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Our Daily Thread 8-20-13

Good Morning! 🙂

On this day in 1707 the first Siege of Pensacola comes to end with the failure of the British to capture Pensacola, Florida.

In 1858 Charles Darwin first publishes his theory of evolution through natural selection.

In 1866 President Andrew Johnson formally declares the American Civil War over.

In 1920 the first commercial radio station, 8MK (now WWJ), begins operations in Detroit, Michigan.

In 1938 Lou Gehrig hits his 23rd career grand slam – a record that still stands.

And in 1962 the NS Savannah, the world’s first nuclear-powered civilian ship, embarks on its maiden voyage.

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Quote of the Day

“There is only one kind of freedom and that’s individual liberty. Our lives come from our creator and our liberty comes from our creator. It has nothing to do with government granting it.”

Ron Paul

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Today is Brad Avery’s birthday.

It’s also Sarah Gaines’.

And it’s also Robert Plant’s. I’ve never been a Zeppelin fan, although I like him. So here’s Robert and Alison Krauss covering the Everly Brothers “Gone, Gone, Gone”.

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Anyone have a QoD for us?

71 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 8-20-13”

  1. Good morning everyone.
    Except Jo, and Phos & Ajusuun.
    I think Tychicus is back.
    Good Afternoon Phos
    Good evening Jo.
    Chas is soon off to court.
    He doesn’t know if he’ll be back today.

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  2. Well, I see that Chas has everyone covered. And he is early today! Must be now that he is a year older he has more energy? May you bless the court with your presence.

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  4. I do not have to go to court today so I will go to work.

    Last night was the Vestry Meeting of my church. Our Associate Priest is back full time. He has been out on loan to another church we were helping. Our Priest is going on Sabbatical for the month of September. This will be his first significant time off in ten years.
    We have accomplished a lot. We took one room at the back of the church, expended it, created a loft and two classrooms to accomodate our growing child population. We have gotten the dirt road into the church paved. That is expensive. We will soon be adding an outdoor kitchen to our pavillion for the men’s ministry. We have had several people who will be donating the money for an outdoor church and prayer trail.

    Now we are looking outward to planting another church. There is a large, underserved Hispanic community in the center of the county. We are considering sending some of our parishioners out to serve them.

    The current plan is to take 24 hours once a month and have someone pray each hour for the future of the church. The priest asked each of us to pray for God to let us know what to do next. I would like to ask all of you to pray for my little church. We are growing and we want to carefully prepare for whatever is to come next.

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  6. I walked into the jury room and everyone said, “He looks guilty, let’s hang him”! But the Deputy Clerk of Court is a fellow Lion who followed me as club president. So he saved me from hanging.
    The part about Larry being a Lion is true.
    As Kim can verify, most of the time on jury duty is spent waiting. Right now, I am still on duty, but lawyers are arguing among themselves and we are on a break until 1:30.
    I went to court overdressed. I wore a long sleeve shirt and pressed pants. To fit in, I should put on my gym clothes, or grungy work clothes. Or, possibly, a pair of shorts. All I’m doing now is waiting. But better here than there.

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  7. Good Morning…I’m hoping this jury duty thing isn’t contagious…. 🙂
    I find jury duty a great time to catch up on uninterrupted reading….jury duty and airports….great reading opportunities!
    It’s gonna be a hot one here today…almost 90!
    Qod….your favorite hymn?
    Mine….Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

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  8. We have 3 hours of training today by our chain’s digital guru from back east. Then I’ve gotta scrape up a story.

    The cat woke me up at around 3 a.m. when she got into a weird yowling match with another cat — or something — outside on our front porch. She was sitting in the window sill, pressed up against the screen making the most horrific noise, trying to figure out a way to get out. So I had to close the window.

    Have fun on jury duty, Chas, Your fancy duds will probably get you kicked off pretty fast. 😉 You probably look way to suspicious.

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  10. Chas,

    The days of dressing appropriately for court are over. The same can be said of job interviews. I used to find it shocking what people thought was appropriate attire for job seekers. Not anymore. Apparently no one does that anymore. People just don’t seem to care about such things as proper etiquette and attire. It’s sad. 😦

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  11. AJ, my father-in-law was just telling us a story about the day he was ordained (no, he wasn’t a pastor per se, but on staff). He and the pastor who drove him to the ordination were dressed appropriately, but the others in the place (including another pastor being ordained and the pastoral staff) were in shorrs and T-shirts.

    I’m amazed what people are willing to wear to weddings and funerals these days. Shorts to a wedding?

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  13. NancyJill’s QoD: I can’t just pick one! How about favorite according to theme?
    Crucifixion – Alone Thou goest forth, O Lord
    Resurrection – The King Shall Come
    Nativity – Let all mortal flesh keep silence
    Praise – Glory be to God the Father
    Christian Walk – It Thou but suffer God to guide thee

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  15. Re – Clothing etiquette : Well, wearing shorts to a wedding is better than going into debt to get just the right outfit for the occasion. The culture here is very much about keeping up with one’s neighbours and a betrothal or wedding or baby-naming is a crushing financial burden to already over-loaded families. The clothes are a major part of the expense (and they are beautiful) and it is normal to beg or borrow the money to buy all that is expected of one. I sometimes feel upset over the cycle of spending and poverty here, and then I remember seeing those reality TV shows about bridal gowns worth tens of thousands of dollars and wedding budgets of ‘only’ $100,000 on the credit cards, and I remember that human nature is the same the world over.
    “If there come into your a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing… are ye not partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” (James 2:2-4)

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  16. roscuro: A good friend of mine from high school had a budget of $100,000. for her wedding and was unable to manage to stay within it! Her dress was personally designed by Vera Wang, complete with flights from Atlanta to New York for the fittings. The dress alone was around $20,000. I missed the extravaganza due to a raging sinus infection (I couldn’t fly b/c my eardrum has burst numerous times and I didn’t want to take the chance of it happening again), but pictures from the event were in Southern Living! My sister is a missionary in Rwanda and said many people are unable to get married b/c it is expected that when one marries one gives a hunk of meat and a warm Fanta to every guest. This puts it out of reach for many. Many people do go into debt to have the “right” kind of wedding. She is trying to start a lending closet of wedding dresses as this also is a huge expense. As you said, it’s all relative, and people are the same the world over.

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  17. In NM, 12th circuit, the jury summons instructs you to appeat in court “properly attired”. Shorts and sweats are specifically listed as not to be worn. I have been called several times and have not seen this standard violated. We are a rural area, so perhaps “cleaning up to go to town” is part of it.

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  19. Women in my neck of the woods still dress quite nicely every day. I’ll run to the grocery store in shorts and a ball cap and see other stay-at-home moms who look like the women on the Housewives of Beverly Hills. I do dress more nicely now than I did a few years ago b/c I found out it is important to my husband. But, what that usually means is that I wear comfy clothes all day and change into something nice around 5:00 shortly before he gets home. I only wear make-up on special occasions in the summer b/c otherwise I just sweat it all off anyway. Luckily, hubby doesn’t like much make-up so we mesh well in this area. Even when I wear make-up, I don’t use a lot. I don’t like the feel of it on my skin.

    Even though I enjoy being comfortable, I do believe in dressing for the occasion. I won’t wear shorts to church (even though many people do) and can’t imagine wearing some of the revealing outfits I see anywhere, much less church or a wedding! My biggest fashion bewilderment concerns older, very heavy women wearing tiny string bikinis. I am a size 8, 42 years old, and wear a tankini with skirted bottom from Land’s End. A sense of modesty is greatly lacking with many people. Last time I was in the airport security line with my family, there was a 20-something woman wearing a sheer blouse over a lacy black bra. You could make out the details on the fabric of the bra the blouse was so sheer. The bra was very low cut and the woman was very well-endowed and I kept wondering if we were going to be treated to a complete breast show! My eight year old couldn’t take her eyes off of her. And, this woman was traveling!!! Who dresses like that for a trip? Men were ogling her all around.

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  21. Another possible QoD –

    Recently, my young Christian friend told me why she doesn’t go to church. She says she has tried 20 or so churches, but none of them are biblical enough for her (probably meaning they hold to traditional views of scripture, which she seems to reject), she finds them to be too judgmental, & thinks too many Christians “show off”, trying to prove they are better Christians than those around them. (Singing louder than others is one thing she mentioned.)

    But that’s not the part that disturbed me the most. She also says she spends several hours a day in quiet prayer & “Bible reflection”, & that God has confirmed to her that her views are biblical & godly. (The particular views I mean are that abortion is more compassionate & God-honoring than letting babies come into a life filled with horrible abuse, & that homosexuality & same-sex marriage are good in God’s eyes.)

    That is a huge spiritual red-flag to me. Someone/thing is speaking to her, but it doesn’t sound like God.

    How would you reply to this young lady? (I already have some thoughts I want to share with her, but am open to the wisdom & insight anyone else here might like to share.) I realize this isn’t a quick-to-answer question, so if no one wants to get into it, I’ll understand.

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  22. Ann – You mentioned heavy women wearing bikinis, which reminded me of something that kind of bewilders me.

    I have almost always been overweight. When I was younger, the kind of advice we’d get was to wear somewhat loose-fitting clothes. (But too loose-fitting, like a “tent dress”, can make one look even heavier.) These days, I see heavy girls & women (sometimes very heavy) wearing quite tight-fitting clothes & tops, which show every bulge & roll. And I’ve seen heavy young women in “belly shirts”, those tops that expose the midriff.

    I just don’t get why they do that.

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  23. I personally would like to see MuuMuu’s come back for all women. Then we could all be comfortable and COVERED.

    I confess though that I do wear bikinis. I always buy the matching sarong and if I am standing I am covered up modestly. If I am sitting, I have the sarong tied at my waste. If I am going to walk on the beach I have a loose fitting short dress or a pair of shorts to pull over the bottoms. I hide behind large sunglasses and I am past the age of anyone ogling me. I also have one piece bathing suits. Currently, I have 5 two piece suits and 2 one piece suits.

    Favorite hymn…always…Eternal Father Strong to Save.
    Contemporary that I like I Want to Leave a Legacy

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  24. Immodest dress here is, for women, anything that reveals the hips or thighs . They may and do go topless (they breastfeed openly and do laundry or cooking stripped to the waist for coolness), and nobody blinks an eye (men, on the other hand, almost never go without some kind of shirt) . But I have seen how those women who wear pants provoke shocked comment in the village. Usually it is teenage girls who will wear the tight jeans and often they are the very ones who also wear the hijab, which is not commonly worn here [Only married women are expected to cover their heads and they usually do so with a muusor, a cloth wrapped around their head in a wide variety of styles]. No self-respecting woman wears shorts – that is reserved for prostitutes and white tourists.

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  27. I’m reminded of a comment someone in France made about Americans. “When you travel to America, all you see are adult children walking around dressed like toddlers–they wear shorts and tee shirts and carry big bottles for sipping at every moment.”

    Cringe. And I find myself judging when I walk around these days, thinking the same thing.

    I always wear a dress to church and now wear capris rather than shorts. But, then, I’m a woman of a certain age. 🙂

    Who is delighted to report it is only a 12 minute walk to the library! Yeah!

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  31. Kim, yes. Which is why a lot of folk from other countries are disturbed by Americans, the ugly American tourist, disrespects local culture to such an extent that it reflects poorly on the whole nation.

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  33. Oh, yes, we saw lots of ugly European tourists. I recall swimming in the Aegean Sea off of Greece. The nudists tended to be Scandanavian or German, warming up in the warmer climes. Especially annoying that they would do that right next to monastaries, though the local culture requested they not, there were no laws or enforcement. Disrespect. Just because I can does not mean I should.

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  35. Such an interesting variety of topics of discussion today. 😉

    Favorite hymn. Well, I’m going to make that hymns — plural — as I just can’t narrow them down. I paged through the hymnal our church uses (I bought a copy to have at home) and found these that I love:

    Jerusalem the Golden
    O Savior, Precious Savior
    Precious Lord, Take My Hand
    We Praise You, O God, Our Redeemer

    There are more that I love, but those stand out to me not only because of the lyrics, but also because they feel so good to sing because of their melodic and/or rhythmic vitality.

    We also sometimes sing “Glorify Thy Name” at the end of the service, which frequently moves me to tears. We sing through most of the hymn, then hum some of the melody as the pastor gives the benediction, and end by singing the chorus after that.

    Oh, and as far as contemporary hymns, I love “In Christ Alone”.

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  37. That is sad Mumsee and Roscuro. I would think if you wanted to visit that area you would repect that area. I had brought shorts with me to your house and noticed that no one else was wearing them so I didn’t.
    In Hawaii, I bought a sarong type outfit in the ABC Store and wore it. Unfortunately it stands out in South Alabama so I don’t wear it here.
    Just like if I go to a Catholic church I don’t try to take communion. I noticed Sunday during our communion that Robert explained that it was real wine and you my sip from the common chalice or you may intenct your bread. If this was not your custom you may come to the alter rail and cross your arms over your chest (he demonstrated) and receive a blessing anyway.

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  38. There are still some isolated beaches in my area. I am mostly only seen in my swim suit from the front while seated in my low slung beach chair. To and from the chair I have on loose white linen pants and a big blue linen shirt. They are wrinkled but who cares.

    Speaking of hot tubs, that reminded me that once upon a time, long ago I had jacuzzi staph. Just a thought for IdahoMike

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  39. Exactly, Mumsee (on respecting local culture) – We make an effort to uphold the village dress code (while maintaining our own in keeping our shirts on 😀 ), which isn’t always easy, as not everyone liked to wear ankle length skirts at home like I did. I know that the villagers notice the difference and distinguish between the white people in the city and “our white people”, as they sometimes call us.

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  40. Swimwear: I have one one-piece suit only, and I only wear it at home. We haven’t been to a beach, or motel, or other places in many years, where someone other than family would see me in a swimsuit. I am tall, thin, and very long-legged, and I know from past experience that being scantily clad attracts a lot of attention. I used to like that, but I don’t want it now, as I know I would be a source of temptation to men if I dressed immodestly. I don’t want to make it difficult for a brother in Christ (or attract the attention of an unsavory character, either).

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  41. Hi all,

    Karen asked me to check in. 🙂 That was nice to have someone miss me and let me know. Thanks, Karen!

    I’ve just been … well, busy isn’t the right word. Re-evaluating might be. And, I’ve been busy too. 🙂

    My favorite hymn? Hmmm

    Traditional: “The Old Rugged Cross”
    “Bless the Lord, oh My Soul” is probably a close second.

    Modern: “God is in Control”

    Honestly, I have a hard time picking a “favorite” anything. I might say something different tomorrow. But, these are definitely songs that I greatly enjoy.

    It is nice to come back and find old friends and immediately feel at home. 🙂

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  42. Jury duty: Last week my husband got a form in the mail saying he is being considered as a prospective candidate to be on a jury. It’s not a summons, but he had to fill out a form and send it back in within a short period of time. He’s never been on a jury before, but has been called.

    I’ve been called for jury duty twice. One time I reported, but wasn’t picked. I’m kind of glad I wasn’t. The defendant was on trial for armed robbery, and I don’t think I would like to have details of a crime like that running through my head during and probably after a trial like that.

    The other time I got a notice in the mail to report for jury duty, I sent the form back, saying I could not because I was nursing a child who was exclusively breast-fed, and as her sole source of nourishment, I could not leave her with someone else. I wasn’t sure if they would accept that as a valid reason to get out of jury duty, as on the form they were very adamant about people not making excuses to get out of it. They made it sound like there would be few good reasons that a person could legitimately state that would enable them to be excused. I half expected them to say, Well, get a babysitter and some formula, or something like that.

    I was prepared to protest if they didn’t accept my request to be excused, and was going to say if they told me I had to report anyway, “Alright, I’m bringing my baby with me then. If I get picked for the jury, and she gets hungry, I’m nursing her right in the courtroom. If she has a poopy diaper, would you like me to change her right then, or have it stink up the courtroom until we get a break?” 😀

    Well, they excused me without my ever having to report for jury selection, so none of the above was necessary. 😉

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  44. Nice to “see” you again, Tammy!

    Alright, break time is done, and I’m off to finish our homeschool day. See ya all later. 🙂

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  45. Karen, re – your young friend: I don’t have anything specific, but in fashioning your reply to her, consider Hebrews 10:23-31, “forsake not the assembly…” and II Peter 1:16-21 “no Scripture is of any private interpretation…”. Both contain clear warnings – the Hebrews 10 one is especially terrible. These young people who try to be Christian and friends of the world (there is another passage, James 4:4-10 – and I John 2:15-17) need to be warned that they are playing a dangerous, and losing, game. As for her statement about Christians being judgemental and show-offs (which sounds as if she is a little judgemental and spiritually proud herself), I have learned that God wants us to worship with people with whom we don’t naturally bond – we are to love the unlovable, and a lot of Christians are unlovely 🙂 That spiritual pride is probably what is behind her conviction that God has confirmed her views.

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  46. Roscuro, our culture here is similar. I only wear skirts an they are long. I enjoy it as it is very comfortable. Of course the weather here is cool year long. I have a pair of polar fleece pants for wearing at home in the evening and a split skirt that I wear to the weightroom. I think that capris are now more acceptable, but should be worn with a long top, meri blouse, than extends to mid thigh.

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  47. For those of you wanting to enter another contest for one of my books, there aren’t a lot of comments at work and you can enter–you even get to choose which book you want! It also will explain why I’m scattered brained and a little overwhelmed these days: http://www.booksandsuch.biz/blog/

    My new house is a bigger blessing every single day. We’re continually amazed and thanking God for his grace, mercy, and very benevolent gift to us.

    My husband was gone last night and I’ve been acting like a teenager. I stayed up until 2, slept until 8 and had pizza for breakfast! I’ve just finished eating all the See’s candy and am about to go outside to read. Cat’s away, this mouse is playing . . . for a little while yet today! 🙂

    BTW, at 1 o’clock this morning, I was putting together a Pinterest page for my book An Inconvenient Gamble (which came out in May, this was a total ridiculous thing to do). But on an old Texas photos website, I came to a screeching halt.

    Did I wake anybody up screaming with shock?

    I’ve been looking for 19 years for a photo, any photo, of my great-grandmother.

    There it was. A great picture of her with her first husband (bummer, it wasn’t my great-grandfather; I’m from the second marriage). My whole family is reeling with amazement to see this woman’s face. My aunt got her eyes.

    None of us have every seen a photo of her. We had no idea what she looked like.

    I think about this gift, along with the gift of finding her mother’s photo in May (see one of my blog posts), coupled with the phenomenal experience of being handed the letter I wrote to Madeleine L’Engle 36 years ago (another blog post) while at Wheaton in May, and I’m astounded at God’s gifts to me this very chaotic year.

    It encourages me so much–if he can do these seeming minor yet terrifically heart-warming things as a blessing, what else can he do with the huge things of life?

    Loved beyond belief–not just in this, but in the greatest gift of all: Jesus.

    Thanks be to God!

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  48. 6 Arrows, one of my brothers travels for a living, doing speaking. He once got a jury summons for a date when he would be out of town. He called and explained that he was the speaker at a meeting that had been scheduled this many years or months in advance and could not be cancelled. He told them, further, of a time period that was coming up when he would be home for three weeks, and would be willing to serve then, instead. They were insistent that he must cancel his meeting, that jury duty was his primary life responsibility.

    I don’t remember how that ended (whether he simply failed to show up, somehow found a way to be at jury duty, or what), except that he asked where his state pulled juries from–driver’s license registrations, voter’s rolls, or both? When he found out it was only fom lists of registered voters, he developed a new policy: he registers to vote shortly before an important election, and then (somehow?) cancels his registration afterward. If they weren’t willing to work with him, he wasn’t going to leave himself at their mercy!

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  51. Back home from Texas after. lots of driving, helping son get set up in his first real apartment, and enjoying the break from Georgia’ daily on and off showers. Texas was cooler and more breezy than I expected . Walmart shoppers late in the evening are a site to see and shopping alongside two guys who hate shopping makes a lady miss her shopping pals. We did get to include a visit to the George W. Bush Library which was a treat. Lots to see about 9/11. It was a reminder, too, of the changes our nation has been going through…the losses of freedom, pride and basic respect and even our sense of what is right and wrong. I did not have time to see everything, but there was a lack of idolatry and fawning over celebrities thst seems to have infected our current administratin. I wanted to buy something from the gift shop but things were outside my budget. We did get a family picture made as did many visitors of us at the Oval Office desk.

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  53. This is going to be a long trial. It’s a civil trial. I’m not supposed to talk about it, not even here, until it’s over. I’m not one of the twelve, of which I’m glad, but the entire jury pool has to be there tomoreow, and ????.

    Favorite hymns change from time to time. Amazing Grace is always among them.
    “Never Alone” used to be a favorite. Now, I like “What a Day That Will Be”. I suspect I could think of others.
    “One Day” is one, but it’s such a long song that they cut out verses, which leaves a blank.

    Karen, @13:39. I suspect this person already knows all the pertinent scripture.
    I would suggest you pray, not push too hard and be a good example.
    Not only your case, but others mentioned here and elsewhere: It’s a shame that young people don’t understand that decisions have consequences.

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  61. Chas – Oh, believe me, I am praying for her, & the other misguided young women in my home. (That would be this young lady & her younger sister, who live upstairs, & my own two daughters.)

    But she has been, so far, open to discussions, via email, of various matters. At least for now, I believe that God does want me to engage with her, but also very carefully & sensitively. I try to be especially careful to not make my words sound judgmental, or that I am talking down to her in any way.

    My constant prayer lately, along with asking God to open eyes & ears, to soften hearts, & to reveal His truth in an undeniable & irresistible way, is for a move of the Holy Spirit throughout this home, that He would renew & transform the hearts & minds in our entire home.

    (If no one else posted while I was writing this, I may get “my” 61.)

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  63. I guess so. 😉

    I’m trying to figure this out: “Scribble Live, New Hive, Thing Link, Rebel Mouse, Tweet Beeps.”

    Maybe a California thing. 🙂

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  66. Cheryl, good story about your brother and jury duty/ canceling voter registration.

    I can’t believe they wouldn’t excuse him for a long pre-arranged business commitment like that, or fit him in at the time he suggested. Good for him, finding the solution he did. And to the inflexible court system, I say, in the words of a boy I used to babysit, “That you get!”

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  67. Karen, I was typing my comment while you were posting yours. It was funny to see your “Good for you” after I had typed my comment with “Good for him”. 🙂

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  68. Well, two days of school down, and how many to go? Sixth Arrow asked me this morning, “When will school be done?” Not in a complaining tone (thank God!), but simply out of curiosity. So I tried to figure out if she meant what time today, or when Kindergarten would be done, or when all her schooling over the years would be done.

    Well, she meant how many years. So I told her after Kindergarten would be first grade, then second, and then we counted up to twelve. I told her she would be done then unless she wanted to go to college, like 1st and 2nd Arrows.

    She decided she’d be done after twelfth grade. I suspect she might change her mind by then. 😉

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  69. “Scribble Live, New Hive, Thing Link, Rebel Mouse, Tweet Beeps.”

    It’s a brave new world, 6 arrows. (shuddering.) Facebook and Twitter were only the beginning.

    I love Be Thou My Vision. When we sing it at church we have the women and men in the congregation echo each other on some lines, which is a beautiful effect.

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  70. It Is Well.

    Right now I am enjoying a wonderful time of worship with our niece and her hubby. So nice to sit and sing and be taught new songs. I just wish my kids were here too – we’d have a whole band!

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  71. So many favorites. I love hymns and hymn sings. You all seem to disappear about the time I get done with school and the weight room. Must be sleeping. I am going to go check out how to comment for Michelle.

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