Good Morning Everyone. gois to see you up and about. Mr P’s sister lived almost all of her life in Bethlehem. I even have a Bethlehem star she sent us one year for Christmas. kim
We are in the thirties. There have been many snow festivities cancelled this year. My husband’s group will perform at one on Saturday. So far it is still on. It has a lot of indoor activities, plus sliding and sleigh rides. Hopefully the snow hill will be okay. It was put up weeks ago.
Next week we will have warmer weather than our daughter in TN will have! Isn’t it amazing how predictable this planet is when it was supposedly just all by chance? 😉
Sunny here today but we’re getting 2 “atmospheric river” rain “events” coming in later this week and early next week. It’s all good (as long as the creeks don’t rise, nothing floods, mud doesn’t slide down the hills and mountains, waves don’t surge too much, palm trees don’t come down and our patio furniture doesn’t get rearranged too drastically).
The shoulder feels mostly healed so I’ll be back at work tomorrow.
Every now and then, our cat Rudy will approach Heidi out of the blue, or sometimes when he is just walking past her, and give her a swipe with his claws. Poor Heidi.
Sometimes, he doesn’t quite get her, and she thinks he wants to play, so she does that play bow that dogs do, and then kind of hops closer to him. I try to warn her that that is not a good idea! The kitty does not want to play!
Our cats have taught all of our visiting children’s dogs manners. The cats have outfoxed (ahem) coyotes and such for fourteen plus years. No dog is going to best them. At least in their minds.
Good afternoon. It was Bible study morning with the ladies at my former church. I went in person. We had six in person and six by remote so a big group today. All the ladies are such wonderful people. I know the leader was happy to have so many in person.
It is overcast and windy here. We got the wire stretched on the north fence of the new pasture. Now to tie it. Baby goats should start to appear in about 3 weeks.
41 and sunny here. Tomorrow begins February, the shortest, but, seemingly, longest month of the year. And this is a leap year, so get ready for an extra day!
Congrats, Kare. How wonderful! I am looking forward to seeing our youngest two grands this weekend. They will come to the sliding festival and be able to see grandpa play music. There should be a horse driven sleigh or wagon and other things to do. It will be a bit too warm, so quite messy outside. I am glad they did not have to cancel the whole deal. There are lots of artisans, performers etc. already planning on coming.
I had a horrible night, severe back pain, couldn’t get comfortable, and couldn’t sleep. Then I fell asleep about 7 and slept til noon.
New stuff tomorrow.
On a good note, the PT nurse just left and I have graduated. Using only a cane now, went all the way up and down the steps too. Getting stronger and better able to move around freely. That makes me happy.
oh, Aj, glad that there was some good news after that horrible night.
driving back from a prayer time with ladies in limbo, I was hungry so decided to go to the cafe. I met a new couple and then had a good visit with a friend from PNG.
have to remember that God can use even hunger to direct my steps
An interesting post for the dragon-lovers from the incomparable Chad Bird:
Dragons in the Bible
Let’s talk about dragons. You can read all about them in fairy tales and legends, of course. But the Bible has something to say about them as well.
The Hebrew word תַּנִּין (tannin [pronounced taw-neen]) is translated as “dragon” in the ESV four times (Isa. 27:1; 51:9; Ezek. 29:3; 32:2). In other contexts, it is rendered “great sea creature” (Gen. 1:21); “serpent” (Exod. 7:9-10), “monster” (Jer. 51:34); and “sea monster” (Job 7:12).
So, which is it? Dragon, serpent, sea creature, or monster?
The answer to that depends largely upon context: are we talking about a real animal or a mythical creature? Tannin can refer to both. Certainly in Genesis 1 and Exodus 7, a real animal is in view.
In other contexts, prophets drew upon popular mythical accounts in the ancient Near East, where chaos and rebellion were associated with creatures such as tannin, Leviathan, and Rahab. See, for instance, Isaiah 27, one of the chapters we covered today in Bible in one Year (https://1517.org/oneyear ).
This Hebrew background is vitally important when we get to the New Testament. A few times in the Septuagint (the Greek OT), tannin and Leviathan are translated with the Greek word δράκων (drakon). A δράκων is a serpent or sea monster. It’s also the word for dragon. This is the word that St. John uses often in Revelation when he calls Satan “the dragon” (12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4; 16:13; 20:2).
By the time we get to Revelation, we have an entire Bible full of references to serpents, crocodiles, sea monsters, dragons, and mythical creatures, all of which help to form the image of the archfoe of humanity. And yet, as dangerous and menacing at the Satan Dragon sounds, “one little word can fell him,” as we sing in “A Mighty Fortress.”
Christ, the Word of God, is triumphant over the dragon. And we are triumphant in him: covered in the righteousness of Jesus, wet with baptism’s un-evaporating water, and shielded by the blood of the Lamb.
Delighted with your news, Kare; mixed emotions on yours, AJ.
Happy to be home where it’s raining but not frigid!
We had an excellent trip to the frozen tundra and I’m very sympathetic now, to small children who no sooner get into their enormous clothing then discover they need to use the restroom.
Yikes. All those clothes! I was wearing 10 different pieces of clothing at any one time.
My husband is pleased because I’ve now decided I do NOT have to visit Antarctica since I’ve had the frozen experience.
(Daughter is disappointed).
I’ll be writing blog posts for a bit on the experience. 🙂
Yeah, Michelle, I too was reading your report to see mentions of what you went to experience. 🙂 Did you?
Re dragons: I’ve seen convincing writing that dragons are real, because of several things. I’m going from memory here, but as best I remember here are some key points: (1) Dragons and dinosaurs are the same creature, just a different word. “Dinosaurs” was invented to match fossils, but we already had the word “dragons” for the same creatures. (2) The Bible does indeed have several mentions of awesome, fearful creatures, at least some of which are probably dragons/dinosaurs. (3) Dragons make their way into a lot of cultures’ mythology, suggesting that they did indeed overlap with humans (as Genesis of course tells us they did). And (4), which I find fascinating: The Chinese zodiac is ancient, and it contains multiple real animals along with the dragon. If it was made up of, say, the dragon and the unicorn and a flying horse, we might say yes, see, none of these creatures is real. But the dragon is the only “mythological” creature on the list. Since dinosaurs probably existed until a little while after the Flood, that’s a couple thousand years of earth history for dinosaurs and humans to share space and interact–long enough for some mythology (looking at life with a supernatural lens) and legends (basically exaggerated tales of history with some truth behind them) to spring up.
It is the Year of the Dragon. Port is celebrating the Lunar New Year this weekend with festivities and fireworks at the newly opened promenade.
I used the word tundra in a story today – about a rare Yellow-billed Loon found way astray off our local So Cal coastline around the port. Loon was scooped up, completely entangled in fishing line, treated, rehabilitated and re-released into the ocean yesterday.
Meanwhile, going through the long list of candidates for LA school board I need to do short pieces on. Groan. It’s due next Tuesday 😦
The aurora was a vague stretch cloud across the skies–we did not see with our naked eyes the grand colors, etc. you see in the photos.
However, both my daughter and Stargazer’s girlfriend were able to adjust their cameras to keep the lens open for 20-30 seconds and that’s where we saw the spectacular colors and shimmers.
Knowing/experiencing that convinced me there was no real value in freezing to death, and this one time was sufficient for me.
Still, it was an excellent test for the spirits of the new girlfriend–and she passed beautifully. 🙂
Craziness, though, how that first morning when we stepped outside the hotel at -37, my glasses immediately iced up and I was blind.
Stargazer had to help me the four frigid blocks to the museum we were visiting–I couldn’t see anything.
After that, I didn’t wear my glasses outside. 🙂
Today I’m trying to figure out how to wash everything–to put aside for when my giant granddaughters want to go to the cold. 😉
Wandering Views 
Good Morning Everyone.
gois to see you up and about.
Mr P’s sister lived almost all of her life in Bethlehem. I even have a Bethlehem star she sent us one year for Christmas.
kim
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Good morning all! It’s a beautiful crisp sunny day here. I’m glad, because Dad wanted a sunny day for his birthday. God is good. :–)
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Good morning all. Another beautiful day here. Yesterday was in the fifties, this morning is in the twenties. It is January.
mumsee
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We are in the thirties. There have been many snow festivities cancelled this year. My husband’s group will perform at one on Saturday. So far it is still on. It has a lot of indoor activities, plus sliding and sleigh rides. Hopefully the snow hill will be okay. It was put up weeks ago.
Next week we will have warmer weather than our daughter in TN will have! Isn’t it amazing how predictable this planet is when it was supposedly just all by chance? 😉
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Oh, the horror…
Allen
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Mellow kitty!
Happy birthday to Debra’s dad.
Sunny here today but we’re getting 2 “atmospheric river” rain “events” coming in later this week and early next week. It’s all good (as long as the creeks don’t rise, nothing floods, mud doesn’t slide down the hills and mountains, waves don’t surge too much, palm trees don’t come down and our patio furniture doesn’t get rearranged too drastically).
The shoulder feels mostly healed so I’ll be back at work tomorrow.
-dj
LikeLiked by 3 people
Every now and then, our cat Rudy will approach Heidi out of the blue, or sometimes when he is just walking past her, and give her a swipe with his claws. Poor Heidi.
Sometimes, he doesn’t quite get her, and she thinks he wants to play, so she does that play bow that dogs do, and then kind of hops closer to him. I try to warn her that that is not a good idea! The kitty does not want to play!
LikeLiked by 2 people
learning a new oven. This time I set the timer for 15 minutes less and I think it will be okay. My last baked item burned
jo
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Our cats have taught all of our visiting children’s dogs manners. The cats have outfoxed (ahem) coyotes and such for fourteen plus years. No dog is going to best them. At least in their minds.
mumsee
LikeLiked by 3 people
Good afternoon. It was Bible study morning with the ladies at my former church. I went in person. We had six in person and six by remote so a big group today. All the ladies are such wonderful people. I know the leader was happy to have so many in person.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It’s been sunny and is 57° now. Very nice for winter. A sweater or light jacket kind of day.
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The new little one will be a girl. I’m thrilled! (Of course, I would be thrilled with 4 little boys as well). Due in June.
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Exciting, busy times, Kare!
mumsee
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How exciting, Kare!
I walked late in the afternoon and met up with about six different dog walking folks. When it was much colder, no one was out walking dogs.
Janice
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Well, Abby saw that post, Janice, so now we need to go for a walk.
-dj
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It is overcast and windy here. We got the wire stretched on the north fence of the new pasture. Now to tie it. Baby goats should start to appear in about 3 weeks.
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41 and sunny here. Tomorrow begins February, the shortest, but, seemingly, longest month of the year. And this is a leap year, so get ready for an extra day!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Congrats, Kare. How wonderful! I am looking forward to seeing our youngest two grands this weekend. They will come to the sliding festival and be able to see grandpa play music. There should be a horse driven sleigh or wagon and other things to do. It will be a bit too warm, so quite messy outside. I am glad they did not have to cancel the whole deal. There are lots of artisans, performers etc. already planning on coming.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s a chilly day. The news said firemen had to set a horse upright at our local horse farm. That was the best of the news this morning.
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Good morning from another beautiful day. Daffodils are springing up.
mumsee
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Sorry gang.
I had a horrible night, severe back pain, couldn’t get comfortable, and couldn’t sleep. Then I fell asleep about 7 and slept til noon.
New stuff tomorrow.
On a good note, the PT nurse just left and I have graduated. Using only a cane now, went all the way up and down the steps too. Getting stronger and better able to move around freely. That makes me happy.
Allen
LikeLiked by 3 people
oh, Aj, glad that there was some good news after that horrible night.
driving back from a prayer time with ladies in limbo, I was hungry so decided to go to the cafe. I met a new couple and then had a good visit with a friend from PNG.
have to remember that God can use even hunger to direct my steps
Jo
LikeLiked by 2 people
An interesting post for the dragon-lovers from the incomparable Chad Bird:
Dragons in the Bible
Let’s talk about dragons. You can read all about them in fairy tales and legends, of course. But the Bible has something to say about them as well.
The Hebrew word תַּנִּין (tannin [pronounced taw-neen]) is translated as “dragon” in the ESV four times (Isa. 27:1; 51:9; Ezek. 29:3; 32:2). In other contexts, it is rendered “great sea creature” (Gen. 1:21); “serpent” (Exod. 7:9-10), “monster” (Jer. 51:34); and “sea monster” (Job 7:12).
So, which is it? Dragon, serpent, sea creature, or monster?
The answer to that depends largely upon context: are we talking about a real animal or a mythical creature? Tannin can refer to both. Certainly in Genesis 1 and Exodus 7, a real animal is in view.
In other contexts, prophets drew upon popular mythical accounts in the ancient Near East, where chaos and rebellion were associated with creatures such as tannin, Leviathan, and Rahab. See, for instance, Isaiah 27, one of the chapters we covered today in Bible in one Year (https://1517.org/oneyear ).
This Hebrew background is vitally important when we get to the New Testament. A few times in the Septuagint (the Greek OT), tannin and Leviathan are translated with the Greek word δράκων (drakon). A δράκων is a serpent or sea monster. It’s also the word for dragon. This is the word that St. John uses often in Revelation when he calls Satan “the dragon” (12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4; 16:13; 20:2).
By the time we get to Revelation, we have an entire Bible full of references to serpents, crocodiles, sea monsters, dragons, and mythical creatures, all of which help to form the image of the archfoe of humanity. And yet, as dangerous and menacing at the Satan Dragon sounds, “one little word can fell him,” as we sing in “A Mighty Fortress.”
Christ, the Word of God, is triumphant over the dragon. And we are triumphant in him: covered in the righteousness of Jesus, wet with baptism’s un-evaporating water, and shielded by the blood of the Lamb.
Or, read it yourself here: https://x.com/birdchadlouis/status/1752657824180564119?s=20
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Delighted with your news, Kare; mixed emotions on yours, AJ.
Happy to be home where it’s raining but not frigid!
We had an excellent trip to the frozen tundra and I’m very sympathetic now, to small children who no sooner get into their enormous clothing then discover they need to use the restroom.
Yikes. All those clothes! I was wearing 10 different pieces of clothing at any one time.
My husband is pleased because I’ve now decided I do NOT have to visit Antarctica since I’ve had the frozen experience.
(Daughter is disappointed).
I’ll be writing blog posts for a bit on the experience. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
aurora borealis.
mumsee
LikeLiked by 2 people
?
mumsee
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Yeah, Michelle, I too was reading your report to see mentions of what you went to experience. 🙂 Did you?
Re dragons: I’ve seen convincing writing that dragons are real, because of several things. I’m going from memory here, but as best I remember here are some key points: (1) Dragons and dinosaurs are the same creature, just a different word. “Dinosaurs” was invented to match fossils, but we already had the word “dragons” for the same creatures. (2) The Bible does indeed have several mentions of awesome, fearful creatures, at least some of which are probably dragons/dinosaurs. (3) Dragons make their way into a lot of cultures’ mythology, suggesting that they did indeed overlap with humans (as Genesis of course tells us they did). And (4), which I find fascinating: The Chinese zodiac is ancient, and it contains multiple real animals along with the dragon. If it was made up of, say, the dragon and the unicorn and a flying horse, we might say yes, see, none of these creatures is real. But the dragon is the only “mythological” creature on the list. Since dinosaurs probably existed until a little while after the Flood, that’s a couple thousand years of earth history for dinosaurs and humans to share space and interact–long enough for some mythology (looking at life with a supernatural lens) and legends (basically exaggerated tales of history with some truth behind them) to spring up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is the Year of the Dragon. Port is celebrating the Lunar New Year this weekend with festivities and fireworks at the newly opened promenade.
I used the word tundra in a story today – about a rare Yellow-billed Loon found way astray off our local So Cal coastline around the port. Loon was scooped up, completely entangled in fishing line, treated, rehabilitated and re-released into the ocean yesterday.
Meanwhile, going through the long list of candidates for LA school board I need to do short pieces on. Groan. It’s due next Tuesday 😦
-dj
LikeLike
The aurora was a vague stretch cloud across the skies–we did not see with our naked eyes the grand colors, etc. you see in the photos.
However, both my daughter and Stargazer’s girlfriend were able to adjust their cameras to keep the lens open for 20-30 seconds and that’s where we saw the spectacular colors and shimmers.
Knowing/experiencing that convinced me there was no real value in freezing to death, and this one time was sufficient for me.
Still, it was an excellent test for the spirits of the new girlfriend–and she passed beautifully. 🙂
Craziness, though, how that first morning when we stepped outside the hotel at -37, my glasses immediately iced up and I was blind.
Stargazer had to help me the four frigid blocks to the museum we were visiting–I couldn’t see anything.
After that, I didn’t wear my glasses outside. 🙂
Today I’m trying to figure out how to wash everything–to put aside for when my giant granddaughters want to go to the cold. 😉
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I am sad you did not get to see the Aurora in their glory, Michelle.
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