Permissiveness. How to Avoid Temptation. Do You Know The Difference Between Flattery And A Compliment? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Permissiveness

We were taught to ask for permission to go places and do things when we were children.

Timothy Eberly/Unsplash

“God is merciful and kind as parents ought to be, but His goal is for our good always.

Responsible adults knew that there was a proper balance in giving permission and permissiveness. Permissiveness opens the door to doing what we please—we set the rules, guidelines and standards. Good parents make sure that we understand what consequences may come from our decisions. They shun permissiveness and know that their control will be a safeguard all of our lives.

God is the best parent. If He wanted to be permissive—allowing humans to determine right and wrong, holy and profane—He would have given us Ten Suggestions rather than Ten Commandments. Commandments do not include any permissiveness. Jesus came to magnify those Ten (Isaiah 42:21). God is merciful and kind as parents ought to be, but His goal is for our good always. His laws allow us to build character and define boundaries that are good for us.

We do not ask Him for permission to sin—He does not allow that. So don’t ask!”  From:  https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/permissiveness

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How to Avoid Temptation

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

[Steve Myers] “We all face it. Temptation seems to be everywhere in our world, and sometimes it just seems absolutely overwhelming. But you know there’s a key that we’re given in Hebrews 2:18 that I think is so powerful, because it points to our Savior, Jesus Christ. And here’s what it says. It says, “For in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He’s able to aid those who are tempted.”

A couple of things that are very interesting about this passage. Christ personally has suffered through and experienced temptation, the way that we do and He’s uniquely qualified to help us. I love this word for aid that’s used in this particular passage, “He’s able to aid those who are tempted.”

That’s the very same word that’s used all the way back in Acts 27:17. If you’re not familiar with Acts 27, that’s where the Apostle Paul is about to be shipwrecked and he’s going through an amazing hurricane, it seems, and this ship is falling apart. And you know what they do? They take cables, and they run these supporting cables under the ship to help hold it together. And that word in that section of Acts 27 of those supporting cables, is the same word that’s used here as Christ aids us.

So imagine that, when we turn to Christ and we look to him, we pray to God the Father and ask for His help and His guidance, He wraps us around with His aid like those supporting cables that were holding that ship together in the most difficult storm. That’s what we can count on. We can count on our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can count on God the Father to wrap us up in His supporting arms and come to our aid even before sin. Even as we’re being tempted, God is always there to help us.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/how-to-avoid-temptation

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Watch Out!

Do you know the difference between flattery and a compliment?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/XP8NdZUtXPE

[Gary Petty] “All of us like compliments. We appreciate it when someone comes up and tells us, “Boy, that was a good job” or “You look nice today.” But there’s a real difference between a compliment and flattery. They may seem to be the same but actually, they’re not. You know, it’s interesting that in the book of Proverbs, Solomon writes this, “Ointment and perfume delight the heart and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.”

You know, it’s very rewarding. It can be very encouraging when someone we know who’s very sincere comes up and tells us what a good job we did or like I said, how good we look that day or just give us a compliment. Flattery is something else. Flattery is given by a person who is not sincere. Their compliments have a purpose. They’re actually trying to get something out of us. They’re trying to manipulate us.

Here’s what Solomon wrote about flattery. He says, “A man who flatters his neighbor, spreads a net for his feet.” You see, when someone is flattering you, what they’re trying to do is use the compliments to endear you to them so that eventually, they can manipulate you, get something out of you. But it’s not for your benefit. A good compliment is out of appreciation for your benefit. Flattery is something different. It’s very hard to tell the difference. And this is something that children need to learn. The difference between a compliment and flattery.

One of the greatest stories that teaches, especially children, about flattery is one of Aesop’s Fables. In this fable, there is a crow sitting up on a limb that has a huge piece of food in her beak. A fox comes along and says, “Wow, you are the most beautiful crow. The most beautiful bird. You’re beautiful. You have a great complexion. You have a wonderful shape. In fact, you would be the queen of all the birds if you could just sing.” Well, the crow is so taken aback by all the flattery, that she says she’s going to prove that she should be the queen of the birds by singing. Opens her mouth, the food drops out and the fox grabs it and runs away. And basically says, “I complimented her over her beauty, not her brains.” Important lesson.

So remember, when people keep giving you compliments, be sure and think about is that a genuine compliment? If it is, accept it in the spirit that it’s given. But if someone keeps flattering you in an insincere way, be aware, because they may be trying to take advantage of you.”    From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/watch-out

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Update.

Another week with two trips to the chiropractor in Conroe, but these will be last for now.  I am better than I was, thank goodness, because it looks like a move is in the near future.  That means moving everything out of my house, the mini-house, (furnished ex-guest house), both attics, all the tools out of the garage and shed, 2 motor homes, one station wagon, my van, plus all my resale stuff from my business.

We took my foster cat inside the air-conditioned title company in Conroe while I signed some papers after Chris and I had taken her to the vet for her check-up to go into the SPCA Cat Habitat at Petco, Conroe.  She checked out free from FIV and FeLuk, two deadly diseases that cats often acquire if they go outside.  That is why it s so important to keep them indoors. The techs said that “Silver” was really good when she had the blood drawn, her rabies vax and was micro chipped. 

These papers that I had to sign were just odd stuff that has to be done before the closing papers are drawn up, so I guess this Buyer means business.  I have had offers to help me pack, but I tell them that is jumping the gun.  It’s not over until the fat lady sings…… all the way to the bank !

To be somewhat prepared, Zack and I got down the many boxes of drapes and RV parts out of my attic.  All those years of working on RV’s, we had to have all colors of fabric for me to be able to make drapes for the different RV’s.  Most of them were sorted and boxed up to go to different thrift shops.  On one of my trips to the chiropractor I donated 6 big bags of drapes to the Assistance League.

Some of the dishes, cookware, sheets and towels that were stored up in my attic that came out of my 1968 vintage motor home, we call “Pugsy”,  will be used in my Holiday Rambler travel trailer that is now stored in Chris’ horse pasture about a mile way.  Pugsy is now on eBay, with no reserve, and there is already one bid.  (P.S. Which was later canceled). That will be one big thing that I don’t use, out of the yard. 

The electrician replaced some of the mobile home type outlets in the HR trailer, so now the outlets will be able to handle larger things better.

“Silver” got her other booster shots two days after her rabies shot.  We just don’t like to do them all on the same day.  Then the next day, Saturday, before I went to church, Chris picked her up and she went into the Habitat for all the world to see. She is a pretty, outgoing little baby and she should be adopted soon. I can’t have an animal in the senior apartment where I am going in Navasota, TX, if/when the house deal goes through. 

As I had bought some taco shells that were non-GMO, ( I won’t eat any corn unless it is non-GMO) I made some taco meat with ground turkey for the church potluck, and also took a lot of roasted yellow squash, but not enough, it went fast. We also had the usual lasagna, salads, other meats and veggies.

The Bible readings were Psa. 2, 100, Exo. 23:6-24:18 (that is about keeping the Sabbath and the Feasts Days), Isa. 60:17,18, Matt 26:27,28 and all of Matt. 22.  The Teaching was about how “We Are The Branches” in Rom. 11:17, plus many other verses, and how the Gentiles are grafted in.  Then after the potluck we stayed and had a Bible Study, so it was a well rounded day.

The 10 Commandments: A Matter of the Heart. Storm Damage.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

The 10 Commandments: A Matter of the Heart

From Learning Center \ Video Series

“Which of the 10 Commandments is the most important? Did Jesus replace them all with the command to love? What are the 10 Commandments really and truly about?

Intro video:  https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-10-commandments-a-matter-of-the-heart/

Ten short videos about The 10 Commandments:

The First Commandment: Gods Before God

The First Commandment lays an essential foundation that all the other commandments build upon. How can we put God first in a world as busy as ours?

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-1st-commandment/

The Second Commandment: Putting God in a Box

Why does the Second Commandment still matter in societies where carved idols are a thing of the past? This commandment keeps us focused not only on what we’re worshipping, but how we think about what we’re worshipping.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-2nd-commandment-putting-god-in-a-box/

The Third Commandment: Carrying the Name of God

The Third Commandment isn’t just a commandment about how we should talk—it’s a commandment about how we should walk, too. Not taking God’s name in vain requires more from us than just the right words.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-3rd-commandment-carrying-the-name-of-god/

The Fourth Commandment: What God Calls Holy

Largely forgotten today, the Fourth Commandment is one of God’s greatest blessings to mankind. What does it mean to keep the Sabbath holy?

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-4th-commandment-what-god-calls-holy/

The Fifth Commandment: How to Destroy a Civilization

Without the Fifth Commandment, society can (and will) collapse on itself. What makes honoring your father and mother such an integral part of human civilization?

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-5th-commandment-how-to-destroy-a-civilization/

The Sixth Commandment: Murder Starts Somewhere

Can you break the Sixth Commandment without ever killing someone? The command to not murder focuses as much on our hearts as it does on our hands.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-6th-commandment-murder-starts-somewhere/

The Seventh Commandment: A Quick Way to Ruin Everything

Like the Sixth Commandment, the Seventh Commandment requires us to guard our hearts. Adultery can begin in the heart long before any action ever takes place. How can we take the offensive against it?

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-7th-commandment-a-quick-way-to-ruin-everything/

The Eighth Commandment: What’s Yours is Mine

The Eighth Commandment helps us focus on how we view our neighbors, and digging deeper into Scripture helps us see that not stealing requires more than just not taking what doesn’t belong to us.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-8th-commandment-whats-yours-is-mine/

The Ninth Commandment: Take it Easy, Pinocchio

The Ninth Commandment has its roots in integrity and honesty. Truly obeying the command to not lie requires changing how we think.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-9th-commandment-take-it-easy-pinocchio/

The 10th Commandment: Where Your Treasure Is

The 10th Commandment is the first commandment to focus explicitly on what happens within the heart. It also turns our attention back to the importance of the very first commandment.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-10th-commandment-where-your-treasure-is/”

From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/video-series/10-commandments/the-10-commandments-a-matter-of-the-heart/

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Update.

Somehow, I missed posting last week. Things got a bit hectic around here with getting ready for the storms and then the damage. 

After the first big storm and when Zack went over to the mini-house to get something, he came back and said that some of the ceiling sheetrock was on the floor.  The main roof had sprung a leak, water had gone through the attic floor into the bedroom. So we had to clean up dripping ceiling insulation, and soggy sheetrock.  Chris came to help because she didn’t want me to injure my back any more than it already is. They moved everything out of the mini-house bedroom, and ripped up the carpet and padding.  We draped that expensive carpet over stuff in the carport to dry, as it can be saved.  The padding had to go in the trash. We all went into the attic where I had two sheets of 1/2” plywood stored up there which we put lengthways on an angle, braced on two big totes, covered that with a tarp and covered everything with plastic. It was all slanted so that any more water would go through a place to the outside.

On Monday the 29th, I finally had the bone scan in Huntsville TX, three weeks after the original order.  Here we are, nearly two weeks later, and my doctor still doesn’t have the results, or has lost them, and my chirpractor still doesn’t have the referral, so my tailbone and hip are still bothering me.  I feel very helpless, and I am not used to that.  It really hurts to bend my right hip.  I wanted to go up the ladder to look at trailer roof, but that would incur more anger from Chris than I would care to get. I can get up in the mini-house attic by keeping my right leg straight and it is a short attic ladder.

On a nice day, over in Chris’ horse pasture where I have my trailer stored, Zack got up on the roof of the Holiday Rambler and removed the roof vent that was leaking.  He scraped everything clean, best he could, and re-installed it with new butyl putty tape and smoothed a bead of Dicor sealant over the screws and the edges.  We removed the broken antenna completely, and riveted a patch of butyl putty taped aluminum over the hole, and another bead of Dicor.  The soaked ceiling was still dripping from the rain into a bucket when we left.

More storms. This is May, what happened to April showers?  On Tuesday 7th., I went for my cataract check-up.  I didn’t know they were going to dilate my eyes, and it was blinding sunshine when I came out of there.  I donned my dark glasses and managed to drive to the Kroger across the street.  There, I got on an electric cart and rode around shopping until my eyes got better.  But in the meantime the weather changed to stormy, and on the way home everyone was driving at a careful 40 mph on the freeway.  I got home here on the hill before the road below flooded.

Zack didn’t show up on Wednesday or Thursday, and more storms were forecast, so Chris came over. We went up into the mini-house attic and made some more storm preparations up there, then we went over to the trailer and she got up on the roof and did some more scraping and Dicor-ing because there had been more drips in the bucket.  After the next storm she reported that the bucket was dry. Hooray!

Because of a severe weather advisory we had to cancel the church service.  Many of the congregation live in nearby towns where if it floods they can’t get home.  At least I have a back way to get up here on this hill if the road below floods, but they don’t.  We called everyone we could, but there new people all the time, so I printed up a notice on the computer, laminated it with some clear Contact paper, and drove over to the church and taped it on the door.  Then I went by Lauri’s place down my road, to see if she would like to have a little worship service of our own, but she had another of her migraines.

Then the rains came and it was another dreary, soggy day.

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Are You Ready for Some Football?! Lessons From the NFL Bounty Scandal. Update

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Are You Ready for Some Football?!

“Any success worth having requires hard work and dedication.

Fall is in the air, and in the United States that means it is football season. At the start of every Monday Night Football game fans are familiar with the question, “Are you ready for some football?!”
Non-American readers, I beg your indulgence because my point will also apply to what you call football and to other sports as well.

American football

American football passed baseball as America’s pastime long ago. For better or for worse it is part of the national culture. During the autumn, stadiums and couches will be full of spectators rooting for their team. Fans will wear their team colors, fly their flags and agonize over each play.

I have to confess. I am included.
Football, though, is just a game with no long-term value. Which team wins or loses has no lasting importance. It is just entertainment, but since many of us watch football, we might as well learn something from it.

Advice from a famous coach

Legendary Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi said, “Football is like life—it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.”

Vince Lombardi was right. Look at teams that have sustained success. Any successful team at any level will show those characteristics.
Teams have to persevere through challenges during the season. Players keep themselves in peak physical condition through training, which demands dedication, hard work and self-denial. Successful teams buy into the coach’s vision and respect his authority.

Those same traits will serve us well in life. We have to persevere though the challenges we face. A truly successful life requires moderation and self-denial.
Any success worth having requires hard work and dedication.
And what about respect for authority? We won’t fulfill our ultimate potential if we are constantly at odds with authority figures.

Sports lesson from Scripture?

Did you know that much of Vince Lombardi’s formula for success is found summed up in the Bible?
The apostle Paul wrote about a sporting event that he must have watched. He spoke of running in a race and competing for a crown. He stated that to compete for that prize, the contestants had to go into strict training. He also said he disciplined his body and kept it under subjection. You can read his famous words in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.

Watch and learn

Paul wasn’t a professional boxer or runner. He was using the Isthmian Games that took place near the ancient Greek city of Corinth as an analogy to life. These games were similar to our Olympic games. Foot races, boxing and wrestling were just some of the events in the games. It was the great sporting event of that time. The Isthmian Games were as familiar to people then as football is to us now. It was as if Paul had said, “Football is like life.”
Paul told us to live life as if we were in training for a great event with a valuable prize for the winners. Winners at the Isthmian Games would get crowns of leaves, but Paul said he was competing for a crown much more valuable. It wouldn’t decay like leaves but would remain forever.
As we watch our football this season, let’s keep in mind that it is only a game, but one that teaches us some lessons. For another lesson on the value of sports, read “Creating Winning Habits.”  https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/creating-winning-habits  This brings us back to our original question:
Are you ready for some football?!”  
From: https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/are-you-ready-for-some-football
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Lessons From the NFL Bounty Scandal

“Scandal has again hit the world of professional sports. This controversy displays a moral failure in the way we as a society approach competition. Is there a better way of sportsmanship available to us?

This scandal that surfaced in professional sports was the discovery of a bounty program instigated by former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams during the 2009-2011 football seasons. His plan offered financial incentives to defensive players for purposely injuring opposing players seriously enough to take them out of the game. Ironically, the guilty team’s name is the Saints. Such conduct is obviously anything but saintly in character! In fact it is also contrary to league policy and recent emphasis on reducing player injuries.

Hefty fines and multigame suspensions are the normal punishment for this type of behavior. However, this does not address the root problem—the overemphasis on winning that leads many to resort to inhumane, unethical and unhealthy conduct.

Sports controversy—Winning is not all that matters

The infamous quote attributed to former NFL coach Vince Lombardi, “Winning isn’t everything; it is the only thing,” may in fact be a misquote; but it is certainly a valid assessment of the common mindset of spectators and participants in professional sports. The fact is that winning is where the money is. So the equally famous quote of sports journalist Grantland Rice that “it’s not that you won or lost but how you played the game,” is little more than a noble sentiment that few take seriously.

However, I know from personal experience that playing by the rules, including the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31), is actually more enjoyable and much safer without sacrificing the quality or the excitement of the game. I learned this while playing on the basketball team of the Christian college that I attended.

Kind competition is more rewarding

We were taught that basketball is supposed to be a non-contact sport (something you certainly don’t see in the NBA with nearly as much bumping and shoving as opposing lineman in a football game). We were told to never try to block a fast break layup because of the danger of serious injury. Players and spectators were also expected to show good sportsmanship, including complimenting or applauding a player on the other team for making a good play, and remaining respectfully silent when a player on the other team is shooting free throws. In fact the gym would often become so silent as to be intimidating.

Players also learned the importance of playing by the rules, including the lessons of life that sports should teach. Theoretically, there should never be such a thing as a “good foul,” because that suggests that it can be rewarding to violate the rules—a tragic fallacy with potentially serious consequences in life outside of sports if applied to the laws of God or man. So our league even changed some rules to eliminate any advantage of violations.
We played to win, but winning was not our highest priority. We understood the higher purpose of sports to be building character. Sadly, sports programs today often reward characters rather than character; although many teams have had to learn that talent without character can be detrimental to the team and result in losing games.

God’s way works—Even in sports

Competition is exciting to both participants and spectators, which I also know from personal experience. However, the problem with competition is that for every winner there is at least one loser. And the difference between the ecstasy of victory and the agony of defeat is often measured by inches or fractions of a second.
Mankind has to learn that cooperation offers a far better way of life than competition, because cooperation is based on a win/win philosophy where everyone wins. Realistically, most will never learn that in this life, because the current overemphasis on winning is rooted in self-serving human nature.
However, God has a winning plan for all mankind that will be ushered in after the return of Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God on earth—a time of peace and prosperity, health and happiness, and wholesome entertainment and recreation for all. Human nature will be changed from the hostile, self-centered approach to a mindset and commitment to love and service, resulting in a safe zone of cooperation, mutual support and edification. Sound too good to be true? Maybe in today’s world, but that is exactly what God has planned for the future, and is embodied in the message of the gospel. I invite you to read our free booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom to learn more about this wonderful time, and how you can enjoy some of these benefits today.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/lessons-from-the-nfl-bounty-scandal
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Update.
On Sunday, I went to the Olde Security Flea market with my friend Don, who has a lot of things for sale in the storage place next to my subdivision.  (Looked for you DD, and your wife, but didn’t spot you.) Don was trying to get rid of a lot of small stuff that hadn’t sold at the storage place yard sale, so we set up a $1 table.  The other table had the more expensive things.  Half way we reduced it to 50% off, and things flew off the tables.  It took a lot less time to load the trailer when we left!
 
The next day Zack and I got all my metal and aluminum scrap out to the front yard. Don picked me up and we loaded it, with his scrap, on the trailer and sold it all to the scrap yard.  Now that’s out of the way.
 
Wednesday, Jay and I went into Conroe, but the van died there.  The grounding system just went out completely.  It was towed to a nearby repair facility and I came home van-less.  The next day Hans took me to the Y again, and we did the yoga and senior exercises.  This time we ate free sandwiches there and listened to a spiel about hospice and healthcare
. 
Finally, on Friday, my van was fixed, so I am in debt on my credit card even more!  It is hard on my little bit of pension when these unexpected expenses happen.  I had plenty of potatoes, so I made Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes, and took an 18” round chocolate chip cookie stuffed with sickly sweet frosting, that I had been given.  So on Saturday, it’s plastic container was enormous and it took a special trip to get it to the van to take it to the church potluck.

The Bible readings were Gen. 42:1-43:15, Isa. 50:10-52:12, Rev. 21:9-27 and all of Matt. 4.  The teaching was about the Trials and Tribulations of those who suffered through persecution, a lot of this from the book of 1 Peter.

The thermostat in the church heating system is haywire, and it is either too hot or cold, but weather was warmer, so it was a nice day.

Teach Little Kids About Money. Thou Shalt Not Covet. Volcanos. Plastic. Update.

 

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Teach Little Kids About Money

Your child may be too young for an allowance, but he or she’s not too young to be introduced to the all-important right approach to money.

If you’re frugal and restrained in how you use money, your child will be more likely to learn those traits too!

“Ever read the poem “Smart” in Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends? It begins:

 

“My dad gave me one dollar bill
’Cause I’m his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
’Cause two is more than one!”

This “smart” son continued his “upward” trading—exchanging the two quarters for three dimes, and the three dimes for four nickels, and finally the four nickels for five pennies! The poem concludes:

“And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head—
Too proud of me to speak!”

One might wonder if perhaps Dad gave his “smartest son” an allowance before he was really ready for it! But even if your child doesn’t yet know the value of different coins or bills, you can still set the stage for him or her to learn how to handle money responsibly.

It all begins with you!

Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably already begun your child’s lessons on finances. Your example as a parent in handling money is the foundation for every other finance lesson you can teach. The attitude and approach that you have toward money will rub off on your child.

From an early age, your child should see you being a careful shopper. Let him or her help you make your grocery list and talk about how these are the things that your family needs to buy. Let your child see that you plan what things you’re going to buy rather than buying impulsively. Talk about the difference between needs and wants.

As your child grows, you can ask him or her to help you compare items. You can talk about which box of cereal contains more (the size of the box doesn’t always give the answer!), which is healthier for your family and which has the better price. You can also talk about television commercials and how advertisers try to get you to buy their products.

If you’re frugal and restrained in how you use money, your child will be more likely to learn those traits too! And you can model patience in your purchases. Tell your child, “No, I think we’ll wait to get this until it’s on sale.” Remember, if you’re frugal and restrained in how you use money, your child will be more likely to learn those traits too!

Money doesn’t grow on trees: 

Another introductory concept to teach is where money comes from. (It’s not really as obvious as we think!) Explain to your child that people work and that’s how they earn money. And they earn money so that they can buy the things that they need. It’s important to explain that God is the One who gives us good health and makes us able to work and produce. The money we earn is related to our effort and diligence (Proverbs 10:4), but ultimately God is the One who gives wealth (verse 22).

As well, you’ll no doubt need to clear up misunderstandings about credit or debit cards, since it’s easy for children to think of it as free, limitless money. We’re becoming an increasingly cashless society, but make an effort to use cash whenever possible when your child is with you.

When you must use your credit or debit card, give a simple explanation of how it works. A credit card represents money that you’re promising to pay later. A debit card represents money that is going directly from what you’ve put in the bank to the store or restaurant. It may be a while before your child really understands, but keep the explanations coming at regular intervals.

Your child should learn that money is a limited resource. It’s good for your child to hear you say, “We don’t have enough money to buy that.” “We can’t afford that.” Likewise, there should be times when you can say, “We’re saving to buy a (whatever)!” Your child should learn that it’s okay to spend some money now, but it’s also important to save some for later."

More at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/parenting/teach-little-kids-about-money/

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Thou Shalt Not Covet

Coveting—desiring something we shouldn’t have—is a dangerous trap for people both poor and rich. That’s why God says, “Thou shalt not covet.”

God gave us the 10 Commandments for our benefit, including the 10th Commandment: “Thou shalt not covet” (Exodus 20:17, King James Version).

To understand God’s law against coveting, it can be helpful to consider an example of the damaging effects of coveting.

Consider Ahab  (1 Kings 16:29-22:40)

It was plain and simple. He wanted it, and he wanted it now! Day after day, he wandered up and down the halls with his mind centered on a prize he simply could not rightfully win. It became such a fixation that he almost became sick over it.

Sadder still, this man did not really need anything—after all, he was a king! With all the treasures in the king’s house, what more could this man want?

When your name is Ahab, king of Israel, there is always something more. In this case it happened to be a vineyard that was next door to his palace. What started out as the pursuit of additional property, quickly turned into an ugly and sinful attitude.

When the negotiation didn’t go his way, King Ahab unleashed his ruthless wife on the hapless neighbor. Queen Jezebel thought nothing of taking what didn’t belong to them, at the cost of their neighbor’s life. And all because King Ahab gave in to the sinful attitude of covetousness.

“I want what you have!” Defining “covet”

Although listed as the last of the 10 Commandments given by God, the act of coveting carries with it the potential for a lifetime of tragedy and heartache. It is easy to reason in one’s mind that coveting is not as bad as murder, stealing or adultery, but make no mistake—coveting, which is a sin in itself, can lead to all of these sins and more!

To covet means to desire wrongfully or inordinately without regard for the rights and property of others. God knows the heart of man and also the intent of the heart (1 Chronicles 28:9). So when He presented the 10 Commandments to the children of Israel, God elaborated on some of the items that should not be coveted.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17).

God knew that a heart that begins to covet is a heart that no longer focuses on Him, but looks inwardly. Coveting begins when the mind harbors an insidious desire to wrongfully obtain something that is forbidden, without due regard for the rights or property of others. Coveting places your thoughts and desires above those of everyone else.

Unfortunately, there have been many horrific examples of this in the world today. The act of coveting has even been made to appear stylish by the motion picture industry, where coveting is at times even glamorized. If a so-called hero or heroine pursues an already married person, “frees” her or him from the bonds of a less-than-affectionate spouse, it is portrayed as acceptable, even the desirable thing to do!

Granting ourselves an excuse to covet

The seeds of coveting sometimes begin with an innocent observation.

In the story of King Arthur and the knights of the round table, for example, the knight Lancelot, who just happened to be King Arthur’s closest friend, made a simple, but inappropriate comment to the king’s fiancée, Guinevere. He said that as long as she lived, he would love no other. Lancelot was intrigued by the future queen’s beauty and found himself attracted to her. But rather than honor the sanctity of marriage, Lancelot and Guinevere began to covet things that weren’t theirs—each other! In the story, their covetous behavior led to adultery and the weakening of a kingdom.

Sadly, incidents just like this are played out all too often today. By using selfish reasoning and motives, people decide to obtain possessions (or someone else’s mate) for their own personal gain. The desire to have what is not theirs grows so powerful that even people who are normally respectful and law-abiding will circumvent laws and rules in order achieve their goal.

Such is the backstory for countless incidents of theft, embezzlement, kidnapping, adultery and even murder. The results of coveting are powerful and destructive.

Coveting is a trap

Covetousness is the trap in which King Ahab found himself snared, as the account recorded in 1 Kings 21 reveals. The vineyard Ahab coveted was owned by a man named Naboth. It was his inheritance, and Naboth told the king of its priceless value to him and his family.

But rather than approach this as a goal he could not achieve, or perhaps as a failed business venture, Ahab chose to sulk and focus on his covetous desires. He was angry with Naboth, and he still wanted his vineyard. In his self-absorbed and immature mind, he demonstrated a behavior we see often in children and sometimes even adults—he began to pout and wallow in self-pity.

Sulking, pouting and self-pity over something we can’t obtain can turn into bitterness. Bitterness can then lead to twisted reasoning that may lead to a sinful action in an attempt to acquire what is coveted. Scripture reveals that Ahab’s covetous behavior led to the death of Naboth. It initially appeared that Ahab got away with his sin, but God ultimately intervened and brought about the demise of Ahab.

Casting down idols

In the Bible, covetousness is described as a type of idolatry. God’s perspective on coveting can be clearly seen in Paul’s instructions to the church in Colossae: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5, emphasis added throughout).

Why does God say covetousness is idolatry? Because covetousness can become all-consuming. The person or object that is coveted becomes uppermost in the mind and, in the process, becomes an idol. All rules, commandments and laws become trivial in comparison, making it easier and easier to justify irreverent and/or illegal behavior.

Whatever becomes an idol in the mind takes precedence over everything and everyone—including the true God. Covetousness is one of the reasons God will punish the inhabitants of the earth. As Paul wrote in the same passage: “Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them” (verses 6-7).

How can we overcome covetousness?

What can be done to escape this sinful trap? In order to break free from this form of idolatry, one must be willing to take the necessary steps to cast down covetous behavior. The first step is controlling and reordering the thoughts of the heart.

King David (who also knew what it was like to struggle with coveting) asked God for His protection when it came to his thoughts. He wrote, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works” (Psalm 141:3-4).

In another place David wrote that he would set nothing wicked before his sight (Psalm 101:3).

It is deceptive, because the sin of covetousness rarely looks evil. But in truth it is, and the quicker we understand that, the quicker we will be moved to repent of this sin.

In the process of reordering our thinking, we must move to the other end of the spectrum. The opposite of coveting is looking outwardly—not comparing ourselves with others, but looking for opportunities to give of ourselves in service to others who truly may be less fortunate.

Thankfulness to God

Then, when we do come upon something or someone we admire, we can keep it in the realm of proper admiration by actively giving thanks to God for the blessings He has bestowed on us.

We can take a personal inventory of all that God has given us and dwell on those things. If there is something else we like or would like to have, there is nothing wrong with making our request with a pure and contented heart. Whether it is a new car or a meaningful relationship, God knows what we need. So when our petition is made, we can ask in trust and faith, knowing that God has our best interest at heart.

As the writer of Hebrews so eloquently wrote, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

God is the giver of good things and promises to be there. He is always ready to hear the fervent prayers of those who diligently seek after Him. Covetousness has no place in the heart of the man or woman who truly desires to seek God. That’s why God said: “Thou shalt not covet.”

From: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/finances/thou-shalt-not-covet/

For more information, see “Tenth Commandment: You Shall Not Covet.”

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Structure of a Volcano

“Why do we call it a "volcano"? Off the coast of Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea, there is little island called Vulcano.

A long time ago, the people who lived there believed that Vulcano actually was the chimney on the forge of Vulcan. And Vulcan was the blacksmith of the Roman gods.

A volcano is a mountain. However, they are not formed as other mountains are, by folding and crumpling or by uplift and erosion. Volcanoes, in a sense, build themselves with their own eruptions, including lava, bombs (crusted-over lava blobs), ashflows, and tephra (airborne ash and dust).

Usually, a volcano is a conical hill or mountain built around a vent that connects with reservoirs of molten rock below the surface of the Earth. "Volcano" also might be used to refer to the opening through which molten rock and gases are expelled.”

<<< Click on the numbers to learn more about volcanoes.   Source:USGS    From: http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/natural_disasters/volcano/framesource_volcano.html

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Update:

Another week has flown by.  More trips to Conroe to get some banking business done with a man who had been in a flood with his Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel, and it had been totalled by the insurance company.  He had added a lot of special features to his, so he was desperately looking for another Arctic Fox so that he could swap them out.  So I sold it to him, but the money came in dribs and drabs, so that meant 4 trips to Conroe in all. 

I went to the Social Security Office to see why they haven’t called me, but there were so many people already there that they were parked on the grass across the street, even though they have a large parking lot.  Phoning them means just about the same wait time as going there, and it seems that one can get more help with a face-to-face talk with a person.

One day, a friend of Roy’s came and dug up a little of the front yard to find the best place to connect the sewer to the guest house.  We found a good place to tie in to it, so I bought a ‘saddle tee’ from the plumbing supply house, but we haven’t had time to do anything more to the guest house.  A water leak on the other side of my meter was fixed by the water company but they had to dig up another part of my front yard. Then the rains came, and it was a muddy mess for a few days.

Another day, Roy had to go to the VA in Houston for his ‘Pre-Op’ instructions ready for his esophagus surgery on Tuesday.  They were pleased that for the first time he has gained a little weight.  I have been making sure that he has some Greek yogurt each morning before he starts work and that he has a good organic lunch before he leaves.   Now he is doing some work on the Fifth Wheel swapping out the items from the flooded one, as it is parked not too far away.  We will be glad when that’s over and we can get back to working on the guest house.

For the Church potluck I made another Dirty Rice, beef, onion, bell pepper dish.  The Bible readings were Deut. 1:1-3:22, Isa. 1:1-27, John 15:1-11.  The Teaching was about “He went to the Temple” and how He prepared the way.  I couldn’t hear it very well over the loud speaker in the kitchen.  Some people had arrived late and brought dishes that needed to be warmed up, and pizzas that needed to be cooked, so I went to the kitchen to help the Pastor’s wife,  she has enough to do without that.   So as not to cause more work on the Sabbath, some of us always bring something in a crockpot that just has to be plugged in.  As the Sabbath is supposed to be a day of rest, it has been made the day before, on Preparation Day.

RV Fridge Temps. Grey Water Odors. Trailer Sway. Pull Over. Disasters. Side Shifter. Living With Your Mate. RV Tips. Four Wheels Down. Columbus' Mermaids.

 

For "tRaVersing Thursday" or RV Day:  

How to monitor your RV fridge and freezer temps

"Here's a great way to monitor the temperatures in your refrigerator and freezer, or even the air temperature inside and outside your RV — and all on one portable device."

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How To Control RV Gray Water Odors

"Some effective methods for controlling gray water holding tank odors in your RV"

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How to control travel trailer sway

"RV safety expert Walter Canon discusses trailer sway, a common problem for RVers, and offers suggestions about how to control it."

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Pull over going downhill

"Chuck Woodbury provides a tip that will save you money when pulling over to let faster vehicles pass."

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Are you and your RV prepared if (when) disaster strikes?

"Having a mechanically maintained and fully stocked RV could make a huge difference in the quality of your life following such a disaster. But do you have the skills to live in your RV for an extended time without support such as the hookups you normally take for granted? Obtaining supplies–food, water, and electrical power–may be  impossible due to flooded roads, fallen or damaged bridges and highways,  supplies inaccessible due to damaged or closed stores, power supplies cut off, water mains broken.:  Complete article at: http://blog.rv.net/2013/08/are-you-and-your-rv-prepared-if-when-disaster-strikes/

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Side Shifter - Amazing Invention to make maneuvering 5th Wheel's Easy

"No more accidents or being stuck in hard to maneuver areas. This new invention gives you more maneuverability with 5th Wheel campers or tractor trailers than ever before. You can easily fit into areas that nobody else can!"

If you want to know more visit www.sideshifteronline.com  or call 931-808-3330

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Close-space RV living with your mate

"Thinking about full-time RVing with your significant other? If not fulltiming, how about extended RVing? Anne and I have been together over nine years and lived full-time in an RV for two. Thankfully, we're very compatible and have grown even closer while RVing. We manage to cohabit in 180 square feet of living space. How do we manage it without killing each other?

Test out the lifestyle: If you don't have a rig, rent or borrow an RV and travel for a few weeks and see how it works out. Anne and I took my camper van on several trips of 2-4 weeks and got along good. We knew at that point if we were OK in a small camper van, then we would be great together in a 30-foot fifth wheel.

Division of labor: RVing brings plenty of chores and mundane day-to-day tasks. Sort out who is responsible for what. When each has a clear idea of their responsibilities, the smoother things will go. Some refer to these as pink and blue jobs, with more dirty, outside tasks like sewer dumping being an example of a blue job, and washing the bedding and sheets being pink.

Food: RV living means coping with restricted cupboard and fridge space. We split up the space into combined and separate areas for each of us to have our own foods. I do the bulk of the cooking — this is helpful when it comes to organizing and purchasing the groceries.

Personal space: With space at a premium, it's very important for you to have some personal space. We assign different drawers, cupboards and closets to each other along with some common areas. We also have separate areas for using our computers.

Noise and movement: Two things that can drive the other spouse crazy! In an RV, any type of noise is magnified. You need to be very considerate of the other person. When Anne is writing she likes quiet, so if watching TV I use headphones. The RV being on wheels and springs is prone to shaking as you move around, so we respect when the other is trying to sleep and reduce our movements in the rig.

Away time: Occupying the same space 24/7 can be taxing on a relationship, so plan to give each other some time to be off on their own. Even if it's only a trip by yourself shopping for supplies, to the pool, or getting the oil changed on the truck, a little away time is beneficial.

Don’t stay angry: We get angry with each other from time to time but the trick is to resolve the issue quickly. That’s one nice thing about the tight quarters — it forces you to talk it out and settle a disagreement — there is no place to run and hide. Nip it in the bud and don’t let things fester.

Do-nothing day: Even when traveling and having fun you still need a break once in a while. Every few weeks we have a do-nothing day and just chill out with no plans or chores. This helps reduce the stress that can come from being on the go so much and helps us get along a little better.

Happy Hour!: Each day at around 4-5 p.m. we sit down and discuss the day's events and our plans for the coming ones. This is a great way to relax and stay on the same page." by Ray Burr, loveyourrv.com

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RV Tips:

Trailer stabilizers
"Use a portable electric drill with the appropriately sized socket to run holes up and down your trailer stabilizers. Saves time and frustration. Bringing an extra battery or charger isn't a bad idea — especially on long trips with lots of stops."

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Handy campground caddy
"Drill holes in the bottom of an old ice cream or plastic bucket. Use it to carry shampoo, soap, washcloth, etc., to and from the shower or laundry building."

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Handling putty/butyl tape in hot weather
"Working with putty tape or butyl tape in hot weather? Prepare for frustration as the backing paper will stick to the gooey tape. Better: Put the roll in the freezer for a few minutes — tape peels off backing easily. We store our butyl tape in the freezer for this reason."

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What vehicles can be towed four wheels down behind a motorhome? Information from Edmunds.com

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On This day:

Columbus mistakes manatees for mermaids, Jan 9, 1493:

"On this day in 1493, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, sailing near the Dominican Republic, sees three "mermaids"--in reality manatees--and describes them as "not half as beautiful as they are painted." Six months earlier, Columbus (1451-1506) set off from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean with the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, hoping to find a western trade route to Asia. Instead, his voyage, the first of four he would make, led him to the Americas, or "New World."

Mermaids, mythical half-female, half-fish creatures, have existed in seafaring cultures at least since the time of the ancient Greeks. Typically depicted as having a woman's head and torso, a fishtail instead of legs and holding a mirror and comb, mermaids live in the ocean and, according to some legends, can take on a human shape and marry mortal men. Mermaids are closely linked to sirens, another folkloric figure, part-woman, part-bird, who live on islands and sing seductive songs to lure sailors to their deaths.

Mermaid sightings by sailors, when they weren't made up, were most likely manatees, dugongs or Steller's sea cows (which became extinct by the 1760s due to over-hunting). Manatees are slow-moving aquatic mammals with human-like eyes, bulbous faces and paddle-like tails. It is likely that manatees evolved from an ancestor they share with the elephant. The three species of manatee (West Indian, West African and Amazonian) and one species of dugong belong to the Sirenia order. As adults, they're typically 10 to 12 feet long and weigh 800 to 1,200 pounds. They're plant-eaters, have a slow metabolism and can only survive in warm water.

Manatees live an average of 50 to 60 years in the wild and have no natural predators. However, they are an endangered species. In the U.S., the majority of manatees are found in Florida, where scores of them die or are injured each year due to collisions with boats."

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Yesterday:

It wasn't quite so cold, but when Ray came over we still did inside jobs, and cleaned the ceiling fans and air cleaners. 

As the new long ethernet cable had arrived, we moved my computer desk to the front of my living room by the patio door that goes to the screen porch.  I prefer it there, for the view and watching the birds at the feeder.  But that wasn't going to work as long as I am using the 220v space heater, as the cord is only so long.  My other computer was a flat one and would fit on the desk shelf, but this new one doesn't.

We moved the desk back to the space in between the living room and dining area, and so I am stuck with it there until the new Heat/Air is installed.  As least, as we were moving things around, some areas that were hitherto inaccessible were vacuumed.

Misty my old dog, is obviously unhappy and not having any good quality of life anymore.  She eats, sleeps and goes out, but she is in pain and in a daze.  She and Ava, my 'new' old cat, have an appointment at the vet, but Misty is declining fast, and I don't think she will be coming home with me today.

Unwritten–rules Of Boondocking. Oldsmobile. Shopping and Roofing.

 

For "tRaVersing Thursday" or RV Day:

Do you follow the responsible–but unwritten–rules of boondocking?

"Do you follow the responsible–but unwritten–rules of boondocking?

Most rules are just plain commonsense, which you wonder sometimes whether that gene was left out of some people’s gene pool.

Pick a campsite away from others. Many boondockers value their solitude and privacy, and prefer not to have neighbors close enough to hear their generator, TV, and conversations, or to be lit up by unwanted porch lights. That is why they are not in campgrounds.

Upon arrival, walk the site with a bag and pick up any man-made trash left behind by previous campers. It won’t take you long, will infuriate you, but will bring the point home–anything that will not burn to ashes, carry it out.  And it will make your campsite that much more enjoyable.

Find ways to hang things other than driving nails into trees. There are plenty of ideas for clothes drying hangers or racks or poles that clamp onto your picnic table to hang a lamp. Slide in hooks for your awning rail can be used to hang lights, a bird feeder, trash bag, etc.

Keep your campsite neat. Put things away when not in use. Nobody want to see all your possessions strewn around your campsite like a yard sale in progress.

Pick up only downed and dead wood for a campfire. Chopping limbs off trees or uprooting bushes to burn is something only clueless teenagers would do.

Think safety when building a campfire, especially this season when parts of the country, like Texas, are as dry as the desert in July. Scrape all debris several feet away from your fire and keep your fire small. Build a rock ring or dig a depression to contain fire. And when you leave, return the fire site to its natural state.

If you plan on dumping the gray water from dishwashing and rinsing, be sure to wipe all food bits off cooking and eating utensils with a paper towel first. Always use biodegradable soaps. Dump gray water on thirsty plants or bury in a hole (and cover it with dirt) well away from your campsite. Food bits draw unwanted smells and critters.

Alter your site as little as possible. Walk your site looking for trash, even if you think you haven’t left anything behind. Often paper blows away unnoticed, so make your reconnaissance a wide circle around your campsite. When you leave, your site should appear as if no one had been there, just the way you would like to find your next boondocking site.

Remember that the way others–hikers, off-road wanderers, officials–see your site is the way all RVers are seen. Set a good example, that of a responsible, environmentally-aware, and conservation-minded steward of the land. It’s good for all of us. And thank you for doing so.

In last week’s blog, How to find dispersed boondocking campsites on public land,  we looked at how to find campsites on public lands. Once you find a suitable–and legal–campsite, it becomes your responsibility to follow certain unwritten rules of boondocking so your presence does not impact the campers that follow you. Unfortunately, you’ve likely seen trashy campers in your travels, practicing behavior that gives a bad name to RVers, boondocking, and the RV lifestyle.

Most rules are just plain commonsense, which you wonder sometimes whether that gene was left out of some people’s gene pool.

• Pick a campsite away from others. Many boondockers value their solitude and privacy, and prefer not to have neighbors close enough to hear their generator, TV, and conversations, or to be lit up by unwanted porch lights. That is why they are not in campgrounds.
• Upon arrival, walk the site with a bag and pick up any man-made trash left behind by previous campers. It won’t take you long, will infuriate you, but will bring the point home–anything that will not burn to ashes, carry it out.  And it will make your campsite that much more enjoyable.
• Find ways to hang things other than driving nails into trees. There are plenty of ideas for clothes drying hangers or racks or poles that clamp onto your picnic table to hang a lamp. Slide in hooks for your awning rail can be used to hang lights, a bird feeder, trash bag, etc.
• Keep your campsite neat. Put things away when not in use. Nobody want to see all your possessions strewn around your campsite like a yard sale in progress.
• Pick up only downed and dead wood for a campfire. Chopping limbs off trees or uprooting bushes to burn is something only clueless teenagers would do.
• Think safety when building a campfire, especially when parts of the country, like Texas, are as dry as the desert in July. Scrape all debris several feet away from your fire and keep your fire small. Build a rock ring or dig a depression to contain fire. And when you leave, return the fire site to its natural state.
• If you plan on dumping the gray water from dishwashing and rinsing, be sure to wipe all food bits off cooking and eating utensils with a paper towel first. Always use biodegradable soaps. Dump gray water on thirsty plants or bury in a hole (and cover it with dirt) well away from your campsite. Food bits draw unwanted smells and critters.
• Alter your site as little as possible. Walk your site looking for trash, even if you think you haven’t left anything behind. Often paper blows away unnoticed, so make your reconnaissance a wide circle around your campsite. When you leave, your site should appear as if no one had been there, just the way you would like to find your next boondocking site.

Remember that the way others–hikers, off-road wanderers, officials–see your site is the way all RVers are seen. Set a good example, that of a responsible, environmentally-aware, and conservation-minded steward of the land. It’s good for all of us. And thank you for doing so."  By Bob Difley.

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On This Day:

GM announces phase-out of Oldsmobile, Dec 12, 2000:

"On this day in 2000, General Motors declares that it will begin to phase out the 103-year-old Oldsmobile, the oldest automotive brand in the United States. Oldsmobile had once been one of the most venerable and innovative American brands--Olds cars were the first to have decorative chrome trim, for example, and the first to have fully automatic transmissions--but a GM reorganization in the mid-1980s had drained the brand of most of its unique identity.

Lansing native Ransom Eli Olds created the Olds Motor Works in 1897. Ten years before (reportedly because he did not like the smell of horses), he had built a steam-powered car. After a factory fire destroyed 10 of his 11 prototypes, Olds focused on trying to perfect--and sell--the only car he had left: the small Curved Dash runabout. He was successful: the runabout soon became the nation's most popular automobile.

In 1904, the Curved Dash became the first mass-produced car in the United States. That same year, Olds investors ousted the company's founder. (Ransom Olds wanted to keep on mass-producing inexpensive cars that ordinary people could buy, while the investors wanted to build pricey luxury automobiles.) Four years later, Olds Motor Works merged with Buick to become General Motors. Within GM, Olds was known as the "technology division": it pioneered V-8 engines in 1915, chrome plating in 1926, the Hydra-Matic automatic transmission in 1937, and the Rocket V-8 in 1949.

Olds (it became Oldsmobile in 1942) was the most middlebrow of the GM "ladder of brands," squeezed between mass-market Chevrolet and Pontiac and luxury Cadillac and Buick. Despite a new slogan--"This is not your father's Oldsmobile"--that debuted in the 1980s after the GM reorganization, buyers eventually began to lose interest in the brand's offerings. The brand was also notoriously slow to react to trends: for instance, it was one of the last American carmakers to add sport utility vehicles--the most popular and profitable cars of the 1990s--to its lineup.

In 2004, four years after GM made its announcement, the phase-out of Oldsmobile was complete. That April, the last Oldsmobile--a cherry-red Alero--rolled off the Lansing assembly line and went straight to the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum nearby, where you can see it today."

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Yesterday.

This morning, I couldn't get online. So much happened yesterday that I didn't have time to a draft a post in Live Writer.    Finally, I have switched out some Ethernet cables, and now it is up and running again.

Yesterday had to be a shopping day, I was out of fresh veggies for my juicer, and I wanted to get some special food for Ava, my 'new' old cat. 

Misty and I went to get Jay, and had our walk down there, while he fiddled and diddled getting ready.   Jay took the battery out of his mother's truck as we had to take it back to the Interstate distributor on the way to Conroe.  The Interstate battery in the Puddle Jumper was giving me trouble too, so he went to disconnect it, and found out that the positive terminal was loose.  So maybe that battery is OK.

We had several other stops to make on the way, all time consuming, but got the new battery, and then went to Walmart to get Jay a battery charger, and a new answering machine for me.  We parked in the back, as there was no room in the front parking lot,  but the store didn't seem crowded.

More time was spent at my favorite Krogers for things that Jay and I needed, and then a stop at Petsmart for Ava's food. Then a stop at another Krogers so that I could make a bank deposit. It was after 3.00pm before I got home. 

Just as I was eating some late lunch, the buyers came to get the old galvanized roofing that came off my old RVport.

The couple came towing a horse trailer with a horse that they had just purchased.  It had those sunken dents above it's eyes, a sure sign of not enough food, and it's feet were in terrible shape. I hope they take better care of it than the last owners.  The wife must have been 10 months pregnant, and was helping move the long sheets of roofing, hoping that it would make her go into labor!

The big problem was how to get the long roofing in the slant load trailer without hurting the horse. We tried different ways, but it was so long that it just wouldn't fit. The horse was really calm while all this was going on, and just ate hay.  In the end the husband put the roofing through the bars on the outside and slid them into the empty part of the trailer, but it was sticking out about 18" outside of the side of the trailer.  That was going to be a hairy hour long drive back to their home. 

This took quite a while, and I was tired out from the shopping and wrestling with the roofing, then my internet went out, so I fed the animals and went to bed early yesterday.

NPCA’s Work For National Parks. CodeRED® Service. X-Rays and CT Scans. Fall Garden Cleanup. Congressman Brady on Shutdown. Atahualpa Captured. Goebbels And The Jews.

 

For "Summary Saturday":, News, Some New, Some Old:

"NPCA’s urgent work to protect and preserve our national parks so they thrive for all Americans to enjoy for another century and beyond.  “It's not like we can make new ones.”

We asked our hundreds of thousands of members and supporters to provide us with some of their favorite park memories captured in photos, so we can remind our nation's leader what's at stake. Here's the final product.

This special video will inspire you to fall in love all over again with our national parks—watch it now!

http://vimeo.com/64744978#embed

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What YOU should know about YOUR COUNTY’S CodeRED® service

"CodeRED® is a County service by which Sheriff Office officials can notify any county residents by telephone about emergency situations or critical community alerts. The system is capable of sending messages only to people affected by a particular situation, or, in the case of a widespread emergency like a fire or other major event, to the County’s entire population.

The speed of the CodeRED® system (up to 60,000 calls per hour) is so great that the County is able to send a message to affected households almost as quickly as officials become aware of the situation."  More at: http://www.co.kerr.tx.us/sheriff/PDF.document/CODE3.pdf   This is from Kerr Country, but it applies to nearly all of the USA.  "We encourage you to check with the county or city in which you live. Many use automated telephone notification systems to alert residents in times of emergency."

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West Virginia Hospital Over-radiated Brain Scan Patients, Records Show

"A large West Virginia hospital seriously over-radiated patients suspected of having strokes with CT scans for more than a year after similar episodes prompted federal officials to alert hospitals nationwide to be especially careful when using those types of scans, interviews and documents show." More at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/health/06radiation.html?_r=2&hpw By WALT BOGDANICH

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X-Rays and Unshielded Infants

Piotr Redlinski for The New York Times

"“I was mortified. Full, unabashed, total irradiation of a neonate. This poor, defenseless baby.” Dr. Salvatore J. A. Sclafani, left, Chief of Radiology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center.

It was well after midnight when Dr. Salvatore J. A. Sclafani finally hit the “send” button.

Reproduced by permission of Springer Science+Business Media--Forensic Aspects of Pediatric Fractures: Differentiating Accidental Trauma from Child Abuse, by Rob A. C., Robben, Simon G. F., Rijn, Rick R. 1st Edition, 2010, Chapter 8: 171-188, Fig. 3.

This reproduction of a “babygram” — a full-body X-ray of an infant — is from an article on detecting child abuse that appeared in a medical journal. Babygrams have long been out of favor because of radiation dangers; the article describes their use as “a serious flaw.” At SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, technologists took babygrams of premature infants even though only chest X-rays had been ordered. The State Health Department is now investigating.

Soon, colleagues would awake to his e-mail, expressing his anguish and shame over the discovery that the tiniest, most vulnerable of all patients — premature babies — had been over-radiated in the department he ran at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn.

A day earlier, Dr. Sclafani noticed that a newborn had been irradiated from head to toe — with no gonadal shielding — even though only a simple chest X-ray had been ordered.

“I was mortified,” he wrote. Worse, technologists had given the same baby about 10 of these whole-body X-rays. “Full, unabashed, total irradiation of a neonate,” Dr. Sclafani said, adding, “This poor, defenseless baby.”

And the problems did not end there. Dr. John Amodio, the hospital’s new pediatric radiologist, found that full-body X-rays of premature babies had occurred often, that radiation levels on powerful CT scanners had been set too high for infants, and that babies had been poorly positioned, making it hard for doctors to interpret the images."   More at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/health/28radiation.html?_r=1  By WALT BOGDANICH and KRISTINA REBELO

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Radiation Overload

"Compared to regular medical X-rays, CT scans yield much higher-resolution images. Unfortunately, CT scans also expose the patient to hundreds and sometimes thousands of times more radiation.

The routine use of CT scans and other dangerous X-ray imaging procedures has skyrocketed over the past three decades. In 1980, there were 3 million CT scans done. By the year 2007, the number increased to about 70 million.

We at Life Extension® long ago warned members to avoid CT scans and any kind of X-ray unless absolutely necessary. Up against us was an armada of for-profit companies who promoted CT scans to healthy people to measure coronary artery calcification, virtual colonoscopy in place of the more effective standard colonoscopy (flexible tube procedures), and even whole-body CT scans to identify abnormalities anywhere in one’s anatomy.

The irony is that health-conscious people, who often paid for whole-body CT scans out of their own pockets, unwittingly exposed their whole body to huge levels of DNA gene-mutating radiation!

Absolutely Shocking Data

The uninformed public is in for a shocker. A study released at the end of last year reveals that CT scans deliver up to four times more radiation than what was previously believed, which was already dangerously high.

At the same time, another study led by the National Cancer Institute showed that CT scans administered in the year 2007 alone may contribute to 29,000 new cancer cases and nearly 15,000 cancer deaths.

The problem is that the explosion in unnecessary CT scans has been going on every year. If we carry this back just ten years, this means that 150,000 Americans are facing horrific deaths from CT scan-induced cancers.

Adding to this impending cancer epidemic are other medical procedures that deliver cancer-causing radiation into the body.  More at: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2010/aug2010_Lethal-Danger-of-CT-Scans_01.htm

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Greening Your Fall Garden Cleanup

"Before you send fallen leaves to the dump and cut down dead stalks in your yard, consider the many benefits for wildlife and the environment of leaving plant debris in place.

Once the Autumn foliage spectacle has ended, most homeowners dutifully head outdoors, brandishing rakes and clippers, to engage in the annual ritual known as garden cleanup.

Clearing out the year’s worth of plant debris, we’re told, helps prevent outbreaks of pests and diseases. But perhaps the real reason many people do it is their aversion to having dead stalks and fallen leaves messing up their yards.

Overzealous cleanup has some significant environmental consequences, however. It results in an avalanche of clippings and leaves at landfills, adding to the nation’s pollution problems. And trashing leaves and trimmings is—literally—a waste because this valuable organic matter can be used in a variety of beneficial ways in the garden.

What’s more, fall cleanup leaves a barren landscape for birds and other creatures at a time when food supplies and vegetative cover are becoming sparse. The solution: Think of fallen leaves and withered stalks not as waste but as an organic windfall for your garden and potential wildlife habitat.

Waste Takes up Space in Landfills

According to the Environmental Protection Agency,  landscape debris comprises more than 13 percent by weight of all solid waste generated in the United States—or an astonishing 32 million tons a year."  More at: Click here: Greening Your Fall Garden Cleanup - National Wildlife Federation

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Letter from Congressman Brady:

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Joint Economic Committee

Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means

Chairman, Subcommittee on Health Subcommittee on Trade

Subcommittee on Social Security

Joint Committee on Taxation

November 12, 2013

Dear Mrs. T:

Thank you for contacting me about the government shutdown. I appreciate your input on this important matter and it is an honor to serve you in Congress.

Let me begin by saying I did not want the federal government to shut down. For the first time in 17 years America was faced with a shutdown for one reason and one reason only, equal protection under the law. Senate Democrats chose to shut down our government because they were unwilling to give up the special privileges under ObamaCare that they had created for themselves. They did not want to be treated like all other Americans forced into this law.

House Republicans repeatedly attempted to work with Senate Democrats and even drafted a plan to fully fund the government with two small provisions that would ensure equal protection under the law. First we fought to end special treatment for Members of Congress under ObamaCare. Why should Senate Democrats be treated differently from the American public? Second, we fought to extend to individuals the one-year waiver to ObamaCare already granted to businesses. Why aren’t American families entitled to the same treatment President Obama awarded to big business?

The concept of equal treatment under law is not new. It is embedded in the constitutional foundation of our great nation. I fought for this concept prior to the shutdown, and I will continue to fight for it now that the shutdown has concluded.

I want to thank you again for sharing your views on this important issue. If I may be of assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.  If you want to stay updated on this issue or any of the other important issues facing Congress, please sign up for my newsletter on my home page at www.KevinBrady.house.gov or follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KevinBrady.

Sincerely,

Kevin Brady, U.S Representative, Eighth District of Texas

301 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 · 202-225-4901

www.kevinbrady.house.gov

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On This Day

Pizarro traps Incan emperor Atahualpa, Nov 16, 1532:

"On November 16, 1532, Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish explorer and conquistador, springs a trap on the Incan emperor, Atahualpa. With fewer than 200 men against several thousand, Pizarro lures Atahualpa to a feast in the emperor's honor and then opens fire on the unarmed Incans. Pizarro's men massacre the Incans and capture Atahualpa, forcing him to convert to Christianity before eventually killing him.

Fighting between the Spanish and the Incas would continue well after Atahualpa's death as Spain consolidated its conquests. Pizarro's bold victory at Cajamarca, however, effectively marked the end of the Inca Empire and the beginning of the European colonization of South America."

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Goebbels publishes his screed of hate, Nov 16, 1941:

"On this day in 1941, Joseph Goebbels publishes in the German magazine Das Reich that "The Jews wanted the war, and now they have it"—referring to the Nazi propaganda scheme to shift the blame for the world war onto European Jewry, thereby giving the Nazis a rationalization for the so-called Final Solution.

Just two days earlier, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had written in a letter to the Jewish Chronicle that "The Jew bore the brunt of the Nazis' first onslaught upon the citadels of freedom and human dignity... He has not allowed it to break his spirit: he has never lost the will to resist." And active Jewish resistance was increasing, especially in the USSR, where Jews were joining partisans in fighting the German incursions into Russian territory.

But it was proving too little too late, as Goebbels, Himmler, and the rest of Hitler's henchmen carried out with fanatical glee the "elimination of the Jews," using propaganda and anti-Bolshevik rhetoric to infuse SS soldiers with enthusiasm for their work. As Goebbels wrote in Das Reich: "[T]he prophecy which the Fuhrer made... that should international finance Jewry succeed in plunging the nations into a world war once again, the result would not be the Bolshevization of the world...but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe. We are in the midst of that process... Compassion or regret are entirely out of place here.""

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Yesterday:

Ray came over and he still wasn't in a 'plumbing mood' to fix his little water leak, so we did a few more of the little 'punch-out' jobs on the camping trailer.  But we couldn't finish it, as the tube of Dicor sealant had hardened, so we need more. 

We went down to Claudia's, Jay's Mom, and fixed a few things for her. 

Misty seems to be doing well on her low phosphorous kidney diet that I made for her.  She has to have more fat, so I am putting coconut oil in her food again.  I had slackened off, as I thought she was going to get too plump, which is bad for her old bones.

Ava, is still called Ava, no new name has been decided upon yet.  As she and Nala, my foster cat, are never near each other, maybe I won't have to change her name, even though they sound alike. Ava doesn't care what I call her, as long as it's not late for dinner!

The weather has been great, and it was a window-and-doors-open day.