Today is Thursday, the twenty-sixth of August, 2021.
Peace be with you!
Day 23,177
Eleven days until Labor Day
As I’m getting started, this morning, a question came up on Facebook, wondering what was the first movie I saw in a theater. I don’t rightly remember, as that was almost sixty years ago. However, the first movie I remember seeing was at the Pinto Drive-In, in Mineral Wells, Texas, and was a double feature of The Rounders, with Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda, and the science fiction movie, The First Men in the Moon. At least I think that was the combination. I know the second one is correct, and have vivid memories of that movie, as I was born to love science fiction.
C is working from home, today and tomorrow, this week, since she went in to the office on Tuesday, her normal work-from-home day. I don’t have any plans at all for today, but I might make a trip up to the library, as it looks like my first pay check might be a paper check. I doubt the direct deposit order has gotten completely processed, yet. On the other hand, I might also wait until Monday to pick it up next time I work.
I just remembered, I plan to make stir-fry tonight, so I need to get some chicken out of the freezer. Be right back.
Thanks for waiting. I got a second cup of coffee and took out the recycling, as well.
Today is Women’s Equality Day, recognizing the date, in 1920, when the nineteenth amendment to the US Constitution was certified. I’m a big proponent of women’s rights and equality, and recognize that, just as in the area of race equality, this nation has a long way to go.
The word for today is Xanadu. It’s a proper noun, defined as, “a place of great beauty, luxury, and contentment.” “In Xanadu did Kubla Khan / A stately pleasure-dome decree.” Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan) was the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, Thirteenth century China. He built his capital in “Xanadu,” which was really called Shang-Tu. It’s also a pretty bad (from what I heard, as I’ve never seen it) movie, starring Olivia Newton-John.
Today’s quote is from Robert Frost. “The best way out is always through.” I’m not sure I agree with that 100%, but do believe that in many cases, it is true. There are times, however, that retreat is the best course of action.
And now for today’s birthdays:
1845 Mary Ann Nichols, English first victim of Jack the Ripper, born in London (d. 1888)
1874 Zona Gale, American novelist and playwright, 1st woman to win Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1921), born in Portage, Wisconsin (d. 1938)
1884 Earl Derr Biggers, American author ("Charlie Chan" detective series), born in Warren, Ohio (d. 1933)
1898 Peggy Guggenheim, American art patron & collector, born in NYC, New York (d. 1979)
1910 Mother Teresa [Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu], Albanian-born Indian nun and founder of Missionaries of Charity (Nobel Peace Prize, 1979), born in Skopje, Ottoman Empire (d. 1997)
1918 Katherine Johnson, American NASA mathematician (portrayed in film Hidden Figures), born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia (d. 2020)
1921 Naomi Parker Fraley, American who inspired "Rosie the Riveter" poster, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma (d. 2018)
1935 Geraldine Ferraro, American politician (US Representative from New York (D), 1979-85), and the 1st female vice-presidential nominee (1984), born in Newburgh, New York (d. 2011)
1939 Fred Milano, American doo-wop singer (Dion & The Belmonts), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 2012)
1940 Don LaFontaine, American voice actor, movie trailer legend (d. 2008)
1941 Chris Curtis [Crummey], British rock drummer, songwriter and vocalist (The Searchers - "Needles And Pins"), born in Oldham, Lancashire (d. 2005)
1942 Vic Dana [Samuel Mendola], American singer and dancer ("Red Roses For A Blue Lady"), born in Buffalo, New York
1947 Candy Moore, American actress (Lunch Wagon, Tomboy & Champ, The Lucy Show, Leave It To Beaver), born in Maplewood, New Jersey
1949 Bob Cowsill, American musician (The Cowsills - "Hair"; "We Can Fly"), born in Newport, Rhode Island
1949 Leon Redbone [Dickran Gobalian], American blues and jazz musician ("Seduced"; "Theme to Mr. Belvedere"), born in Nicosia, Cyprus (d. 2019)
1952 Michael Jeter, American actor (The Fisher King), born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee (d. 2003)
1960 Branford Marsalis, American jazz, classical and funk saxophonist (Sting; Tonight Show, 1992-95), born in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
1960 Keith Raniere, American sex cult leader (Nxivm) and felon, born in Brooklyn, New York
1966 Shirley Manson, Scottish rock singer (Garbage), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
1966 Dan Vickrey, American guitarist and songwriter (Counting Crows - "Accidentally in Love"), born in Walnut Creek, California
1969 Adrian Young, American drummer (No Doubt - "Don't Speak"), born in Long Beach, California
1970 Melissa McCarthy, American comedian and actress (Mike and Molly, Spy), born in Plainfield, Illinois
1980 Macaulay Culkin, American actor (Home Alone, My Girl, Richie Rich), born in NYC, New York
1980 Chris Pine, American actor (Star Trek), born in Los Angeles, California
1982 John Mulaney, American comedian, writer and actor (Saturday Night Live), born in Chicago, Illinois
1985 David Price, American MLB player (2012 Cy Young Award), born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
"Open, Lord, my eyes that I may see. Open, Lord, my ears that I may hear. Open, Lord, my heart and my mind that I may understand. So shall I turn to You and be healed." (Traditional)
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
(Psalms 51:10-12 NLT)
Today I am grateful:
1. that You have created a clean heart within me, through the work of Jesus Christ 2. that You restore the joy of salvation to me, daily 3. that "You have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before [You] in the light of life." (Psalms 56:13 NIV) 4. for the place You are preparing for me 5. that You, Jesus, have borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4)
Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year
ORDINARY TIME – WEEK FOURTEEN – DAY FIVE
INVITATION
LORD, you will always be proclaimed as God; all generations will remember you.
(Psalms 135:13 GNB)
As I pause, this morning, I reflect on God’s great grace, infinite and matchless, that has cleansed my soul from sin.
BIBLE SONG
For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.
Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.
My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me.
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
(Psalms 56:1-4,12-13 NIV)
BIBLE READING
Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”
Moses replied:
“It is not the sound of victory,
it is not the sound of defeat;
it is the sound of singing that I hear.”
When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”
“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”
(Exodus 32:15-24 NIV)
DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION
I remind myself of the presence of the Lord, and read these passages again, looking for words or phrases that speak to my spirit.
Immediately, I find that I wish I could hear what “A Dove on Distant Oaks” sounds like.
The psalm has some precious words in it. Verses 3 and 4 have long been favorites. There is a children’s video that we used to have, I think it was called “Hide ‘Em In Your Heart,” and it featured the great Christian vocalist Steve Green. One of the songs featured Psalm 56:3-4.
I may have told this story before, here, but can’t remember. Many years ago, when our oldest daughter (referred to as “R” in this blog) was a child, C (her mother) was going to night school to finish her college degree. One particular night, while C was in class, a very bad storm came through our area. At the suggestion of the weather powers-that-be, R and I huddled together in the hallway, with pillows. She suggested that we sing that particular Scripture song while we waited for the storm to pass. It is one of the sweetest memories I have of her childhood.
As “grups” (a classic Star Trek reference, if you will), we have many opportunities to have childlike faith, and taking to heart the truth of Psalm 56:3-4 is certainly one of those. There are always times when we are afraid. Sometimes those fears are valid, sometimes they are silly. But in either case, we can put our trust in the Lord when we are afraid. In this case, David was being pursued by “adversaries.” And, in verse 4, he realizes the truth of the rhetorical-ish question, “What can mere mortals do to me?”
I have frequently said that the worst thing any other human can do to me is send me Home. The point is that no one can do anything to me to sever my relationship with God in Jesus Christ. Not only is there no condemnation for us who are in Christ, there is also no danger of anyone else being able to damage that relationship.
Then, for today’s reading, we skip to the last two verses, and there is great comfort in verse 13.
For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
(Psalms 56:13 NIV)
It is because of truths like that that I can put my trust in Him “when I am afraid.”
Just a quick note on the passage from Exodus. If it weren’t so tragic, it would be hilarious. But Aaron’s comment in the last verse is so humanly typical. “Out came this calf,” he proclaimed, as though he had nothing to do with it. I’m really kind of shocked that Aaron wasn’t “fired” at this point, but God graciously allowed him to continue on.
If we read on, we see that that Lord was gracious, but did state that He would punish people for their sins.
Father, I thank You that, because of the truths proclaimed in Your Word, I can put my trust in You anytime I am afraid. In fact, it causes me to not be afraid more often. I believe in Your Word, and I trust in You, therefore, I am afraid less often. The times that I do become afraid are because I have developed temporary insanity and forgotten the truth of Your Word. You are gracious, and You forgive when those times occur. And I also praise You that, because I live in the post-Jesus era, that I don’t have to worry about being punished for my sins because Jesus has already accomplished that for us.
May You give us more of a yearning to know You and the diligence of heart to seek Your face, daily. Please restore to us the joy of Your salvation, also on a daily basis, that we may experience You in Your fullness of joy. Father, I pray for wisdom for any family and/or friends who have not experienced Your salvation. May You surround them with Your Holy Spirit today.
"Father God, like the Israelites, I become what I worship. They worshiped a golden calf and ran wild like laughable livestock; I serve money and become a calculating machine, or a slave to my career. Focus me on Jesus, so that I might become like him. Amen."
BLESSING
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and in his grace gave us unfailing courage and a firm hope, encourage you and strengthen you to always do and say what is good.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 GNB)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
(John 14:3 ESV)
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
(Proverbs 17:17 ESV)
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
(John 15:12-14 ESV)
And what does He command? Love God . . . love people.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
(Isaiah 53:4 ESV)
I pray for peace in our nation, peace in our world. I pray for racial injustice to end, and I pray for the pandemic to be over. Above all else, though, I pray for Your will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Grace and peace, friends.
Spaces of Beauty, Grace, Prayer, and Mercy 