God bless all the grandmothers who want to walk down the aisle as a flower girl. I do not ever want to do that, but it is an honor to be asked, I suppose.
One of my readings today was the final chapter of Ecclesiastes this morning. The poetic description of being old reminded me of the old song, “This Old House.” One of my husband’s fellow musicians sings that song once in awhile. How many of you enjoy poetry or write it even? I both enjoy it and have written a few poems. I know Janice does Haiku, but anyone else care to comment. Or maybe tell us some favorite poets?
I am going through a book with 500 favorite Christian poems. As with any book, some are good and some I do not care for. It is always fun to read something written hundreds of years ago that still rings true today.
I enjoy Robert Browning poetry this one my favorite being relatable in our almost 50 years together! 😊
Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, ‘A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!
I woke up with what seems like a head cold, which explains why I felt so low-energy and dragged all day yesterday.
But that means I may have to postpone the 2nd eye surgery that was set for early tomorrow. 😦 And that means I may have go through all the pre-op stuff all over again (as long as the 2 surgeries fall within the same month you don’t have to repeat all of that, but this will take the 2nd surgery out of that range if I need to postpone it).
Calling in sick for work today, which is rare for me, and I’ll plan to see how I feel in another few hours, check in with the surgery liaison at my doctor’s office today to see what they may say (I’m sure they’ll say to postpone unless these symptoms magically vanish). 😦
I really wanted to get the eye surgeries over and done with. But all in God’s timing, stuff happens. Meanwhile, I still need to get in to renew my drivers license (like within the next couple weeks) and take that written exam that I still need to study for.
Hoping I didn’t spread whatever this is to anyone at church, I spent a long time chatting with several older folks after the service. Although that may be where I picked it up, too. -dj
Very good, DJ. Good to get that done and yet enough time to get rid of whatever you caught.
We moved some firewood today and chatted with the son who had brought us a couple of cords. My dad missed his corn hole for the day as the rain has arrived. He has worked up to four hours a day, morning and afternoon for two each.
Glad you could get it that earky, Dj, but sad you are under the weather.
Robert Frost has always been a favorite poet since I wrote a high school term paper about him.
Son worked in the Armstrong Browning library at Baylor which housed all the papers and special collections of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (did I get that right?) My brain is a bot smushy with all the caregiving. Son dies a lot with epic poetry, not his own but from writers of past ages.
Israel’s 9/11: The Need for Moral Clarity
OCTOBER 10, 2023 | BERNARD N. HOWARD • IVAN MESA
~ … Possibility of Moral Clarity
… In a sinful world, it’s never hard to find unjustifiable acts on both sides of a conflict. Anyone who condemns one side will quickly be greeted with whataboutism on social media: “What about this, that, or the other atrocity committed by the other side?”
We accept that the state of Israel hasn’t always acted blamelessly in its conduct toward the Palestinian people. To be pro-Israel in this situation, as we the authors are, isn’t to whitewash every action Israel’s government or military have taken, from its founding to today. We see the frustration, pain, and grief experienced by Palestinians, and we want to take seriously the Bible’s command to “weep with those who weep”—which includes Palestinians mourning their dead, both past and present.
But the inevitable existence of wrongdoing on both sides doesn’t always produce a moral fog. Sometimes the fog lifts. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, for instance, can be condemned by Christians without hesitation. Hamas’s attack on Israel is a similarly clear example of wrongdoing that can be firmly condemned without equivocation.
… Christian discernment looks at both the nature of an action and its aims. If Hamas had simply taken civilian hostages, the act itself would have been evil (the Bible forbids kidnapping), but the aim might arguably have had some military justification—hostages have been exchanged in the past for Palestinian prisoners. But Hamas hasn’t simply taken hostages. It deliberately designed military operations with the aim of murdering civilians. Those civilian victims weren’t the collateral damage of attacks on military targets; the civilians themselves were the targets. There is no biblical justification for this butchery.
Benefits of Moral Clarity
Anyone who has pastored a politically divided church will know how important it is to maintain balance when speaking about political matters. We can get so used to presenting both sides of an issue that the idea of coming down on one side seems like an obvious pastoral mistake. But when moral clarity is justified, it brings great benefits.
1. General Benefits of Moral Clarity
As Jean Bethke Elshtain has observed,
*If we could not distinguish between an accidental death resulting from a car accident and an intentional murder, our criminal justice system would fall apart. And if we cannot distinguish the killing of combatants from the intended targeting of peaceable civilians, we live in a world of moral nihilism. In such a world, everything reduces to the same shade of gray and we cannot make distinctions that help us take our political and moral bearings.*
Getting our bearings in this way gives us a better sense of who and what to trust. Some foreign governments, such as the Qatar Foreign Ministry, have issued statements holding Israel “solely responsible for the ongoing escalation due to its continuous violations of the rights of the Palestinian people.” Other governments, including some Arab governments, have chosen not to blame Israel. This kind of unmasking is useful for Christians involved in foreign policy or working in the Middle East.
Moral clarity on the current conflict also helps us prepare for as-yet-unknown events that may be closer to home. By exercising our discernment muscles, we become better equipped to think rightly in the future. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s moral perceptiveness led him to see the horror of Nazism at a time when many other Christians found the evidence ambiguous. His strong moral vision brought glory to God, and we follow in his footsteps when we’re clear about events we ought to be clear about.
2. Specific Benefits of Moral Clarity
Moral clarity produces imperatives: “musts” and “must nots.” To use a nonpolitical example, Paul demanded the church in Corinth “expel the wicked person from among [them]” (1 Cor. 5:13, NIV). The man in question was doing what Christians must not do (v. 1), and that led to the must of excommunicating him from the local church.
Clarity regarding Hamas’s attacks on Israel allows for imperatives to guide God’s people. On Sunday, marchers in a pro-Palestinian rally in New York City chanted, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied.” Christians must not participate in rallies of that kind (or their social media equivalent), which make defenses for the indefensible, intentional slaughter of civilians. Defending the indefensible (characterizing murder, rape, and kidnapping as “resistance”) isn’t how we weep with those who weep.
Moral clarity also allows for suitably one-sided prayer. It’s right to pray for the swift defeat of Hamas. The murderous operations room of Hamas will never provide good leadership for the Palestinians living in Gaza. We should by all means pray for both-sided things too: the salvation of people on both sides; the protection, healing, and comfort of people on both sides; and the growth of the church that lives inside the borders of both nations. Even as we pray for these both-sided things, let us boldly call on our God to thwart, frustrate, and defeat the one side that is hell-bent on terrorism. ~
Was praying first thing this morning Aj and throughout the day. Continuing tonight and into 7 am tomorrow….that’s 5 am my time mister and I will be up praying!!!❣️our Lord knows, He cares and He watches over you now and evermore!
Wandering Views 
Good morning.
God bless all the grandmothers who want to walk down the aisle as a flower girl. I do not ever want to do that, but it is an honor to be asked, I suppose.
One of my readings today was the final chapter of Ecclesiastes this morning. The poetic description of being old reminded me of the old song, “This Old House.” One of my husband’s fellow musicians sings that song once in awhile. How many of you enjoy poetry or write it even? I both enjoy it and have written a few poems. I know Janice does Haiku, but anyone else care to comment. Or maybe tell us some favorite poets?
I am going through a book with 500 favorite Christian poems. As with any book, some are good and some I do not care for. It is always fun to read something written hundreds of years ago that still rings true today.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Morning.
I enjoy Robert Browning poetry this one my favorite being relatable in our almost 50 years together! 😊
Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, ‘A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!
LikeLiked by 5 people
I just noticed RK’s post on FB that it is their anniversary! The above poem now dedicated to you and Miguel !! Happy Anniversary!!❣️❣️
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Good morning, all. A beautiful overcast day here, cooling temps.
Not much into poetry but my new favorite poet is my youngest daughter. Perhaps you have read some of her work, most likely not.
mumsee
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When the rhymes come naturally,
Then a poet I shall seem to be.
I’ll pen words that make one smile,
Or think and ponder for a while.
The words may be of joy and love,
Or a song to the Lord above.
They could be a sad refrain
Which would seem to cause pain.
But no, I’ll stick to quoting verse
Which is better than mine, not worse.
The poets of old will have to do,
Since my poetry others will rue.
And my toes are not long fellows.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Aren’t we lyrical this morning.
I woke up with what seems like a head cold, which explains why I felt so low-energy and dragged all day yesterday.
But that means I may have to postpone the 2nd eye surgery that was set for early tomorrow. 😦 And that means I may have go through all the pre-op stuff all over again (as long as the 2 surgeries fall within the same month you don’t have to repeat all of that, but this will take the 2nd surgery out of that range if I need to postpone it).
Calling in sick for work today, which is rare for me, and I’ll plan to see how I feel in another few hours, check in with the surgery liaison at my doctor’s office today to see what they may say (I’m sure they’ll say to postpone unless these symptoms magically vanish). 😦
I really wanted to get the eye surgeries over and done with. But all in God’s timing, stuff happens. Meanwhile, I still need to get in to renew my drivers license (like within the next couple weeks) and take that written exam that I still need to study for.
Hoping I didn’t spread whatever this is to anyone at church, I spent a long time chatting with several older folks after the service. Although that may be where I picked it up, too. -dj
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New surgery date is Nov. 6, not too bad — at first they thought they couldn’t get me in until December. -dj
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Very good, DJ. Good to get that done and yet enough time to get rid of whatever you caught.
We moved some firewood today and chatted with the son who had brought us a couple of cords. My dad missed his corn hole for the day as the rain has arrived. He has worked up to four hours a day, morning and afternoon for two each.
mumsee
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glad you could get it that earky, Dj, but sad you are under the weather.
Robert Frost has always been a favorite poet since I wrote a high school term paper about him.
Son worked in the Armstrong Browning library at Baylor which housed all the papers and special collections of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (did I get that right?) My brain is a bot smushy with all the caregiving. Son dies a lot with epic poetry, not his own but from writers of past ages.
LikeLiked by 2 people
From The Gospel Coalition today:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/israel-hamas-moral-clarity/
Israel’s 9/11: The Need for Moral Clarity
OCTOBER 10, 2023 | BERNARD N. HOWARD • IVAN MESA
~ … Possibility of Moral Clarity
… In a sinful world, it’s never hard to find unjustifiable acts on both sides of a conflict. Anyone who condemns one side will quickly be greeted with whataboutism on social media: “What about this, that, or the other atrocity committed by the other side?”
We accept that the state of Israel hasn’t always acted blamelessly in its conduct toward the Palestinian people. To be pro-Israel in this situation, as we the authors are, isn’t to whitewash every action Israel’s government or military have taken, from its founding to today. We see the frustration, pain, and grief experienced by Palestinians, and we want to take seriously the Bible’s command to “weep with those who weep”—which includes Palestinians mourning their dead, both past and present.
But the inevitable existence of wrongdoing on both sides doesn’t always produce a moral fog. Sometimes the fog lifts. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, for instance, can be condemned by Christians without hesitation. Hamas’s attack on Israel is a similarly clear example of wrongdoing that can be firmly condemned without equivocation.
… Christian discernment looks at both the nature of an action and its aims. If Hamas had simply taken civilian hostages, the act itself would have been evil (the Bible forbids kidnapping), but the aim might arguably have had some military justification—hostages have been exchanged in the past for Palestinian prisoners. But Hamas hasn’t simply taken hostages. It deliberately designed military operations with the aim of murdering civilians. Those civilian victims weren’t the collateral damage of attacks on military targets; the civilians themselves were the targets. There is no biblical justification for this butchery.
Benefits of Moral Clarity
Anyone who has pastored a politically divided church will know how important it is to maintain balance when speaking about political matters. We can get so used to presenting both sides of an issue that the idea of coming down on one side seems like an obvious pastoral mistake. But when moral clarity is justified, it brings great benefits.
1. General Benefits of Moral Clarity
As Jean Bethke Elshtain has observed,
*If we could not distinguish between an accidental death resulting from a car accident and an intentional murder, our criminal justice system would fall apart. And if we cannot distinguish the killing of combatants from the intended targeting of peaceable civilians, we live in a world of moral nihilism. In such a world, everything reduces to the same shade of gray and we cannot make distinctions that help us take our political and moral bearings.*
Getting our bearings in this way gives us a better sense of who and what to trust. Some foreign governments, such as the Qatar Foreign Ministry, have issued statements holding Israel “solely responsible for the ongoing escalation due to its continuous violations of the rights of the Palestinian people.” Other governments, including some Arab governments, have chosen not to blame Israel. This kind of unmasking is useful for Christians involved in foreign policy or working in the Middle East.
Moral clarity on the current conflict also helps us prepare for as-yet-unknown events that may be closer to home. By exercising our discernment muscles, we become better equipped to think rightly in the future. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s moral perceptiveness led him to see the horror of Nazism at a time when many other Christians found the evidence ambiguous. His strong moral vision brought glory to God, and we follow in his footsteps when we’re clear about events we ought to be clear about.
2. Specific Benefits of Moral Clarity
Moral clarity produces imperatives: “musts” and “must nots.” To use a nonpolitical example, Paul demanded the church in Corinth “expel the wicked person from among [them]” (1 Cor. 5:13, NIV). The man in question was doing what Christians must not do (v. 1), and that led to the must of excommunicating him from the local church.
Clarity regarding Hamas’s attacks on Israel allows for imperatives to guide God’s people. On Sunday, marchers in a pro-Palestinian rally in New York City chanted, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied.” Christians must not participate in rallies of that kind (or their social media equivalent), which make defenses for the indefensible, intentional slaughter of civilians. Defending the indefensible (characterizing murder, rape, and kidnapping as “resistance”) isn’t how we weep with those who weep.
Moral clarity also allows for suitably one-sided prayer. It’s right to pray for the swift defeat of Hamas. The murderous operations room of Hamas will never provide good leadership for the Palestinians living in Gaza. We should by all means pray for both-sided things too: the salvation of people on both sides; the protection, healing, and comfort of people on both sides; and the growth of the church that lives inside the borders of both nations. Even as we pray for these both-sided things, let us boldly call on our God to thwart, frustrate, and defeat the one side that is hell-bent on terrorism. ~
-dj
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Wow, Dj, thanks for posting that. It so clearly states exactly how I have felt this week.
I read something, somewhere this week about this changing the nature of war. But I cannot remember where it was or who wrote it.
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I just got a 7AM arrival time for surgery tomorrow. The sooner the better I guess.
Aj
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So I will post tomorrow’s threads later tonight. 6AM wake up won’t allow time in the morning g, so tonight it is.
Aj
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Praying, the real.
mumsee
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Praying here too.
Happy anniversary to RK and Miguel.
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Here, too!
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Was praying first thing this morning Aj and throughout the day. Continuing tonight and into 7 am tomorrow….that’s 5 am my time mister and I will be up praying!!!❣️our Lord knows, He cares and He watches over you now and evermore!
LikeLiked by 3 people