Good morning, Chas, and all the others who wander around here. It is time for me to be getting into my Bible reading. I am enjoying my first cup of coffee. A leaf blower just cranked up. My rake takes a lot longer, but does not put out noise pollution into the whole neighborhood. I actually think I hear two going now. Just the background music I need for Bible reading at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. It’s the sounds of the city.
My blood pressure reading was 128 over 84 this a.m. And that was taken when Miss Bosley jumped in my lap which probably sent it up for a moment. I took it because I had salty popcorn and the bean lomein which is made with low sodium soy for dinner last night. The combo of pineapple, lentil soup, and rosehips with hibiscus tea is helping keep my blood pressure down. I am glad I found out about hibiscus as a BP helper to add to my arsensl in BP control. I am fortunate to enjoy all of these foods.
Good morning all! I filled the bird feeder about half an hour ago and the sounds that greeted me (besides the sound of sleet falling on the car :–/ ) is the sound of a lone woodpecker a couple of yards away. I just saw him visit the feeder. He took a bite or two and kept tilting his head and examining the feeder as though he’d like to take a chomp out of it. Fortunately, it’s not real wood and there are no bugs to make such a destructive decision worthwhile for him. However, this morning I did hang another feeder close by which is made of cedar. I am experimenting with the much smaller cedar feeder to see if the smaller birds can use that one when larger birds are making a hog of themselves. So far, not one bird has checked it out. They are creatures of habit I suppose. I may let the larger feeder run dry to pique curiosity at the new one.
Morning! Just looking at that duck gliding across the water caused me to realize I haven’t been around a lake,pond,ocean or even a fountain in a very long time! I am surrounded by forest, mountains and snow…I think we will head out and find a lake today…or at the very least a puddle!! 😂
Chas, regarding your questioning about Matthew 16:28 on the Rants and Raves, I checked out a study Bible that suggests three possibilities. First, “because all the disciples died before Christ’s return, many believe that Jesus’ words were fulfilled at the Transfiguration when Peter, James, and John saw his glory (17:1-3). Others say this statement refers to the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. Still others believe that Penecost and the beginning of Christ’s church fulfilled Jesus’ words. In any case, certain disciples were eyewitnesses to the power and glory of Christ’s kingdom.” (Life Application Study Bible)
Does one of those explanations seem to make the most sense to you, Chas? I prefer the first because of context.
Chas- Janice has a good point with the transfiguration, since that happens next. Remember that the chapter divisions were added centuries later by a Roman Catholic priest (Jerome?) translating the Bible to Latin. So when Matthew wrote, the transfiguration was the next line of text.
Often when I see woodpeckers I think of the creation DVD that talks about how important the woodpecker’s design is to prevent his eyes being blown out by the force of his pecking. There are so many intricate details of design in nature. It is difficult to believe we could ever think it just evolved with no designer, rhyme or reason.
I was thinking again of how God did not make a socialist world. He made a beautiful world; not just a practical one. He made a world to feed body and soul.
I have been eating terribly the last couple of days so the bp is way up again. Time to listen to Janice and get the hibiscus tea.
On another note, I have managed to lock myself out of my phone so no more group texting with the grown children. I inadvertently or recklessly pushed the later tonight button on the update question. Now I will have to see if husband remembers my password for that apple email I never use or my phone number or shoe size or whatever they seem to want this time.
~ Like Matthew 10:23, this text has also been the source of much debate. Davies and Allison survey some eight different interpretations that have been proposed.i Among the more prominent interpretations is the idea that “coming of the Son of Man” in view here is the transfiguration, which is narrated in the following chapter.ii Some suggest that Jesus is referring to his resurrection or to Pentecost. Others suggest that Jesus is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.iii Then there are those who believe Jesus is speaking here of his Second Coming and of the end of history. Among those holding this view, there are those who believe Jesus was mistaken because he believed this would occur within the lifetime of his hearers, and there are those who believe that Jesus was correct because the “some standing here” refers to a later generation.iv
In order to come to an understanding of this saying, we must again be reminded that when Jesus speaks of the “coming of the Son of Man,” he is purposefully alluding to Daniel 7:13–14. And again we must recall that the coming of the Son of Man in Daniel 7 is set within a judgment scene before the throne of God (cf. Dan. 7:9–10). Unlike the saying in Matthew 10:23, the saying in 16:28 is found in the immediate context of words regarding judgment (v. 27). The point that Jesus is making when he says that there are some standing here who will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom is that there are some to whom he is speaking who will not die before the prophecy of Daniel 7 is fulfilled, in other words, before Jesus receives the kingdom from his Father.
A comparison of Matthew 16:28 with its parallels in Mark 9:1 and Luke 9:27 lends support to this interpretation. All three sayings are set within the same context immediately before the Transfiguration, yet whereas Matthew speaks of some living long enough to see the coming of the Son of Man, Mark and Luke speak of some living long enough to see the coming of the kingdom of God. The “coming of the Son of Man” then is simply another way of saying “the coming of the kingdom of God.”It is the assumption that the words “coming of the Son of Man” must mean “Second Coming” that has caused much of the confusion. Once we realize that Jesus is simply using a phrase from Daniel 7 to allude to the whole prophecy, texts such as Matthew 16:28 are much more readily understood. Jesus was not predicting that his Second Coming would occur within the lifetime of some of his hearers. He wasn’t speaking of the Second Coming at all.v He was referring to the fulfillment of Daniel 7, his reception of the kingdom from the Father, and this was fulfilled within the lifetime of some of his hearers (cf. Matt. 28:18).vi
As noted above, Matthew 16:28, unlike Matthew 10:23, is set within the context of a discussion of judgment. Verse 27 speaks of the Son of Man coming with angels and judging man. If the coming of the Son of Man in verse 28 is an allusion to Daniel’s prophecy of one like a Son of Man coming up to the Ancient of Days, is the coming of the Son of Man in verse 27 a different “coming”? If it is the same “coming,” then what is the judgment spoken of in verse 27? There are two possibilities. Since Jesus’ receiving of the kingdom is part of an entire nexus of events that concludes only at the consummation and Second Coming, it could be that the judgment referred to in verse 27 is the final judgment. If so, Jesus speaks of the first and last events in the connected series as parts of a single whole but without mentioning the amount of time that might lapse between them. Another, more likely, possibility is that the judgment Jesus is referring to in verse 27 is the judgment referred to in Daniel 7:9–10, a heavenly judgment of the “beasts/nations” that is directly related to Jesus’ receiving of the kingdom of God from the Father, an event that occurs in connection with his first advent.vii ~
It’s only Saturday, said because I had Friday off this week so I’m enjoying a desperately-needed 3-day work break.
I had a long texting session with one of our friends (D) from elementary school and Girl Scouts last night, we’ve been somewhat in touch off and on via FB, but we were connecting last night, of course, in the wake of Shirley’s passing.
D’s Christian but of the more progressive vein, raised (and still) Methodist though she seems not to have a home church really and is about to move to the high desert with a friend and her boyfriend, both atheists. D was molested by a neighbor when she was in the 5th grade and wound up dropping out of high school at 16 due to how messed up that left her, she said, but finished via correspondence course and went on to college and became a librarian.
Anyway, it was a good conversation, we plan to try to get together at some point for an outing when that’s feasible. She has some strong (very liberal) views about Christianity so I am thinking it’s best, for now, not to react or take issue with that, but just to talk about the gospel with her, encourage her to find a church once she resettles. She has a serious hearing disability so this friend she’s moving with (she’ll live separately) has been a big help to D especially after the loss last summer of her sister who really was her “best friend” as she put it.
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Well, we’re supposed to see some more street action starting this weekend as the inauguration ramps up.
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I read last night that they think 1 in 3 people in LA County now have had the virus, pretty surprising number. But now with the more contagious form becoming dominant, they fear a lot more spread coming in Feb.
It’s too bad the vaccines have been so slow to be distributed. Maybe we’ll all just get the virus before we can be vaccinated at this rate. If we survive, we’ll be just as immune (maybe more so?).
We got back last night from five days in Lake Tahoe with my oldest son and his family. My hat is off to anyone trying to manage online school with their children, much less, in this case, three of them at the same time.
I spent most of the week entertaining the two-year-old Tiggerboy, which left me exhausted! Do you know how much energy you use playing ping pong ball and red cups? Especially when it’s like a hockey game?
I was all over the floor stretching and laughing. We had a good time. My extrovert husband, who was working, kept running off to the bedroom–too much interaction, even in a big house, with all those kids!
It was the farthest from home I’ve been since 2/2/2020. So odd to be out in “the world” again.
I always leave a clean house and an empty refrigerator (with one frozen meal to cook upon our return). I did all the laundry at the Tahoe house, so I returned to an orderly house with only unpacking needing to be done.
Unfortunately, neither the newspaper nor the postal service honored my stop delivery. Since it was full of tax information, that was disturbing.
However, the cat went missing, and so my daughter-in-law and the lodger (who is currently housesitting for the aforementioned son), stopped in most days and the mail was saved.
Irritating.
Just back from the grocery store, $450 poorer, but with plenty of food to last several weeks. I only visit the grocery store every other week, so we’re safe at home as soon as I return library books this afternoon.
My 90 year eyesight doesn’t permit extensive research anymore. But, there are two people, who according to scripture, have not died. Enoch and Elijah.
We know that during the tribulation, there will be two men witnessing in Jerusalem. They are probably the two. I suspect this is necessary because a physical body probably can’t appreciate the spiritual existence of the New Jerusalem.
This is heavy stuff. I wish I could research more, but I can’t.
Thanks Michelle (12:05). I did get an email from my medical provider saying they’re coming soon …
While I have my own major misgivings with the administration about to come in, I do hope it will bring perhaps a more robust and less-conflicted approach to handling this pandemic. We need to get past this.
Several years back our postal workers did no honor our request to hold our mail during a vacation so I no longer trust them along with so many more service people in our area. It is a real handicap.
It was interesting, Janice. For the first time, I had to set up an account with the USPS before they would allow me to put a hold on my mail. I’ve never had trouble doing so in the past.
I already had a newspaper account that I’ve used countless times to set up holds. Really, really odd all around.
“Health officials are looking more closely into the deaths of nearly two dozen people after receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Norway.
A total 23 people died within days of receiving their first dose, the Norwegian Medicines Agency announced in a statement.”
It appears those who dismissed this as a possible cause of the outbreak were wrong in doing so.
#Covid-19 READ: US Gov “has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV (Wuhan Institute of Virology) became sick in autumn 2019” + in 2016 Lab began research (“gain of function”) on bat virus (96.2% similar) to COVID @SecPompeo https://t.co/6aa9aIPBmx
“Gain of Function Research
Certain gain-of-function studies with the potential to enhance the pathogenicity or transmissibility of potential pandemic pathogens (PPPs) have raised biosafety and biosecurity concerns, including the potential dual use risks associated with the misuse of the information or products resulting from such research.
On October 16, 2014, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced the launch of the U.S. Government (USG) gain-of-function (GOF) deliberative process to re-evaluate the potential risks and benefits associated with certain GOF experiments. During this process the USG paused the release of federal funding for GOF studies anticipated to enhance the pathogenicity or transmissibility among mammals by respiratory droplets of influenza, MERS, or SARS viruses.”
Norway said Covid-19 vaccines may be too risky for the very old and terminally ill, the most cautious statement yet from a European health authority as countries assess the real-world side effects of the first shots to gain approval.
Allergic reactions of COVID-19 vaccine
Of 29 cases of potential side effects investigated by Norwegian authorities, almost three-quarters were in people age 80 or older.
What do the autopsies say?
Among the deaths, 13 have been autopsied, with the results suggesting that common side effects may have contributed to severe reactions in frail, elderly people, according to the Norwegian Medicines Agency.
Should you avoid the COVID-19 vaccine?
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health said for those with the most severe frailty, even relatively mild vaccine side effects can have serious consequences. But that does not mean younger, healthier people should avoid being vaccinated.
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Norway has given at least one dose to about 33,000 people, focusing on those considered to be most at risk
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine approved late last year has been used most broadly, with a similar shot from Moderna Inc. approved earlier this month
Authorities in Norway launched a probe into the death of 23 people who passed away shortly after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19. Several others have also fallen sick soon after getting vaccinated.
Pfizer and BioNTech are working with the Norwegian regulator to investigate the deaths and said that the number is not alarming “and in line with expectations”.
Does anyone know anything about a mnistry named Communio that works toward strengthening marriages and families? In looking at their website I have not found who is on leadership staff and their background. I think my church may work with them at some point in the future. On the surface it sounds good, but I need more specifics.
I have never heard of that ministry Janice…I will mention it to a friend to see if she has heard of it…she is a Christian family/marriage therapist…
Concerning the vaccine..I won’t get it…husband says he will if it is convenient for him to do so…I am still not convinced it is safe and I will “go with my gut feeling”….
We had our family celebration for my 60th birthday yesterday. Nightingale picked up Chickadee in the late morning, then finished putting my cake together as we three chatted in the kitchen/dining room area. Then it was “photo shoot” time.
Nightingale went upstairs, and reappeared with large balloons for the number 60, and a sash for me to wear (at least for the photos) that said “60 & Fabulous”. And she had me wear a tiara I bought years ago for another special time.
After taking some photos, she made us sandwiches, and we ate in the living room as we watched a funny movie together.
We finished the movie just in time for Nightingale to get Boy from the school-bus. A little while after that, we congregated in the kitchen/dining area again, with Chickadee and me sitting at the dining room table while Nightingale began preparations for our dinner. (Boy was in and out of the room.) Nightingale put on some oldies music, and turned it up loud, and the three of us enjoyed the music, and singing along and “dancing” a bit to it, while we each did our own thing, but also conversing here and there, enjoying each other’s company. (Nightingale was cooking, Chickadee was alternating between doing Sudoku and coloring with colored pencils in a coloring book with neat pictures that I gave her for Christmas, and I was skimming some stuff on my laptop.)
It was much fun and very enjoyable. I was having a great time.
Then came dinner and of course, the birthday cake. Nightingale outdid herself once again.
The cake was a Coconut Rum Cake (so called because it was made with coconut rum 🙂 ) with a coconut rum glaze on each of the four layers, pastry cream between the layers, white chocolate ganache drizzled over the whole thing, and toasted coconut covering the top and going down the sides. Fantastic! As I said above, Nightingale outdid herself.
hmmmm…. let’s see if I can give you my itinerary as Michelle asked.
Sunday, Jan 17, 5 am PST – leave Grass Valley
Fly Southwest at 8:25 am to LAX 10am (1hr 30m)
Layover: 5 hours
Flight QR 740 from LAX 2:55 pm to Doha, Qatar 5:40 pm Jan 18 (6:40 am Jan 18 PST) (15hr 45m)
Layover: 2hr 5m
Flight QR 844 from Doha 7:45 pm (8:45 am PST) to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 8:10 am Jan 19 (4:10 pm, Jan 18 PST) (7hr 25m)
Layover: 15hr 55m
UN Food Program Flight from Kuala Lumpur 12:05 am Jan 20 (8:05 am Jan 19 PST) to Port Moresby, PNG 11:25 am (5:25 pm PST) (9hr 20m – although we think this time may include one stop)
Flight from Port Moresby 10:22 am Jan 20 (4:22 pm Jan 20 PST) to Ukarumpa 11:44 am (5:44 pm PST) (1hr 22m)
Wednesday Jan 20, 1 pm (Tues, Jan 20, 7 pm PST) – arrive at my home in Ukarumpa to quarantine for 14 days
Good morning and good flying, Jo. I envy you the opportunity to serve but not the flights and time change though the fourteen days of quarantine should help the adjustment.
Morning! Lifting you up in prayer Jo…and I too was exhausted just reading your itinerary!
It is cool and cloudy this morning with an unexpected flurry of snow. ⛄️
Oh my word Janice that cake is amazing!! I do so enjoy a white coconut cake and with almond/apricot that must be oh so yummy! (Almost too pretty to cut!) 😊
I’m watching the weather forecast and we may have 6 inches of new snow by Tuesday mid morning…of course small group is going to be in town Tuesday evening…not a fan of driving on ice and snow especially in the dark!
Jo, that all sounds exhausting. But you’re heading to a place you want to go, ‘home’ for you in many ways, so it’ll all be worth it. And I agree, that 14-day quarantine at the end will actually be just what you need!
Vaccine, bring it on, I say. 🙂 I’ve had enough of this pandemic ‘lifestyle,’ thank you. I makes me grateful to God for his provision of modern medicine. We actually live in very good times when it comes to that aspect of life.
Kizzie, what a fun time and what a spectacular cake! Very impressive.
I slept much better last night than the night before.
I’m almost caught up on my ‘daily’ Bible ready. It all took a hit in the past week plus what with work, riots and then the death of my friend (we’ve all been participating on a ‘friends’ FB thread her brother set up, people are posting memories and photos as a tribute).
Looking forward to virtual church today, our pastor will be back in the pulpit as we move forward again in completing our whole survey of the Bible. Then we’ll launch into Revelation, Lord of have mercy. lol Few books have stirred and given rise to so many various viewpoints within the church. Looking forward to it, though.
HI Kim
When I slept on an airplane, I always slept on the floor.
We used to have a B-29 navigator who would sleep in the crawling passageway from front to back.
That is fatal if the plane should lose air pressure suddenly. He would shoot out like a bullet.
I liked and didn’t like flying very much. Short flights were fun, longer ones (for me that was only about 5 hours), not at all, really. Cramped, and I’d always get antsy.
Nancy jill, my friend is an artist/painter. She also did a beautiful picture to give her mom showing her in portraiture as a girl, middle aged woman, and as an older 90ish woman. Incredible talent.
I enjoyed long flights better as I was less apt to motion sickness, but when it did hit, the long flights were miserable. For me and those around me. But always, flying was really cool. I never watched the movies or read, but loved looking out the window. Even at night when the shades were supposed to be down.
My father used to buy a special tall coconut cake occasionally that had a lemon filling. Those were wonderful, too.
We need to see a photo of Emily’s cake! It is amazing with all those different layers ♡ and flavors mingling.
And I use to think that the Cherry Black Forest Cake I made was the most incredible with its three layers of fudge type cake with whipped cream and tart cherry filling (long ago I added Kirsch for a little extra pow). It was from the Betty Crocker International cookbook under German selections. So.Very.Good.
Art and I have flown nonstop from Atlanta to LA with a layover to get to Las Vegas for a marketing/writing conference which I had won tickets to a long time ago. I enjoyed the flight, but sitting and waiting at the airport was not much fun. I have never had stormy weather when flying so that could definitely change my mind about enjoying flying. I don’t think I have flown since traveling from Waco to Atlanta about eight years ago.
Interesting article, DJ. I would have liked the rabbit lined gloves!
I guess I would not put all people on the right into the power grabbing category. I think some on the right actually want to do what they see as right in the eyes of God.
I think it’s worth noting that conservative Trump gatherings have always been almost entirely peaceful. There was no reason to believe this one was any different. They were explicitly directed to be peaceful.
It turned out to be a rather pretty day around here. Everyone in the neighborhood seems to be out taking a walk before the snowstorm moves in tomorrow….my neighbor and I joined in with the rest and had a nice stroll. 😊
I dropped off a birthday present to my one neighbor who turned 77 two days ago. I don’t get to see her since the beginning of Covid…her husband is terrified to be around anyone due to his underlying medical condition. She feels held hostage to the virus and even though we always exchange gifts on our birthdays, I gave a little extra with encouragement to her this year. She is just the dearest friend and neighbor.
Interesting article from the young one Dj…I would object to some of her assertions concerning supporters of our President. The “riling up” of our President to his supporters pale in comparison to what we have seen from the left in the past 4 years. I find myself astounded that a blind eye seems to be turned at what we have witnessed from them…so it goes…..
But that last one (gathering) certainly broke the mold in a bad way. Scary stuff. And I read it that she was referring to those in power in the party at this particular time. Not sure I agree with her either there, but she (who also is a conservative) made some good points that many other conservatives agree with. We’re divided right now. I think the Democrats also are pretty much a divided party these days but it’s not perhaps so evident right now.
Democracy is fragile to begin with. In times like these, with so many divisions, some of them honestly held, along with a propensity to violence on both extremes, things are especially unstable.
Since Emily is 30 and already making 4-layer specialty cakes, and my friend is 60ish and making 4-layer cakes for her 90-year-old mother, I predict that when Kizzie turns 90 that Emily will be up for making a 9-layer cake (it may have to be a torte). Funny that mention of these two 4-layer cakes showed up at the same time on my phone! Just to tempt me, no doubt, the one trying to not eat sweets!
Janice – You mentioned a cake with almond being one of the flavors. A couple years in a row, Nightingale (who will be 32 in May, btw 🙂 ) made me an Almond-Amaretto Pound Cake for my birthday. It had a luscious amaretto glaze over it, and was amazingly delicious!
As for believers and their political views, there are also Christians who are Democrats and want to do what is right in God’s eyes. True or not, they see the Democrats as being the party that cares more about the poor and needy.
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I cringe a bit when I see some of my more far-right friends on Facebook write posts or make comments claiming that those they call “Millennials” want socialism because they want free stuff for themselves. But those that I have seen leaning in the socialist direction do so from a sincere concern for the poor, not because they want stuff for themselves.
AJ 75 is the year we 57-ers graduated from high school (well, I did, but I don’t know about the other two since they were bon in September). It;s also 57 in reverse.
Wandering Views 
Good morning AJ, and all you Wanderers
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Good morning, Chas, and all the others who wander around here. It is time for me to be getting into my Bible reading. I am enjoying my first cup of coffee. A leaf blower just cranked up. My rake takes a lot longer, but does not put out noise pollution into the whole neighborhood. I actually think I hear two going now. Just the background music I need for Bible reading at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. It’s the sounds of the city.
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My blood pressure reading was 128 over 84 this a.m. And that was taken when Miss Bosley jumped in my lap which probably sent it up for a moment. I took it because I had salty popcorn and the bean lomein which is made with low sodium soy for dinner last night. The combo of pineapple, lentil soup, and rosehips with hibiscus tea is helping keep my blood pressure down. I am glad I found out about hibiscus as a BP helper to add to my arsensl in BP control. I am fortunate to enjoy all of these foods.
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Good morning all! I filled the bird feeder about half an hour ago and the sounds that greeted me (besides the sound of sleet falling on the car :–/ ) is the sound of a lone woodpecker a couple of yards away. I just saw him visit the feeder. He took a bite or two and kept tilting his head and examining the feeder as though he’d like to take a chomp out of it. Fortunately, it’s not real wood and there are no bugs to make such a destructive decision worthwhile for him. However, this morning I did hang another feeder close by which is made of cedar. I am experimenting with the much smaller cedar feeder to see if the smaller birds can use that one when larger birds are making a hog of themselves. So far, not one bird has checked it out. They are creatures of habit I suppose. I may let the larger feeder run dry to pique curiosity at the new one.
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Morning! Just looking at that duck gliding across the water caused me to realize I haven’t been around a lake,pond,ocean or even a fountain in a very long time! I am surrounded by forest, mountains and snow…I think we will head out and find a lake today…or at the very least a puddle!! 😂
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Morning, I am off for a Covid test. Praying that it will be the right test and that the results come quickly. Oh, negative too
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Chas, regarding your questioning about Matthew 16:28 on the Rants and Raves, I checked out a study Bible that suggests three possibilities. First, “because all the disciples died before Christ’s return, many believe that Jesus’ words were fulfilled at the Transfiguration when Peter, James, and John saw his glory (17:1-3). Others say this statement refers to the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. Still others believe that Penecost and the beginning of Christ’s church fulfilled Jesus’ words. In any case, certain disciples were eyewitnesses to the power and glory of Christ’s kingdom.” (Life Application Study Bible)
Does one of those explanations seem to make the most sense to you, Chas? I prefer the first because of context.
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Chas- Janice has a good point with the transfiguration, since that happens next. Remember that the chapter divisions were added centuries later by a Roman Catholic priest (Jerome?) translating the Bible to Latin. So when Matthew wrote, the transfiguration was the next line of text.
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Often when I see woodpeckers I think of the creation DVD that talks about how important the woodpecker’s design is to prevent his eyes being blown out by the force of his pecking. There are so many intricate details of design in nature. It is difficult to believe we could ever think it just evolved with no designer, rhyme or reason.
I was thinking again of how God did not make a socialist world. He made a beautiful world; not just a practical one. He made a world to feed body and soul.
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Good morning.
I have been eating terribly the last couple of days so the bp is way up again. Time to listen to Janice and get the hibiscus tea.
On another note, I have managed to lock myself out of my phone so no more group texting with the grown children. I inadvertently or recklessly pushed the later tonight button on the update question. Now I will have to see if husband remembers my password for that apple email I never use or my phone number or shoe size or whatever they seem to want this time.
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Janice, @ 9:43
No. It remains a mystery.
All the disciples died.
We are still waiting.
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From post at Ligonier:
https://www.ligonier.org/blog/some-standing-here-will-not-taste-death-unfolding-biblical-eschatology/
~ Like Matthew 10:23, this text has also been the source of much debate. Davies and Allison survey some eight different interpretations that have been proposed.i Among the more prominent interpretations is the idea that “coming of the Son of Man” in view here is the transfiguration, which is narrated in the following chapter.ii Some suggest that Jesus is referring to his resurrection or to Pentecost. Others suggest that Jesus is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.iii Then there are those who believe Jesus is speaking here of his Second Coming and of the end of history. Among those holding this view, there are those who believe Jesus was mistaken because he believed this would occur within the lifetime of his hearers, and there are those who believe that Jesus was correct because the “some standing here” refers to a later generation.iv
In order to come to an understanding of this saying, we must again be reminded that when Jesus speaks of the “coming of the Son of Man,” he is purposefully alluding to Daniel 7:13–14. And again we must recall that the coming of the Son of Man in Daniel 7 is set within a judgment scene before the throne of God (cf. Dan. 7:9–10). Unlike the saying in Matthew 10:23, the saying in 16:28 is found in the immediate context of words regarding judgment (v. 27). The point that Jesus is making when he says that there are some standing here who will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom is that there are some to whom he is speaking who will not die before the prophecy of Daniel 7 is fulfilled, in other words, before Jesus receives the kingdom from his Father.
A comparison of Matthew 16:28 with its parallels in Mark 9:1 and Luke 9:27 lends support to this interpretation. All three sayings are set within the same context immediately before the Transfiguration, yet whereas Matthew speaks of some living long enough to see the coming of the Son of Man, Mark and Luke speak of some living long enough to see the coming of the kingdom of God. The “coming of the Son of Man” then is simply another way of saying “the coming of the kingdom of God.”It is the assumption that the words “coming of the Son of Man” must mean “Second Coming” that has caused much of the confusion. Once we realize that Jesus is simply using a phrase from Daniel 7 to allude to the whole prophecy, texts such as Matthew 16:28 are much more readily understood. Jesus was not predicting that his Second Coming would occur within the lifetime of some of his hearers. He wasn’t speaking of the Second Coming at all.v He was referring to the fulfillment of Daniel 7, his reception of the kingdom from the Father, and this was fulfilled within the lifetime of some of his hearers (cf. Matt. 28:18).vi
As noted above, Matthew 16:28, unlike Matthew 10:23, is set within the context of a discussion of judgment. Verse 27 speaks of the Son of Man coming with angels and judging man. If the coming of the Son of Man in verse 28 is an allusion to Daniel’s prophecy of one like a Son of Man coming up to the Ancient of Days, is the coming of the Son of Man in verse 27 a different “coming”? If it is the same “coming,” then what is the judgment spoken of in verse 27? There are two possibilities. Since Jesus’ receiving of the kingdom is part of an entire nexus of events that concludes only at the consummation and Second Coming, it could be that the judgment referred to in verse 27 is the final judgment. If so, Jesus speaks of the first and last events in the connected series as parts of a single whole but without mentioning the amount of time that might lapse between them. Another, more likely, possibility is that the judgment Jesus is referring to in verse 27 is the judgment referred to in Daniel 7:9–10, a heavenly judgment of the “beasts/nations” that is directly related to Jesus’ receiving of the kingdom of God from the Father, an event that occurs in connection with his first advent.vii ~
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It’s only Saturday, said because I had Friday off this week so I’m enjoying a desperately-needed 3-day work break.
I had a long texting session with one of our friends (D) from elementary school and Girl Scouts last night, we’ve been somewhat in touch off and on via FB, but we were connecting last night, of course, in the wake of Shirley’s passing.
D’s Christian but of the more progressive vein, raised (and still) Methodist though she seems not to have a home church really and is about to move to the high desert with a friend and her boyfriend, both atheists. D was molested by a neighbor when she was in the 5th grade and wound up dropping out of high school at 16 due to how messed up that left her, she said, but finished via correspondence course and went on to college and became a librarian.
Anyway, it was a good conversation, we plan to try to get together at some point for an outing when that’s feasible. She has some strong (very liberal) views about Christianity so I am thinking it’s best, for now, not to react or take issue with that, but just to talk about the gospel with her, encourage her to find a church once she resettles. She has a serious hearing disability so this friend she’s moving with (she’ll live separately) has been a big help to D especially after the loss last summer of her sister who really was her “best friend” as she put it.
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Well, we’re supposed to see some more street action starting this weekend as the inauguration ramps up.
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I read last night that they think 1 in 3 people in LA County now have had the virus, pretty surprising number. But now with the more contagious form becoming dominant, they fear a lot more spread coming in Feb.
I’m so tired of this already.
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It’s too bad the vaccines have been so slow to be distributed. Maybe we’ll all just get the virus before we can be vaccinated at this rate. If we survive, we’ll be just as immune (maybe more so?).
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Why not check in with my daughter, DJ? She’ll be vaccinating people starting next week, I think.
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We got back last night from five days in Lake Tahoe with my oldest son and his family. My hat is off to anyone trying to manage online school with their children, much less, in this case, three of them at the same time.
I spent most of the week entertaining the two-year-old Tiggerboy, which left me exhausted! Do you know how much energy you use playing ping pong ball and red cups? Especially when it’s like a hockey game?
I was all over the floor stretching and laughing. We had a good time. My extrovert husband, who was working, kept running off to the bedroom–too much interaction, even in a big house, with all those kids!
It was the farthest from home I’ve been since 2/2/2020. So odd to be out in “the world” again.
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I always leave a clean house and an empty refrigerator (with one frozen meal to cook upon our return). I did all the laundry at the Tahoe house, so I returned to an orderly house with only unpacking needing to be done.
Unfortunately, neither the newspaper nor the postal service honored my stop delivery. Since it was full of tax information, that was disturbing.
However, the cat went missing, and so my daughter-in-law and the lodger (who is currently housesitting for the aforementioned son), stopped in most days and the mail was saved.
Irritating.
Just back from the grocery store, $450 poorer, but with plenty of food to last several weeks. I only visit the grocery store every other week, so we’re safe at home as soon as I return library books this afternoon.
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Excuse me. Freudian slip. Introvert (ha!) husband.
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My 90 year eyesight doesn’t permit extensive research anymore. But, there are two people, who according to scripture, have not died. Enoch and Elijah.
We know that during the tribulation, there will be two men witnessing in Jerusalem. They are probably the two. I suspect this is necessary because a physical body probably can’t appreciate the spiritual existence of the New Jerusalem.
This is heavy stuff. I wish I could research more, but I can’t.
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Hope Blue Cat shows up soon
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Thanks Michelle (12:05). I did get an email from my medical provider saying they’re coming soon …
While I have my own major misgivings with the administration about to come in, I do hope it will bring perhaps a more robust and less-conflicted approach to handling this pandemic. We need to get past this.
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Several years back our postal workers did no honor our request to hold our mail during a vacation so I no longer trust them along with so many more service people in our area. It is a real handicap.
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It was interesting, Janice. For the first time, I had to set up an account with the USPS before they would allow me to put a hold on my mail. I’ve never had trouble doing so in the past.
I already had a newspaper account that I’ve used countless times to set up holds. Really, really odd all around.
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Without comment….
https://www.kron4.com/health/coronavirus/23-die-in-norway-after-receiving-covid-vaccine/
“Health officials are looking more closely into the deaths of nearly two dozen people after receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Norway.
A total 23 people died within days of receiving their first dose, the Norwegian Medicines Agency announced in a statement.”
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Told yas’.
It appears those who dismissed this as a possible cause of the outbreak were wrong in doing so.
———-
https://twitter.com/rudypages/status/1350454159720517636
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And in case you’re wondering….
They tinkered and this is what they unleashed on the world.
https://osp.od.nih.gov/biotechnology/gain-of-function-research/
“Gain of Function Research
Certain gain-of-function studies with the potential to enhance the pathogenicity or transmissibility of potential pandemic pathogens (PPPs) have raised biosafety and biosecurity concerns, including the potential dual use risks associated with the misuse of the information or products resulting from such research.
On October 16, 2014, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced the launch of the U.S. Government (USG) gain-of-function (GOF) deliberative process to re-evaluate the potential risks and benefits associated with certain GOF experiments. During this process the USG paused the release of federal funding for GOF studies anticipated to enhance the pathogenicity or transmissibility among mammals by respiratory droplets of influenza, MERS, or SARS viruses.”
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https://www.livemint.com/news/world/covid19-vaccine-may-be-risky-for-elderly-says-norway-after-23-die-details-here-11610796039386.html
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Covid-19 vaccines may be too risky for elderly
Norway said Covid-19 vaccines may be too risky for the very old and terminally ill, the most cautious statement yet from a European health authority as countries assess the real-world side effects of the first shots to gain approval.
Allergic reactions of COVID-19 vaccine
Of 29 cases of potential side effects investigated by Norwegian authorities, almost three-quarters were in people age 80 or older.
What do the autopsies say?
Among the deaths, 13 have been autopsied, with the results suggesting that common side effects may have contributed to severe reactions in frail, elderly people, according to the Norwegian Medicines Agency.
Should you avoid the COVID-19 vaccine?
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health said for those with the most severe frailty, even relatively mild vaccine side effects can have serious consequences. But that does not mean younger, healthier people should avoid being vaccinated.
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Norway has given at least one dose to about 33,000 people, focusing on those considered to be most at risk
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine approved late last year has been used most broadly, with a similar shot from Moderna Inc. approved earlier this month
Authorities in Norway launched a probe into the death of 23 people who passed away shortly after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19. Several others have also fallen sick soon after getting vaccinated.
Pfizer and BioNTech are working with the Norwegian regulator to investigate the deaths and said that the number is not alarming “and in line with expectations”.
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Does anyone know anything about a mnistry named Communio that works toward strengthening marriages and families? In looking at their website I have not found who is on leadership staff and their background. I think my church may work with them at some point in the future. On the surface it sounds good, but I need more specifics.
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I have never heard of that ministry Janice…I will mention it to a friend to see if she has heard of it…she is a Christian family/marriage therapist…
Concerning the vaccine..I won’t get it…husband says he will if it is convenient for him to do so…I am still not convinced it is safe and I will “go with my gut feeling”….
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NancyJill, one of the ewes just had twins and they are cute!
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Oh Mumsee you need to send a photo to AJ…there a couple of us gals on here who particularly love sheep 😊 ❤️
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EMT daughter got her first vaccine today. 🙂 I’m pleased as she is quite likely to be exposed.
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We had our family celebration for my 60th birthday yesterday. Nightingale picked up Chickadee in the late morning, then finished putting my cake together as we three chatted in the kitchen/dining room area. Then it was “photo shoot” time.
Nightingale went upstairs, and reappeared with large balloons for the number 60, and a sash for me to wear (at least for the photos) that said “60 & Fabulous”. And she had me wear a tiara I bought years ago for another special time.
After taking some photos, she made us sandwiches, and we ate in the living room as we watched a funny movie together.
We finished the movie just in time for Nightingale to get Boy from the school-bus. A little while after that, we congregated in the kitchen/dining area again, with Chickadee and me sitting at the dining room table while Nightingale began preparations for our dinner. (Boy was in and out of the room.) Nightingale put on some oldies music, and turned it up loud, and the three of us enjoyed the music, and singing along and “dancing” a bit to it, while we each did our own thing, but also conversing here and there, enjoying each other’s company. (Nightingale was cooking, Chickadee was alternating between doing Sudoku and coloring with colored pencils in a coloring book with neat pictures that I gave her for Christmas, and I was skimming some stuff on my laptop.)
It was much fun and very enjoyable. I was having a great time.
Then came dinner and of course, the birthday cake. Nightingale outdid herself once again.
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The cake was a Coconut Rum Cake (so called because it was made with coconut rum 🙂 ) with a coconut rum glaze on each of the four layers, pastry cream between the layers, white chocolate ganache drizzled over the whole thing, and toasted coconut covering the top and going down the sides. Fantastic! As I said above, Nightingale outdid herself.
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Sadly, NancyJill, I do not know how to send him a picture. Probably a good thing or he would be inundated with pics of grandchildren and animals.
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hmmmm…. let’s see if I can give you my itinerary as Michelle asked.
Sunday, Jan 17, 5 am PST – leave Grass Valley
Fly Southwest at 8:25 am to LAX 10am (1hr 30m)
Layover: 5 hours
Flight QR 740 from LAX 2:55 pm to Doha, Qatar 5:40 pm Jan 18 (6:40 am Jan 18 PST) (15hr 45m)
Layover: 2hr 5m
Flight QR 844 from Doha 7:45 pm (8:45 am PST) to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 8:10 am Jan 19 (4:10 pm, Jan 18 PST) (7hr 25m)
Layover: 15hr 55m
UN Food Program Flight from Kuala Lumpur 12:05 am Jan 20 (8:05 am Jan 19 PST) to Port Moresby, PNG 11:25 am (5:25 pm PST) (9hr 20m – although we think this time may include one stop)
Flight from Port Moresby 10:22 am Jan 20 (4:22 pm Jan 20 PST) to Ukarumpa 11:44 am (5:44 pm PST) (1hr 22m)
Wednesday Jan 20, 1 pm (Tues, Jan 20, 7 pm PST) – arrive at my home in Ukarumpa to quarantine for 14 days
I’m tired just looking at all of those flights.
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I am so excited for you, Jo. Our prayers go with you!
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Good morning and good flying, Jo. I envy you the opportunity to serve but not the flights and time change though the fourteen days of quarantine should help the adjustment.
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Morning! Lifting you up in prayer Jo…and I too was exhausted just reading your itinerary!
It is cool and cloudy this morning with an unexpected flurry of snow. ⛄️
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A friend’s mom just turned 90 and my friend made this cake for her mom:
4-layer-almond-apricot-coconut-cake!
With a cherry on top!
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Emily needs to make this:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Mi6uvCyDWJUu4vJC9
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And she’s off!
So curious to fly 15 hours and then have only a 2 hour layover before a 7 hour flight!
You only have time to unbend before having to bend again!
Prayers for the ability to sleep on the flights.
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Michelle knows. It is so hard to sleep
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Oh my word Janice that cake is amazing!! I do so enjoy a white coconut cake and with almond/apricot that must be oh so yummy! (Almost too pretty to cut!) 😊
I’m watching the weather forecast and we may have 6 inches of new snow by Tuesday mid morning…of course small group is going to be in town Tuesday evening…not a fan of driving on ice and snow especially in the dark!
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Hello Everyone
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Hi, Kim.
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Jo, that all sounds exhausting. But you’re heading to a place you want to go, ‘home’ for you in many ways, so it’ll all be worth it. And I agree, that 14-day quarantine at the end will actually be just what you need!
Vaccine, bring it on, I say. 🙂 I’ve had enough of this pandemic ‘lifestyle,’ thank you. I makes me grateful to God for his provision of modern medicine. We actually live in very good times when it comes to that aspect of life.
Kizzie, what a fun time and what a spectacular cake! Very impressive.
I slept much better last night than the night before.
I’m almost caught up on my ‘daily’ Bible ready. It all took a hit in the past week plus what with work, riots and then the death of my friend (we’ve all been participating on a ‘friends’ FB thread her brother set up, people are posting memories and photos as a tribute).
Looking forward to virtual church today, our pastor will be back in the pulpit as we move forward again in completing our whole survey of the Bible. Then we’ll launch into Revelation, Lord of have mercy. lol Few books have stirred and given rise to so many various viewpoints within the church. Looking forward to it, though.
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HI Kim
When I slept on an airplane, I always slept on the floor.
We used to have a B-29 navigator who would sleep in the crawling passageway from front to back.
That is fatal if the plane should lose air pressure suddenly. He would shoot out like a bullet.
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Hi Kim
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I liked and didn’t like flying very much. Short flights were fun, longer ones (for me that was only about 5 hours), not at all, really. Cramped, and I’d always get antsy.
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Nancy jill, my friend is an artist/painter. She also did a beautiful picture to give her mom showing her in portraiture as a girl, middle aged woman, and as an older 90ish woman. Incredible talent.
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I enjoyed long flights better as I was less apt to motion sickness, but when it did hit, the long flights were miserable. For me and those around me. But always, flying was really cool. I never watched the movies or read, but loved looking out the window. Even at night when the shades were supposed to be down.
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My father used to buy a special tall coconut cake occasionally that had a lemon filling. Those were wonderful, too.
We need to see a photo of Emily’s cake! It is amazing with all those different layers ♡ and flavors mingling.
And I use to think that the Cherry Black Forest Cake I made was the most incredible with its three layers of fudge type cake with whipped cream and tart cherry filling (long ago I added Kirsch for a little extra pow). It was from the Betty Crocker International cookbook under German selections. So.Very.Good.
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Art and I have flown nonstop from Atlanta to LA with a layover to get to Las Vegas for a marketing/writing conference which I had won tickets to a long time ago. I enjoyed the flight, but sitting and waiting at the airport was not much fun. I have never had stormy weather when flying so that could definitely change my mind about enjoying flying. I don’t think I have flown since traveling from Waco to Atlanta about eight years ago.
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Our church sermon today was from Matthew on the Sower and the Seeds.
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In LA, waiting as the first in line for the next flight. Had a row to myself on southwest. Nice fellow showed me to a chair here
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At least the planes aren’t crowded these days, that helps
Our sermon: A Spontaneous Kindness / Philemon
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Good piece from a world student here (shared on pol thread, but goes beyond “politics” right now)
https://world.wng.org/2021/01/seeking_truth_after_the_capitol_chaos
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Interesting article, DJ. I would have liked the rabbit lined gloves!
I guess I would not put all people on the right into the power grabbing category. I think some on the right actually want to do what they see as right in the eyes of God.
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I think it’s worth noting that conservative Trump gatherings have always been almost entirely peaceful. There was no reason to believe this one was any different. They were explicitly directed to be peaceful.
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I agree
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It turned out to be a rather pretty day around here. Everyone in the neighborhood seems to be out taking a walk before the snowstorm moves in tomorrow….my neighbor and I joined in with the rest and had a nice stroll. 😊
I dropped off a birthday present to my one neighbor who turned 77 two days ago. I don’t get to see her since the beginning of Covid…her husband is terrified to be around anyone due to his underlying medical condition. She feels held hostage to the virus and even though we always exchange gifts on our birthdays, I gave a little extra with encouragement to her this year. She is just the dearest friend and neighbor.
Interesting article from the young one Dj…I would object to some of her assertions concerning supporters of our President. The “riling up” of our President to his supporters pale in comparison to what we have seen from the left in the past 4 years. I find myself astounded that a blind eye seems to be turned at what we have witnessed from them…so it goes…..
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But that last one (gathering) certainly broke the mold in a bad way. Scary stuff. And I read it that she was referring to those in power in the party at this particular time. Not sure I agree with her either there, but she (who also is a conservative) made some good points that many other conservatives agree with. We’re divided right now. I think the Democrats also are pretty much a divided party these days but it’s not perhaps so evident right now.
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Democracy is fragile to begin with. In times like these, with so many divisions, some of them honestly held, along with a propensity to violence on both extremes, things are especially unstable.
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Since Emily is 30 and already making 4-layer specialty cakes, and my friend is 60ish and making 4-layer cakes for her 90-year-old mother, I predict that when Kizzie turns 90 that Emily will be up for making a 9-layer cake (it may have to be a torte). Funny that mention of these two 4-layer cakes showed up at the same time on my phone! Just to tempt me, no doubt, the one trying to not eat sweets!
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I am having a piece of cornmeal cake, unsweetened, otherwise known as cornbread.
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Row to myself for the long flight
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Janice – You mentioned a cake with almond being one of the flavors. A couple years in a row, Nightingale (who will be 32 in May, btw 🙂 ) made me an Almond-Amaretto Pound Cake for my birthday. It had a luscious amaretto glaze over it, and was amazingly delicious!
As for believers and their political views, there are also Christians who are Democrats and want to do what is right in God’s eyes. True or not, they see the Democrats as being the party that cares more about the poor and needy.
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I cringe a bit when I see some of my more far-right friends on Facebook write posts or make comments claiming that those they call “Millennials” want socialism because they want free stuff for themselves. But those that I have seen leaning in the socialist direction do so from a sincere concern for the poor, not because they want stuff for themselves.
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Yay Jo!! Stretch out and enjoy!! ♥️
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I was just “talking” to Kim on Facebook Messenger. She says that her Mac computer will not let her comment here.
Does anyone else have a Mac, and some advice on how to fix that that I can pass on to her?
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I wonder whose time zone I’m in now? North of grand forks heading for Hudson Bay
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Kizzie, I have a Mac – no problems commenting. Hmmm
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Jo, my time zone!
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Tomorrow is a holiday, my wife is off of work, so I’m posting early and sleeping in.
Daughter has officially returned to school and is all moved in. 🙂
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75!
I don’t know what that means, but someone is always yelling it so…..
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Note I could be First! on the MLK Day thread, but I’m nice, I’ll let one of you have it.
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AJ 75 is the year we 57-ers graduated from high school (well, I did, but I don’t know about the other two since they were bon in September). It;s also 57 in reverse.
And I already got first on the 18th thread.
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Of course we graduated then. We are very bright people. Way ahead of our time.
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Sleeping in? What is this of which you speak??
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But mumsee, what time do you go to bed?
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Eight to eight thirty. Rise and shine, four thirty.
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