Justices can and sometimes do change their votes as draft opinions circulate and major decisions can be subject to multiple drafts and vote-trading, sometimes until just days before a decision is unveiled (expected by late June or early July) https://t.co/nl3JFLx9xg
Good morning. I am skipping ladies’ Bible study because I have a lot to accomplish this week such as finding some birthday presents for my brother, getting ready for a writer’s retreat, and getting ready for Wesley to come home soon. Also I have WMU tomorrow, too. I think we may have a speaker who works with refugees in Clarkston, a well known long term resettlement area near here.
I watched a white cat pad under the pines in front of the house this morning. It crossed our driveway and went into the pines on the other side. A few minutes later, I watched a bright red , bushy-tailed fox follow in the same path. It walked across the driveway and into the woods right where the cat went in earlier. I saw the fox dash partway out into the driveway and then go back in. I think it must have been startled by the cat. A bit later the cat came out into the driveway again, so I know the cat was fine. I love having big windows looking out into our world.
“As we continue on in our intercession for others, we may find that our obedience to God in interceding is going to cost those for whom we intercede more than we ever thought.
“The danger in this is that we begin to intercede in sympathy with those whom God was gradually lifting up to a totally different level in direct answer to our prayers.
“Whenever we step back from our close identification with God’s interest and concern for others and step into having emotional sympathy with them, the vital connection with God is gone.
“We have then put our sympathy and concern for them in the way, and this is a deliberate rebuke to God.”
Michelle – It seems to me that we can have both desire for God’s will and emotional sympathy for the person in our hearts at the same time. I can see where if “emotional sympathy” means praying for an easy fix and that the person doesn’t suffer at all, then that could be against God’s will for that person. But I think that we can pray for God’s will, even when we know that it could mean something harsh for the person involved, and at the same time feel great sympathy for them.
Is it that Chambers’ use of “emotional sympathy” means something different from what I have described?
BREAKING: Chief Justice John Roberts has directed the marshal of the Supreme Court to launch an investigation into the source of the leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, which Roberts verified as an authentic document pic.twitter.com/vcq4lTY7bk
Oh, the joys of owning an old house! This house is 122 years old, but although not everything in it is that old, a lot is several decades old. So of course fixing the leaks in the bathroom and kitchen sinks is not going to be an easy, quick fix.
Our plumber was here this morning, and took a look at the sinks and their pipes. He cannot fix them yet, because he has to order new parts and pipes. The old stuff was either done incorrectly, or the pipes are no longer made the way they were a few decades ago.
But I am happy that I need a new faucet for the kitchen sink, because I was never thrilled with the one we have. Nightingale will pick up a new one this week, and Plumber will come back next week to install it and the new pipe stuff in the kitchen and bathroom.
Another positive thing was that he turned off the water to the refrigerator/freezer, so no more water leaking on the floor, and that buys us some time to replace the fridge. He agreed with what I had been told, which is that the fridges with the ice makers and water-in-the-door features end up having a lot of problems. So when we do replace ours (soon, I think), we will go the “old-fashioned” route of using ice cube trays and getting our water from the sink. 🙂
And another positive thing was that when I asked him how much I owe him for today, he said no charge. 🙂
While we were talking about the quality these days of appliances and such, Plumber mentioned knowing someone who is a “reverse engineer”. His job is to make sure that the appliances his company sells will only work for about ten years or less.
I like “no charge.” 🙂 And my refrigerator is 10 years old …
Old houses, yes (and Kizzie’s is older than mine). Mine will turn 100 years old in 2023.
Agree about both seeking God’s will and also having sympathy.
I’m running the washer on the ‘Clean Washer’ cycle this morning, it lit up after my last load last night.
In between work I’m trying to tackle that spare room again, it’s the catch-all. I really need to give away some clothes soon (and other things). I wish the Salvation Army still did pickups, that was such a great service. I think they suspended it due to the pandemic, but I haven’t seen where they’ve brought it back yet.
Busy work day with a report on port automation that came out just weeks before negotiations begin with the dockworkers, continuing with election stories — need to get surveys out to my candidates — and a 5 p.m. public hearing on the waterfront project that I really hope doesn’t go longer than 2 hours or so.
Interesting thread from Keller on applying the Bible to political causes:
THREAD: I recently wrote about how churches should not destroy unity or fellowship over political differences. The replies show that many American Evangelicals have no coherent understanding of how to relate the Bible to politics. Here's the original tweet:https://t.co/3N4fxYR3et
— Timothy Keller (1950-2023) (@timkellernyc) April 29, 2022
Among his points in later tweets in a string of examples:
~ I know abortion is a sin, but the Bible doesn’t tell me the best political policy to decrease or end abortion in this country, nor which political or legal policies are most effective to that end. The current political parties will say that their policy most aligns morally with the Bible, but we are allowed to debate that and so our churches should not have disunity over debatable political differences. It is also why I have never publicly or privately told Christians who they should vote for. … ~
The person responsible for the leak will likely be identified. It is, indeed, a shocking breach that sadly harms the integrity of the court itself.
Pray for the stability and survival of the nation, whatever the outcome of all of this. The very foundational branches of government seem to be teetering under our current political stress.
I shopped at Walmart this morning for birthday presents for my brother. He likes Walmart, and I don’t care for our smallish Walmart about two miles from here. But it will make for easy returns for him. I also shopped at the Pike’s nursery store beside Kosher Kroger. I bought two pineapple sage plants, one for brother and one for me. At checkout I was asked if I belong to the Play in the Dirt Club. I said no, but I use to work in the home office with Mr. Pike. She said she’d give me the ‘Big Girl’ discount of 10% off. Lol. Is that an example of passive aggressive behavior? Really, I did not expect a discount. I thought I was giving her a fun bit of info. And I did not take what she said in a bad way, but felt that some people might depending on how they receive the word ‘Big.’ I think she meant ‘All grown up’ and not ‘Fat.’
Pineapple sage was my favorite herb I planted when, as a teenager, I had my own little garden spot beside my father’s big garden. I always grew it as an annual. I hope I can find a got place to plant it here. I had no idea it can grow up to four feet tall. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/sage/pineapple-sage-plant.htm
I think having empathy for people is a kind of compassion and could be used to inform prayers, but of course, in contrast, sympathy seems more like just feeling sorry for someone and wanting a quick fix to be rid of having to look upon their suffering and go through it with them. One is like throwing money at a problem and the other is rolling up the shirt sleeves to help for the long haul. One of the feelings generates godly prayers and the other would often produce shallow and selfish prayers, IMHO.
Foggy and rainy here. Husband and sis in law picked up daughter and took them with them to visit other daughter and grandchildren. Daughter elected to stay in the car. Understandable as she has several times threatened to kill said daughter and children.
I am positive I would not, but this is how he manages. She sits in the car and listens to the radio while he runs errands, or, as in this case, visits family.
Might well be. But I am the animal care taker and if I am in Moscow taking care of my dad and step mom, when I get home, the chihuahua would be eating off the table with a bib and its own silverware.
Janice – The way you described sympathy is how I think of pity, with sympathy being a more caring emotion than pity. (Although the dictionary definition for pity says that it is a form of sorrow, I think that the word often has a less-sympathetic connotation.) As I understand it, empathy is what one feels when one has experienced the same or a similar thing in one’s life, such as I would feel for a fellow widow. Sympathy is quite similar, but without having had the same experience. (That’s a simplistic, nutshell version, though.)
Interesting to consider, Kizzie. Fine lines. I always think of pity as it is used in the saying ‘pity party.’ And there was a song about ‘poor pitiful me.’ I really have not thought much about the nuances in the words before. I know the word ‘sympathy’ mostly associated with cards and know some of those cards are sent because it is expected but others are sent out of a deep caring for those who have lost a loved one.
I don’t remember looking up the definitions of the words. I formed opinions about the words based on experiences. I don’t claim to be right about it. That is why I said it is my opinion.😄
Wandering Views 
Oh, what a lovely picture. So peaceful and beautiful.
Good night all.
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Good night Ma’am. 🙂
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Let it be true….
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Cassia by Susan Craft is free for Kindle on Amazon
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Good morning. I am skipping ladies’ Bible study because I have a lot to accomplish this week such as finding some birthday presents for my brother, getting ready for a writer’s retreat, and getting ready for Wesley to come home soon. Also I have WMU tomorrow, too. I think we may have a speaker who works with refugees in Clarkston, a well known long term resettlement area near here.
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I hear more sawing/building noises next door.
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Beautiful header, a sweet tweeter!
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I watched a white cat pad under the pines in front of the house this morning. It crossed our driveway and went into the pines on the other side. A few minutes later, I watched a bright red , bushy-tailed fox follow in the same path. It walked across the driveway and into the woods right where the cat went in earlier. I saw the fox dash partway out into the driveway and then go back in. I think it must have been startled by the cat. A bit later the cat came out into the driveway again, so I know the cat was fine. I love having big windows looking out into our world.
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My Utmost for His Highest’s opening today:
“As we continue on in our intercession for others, we may find that our obedience to God in interceding is going to cost those for whom we intercede more than we ever thought.
“The danger in this is that we begin to intercede in sympathy with those whom God was gradually lifting up to a totally different level in direct answer to our prayers.
“Whenever we step back from our close identification with God’s interest and concern for others and step into having emotional sympathy with them, the vital connection with God is gone.
“We have then put our sympathy and concern for them in the way, and this is a deliberate rebuke to God.”
It continues here: https://utmost.org/classic/today/
I have to say, OC’s teachings on intercessory prayer affected me a great deal and changed the way I pray for people.
It takes time to join in God’s mind for the people we love and then to pray accordingly.
Off to lead Bible study on Ephesians.
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Good morning, all, except good night, Jo, though it is nearly Wednesday morning there, halfway through the week that has just barely started.
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Michelle – It seems to me that we can have both desire for God’s will and emotional sympathy for the person in our hearts at the same time. I can see where if “emotional sympathy” means praying for an easy fix and that the person doesn’t suffer at all, then that could be against God’s will for that person. But I think that we can pray for God’s will, even when we know that it could mean something harsh for the person involved, and at the same time feel great sympathy for them.
Is it that Chambers’ use of “emotional sympathy” means something different from what I have described?
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It appears the leak is real. 🙂
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Oh, the joys of owning an old house! This house is 122 years old, but although not everything in it is that old, a lot is several decades old. So of course fixing the leaks in the bathroom and kitchen sinks is not going to be an easy, quick fix.
Our plumber was here this morning, and took a look at the sinks and their pipes. He cannot fix them yet, because he has to order new parts and pipes. The old stuff was either done incorrectly, or the pipes are no longer made the way they were a few decades ago.
But I am happy that I need a new faucet for the kitchen sink, because I was never thrilled with the one we have. Nightingale will pick up a new one this week, and Plumber will come back next week to install it and the new pipe stuff in the kitchen and bathroom.
Another positive thing was that he turned off the water to the refrigerator/freezer, so no more water leaking on the floor, and that buys us some time to replace the fridge. He agreed with what I had been told, which is that the fridges with the ice makers and water-in-the-door features end up having a lot of problems. So when we do replace ours (soon, I think), we will go the “old-fashioned” route of using ice cube trays and getting our water from the sink. 🙂
And another positive thing was that when I asked him how much I owe him for today, he said no charge. 🙂
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While we were talking about the quality these days of appliances and such, Plumber mentioned knowing someone who is a “reverse engineer”. His job is to make sure that the appliances his company sells will only work for about ten years or less.
Nightingale said, “That’s evil!”
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She’s right.
So are you, Kizzie, about sympathy while praying for God’s will to be done.
Good job for so early in the day (my time!).
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I like “no charge.” 🙂 And my refrigerator is 10 years old …
Old houses, yes (and Kizzie’s is older than mine). Mine will turn 100 years old in 2023.
Agree about both seeking God’s will and also having sympathy.
I’m running the washer on the ‘Clean Washer’ cycle this morning, it lit up after my last load last night.
In between work I’m trying to tackle that spare room again, it’s the catch-all. I really need to give away some clothes soon (and other things). I wish the Salvation Army still did pickups, that was such a great service. I think they suspended it due to the pandemic, but I haven’t seen where they’ve brought it back yet.
Busy work day with a report on port automation that came out just weeks before negotiations begin with the dockworkers, continuing with election stories — need to get surveys out to my candidates — and a 5 p.m. public hearing on the waterfront project that I really hope doesn’t go longer than 2 hours or so.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Interesting thread from Keller on applying the Bible to political causes:
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Among his points in later tweets in a string of examples:
~ I know abortion is a sin, but the Bible doesn’t tell me the best political policy to decrease or end abortion in this country, nor which political or legal policies are most effective to that end. The current political parties will say that their policy most aligns morally with the Bible, but we are allowed to debate that and so our churches should not have disunity over debatable political differences. It is also why I have never publicly or privately told Christians who they should vote for. … ~
LikeLiked by 1 person
The person responsible for the leak will likely be identified. It is, indeed, a shocking breach that sadly harms the integrity of the court itself.
Pray for the stability and survival of the nation, whatever the outcome of all of this. The very foundational branches of government seem to be teetering under our current political stress.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Husband and sis in law are off to visit daughter in the facility. Hopefully goes well and is brief and does not set her off.
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I shopped at Walmart this morning for birthday presents for my brother. He likes Walmart, and I don’t care for our smallish Walmart about two miles from here. But it will make for easy returns for him. I also shopped at the Pike’s nursery store beside Kosher Kroger. I bought two pineapple sage plants, one for brother and one for me. At checkout I was asked if I belong to the Play in the Dirt Club. I said no, but I use to work in the home office with Mr. Pike. She said she’d give me the ‘Big Girl’ discount of 10% off. Lol. Is that an example of passive aggressive behavior? Really, I did not expect a discount. I thought I was giving her a fun bit of info. And I did not take what she said in a bad way, but felt that some people might depending on how they receive the word ‘Big.’ I think she meant ‘All grown up’ and not ‘Fat.’
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pineapple sage was my favorite herb I planted when, as a teenager, I had my own little garden spot beside my father’s big garden. I always grew it as an annual. I hope I can find a got place to plant it here. I had no idea it can grow up to four feet tall.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/sage/pineapple-sage-plant.htm
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I think having empathy for people is a kind of compassion and could be used to inform prayers, but of course, in contrast, sympathy seems more like just feeling sorry for someone and wanting a quick fix to be rid of having to look upon their suffering and go through it with them. One is like throwing money at a problem and the other is rolling up the shirt sleeves to help for the long haul. One of the feelings generates godly prayers and the other would often produce shallow and selfish prayers, IMHO.
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Kizzie, I love getting new faucet fixtures. 🙂
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Foggy and rainy here. Husband and sis in law picked up daughter and took them with them to visit other daughter and grandchildren. Daughter elected to stay in the car. Understandable as she has several times threatened to kill said daughter and children.
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Not sure I would want to leave her alone in the car.
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I am positive I would not, but this is how he manages. She sits in the car and listens to the radio while he runs errands, or, as in this case, visits family.
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Husband wants to know if he should bring home a four month old chihuahua. Daughter works in a veterinary clinic.
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Would it be a good therapy dog for Dad?
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Might well be. But I am the animal care taker and if I am in Moscow taking care of my dad and step mom, when I get home, the chihuahua would be eating off the table with a bib and its own silverware.
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And he probably could not take it on the cruise. Though flights to Florida, perhaps.
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Janice – The way you described sympathy is how I think of pity, with sympathy being a more caring emotion than pity. (Although the dictionary definition for pity says that it is a form of sorrow, I think that the word often has a less-sympathetic connotation.) As I understand it, empathy is what one feels when one has experienced the same or a similar thing in one’s life, such as I would feel for a fellow widow. Sympathy is quite similar, but without having had the same experience. (That’s a simplistic, nutshell version, though.)
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Interesting to consider, Kizzie. Fine lines. I always think of pity as it is used in the saying ‘pity party.’ And there was a song about ‘poor pitiful me.’ I really have not thought much about the nuances in the words before. I know the word ‘sympathy’ mostly associated with cards and know some of those cards are sent because it is expected but others are sent out of a deep caring for those who have lost a loved one.
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I don’t remember looking up the definitions of the words. I formed opinions about the words based on experiences. I don’t claim to be right about it. That is why I said it is my opinion.😄
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