TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2024

 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2024 - DIVORCE (HUH?)

In many churches that follow a standard lectionary, last Sunday (October 6, 2024) had a gospel on divorce. This standard lectionary divides the scriptures into three sections - A, B, and C.  While it doesn’t completely cover the entire Bible, on Sundays, it gets all (I think) of the four gospels and substantive parts of the Old Testament.  For those wanting to read the Bible in three years, some groups put the “lesser” parts into daily scripture readings.  (I use an app on my iPhone to go through the Bible in a year - yes, it can be tedious to have some Old Testament Genealogies and other readings).

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Anyway, the Gospel for Sunday was Mark 10:2-9

 Some Pharisees tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

“What did Moses command you?” he replied.

They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a divorce certificate and send her away.”

It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

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The topic is ugly —divorce. But I will take it in a different direction today: feminism. (Thanks to Marek for discussing this.)

First, many marriages were arranged at the time of Jesus.  Mary and Joseph had an arranged marriage.  Their parents negotiated with another set of parents (or, since women were very little more than chattel (property)), the two men negotiated on a marriage price!!

I can only imagine the discussion.  

(Robert) Hey Fred, my daughter is of marrying age, and your son is ready to marry. How about you give me ten cows, ten sheep, and 100 gallons of soybean oil, and your son can marry my sweet, precious daughter?

Fred (laughing) - No way.  How about one cow, one sheep, and 1 gallon of soybean oil?

Robert: Sorry, but my daughter is worth a lot more than that. She can cook and clean, knit and sew, and is a great gardener and hard worker.

Fred - And she is as ugly as you are.  

(Okay, the discussions continue - like two horse breeders agreeing on a sale price)

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The Old Testament says:  “Moses permitted a MAN to write a divorce certificate and send her away.”

(How chauvinistic!!!) The man can divorce the woman, but the woman must stay with the man.  Supposedly, an unmarried woman would be almost worthless without a man. How could she feed herself?  Did she have to move back in with her parents?  What if her parents didn’t accept her?  What if the man’s parents demanded a refund on the marriage dowry?  

Divorce in first-century Israel might put the woman on the street with no financial support (no alimony).  In some cases, the woman might become a beggar (we have a lot of them on our street corners), or (oh my) a prostitute!!   Similar things happened after World War 1 and 2 - German women - with no job, maybe her husband died in the war, went out on the streets to sell themselves (and, if not, to die)

Jesus is saying, “Hey guys - you can’t just say I’m tired of this woman - so I’m divorcing her.”  

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I personally don’t like divorce.  People need to work out their conflicts - couples need to communicate and not keep it in.  I think a little aspect of my divorce was that we both had changed and in retirement we didn’t talk.  Of course, she was right when she said “You’re not the man I married”.  But the reality was that after 47 years neither one of us was the same .  We both were older, maybe wiser - but probably not, 

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We have to get away from old time gender models.  I have issues with Ephesians 5:22 - “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.” and 5:33 - “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” - (hey doesn’t the man have to respect his wife?).  

If men can just say "I don't like her - she's history", then women should be able to say, "He has abused me - I have to get away from him". But, what is fair for the man should be fair for the woman.

As recently as 1974, if a woman (single or not) wanted a bank loan, she had to have a man co-sign the papers. It hasn't been fair. Jesus tried to move us into fair and equal - it just takes a long time. (And, don't get started how men can control what goes on in a woman's body.)

LOVE EACH OTHER - LOVE EACH OTHER UNCONDITIONALLY

But, don’t apply old cultural aspects to modern lives and modern marriages. Marriages where their is abuse - physicial or emotional/mental need to work it out -  and, divorce sometimes is the answer to end an abusive situation.

Karen Anne White, October 8, 2024

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2024 - NATIONAL DAY OF FORGIVENESS AND HAPPINESS!!

 MONDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 2024 FORGIVENESS

NATIONAL DAY OF FORGIVENESS AND HAPPINESS 

The link says, “National Forgiveness & Happiness Day on October 7 is a day that celebrates forgiveness and the amount of happiness it can bring to one’s life. While many people hold on to grudges and fantasize about revenge, studies have revealed that the best way to heal is actually to forgive the person who hurt you. And no, forgiving someone does not make you weak. Instead, it contributes to creating a much more successful and happy you. This National Forgiveness & Happiness Day, fill your heart with the light of love and practice the art of forgiveness. It will be the best decision you have made all year!”

Mental health
Grudges can lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, and feelings of hopelessness and emptiness. They can also make you more likely to fixate on revenge, leading to destructive behavior. 

Physical health
Grudges can increase stress levels, leading to high blood pressure, heart problems, and weakened immunity. 

Relationships
Grudges can make it difficult to maintain connections with others and bring anger and bitterness into new relationships. 

Quality of life
Grudges can negatively affect your quality of life and make it difficult to enjoy the present. 

Forgiveness can help you release toxicity and develop a more responsive mindset. It can also help your immune system function more efficiently and make room for feel-good hormones. 

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Over my 77 years, I have carried many grudges - many for stupid and vapid reasons.  

I carried a grudge at an insurance man before Becky was born who didn’t tell us our health insurance didn’t cover labor and delivery fees.  (Thanks, Toni and Jay, for helping us out of that situation).  And, yes, it was my stupidity that was at fault.

I carried a grudge against some people down the block who took ten months to get license plates for Connecticut.  (Didn’t they know that license plates are required for residents’ cars?  That was really stupid on my part.  (Of course, that kind of goes back to South Dakota, where I was pulled over by a cop for drinking with out-of-state plates after three weeks in the state (and I promptly got appropriate plates). 

Plus, being judgmental - LGBTQ people were wrong, and I wanted to get rid of them. Non-Christians were going to hell, and more such idiotic thoughts. (Who am I to be the “Judge”???)

Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

(other translations say 70 times 7 times - in effect, there is NO LIMIT on forgiving others.

I have a friend who insists she will NOT EVER forgive her stepfather, who sexually abused her.  

Matthew 6:14-15

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins". 

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they are doing.”

Stephen (Acts 7:60) says, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 

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As the National Day of Forgiveness and Happiness says: 

“The best way to heal is to forgive the person who hurt you. And no, forgiving someone does not make you weak. Instead, it contributes to creating a much more successful and happy you. This National Forgiveness & Happiness Day, fill your heart with the light of love and practice the art of forgiveness. It will be the best decision you have made all year!”

Forgiveness is an act of agape love.  (To err is human, to forgive divine)

Forgiveness helps us to be better people - to transform us!!!

Karen Anne White, October 7, 2024

SUNDAY FUNDAY - OCTOBER 6, 2024

 SUNDAY FUNDAY

OCTOBER 6, 2024

IT’S OCTOBER!!!

• Name: The name October comes from the Latin and Greek word ôctō, which means "eight".  (The Romans had March as the first month, so October is 8th)

• Birthstones: Opal and tourmaline are the birthstones for October. 

• Birth flower: The birth flower for October is calendula. 

• Historical events: Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas on October 12, 1492, and Dwight D. Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890. 

• Observances: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and also includes World Mental Health Day and National Child Health Day. 

• Holidays: October is home to two notable holidays, and is also a month for celebrating beer. 

• Other notable events: The Great Chicago Fire occurred on October 8, 1871, and the Statue of Liberty was sent to the U.S. from France in October 1886. 

• Weather: October is when fall's colors peak, and the summer weather cools off into a cozier setting. 

• Other facts: More than half of the population in the U.S. buys a pumpkin in October, and Illinois produces more pumpkins than any other state. 

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OKTOBERFEST

Of course, October is home to Oktoberfest!!  (Althought it goes from mid September to the first Sunday in October in Munich, Germany - this year from September 21st to October 6th).  

Oktoberfest in Munich is the world's largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a traveling carnival, and is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, with more than six million international and national visitors attending the event. During the event, large quantities of Oktoberfest Beer are consumed: in 2014, 7.7 million litres (2,000,000 US gal) were served. Visitors also enjoy numerous attractions, such as amusement rides, side stalls, and games. There is also a wide variety of traditional foods available.

Of course, many places around the world celebrate Oktoberfest as well. Many Germans moved to Texas in the mid-19th Century during German reunification. (My great-great-grandparents moved to Iowa about that time, 1848.) New Bransfel, Fredericksburg, and other towns also celebrate Oktoberfest.

OKTOBERFEST JOKES

Enjoying the sweet taste of li-beer-ation at Oktoberfest!

Drinking beer by the quart is indeed a heavy beer-den, but I’m coping okay.

Having such an aMaßing time at Oktoberfest!  (The ß is a German shorthand for double ss (amassing)

Oktoberfest definitely isn’t the wurst.

Been eating so much sausage & cheese that my clothes barely fit me anymore… You can say it’s really the Wurst Käse scenario.  (Kase is cheese)

Partying it up at brew-tiful Oktoberfest!

Feeling Brew-tiful today!

A balanced diet is a beer in each hand…

Why does everyone love October?  Because it is a month that everyone falls for each year.

What is October such a chill month?  Because it doesn’t sweat the fall stuff. 

What ailment do dads get in October?  They get rakes and pains.

What is a LEGO fan’s favorite month of the year?  Block-tober.

How do you compliment a pumpkin in October? “You look gourd-geous.”

What do you call a pair of pumpkins that hang out with each other in October?   Gourd friends.

What did the tree say to the month of October?  Take it or leaf it.

A guy walks into a bar and orders a beer. “Ah, October! Almost time for Halloween.

This season reminds me of how I met my wife. I went to a costume party and saw her across the room. Standing there tall and gorgeous next to her friend. They’d come to the party together dressed as the number ten,” he tells the bartender. “That’s when I knew she was the one.”

Why did the band get back together after September?  ROCK-tober

I can’t believe people are letting fireworks off in October!  It’s scared the dog so badly he’s knocked the Christmas tree over.  

WRAP UP

It’s getting a little cooler every day (especially the evenings).  

Do you carve pumpkins?

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LOVE WINS

KAREN 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 2024 ARGUING

 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2024 

FIRST A STORY - THE TIGER AND THE DONKEY;

The donkey told the tiger: The grass is blue.

The tiger replied: No, the grass is green​.

The discussion became heated, and the two decided to submit the issue to arbitration and to do so, they approached the lion.

Before reaching the clearing in the forest where the lion was sitting on his throne, the donkey started screaming, ′′Your Highness, isn’t it true that the grass is blue?”​

The lion replied: “True, the grass is blue”​.

The donkey rushed forward and continued, ′′The tiger disagrees with me, contradicts me, and annoys me. Please punish him”​.

The king then declared, ′′The tiger will be punished with a year of silence”​.

The donkey jumped joyfully and went on his way, content and repeating: ′′The grass is blue”​.

The tiger accepted his punishment, but he asked the lion: ′′Your Majesty, why have you punished me? After all, the grass is green?”​

The lion replied: ′′In fact, the grass is green”​.

The tiger asked: ′′So why do you punish me?”​

The lion replied:
That has nothing to do with the question of whether the grass is blue or green. The punishment is because it is not possible for a brave, intelligent creature like you to waste time arguing with a donkey, and on top of that, to come and bother me with that question.

The worst waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who doesn’t care about truth or reality, but only the victory of his beliefs and illusions. Never waste time on discussions that make no sense… There are people who, for all the evidence presented to them, do not have the ability to understand, and others who are blinded by ego, hatred and resentment, and the only thing that they want is to be right even if they aren’t.

When ignorance screams, intelligence shuts up. Your peace and tranquility are worth more.

Adapted from an unknown Author

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We are in a political year.  In the United States,, two major candidates and two major parties vying for political success (and the election of their candidate for President).  At times, the political parties remind me of the story of the donkey and tiger.  The grass is green (except for drought-stricken areas - where it is brown).  To argue that it is blue isn’t worth our time and effort.  

We must decide which candidate and party will run this divided country with love and grace.  As the lion says, “There are people who, for all the evidence presented to them, cannot understand, and others who are blinded by ego, hatred, and resentment, and the only thing that they want is to be right even if they aren’t.”
 

I do have political views - but I will not argue them.  If you agree with me, wonderful; if we don’t agree, wonderful.  I am to love you, whatever your views are.  

Proverbs 26:4-5  Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly,  or he will be wise in his own eyes.

Proverbs 28_7 If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

(And, excuse my language).  Don’t get into a pissing match with a skunk; you’ll never win and come out smelling like a skunk.)

And Proverbs 15:1 says, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

And, advice for men to their wives, the phrase “You were right, I was wrong” is valuable (even IF you were right).  

Love does win - “turn the other cheek”; “you can disagree without being disagreeable”.  Some things are just not worthy of fighting over (sports and politics)

Love does transform us.

Karen Anne White, October 5, 2024

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2024 - LIVING TO 100

 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2024 - LIVE TO 100?

Yesterday was Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday!!!  Congratulations, Mr. President!!!  

Jimmy Carter has accomplished something no former U.S. president has — he notched a 100th birthday.

Carter, who served one term in the White House, hit the milestone Tuesday at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he has been receiving hospice care for the last 19 months.

The proud Democrat, who has grown increasingly weaker in recent months, has told relatives he wants to hang on until Oct. 15, when early voting begins in Georgia to cast his ballot in the 2024 presidential election.

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Recently, I found this article about getting into the 100 Club:

These Habits Can Help You Live to Be 100 (everydayhealth.com)

EXPERT ADVICE FOR GETTING INTO THE ‘100 CLUB’

<mostly quoted>

Eat mostly vegan. The article suggests a primarily plant-based diet that limits meals with fish to a maximum of two or three per week. Choose seafood with a high omega-3, omega-6, and vitamin B12 content and try to choose ones with low levels of mercury.

Keep protein intake low. If you are younger than 65, keep protein intake low—between 0.31 and 0.36 grams (g) per pound of body weight. That comes to 40 to 47 g of protein per day for a person weighing 130 pounds (lb) and 60 to 70 g of protein per day for someone weighing 200 to 220 lb. 

After age 65, you should slightly increase your protein intake through fish, other lean proteins, eggs, dairy, beans, nuts, and legumes.

Minimize saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources. Limit meat, cheese, and sugar, and maximize good fats and complex carbs. 

Focus on whole grains and veggies, including tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, legumes, and generous amounts of olive oil.

<unquote>

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Karen adds:  I’m not sure I want to live to 100!!  Visiting with my mother, who lived to 98, she confided to me that she was praying for God to take her.  She had survived many health issues - breast cancer, knee replacement, and other aches and pains.  (My father lived to 97 as well)

Her last few years were primarily spent in an assisted living facility, watching television and taking the short walk down the hall to the dining room. On lovely days, she would go outside with her walker (she never had or needed a wheelchair) and stroll the grounds.  

She played bingo and participated in the home's activities. My sister lived nearby and would host our parents for significant holidays and events. (And we would go to the local dairy store for ice cream!!!)

(Aside from that, I was visiting, and she played bingo.  She had memorized two bingo cards (set aside for Helen).  During the hour that they had played, she hadn’t won.  In the last game, she “cheated” by putting an extra chip on one of her bingo cars.  The prize for winning was a miniature candy bar - and my mother loved chocolate!!!)

To my knowledge, she avoided alcohol throughout her life. There might have been a toast at a wedding where she had a small sip of wine.  Our particular denomination used grape juice instead of wine at communion.  

She kept active—walking and playing bridge—for physical, social, and mental activities. In Michigan, they went to a shopping mall before it opened and walked with others—both socially and physically—as she would talk to everybody on her lap around the mall.  

She loved everybody - and everybody loved Helen White.

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I talk about love winning.  My parents were so loving.  Yes, I was caring, but it frequently came with conditions.  “I’ll love you as long as you are nice to me.”  

If I can stay active, do meaningful activities, and “preach” that LOVE WINS, I will be willing to live longer. But already, at age 77, I’m thinking about my mother’s prayer (that I have heard from many elderly in the nursing home): “Lord, take me home.”

LOVE DOES WIN.  Unconditional love, agape love, love for all people

LOVE DOES TRANSFORM.  I picture an aura around my mother and others where their love abounds.

Karen Anne White, October 2, 2024