tape is fabulously conforming. It will create a solid rubber sleeve around the most odd-shaped joints and other objects. In addition to electrical, the tape can be used for any purpose where a rubber coating is desired. For example, my flagpole gave up its rattle after I rubber-taped the base. Your imagination is your only limit.”   By Greg Illes

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Collapsible rigid sunglasses case stows in small space

“Over-the-counter drugstore reading glasses are so inexpensive that when they scratch or break you just chuck them and buy a new pair. Not so for sunglasses. When you sink a decent sized chunk of your disposable income into eye protection that is both high quality and cool, you want to take care of them.

But protective cases become problematic because off their size and rigidity. You can't just stick the case away in your pocket or purse since it takes up so much space.

Until now. Integral has introduced the Flipcase, which is a sturdy and collapsible sunglasses case that folds up flat when you're not using it. And by flat I mean only 1/4 inch thick, and small enough to stow out of the way just about anywhere until you need it. 

Inside the microfiber protects the lenses from scratching and outside the rigid plastic keeps them from breaking. The case will fit about 99% of sunglasses--up to 2.5 inches high, 2.5 inches wide, and a girth when folded of up to 7 inches.

You can learn more about Flipcase on the Integral website where you can also purchase the case for $34.” Submitted by Bob Difley

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On This Day:

Nero's Rome burns, Jul 18, 64:

“The great fire of Rome breaks out and destroys much of the city on this day in the year 64. Despite the well-known stories, there is no evidence that the Roman emperor, Nero, either started the fire or played the fiddle while it burned. Still, he did use the disaster to further his political agenda.

The fire began in the slums of a district south of the legendary Palatine Hill. The area's homes burned very quickly and the fire spread north, fueled by high winds. During the chaos of the fire, there were reports of heavy looting. The fire ended up raging out of control for nearly three days. Three of Rome's 14 districts were completely wiped out; only four were untouched by the tremendous conflagration. Hundreds of people died in the fire and many thousands were left homeless.

Although popular legend holds that Emperor Nero fiddled while the city burned, this account is wrong on several accounts. First, the fiddle did not even exist at the time. Instead, Nero was well known for his talent on the lyre; he often composed his own music. More importantly, Nero was actually 35 miles away in Antium when the fire broke out. In fact, he let his palace be used as a shelter.

Legend has long blamed Nero for a couple of reasons. Nero did not like the aesthetics of the city and used the devastation of the fire in order to change much of it and institute new building codes throughout the city. Nero also used the fire to clamp down on the growing influence of Christians in Rome. He arrested, tortured and executed hundreds of Christians on the pretext that they had something to do with the fire.”

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Singing Wobbly Joe Hill sentenced to death, Jul 18, 1914:

“Convicted of murder on meager evidence, the singing Wobbly Joe Hill is sentenced to be executed in Utah.

A native of Sweden who immigrated to the U.S. in 1879, Joe Hill joined the International Workers of the World (IWW) in 1910. The IWW was an industrial union that rejected the capitalist system and dreamed one day of leading a national workers' revolution. Members of the IWW--known as Wobblies--were especially active in the western United States, where they enjoyed considerable success in organizing mistreated and exploited workers in the mining, logging, and shipping industries.

Beginning in 1908, the IWW began encouraging its membership to express their beliefs through song. The IWW published its Little Red Song Book, otherwise known as the I.W.W. Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent. A few years later, the witty and handsome Joe Hill became one of the Wobblies' leading singers and songwriters. Hill composed many of the IWW's best-loved anthems, including "The Preacher of the Slave" which introduced the phrase "pie in the sky." By 1915, Hill was one of the most famous Wobblies in the nation.

Public notoriety, however, could prove dangerous for a radical union man. In 1915, Hill was arrested and charged with murdering two Salt Lake City policemen during a grocery store robbery. Although the evidence against Hill was tenuous, a jury of conservative Utahans convicted him on this day in 1914 and he was sentenced to death. He was executed by firing squad the following year.

Ever since, scholars have debated whether Hill was actually guilty or was railroaded because of his radical politics. Regardless of his guilt or innocence, Hill became a powerful martyr for the IWW cause by telegramming his comrades with a famous last-minute message: "Don't waste any time in mourning. Organize."”

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Yesterday:

Misty and I went to get Jay for shopping day, and we had a good walk down there.  An armadillo went by across the street, and even though Misty couldn’t see it, she knew it was there and was pulling at the leash trying to follow it like a little bloodhound.

The van was full of stuff that needed to be dropped off at different places.  Big pieces of Styrofoam were dropped off at the community dumpster.  Plastic bags went either to the recycling, or useable ones donated to thrift shops.  We stopped at St. Marks and recycled the paper, and looked in their thrift shop.  Neither of us saw anything we wanted there.

The Unique Thrift shop was having a clearance sale, I didn’t buy anything, but Jay bought two pair of comfy boots, very cheap.  Then we went to Angelic thrift shop and donated some items.  We did buy a few things in their shop.  At Home Depot I bought a different brand of door bell, maybe this this one will work.  I also bought some white spray paint that works on vinyl, so I am hoping it will cover the sunburn marks on my white siding.

Once again, we didn’t stop at a grocery store as we were running out of time. Jay had to go shopping with his mother, and I was expecting the contractor.

In the afternoon the contractor and his helper leveled, plumbed and cemented in the corner post that we had torn my screen porch apart to install.  He is going to be building my front porch extension from that, so I knew he would rather do it himself. 

Now we can put the screen porch back together today.

Mustangs. Tape, Anyone?

Please see if you would like to help the poor mustangs?   Nature needs to be left alone, or it upsets the ecology, and the food chain.  Let alone the cruelty of their treatment, and deaths, is awful.

See what Willie Nelson says:

“Nevada's Bureau of Land Management plans to herd a large group of mustangs out of their peaceful habitat—a practice that is responsible for the senseless injuries and deaths of thousands of these wild and beautiful creatures.” http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=4&campaign=NevadaHorseRoundups&ThirdPartyClicks=ETE_030410_NevadaHorseRoundups_F

“The horses were run into traps in freezing conditions with rain and snow and overnight lows dipping below 0ºF. BLM spokesman Jeff Fontana reported that 217 were removed, leaving 59 on the range. This roundup was originally planned for a removal of 536 horses to get down to a BLM-approved level of just 85 horses or less.” From: http://tuesdayshorse.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/7597/


Once free – Their beautiful lives ruined.

Sign the petition and send your comments to President Obama and your representatives here, please.
http://www.change.org/actions/view/a_unified_call_for_an_immediate_moratorium_on_wild_horse_burro_roundups 

As Gandhi once said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”
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Not your usual MacGuyer-ing!
“You can do anything with duct tape, but why would you? It's ugly, plain and simple. Working with clear tape is prettier and requires a bit more finesse.
Made for an art competition sponsored by Scotch, these Scotch tape sculptures are created free-form or by making a sort of Scotch tape mold. Some contain as many as 48 rolls of tape. That would cost a pretty penny, but it's nothing if you can manage to take home the nearly $5,000 grand prize.”





I think some people have too much time on their hands!
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58.9 deg. right now.  So it is warm enough to let the cats out onto the screen porch, today.