44 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 5-23-19

  1. Good morning UK, et al.
    Good night Jo. I hope things went better today.
    No. I have no idea what it is. a bird, obviously with a bear on it’s back. I

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  2. Good morning, rkessler! Isn’t this early for your have you been up all night?

    Good morning to the others except goodnight to Jo.

    Wesley is home for a few days. It’s always great to see him. Art said he always thinks the Atlanta airport can’t get any more difficult for picking up arriving passengers, but last night was the worst.

    Wesley only thought he was leaving the heat of Texas behind. It’s hotter than Texas in ATL.

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  3. This is the end. No, I am not quoting the 60s song with its dark undertones. This is the last day I’ll see students until August, except the tourists at the cave.

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  4. If I could “Like”, I would lie Peter’s finishing school and Aj’s about a bigger screen. I went back and looked and still saw a bird with a bear on it’s back.

    😆

    I see where Joy Bihar (whoever she is) thinks I should be in jail.
    😦 The Midwest is really catching it. It is drizzling rain here.

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  5. That pair of Canada geese hung out near my pond for more than a week, each day with four goslings with them. One day I was walking past the pond to return home and I saw the adults resting on the bank, but I looked around them and didn’t see the goslings. Then I realized one parent’s left wing was held away from its body a bit and cupped, the way you might cup your hand around a ball. Though I couldn’t see the goslings, I knew they must be under there, and if I watched for a few minutes, those active young things would surely show themselves. So I stood where I was.

    When they did start showing themselves, I wasn’t completely sure how to photograph them. I didn’t really want to take a shot that “cut off the head” of the sheltering parent, but its head was stretched out high, and the photo would be only half as close up if I included the parental head. I compromised by making sure I got the head of the second parent (who is grooming itself in this shot, on the left side of the frame). I got tow or three shots of this scene, none showing all four goslings. But this one has one gosling cuddled up against its parent (and looking quite content) and another one above it that will soon poke out its head. I got one shot that shows three goslings, one with its head poking out above the parent’s wing and two beneath. But this shot, with a gosling tucked securely and comfortably beneath the parent’s wing, resonated with me. Indeed, as Jo said, it’s a living image of God’s care for us. Many things might kill these goslings when the family is swimming spread out on the pond–indeed, with only four in the young family, some probably have been killed–but few creatures can get past two adult Canada geese to attack a baby wrapped securely in the soft but strong wing of its parent. And many things can harm us, but nothing can touch us without God’s consent and without being intended ultimately for our good and His glory.

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  6. I see on TV, Fox and Friends is honoring USO.
    I needed them only once:’
    In Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, I received notice (via ham radio, my sister’s BF, -whom she later married )- got a message that my brother had been hit by a car. They arranged for me to return home on emergency leave. I checked out and left in less than a day. I caught a couple of flights to get to Westover, (my old base in Mass.) . There I learned that Fredrick had died.
    I then took a flight to Andrews AFB near DC.
    There I had to go commercial.
    The situation was this:
    This S/Sgt who was broke, hadn’t shaved in two days, needed some money to get home.
    USO stepped in and helped (spoke for me) to a bank to cash a check so I could buy a commercial train ticket.
    I only used them once, but they came through for me.

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  7. Chas, we (Lutherans) do not believe in an “age of accountability.” We believe that mankind does not have the ability to “accept” salvation but that it is freely given. The Bible is pretty clear that there is nothing we can do to attain righteousness. We believe, however, that man does have the ability to reject God, which many have done and are doing. That still leaves an issue of unbaptized babies. Our Pastor believes that his daughter, who was miscarried at six months, heard the Word in the womb and was redeemed.

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  8. Linda, I don’t understand it and will leave it alone. Except to say that I don’t think baptizing has anything to do with it. It is what happens AFTER a person trusts Christ.

    For a couple of days now, on the ATT face page I have. There is a link to an article about a seven year old girl’s last words to her father who killed her and her six year old brother:
    “Daddy, I love you”

    I will never understand how a father could do that. The thought repels me.

    I see where tornados hit up close to Peter’s location.

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  9. Chas, again, a theological difference. We baptize babies and see no Biblical instruction that it happens after a person trusts Christ. Since it’s hard to relay “tone” in writing, I need to tell you that I’m definitely not arguing or trying to persuade you – I’m only just explaining our theology. Love you, as always.

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  10. Personally, I could not believe that s baby in the womb understood the gospel it heard in the womb,but I believe God somehow makes provision for the babies in the womb and the young ones who die. What we don’t know is God’s business in whole,but we do know He is love. A lot of good and perfect gifts flow from His heart of love.

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  11. I continue to appreciate the Lutheran view of things. Raised agnostic, saved at Baptist VBS (though I suspect salvation may have happened earlier), left to my own devices with the Methodists, trained by Presbyterians, etc…..I have not really heard much beyond here on the Lutheran perspective. Other than sis in law who says Jesus was a really good teacher but I understand she is a Lutheran of a different ilk. I am glad God calls us to the unity of believers, even though we don’t all have the same details, we do have the same Savior.

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  12. Four month old grandson stopped on his way to the airport to visit with great grandparents for a few minutes. They were tickled. Great grandma enjoyed having him on her lap and tickling his feet as he giggled at her. Very nice of husband and son in law to do that and to only stay a brief time so as not to overwhelm them.

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  13. Speaking of school’s out for the summer, seventeen year old is looking forward to his senior year starting with football in August. Interesting to us, he appears to have three F’s at this point. English, Algebra, and Music Appreciation. We wonder how the school will skip over those this time, though the admin and teachers assure us that will not happen this time. It has happened ever quarter before. His Algebra teacher would fight it but he will be off on a Mercy ship for a couple of years. His English teacher seems to fight it but they go around her. They have a reputation to keep up apparently.

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  14. No time to read the thread today, but I wanted to write (besides my requests on the prayer thread) what a beautiful header that is! So lovely and comforting. Thank you, Cheryl.

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  15. So, this morning, I watched as seventeen daughter poured her cereal into her storeage container for breakfast. Apparently, she has not been washing her dishes so is using those. Then she started to throw out her milk container and said that it was empty. I looked at her and said it wasn’t. She looked at it and stared at it for a bit before acknowledging it was still there. Then commented that no wonder her cereal tasted dry. I knew we were in for a day. And it appears we are.

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  16. Thank you all for your kind words of congratulation. You have been an encouragement throughout these past three years.

    I enjoyed watching the pomp and ceremony yesterday. Convocation, as the booklet they gave us states, is actually a parliamentary session for university, based on medieval European tradition. They marched all 700 nursing graduates (not all graduates were present) into the hall preceded by a piper, while a fanfare of trumpets played as the bedel – carrying the mace that symbolically protects the freedom of the assembly (the Canadian parliament also has such a mace, only larger and more ornate) – university chancellor, president and academic guests and faculty came in, in full university regalia. The bedel announced the convocation had commenced and the speeches began. The Chancellor, the head of the university, somewhat like Canada’s Governor General, was addressed in every speech. When the President, somewhat like Canada’s Prime Minister, conferred our degrees on us, he had to formally ask the Chancellor to confirm our degrees, which she did. Then, after a honorary doctorate was conferred on a nurse whose qualifications and accomplishments were truly impressive, they filed us on stage to receive our degree caps or hoods while – there was one Ph.D. and a handful of Master’s degrees, with the rest of us being Bachelor’s. Then we walked across stage to be congratulated by the Chancellor and President. The Chancellor had announced that due to a cold, she would not be shaking hands, but the President shook all 700 hands – this is only for one of the university’s programs and the health sciences (medical school preparatory degrees) and engineering programs are even larger.

    The announcing of our names sometimes caused some good natured amusement, as there was such a variety of linguistic origins of surnames, from every continent. A couple of names were so badly mangled that family members shouted out the correct pronunciation. The names so mangled seemed all to be of Eastern European origin, as the announcers managed the Asian, African, and Middle Eastern names better. The gathering was asked to save applause until the end – and although close friends and relatives insisted on cheering their friend and loved one’s name, that request was observed. So, when the last graduate, whose Chinese surname began with the last letter of the English alphabet, crossed the stage, the applause was thunderous, which he took in good part, jokingly raising his hands in victory signs, though he knew the applause was not just for him.

    The speeches were generally good. The honorary doctor gave a rousing introductory speech, challenging us to push the boundaries of nursing in order to better serve humanity. The valedictorian, a fellow graduate, gave a humorous but sincere speech about the art of nursing. The alumni representative welcomed us, and the President, who is an English professor with an English accent, talked about how ends were also beginnings, quoting, among others, T.S. Eliot and Mary Queen of Scots. The Chancellor gave the shortest speech, after listening to everyone else, summed it up, commenting on how although nursing is grounded in the sciences, it is focused on humanity.

    Because you all know the challenges I faced, I thought you would like to know that I graduated summa cum laude and received a recognition award. The award was announced at the pinning ceremony in morning, which I was not able to attend as my parents were arriving, having traveled on the train, at the time the ceremony was going on, so I first learned about it from fellow students I talked to as we gathered backstage for convocation.

    I made sure my mother brought her walker. She was able to keep going through the day, but I could tell she was in a great deal of pain. She, however, was determined to be there and I am so glad she was.

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  17. Congrats, Roscuro!

    Tornado report- We just got a lot of wind and rain. The school got hit with really strong winds that blew leaves off trees. The front drive looked like it was green this morning. There were no reported tornadoes in populated areas, but one small one hit North of us. One small town in the school district had a lot of trees blown over.

    Our capitol, Jefferson City, however, got a tornado. Here are some aerial photos of the damage. Note the apartment complex that was hit hard. So far, no reports of fatalities there, but there was one in SW Missouri.

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  18. Pictures on TV look bad. They say three were killed. But not in Jefferson City.

    Seems like you had a fun time Phos. Congratulations again.

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  19. Lovely description of the Convocation. I’d never heard that before.

    And , of course, on summa cum laude! We couldn’t be prouder.

    Other than thanking God for you and your hard work.

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  20. There were hints earlier in the season that they may be headed that way, but I thought maybe the actress didn’t want to come back. She had left the show due to physical problems (back injuries from some of the stunts she did, I believe), and I wondered if she would be willing to return.

    After the show, I was thinking of how much Hubby would have enjoyed it, and I could even envision his enthusiastic response, and “hear” his voice in the imagined reaction. Then I cried for a while, wishing he could have been there with me watching it.

    It’s just a TV show, I know. But it was his favorite, and we usually enjoyed discussing the shows we watched. Watching “our shows” (just a few, maybe three) was our special thing to do together, usually on his days off. We often held hands, resting them on Heidi, who would be between us on the middle cushion of the couch.

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  21. There’s been speculation about her return through a good part of the year I think. I figured she was part of those background discussions since it seemed to be whetting everyone’s appetite that it might/could/probably would happen with all the hints going on.

    NICIS has been a good, solid drama for many years — but when Ziva was part of it, that was the show’s golden era, I think. I read somewhere that she’ll definitely be back as a “guest star” at the start of the fall season … then who knows from there. It could be their last season, the show has been on so long, and her return would be a nice addition for a finale year, I think. But that’s just me speculating.
    ____________________

    Well I’m exhausted, it was a long, non-stop day of writing (2 stories) and phone interviews. Just turned the last story in about an hour ago and I have no idea how to unwind now. Working at home can be strange that way.

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  22. I watched NCIS. Considering the “ghost” appearances throughout the episode, one has to wonder if Gibbs thinks he’s seeing another apparition, since Ziva was presumed killed in the bombing of her house.

    And how about the guest appearances of David James Elliott and Catherine Bell as Harm and Mac from the old JAG show, which spawned all the NCIS shows? Can we be seeing a grand reunion before they all come to an end?

    Stay tuned. Answers unravel starting in September.

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