31 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 10-4-18”

  1. Morning all. So glad that Friday is coming. I had lunch recess duty today right as a violent storm blew through. I was glad to have my umbrella and a covered walkway.

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  4. Good Morning Everyone. I am trying to work from home mostly today. Potential recruiting appointment at 12 today. He is somewhat of a dirty old man so I will have to be on my toes. I like him–he is one of those men who still thinks he is a handsome devil. At 2 I have a potential listing appointment. We shall see. I also have to install a sign and get a lockbox on a house.
    Yesterday my stepbrother called. He is going to be in Pensacola tomorrow and wants to take me to lunch. It has me somewhat worried about my stepmother. She has Parkinson’s now and I am not sure what is going on with her. Maybe it is time to sell everything and take care of her? Maybe I am making mountains out of molehills? Best to wait, have lunch, and see what is what.

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  6. Roscuro, a year or two ago you posted a couple of links with serious questions about Operation Christmas Child. My new church is involved in it, and while it’s probably too late to show the issues to anyone this year (if we have already agreed to participate), it seems worth showing to the elders in consideration of doing it again in the future (or possibly even issuing a caution for this year and toning down any promotion we do).

    I’m going to google and see if I can find it again, but if you see this and you have access to those links, so far I can’t find them and it would be helpful. Thanks.

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  8. The rain mostly missed us so we’re still feeling parched. 😦

    The good news is the painters can, should they be so motivated, return to work today. I still have not heard from them.

    I had a stressful evening after getting home from work late — the homeless story I’d done had posted and I received a text from one of the pastor’s I’d interviewed who wanted to replace a quote I used of his with another quote that sounded a whole lot more spiritual. 🙂 Oy. So he sent me the new quote that was the same as the old quote except the last part of it was changed to include mentions of God’s leading and how his church loved all their neighbors, those with or without houses.

    So awkward, as the quote I used was accurate (so that wasn’t his concern). I told him it would be too odd to change a quote midstream now that the story has been edited and posted — it also had probably been shipped off to print editors and I had no way of reaching them even if I were so inclined.

    He responded that he was sorry he said “so much” in our conversation. But I told him I thought his quote was actually very candid and honest, and that it didn’t come off uncaring at all. But I did feel bad — I would still have used the quote, it was a good quote. But I’m sorry he was in such distress over it (he basically said he didn’t think his congregation or immediate neighbors would approve of using the church parking lot to allow the homeless living in their cars to park overnight every night under a new city program).

    Anyway, after that my combination smoke/CO alarm went off randomly. Nothing was on, not the oven, the heater, nothing that would have caused any carbon monoxide buildup. There certainly was no smoke anywhere … But it unnerved me so I opened some more windows and didn’t go to sleep until midnight.

    It hasn’t gone off since so I suppose it could have just been a misfire or “false alarm,” as they say.

    At any rate, I seem to have survived the night as have all the animals.

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  9. There is no charity that cannot be questioned or misused. Any giving to the poor can be misused. I could name some good ones that have been taken advantage of by some of their ‘clients.’ That does make me careful of giving. It does not keep me from giving carefully, including to Samaritan’s Purse.

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  10. Kathaleena, I have given to them in the past and even been the one “in charge” of it in my church. But I know there were some concerns and I don’t remember the details but would like to reread the article(s). A big part of it, if I recall correctly, was missionaries who really thought it hurt them. But I might not remember correctly.

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  11. I think it was the nature of the items put in, Cheryl. But, like you, I can’t quite remember.

    Something about adults taking the items and selling them in the marketplace?

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  13. Re- giving to charity: We cannot stop people from abusing a charity. That’s sinful human nature. We can give to charities we trust.

    That said, around here there are groups that give sacks of food to school children on Fridays so they’ll have enough to eat on weekends. And schools usually have free meals during the summer for the same reason. I question the wisdom in doing it willly-nilly. Shouldn’t someone investigate the family situation and see if the children really need the food, or are the parents being irresponsible and negligent? Personally, I would have the parents come in and apply based on need. If they spend their money wisely, then fine, give them charity. If they have an expensive cell phone plan, are driving a nice car with car payments, have expensive electronic, buy cigarettes and alcohol, or otherwise waste money, then help them get their finances in order before giving them charity. And maybe, in the extreme wastefulness, call Child Services to report neglect.

    I know that sounds harsh, but we’ve raised a generation of people who think charity is owed to them regardless of circumstances.

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  14. October’s blog colors remind me of my house 🙂

    Looks like the temple that is hosting the homeless parking program (same article as I mentioned above) is probably being besieged by phone calls and community complaints today.

    So — maybe the pastor who was worried that his quote sounded uncharitable to his congregation (referenced in my earlier post — also he’s the current pastor at what was Michelle’s former home church, BTW) will be glad he’s not them today.

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  15. Finally got a minute to visit here this week, and I see Cheryl has asked me a question – good timing. The link to the story I shared is here: http://gilandamy.blogspot.com/2018/03/opening-up-christmas-shoeboxes-what-do.html (at first the question stumped a little, as although I save most of what I write here, there are hundreds of pages and tens of thousands of words generated – but I was able to search down the original post via the powerful search engine of Google).

    Keeping busy. I had a paper to write, in addition to the weekly assignments, and the health centre is a bit short staffed at the present. Looking forward to reading week, when I might get more time to explore.

    I see Jo had a windstorm. One is brewing up here with winds predicted to 100-120 kilometres per hour – airport already reporting they are above 60 kilometres. That shuts everything down, as the fjord acts as a wind tunnel. One of the nurses who has lived here for a few years said she once saw a couch sail by during one of these windstorms. My mother was reading an old magazine article about the area from 1989, and it reported that the nursing residence once blew away (presumably no one was in it at the time) and was never found again. The houses are now anchored into the ground by guy wires.

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  17. something I posted on Fb 6 years ago:

    ___________________________

    Probably not the best theologian, but Mark Twain got this one right, amen? 🙂

    “Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.” – Mark Twain
    ____________________________

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  18. We were at the dealership at 9:30 a.m. to get the new (used) car. It had to have the little side stripes (very thin ones) replaced, and then a key had to be made, and after that I had to get the hands free phone set up. We did not get to the office until afternoon. Then I fixed our lunch of chicken, cauliflower, and grapes, and made a late pot of coffee. Finally when I got to my temporary desk, Art was sitting at it on the phone with the off-site person having trouble with the computeron the desk. So I could not even sit at the desk. It’s a frustrating time of year.

    I do like the car. I need to focus on that and not think about how I have no space in which to get anything done.

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  20. Peter L at 1;06, that is our problem with son. People don’t realize that he does not have because we have a different plan, so they give to him. When I say he never eats at home, I mean he never eats at home. Ever. He leaves before breakfast and gets home after dinner. Somebody is feeding him. I believe he has a smartphone and somebody is letting him on their plan. People give him their passwords. Etc Etc. He believes he does not need family because others will always provide what he wants. He is correct.

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  24. Well, I’ve been commenting over on yesterday’s thread, until I just realized that it wasn’t today’s. So here is what I wrote earlier. . .

    Cheryl – The things I have written about the McKs are things I have only shared in private. With Chickadee, I have never let on about my concerns. I often ask how they are doing, and show an interest in what she might reply. For instance, I have been enthusiastic about the younger sister (Chickadee’s best friend) going to school to become an LPN. I have asked about Mrs. McK’s sister, who has been in bad health for several years, and rejoiced to hear that another sister has been reunited with the daughter her parents forced her to give up for adoption when she was a teen. I have not told her about the Facebook exchanges with YF, but will ask how she is doing.

    I send them Christmas cards. Until recently, when Chickadee said she doesn’t think they read them anymore, I was sending my copies of World over to them with her. There are others things I have sent to them, too.

    As I think I’ve said before, in my desire to not push my daughter away or hurt her feelings, I have only spoken positively about the McKs, and have shown an interest (genuine, I might add) in their lives. And yes, I pray for them every day.

    (Re: the sister I mentioned who gave up a baby for adoption. What made that so sad was that her daughter was conceived in rape, and then giving her up was another emotional trauma. This sister is in her 60s now, and has had emotional problems throughout her adult years. I was so very glad when I heard she had been reunited with her daughter.)

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  25. And. . .

    Chickadee may be chronologically an adult, but she is more like a teenager in many ways, even a child in others. I so wish she could get some real help, and not be so almost pathologically dependent on them. Remember, that although Mrs. McK is just about the sweetest lady you’d ever want to meet (and I do love her), she has kept her own daughters dependent on her. YF turns 31 today, has a college education, but has not been pushed to get a job to help out. (Especially odd since they were often talking about how “poor” they are.)

    Nightingale’s friend Stephanie was in Aldi one day at the same time as Mrs. McK and her daughters, and heard them talking. She told Nightingale later that she was shocked at how Mrs. McK spoke to her grown daughters like they were little children. So I suspect that the young women – their daughters and Chickadee – are allowed to live as if they are still dependent teenagers.

    The younger daughter is very strong willed, which is probably why she has taken the initiative to go to school to train to be an LPN. She also had saved a lot of money from her part-time cleaning job and bought a van so she could drive her friends when they went out.

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  28. Kizzie, this is a key part of your 6:17 pm above:

    Chickadee may be chronologically an adult…

    IMHO, her status as a chronological adult is more important than her developmental age. Except in the case of profound developmental handicaps in which it would be dangerous for an adult to be left alone — i.e. having a total or almost total inability to care for oneself — a chronological adult needs independence from parents more than protection given from parents.

    I know it’s hard. But keep praying, and trust. God knows her strengths and limitations better than anyone, and He allowed this situation where she chose to live with that family. His plan is for her, not against.

    She will be okay. Maybe even better than okay at some point. She will continue to grow more and more fully into her God-ordained role as a member of adult society.

    Prayers for you as you lean on the Lord and keep your eyes on Him, Kizzie. His love encompasses your whole family, wherever each of you is.

    ❤

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  29. https://babylonbee.com/news/kjv-only-church-requires-clear-bible-covers-to-verify-no-one-concealing-niv

    …

    “If anyone doesn’t have a clear Bible cover, one will be provided at the church’s expense,” Pastor Peter Frankfurt wrote in the church’s newsletter. “This is an easy, common sense regulation that will bring peace of mind to our church. How can anyone worship in peace not knowing if that camouflage Bible carrying case in the next pew is concealing an assault Bible like the New King James or even, God forbid, The Message?”

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  30. Bible study tomorrow. There are usually only three of us there. I bring my KJV (though I sometimes read different translations at home), my friend who leads the study brings her NIV, and my other friend who attends brings her NKJV.

    I will have to warn them about never bringing those assault Bibles again (or copy that Babylon Bee article, slip it into their Bibles, and see if they’ll take the hint). 😉

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  31. Painters left after dark today, I got home and they were still here, they got 2 of the front windows done and the front door — but since it was already dark outside, it was hard to see much. This also is the third color which isn’t really very pretty, it’s the darker neutral (mud-like) shade for accent, so I’ll check it out in the morning.

    I’m tired. Glad tomorrow is Friday. My guess is the guys will want to work through the weekend, at least Saturday, since they missed 2 days this week for our no-show rain.

    It’s getting there …

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