Resolutions + Guns + Drooling Monkeys

TAKING A BREAK

Today we leave for Lincoln; tomorrow we leave for Texas & return to Nebraska on Jan. 12. So, I am suspending my blog until I return.

RESOLUTIONS 2020

• Write a 365-day devotion book. I've finished a book. Now I am revising & editing.
• Average one road trip per month. So far we have 13 road trips scheduled for 2020. We have trips to Texas, Minnesota, & Florida planned for Jan-Feb.
• Add to our National Park & bucket list. We're going on an Alaska trip in July, which includes visits to Denali & Glacier Bay National parks.
• Lose at least 12 lbs. I need to lose more, but this resolution looks doable.
• Work out at least 3X/week. This was one of my 2019 resolutions, which I failed miserably.
• No politics in my Mental Health MON blog. This will be harder than you think.
• Cut back on coffee. I've probably been averaging 5 cups/day. I'd like to cut back to 2 cups/day & drink no coffee after noon.

GUNS

The simple, commonsensical truth is that guns save lives. No matter how pious and peaceful you are, no matter how physically unthreatening you may appear, a firearm is an immediate equalizer. A firearm is your lifeline. Guns are The Great Equalizers. --Marina Medwin, Townhall 12/31

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE . . . FLORIDA

"Furry, cute & drooling herpes:  What to o with Florida's invasive monkeys" --Drudge Report

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

"Retiring at 65 could become thing of past" --ditto

ROAD TRIPS

If you follow my blog, you know that I look forward to road trips. In order to qualify as a road trip, we must spend at least 2 nights on the road. One of my New Year's resolutions will be to average one road trip per month. We'll get off to a good start in January, when we visit David, Lois' brother, & Carmen, my cousin, in Texas right after the first of the year. Then toward the end of January we'll be in Minnesota for our newest grand-daughter's Baptism. (Laura is due on Jan. 4.) 

ONE LAST RESOLUTIONS CHECK

How did I do with my 2019 New Year's resolutions? I'm glad you asked.

• Not to read any partisan diatribes re:  the 2020 elections. I'd give myself a C-.
• Add to our list of National Park visits & cross something off our bucket list. We visited Teddy Roosevelt & Glacier National Parks, & we took in a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas concert. I'd give myself an A.
• Lose 10 lbs. As of today, MON 12/30, I've lost 9.8 lbs, so I think I'll achieve my goal by tomorrow. I'd give myself a B.
• Treat Sammy, our dog, with more patience. I'd give myself a B-/C+.
• Help Lois put out all of our Christmas decorations. I'd give myself an A.
• Work out at least 3X per week. I'd give myself a D-.
• Continue spending an hour or so in "quiet time" each day. I'd give myself an A.
• Write a devotion book for the 2019 Orphan Grain Train convention. I'd give myself an A.
• Receive a DNA report from Ancestry.com. I have to give myself an F.

MONDAY WHIMSEY

• "STUDY:  Caffeine may off-set holiday weight gain" --Drudge Report 12/26
• "Cannabis-related psychosis, addiction, ER visits:  For young users, marijuana can be dangerous game" --ditto
• "Steep rise in pets needing treatment for anxiety" --Drudge 12/30
• "Scholars now believe Jesus ignored Magi's gifts, just played with the boxes they came in" --Babylon Bee, 12/30

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Perhaps on this day after Christmas the letdown seems more acute. Maybe you are lying in a hospital bed or a prison cell. Perhaps the loved one you thought would never leave has walked out the door—or has departed this earth. Or perhaps today is simply a subtle reminder that Christmas cheer can’t last forever. How our heavenly Father longs for you “to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). Christmas is overflowing—and is here with us even now!  --Danielle DuRant, Slice of Infinity

Come, Lord Jesus!

"During Christmas, we rejoice in the birth of Jesus:  our King & God & sacrifice. But--as He was not born simply to be & remain an infant--at Christmas we look forward to Good Friday & Easter. 'You shall call His name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins' (Matt.1:21). And 'the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, & to give His life as a ransom for many' (Matt. 20:28).....

"But while we wait for Him to return to be our judge, our God & Lord comes to us by His Word--proclaimed, poured out & given & shed for you. Every Sunday, & especially during Advent & Christmas, everything we do, from decoration to decorum, confesses the one true faith & prays, 'Come, Lord Jesus.'" --Benjamin Holt, The Lutheran Witness, Dec. 2019

Free-for-All Friday

FREE-FOR-ALL

"Retail worker institutionalized after hearing one too many Christmas songs" --Babylon Bee, 12/24

"Pictures of Santa coming down the chimney in blackface surface" --ditto

"Crop duster spreads 100 gallons of holy water on Louisiana town" . --Drudge Report 12/24

"STUDY:  Dogs process numbers, count their treats" --ditto

CRIMINAL MINDS

• "Dad angry over son's haircut shoots barber"  --Drudge Report 12/24
• "Merry Christmas bank robber throws cash @ passers by" --Drudge 12/25

CNN

"Watching CNN try to push an obvious political agenda while retaining sufficient space for plausible deniability is akin to watching a two-year-old child try to steal a much-coveted chocolate bar without getting caught by his parents; one can only shake one’s head and laugh at the incompetence." --Charles Cooke, National Review Online 12/23

BETHLEHEM

"Christianity is on the verge of extinction in Bethlehem. According to international lawyer Justus Reid Weiner, "The systematic persecution of Christian Arabs living in Palestinian areas is being met with nearly total silence by the international community, human rights activists, the media and NGOs... In a society where Arab Christians have no voice and no protection it is no surprise that they are leaving." --Jonathan Feldstein ditto

POLITICS & CULTURE

"But there is a difference between politics and culture, between partisan battles in Congress and family values. And, for the months ahead, as America gets more and more divided over President Trump and the 2020 elections, pastors and Christian leaders need to keep their focus on the gospel.

"Politics will tear us apart and rob us of hope and peace. The gospel will transform us and unite and give us infinite hope and perfect peace.

"Politics is always weighed down with the flesh, with human beings being very human, bringing out the worst in us

"The gospel is grounded in the person and work of Jesus, the very one who liberates us from the flesh and brings out the best in us. 

"What a difference there is between the political system and the kingdom of God! --Michael Brown, Townhall 12/23

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE . . . CALIFORNIA

In recent months, California recorded its lowest level of population growth in over a century, according to data from the state’s Department of Finance.

The data showed a 0.35% growth rate in the state’s population from July 1, 2018 through July 1, 2019. That rate is even lower than the 0.57% growth rate recorded for the same period from 2017 to 2018, the two lowest growth rates in the state since 1900.

Moreover, while growth from birth rates and legal immigration continue to swell the population, citizens are leaving the state in large numbers for other parts of the U.S.

“This [is] the first time since the 2010 Census that California had more people leaving the state than moving in from abroad or other states,” the report read. Negative domestic migration and lower birthrates together contributed to the slow population growth." --Zachary Evans, National Review Online 12/24

WHO'S TO BLAME?

Nearly every politician wants to claim to be a rebel taking on the system on behalf of the righteous victims who voted them into office; few want to take responsibility for the system itself. --Jonah Goldberg, NRO 12/27

Theological Thursday

CHRISTMAS GRACE

"During this time, we bathe in the afterglow that comes from having celebrated Jesus' birth at Christmas, a reminder that we are all saved by his grace alone, rather than by any actions of our own. This grace-saving reminder is then complemented by the tantalizing thought of personal resolutions that, if kept, might lead to a better life." --Jackie Cushman, Townhall

COME, LORD JESUS

"During Christmas, we rejoice in the birth of Jesus:  our King & God & sacrifice. But--as He was not born simply to be & remain an infant--at Christmas we look forward to Good Friday & Easter. 'You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins' (Matt. 1:21). And 'the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, & to give His life as a ransom for many' (Matt. 20:28)." --Benjamin Holt, The Lutheran Witness, Dec. 2019

CHRISTMAS 2019

Lois & I went to our church's 3:00 Christmas Eve service:  Carols & Lessons. [We don't have a Christmas Day service.] We sang many familiar Christmas hymns. Unfortunately for me, I was unable to sing, due to a bad case of laryngitis. Sitting & listening to Lois & the congregation sing was still meaningful to me, as were the scriptural readings. Texts were from Old Testament prophecies & the accounts of the first Christmas in Matthew & Luke. The same Christmas readings still resonate with me.

We had leftovers for supper, & then we watched "It's a Wonderful Life." Tonight Derek, Rachel & Bentley will join us for Christmas dinner:  ham, party potatoes, cream cheese corn, & pie. We already exchanged presents at Thanksmas, when the whole family was together, but Lois did buy a present for Bentley.

I pray for you a blessed Christmas & a wonderful New Year.

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

"As I get older, one reason I think so many Americans are yelling at each other more & more is because we know each other less & less. We now have more daily interactions digitally than in person. Two thousand years ago, the God of all creation, who brings bread from heaven & water from rocks & raised all of us from the dust of the Earth, came back to live with us. He downgraded from wandering the desert . in a tent with the Israelites to a food trough in Bethlehem surrounded by real braying biblical donkeys. If He wanted a relationship with us that much, perhaps we should work on our relationship with Him. Part of that involves working on our relationship with each other There is no better tie to start than at Christmas. Merry Christmas." --Eric Erickson, Omaha World Herald, 12.22

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

The first time I walked through the noisy streets of Bethlehem and endured its smells, I gained a new sense of the difference between our Christmas carols, glamorizing the sweetness of the “little town of Bethlehem,” and the harsh reality of God becoming flesh and making a home among us. On that quiet Christmas night so long ago, lying in the manger was the answer to all of life’s successes, struggles, disappointments, and regrets. The hopes and fears of all the years had met in him that night in a makeshift crib. A carpenter, a humble maid, a band of shepherds, and ordinary folks responded in awe at the angel’s declaration: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” --Ravi Zacharias, Slice of Infinity

Mental Health Monday

Bucket List + Outhouses + Criminal Minds + Peace

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2020 is to avoid political content in my Mental Health MON blogs. Might as well start today.

BUCKET LIST

On FRI 12/20, Lois & I crossed an item off our bucket list when we enjoyed a Christmas concert by Mannheim Steamroller in Grand Island. It was wonderful. Here is a list of my favorite songs. You can access these performances on YouTube.

• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
• Hallelujah
• Angels We Have Heard on High
• Faeries
• Carol of the Bells
• Deck the Halls
• God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen Rock

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE . . . MICHIGAN

"The ACLU is defending 14 Amish families in a dispute with local officials over outhouses." USA Today 12/20

CRIMINAL MINDS

"A suspected robber who face-planteD into a Pizza Hut door before fleeing has been arrested thanks to the DNA evidence he left behind, police say." --ditto

"Police say a man who had just been released from jail helped himself to some presents under a Christmas tree in the police department's lobby--only to find out they were fake."  --ditto

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

"But, what kind of peace does God bring if it is not the peace that ends wars and strife among human beings and with the created world? We begin to find answers in the advent of Jesus, and his death and resurrection. 

"First, the peace that God brings in Jesus heals our estrangement that results from sin. The apostle Paul writes: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). This is the “gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15); God is “making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20). 

"Second, the peace that God brings enables us to have peace within our hearts because of our reconciliation with our Creator and his Spirit at work within us. It is the well-being that comes from reconciliation with God. 

"Third, because we have peace within, we can pursue peace with others—friends and enemies—alike. Indeed, the apostle Paul marvels at the new unity between Jew and Gentile when he writes, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, (Ephesians 2:14-15) . . . 

"We, too, can take heart, no matter where we live and no matter the government we live under. God has come near to us in Jesus and established a government that is available to us as we walk in fellowship under his rule. In Jesus, we have a Wonderful Counselor, aMighty God, an Everlasting Father, and a Prince of Peace." --Margaret Manning Shull, Slice of Infinity

Incarnation

The Incarnation is hard to dismiss out of hand because it so radically comes near our needs. Into the world of living and dying the arrival of Christ as a child turns fears of isolation, weakness, and condemnation on their heads. C.S. Lewis describes the doctrine of the Incarnation as a story that gets under our skin unlike any other creed, religion, or theory. “[The Incarnation] digs beneath the surface, works through the rest of our knowledge by unexpected channels, harmonises best with our deepest apprehensions… and undermines our superficial opinions. It has little to say to the man who is still certain that everything is going to the dogs, or that everything is getting better and better, or that everything is God, or that everything is electricity. Its hour comes when these wholesale creeds have begun to fail us.”(2) Standing over the precipices of the things that matter most, nothing matters more than that there is a loving, forgiving, eager God who draws near.

The great hope of the Incarnation is that God comes for us—presently. God is aware and Christ is present, having come in flesh, and it changes everything. “[I]f accepted,” writes Lewis, “[the Incarnation] illuminates and orders all other phenomena, explains both our laughter and our logic, our fear of the dead and our knowledge that it is somehow good to die,…[and] covers what multitudes of separate theories will hardly cover for us if this is rejected.”(3) The coming of Christ as an infant in Bethlehem puts flesh on humanity’s worth and puts God in humanity’s weakness. To the captive, there is no other freedom. --Jill Carittini, Slice of Infinity

Free-for-All Friday

BUCKET LIST + IMPEACHMENT + PRAYER + DIET COKE + MORE

BUCKET LIST

Tonight we'll be traveling to Grand Island for a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas concert. We can then cross this off our bucket list.

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

We've taken to binge-watching Midsomer Murders on Prime Video, then watching an episode or two of Major Crimes on Roku.

MAN'S BEST FRIEND

Lois is working hard to teach Sammy to lie down. She seems to be succeeding.

IMPEACHMENT

Already before Trump was elected, Democrats were talking impeachment. Now it's a done deal. It's a foregone conclusion that the Senate will not vote to convict. Impeachment is purely a political act, & it remains to be seen whether it will have a bearing on the 2020 election.

My heart really isn't in writing about impeachment. I'm thinking about making one of my 2020 resolutions not blogging about impeachment. For sure one of my resolutions will be not writing anything political in my Mental Health Monday blog posts.

A PRAYER FOR THE NATION

"Almighty God, You have given us this good land as our heritage. Grant that we remember Your generosity & constantly do Your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, & an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, & confusion, from pride & arrogance, & from every evil course of action. Grant that we, who came from many nations with many different languages, may become a united people. Support us in defending our liberties, & give those to whom we have entrusted the authority of government the spirit of wisdom, that there may be justice & peace in our land. When times are prosperous, may our hearts be thankful, & in troubled times do not let our trust in You fail; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." --Lutheran Service Book

THE COMING OF CHRIST

"For the centrality and supremacy of love for God and love for neighbor are clear in the teaching of Jesus whose love is costly and sacrificial. Jesus takes the notion of the common good, the other, and grace itself very seriously. The love of God is both an alternative and an antidote to the strident self-centeredness and selfishness that is fostered by our culture. It is a love that cares, that shows compassion, that reaches out, and yes, that stands for truth while being willing to bear the cost vulnerably. The birth, life, and example of Jesus gives us much to reflect on. 

          "This is a call to renunciation that hits us all at the deepest level but it is also one which would have a serious impact on our own lives and those around us if it were to be embodied faithfully. Am I willing to love others with such a cost involved? Am I willing to deny my right to be right, to win, or to dominate? When in doubt, I turn my gaze to the one who so loved this world that he stepped into it not as a conqueror, but as a vulnerable child. The coming of Christ as an infant in Bethlehem is not just an event or a symbol, it is an invitation to a new way of being." --Stuart McAllister, Slice of Infinity

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"Drinking Diet Coke means more likely to put weight on, docs warn" --Drudge Report 12/19

"Half adults will be overweight by 2020" --ditto

Advent + Family + Our Greatest Need

ADVENT

"As we celebrate the season of Advent & look to the coming of the King, I invite you to join me in asking for God's gift of sight. Ask the Spirit to grant you the blessing of vision that goes beyond, the race to recognize His 'kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.' Jesus has given us a glimpse of the future, & His Word has gifted us with the power to impact for eternity the only thing on this earth that will last--people. Implore His guidance as you invest your time, talents, & treasurers. Encouraged by His promises, seek to encourage others by sharing with them the love of God found only in His Son Jesus." --Phil Johnson, Lutheran Laymen's League Report, Fall 2019

FAMILY

"I treasure those memories & the things (family) taught me:

• That families aren't perfect, but they prepare us to find our way in an imperfect world.
• That they give us memories, good & bad, including some we'll laugh at when we're old.
• That we may think they're crazy, but one day we'll realize that all families are crazy in their own peculiar ways." --Sharon Randall, Norfolk Daily News, 12/17

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior” . . .

"The story of the historic Jesus Christ, whose birth is celebrated at Christmas is similar in some ways, yet vastly different. The eternal Son of God puts on human form in the Incarnation. He enters the very world he created as an infant miraculously born of a virgin. But his entry into this world is not to restrain evil, but to overcome it. Not for a time but forever. He validated his victory over evil by vanquishing death itself, the final tangible evidence of evil through his resurrection from the dead. He remains forever, fully God and fully Man." --Charles Premkumar Joseph, Slice of Infinity

Whimsical Wednesday

Christmas Programs...Advent...Burping Cows...More

CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS:  PAST & PRESENT

We had quite a treat the past few days. On FRI we watched Hadley's Christmas program at Trinity Lutheran in Lincoln. On SUN we watched Brianna's Christmas concert at Messiah Lutheran, also in Lincoln. Yesterday (TUE) we watched Bentley's kindergarten program at Christ Lutheran in Norfolk.

Bentley had a speaking part as the innkeeper. He nailed his one line. I appreciated the recitations taken from Luke & Matthew. Some traditional Christmas songs were sung, including "Away in a Manger."

When I was growing up, the children's Christmas program at St. Paul's Lutheran in Concordia, MO, was held on Christmas Eve. We recited scriptural passages from the OT prophets, Luke, & Matthew. We sung traditional Advent & Christmas hymns.

And when the program was over, we traipsed through the chancel & received our bags of peanuts, candy, & usually an orange.We walked back to our home, a teacherage just two houses down from the church, retired to my brother's bedroom, & waiting (im)patiently for our parents to put the presents under the Christmas tree. Ah, nostalgia!

ADVENT THOUGHT

In spite of a world easily consumed by sorrow and sadness this season, those who anticipate the arrival of the source of all joy recognize that the harvest of joy is sown in tears—tears that are redeemed by the one who “for the joy set before him endured the cross and suffered its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus, the joy of the world, was not immune to tears. The “tidings of comfort and joy” would come as that God entered into our suffering and was not removed from it. God enters the exile of this world every Advent Season offering deliverance and salvation. --Margaret Manning Shull, Slice of Infinity

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"SHOCK:  Skewered dog kebabs sold by Vietnam vendors at meat market." --Drudge Report

'TIS THE SEASON

"Angels in heaven rejoice as House Democrat Converts to Republican Party."  Babylon Bee

"Santa Claus accused of quid pro quo for giving children gifts in exchange for good behaior."  Babylon Bee

WHIMSY

"People have more 'digital conversations' than speak face-to-face." Drudge

"Burping cows get the green light to join carbon-offset market. A garlic & itrus feed supplement that lowers the green house gases burped out by cows is giving garmers the chance to become global carbon traders." --Omaha World Herald, 12/16

CELL PHONES

Ah, parenting in the Internet age: It’s an experience full of mystery and wonder! Whether you’re at the local school, a youth sporting event, or a kid’s birthday party, it’s common to see groups of young children, sometimes as young as third or fourth grade, huddled blank-eyed over their collective smartphones. It’s a sight to behold, really, but it pales in comparison to the paralyzing realization that ultimately comes next: No matter how hard you work in your own house to protect your kids — no Internet, no iPads, and no smartphones of any sort — there is no way to prevent some kid with a smartphone from someday giving your child their first eyeful of hard-core Internet porn . . . 

But what if you’ve already given your kid a smartphone? That’s okay. You can take it away. Give them a shiny new replacement phone that doesn’t access the Internet, ignore the whining, and voila! You’ve made the world a better place. --Heather Wilhelm, National Review Online

Celebrating Christmas

Many on the left (as opposed to liberals) have been warring on Christmas for more than a generation. Leftists always deny there is a war on Christmas and mock those who claim there is. 

There is a mind-blowing chutzpah or lack of self-awareness when people do something and yet deny that they are actually doing it. But the evidence is overwhelming. The left has stopped schools from calling Christmas vacations by that name -- the name schools called them throughout American history until the last couple of decades. Almost every non-Christian school in America now calls Christmas vacation "winter break." Fewer and fewer Americans, stores, companies or media wish people a "Merry Christmas," preferring the neutered "happy holidays" (despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans celebrate Christmas). And in but one generation, virtually every American business has gone from having a "Christmas party" to having a "holiday party." --Dennis Prager, Townhall 12/17

Free for All Friday

GRAND-KIDS

I took today off from work, mostly so that I could get our Christmas cards & letters out. Lois tells me that we're having lunch with Bentley at Christ Lutheran. Tonight we're going to Hadley's Christmas program at Trinity Lutheran in Lincoln. On Sunday afternoon we're going to Brianna's Christmas concert @ Lincoln Lutheran. (Lois says that the Christmas concert is actually at Messiah Lutheran.)

ROAD TRIPS

If  you follow my blog, you know that I enjoy road trips. I enjoy looking forward to road trips. This weekend we're in Lincoln for Hadley's Christmas program & Brianna's Christmas concert.

• Next Friday we'll travel to Grand Island for a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas concert, which we can cross off our bucket list.
• In January we're headed to Texas to visit Lois' brother David & his wife Carmen, my cousin.
• Later in January we're headed to Minnesota for our newest grand-daughter's baptism. We'll stay at Nathan & Laura's for a week or so.
• In February we're headed to St. Petersburg, FL, where we'll visit with Lois' sisters Kathy & Anita.
• Last night Lois made reservations for a family reunion in Omaha in late July.

HOPE

God became one of us, not to erase every shadow or to undo the difficulties of humanity, but to be with us in the midst of it, to transform our spectrum of darkness by bearing a truer depth of light, and to enlarge us with the joy of expectancy until the fullness of time when every hope has come to pass. --Jill Carattini, Slice of Infinity

FREE FOR ALL

• TACO BELL worker swung machete at drive-through customer --Drudge Report, 12/10
• Teen runaway found 'camping' inside BED, BATH & BEYOND --ditto

POLITICS REARS ITS UGLY HEAD

With every day that passes, the Democrats risk creating the perception that they themselves are a threat to the 2020 election. --Rich Lowry, National Review Online 12/10

And, in the case of the Obama administration, using investigative agencies as political weapons fits a well-established pattern of behavior. Under the Obama administration, the IRS abused its powers for political purposes: Conservative nonprofits were targeted for investigation and harassment. So was the National Labor Relations Board.  --Kevin Williamson, NRO 12/13

Advent

        Amidst all the twinkling lights, decorations, gleeful holiday carols, festive parties, and holiday sales, a more somber spirit resides in many homes. There is weeping and mourning for lost loved ones. There is loneliness and despair on the margins of every celebration. There are cries for justice that go up and interrupt the mainstream revelry and festivity that is the Christmas season.

        Traditionally, the season that precedes Christmas, the Advent season, is a somber season. It is a season that calls for repentance and reflection. For during the Advent season, another voice from the margins of society calls for repentance, righteousness, and justice. It is the voice of John the Baptizer crying out from the wilderness. 

        John’s voice, often forgotten in our hurried, holiday preparations, is crucial to our understanding of this season. His is such a crucial message that all four gospel writers include aspects of John’s story. Mark, in particular, begins his gospel this way: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER BEFORE YOUR FACE, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT” (Mark 1:1-3).

        For the writer of Mark’s Gospel, the beginning of the gospel is not a birth narrative, as in Matthew and Luke, but the one who proclaims the Messiah; proclaims his Advent, and proclaims the Advent of his kingdom. Advent, like John the Baptist, calls for preparation, for reflection, and for repentance in preparation for the coming of God’s anointed one. For all who would declare Jesus the Messiah, preparation involves aligning lives with the values of his kingdom. --Margaret Manning Shull, Slice of Infinity

Resolution Check + Temp Challenge + Human Composting + Impeachment

RESOLUTIONS CHECK

One of my New Year's resolutions was to lose 10 lbs this year. When I did my last check-up at the end of November, I couldn't report my progress, since my bathroom scale has expired. We got a new scale over the weekend, & I am encouraged to report that I've lost 11 lbs, as of Dec. 7. That makes me optimistic that I can achieve this goal.

LECKBAND TEMP CHALLENGE

Lois checked the weather before we got out of bed this morning, & I knew we had a good chance of winning today's temp challenge. You might think that the only time I publish a temp challenge is when I think we can win. You would be correct. Ratings from accuweather as of 8:17a.
> Norfolk, 11/wind chill -14
> Lincoln, 16/-12
> Beatrice, 21/-3
> Ventura, 26/8
> Eagan, 29/16
> BALMIEST LECKBANDS:  Garrison, 40 *

*This seemed crazy to me, so I checked the results on weather.com. The temperature stands.

MISCELLANEOUS *

* courtesy of Drudge Report, 12/9

• 'I am Jesus Christ' lets gamers play through being crucified; Fight Satan
• World's first human composting site to open
• WALMART apologizes for sweater featuring Santa with cocaine
• Man arrested for driving drunk on highway--on horseback

GOMER *

* Grump Old Men & their Elucidating Rants

I am suffering from impeachment fatigue, & DT hasn't even been impeached yet. It seems inevitable that this will happen, given the Democrats' Trump Derangement Syndrome. Why can't the House pay attention to some obvious issues, such as immigration reform? Inquiring minds want to know.

HOPE

The Christian faith uniquely, staggeringly, answers our deepest cries with a who. 

Hope, as it is presented to us in Scripture, is the anchor for the soul. It is not primarily rooted in the events of the future—the promises of God as they unfold—although of course it encapsulates that also. Hope is rather anchored in the person who holds the future, and by his word and power, upholds and guarantees it. --Tanya Walker, Slice of Infinity

CELEBRATING THE SAINTS, PART V

"As the Scriptures instruct us, we are encouraged by the example of the saints who have gone before us in the faith, who are with the Lord & now rest from their labors (Rev. 14:13). We are strengthened by their fellowship in the Body of Christ, so that we do not grow weary or lose heart but 'run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder & perfecter of our faith' (Heb. 12:1-2). With those who have suffered for His name's sake in the past, we also are conformed to the image of His cross, so that we might know Him & the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:20). For by the evidence & testimony of so great a cloud of witnesses, we learn to know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in all the saints & the surpassing greatness of His power to all who believe (Heb. 12:1; Eph. 1:18-19).

ART

"Banana duct-taped to wall by artist--sells for $100,000"  --Drudge Report 12/7

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE . . . CALIFORNIA

"Hit by fires & droughts, CA voters call 'climate change' top priority" --ditto

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

If anything, religious institutions most need protection from lawmakers. It’s the state, after all, that wants to compel Catholics to perform abortions. It’s the state that wants to coerce business owners to participate in gay weddings. It’s the state that wants to force nuns to buy abortifacients. --David Harsanyi, National Review Online 12/7

THE GOSPEL

But the gospel cannot be stopped. Not by mob violence. Not by government opposition. Not by intimidation. Not by bloodshed. In the midst of many deadly challenges, the name of Jesus is being proclaimed. --Michael Brown, Townhall 12/7

LEFTISTS

As we deplorables know, leftist academics are our moral superiors. To them, Republicans are reprobates, and their ideas are so dangerous that they must be ridiculed and suppressed, especially in their sacred classrooms. --David Limbaugh, Townhall 12/6

CHRISTMAS

Instead of looking for opportunities to smear our political opponents, we should be coming together to celebrate a beautiful and holy time of year. Christmas in America is always special. We get to enjoy spending time with our loved ones as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. --Alveda King, Townhall 12/5

TGIF + Sammy + Muhammad

FRIDAY

I took a personal day today so that I could attend to some personal business. Lois has agreed to help me find our Christmas cards, which up till now have remained hidden. I plan to start working on our Christmas letter. I'm hoping to talk Lois into doing lunch with me at El Mezcal. [Queso dip & chile rellenos. Mmmm.]

MAN'S BEST FRIEND

You would be awed by Sammy's performance every morning, as we let him out of his kennel in the basement & observe him galloping pell mell up the stairs, into the kitchen, where he devours his breakfast with unparalleled glee. So this morning Lois timed him. It took him all of 2:55 to accomplish this task this morning, which seemed slow to me.

FREE FOR ALL

"SURVEY: Avg adult wakes up on wrong side of bed 300 days a year" --Drudge Report 12/6

"Muhammad makes list of 10 most popular baby name in USA" --ditto

"Chinese Christians send missionaries to bring Gospel to unreached America" --Babylon Bee 12/6

"New Greta on the shelf doll will track your climate sins" --ditto

Theological Thursday

ADVENT

"The hope of Advent for all is that God is in the darkness with us, though our experience of God may seem as clear as shifting shadow. Yet God’s coming near to us in the person of Jesus is not hindered by the darkness of this world or of our own lives. We may fear our dark despair hides us from God, but the treasure of God’s presence awaits us even there—for the darkness is as light to God." --Margaret Manning Shull, Slice of Infinity

CELEBRATING THE SAINTS, PART IV

"To remember & give thanks for the saints of old is a reminder & encouragement to love, appreciate & care for the Body of Christ here & now. It would be hypocritical to honor the saints who have gone before us while neglecting & forgetting the saints the Lord has placed beside us. But it need not be a choice between one or the other. As we recognize & rejoice in our connection to all saints in the one Body of Christ, all the more so should we follow the good example of past saints by loving, serving, & caring for our brothers & sisters in Christ in our own place & time. The faith & faithfulness of the departed within their callings & stations in life teaches us to be likewise faithful in our duties & responsibilities on behalf of our neighbors, especially our fellow members of the household & family of God." --Richard Stuckwisch, The Lutheran Witness, Oct. 2019

TV + french fries + Rudolph + Wise Men

WHIMSEY

"STUDY: Avg person will watch 78,000 hours of TV" --Drudge 12/4  Last night we watched Midsomer Murders & Major Crimes.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"America braces for french fry shortage after poor potato harvest" --Drudge Report 12/3  Giving up french fries would be a good resolution for 2020.

'TIS THE SEASON

"RED-NOSED REINDEER" classic blasted by viewers for bullying --Drudge 12/4

"Wise Men actually just sent gifts using free prime shipping, scholars now believer" --Babylon Bee 12/4

MON 12/2

Well, another Thanksgiving break has come & gone. The weather outside was frightful, but the joy of family was delightful. We enjoyed & relished the time spent with our children & grandchildren. Nathan, Laura, & Calvin stayed an extra night with us. They started back yesterday but only made it about 15 miles out of town before they were turned back because of blowing snow & poor visibility. Yesterday I read a Facebook post that was eight hours old, warning travelers to avoid traveling in Northeast Nebraska, due to white-out conditions. Too bad we didn't see this before Nathan & Laura left yesterday morning.

RESOLUTIONS CHECK

• To avoid partisan diatribes about the 2020 elections. I haven't been doing very well.
• Add to our list of National Park visits & cross something off our bucket list. We visited Glacier & Teddy Roosevelt National Parks in September.
• Lose 10 lbs. I couldn't get the scale to work this morning. [No, seriously!]
• Treat Sammy with more patience. I think I've done reasonably well.
• Help put out all of our Christmas decorations. Finished!
• Work out at least 3X per week. I haven't been doing very well.
• Continue spending an hour or so in "quiet time" each day. I continue to do well.
• Write a devotion book for the 2019 Orphan Grain Train convention. Finished.
• Receive a DNA report from Ancestry.com. I sent a sample in last December but never got a reply. I may have to try again in 2020.

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE . . . CALIFORNIA
"California famous for earthquakes & wildfires--but don't forget about its volcanoes" --Drudge Report

MONDAY MORNING WHIMSY *
* Compliments of The Babyl

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